Pfhortnite
2012
Disguised as a run-of-the-mill military shooter following in the wake of the post-Call of Duty 4 tsunami, Spec Ops: The Line infiltrated the consoles of unsuspecting genre enthusiasts to show them the other side of war - one filled with trauma, confusion, and moral bleakness. Sadly, its gameplay does not mature alongside the story, but still remains steady enough to hold your attention as you traverse the wastelands of Dubai in search of answers that may never come.
A game so good it makes its enormous amounts of bugs yet another charming feature to adore. The best world building, character writing, and quest design for an open world game I've ever experienced. We may never get another game as special as this again.
Hands down the greatest FromSoftware game made to this date. A masterpiece that rewards patience, timing, and learning with mastery of its tightly designed game mechanics, as well as challenging players with some of the best bosses ever designed. Hesitation is defeat.
2016
Titanfall 2 stands as a fantastic singleplayer and multiplayer experience that offers a fun dichotomy of David and Goliath-like gameplay between agile Pilots and deadly Titans, making it a must have for any fan of the FPS genre. Although at launch, returning fans from Titanfall (2014) may find the newest installment lacking in some areas of the multiplayer, they will be pleased to see a fully fleshed out campaign worthy enough to stand alongside the greats. Fortunately, post-launch support utilizing fan-driven feedback helped this multiplayer reach its full potential.
2023
After not playing a new, proper BGS RPG since Fallout 4 (2015), it was hard to resist throwing myself into an expansive world stretching the stars full of action, story, and characters... Unfortunately, it doesn't take long to realize that BGS's newest IP may be even vaster than an ocean, but still as shallow as a puddle.
1995
Expanding on the characters and world of Marathon, its sequel takes everything the first had to offer to new heights, offering a variety of new features to keep players engrossed in a compelling science fiction narrative, while also scratching their heads on how to complete it.
1994
A difficult game to enjoy for players who did not grow up in the 90s, commitment to this almost hostilely designed relic will reward anyone who sticks around with a surprisingly compelling world, characters, atmosphere, and gameplay.
2017
With the Final Shape in sight and 2024 on the horizon, Destiny 2 continues to be the platform for fans to continue enjoying Bungie's newest franchise. While the most diehard fans may still find enjoyment in the game, it has become one of the most inaccessible shooters in the market due to an impossible to follow story, vault of inaccessible content, and a departure from the direction of the original game that even at its lowest felt special. The future does not look bright for Destiny so long as these fundamental issues with the franchise's management go unsolved.
2014
A game that demonstrated the creative talent behind the Halo franchise at their absolute best, yet somehow released as a mediocre, unmoving title. Though once finally rising to its potential with The Taken King expansion, Destiny proved to be a worthy addition to Bungie's legacy that provided an addictively fun experience to share with friends and a story worth investing in.
2021
Despite tripping at the starting line with a free-to-play live service multiplayer that lacked any regular support for over a year, the potential for Halo Infinite to be something great could be seen from day one. Offering a campaign that attempted to reclaim the magic of Halo and a multiplayer unapologetically in line with what the franchise has offered at its best, Infinite will only continue to get better and better with every update it launches.
2015
Loved by some, loathed by others, Halo 5 demonstrated a talented studio's continued failure to understand the identity of Halo in favor of chasing the trends of an increasingly competitive market. For fans hoping to find any semblance of what made the original trilogy great, they will find Halo 5 having not much to offer. For others who are looking for a fast-paced advanced mobility driven competitive arena shooter, they may never find another multiplayer that scratches that itch as well as Halo 5 did.
2012
An incredibly ambitious title created by a studio overflowing with talent that somehow lost all the magic of a beloved franchise. While offering a game that's content nearly rivaled its predecessor, 343 Industries' freshman title failed to encapsulate what Halo was in favor of chasing what Halo could be, compromised by the studio's insecurity of what the franchise's place was in a genre now dominated by games like Call of Duty and Battlefield.
2010
The game that should have been Halo's swan song but wasn't. While offering one of the most content filled launch titles that is still held as the standard of excellence by fans of the franchise today, a series of detrimental changes to Halo's time-tested gameplay loop and a lack of care for existing lore made it an uncomfortable and decisive installment for longtime fans. Though for less easily deterred fans, its potential was able to shine through its failures to become as well remembered as any other Halo title.
2009
My heart yearns to give this jazz-filled neo-noir twist on Halo a full five stars for its unique take on my favorite franchise for offering an intriguing, smaller scale side story following a charming cast of characters as well as a fun but challenging take on the horde mode. However, the $60 price point for what should have been an expansion to Halo 3 and the lack of online matchmaking for Firefight hold it back from being a truly excellent installment of the franchise.
2004
Despite being hampered by a notorious development hell that resulted in an unfinished story and slew of multiplayer exploits, Halo 2 pushed the boundaries of storytelling and online multiplayer for console FPS games, allowing this game to surpass its faults and become the crux for the longevity of the franchise.