مجموعه Assassin's Creed ما را به اولین مکان خود در سال 2007 ، از جمله یونان باستان ، ایتالیای رنسانس و آمریکای دوران جنگ انقلابی ، به چندین مکان تاریخی سوق داده است. جدیدترین قسمت ، Assassin’s Creed Valhalla ، جزئیات حمله وایکینگ ها به قرن 9 انگلستان از دیدگاه معروف ترین مهاجمان تاریخ است. گرچه Valhalla هیچ چیز کاملاً جدیدی برای این سری معرفی نمی کند ، این یک بازی رایانه ای عالی است که از رده های پیشینیان خود یعنی Origins و Odyssey پیروی می کند.

توسعه دهنده تام هاپ ، که به خاطر کار خود در EA Sports 'Tiger Woods PGA Tour و NFL Street حق رای دادن مشهور است ، به Indie رفته و ادای احترام لذت بخشی به ژانر اکشن اکتشافی (AKA Metroidvania) را کرده است. این پلتفرمر 2D بهترین جنبه های اسکرولرهای جانبی کلاسیک مانند Castlevania: Symphony of the Night و Metroid را با هم ترکیب می کند تا تجربه تازه ای را برای تازه واردین ژانر و دامپزشکان فصلی فراهم کند. Axiom Verge عنوانی سرگرم کننده و جذاب است ، اما عناصر داستانی جذاب و سلاح های به ظاهر بیهوده کمی تجربه را از بین می برد.

"اگر X را دوست دارید ، Y را دوست خواهید داشت ! " ممکن است ارزانترین تحسین انتقادی باشد ، اما گاهی اوقات هیچ کار دیگری نمی تواند انجام دهد. بنابراین اینجا می رود: اگر Batman: Arkham Asylum را دوست داشتید ، Batman: Arkham City را دوست خواهید داشت. توسعه دهنده Rocksteady Studios همه چیز را از پناهندگی که کار کرده است وادار می کند (جنگ هیجان انگیز ، صداپیشگی عالی) ، هرچند نوآوری بسیار کمتری به همراه دارد. این باعث می شود Arkham City مشتق شود ، اما بازی به اندازه کافی سرگرم کننده و جالب است که هنوز هم به عنوان یکی از بهترین بازی های اکشن رایانه شخصی باقی مانده است.

Bayonetta اصلی یکی از بهترین ها است. بازی های اکشن که تاکنون ساخته شده اند و به راحتی در کنار کلاسیک های ژانر مانند God Hand ، Devil May Cry 3 و Ninja Gaiden Black قرار دارد. Bayonetta دارای عملکردی انفجاری است و قدرت ترکیبی شما را در برابر هر موجود خدایی در کتاب خوب آزمایش می کند. علی رغم عملکرد ضعیف Bayonetta در PlayStation 3 ، این پورت PC بسیار عالی است. این عملکرد را با نرخ فریم کاملاً جامد و طیف وسیعی از وضوح غیر معمول ارائه می دهد ، که این نسخه را به یک تجربه قاتل فرشته کامل تبدیل می کند.

به بیان ساده ، JoyMash توسعه یافته است Blazing Chrome یکی از بهترین تیراندازهایی است که تاکنون ساخته شده است. در دنیای مشابه Terminator ، که توسط یک آخرالزمان ربات نابود شده است ، شما شخصیت هایی را کنترل می کنید که دارای سلاح های پرقدرتی هستند که برای نابودی لشکر دشمنان مکانیکی طراحی شده اند. در طول شش مرحله بازی ها ، شما شاهد انفجارهای بزرگ ، اکشن های چند نفره وحشی و روسای سنگین هستید. برای جلو بردن ژانر با ویژگی های جدید گیم پلی کار زیادی انجام نمی شود ، اما Blazing Chrome تقریباً همه کارها را درست انجام می دهد.

Carrion یک پلتفرم 2D مانند Metroid است که توسط Devolver Digital منتشر شده است. که در آن شما به عنوان یک انگل وحشتناک و بیگانه بازی می کنید. این عبارت شامل تمام اطلاعاتی است که شما برای درک دقیق نحوه عملکرد بازی رایانه نیاز دارید. این ژانر وجود دارد: platformer 2D مانند Metroid. پس از آن موضوع اصلی وجود دارد: بازی به عنوان انگلی و وحشتناک. سرانجام ، دامنه و سبک بازی وجود دارد: منتشر شده توسط Devolver Digital. به عبارت دیگر ، Carrion یک پلتفرمر کاملاً شیک و مستقل و مستقل با خشونتهای خونین است.

Cuphead یک جذاب و جذاب است. ترکیبی که سری نمادین کنترا را از کانال کانیامی پخش می کند ، در حالی که از سبک انیمیشن شلنگ لاستیکی که در طول کارتون های دهه 1920 و 1930 برجسته بود ، الهام می گیرد. اگر با گیم پلی سریع سری Contra آشنا هستید ، Cuphead باید درست در کوچه شما باشد. قهرمان تیتراژ و برادرش موگمن باید بهترین طیف گسترده ای از مراحل و کارفرمایان خطرناک را برای تکمیل تلاش خود انجام دهند. Cuphead فاقد طراحی سطح گسترده ای است که در Contra و سایر سبک های کلاسیک ارائه شده است ، اما بازی اکشن هاردکور لیست سبکی از مبارزات رئیس پیچیده و راضی کننده برای غلبه بر آنها را به سبک سرباز بیگانه محبوب Treasure به شما می دهد.

اگر هنگام بازی Daemon X Machina ، به یاد بیاورید Mobile Suit Gundam ، Super Dimension Fortress Macross ، یا سایر فرنچایزهای انیمیشن کلاسیک mecha ، استفاده نکنید تعجب کنید بازی mecha-action از الهامات خود در آستین روکش فلزی استفاده می کند. محصول ایده های قبلی توسعه دهندگان Armored Core ، Daemon X Machina دارای عملکردی تاول زده و مقادیر مسخره ای از سلاح ها و به روزرسانی ها است. روایت تقریباً نامفهوم در بهترین حالت فریاد زنی دارد ، در بدترین حالت نادیده گرفته می شود ، اما نکات مثبت بازی بیش از خطاهای آن است. طرفداران ژانر باید عنوان را یک خرید اساسی بدانند.

سریال Darksiders ، تفسیر مجدد خلاقانه سناریوی آخر دنیا برای مسیحیان که پس از ماجراهای بد چهار سوار آخرالزمان ، با یک چرخش برمی گردد. با Darksiders III ، شما کنترل خشم عصبانی و غیر قابل پیش بینی را که وظیفه دارد هفت گناه مرگبار را تصرف کند ، به دست می گیرید. فیوری مسلح به شلاق خاردار و چابکی بدجنس ، ویرانه های دنیای مدرن را کاوش می کند و تهدیدها را در یک محیط متصل و متروئید از بین می برد. سیستم رزمی چند مزاحمت دارد ، مانند یک دوربین غیر قابل اعتماد و جمعیت ناامید کننده ، که مانع تجربه می شوند. هنوز هم ، Darksiders III یک بازی اکشن لذتبخش است که باید در صورت جذابیت موضوع آن را بازی کنید.

Death Stranding دارندگان پلی استیشن 4 را که برای آمادگی در برنامه آماده نبودند گیج کرد. انقراض ، انزوا ، مرگ و میر و بقایای بشریت که تلاش می کنند جهانی شکسته را در هم بشکنند. این بازی کنسول بحث برانگیز اکنون یک بازی رایانه ای است که از طریق گرافیک ، مأموریت های با مضمون Half-Life مخصوص پلتفرم و حالت عکس بهبود یافته است. با استفاده از نشانه های گیم پلی از ژانرهای اکشن ، مخفی کاری و بقا ، Death Stranding یک امر جسورانه تر از عنوان معمولی جریان اصلی بازی ویدیویی است. از این گذشته ، در بسیاری از بازی ها فرد تحویل دهنده حضور ندارد که یک دقیقه با نهنگ های پرنده مبارزه می کند و سپس در مورد زندگی بعد با گیلرمو دل تورو بحث می کند. این یک سوختگی عجیب و آرام است.

Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition هر آنچه ساخته شده را می گیرد نسخه اصلی Capcom در سال 2008 یک بازی اکشن چشمگیر منتشر کرد و به گسترش آن پرداخت. این بازی شامل حالت ترکیبی دشمن افسانه ای Dark Knight است که به درگاه اصلی PC اضافه شده است ، و همچنین سه شخصیت قابل پخش جدید ، تصاویر بهبود یافته و اصلاحات ظریف گیم پلی را شامل می شود. برخی از جنبه های ضعیف نسخه اصلی ، مانند کمپین داستانی تکراری ، همچنان باقی مانده و عنوانی با جلوه درخشان را کمی لکه دار می کند. به طور کلی ، Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition یک بازی اکشن کاملاً سنگی است که ارزش آن را دارد که برای علاقه مندان به این سری و علاقه مندان به بازی به یک اندازه انتخاب شود.

دیزنی بعد از ظهر ، انیمیشن بزرگ محبوب دهه 1990 ، برخی از آنها را ایجاد کرد بهترین توسعه دهندگان سیستم سرگرمی نینتندو ، به لطف توسعه دهنده Capcom. و 20 سال بعد ، این بازی ها به مجموعه عالی بعد از ظهر دیزنی بازگشتند. شش بازی – Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers، Chip' n Dale Rescue Rangers 2، Darkwing Duck، DuckTales، DuckTales 2، and TaleSpin – دارای وضوح 1080p تیز هستند ، توانایی ذخیره پیشرفت شما در هر زمان و عقب مفید ویژگی ای که به مبارزه با مشکلات بدنام مرتبط با بازی های قدیمی نینتندو کمک می کند.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout ، بزرگترین سورپرایز 2020 ضربه ، انبوهی از سرگرمی بی نظیر ، مسیر مانع است. عنوانی درخشان ، شاد و با الهام از نمایش بازی ، شما را از طریق دوره های موانع آب نبات رنگ پرش کرده و چالش های دیگری را متحمل می شود ، در حالی که در برابر 59 شرکت کننده آنلاین رقابت می کنید. مراقب Big Yeetus باشید!

با Far Cry Primal ، سازنده Ubisoft تمام بهانه های سیاسی را رها می كند و به آنچه كه Far Cry را هنگام نمایش سریال از سایر همتایان خود متمایز می كند ، توجه می كند. : جعبه ماسه جهان آزاد. شما به عنوان یک شکارچی عصر حجر به نام تککار بازی می کنید و هدف شما این است که یک پناهگاه امن برای مردم خود ، قبیله سرگردان Wenja ، در قلمرو ماقبل تاریخ Oros فراهم کنید. Melee Fight و Beast همراهان Primal را از بازی های Far Cry گذشته جدا می کنند و باعث می شوند کاوش بسیار شخصی تر و جذاب تر باشد. داستان Primal ساده تر و سرراست تر است ، بنابراین اگر به خائنانی غیر عادی و ملودرام عجیب و غریب امیدوار بودید ، ممکن است ناامید شوید.

For Honor یک قرون وسطایی است بازی رزمی مضمون دارای دو چهره است. یکی ترکیبی پر زرق و برق از چند نفره از جنگهای بزرگ و کوچک. مورد دیگر یک مبارزات تک نفره فراموش نشدنی است که متأسفانه به یک اتصال آنلاین نیاز دارد. با این حال ، برای مبارزه استراتژیک آنرور – ترکیبی پر زرق و برق از موقعیت ، گام ، آگاهی و مخالف به موقع خوانده شده – با کمال لطف کل بسته را از جعبه متوسط ​​AAA که ممکن است در آن قرار گرفته باشد ، بلند می کند.

بازی های ویدیویی عاشق سایبرپانک هستند. این رسانه در کاوش هرج و مرج جامعه ای که شرکت ها و فناوری در آن بیداد می کند بسیار سرآمد است. Cyberpunk: 2077 و Watch Dogs: Legion سایبرپانک را با چرخش جهان باز تحویل داد ، اما اگر به دنبال چیزی کمی لاغر و بسیار پست تر هستید ، Ghostrunner زیبا و بی رحمانه را امتحان کنید. این بازی اکشن اول شخص دارای سطح دشواری مجازاتی است که ممکن است بسیاری از افراد را خاموش کند ، اما گیمرهای هاردکور اقدام سریع و نینجا مانند آن را از بین می برند.

Immortals Fenyx Rising بهترین بازی است که ناشر Ubisoft در سال 2020 منتشر کرد ، علی رغم اینکه در فصل تعطیلات پشت سر خواهر و برادر بزرگتر خود ، Assassin's Creed Valhalla و Watch Dogs: Legion قرار گرفت. توسعه دهنده Ubisoft Quebec از تلاش گسترده Assassin’s Creed به سمت یک بازی اکشن و ماجراجویی کوتاه تر متمرکز شد ، حرکتی که به درخشش بهتر این داستان از خدایان و هیولاهای یونان کمک می کند. Immortals Fenyx Rising یک بازی رایانه ای است که از عناوین دیگر ساخته شده است ، به ویژه Assassin's Creed Odyssey و The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ، اما هویت خود را به خوبی مشخص می کند.

در سال 2000 ، سگا با جت ست رادیو ، یک بازی اکشن بدون سایه که یک گروه زیبا از اشرار غلطک که دیوارها را برچسب گذاری می کردند ، با بزهکاران رقیب مبارزه می کردند و از این کار اجتناب می کردند ، نگاهی به آینده جالب خود انداخت. پلیس کنترل این نسخه رایانه های شخصی گرافیکی با کیفیت بالا ، مصاحبه های سازنده و همه زنگ ها و سوت هایی را که از یک بازی Steam انتظار دارید خم می کند. قطره قطره در عطر و طعم هیپ هاپ تحت تأثیر مانگا و افتخار یکی از بهترین موسیقی متن های ساخته شده برای یک بازی ویدیویی ، رادیو موسیقی جت ست خوش نام ، عنوانی است که متعلق به کتابخانه هرکسی است که بازی های اکشن با سرعت بالایی را حفاری می کند ، به طرز باورنکردنی گیرایی آهنگ ها و فرهنگ خیابانی.

گیمرهای PlayStation 2 احتمالاً به خاطر می آورند كه جلوگیری از هیاهوی پیرامون Katamari Damacy چقدر دشوار بود. بازی پازلی و اکشن ناشر Namco Bandai شما را به بازسازی یک کیهان نابود شده مأمور کرد و به لطف گیم پلی اعتیاد آور ، گرافیک جذاب و امتیاز شگفت انگیز ، تبدیل به یک موفقیت تخم ریزی شد. این بازی اصلی لذت بخش اکنون با Katamari Damacy Reroll ، بازی ای که شامل گرافیک به روز شده و پشتیبانی از صفحه کلید است ، درمان مجدد انجام شده است. Katamari Damacy Reroll همان لذت عجیب و غریب نسخه اصلی را در سال 2004 ارائه می دهد ، اما با افزودن رنگ جدیدی که باعث می شود این بازی رایانه ای یکی را از دست ندهید ، از دست ندهید.

Goichi Suda (با نام مستعار Suda51) رابرت رودریگز صنعت بازی های ویدیویی است. پروژه های صنایع دستی توسعه دهنده ژاپنی به دلیل سبک ، جنب و جوش و خشونت مورد توجه قرار گرفته اند ، اما وقتی زیر روکش خنک نگاه می کنید ، کار به عنوان یک تجربه تا حدی خالی ، اگر جالب باشد ، در معرض دید قرار می گیرد. چنین است بازی Killer Is Dead: Nightmare Edition Suda51 ، یک بازی Steam که یک قاتل با پیشرفت سایبرنتیکی به نام موندو زاپا را بازی می کند و خون آشام ها ، عرفا و سایر هیولاهای یک سازمان دولتی را می کشد. Killer Is Dead از شوخ طبعی ، تغییر شخصیت و اکشن سریع Suda51 چکه می کند ، اما فاقد طراحی و عناصر پشتیبانی کننده سطح قاتل است که بتواند بازی را به بالای ژانر خود برساند.

Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham از TT Games در بسیاری از خدمات و احمقانه های طرفداران DC Comics فشار می آورد ، در حالی که رویکردی غریب و ساده به عمل و داستان خود دارد. خواه موضوع ظریف سوپرمن سال 1978 باشد که هنگام پرواز خوب کار می کند ، یا نایت وینگ با یادآوری روزهای یار خود در حالی که اجباراً تعجب های “مقدس” را بیرون می کشد ، لگو بتمن 3 چنان پر از تخم مرغ عید پاک است که احساس می شود نامه ای عاشقانه به همه کمیک های DC. گیم پلی بازی از فرمول معروف لگو فاصله زیادی ندارد ، اما با این وجود تجربه بسیار خوبی است.

Lego Marvel Super Heroes تقریباً ترکیبی از سه بازی فوق العاده است. کالاهای اصلی دوران کودکی: کتاب های کمیک ، بازی های ویدیویی ، و خوب ، لگو. Lego Marvel Super Heroes که در خوبی های کمیک های مارول غوطه ور است ، بازیکنانی را در نقش ابرقهرمانان قرار می دهد – از جمله Avengers ، Fantastic Four و Spider-Man – که وظیفه دارند آجرهای کیهانی قدرتمند را قبل از بدترین افراد مانند لوکی ، دکتر بازیابی کنند. عذاب و مگنتو دستشان را می گیرند. این بازی در دنیای آزاد دارای عملکرد سرگرم کننده آجر شکن و چالش های پازل سبک است.

Mega Man 11 در ادامه حق رای دادن پلتفرم اسکرول کناری Capcom است و بسیاری از عناصر کلاسیک سریال را حفظ می کند. از نظر گیم پلی ، مگا من 11 سیستم Double Gear تقویت کننده سرعت و قدرت را ارائه می دهد که روش های جدیدی را برای جلوگیری از موانع و اعزام دشمنان ارائه می دهد. تعداد انگشت شماری از خطرات در طول این بازی اکشن وجود دارد که احساس لمس ناعادلانه دارند و برخی از مراحل بیش از حد طولانی می شوند. با این حال ، Mega Man 11 یک چالش جالب و سرگرم کننده ارائه می دهد که با یک پوشش رنگ تازه پاشیده شده است.

Capcom ، با همکاری Digital Eclipse ، با بسته ای که شش عدد بازی اصلی NES Mega Man را انجام می دهد ، گذشته مگا من را مرور می کند. این مجموعه علاوه بر نسخه های با کیفیت بالا از بازی های کلاسیک 8 بیتی ، شامل چالش های آزمایشی جدید ، تابلوهای امتیازات ، پخش مجدد ویدیو و هنر توسعه دهنده است. این یکی از بهترین مجموعه های یکپارچهسازی با سیستمعامل در اطراف است. علاوه بر Rare Replay اخیر ، مجموعه Mega Man Legacy نزدیکترین بازی به یک بازی ویدیویی با مجموعه معیارهایی است که رسانه دیده است. اگر طرفدار Mega Man هستید ، این مجموعه را حتماً در نظر بگیرید.

سری Metal Gear Solid کونامی به دلیل معروف بودن گیم پلی مبتنی بر مخفی کاری ، اما اسپین آف آن ، Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ، یک بازی اکشن مستقیم هک اند اسلش است که با بازی Raiden ، آدم بد سر و صدا تبدیل می شود. Developer Platinum Games این بازی را با موضوعات مختلفی که به نسخه اصلی کنسول مرتبط نیستند ، همراه می کند ، از جمله موارد گرافیکی و سه بسته DLC که خریدهای جداگانه کنسول بودند – همه با قیمت مناسب. به طور خلاصه ، اگر نسخه کنسول Revengeance را دوست داشتید ، با وجود زاویه گاه به گاه خشن و کاهش سرعت فریم ، این نسخه را نیز حفاری خواهید کرد.

Run-and بازی های ویدئویی-Gun دارای سابقه طولانی طرفداران هیجان انگیز با اکتیان بالا و هر چیزی که حرکت می کند را تحریک می کند ، اما تعداد کمی این کار را بهتر از Metal Slug 3. SNK انجام می دهد. در ابتدا در سال 2000 به پلت فرم Neo Geo منتشر شد ، Metal Slug تحسین شده 3 از آن زمان تقریباً در هر کنسول و دستی وجود دارد – و هم اکنون برای رایانه های شخصی در دسترس است. در این عنوان ، شما سربازان شایان ستایش تا دندان مسلح را کنترل می کنید که با استفاده از اسلحه ، پرتاب موشک و تانک های معروف Slug از زمین در برابر حمله بیگانگان دفاع می کنند. Metal Slug 3 به دلیل گرافیک کارتونی جذاب (و بسیار خشن) ، چالش های سخت ناخن ، سلاح های خلاقانه و طراحی متنوع یک شاهکار ژانر است.

Xbox Game Studios بیشتر به خاطر بازی های واقع گرایانه با بازی سربازان فضایی و اتومبیل های فانتزی شناخته می شود ، اما هر از چند گاهی این شرکت تاس ها را روی یک پلتفرم خانواده دوستانه می چرخاند. اوری و جنگل کور 2015 موفق ترین تلاش ناشر در سالهای گذشته بود و اکنون دنباله آن ، اوری و اراده ویسپس حتی بهتر شده است. Ori and the Wills of the Wisps با داشتن کنترل های دقیق پلت فرم ، تصاویر بصیر ، و طراحی های سطح هوشمندانه ، یک کلاسیک جادویی و فوری است که سال ها بازی می شود.

Red Dead Redemption 2 داستانی خشن درباره مرگ غرب قدیم است. شما کنترل آرتور مورگان را در دست گرفتید ، فردی که به یک گروه غیرقانونی تعلق دارد و از سبک زندگی جنایتکارانه ناامید است. هنوز هم ، آرتور نمی تواند ببیند که خودش به جز سرقت و کشتن ، کار دیگری انجام می دهد. این نتیجه در انجام بسیاری از ماموریت های جسورانه است. Red Dead Redemption 2 اگرچه بدون برخی از مشکلات عملکردی نیست ، اما در کامپیوتر شگفت آور است. داستان باورنکردنی ، گرافیک زیبا ، تعداد زیادی از ماموریت های اختیاری و حالت آنلاین به روز شده ، ممکن است شما را سال ها درگیر خود کند.

تازه و چشم باز کاوشگر جوان و جاه طلب لارا کرافت از سو explo استفاده های خود در ژاپن در برابر فرقه ای از غیرت متعصب متعصب در پی جاودانگی قرار می گیرد. ویژگی های Rise of the Tomb Raider بیشتر از صحنه های دیدنی و جذاب ، مبارزات قدرتمند و معماهای روی حیله و تزویر است که باعث شد راه اندازی مجدد نسخه Tomb Raider 2013 مورد استقبال منتقدان و طرفداران واقع شود. طرفداران سریال ممکن است هنگام اجرای سناریوهای گیم پلی و بخش های مختلف سیستم عامل ، یک احساس متمایز از دژاوو داشته باشند ، اما Rise of the Tomb Raider یک عنوان اکشن و ماجراجویی است.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice یک بازی اکشن از نرم افزار است که برخی از DNA های Dark Souls و قبلی های Bloodborne خود را حمل می کند. خوشبختانه ، از نرم افزار به اندازه کافی طراوت جدید را به فرمول خود تزریق می کند تا یک تجربه کاملا منحصر به فرد ایجاد کند. این بازی عناصر حرکتی خارق العاده ، سیستم های مخفی کاری هوشمندانه و شمشیر بازی پری سنگین را به عنوان قهرمان نینجا ، Sekiro ، با خدایان و هیولاها می جنگد. بعضی اوقات کنترل ها ممکن است کمی چسبنده باشند ، و چندین مورد هیت باکس ناخوشایند وجود دارد ، اما اینها شکایات نسبتاً جزئی هستند.

Shadow Complex اصلی یک بازی 2.5D و ماجراجویی با پلتفرم است که به لطف گیم پلی سریع ، اکتشافی و سنگین ، به یک کلاسیک فرقه Xbox 360 تبدیل شد. این عنوان از آن زمان تحت درمان مجدد (Remaster) قرار گرفته است که به بازی محبوب شما گرافیک به روز شده ، حملات جدید و جدی مبارزات زمینه ای و Master Challenges را ارائه می دهد. طرح و صداپیشگی بازی اجرا و اسلحه کاملاً با بقیه بسته های ستاره ای مطابقت ندارد ، اما اگر بتوانید از این مشکلات چشم پوشی کنید ، عنوان عالی پیدا خواهید کرد که ارزش آن 14.99 دلار است.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider نگاهی سینمایی و خسته کننده به لارا کرافت هنگام عبور از استپ ها و دنیای زیرین خانه مدرن باستان است فرهنگ Mesoamerican. توسعه دهندگان Eidos-Montréal و Crystal Dynamics با دور انداختن اسلحه های اسلحه دوگانه نمادین او ، کرافت را در قسمت آخر سری اصلی خود تعریف می کنند و او را از یک یتیم بیچاره به یک ماجراجو مقبره سفت و سخت تبدیل می کنند که باید جلوی آخرالزمان مایا را بگیرد. Shadow of the Tomb Raider روزهای ابتدایی لارا را در مد راضی کننده به پایان می رساند ، اما مسائل روایی و اجرایی مانع رسیدن اوج بازی اکشن و ماجراجویی به قسمت های قبلی این مجموعه می شود.

بازی های Seg's Shenmue I و Shenmue II بازی های عجیب و غریب هستند ، دقیقاً مانند نسخه های اصلی Dreamcast و Xbox. آنها با مقدار زیادی خراشنده از محتوای کم استفاده ، نوشتن خنده دارانه بی دست و پا ، و برخی از مسائل وحشتناک قدم زدن پر شده اند. اما در عین حال ، آنها جزئیات شگفت انگیزی را برای بازی های قدیمی ارائه می دهند. علاوه بر این ، مکانیک های جنگی جامد هستند ، داستان اصلی جذاب است و بازی جذابیت انکارناپذیری دارد. بله ، بسیاری از عناوین از آن زمان نسبت به سیستم های نمایش داده شده در Shenmue (به ویژه Grand Theft Auto و Yakuza) بهبود یافته اند ، اما شما نمی توانید جذابیت این آثار کلاسیک را متزلزل کنید.

اگر شما خارش "من می خواهم همه تهدیدهای جمهوری را له کنم" که در روزهای اخیر افزایش یافته است ، به خود لطف کنید و بازی Shock Troopers SNK را بازی کنید. این بازی اکشن دویدن و اسلحه با رفتن به جنگ با استفاده از یک سرباز (حالت گرگ تنهایی) یا یک جوخه سه نفره (حالت نبرد تیمی) با نجات یک نبوغ بیوتکنولوژی از سازمان تروریستی The Bloody Scorpion به شما وظیفه می دهد. سلاح های جالب ، سطح سرگرم کننده مبتنی بر وسیله نقلیه ، مسیرهای انشعاب و بازی تعاونی بسیار سرگرم کننده است. G.I. جو تجربه ای شبیه.

یکپارچهسازی با سیستمعامل مستقل "8-bit" side scrolling side بازار بازی های ویدیویی را فرا گرفته است و تخفیف کل ژانر به عنوان یک پول نقد آسان برای توسعه آسان است در دلتنگی. سپس شوول نایت از Yacht Club Games ، استودیویی که توسط مدیر سابق WayForward Technologies ، شان ولاسکو ایجاد شده است ، وجود دارد. شما به عنوان یک شوالیه بیل دار بازی می کنید که باید شریک خود ، Shield Knight را از شر دشمنان شرور نجات دهد. این یک پلتفرمر فوق العاده راضی کننده و ماهر است که بازی هایی مانند DuckTales و Mega Man را به یاد می آورد ، اما دارای برخی از معتبرترین گرافیک هایی به سبک NES در دوران HD است.

Sonic Mania ، برای همه اهداف ، Sonic the Hedgehog 4 واقعی است ، و بازی کاملاً متوسط ​​و چند ضلعی را که آخرین نسل کنسول ظاهر شد ، تخفیف می دهد. Sonic Mania هنگام جمع آوری حلقه های طلا با حفظ حیات ، اعزام دشمنان و بازی های رایگان فازهای اسیر شده از ماشین آلات دشمن ، به گیم پلی کلاسیک Sonic پایبند است و نشان می دهد که واقعا سریع از طریق حلقه ها و راه های سریع اجرا می شود. در آن سطح ، Sonic Mania بسیار شبیه عناوین Sponic-based Sonic است که قبل از آن وجود داشته است. همانطور که گفته شد ، مشکلات DRM و مراحل جایزه طراحی ناچیز ، درخشش آن را می دزدند.

داستان Tembo the Badass Elephant اتفاق می افتد در شهر شل ، یک شهر پرجمعیت که توسط یک نیروی شیطانی معروف به شبح به حالت اضطراری فرو رفته است. ارتش ملی قادر به مهار نابودی The Phantom نیست ، بنابراین برای کمک به یک دوست قدیمی جنگ ، فیل شبیه رمبو معروف به تمبو ، برای عقب راندن نیروهای دشمن کمک می کند. The game's frequently compared to the 16-bit Sonic the Hedgehog games, as it's published by Sega and features a relentlessly speedy main character who obliterates foes. However, developer Game Freak (of Pokemon fame) also implemented elements from classic franchises such as Super Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong Country to create a well-rounded, 2D, action-adventure platformer that stands apart from the titles that inspire it.

Warframe is an addictive online game that combines melee action, snappy shooting, and outstanding character mobility with mission-based progression, exciting multiplayer battles, and excellent sci-fi visuals. The game isn't new; Warframe has been around for years. As a result, newcomers will find Warframe a content-rich experience, despite its grind-heavy, free-to-play nature. If there's a major Warframe gripe, it's the late-game content that incorporates MMO-style activities like fishing, animal trapping, and mining—a complete departure from the game's action-focused core. Still, Warframe is packed with thrilling moments.

Like the two installments before it, Watch Dogs: Legion focuses on hackers attempting to take down ctOS, a security system that invades people's lives. Though this series entry doesn’t stray far from the Watch Dogs formula, it breaks from the past by letting you play as multiple characters found in the open world. This design choice prevents you from bonding with the protagonist, but it serves the greater narrative of people uniting to stop an oppressive power. Combine that with the series’ trademark hacking mechanic, and you have the strongest Watch Dogs title yet. Unfortunately, the PC game suffers inconsistent frame rates.

Bugsnax is an adventure game with a premise simple enough to fit inside its catchy theme song. The titular creatures are kind of bugs, kind of snacks, and you find and catch them in your trap. Bugsnax are Snaktooth Island's native lifeforms. Think Jurassic Park or Kong: Skull Islandonly the monsters are made out of fruits, burritos, and rotisserie chicken. Living desserts are extremely my jam. The 100 different species sport adorably goofy designs reminiscent of past pet monsters from games like Pokemon and Viva Piñata, while still having their own shared aesthetic.

Film student turned video game designer Hidetaka "Swery" Suehiro wears his influences on his sleeve. Last generation, the video game auteur was the driving force behind the bizarre, Twin Peaks-inspired Deadly Premonition; now his special brand of storytelling insanity graces the PC in the form of another oddball, David Lynch-like murder mystery called D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die. It tells the story of a widower, detective David Young, who is obsessed with unearthing the events that led to the death of his wife, Little Peggy. The game—with its supernatural elements, quirky characters, and compelling investigative gameplay—is one that should not be missed.

David Cage's Heavy Rain unravels the dark, fictional story of a serial murderer, known as the Origami Killer. The interactive story succeeds in building a gritty aura fitting of the subject matter and in developing a set of believable characters within its world. However, the mechanics often feel tacked on and the game's presentation is underwhelming in some aspects, such as the voice acting and graphical fidelity. Despite those persistent flaws, Heavy Rain is worth the time and price, if only for its engrossing narrative.

The Walking Dead is back! After disappearing from digital marketplaces when developer Telltale Games went under, the touching and harrowing The Walking Dead returns to life courtesy of publisher Skybound Games. The choice-based adventure game puts you in the role of Lee, a former professor and convicted criminal who tries to survive a zombie invasion while safeguarding a young girl named Clementine. Keep some tissues close for the ending.

Please note that PCMag didn't review this new five-part series collection, but we did review chapter one and chapter two back when they were available individually.

Fortnite is yet another game capitalizing on the popularity of the battle royale genre, but that doesn't mean that the title is without merit. Fortnite has a lot going for it, including approachable gameplay modes, bright and zany graphics, and an excellent construction system. Iffy combat and the presence of microtransactions detract from the experience, but as Fortnite is a free-to-play game, fans of PUBG and other titles in the genre should still give it a shot.

Like many other games in the open-world survival or first-person shooter genres, the primary goal of PUBG is to be the last player alive. However, PUBG doesn't adhere to the genre norms. It takes some of the best aspects of open world games, combines it with the mechanics of a good first-person shooter, and accommodates a player base typical of MMOs. There's also a good balance of gameplay elements. For example, you get to choose where to parachute down on the map, everyone starts without a weapon, and there's a deadly and giant shimmering blue dome that reduces the playable area every so often. It's tense and fun, but bugs dull the experience a bit.

If you ever reminisce about classic beat 'em up games like Streets of Rage, Final Fight, or Double Dragon, you’re not alone. Though the genre has transitioned nicely to 3D action with games like Devil May Cry and Yakuza, old-school brawlers carry an inimitable, timeless charm that isn't often seen in contemporary gaming. Enter Fight’N Rage, a modern incarnation of those iconic, bare-knuckle action games that's packed with challenge, finesse, and tremendous replay value. Fight’N Rage's difficulty is a doozy, and its lack of built-in, online multiplayer is disappointing, but it's an excellent title that genre fans should immediately pick up.

Featuring 'tude, delightful animation, and numerous ways to sock everyone who gets in your way, River City Girls is a more-than-worthy entry in the long-running River City Ransom/Kunio-kun series. Developer WayForward's love for the series drips from every roundhouse punch and baseball bat swing, as two high school students—Kyoko and Misako—crack skulls as they try to rescue their kidnapped boyfriends. River City Girls has terrific beat 'em up action and the ability to purchase new moves, accessories, and power ups, but a few glaring negatives keep the brawler from being a genre great.

Melee Mach isn't your traditional beat 'em up on which the River City franchise built its fame. Instead, the title takes the genre's fundamentals—punches, kicks, throws, and weapons—and adds power ups, special moves, and team-based, last-man-standing gameplay. This PC game carries the series' charming retro-style graphics, fast-paced action, and high school rivalries, but as with the other recent River City games, a few negatives prevent the game from achieving greatness.

Way back in 2010, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game debuted on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 to much acclaim. Conceived as a tie-in game for the then-recently released live-action film, the Ubisoft Chengdu-developed title served as a fun take on the Brian Lee O’Malley comic book and a homage to classic, side-scrolling beat 'em ups. For reasons that are still unclear, Ubisoft pulled the game from the PlayStation and Xbox digital storefronts in 2014. Seven years later, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game returns from its digital graveyard none the worse for wear. Is it the same title we played in 2010? Yes, but we wouldn’t want to play this game in any other way.

Playing Streets of Rage 4 is like returning to the old 'hood and discovering that your childhood home still stands. Rarely does a media property receive a well-crafted follow up years after its initial success, but this beat 'em up by developers LizardCube, Guard Crush Games, and Dotemu is Streets of Rage through and through. Featuring a diverse cast of new and returning martial artists looking to clean up a fictional city's mean streets from a criminal syndicate, Streets of Rage 4 offers the hard-hitting combat, dreary urban environments, and sheer fun that's defined the series since 1991. The few design issues don't prevent it from being hailed as one of the best contemporary beat-‘em-up titles.

On the surface, Treachery in Beatdown City appears to be a strict homage to classic beat ‘em up games from the 1980s and 1990s. However, the brawler's menu-driven, tactical combo system and biting urban satire reveals a game that's radically different than what's come before it. Developed by Nuchallenger, Treachery in Beatdown City is a fun indie game that requires you to use your brain to battle the way through the gentrification elements that plagues a fictional city's streets, but its pace may prove too slow for traditional beat 'em up fans. Tactics fans, on the other hand, may dig it.

Dead or Alive 6, much like its immediate predecessor, is one part fighting game, one part fashion show, and one part schlocky action movie. Individually, each of the game's widely differing elements might not stand up to scrutiny. After all, DOA 6 isn't the best fighter, doesn't offer the deepest character customization, and doesn't quite reach the Tekken series' level of story insanity. Yet, Dead or Alive 6 is an entertaining and surprisingly strategic PC game that offers enough freshness to warrant playing with its new Break Blow and Break Hold tools. Plus, the game's familiar Triangle System and Danger Zones are highly entertaining, too.

Iron Galaxy Studios' Divekick is the most hipster game ever created. It's the product of the indie scene, and it mercilessly parodies fighting games and their diehard community, yet demands that you be part of the underground circle to fully get all of the references and in-jokes. It's also a lot of fun if you open your mind to the insane concept of a one-on-one fighter based almost entirely on the idea of jumping and kicking.

Beside Fist of the Northstar and Jo Jo's Bizarre Adventurethere are few anime properties that are as intrinsically suited to the fighting-game treatment as the Dragon Ball series. Spanning multiple series, movies, and generations of characters, Akira Toriyama's manga-turned-anime-turned-game series is all about buff monkey men, humans, aliens, and androids trading blows in actual earth-shattering battles. Dragon Ball FighterZ ditches the Xenoverse games' arena-brawling model in favor of 3 vs. 3 tag-team fighting on a 2D plane. The gameplay shift is just one of the many reasons Dragon Ball FighterZ is being held aloft as one of 2018's notable titles. Its beautiful design, intense combat, and accessible control scheme add up to a game one that anyone can jump into for Super Saiyan thrills

Upon its 1999 release, Garou: Mark of the Wolves—a surprisingly deep and visually stunning entry in the long-running Fatal Fury series—was hailed as SNK's wondrous response to Capcom's Street Fighter III. Nearly 20 years later, SNK has finally given the 1 vs. 1 fighting game the proper PC treatment by releasing it with numerous additional graphics options, leaderboards, and online versus play. The result is an excellent PC game that boasts beautiful animation, Just Defend parries, and the strategic T.O.P. system. Code Mystics gave Garou rollback netcode via a post-release patch, so online battles are buttery smooth.

Guilty Gear is a niche series within a niche genre, one that's enjoyed a cult following since its first appearance in 1998. With Xrd -Sign-, developer Arc System Works ditches the series' 2D sprites in favor of 3D cel-shaded graphics in an attempt to expand its audience. Likewise, series creator Daisuke Ishiwatari sought a more approachable play style that maintained the depth and high skill ceiling that long-time Guilty Gear fans love. The result is a feature-packed fighting game that boasts incredible graphics and deep mechanics. Unfortunately, it arrived on PC after many Guilty Gear fans had moved on to the next game in the series: Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator-. So, like The Last Blade, Guilty Gear Xrd -Sign- is a game that's worth buying if you don't mind local play and the lack of online competition.

When Killer Instinct debuted for Windows 10 in March 2016, it represented the latest chapter in the continued PC fighting game renaissance. With its arrival, Microsoft's combo-heavy, one-on-one game of fisticuffs joined the likes of Guilty Gear, The King of Fighters, Street Fighter, and other high-profile series that now grace the personal computer. Thankfully, Iron Galaxy—the development team that picked up the Killer Instinct reins after Double Helix, the original developer, was purchased by Amazon—has delivered a remarkably fun, season-based title that's more than worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as its competition.

The King of Fighters '98 is widely regarded as one of the best fighting games ever made, so it's no surprise that developer SNK has returned to the title many times since the game's original release. In 2008, SNK celebrated the game's tenth anniversary by porting the team-based fighter to the PlayStation 2 as The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match, a game loaded with extra characters, stages, and gameplay modes. Now, a tweaked Ultimate Match is available for PCs as The King of Fighters '98: Ultimate Match Final Edition, a game that rebalances the massive 64-character roster and adds Steam trading cards and achievements. Final Edition's gameplay retains its predecessor's wonderfully deep and flexible fighting mechanics, but it's missing features that were present in the beloved PS2 version.

The King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, like The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match that came before it, is a celebration of one of the best fighting games ever released. Developer SNK revisited the game in 2009 and added gallery and color edit modes, as well as new menu artwork, polygonal stages, music, characters, and gameplay tweaks for a PlayStation 2 release. This Steam version is a slightly downgraded take on the PS2 game, but it features beautiful 2D stages and online play. Though this version lacks some of the PS2 title's features, KOF 2002 UM reigns as one of the best PC fighting games. It could use better netcode, though.

One of the most impressive sprite-based games ever created, The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition brings SNK Playmore's excellent 3-on-3 2D fighter to the PC via Valve's digital distribution platform. If you've rumbled with friends and foes in the version that appeared on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms, you'll feel right at home here: the intricate combat mechanics, gorgeous graphics, and up-tempo music are successfully ported over to this Steam game. Even better, The King of Fighters XIII: Steam Edition contains all of the console DLC, the King of Fighters XIII: Climax arcade features, and PC-centric graphics options.

SNK put weapons-based 2D fighting on the map with 1993's delightful Samurai Shodown, but the developer went on to refine the idea of sword combat four years later in a somewhat lesser-known Neo Geo title: The Last Blade. Recently released to the Steam platform with several contemporary bells and whistles, The Last Blade boasts excellent swordplay, a dozen exquisitely designed characters, and a gorgeous anime- and manga-style presentation that make its 19th-century Japanese setting one of the most beautiful in fighting-game history. Genre fans shouldn't hesitate to pick up this excellent PC fighting game, but the barren online play means most matches will take place locally.

Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite has taken its fair share of flack since its reveal, and the venom is not at all unwarranted. The initial trailer for the tag-team fighting game featured dull, washed-out graphics, and Capcom highlighted the new novice-friendly, auto-combo options that are designed to help casuals bust out cool-looking moves in an otherwise hardcore genre. As a result, fight fans were highly skeptical of the game. Fortunately, sentiments toward Infinite changed dramatically upon the game's release. The Infinity Stone hook and the move to 2 vs. 2 action make Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite an incredibly fighting to play in both casual and hardcore sessions. Still, the roster, which features many intriguing characters locked behind DLC paywalls or ignored due to brand wars, needs some work.

When NetherRealm Studios released Mortal Kombat X to consoles in 2015, the game continued to evolve via free and paid updates that added characters, balanced the roster, and improved online play. However, the High Voltage Studios-ported PC game received zero post-launch support, much to the dismay of hardcore Mortal Kombat fans. Thankfully, that changed with the Mortal Kombat XL update, a version of MKX that finally gives PC gamers all the extras that console-based fight fans have enjoyed for some time now. We dislike the idea of paying more money for PC content released long after the console version, but it's hard not to love the additions, which include even more fighters, stages, costumes, and gore.

Mortal Kombat 11 is far more than the guts-and-gore titles on which the series built its fame. The fighting game continues the series tradition of Kung Fu Theater-style action and otherworldly mysticism to lay the foundation for military operatives, ninjas, gods, and monsters to punch each other squarely in the face. With its character customization, HDR10 support, smooth animations, and new offensive and defensive meters, MK11 is the best Mortal Kombat game to date.

Clashing swords, blood spurts, and tense, measured play define Samurai Shodown, SNK's beloved weapons-based fighting game series. This series refresh, the simply named Samurai Shodown, carries those elements to PC nearly a full year after the game first appeared on console. If you've waited this long in hopes that Samurai Shodown would add many PC-exclusive extras, you may be disappointed; this is largely the same game that appeared elsewhere. Still, Samurai Shodown's unique, defense-orientated gameplay make it a fighting game to check out for sword-swinging, blood-letting action. Prep for lengthy load times, though.

Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection, SNK and Digital Eclipse's follow up to the delightful SNK 40th Anniversary Collection, contains all the SamSho games that appeared on the original Neo Geo, plus production art, SNK staff interviews, and a true surprise—an unreleased title that only briefly saw a location test. Overall, Samurai Shodown Neo Geo Collection is a wonderful piece of playable history, with the only blight against the PC game being its mediocre online components.

Skullgirls 2nd Encore, the update to Reverge Labs' critically acclaimed original game, takes cues from many highly regarded fighting titles and blends it with the series' cartoony, art deco style. The indie fighter has a Capcom vs. SNK-style ratio system that lets you select up to three characters to battle up to three rival characters, as well as a Marvel vs. Capcom-style assist system. That said, Skullgirls 2nd Encore's graphics aren't all that separate it from the competition. The fighter also has a built-in system that automatically stops infinites, those annoying and abusive combos that never end.

The fighting game renaissance wouldn't be complete without a new SoulCalibur title. The weapons-based combat series has seen its ups and downs over the years, but with SoulCalibur VI, developer Bandai Namco has taken what's worked in the past—swift, strategic combat and robust character customization—and paired it with the new Reversal Edge and Soul Charge battle mechanics to create an engaging PC fighting game that'll shine in all sorts of battles, whether they're between buddies or on big esports stages like Evo. SoulCalibur VI lacks the stellar presentation found in recent, competing releases, such as Dragon Ball FighterZ, Injustice 2, and the developer's own Tekken 7, but it's a strong title that deserves a place in your PC game collection.

Until very recently, the 40-year old video game industry lacked its own Criterion Collection, letting important pop culture contributions slip into oblivion. Thankfully, Digital Eclipse has taken up the games-preservation task, blessing gamers with titles that celebrate classics via accurate emulation and a bounty of production-related extras. The company's first foray into the fighting game genre is Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, a historical document in video game form. The package includes the mainline 2D arcade titles (the original Street Fighter to Street Fighter III: Third Strike) and a wealth of production-related materials, including a timeline, animation viewer, jukebox, and design sheets. It's a marvelous collection, one that shows why Street Fighter is one of the most important and beloved video game series.

Since the days of Street Fighter II, developer and publisher Capcom has updated early every Street Fighter release with a version (or two!) that adds features, characters, stages, and alternate costumes. No game in the series has benefited from this practice more than Street Fighter V, a title that launched with a small roster and an overreliance on paid downloadable content. With Champion Edition, however, Street Fighter V finally feels finished, thanks to multiple V-Skills, balance changes, and every character, stage, and costume released so far (save some very select content). Sadly, mediocre netcode and annoying monetization tactics are still issues.

Tekken 7, like the main-line Tekken games that came before it, is a tale of fathers and sons attempting to murder each other to purge the Mishima clan from the Devil Gene, a magical DNA bit that transforms certain people into hell spawn. Touted as the conclusion of the Mishima drama, Tekken 7 reveals secrets and leaves cliffhangers, thus simultaneously answering long-standing questions and prompting the fan base to ask new ones. Thankfully, the wonderfully ridiculous tale is bolstered by some of the best mechanics featured in contemporary fighting games, with the new Power Crush, Rage Arts, and Rage Drive attacks deftly blending into the established mix.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 pits Marvel's superheroes against Capcom's video game characters in a frantic brawl. The 48-character headcount is impressive, but it's the individual characters that truly make the game shine. Marvel's side has several popular fighters, such as Captain America, Iron Man, and Spider-Man, as well as once-obscure characters that have gained recognition thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as Doctor Strange and Rocket Raccoon. Capcom's side is comprised mainly of characters from the company's fighting and action games, including Final Fight's Mike Haggar and Street Fighter's Ryu.

When Techland's Dead Island trailer debuted, it featured one of the most moving video game sequences ever produced: a small child and her family being slaughtered by zombies against the backdrop of a soft, haunting Giles Lamb musical score. Dead Island's gameplay doesn't quite match the trailer's promise, but the open-world action-RPG offers a very solid zombie-slaying good time as you craft weapons and try to stay alive in an island paradise gone wrong.

Frank West returns to zombie-slaying action in Dead Rising 2: Off The Record. Capcom's reimagining Dead Rising 2 sees the gruff photojournalist facing off against a wider array of monsters, building new weapons, snapping photos, and best of all, mixing it up in a new open-world sandbox mode. Stomping the undead is fun—for a while—but bugs and repetitive gameplay keep Dead Rising 2 from achieving true greatness.

Some of the scariest video game moments are derived from developers preying on our simplest fears. It isn't hordes of enemies rushing at you, or creepies jumping at you from closets. Far scarier is what loneliness does to the human psyche, as you struggle to retain your own sanity when you can't tell what's real and what's just a projection of your own insecurities. It's also helplessly running from danger, while watching your last drops of breathable air trickle away. This is the terror that Narcosis for Oculus Rift forces you to deal with in a dread-filled undersea environment. It's an absolutely frightening PC game, though one a bit light on content and competent AI enemies.

Nearly 20 years after its debut, Resident Evil returns as an HD remaster of the 2002 GameCube remake of the 1996 original. Resident Evil HD Remaster brings the remake back from the dead by unshackling the game from Nintendo's console and bringing it to PC. However, Capcom had some trouble during the transition to HD. The remake's gorgeous pre-rendered backgrounds and video cutscenes were difficult to update for the modern era of widescreen displays and maxed-out resolutions. As a result, there's a mish-mash of uneven quality backgrounds, many of them inferior to the GameCube originals. Don't let that deter you, though. Resident Evil HD Remaster is still a great zombie-blasting game, even if it is a little worse for the wear.

Resident Evil 2 is back! Sure, the classic PlayStation game has received numerous ports and rereleases over the years but this new version, simply titled Resident Evil 2, rebuilds the survivor-horror game from the ground up. You once again play as Leon Kennedy, a rookie cop, and Claire Redfield, a woman searching for her brother after the events of the first Resident Evil. Though this remake treads familiar zombie-shooting ground, it tosses in new enemies and puzzles to freshen things up.

Like 2019’s impressive Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3 is a phenomenal remake of a classic game. Despite its modernized graphics and gameplay, Resident Evil 3 contains the elements that made the original a classic: nightmarish environments, horrifying enemies, tense boss battles, and an overall emphasis on action. Even divorced from its first incarnation, Resident Evil 3 stands as a stellar title that has mass appeal to action and horror gaming fans alike.

Final Fantasy XIV Online is a MMORPG, which separates it from most games in the classic RPG series. As a result, it's a wholly unique game that delivers delicious multiplayer gameplay; in fact, it may be the quintessential Final Fantasy experience. There is a constant influx of new content, seasonal events, and balance patches that keep the game fresh, and the community is as alive and energetic. Despite its MMORPG nature, the game is every bit a Final Fantasy game as its predecessors, and worth the price of admission (which is the price of the game and the $12.99 monthly subscription).

Although many games based on anime franchises exist, they're usually basic action or fighting games that lack depth and are created solely to pander to their fan bases. Enter the free-to-play Onigiri, a third-person, action-focused MMORPG. Onigiri is an enjoyable, highly customizable anime-meets-gaming experience that lets you mix it up with other online players. Despite its simple graphics and ho-hum music, Onigiri is worth checking out if you want to explore a virtual world that boasts thrilling combat and excellent voice acting.

For the uninitiated, The Old Republic is an MMO that takes place thousands of years prior to the events of A New Hope. This gives the developer, Bioware, the freedom to craft an exciting new story, such as the recently released Knights of the Eternal Throne expansion that's set within the established Star Wars universe. This liberty, combined with Bioware's wonderfully dynamic dialogue system, thrilling combat, and extremely generous free-to-play model, has produced a truly epic MMO that shines as one of the genre's defining titles.

Blizzard's World of Warcraft is a MMORPG that has evolved into a cultural icon over the past 12 years. The list of accolades that WoW has accumulated since its release is simply staggering. While it is certainly not the first or only entry in this particular genre, WoW is the standard by which all other MMOs are judged. The game, bolstered by many expansions and a recent visual makeover, is a rich and rewarding experience that boasts a large selection of customizable races and classes battling in a fantasy world.

League of Legends, Riot Games' free-to-play, multiplayer online battle arena title is, simply put, the best MOBA game you can buy. Its gameplay incorporates elements of role playing, tower defense, and real-time strategy—a combination that differentiates it from the many cookie cutter MOBAs flooding the market. More importantly, the playable characters (known as Champions) show a deep level of variation, and each match's competition level increases as the game sinks you deeper and deeper into addiction.

Few video games receive perfect scores here at PCMag.com, but Inside is a title that qualifies as damn-near flawless. The action-adventure title features, at its core, a boy navigating a dark and deadly world. To go too deep into Inside's structure would both spoil the game and do it a disservice. Trust us: It's worth a pick up.

Papo & Yo, a puzzle-platformer from Minority, crossed over to PC from PlayStation Network with grace and style. This tale of a boy and a monster takes places in an imaginative world filled with South American-style houses, reason-defying physics, and a heartfelt story that explores the relationship between a child and an alcoholic, abusive parent.

Valve's original Portal was noteworthy for its witty and acerbic dialogue, creativity in blending the previously incompatible brain-teasing-puzzle-game and first-person-shooter genres, and relative shortness. With Portal 2, Valve has left intact the first quality, expanded and elaborated on the second, and done a bit to address the third. What this adds up to is a sequel that stands up proudly to the original, updating the characteristics that made it a distinctive success without dulling their memory. Limited multiplayer and post-campaign options slightly diminish the replay factor, but in almost every way Portal 2 is just as amusing and exhilarating as its predecessor.

The video game industry is dominated by space marines, regular marines, super-soldiers, and zombie-killers—the headshots and gun-blasts permeate the business. That's why it's particularly nice to see a clever title like Airtight Games and Square Enix's Quantum Conundrum, a project from Portal designer Kim Swift. The first-person puzzle game focuses on solving increasingly challenging puzzles using a dimension-shifting tool within a mansion filled with wacky inventions.

Scribblenauts Unlimited, 5th Cell's latest word-adventure title, lets creative gamers use a magic notebook to summon a wild array of items—from the mundane to the extravagant—as they attempt to reverse a spell that's turning their in-game sister, Lily, into stone. It's a very basic plot that kickstarts the action, but Scribblenauts Unlimited excels at sparking imagination as you attempt to solve puzzles. It's one the wordsmiths and imaginauts will love.

Some questioned Forza Horizon 4's necessity, given that the open-world racer debuted just two years after its excellent predecessor. But developer Playground Games has taken its incredible racing-and-music festival formula and added even more goodness, including new vehicles, fresh and addicting solo and multiplayer modes, and seasonal effects that impact the environment and change how you approach driving. Simply put, Forza Horizon 4 is the best racing game on PC.

It's easy to dismiss the retro vibe behind many pop culture phenomena as little more than shallow appeals to nostalgia. A handful of media properties have managed to dig deeper, however, creating more rewarding experiences. Horizon Chase Turbo zooms into that category thanks to simple, but thrilling, racing action inspired by 1980s and 1990s tiles like Rad Racer and Top Gear. Gamers weaned on Forza, Gran Turismo, and other contemporary racing titles may find Horizon Chase Turbo a tad shallow, but those who dig arcade-style racers with fast action, tight controls, and hummable music will find little fault in its simplicity.

Hotshot Racing replicates 1990s-era, arcade-style driving competitions, with its pick-up-and-play control scheme and angular, low-polygon visual aesthetic. In many ways, the title, developed by Lucky Mountain Games (with an assist from the racing masters at Sumo Digital), captures the retro-racing vibe, but it lacks those games' classic, awe-inspiring level designs. Still, it's worth a spin for anyone looking for a satisfying throwback racing experience.

Tense police pursuits are common in Need for Speed Heat, and not all of them end with a getaway. This latest entry in the long-running Need for Speed racing game series recreates some of the best aspects of previous titles, including engrossing chases, ample car customization options, and inviting arcade-like racing mechanics. Heat also features a more fitting setting and story than the last game, tapping into the adrenaline-fueled racing spirit that defined its most successful predecessors.

The Ridge Racer series may not carry Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport's swagger, but the long-running franchise has a dedicated fan base that loves the drift-centric racing action. This entry, crafted by Bugbear Entertainment, brings a chaotic element to the familiar gameplay by adding environmental and vehicular destruction as you race for street cred in the fictional Shatter Bay. The story is something you can flat out ignore—it's a racing game, after all—but the driving action is interesting and varied. Just play against human opponents if you wish to maintain your sanity.

After Sega exited the hardware business in the early 2000s, the game publisher focused its attention on its money maker—Sonic the Hedgehog—to the detriment of its other characters. That changed with the 2010's Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, an enjoyable racing game that put Sega's many iconic game characters in a kart competition. Its sequel, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, expanded the game with new characters and unlockables, and introduced transformable vehicles that take to the land, sea, and air. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Collection, the series' final form, adds free, PC-centric characters from Sega and Valve's libraries and bundles all the previous DLC goodies.

Dark Souls returns to the PC, and it's every bit as terrifying as you may have heard. Don't worry, Dark Souls II avoids the missteps of its predecessor's infamous port, allowing you to focus on the rich, gloomy action-RPG world and fantastic, unforgiving gameplay. Dark Souls II is a relentless barrage of demonic enemies and enraging boss encounters that will test your reflexes—and your patience. This is not a game for the faint of heart or quick of temper, so clear your desk of ceramics, take the framed pictures off the walls, and prepare to enter the dark world of Drangleic.

Dark Souls III is developer From Software's return to the Souls series after the eldritch madness that was Bloodborne. In fact, the newest Souls game incorporates gameplay and design elements from virtually all of the team's recent titles. As a result, the gorgeous and action-packed Dark Souls III feels highly familiar, yet fresh and content-rich at the same time. Like all of From Software's launches, however, the game is in need of a few patches to adjust weapon balance. Nonetheless, Dark Souls III is easily one of the best games in the series.

Blizzard seems to be one of the few companies committed to sticking with old-school expansions for its games and not just DLC packs. World of Warcraft received several large, and full-priced expansions, as did Diablo III, with Reaper of Souls. The add-on contains a good chunk of content that, with some much-needed tweaks to the base Diablo III, make the whole game feel fresh and fun.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is a single-player RPG, with action-driven gameplay akin to Capcom's Devil May Cry and Monster Hunter franchises. It draws inspiration from classic fables and myths, setting the game in a world burdened with the return of a destructive red dragon. Its combat is flashy and engaging, and the open-world environments are rich with detail, but the quest-driven plot and sparse character development weaken what would be an otherwise interesting story. The RPG leveling stalls combat, as well, so you won't fight at your full potential until you've leveled your class sufficiently. These issues may turn off less patient players, but those hoping for a grand, long-lived adventure across an action-packed open world will find plenty to discover and enjoy.

Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series has consistently been on the front lines of RPG immersion, giving you ever bigger and more elaborate realms to explore. The quantum strides made in Morrowind (2002) and Oblivion (2006) continue in Skyrim, which provides the most delicious perspective to date on this fascinating world over which you have almost complete control. It's no challenge to set yourself up as a warrior, a wizard, or a pickpocketing miscreant, of either gender, of any of ten species, and with just the physical and facial characteristics you desire.

Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster bundles the celebrated tenth installment of the main Final Fantasy series, and its sequel, into one stellar role-playing game package that Square Enix fans will adore. Both role-playing games boast graphical overhauls that enhance the beauty of their worlds and newly added features not found in the console versions. Ain't PC gaming grand?

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then developer Mihoyo’s title is about as flattering as games come. In 2019, Genshin Impact made a splash in the video game world with the unveiling of an expansive open-world action-RPG heavily inspired by Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. That is not to say it’s a cheap knock off, however. Genshin Impact features numerous unique gameplay systems and charming story beats to set it apart from Zelda and other open-world RPGs. That said, the free-to-play PC game requires you to do some serious grinding (or shell out some serious dough) to unlock high-powered warriors.

Hades is a roguelite–a less punishing variation of a roguelike–which might be the most-annoying video game genre due to its emphasis on constant death without tangible progress. Though Hades can’t hide the genre's flaw, its endlessly replayable combat and storytelling that takes advantage of the looping structure elevate the format like no game before. The Greek myth-inspired tale is highly entertaining, too.

Horizon Zero Dawn was one of 2017's hottest games. It stood as one of the best PlayStation 4 exclusives, right up there with Bloodborne, Spider-Man, and the God of War reimagining. Now, you can enjoy its open-world action on PC, thanks to the Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition. This action-RPG contains the base game, plus The Frozen Wilds DLC (an additional area featuring more story content and collectibles), and it easily holds up today as a huge, dense, worthwhile adventure.

With Mass Effect: Andromeda, developer BioWare promised a game that would feature a compelling story, fantastic visuals, tight gameplay, and hot alien romance—unfortunately, the action-RPG delivers on only a few of those fronts. On the upside, the space opera has several sizable open-world environments to explore and a thrilling combat system. On the downside, it has infamously awkward animations, tedious menus, and performance issues. Nonetheless, if you're looking to blast aliens with zany space magic or woo an exotic space lady or gentleman, Mass Effect: Andromeda is a game that has some entertaining elements that are worth your time.

The BioWare-developed Mass Effect 2 picks up exactly where the original space opera left off. In fact, one of the great things about this RPG, beside the incredible character development, is that you can upload your character from last game directly into this one. In terms of fresh features, there's a new cover system, and a revamped health recovery system lets you heal most wounds by camping out of harm's way. Although Mass Effect 2 is much more shooter-like than the original, role-playing is still at the game's core.

When the fate of the galaxy is in your hands, how often does it feel like it's really in your hands? It does in Mass Effect 3. Picking up where Mass Effect 2 left off, Mass Effect 3 thrusts you back into the persona of Commander Shepard, who's standing at the brink of one of the most daunting challenges ever. He's tasked with nothing less than rescuing the Earth, and the entire Milky Way, from the clutches of the all-consuming Reapers that are threatening them as never before. Packed with action, character development, and customizability that transcend what you find in most games, Mass Effect 3 is an entertaining and frequently engrossing trip into the psychology of helplessness, if one that doesn't realize all of its towering ambitions.

Even Monster Hunter's most rabid fans admit that there's a certain level of gameplay jank that you need to live with in order to enjoy the creature-slaying series, a jankiness that has turned many people away. But with Monster Hunter World, Capcom enhanced animations, streamlined gameplay, and made tons of quality-of-life adjustments designed to appeal to core and casual audiences alike. And the moves worked. Tracking and battling huge, snarling beasts with a variety of crafted armor and weaponry is an absolute joy, especially while doing so with friends in multiplayer mode

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is a heartwarming adventure that resurrects the wonder and chibi-world aesthetic of classic role-playing games like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Developed by Level-5 in collaboration with former Studio Ghibli character designer Yoshiyuki Momose and composer Joe Hisashi, Ni No Kuni II is an audio-visual treat that leads you through a world seemingly crafted from a child's imagination. Revenant Kingdom has some frame rate issues and doesn't offer many challenges, but it's a magical ride nonetheless.

Nier: Automata is an action-RPG developed by Platinum Games, the studio behind the Bayonetta games, and directed by Yoko Taro, the creator of the Drakengard series and the original Nier. Platinum Games' previous works excel on the gameplay front, but their stories are generally campy schlock. Taro's games, on the other hand, are brilliantly depressing stories tied together with weak gameplay. Nier: Automata is a marriage of Platinum Games' intense action combat and Taro's wacky, yet somber storytelling, and is easily one of the better games released in 2017, thanks to the hot android-on-robot combat. Unfortunately, Nier: Automata suffers from some technical issues. A lack of developer support compounds this, so you'll need to rely on fan-made patches if you want to get the very best performance out of the game.

Nioh is Team Ninja's first attempt at an action-RPG, and it shares a few superficial similarities with From Software's influential Dark Souls games. The player-summoning cooperative gameplay, corpse-run death system, shortcut-rich levels, and enemy-respawning checkpoints will all feel familiar to Dark Soul aficionados. However, Nioh is very much its own beast, and is filled with highly technical action and stronger narrative elements than the Souls titles. This Complete Edition includes the original console game, as well as all of the DLC content, so newcomers have dozens of hours of action to master. Perhaps to the game's detriment, Nioh has a mountain of systems that new players must learn before they can tackle the higher difficulties. Still, Nioh won't disappoint gamers hungry for a rich and immersive action game.

RymdResa is a fascinating PC game that features a narrative structure, music, and environments that play out like an art-house drama. While drifting through the emptiness of space, collecting resources and materials to survive, your character occasionally drops poetry gems via diary entries, while reflecting on the loneliness that vastness represents—as well as the depression, hope, and desire that comes with it. RymdResa features nearly zero in-game interactions, but the roguelike adventure game uses a single character and simple graphics to dissect the human psyche in a story that flirts with the possibility that we are one with the universe in more ways than we imagine.

It isn't very often a game comes along that presents a setting and story as unapologetically risqué as South Park: The Fractured But Whole. Naturally, The Stick of Truth fans know exactly what they're getting themselves into: topical, highly satirical, and utterly absurd South Park comedy that's paired with a deep, grid-based RPG combat system. It's a refreshing RPG, if only because the gameplay, hard language, ridiculous scenarios, and show references keep you smiling until the end. Fractured slips up once in a while; the superhero-themed exploration elements utilize some highly tedious menu switching and quick time event (QTE) mechanics, and the game is surprisingly buggy. However, if you can look past these issues, you're in for an enjoyable time.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a farming simulator/RPG hybrid that looks and plays much like the classic Harvest Moon games. That's because it is Harvest Moon. A licensing spat between publishers forced a title change in 2014, but the game's heart and soul—ranching in a quaint town filled with quirky characters—remains the same. The polygonal visuals are a bit bland, and the controls are a touch clunky, but the game is wholesome, farm-sim fun.

Trials of Mana, an action-RPG from the Super Famicom’s heyday, receives the remake treatment. Despite its fresh coat of paint, Trials of Mana is unabashedly retro and doesn’t shy away from 1990’s-esque dialogue and the vibrantly cartoonish world that made the Mana series a stand-out franchise among Square’s 1990s RPG lineup. Trials of Mana has a few faults, mainly spotty voice work and no co-op multiplayer action. Nonetheless, Trials of Mana is an excellent action-RPG that oozes charm and has enough content to keep you playing for some time.

Wasteland 2 is a return to the classic computer RPG conventions that have been largely absent in the contemporary gaming scene. CRPGs have seen a recent resurgence with the release of Divinity: Original Sin and Shadowrun, and developer InXile Entertainment has followed suit with a proper sequel to its 1988 classic. The core of any good CRPG is choice, and Wasteland 2 embraces this wholeheartedly. You can either choose from a list of premade characters or create a more specialized and customized party by allocating skill points and attributes. There is no single protagonist; instead, you control a party of Desert Rangers. Wasteland 2 isn't without flaws, however. The combat in particular is a tad underwhelming, but it's still an enjoyable return to post-apocalyptic Arizona and California.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is the final installment in CD Projekt Red's action-RPG series. Geralt of Rivia sets out one last time to slay beasts, collect bounties, and protect the child of destiny. CD Projekt Red changes the game formula by introducing a massive, open world filled with monsters to hunt and quests to undertake. But it also greatly improves the series' combat by making alchemy more accessible and tightening the action controls. The rich story narrative that drives the game is rife with tragedy, folkloric horror, humor, and intrigue, keeping you on your toes every step of the way.

"Simplicity" is the word that best suits Xanadu Next. The action-RPG is an unabashedly uncomplicated game that features basic mouse controls and PlayStation One-era visuals. The simplicity, however, isn't detrimental to the game: Xanadu Next makes excellent use of its uncomplicated systems to deliver a fantastic dungeon-crawling experience that's well worth checking out. The game has a few minor issues that hold it back from action-RPG greatness, such as its clunky controller support and occasionally tedious progression. Still, Xanadu Next runs well, plays well, and oozes old-school RPG charm.

Memories of Celceta is a Ys IV reimagining that sees longtime series hero Adol emerge without his memories from a forest that was previously said to have claimed the lives of all who entered it. Thankfully, Adol is still a skilled warrior who, along with a handful of uniquely skilled party members, is willing to hack and slash his way through hordes of monsters. This action-RPG may not have reliable party AI, but its combat, sense of exploration, and rocking tunes are excellent.

The shoot-'em-up renaissance that's occurring on the PC has given us many pulse-pounding shmups, but none balance thrills and depth like DonDonPachi Resurrection. Developed by Cave, a company that's created many space-shooter classics, DoDonPachi Resurrection boasts high-powered offensive and defensive options for annihilating aliens. The game also has multiple ships, multiple endings, and local co-op play.

Top-down arcade shooters have been a video game staple for a long, long time. The 1980s saw Robotron: 2084 popularize the genre with easy to use twin-stick controls, while the 1990s added Arnold Schwarzenegger flair and Paul Verhoeven panache with Smash TV. Recently, the best shooter wasn't newfangled fare like Halo or Gears of War, but a simple gem called Geometry Wars. True to its title, sequel Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions takes the addictive shape-shooting action into the third dimension with near-immaculate results. The game is rendered with Tron-like grids, wire-framed objects that explode into kaleidoscopic fireworks as a Daft Punk-ish soundtrack pulses in the background. It's a feast for the senses.

Treasure, the development house that made its name crafting genre-defining and genre-breaking titles during the 16-bit and 32-bit console generations, applied its creative chops to the shoot-'em-up category in 2001 and released the renowned Ikaruga. It wasn't until 2016 that the game received a PC port, but the wait was worth it. Ikaruga is now available as a Steam game that retains the unique color-switching mechanic found in the previous arcade and console versions, but adds video uploads, numerous options, and a handful of Steam-specific features.

Battlefield V looks gorgeous, plays fast, and encompasses all the hallmarks of a modern first-person shooter. It includes respectable single player content (War Stories), and new takes on multiplayer gameplay (Grand Operations), but both settle into genre norms. Battlefield V's most apparent drawback, however, is the complexity of its progression systems and somewhat repetitive gameplay. Overall, Battlefield V is a solid entry in the long-running Battlefield series and you should play it if you are a fan of previous titles. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking.

Shattered dreams form the foundation of BioShock Infinite, the third installment in Irrational Games' impressive saga exploring the devastating effects of isolation (and isolationism) on the human psyche. But even if you loved the original BioShock (2007) and its sequel, BioShock 2 (2010), this chapter won't leave you with the impression your dreams have been betrayed. Wedding familiar gameplay elements from the preceding titles with exciting new mechanics, an engrossing story, and stunning visual design, BioShock Infinite is the culmination of the series' aesthetic and its promise to turn a mirror on humanity by probing as deeply into the self as possible.

Gearbox Entertainment and 2K Games take you back to the warzone with Borderlands 2, the sequel to the hit apocalyptic RPG-shooter that isn't Fallout. If you played the original Borderlands, you understand this game. You play a Vault Hunter, a treasure hunter looking for an alien vault on the barely colonized planet of Pandora. While doing so, you cut a swath of death through thousands of Mad Max-style raiders, mutant animals, and robots. Throughout your adventure, you level up your character in an RPG-like fashion, and collect hundreds of different guns, each with its own unique stats and attributes.

Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops is less like a traditional first-person shooter than it is a plunge into someone else's fever dream. A jolting collection of intense action sequences, haunting writing, and ultra-dark humor, this installment in the popular franchise revitalized the historical-fiction FPS genre. Though its captivating campaign is on the short side, it's loaded with additional things to do, including cooperative and competitive multiplayer scenarios and plenty of unlockable extras.

Let's start with what will be the meat of the Black Ops II experience for many: multiplayer mode. Developer Treyarch has not toyed significantly with the formula, giving players numerous options for facing off against others across the country and around the globe. The missions include Team Deathmatch, Free-for-All, Search & Destroy, Capture the Flag, and eight others; you can also engage in two types of Combat Training runs to hone your skills, or play four Party Games that put interesting for-entertainment-only spins on the weapons you can use and the rules you play by.

The Call of Duty franchise has experienced an identity crisis in recent years, with a focus shift from WWII battles to space adventures to battle royale. In other words, Call of Duty has strayed far from what made it an excellent first-person shooter franchise. Though Call of Duty games still dominate sales, publisher Activision and developer Infinity Ward felt the need to relive the series' Modern Warfare glory days with a reboot of the seminal 2007 title. The new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has the action-packed single-player and robust multi-player modes one expects from the series. It successfully strips away all superfluous elements and delivers an experience even non-shooter fans can enjoy.

Valve's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) debuted in 2012, backed by a strong heritage of multiplayer FPS titles, including the original Counter-Strike and Counter-Strike: Source. Six years later, the fast-paced PC game still mostly holds its own against more modern titles, partly because of its established core gameplay and active community. Visually, however, CS: GO is starting to show its age, and it's not as thematically rich as popular titles like Overwatch. Still, many players will enjoy CS: GO's no-frills experience and highly competitive esports scene.

Don't let the non-numerical name fool you. Doom is the latest sequel in the hallowed series, and it's the best modern update one could hope for. It's also the best first-person-shooter in recent memory—so long as you stick to the gory, frantic, and lovingly satanic campaign. The multiplayer is lackluster and the DLC is a shame, but the real star, the single-player mode, blends old-school design with modern know-how to form a satisfying, unholy concoction.

With 2016's Doom, developer Id Software successfully resurrected one of the foundational first-person shooter franchises. Given the game's critical and commercial success, it's no surprise to see a follow-up. Doom Eternal takes everything that made its predecessor a wonderful, demon-slaying shooter and bumps it all up by several notches courtesy of ridiculous weapons, fresh navigation options, and new multiplayer mode. It is almost too over-the-top at points, but that's precisely what makes Doom Eternal one of the best shooters ever made.

Far Cry 4 is a fun sandbox of shooting with an interesting land to explore and tons of missions to find and collectibles to grab. It slavishly follows Far Cry 3's structure, but when the action is this entertaining, hard to complain. Far Cry 4 doesn't do much new, but it's an enjoyable and good-looking excuse to spend some hours stomping through jungles and sniping people from towers.

Although Gears 5 is the first main game in the long-running series to nix the "of War" suffix, make no mistake: The Gears world is still at war. The third-person shooter is the sixth entry in the franchise and a direct sequel to Gears of War 4, continuing the story of the Coalition of Ordered Government's (COG) fight against the Swarm. Gears 5's captivating storytelling, solid mechanics, and excellent graphics far outweigh this PC game's merely average multiplayer modes. It's an easy recommendation for longtime players of the Gears of War series and newcomers alike.

Gears of War 4, the newest entry in the series that defined cover-based shooting, brings satisfying alien-blasting action to PC. The Coalition-developed title offers a new team to fight with, new toys to play with, and all-new enemies to shred, either alone or with a friend. And, like Forza Horizon 3, Gears of War 4 is a part of Microsoft's Play Anywhere initiative, so you can play a digital copy on either a Windows 10 PC or Xbox One console with a single purchase—a nice perk. The gameplay grows a bit repetitive as the story progresses, but if you want to sneakily kill lots and lots of enemies, Gears of War 4 is a worthy pickup.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition, the first DirectX 12 PC title, just about sets the standard for what a remastered game should offer. The third-person shooter was already a great game when it debuted a decade ago on Xbox 360, but this updated title adds 4K resolution, unlocked frame rates, and content that was once paid DLC. That said, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition isn't perfect; it doesn't work well with AMD GPUs, bugs from the original game are still an issue, and it lacks some of the updated mechanics found in later Gears games. But if you own an Nvidia-powered gaming rig, you'll be good to go.

Halo: Combat Evolved reimagined the first-person shooter genre for consoles and popularized many of the controls and functions that such games would use for decades afterward. Halo received an enhanced remake in 2011 for the Xbox 360 (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary) that featured updated graphics and a toggle function that let you swap between Classic and Remastered visual styles. Now, that Anniversary edition gets updated with 4K graphics, ultrawide monitor support, and other features you'd expect from a contemporary PC game. It launched with a few bugs, but is generally a rock-solid good time. You can buy it as a standalone title or as part of the $39.99 Halo: Master Chief Collection.

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is a nostalgic compilation featuring Microsoft's classic first-person shooter titles, but the reworked games launched with various bugs. Halo 2: Anniversary came out the gate in a better state than the games before it, but has multiplayer and graphical glitches. Still, this updated Halo 2 is a great shooter, as it features fast-paced shooting action, wonderfully overhauled 4K graphics, and the ability to dual-wield weapons.

Halo 3 is a must-own shooter. It's easily the most polished Master Chief Collection game released to date, offering excellent shoot-from-the-hip action, cool new weapons and mechanics, and a dramatic conclusion to Halo 2's conflict. Plus, Halo 3 looks better than ever thanks to 4K assets. If you find yourself itching to replay it, or if you never had the chance to do so before, consider the game a fantastic buy.

It's easy to recommend Halo 5: Forge to anyone who's looking for a solid multiplayer shooter. Forge comes with a wealth of multiplayer modes, including the titular map-editing mode, giving you a ton of content to chew through. It does have a few shortcomings that are worth noting, however. Multiplayer matchmaking is restricted to private lobbies, so sessions are limited to playing with your Xbox Live friends. In addition, Halo 5: Forge suffers from a tight field of view that makes playing the game unexpectedly stressful. Still, if you are willing to overlook these and a few smaller issues, Halo 5: Forge is well worth downloading. After all, you can't beat free.

Halo: Reach—a part of the Halo: Master Chief Collection compilation that bundles every mainline Halo release, sans Halo 5—represents the first time the shooter has appeared on PC. Although the base game is as thrilling as the Xbox 360 original, this Master Chief Collection port suffers from changes and hiccups. Still, Halo: Reach fans should pick it up for the new 4K, 60 frames-per-second gunplay.

Is there anything that sounds more cynical than a top-down shooter Halo spin-off for phones and tablets? Ever since single-handedly saving the original Xbox, Halo has remained Microsoft's gaming cash cow, so sticking its name on something is a great way to drum up extra interest. However, instead of being a mere cash-in, Halo: Spartan Assault is a legitimately fun and well-produced game, triumphantly translating Master Chief's missions to PCs and mobile devices. Halo: Spartan Strike maintains much of that game's strengths, while cutting out most, but not all, of its weakness.

Shooters don't always need to be dark, gritty, or realistic. Cartoony fun has its place, too. Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch is a prime example of exactly that, with its colorful levels, multiple game modes that focus on teams attacking and defending, characters with vastly different play styles, and a few MOBA-like twists. Overwatch is a thoroughly enjoyable first-person shooter that's filled with mechanical variety, but it has one glaring problem—its awful micro-transaction structure.

The original Garden Warfare married PopCap Games' zany Plants vs. Zombies universe with strategic, class-based third-person shooting, resulting in an addicting, polished multiplayer shooter. Garden Warfare 2 expands the roster of playable characters and variants, adds all-new customization options, introduces new game modes, and fleshes out the single-player experience, creating a much more rounded game than the original. That said, balance issues make some classes feel more potent than others, and the server connectivity is spotty at times, resulting in jittery matches. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a solid title nonetheless, and one that fans of the original and newcomers alike can enjoy.

Let's get this out of the way: Prey could easily pass as an unofficial System Shock game. On the surface, Prey looks very much like the brainchild of industry veterans Ken Levine or Warren Spector. While the opinions of the latest System Shock spiritual installments (BioShock 2, BioShock Infinite) are all over the place, Bethesda's take does the Shock family and first-person shooter genre justice with its fast-paced, body-morphing gameplay set in Art Deco-flavored environments.

Star Wars: Battlefront is a multiplayer shooter that reboots the classic LucasArts video game series. Unlike previous games in the series, Star Wars: Battlefront lacks an overarching narrative and historic battles to reenact; it's basically a modern shooter given a liberal coat of Star Wars paint. The veneer is a fine one, and Battlefront has some good action to offer, including a playable Emperor Sheev Palpatine. However, once you look past the façade, the game doesn't have enough content or variety to keep you invested for a super-long time.

Star Wars Battlefront II does many things right. It has top-notch environments, thrilling multiplayer modes, and engaging mechanics that will have you piloting ships and swinging lightsabers deep into the night. That said, an uproar over this first-person shooter's included microtransactions tanked its reputation at launch, causing publisher Electronic Arts to quickly reverse course and temporarily remove all microtransactions from the game on the eve of its release. Microtransactions will strike back in some form, however, in the near future.

Superhot is the most innovative shooter to come along in some time. Despite its unimpressive visuals, this game is a genuinely creative and challenging experience that injects puzzle elements and a bizarre meta-narrative into quick, bite-sized servings of computerized violence. It might seem like a short and simple game at first, but between the addictive time-pausing mechanic and some very satisfying and repeatable extra modes, you'll quickly find yourself playing it for hours, and the built-in social media features for sharing your best runs will keep you coming back to get more consecutive, stylish kills.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of PC gaming's most beloved series, a franchise cherished and supported by aviation enthusiasts. The 2020 edition, wonderfully crafted by developer Asobo Studio in tandem with Microsoft, is sure to bring a whole new generation and into the fanbase fold. Improved graphics aside, the near-magic addition of a fully recreated and explorable Earth, built and populated with Microsoft’s Bing satellite imagery and Azure cloud computing service, elevates the franchise to new heights.

Minecraft is a blocky, beautiful sandbox that lets you explore the depths of your imagination. The core of the game is exploring and surviving in a hostile world made from blocks that you can build with as you please. But as you play, you'll quickly see that this game has so much more to offer than just architecture. What Minecraft presents is plenty of space for players to enjoy their own kind of play. The detail-oriented will thrill at the possibilities of an enormous sandbox, but even a dabbler will find pleasure facing off against an unfriendly wilderness. If you've never experienced it, start exploring and see if you can resist the call of its endless potential.

The controversial and much-hyped No Man's Sky is a game that offers two opposing experiences. One is a beautiful and wholly fresh journey through space to chart undiscovered worlds. The other weighs down that joy with mundane and repetitive resource gathering and fighting. That said, No Man's Sky is so much more than a sterile description of its parts and features. It's an astounding artistic and technical achievement that's worth playing.

Pinball—the classic game of reflexes, luck, and spatial recognition—isn't nearly as popular as it was 25 years ago, but its legacy of tables, flippers, and gaudy lights lives on in FarSight Studios' The Pinball Arcade. Unlike Pinball FX 2, a pinball collection for PC gamers that features original tables from popular entertainment properties, The Pinball Arcade focuses on recreating classic real-world pinball machines from renowned manufacturers Bally, Gottlieb, Stern, and Williams. The result is a collection that looks, sounds, and feels like the pinball games of yore. Amassing all of your favorite tables could be a serious investment, however, because of the way game's season packs are organized.

In the mid- to late- aughts, Guitar Hero and its evolutionary spin off, Rock Band, gave people with zero musical talent the opportunity to realize their dreams by playing instrument-based karaoke with plastic axes. Now, they can learn to play the real deal with Ubisoft's Rocksmith 2014 Edition Remastered. The "game" teaches you the intricacies of learning bass, lead, and rhythm guitar via dynamic challenges, mini-games, and instructional videos. An enormous assortment of downloadable songs (which cost extra) ensures that your music library stays fresh.

Building on our inborn desire to see things no one has ever seen and take chances beyond the boundaries of reason—and, of course, exploit our hunger for addictive turn-based strategy games—Civilization: Beyond Earth catapults you off the planet that's housed your kings, wonders, and wars for millennia (or at least since 1991, when the original Civilization was released), and lets you fend for your life and begin a new history on a literally alien world. But if there's one problem with this game, it's that it never quite feels alien enough.

Fire Pro Wrestling World sees the series return to excellent form after the embarrassment that was the avatar-based, Xbox 360-exclusive Fire Pro Wrestling. World has all of the elements that comprise a great Fire Pro game—excellent creation tools, a ridiculously deep moveset, tight controls—and adds online play and Steam Workshop integration. Fire Pro Wrestling World is a slick package even in unfinished form (it's a Steam Early Access title), which should have Yuke's Co Ltd. and Visual Concept's WWE 2K18 shaking in its wrasslin' boots.

The Football Manager series is an enigma to many outside observers, but the seemingly niche appeal has grown into a borderline obsession for a large, passionate fan base. The football (or, yes, soccer) sim is an insanely detailed, text-heavy simulation of the world's most popular sport, wherein you take on the role of club manager overseeing player transfers, on-field tactics, staff instructions, and everything in between in a bid to lead your club to glory. Part tactics sim, part strategy game, part financial manager, and part talent scout, Football Manager 2018 is capable of eliciting a wide range of emotions, and it has a surprisingly strong capacity for creating emergent narratives.

Football is a bad sport. Yes, it's beloved by millions, but the concussions that result from giants hurling themselves at each other are an undeniable problem. The sport is much more enjoyable in video game form, especially arcade-style football, which lets you perform superhuman feats without annoying flags or hideous injuries. Digital Dream Entertainment's Mutant Football League literally plays by that ruleset by pitting skeletons, robots, orcs, aliens, and mutated humans against each other in not-so-friendly gridiron contests featuring landmines and cheat plays. Mutant Football League is definitely worth playing, and not because it's the rare American football PC game; it's legitimately good, despite some annoying dirty tricks.

There are few video games that drop all dark and portentous pretenses and give you a straightforward, honest-to-goodness game. Rocket League is one such title. It blends the charm of RC racing with the heated competition of soccer, and adds plenty of over-the-top spectacle to keep every match interesting. Rocket League is just as fun during your first hour as it is during your twentieth; there are very few multiplayer games that utilize addictive simplicity as effectively. It even supports cross-platform play with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One gamers.

Long gone are the days when the likes of Midway's NFL Blitz and Nintendo's Ken Griffey Jr. games ruled the market with their pick-up-and-play sensibility, flashy graphics, and outrageous gameplay. Hardcore simulations like FIFA or NBA 2K are great, but arcade sports fans have lamented the decline of the less realistic stuff. If you're in that camp, pick up Super Mega Baseball 2. The game offers accessible mechanics, a cartoony art style, and an overall sense of fun that's rare in today's sports games. However, it has enough depth to keep even the most die-hard baseball fans addicted. Super Mega Baseball 2 has a couple of graphics-related flaws, but it's one of the best current-gen sports games available for PC.

Super Mega Baseball 3 contains new on-field improvements, player traits, front office happenings, and gameplay modes for both default and custom ball clubs that push the series deeper into simulation territory. The new Pennant Race mode delivers cross-platform play with console ballplayers, too. Despite light frame rate issues and other minor complaints, Super Mega Baseball 3 is the best title in the series to date.

Arkane Studios' Dishonored is a fantastic first-person game that puts you in a playground of murder and stealth, while still keeping focused on an interesting story in a rich and enthralling fantasy world that's filled with supernatural happenings. It's not quite as large, as open, or as well-written as Deus Ex, but it stands as a solid spiritual successor to one of the best PC games of all time.

Back in 2016, IO Interactive established a new era for its cult-favorite Hitman franchise with Hitman: Season One. While the episodic release model didn’t stick on PC or consoles, that game's grand levels and inventive murder carried over to 2018’s Hitman 2. Now, the studio has delivered Hitman 3, the capstone to the World of Assassination trilogy. Featuring expansive levels, new ways to kill, and graphical improvements, this excellent stealth title makes it easy for anyone to become a bald, bar-coded assassin.

Stealth-action series Metal Gear started life on the MSX home computer and at long last returns to the PC after an extended absence. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes sees series protagonist Big Boss undertake extraction and elimination missions against the mysterious Cipher organization in this Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain prologue. Boasting beautiful graphics that were built on the impressive FOX Engine, a wide selection of weapons, and a variety of ways to tackle missions, Ground Zeroes sets the stage for the final chapter in the series, even if it can be beaten in roughly an hour.

In terms of pure gameplay, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is the best game in the long-running stealth series. You once again play as Big Boss, aka Punished "Venom" Snake, who battles the nefarious XOF organization across 1980s Africa and Afghanistan. Boasting a wealth of combat options, impressive weaponry, and outstanding audio and video work, The Phantom Pain is an absolute joy to play. That said, the truncated story raises more questions than it answers, and may leave you feeling a phantom pain of your own.

Battletech is a pure adaptation of the classic board game that was first published in 1984 by FASA Corporation. Jordan Weisman, one of the board game's creators, played an executive role in this modern take. As a result, the PC game's universe is rich and storied, with the setting echoing a strangely effective combination of giant robots and medieval feudalism. In Battletech, noble houses project their battlefield influences using Battlemechs, or 'Mechs, piloted by knights or sellswords called Mechwarriors. This means lots of action as you position units, launch attacks, and try to outsmart your opponent. That said, Battletech has a level of randomness that feels unfair at times.

Mainline Gears of War games are cover-based shooters that put you in the boots of muscled soldiers who defend humanity from the mutant horde called the Locust. Miraculously, Gears Tactics—the franchise's first venture into the turn-based, strategy genre—preserves many series hallmarks, including wild melee executions, cover-heavy environments, and waves of overaggressive enemies. Cheap enemy spawning leads to frustrating moments, though.

Halo Wars 2 is a real-time strategy game set within Microsoft's insanely popular Halo universe. Utilizing a rock-paper-scissors-styled combat system, Halo Wars 2 tasks you with developing bases and armies to combat hostile alien forces. The game keeps things simple: Once you familiarize yourself with your units and resource production, it's just a matter of building the right troops for the job at hand, whether that means capturing enemy bases, defending your own base, or surviving waves of enemies. Halo Wars 2's simple design makes the RTS experience accessible for both newcomers and veterans, but the game doesn't do much to invigorate the genre besides adding the e-sports-friendly Blitz mode.

The third and final StarCraft II expansion is both a fantastic conclusion to Blizzard's five-year saga and a great entry point into one of the most complex, but satisfying, strategy games ever made. Unlike the previous StarCraft II expansion, Legacy of the Void doesn't require you to buy any previous versions of the game to play this package. It's completely standalone. Factor in a varied single-player campaign, gorgeous cinematics, and new noob-friendly co-op modes, and you'll see that Legacy of the Void is one of the best PC games of all time.

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is a sci-fi real-time strategy game in which you build structures and gather resources to build an army and defeat your opponent through cunning tactics and sheer firepower. Nothing could quite live up to the hype surrounding the real-time strategy game's release, but, even so, this is a wonderful title. The story is well-paced, and the strategy and resource-management missions will lock you into finishing the game.

Gas Powered Games' Supreme Commander 2 probably doesn't deserve the word "supreme" in its title, but then changing the title would defeat the purpose of making a sequel. Not that this game isn't a fine follow-up to the 2007 original, but it's definitely aimed at a broader (and less patient) audience. With much of the micromanagement minutiae reduced or removed entirely, Supreme Commander 2 is more of a garden-variety real-time strategy title than a proud member of a distinctive series. Still, it's a lot of fun if you can accept the gameplay changes.

The XCOM games aren’t for the impatient or faint of heart. The brutal, turn-based strategy relies heavily on random chance, permanent unit death, and an overarching campaign that takes many hours of careful resource management. Unfortunately, casual strategy fans find the experience daunting.

XCOM: Chimera Squad, on the other hand, is a friendlier, more accessible XCOM game. This spin-off keeps the setting and general feel of the XCOM series, but reduces the stakes by offering a single city to protect, a modest squad of diverse (and pre-created) units, and a more forgiving combat. XCOM: Chimera Squad lacks the general brutality of the mainline series, but it still scratches that strategy itch.