Polygon's Reviews
Hearthstone pulled me into a new genre and refuses to let me go
Arkham Knight is Batman perfected
I guess, in the end, it's not just that Breath of the Wild signals that Zelda has finally evolved and moved beyond the structure it's leaned on for so long. It's that the evolution in question has required Nintendo to finally treat its audience like intelligent people. That newfound respect has led to something big, and different, and exciting. But in an open world full of big changes, Breath of the Wild also almost always feels like a Zelda game — and establishes itself as the first current, vital-feeling Zelda in almost 20 years.
Battlegrounds manages to exist within the crowded shooter genre in an unfinished state, and feel both fresh and creatively complete. From its early access launch on March 23 to its official launch today, Dec. 20, its creators have had nine months to repair, polish and expand on their baby. That the most substantial updates have been improved server performance, vaulting and car horns speaks to the confidence Greene and his squad have in the game's foundation.
Some die-hard fans may fear this isn't really God of War. I suppose they're right. It's even better.
Dragon Age: Inquisition is one of the biggest games I've ever played, and I still want more
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor tells a good story but provides the tools to discover even better tales
TowerFall Ascension is never not fun.
Warlords of Draenor puts World of Warcraft back on top of the genre
Divinity: Original Sin is one of the deepest and most unforgettable games I've played all year
Reaper of Souls reinvigorates an already great game
Pound for pound, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has been the most fun I've had playing video games in 2014, and a well-polished crown jewel in the Wii U's library. I've spent dozens of hours Smashing roomfuls of friends into oblivion, grinding through events and hunting down unlockables — and, happily, I feel like I'm just getting started.
Fallout 4 brings great gameplay to match its world and ambiance
Where other publishers might release a making-of documentary of their golden era, Super Mario Maker does the unthinkable: It lets you do the making of. I have had a tremendous amount of fun playing Super Mario Maker, but the way it developed that newfound appreciation for something I've known my whole life was the game's biggest accomplishment. Sure, there's touches of fan service here and there, like a startling number of references to Mario Paint, but that's not how it won me over. Super Mario Maker wooed me because it's a hands-on history lesson.
Tokyo Mirage Sessions is a spirited, fun blend of two great RPG series
Pokemon X and Y is a completely interconnected experience, which is exactly how Pokemon is meant to be played — a fact I'd forgotten since my schoolyard days.
A Link Between Worlds is the sequel I never knew I wanted
Tearaway is fresh, inviting and intricate
Inside deftly explores darkness without resorting to humor
World of Warcraft: Legion addresses long-standing player concerns in smart ways