My absolute favorite FromSoftware game, and the first I completed. I tried this when it originally came out, found it too challenging, and gave up. Years later, I picked it up again, determined to learn the Soulslike formula. I did, and absolutely loved it. The world of Bloodborne is so interesting, and the Gothic, dark fantasy vibes kept me wanting more of this universe. The bosses and enemies are amazing, the level design is immaculate, the music is incredible, the trick weapons are a lot of fun, and this game has one of the best DLCs ever made. 5/5. Would recommend.

This is one of the earliest games I remember playing as a kid, and BOY did it leave an impression. It's obviously not the first FPS game, but it is probably the most successful of the earliest in the genre and remains one of the very best. It is a smooth, simple game that has some of the best level design in gaming. All of the weapons are cool, the enemy design is incredible, and the FPS genre owes so much to everything this game pioneered. Special kudos to the music and sound design--that door opening/closing noise lives in my head rent free.

I can't rate this game higher than 4 stars, because I have to leave room for the two sequels that improved on what came before. This game is the start of an incredible journey with some of my absolute favorite characters in gaming. Tons of RPGs have great companions, but the relationships that form in the Mass Effect series are among the best. This specific entry suffers some early installment weirdness as Bioware was figuring this universe out, but the groundwork they laid led to a hell of a space opera that rivals any sci-fi story anywhere.

I'd argue that FFIX is the most Final Fantasy of the Final Fantasies. It embodies so much of what gives the franchise its identity, with callbacks to the very earliest entries and plenty of new elements that give the whole thing a unique spin. It has a compelling, deeply moving story, a beautiful setting, and perhaps Uematsu's best work as a composer. It is slower paced than the games that came just before it, but this is a game worth taking your time with. I consider this the last truly great Final Fantasy game.

Part RPG and part history lesson, Pentiment is one of those truly unique gaming experiences that I don't think has any parallel. The story is told through an art style modeled after the game's 16th-century setting, and you engage with all kinds of interesting characters as you try to uncover the truth behind a major overarching mystery. Through all of that, the game offers plenty of contextual information about the actual history of Central Europe at the time, providing insight into why you're doing what you're doing and why characters are the way they are. And like any good RPG, you get to make certain decisions that influence the world around you and can engage with NPCs in a way fitting for your character. The gameplay loop is fairly simplistic, so don't go in expecting a complex RPG system--think of it more like an interactive novel with some additional gamified elements. Overall, another big win for Obsidian!

This was my MOBA of choice for the longest time. I've always enjoyed mythology, so getting to play as some of the most well-known figures in historic folklore drew me in! As with any online multiplayer game, the experience can be mixed. You can have great games one day with solid teammates, and then a bunch of horrible games with people who want to troll or throw because something didn't go their way.

Smite offers a few different options depending on how sweaty you want to get: Arena is good for beginners and allows you to get familiar with characters' abilities without too much strategy, Joust is a step up that includes one lane and a small jungle to get you comfortable with the typical MOBA experience, and then there's Conquest, the full on, 5v5 mode with three lanes, a massive jungle, and the big push towards the opposing base.

Perhaps the major thing that sets this apart from other games in the genre is that you directly control and aim with your character in 3rd-person view, as opposed to the usual isometric perspective in games like Defense of the Ancients or League of Legends.

I haven't played this in years now, so the meta has most certainly passed me by at this point, but it's a fun game with a lot of unique characters and abilities. But, you may want to wait for the release of Smite 2 to try it out, which is just around the corner!

If you ask me what game I think is criminally underrated, this will be my answer in perpetuity. Coming right at the end of the PS1 era, Vagrant Story is perhaps the most technically impressive game on the console. The art style is gorgeous, the magic effects are astounding, and the whole experience is just a feast for the eyes and ears. The gameplay might be the thing that kept some folks away from it, but if you can give it some time, I think it's a refreshingly different experience from a Square RPG! Crafting weapons takes some time and experimentation, but if you do it right and go into fights with the ideal equipment, you'll lay waste to your foes. And the rhythm element is easy enough to get. And then there's the story, full of intrigue and mystery as you explore the dead city of Leá Monde, attempting to stop corrupt forces from seizing an ancient and powerful magic. And as I highlight in a lot of my reviews, the music is another strong point, with Hitoshi Sakimoto providing one of the all-time great OSTs, pre-empting his equally phenomenal work for FF12 (which also takes place in the same world of Ivalice). I can't say enough good things about this game.

I know some people don't care for the walk-run-hide loop in games like this. You don't have any ways to actively defend yourself or really interact with the world in a meaningful way. But, something about this game just grabs me. Maybe it's the eerie setting, maybe the eccentric and frightening characters, or maybe just the bizarre mystery at the heart of it all. Honestly, it's all of that. I think this game has the perfect combination of those elements that kept me wanting to creep further and further into the demented asylum, despite having to constantly flee and navigate pitchblack corridors while dodging insane people. That, coupled with the resource management of your camcorder's battery made for a tense and sometimes terrifying experience.

After the promise of Mass Effect, Bioware decided it was time to really flex some muscle. This game is one of the best sequels ever made. I know the ammo changes are controversial for some, but I think this game did just about everything right as a follow-up to the first. It expanded the universe, brought in great new and old characters, and offered more interesting missions that deepened the personal relationships that made the first game so great. The one big knock I have against it is personal, and it relates to one of the companions who doesn't get as much playtime as the others. Otherwise, a game with few flaws.

I was completely caught off guard by this game. I knew of it, but never really paid attention to what it was. Once I got around to playing it, though, it turned out to be a thrilling experience! You really feel like you take on the role of Morgan Yu and are experiencing the horror through their eyes. The space station Talos I is both a fascinating and frightening environment, and traversing it via a sort of Metroidvania style progression allows you to gradually uncover its secrets. The Typhon are also among the most frightening enemies I've come up against in recent games. On top of all this, a compelling story takes shape the deeper you get!