PCMag's Reviews
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla continues the series’ recent winning streak. This stellar entry boasts an expansive world, many exciting missions, and a tight, character-driven plot that make it one of 2020's best games.
Spider-Man: Miles Morales kicks off the PlayStation 5's launch by putting you in the web shooters of the titular new Spider-Man in a satisfying side story that covers much of the same terrain as its predecessor.
I’m not sure if Hades is my absolute favorite Supergiant Games release. Transistor remains criminally underrated. Hades, however, is the one I’ve spent the most time playing and thinking about. It’s the rare roguelite that convinces me of the genre’s merits. Hades masterfully nails its minute-to-minute mechanics alongside the larger character and story progression. I didn’t want to love Hades, but still loved it. I love looking at, fighting in, and absorbing more of this underworld that never stops. So, if you come in with an even slightly more open mind, chances are you’ll love it even more.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a joyous return to form for a series that has fallen on hard times in recent years. Its thrilling gameplay and pulsating energy will satisfy older folks longing for a game type that publishers have ignored this generation, as well as younger people who are looking for a ridiculously entertaining diversion with a blood-pumping, head-nodding punk and hip-hop soundtrack. The gameplay engine, one that defines arcade-style skateboarding, is honed to near-perfection, and will hopefully be the foundation for future Tony Hawk games.
Fresh out of Steam Early Access, Eastern Exorcist delivers fantastic visuals, exhilarating combat, and a fascinating story. However, bland level design dulls the experience a bit.
Marvel's Avengers is a cinematic action game featuring Black Widow, Captain America, Iron Man, and other popular superheroes. It's packed with cool, customizable loot and punchable bad guys, but the action drags.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a one-of-a-kind experience made possible by a marriage of clever developers and cutting-edge technology. It’s a gift to the series’ dedicated fans, an appealing entry point for newcomers, and now the bar for the simulation genre.
Horizon Zero Dawn's PC port lets you hunt robot animals and explore a massive post-apocalyptic world on your own computer, with consistent and reliable performance.
Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town puts a contemporary spin on a charming farm-sim that sees you plant crops, raise livestock, and start a family. The controls and character models could use additional work, but this leisurely game is incredibly addicting.
Paper Mario: The Origami King weighs down a fun adventure with an unsatisfying, puzzle-based combat system that misses the mark.
Persona 4 Golden is as great on PC as it was on PlayStation Vita. Its turn-based combat is fast, fun, fluid, and encourages strategic thinking. The contemporary, rural setting and Jung-inspired narrative sets it apart from other JRPGs and allows it to tell a story that breaks genre conventions. Most importantly, the characters and their unique quirks make for a highly entertaining gameplay experience. Persona 4 Golden is a JRPG classic and a must-own PC game.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is a faithful port of the original Wii JRPG, but with a higher resolution and a big, extra campaign.
Despite its superficial similarities to a certain popular Nintendo property, Genshin Impact has grown into a phenomenal, free-to-play action-RPG that offers creative combat and an engrossing world to explore.
Final Fantasy VII Remake wonderfully reinterprets the legendary JRPG via modern-day graphics and a tighter focus on narrative and characterization. Unfortunately, it's just the first part of a massive tale.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is fun, relaxing and simply very chill. You won’t feel pressure while playing, and you probably won’t get much of a sense of competition. If you’re looking for structured goals and a distinct progression towards a specific end, you won’t find it in this game. What you will find is a big island you can customize and develop and trim to your heart’s content, with plenty of things to build, buy, and place wherever you’d like. Like a bonsai tree, rather than a board game.
Doom Eternal tops its predecessor by featuring larger maps filled with secrets, more ultra-violent weapons, and a huge variety of demons to slay. It is 2020's most extreme, first-person shooter.
As we prepare for yet another new generation of gaming hardware to push power and technology to their absolute limits, it's nice to play the kind of game that impresses with more timeless qualities of polish and craft. Here you have a beautiful world made of thought-provoking levels, as well as the tools to move through that world with unparalleled grace. Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a worthy continuation of what is now one of Microsoft's best PC game franchises.
Featuring a huge roster, revamped graphics and sound, and addicting combat, The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match is one of the best fighting games for PCs, despite some omissions.
Pokemon Sword and Shield won't throw many surprises your way, but they both offer the great Pokemon experience that's worked for two decades. The game boasts a new region to explore, as well as new monsters and combat.
A throwback to classic 16-bit action titles, Blazing Chrome is a run-and-gun game that captures the co-op thrills and tough-as-nails gameplay found in Contra and Metal Slug.