I totally get it, this is a WEIRD choice to give 5 stars to. But I’m practically obligated to given my childhood. I was raised on the Beatles, and they are still to this day my favorite band of all time. I also have a deep love and attachment to the Rockband series. So naturally, the merging of the two is right up my alley. This game is a huge celebration of The Beatles’ story and legacy, with an art style and UI design that really pays attention to the world the band left behind. The various character models are stylized enough to still hold up in an age of poorly-aged graphics, and the video backgrounds that play during songs feel spot-on to actual footage of their shows. Beatlemania segments are fun. The campaign, while excluding any real dialogue and leaving non-concert events out, is a treat to get through and I find it infinitely replayable. The soundtrack is an excellent summary of one of the biggest song catalogs in the world; there are a few notable songs missing but it is mostly a celebration of the various styles taken by the band through the years.

I totally get it if you don’t think The Beatles Rockband is anywhere near 5 stars. But it is for me!!!

Resident Evil 4 is so cool. I think "cool" fits the description more than any other word for this game. I played it for the first time this summer, and vividly remember doing certain things and laughing and jumping in my seat because of how cool they were. There's no feeling quite like kneecapping a zombie, then roundhouse kicking it in the face so hard that its head explodes. Same goes for suplexing them, but even moreso. Leon is a great protagonist, with tons of cheesy but lovable one-liners and a definite upgrade in ability since RE2. The villains and plot are ridiculous--straight out of a B-list action movie from the 90's that Steven Seagal would star in--but it's never really a bad thing. This game is fun the whole way through, and really is one of the most iconic action games ever.

It's GTA 5. Who hasn't played or at least heard about this game? I would review the campaign exclusively, but that takes away so much from what its role in gaming is.

GTA 5 has a fantastic story mode, and it seems conceptually strange that a series known for vulgar jokes and senseless violence would have such a well-crafted story. I'm not trying to argue that it's some beautiful flowery tale of friendship or love or morals or anything. The main trio is (mostly) irredeemable psychotic criminals whose only ambition is their own gain. But that's the story GTA wants to tell, and it tells it so well.

It's a story of greed, self-obsession, and the supposed "American Dream" being played out to all its horrible ends. Trevor represents the lower-class, the white trash who has been abandoned and clearly lost a mental health battle a long time ago. His story is the comic relief and he's set up to be the clear "crazy evil GTA-centric" character of the group, but you find over time that he's not always the worst person you encounter. Michael represents the so-called American success story, who has everything he wants in life except happiness. He kept filling holes with money, and once that money gets jacked from him thanks to the tennis-coach-gone-wrong-into-cartel story, he finds himself empty. Franklin represents the struggles of the American slums; a man who desperately wants to make it out of his neighborhood but has to resort to crime to do so. All three characters are dynamic, compelling, and bounce across the moral compass constantly. You are very invested in their journey, and the true ending leaves you with a strange sense of completion. You've followed these characters to a happy ending, where they've pulled off the greatest heist ever, tied up loose ends, and found their peace both with each other and with the outside world. These characters are complete, and you helped them find that completion. But that completion comes through countless murders, robberies, and horrible life decisions. How much stolen money and how many dead bodies does it take for these characters to find peace? It's really an interesting approach, and I appreciate that they didn't try to make these characters redeemable.

Aside from the story and characters (mostly Franklin, Franklin is the GOAT), the gameplay is really fun. Gunfights are sometimes repetitive, but satisfying and the settings/scenarios usually change enough to keep it fresh. Driving vehicles feels great, and some of the most fun parts of the game are getting in a car and getting the heck out of dodge. Fast travel of some form might be nice for HUGE landmark traversal (I don't want to drive on Los Angeles highways for 10 minutes straight), but I understand that with a map this huge and detailed you want people to actually traverse it. It's a great game for its legacy AND its gameplay.

And, of course, how I could leave out GTA Online? Easily one of the greatest and most prolific online experiences in the industry. From 2013 Vanoss videos to new challenges and minigames to years and years of updates, the Online experience is filled to the brim with content. It truly feels endless.

GTA 5 is GTA 5. I would like to hear any explanations of why it DOESN'T deserve 5 stars, because I really can't picture any.

Breath of the Wild is probably the first thing that comes to mind when I hear the phrase "modern classic." It is a landmark in the modern gaming industry, and its influence will be felt for years to come.

Breath of the Wild sports a very pleasing art style that feels like you're running through paintings or jumping straight out of the concept art, and the very lowkey music is an interesting approach that subtly adds worldbuilding.
The core gameplay loop is satisfying and just feels like a video game. Collecting materials, finding new weapons once yours break, battling enemies, discovering the huge, sprawling map you're allowed to discover...there's always something to be done and it's almost always something you want to do. The champions are also great supporting characters and gaining their abilities while learning their stories is tragic but beautiful.

I think I'm taking half a star off NOT for anything objective--I appreciate the objective quality of this game--but just because it wasn't my favorite game to play. Nothing wrong with it! I just haven't ever been a big Zelda fan and there were times where I would have preferred to be playing Devil May Cry 5 because the action is more instant gratification-y.

After Rockband 3 (an entry I skipped) and the mainstream death of the plastic instrument rhythm games, I was kinda done with these games. But my parents got me Rockband 4 for a birthday and I’ve gotten some insane mileage out of it. While it admittedly has the most garbage OST of any mainline Rock Band or Guitar Hero, its seemingly infinite DLC makes up for it. The game is fun to look at and I’ve honestly spent more money in DLC over the years than the actual game’s cost, so I shilled out for a decent library. It’s great for parties and I play it with my family a lot whenever im home. It brings me back to the first Rock Band and how much fun for everyone that was.

I owe so much to Rock Band 1. Not only did this game shape a lot of my future music taste, but it literally taught me how to play the drums. I’ve played the drums for 14 years of my life, and it all started from playing this game as a kid. I can’t speak on the finer details of the hit window or rake strumming (ask Acai), but I can say this game is super freaking fun for the whole crew and has a stellar soundtrack. Arguably the best in the whole series, and gives Guitar Hero 3 a run for its money.

There’s a big nostalgia factor involved for a lot of people playing this game, and I just don’t have that. It felt less lovable and goofy than Mario 64, but not nearly as smooth as Galaxy or any newer Mario platformers. It’s kind of the awkward middle child that isn’t necessarily bad—FLUDD is pretty fun in some circumstances and it does get very creative for an entirely beach-themed game—but it doesn’t stand out amongst the rest of the Mario 3D adventures. Glad I played it, but don’t want to play it again.

Amazing. Definitely a remake worth making, it enhanced one of the greatest horror games of all time with modern graphics and storytelling. It’s so unnerving to be sneaking around the police department with zombies or Mr. X in your face at a moment’s notice. The combat is intuitive, and makes every shot count. You have to think about how to approach every room because you WILL run out of supplies without a plan. Leon doesn’t get much in terms of huge personality traits that Capcom characters typically bring, but it fits how horrified he is for his first apocalypse. Resident Evil 2 is great.

Fantastic. Masterpiece. Art. God of War 2018 is a landmark in the action adventure genre, and succeeds on all fronts. From its beautiful landscapes, to deeply lovable characters, to stellar gameplay, to phenomenal story, God of War is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. Kratos and Atreus’s relationship is one of the greatest dynamics in gaming, and it is deeply endearing to see it develop over the course of the game. The combat is also incredibly satisfying, and the skill tree in combination with Runic Attacks leaves each battle with plenty of opportunities to innovate. Every PlayStation owner needs to give this game a run.