1999
The best Bioshock game, and one of the best video game villains / villain reveals out there.
2000
This game gets left out in the cold when Boomer Shooter discussions happen, likely since any future relevance was killed by its disaster of a sequel, but this one's special. Fighting for your life on this surreal sci-fi-tribal alien planet, encountering cool optional bits of environmental storytelling, engaging in sharp, technical fights with fewer/stronger enemies instead of hordes of weaker demons - there's nothing else like Unreal. Play it.
2013
Desperate, skin-of-your-teeth fights mixed with peak Naughty Dog Storytelling, for better and worse. Wish they would have gone for a more inspired plot, although I don't mean to dismiss it entirely. The dynamic between Joel and Ellie is neat, and there are some great scripted moments, but in my memory they mix equally with frustrating, unresponsive animations, predictable plot beats, and the most boringest puzzles any prestige designer has ever thought of.
2016
In another universe, this is what COD became. In ours, it will remain a brilliant light, shining forever in the dark history of 2010s shooters.
2007
Assassin's Creed was never good.
1997
The real Doom 3. Cheekiest level design in the series, spattered with colored lighting in a manner akin to a college sophomore decorating their dorm with Amazon-ordered LED strips.
2016
It was pretty cool in 2016, but now I just wish it would go away already.
This game was rad when I was 15 and my parents finally let me play M-rated games, but that's the only demographic this game is really for. SR4 at least lets you break things with ridiculous superpowers.
2016
Went in expecting Myst, was sorely disappointed. It gets at some interesting mechanics when things click, but the framing device of the island feels like more and more of a missed opportunity the longer you play. The ending's interesting, and I gotta give Blow credit for the puzzles he did design, but I stuck with this game and beat it more as a mental challenge to myself than out of curiosity.
The singleplayer maps are gigantic, and gesture at the ability to approach your objective through multiple means, but the game never really delivers on this promise and only leaves you with average-for-a-video-game squad banter and a checklist of AAA FPS setpieces. The destruction was a lot of the appeal, sure, but right now this thing's pretty uninspiring when you go back to it.
2013
The video game equivalent of looking for your lost car keys.
2016
I gave this game two honest shots - on on PC, one in VR with my Index. During the latter, I had a few beautiful moments with No Man's Sky, but after seven hours, I decided they weren't worth the continual effort the game demands. In Hello Games' continuous patching and re-working of their Big Breakout Title, they created a mechanical monstrosity which can bore you in innumerably different ways.
More than anything else, but the greatest achievement of this game is ultimately proving that procedural generation will never truly be as compelling as hand-designed levels.
More than anything else, but the greatest achievement of this game is ultimately proving that procedural generation will never truly be as compelling as hand-designed levels.
2002
A gorgeously designed rail shooter, and the peak of the series.
Over a thousand hours later, I have a lot to say about XIV, but in short: Deep within this monstrosity of an MMO experience lies two of the best Final Fantasy games of the decade. The themepark design is unavoidable, but some of the rollercoasters are incredible.
2018
Honors the breadth of experience Tetris has to offer. Needs to be played in VR.