By most accounts Persona 5 didn't do much wrong. While most games that achieve the critical success of P5 would rest at that job well done, Atlus has continued to further refine their masterpiece into something even better. Persona 5 Royal is proof that even the best games can be made better by acknowledging shortcomings and addressing them, however small they are.

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age takes everything to love about classic JRPGs and refines them to their utmost. The result? Absolute brilliance. If you had to pick just one JRPG to own on a modern platform, then let this be the one.

A Plague Tale: Requiem deserves your time in every sense of the word and it is a story that will live on in my mind for years to come. The powerful, emotional heartaches that you will no doubt experience by the incredible cast of characters continue to impress after the credits roll.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion is a perfect example of a remaster done right, as the game brings Zack's story to a new generation of consoles in a way that both preserves the original's experience and improves upon it in every way, thanks to the addition of a few new mechanics and features, as well it's stunning overall presentation.

The upgraded edition takes what made the 2015 version so loved and throws it into the new generation with so much care that it feels like a different game while maintaining the backbone of the original. The improvements are executed flawlessly, and I can see myself pouring an additional 100 hours or more into this universe now that it can compare to other next-gen games.

From Software upped the ante, surpassing even their best efforts that we saw with Sekiro Shadows Die Twice in terms of world building. Elden Ring is an absolute must-play game for 2022, but set aside some time and some patience.

Not only improving on the visuals and giving players a much requested Photo Mode, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade also adds the stellar Yuffie focused Intermission DLC that is an absolute must play for fans of the original and new game alike.

This is a video game about flying around heaven, shooting and dashing through demons, flirting with your other neons, gathering cards that happen to double as weapons, and talking to angels that just so happen to be cats with comically large sunglasses. If any of that sounds even slightly interesting to you, you may have found your new obsession.

Pilgor is back and better than ever. Goat Simulator 3 is the troll sequel no one asked for, but happy to get it, anyway. Help her defeat The Farmer and wreak as much havoc as possible on the residents of San Angora. The result is the punniest adventure you’ll ever go on.

Episode 5 perfectly concludes the adventures of Fiona and Rhys, and their gang of friends. This episode easily cements the series as one of Telltale's best, and one of the best games this year. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll wanna do it all over again just to see how your choices change things.

It Takes Two is co-op gaming at its most joyous and whimsical, and will forever be in the hearts of anyone that is lucky enough to play it.

The artists and animators, those working on the dastardly enemy AI or scripting, the musicians that contributed to this game should all take a bow. The wait was long and now it’s easy to see why, but Cuphead is most certainly a must play title in a year full of must play games.

The game's true achievement though is in how it teaches the player its intricacies, with minimal intrusion and subtle hints, allowing for a great feeling of accomplishment when everything clicks into place.

Rare Replay is, simply put, one of the best collections in gaming history. Hours upon hours of gameplay await players, and with classics like Banjo, Conker, and Perfect Dark those hours won't be wasted.

Simply put, GORN is among the very best VR games out there.

Hitman 3 is the ultimate murder simulator. Now that the World of Assassination trilogy is finally complete, there's no excuse to not play Hitman. In order to truly appreciate the game's intricacies, you have to commit to replaying levels, attempting challenges, and testing out new strategies. However, if you put in the time, you'll be treated to one of the most engaging and rewarding stealth experiences in all of gaming.

Astro Bot is one of the best platformers in years with endless charm and inventive levels that celebrate decades of gaming history.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is the strongest JRPG in the modern Nintendo catalog, and is among the greatest games on the Nintendo Switch, and can potentially stand the test of time when considered among other platforms and generations as well. It's a complex, emotional journey, where you and the characters will confront challenging themes and philosophical ideas, and see them through to their respective cathartic conclusions.

ll future VR games will look to Half Life: Alyx as the gold standard hereon, and thanks to its absolute excellence in design and presentation we are all the better for it. Virtual reality will never be the same, nor will Half Life after Alyx's jaw-dropping conclusion.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth evoked all kinds of emotions in me, made me see my low-poly childhood friends as real people, and allowed me to once again be part of a grandiose, fate-challenging, god-defying adventure that I haven't experienced since the PS1 days.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition is a fan's dream come true. With all three games and almost all of their DLC included in one upgraded package there simply isn't more to be asked for here other than a full remake.

The Last of Us Part II is a truly worthy sequel to one of the greatest games ever made.

Overall though, this is the same sports gaming masterpiece that it was last year, and is worthy of joining any Xbox One owner's library.

Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 5 "Same Stitch" is a near-perfect finale to an already fantastic series. Storytelling, voice acting, art design, and every other aspect of the series has come together here and delivered one of the best episodes in Telltale's history.

Dreams is a platform that allows for complete and nearly limitless creative expression, and it’s already jam-packed with games, music, and art that more than justify the asking price.

With Red Dead Redemption 2 Rockstar Games has set the bar so high that other games of this nature seem infinitesimally lesser because of its existence.

Sundered takes the indie, Metroidvania genre to new heights while showing just how good these types of experiences can be. Great gameplay could have carried this game far enough, but Thunder Lotus once again went for hand drawn art and the result is truly remarkable.

Tetris Effect: Connected is the definitive Tetris experience to this day. It boasts a plethora of single player and multiplayer modes. There’s something for everyone when it comes to this game. From the music and visuals to the competitive potential in its multiplayer modes, this game has it all from the classic puzzler in a beautiful coat of paint. Its addition of crossplay will make it even more enjoyable among friends and tournament organizers, allowing for its already humble community to flourish even further.