Uncharted 4: A Thief's End blends its gameplay, characters, and world into a magnificent whole, making it the best game in the series, and a new watermark for storytelling.
Rise of the Tomb Raider's first shot pans over the vast, foreboding landscape we'll soon come to know. In many ways, it functions as a promise on the part of Crystal Dynamics: there are big things ahead of us. And at the end of Lara's journey, after we've seen her through this adventure, and experienced everything the world has to offer, it's clear that promise was kept.
In both structure and detail, The Witness is an original, difficult, and ultimately rewarding puzzle game.
Rising Tide brings other content to Beyond Earth as well, from new factions to new planet types. But these additions pale in comparison to the systemic changes Firaxis has made. There are bothersome issues with the new diplomacy approach, and some of these mechanics are too obfuscated to call excellent. But Rising Tide encourages new ways of thinking, and lends character to a very impersonal subject. That old Civilization mantra still echoes, just like it used to: One more turn.
Overwatch meshes vastly different ideas and schools of thought into one frantic, exhilarating, layered shooter.
Firaxis turn-based strategy sequel brings major improvements to the multilayered XCOM formula.
CD Projekt Red's first paid expansion is well worth the return to the Northern Kingdoms.
Titanfall 2 is more measured and intelligent than its predecessor, but just as fluid and kinetic.
Diablo 3 remains a clever, rewarding, and oftentimes brilliant action-RPG that has made a near seamless transition to Nintendo Switch, six years after its original release.
Bungie's newest expansion not only offers a compelling experience in itself, but transforms Destiny altogether.
Like Spartan Locke and his team, 343 is chasing after something bigger than itself, and with Halo 5: Guardians, it comes close. Now if only it could reach out its arm and take hold.
Dark Souls 3 is a harrowing trek through a dark and gorgeous world, and despite a few missteps, is well worth the challenge.
Just Cause 3 is a stunning display of cause and effect, despite weak story missions and occasional technical problems.
With Uncharted 2 and 3, though, Naughty Dog transcended Drake's own small beginnings. The Nathan Drake Collection is a firsthand account of Naughty Dog's growth as a storyteller, and this collection is the best way to relive that history, and witness its transformation up close.
Galak-Z is a brutal, demanding, and ultimately rewarding 2D shooter.
Volume's tight mechanics, smart visual vocabulary, and level-editing tools combine to create something that is as much a puzzle game as it is a stealth title.
Far Cry's new world and renewed focus on survival create a tense experience true to its setting.
Devil Daggers takes the foundation of the shooter genre and builds it into a fine-tuned, challenging, exhilarating romp through hell.
I Expect You to Die captures the tension, revelations, and exhilaration of a last-second escape in virtual reality.
The Coalition has crafted a faithful homage to a great nine-year-old game, but hasn't completely erased the blemishes of the past.