Payday 2 feels like one of the most ambitious sequels in recent memory. I was a fan of Payday: The Heist, which in and of itself is high praise. Normally I can't be bothered to play online multiplayer and I've had first-person shooter fatigue for years, but Payday clicked with me. The focus on carefully orchestrated cooperation combined with the game's sometimes vicious level of challenge against near overwhelming odds is exhilarating. 

We knew Payday 2 was going to be much improved, given that it's receiving a retail release in addition to digital, and we knew that new elements were going to be added, like stealth possibilities. Still, I wasn't prepared for how much has improved. Talking to director David Goldfarb and then playing for myself left me pleasantly surprised and wanting to play more.