GameRevolution was founded way back in 1996, building a devoted audience with its cuttingly honest criticism of both video games and the gaming industry. This was evident in the site’s reviews, which broke away from tradition by way of introducing a report card. This card graded games from a lowly F to a coveted A, with the A+ never being used as “no game is perfect.”
GR would later move to a more traditional rating system, eventually becoming the 5-star report card we employ today. As GR has dramatically increased in readership over the years, the site has evolved and adapted to accommodate its modern audience. As a result, the site’s former editor-in-chief Anthony Severino tore down the A+ rule and allowed the cream-of-the-crop to be handed a 5-star rating. This was a controversial move, but it ultimately allowed GR’s critics to be more forthcoming with their praise, along with better-informing readers of which games deserved their utmost attention.
But old GameRevolution was right; no game is perfect. However, there are many games that have been close enough that we saw fit to give them a full, “perfect” score. As of today, these games have been entered into our GameRevolution Hall of Fame, highlighting the selection of releases over the years that GR’s current and former editorial teams have given top honors to.
From founder Duke Ferris to Anthony Severino, Nick Tan, Jonathan Leack, and now Paul Tamburro, GameRevolution has undergone many changes over the years across various editorial teams. However, the one thing that has remained the same regardless of the site’s leadership is its commitment to delivering the best game reviews on the internet. So here’s a rundown of our top-rated reviews over the years, now immortalized in the GameRevolution Hall of Fame:
Resident Evil 2
Reviewer: Jason Faulkner
Quote: “The Resident Evil 2 remake has brought the series back to where it needs to be. This game captures the spirit of the original trilogy perfectly while also bringing to bear all the good things that came out of the later entries in the series. As a fan of the original RE2, I was blown away by how much love was poured into this remake, and I hope it’s a sign of things to come for the future of Resident Evil.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Reviewer: Jason Faulkner
Quote: “The astounding thing about RDR 2 is that there’s not only a staggering amount of story, side quests, and places to explore but that it’s all high quality and doesn’t feel tacked on. The high level of craftsmanship in this game is evident in all its aspects, and it’s genuinely one of the best games of this generation of gaming.”
Mark of the Ninja: Remastered
Reviewer: Michael Leri
Quote: “Mark of the Ninja felt like the two-dimensional stealth game that was supposed to kickstart a trend of other two-dimensional stealth games that never came. Time, as proved by this remaster, has shown that it has the staying power of the protagonist’s tattoo. But unlike that tattoo, it is not slowly killing its host: the stealth genre. Instead, the remaster is just a timeless reminder of its importance in the pantheon of sneaking games.”
God of War
Reviewer: Jason Faulkner
Quote: “I’ve never given a game a perfect score before, and I thought long and hard about whether or not God of War deserves it. No matter how much I enjoy a game, typically there are at least a few moments where I get frustrated or bored, but not with this one. It’s possibly the best example of what the PS4 has to offer, and I feel like it’s going to be one of those games that instantly comes to mind when they think of this console generation.”
Super Mario Odyssey
Reviewer: Paul Tamburro
Quote: “Comparing Super Mario Odyssey to over thirty years’ worth of Mario games is difficult, because it’s impossible to remove the effects of nostalgia from a series that started my love of video games in the first place. But while I may be far removed from the days spent playing Super Mario World as a kid, completing it for the umpteenth time and still finding new secrets with each playthrough, experiencing Super Mario Odyssey transported me back to that same sense of wonder I felt when I first discovered the Star World, or when I used my cape to accidentally stumble upon a secret key that opened up a brand new level. Nintendo has delivered everything I could want in a Mario game, before adding things that I didn’t even know I wanted. The end result of their efforts is a true modern masterpiece.”
Pyre
Reviewer: James Kozanitis
Quote: “The main takeaway here is that Pyre is a game-changer. It’s a shoo-in for best indie game of the year, and it will be a crime if it isn’t at least competing for Game of the Year by the time December rolls around. As someone who walked in without any expectations, color me surprised.”
Persona 5
Reviewer: Jamal Rashid
Quote: “More than eight years have gone by since I began waiting for a new Persona game. It wasn’t easy, but there is no doubt in my mind that the wait helped create the best possible experience that fans could ask for. It’s rare to see a lesser-known JRPG series grab the wheel and bring new life into the genre, but that is exactly what Persona 5 has accomplished.”
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Reviewer: Jonathan Leack
Quote: “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild isn’t just good, it’s the best launch title I’ve ever played. It will single-handedly validate the purchase of the Switch for many people, and given the device’s $299 price tag that’s a huge accomplishment.”
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Blood and Wine
Reviewer: Blake Peterson
Quote: “The main questline can be completed in about 10-15 hours with easily as much or more content to do in side-quests, contracts, and exploration of the new setting. This $20 expansion has enough excellent content that it rivals some full-priced triple-A titles; this is an excellent value that adds to the rich experience of The Witcher universe and is a fantastic send-off for the series. This is a real treasure and a tribute to all-things Witcher, perfectly captured in the final moment before the credits roll: a close-up of Geralt, who turns to look directly at the player through the screen with a subtle grin, as if giving thanks for the chance to tell one last Witcher story.”
Rise of the Tomb Raider
Reviewer: Peter Paras
Quote: “Rise of the Tomb Raider took aim at perfecting not just its own series, but modern action games as well, which is an ambitious undertaking to say the least. The past decade has seen the genre jump, shoot, and blow stuff up real good with games like Resident Evil 4, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, and Dead Space. Each redefined what a well-balanced 15-hour experience could be by delivering a compelling narrative, tight gameplay, and outstanding world building. Rise of the Tomb Raider bests even those classics with a character that resonates like no other. Even if it took nearly twenty years for that to happen, this is an adventure worth replaying with a hero who’s unforgettable.”
