DeathtoSpongify

Out of the box, this game feels pretty slick. The music is wonderful, the graphics are beautiful, and the sea/sailing physics are impressively realistic. However, these positive first impressions do little to change the fact that the game is in fact still quite buggy (especially with regard to combat controls), and has very little actual content. There are only three types of quests, and all are extremely repetetive. Also disappointing is the lack of PvP safeguards. The player base us largely divided into casual players and aggressive griefers, and the developers have done nothing to enhance the experience of the former. The game desperately needs a player behavior monitor such as that in GTA, where aggressive power players are only matched with other such types, so more casual players don't get fed up. All in all the game is built on solid physics and a good premise, but ultimately fails to deliver any lasting enjoyment.

Although slow-going at times, Dishonored has a creative plot that keeps the player interested through pure intrigue, even in parts where the proceeding is a little ponderous. Needless to say, the graphics are beautiful (though I am a bit biased in favor of 1800s decor as it is), and the mechanics are quite fluid. As previously mentioned, the game has the potential to get boring for someone looking for a simple shoot-em-up action game, but there is a reason the game is classified as "stealth." When played with the appropriate attention span and attention to detail, this game provides a stunning positive experience.

This game is the best possible way the Mass Effect Trilogy could have ended. Although the characters and story are so nuanced that it takes a player with a real attention to detail to get the full experience, this game has very few shortcomings. At the outset, ME3 impresses with solid mechanics, great visuals, and carefully executed dialogue. This really is the best combination of shooter and RPG that I have ever seen. The game takes great care to make your character feel like yours, moreso even than games like Skyrim or Oblivion. When played to the extent to which it was intended, Mass Effect 3 offers deep sentimental attachments to a multitude of characters, as well as a story that, although slightly predictable, is so involved that it is rendered unforgettable.

Although the title font and color might lead one to assume that this is just a throwaway horror flick, Scratches actually provides a compelling game experience. While it may not add much to the point-and-click adventure scene, this really ought not count against it; in a time when point-and-clicks are really made purely for the sake of classicism more than innovation, this game does a great job of capturing the spirit of the genre. This set aside, the game offers a story which keeps the player guessing through the end, and provides a good dose of suspense and an occasional jump to go with it. The visuals are stunning, as well as the sound layers; both do a good job of attaining a solid feeling of immersion, very similar to reading a good suspense novel. All in all, this game may not look like much from the outset, but it has a lot to offer to the right player.

Although EA didn't manage to beat out the CoD experience with this game, they did provide a solid shooter experience, though it may be more ephemeral than they would have liked. This doesn't really add anything new to the shooter scene, and although it's great for fluid mechanics, good graphics and a constant adrenaline rush, it is in the end forgettable. In another place and time, it may be considered groundbreaking, but in the end Medal of Honor feels an awful lot like another shooter following the crowd. The game is definitely more realistic than the CoD franchise, with obvious pains taken to make the characters and story believable. Unfortunately, there isn't enough story to give the player a sentimental attachment, and that is a major shortcoming. All this granted, Medal of Honor is still a great shooter.

This is another great game, though it doesn't exactly live up to its predecessor. The mechanics are much the same as the previous installment, though some minor improvements have been made to the combat and genetic skill trees to make it slightly more fluid. All this taken into account however, the story feels like much more of an afterthought than did that of the first game (probably because, to a point, it was). Although it is still a great shooter, you don't lose much of the bioshock experience by leaving this particular installment out. Great mechanics, great atmosphere, great graphics, but the story is definitely lacking.

This game is entirely impervious to any complaint which may have applied to its predecessors; with flawless mechanics, beautiful graphics, and a story good enough to rival any King novel, this is a must-play game. There is enough emotional content to keep any novelist happy, while the action is satisfying enough for anyone who just plays games to shoot things (though that would be a terrible waste). All in all, this is definitely one of the most memorable shooters of the decade, if not of all time.

This is a generally great game. At the time of its release it may have gotten less attention than it does now (probably in part due to the cartoony nature of it's disk cover, which was quite misleading), but it really added a whole new level to the modern FPS scene. The gameplay flows well, although the combat is usually somewhat less than real-time, because the game allows the player to pause and browse through their inventory in the middle of combat. This set aside, the story is riveting (pun, get it?) and unpredictable, and the atmosphere is good enough to rival the gameplay itself.

This game has become the standard for modern shooters, and for a good reason. They did absolutely everything right. Of course, the AI and graphics are becoming a little dated, but all in all, this is one of the most memorable first-person shooters of all time.