Given issues like the poor loot system and the occasionally awful camera, it's amazing how quickly and thoroughly Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris turned me around from my initial lukewarm feelings.
Chronicles: China is the smartest twist on the Assassin's Creed formula yet
Team Ninja has taken some big chances here. They don't all pay off, but the ones that do pull together for a game that justifies some of the pain required.
Ashes of Ariandel is the best Dark Souls 3 has ever been
Dragon Quest 7 ties together a bunch of fun mini-adventures into a lengthy, nostalgic package
Watch Dogs 2 improves on its predecessor but doesn't go as far as it could have
Explorers is a strong start to a new take on Final Fantasy
Ratchet & Clank is something worthwhile for fans new and old alike
Rare Replay is an essential piece of gaming history
The balance that Dragon Quest Heroes walks between trivial fun and deeper strategizing is precarious. At any point in the 30-plus hours I played, I felt like it could have tipped over, leaving a boring, button-mashing shell of a game. Amazingly, it never did.
The Surge successfully builds on its inspirations and finds its own voice
In its best moments, Darkest Dungeon makes me feel crazy and hopeless. There's something I can't say for most games: The times when I most felt that I had irrevocably fucked up were also the times when the game was at its strongest. Though some of Darkest Dungeon's more annoying design concessions detract from the overall experience, I'd be foolish not to recommend such a singular experience.
Tembo the Badass Elephant is a surprising new direction for Game Freak that pays off
Final Fantasy 14 redeems the series' greatest disaster
Infamous: First Light is at its best if you've never played Second Son
Citizens of Earth is rooted in the past but still forward-thinking
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is a flawed but appreciated push in a new direction
Revelations 2 is the most self-assured Resident Evil game in a long time
Absolver recognizes its singular goal of building a robust, satisfying martial arts combat system. It leans into those strengths, and it's a better game for it.
Despite the new protagonist, this game serves as a celebration of everything the Uncharted series has come to represent over a decade of mostly strong releases from Naughty Dog. And because of the new protagonist, it also offers a glimpse into what the franchise could become in the future, with some new developer leading the way. Naughty Dog did right by our memories here, and I hope that whoever takes on Uncharted next does right by them.