The game delivered on its promise in a very big way. As a long-time fan of the franchise, I couldn't be happier with Metroid Dread. It's the kind of game that frequently made me say to myself "just five more minutes" when it was already two o'clock in the morning. Super Metroid is considered by many to be one of the best video games ever made. Gamers will have to judge for themselves if Metroid Dread managed to surpass it, but there's no doubt in my mind that it deserves to be considered among the best games in the series. It has its challenging elements, and they might scare some players off. However, those that stick with the game will be rewarded with one of the year's best experiences.

Overall, I'm clearly incredibly happy with Into the Pit – I feel like it's a great game for veteran Five Nights at Freddy's fans as much as I feel like people who have never played a FNaF game before could enjoy it. Not only am I excited to see what other games Mega Cat crafts in the future in general, I'm hopeful we'll see them continue to release Five Nights at Freddy's games. Honestly, let them turn every Fazbear Frights short story into a game – and if not every, at least The Man in Room 1280, please.

Hazelight Studios is far and away the preeminent studio for co-op storytelling. There has never been a game like Split Fiction before and, frankly, it’s hard to think of one that could match this creative quality ever again. Split Fiction is an example of director Josef Fares’ ability to capture the child-like creativity of storytelling and continue to curate the best cooperative games to date. The scale for Split Fiction is massive and there is no shortage of dullness in this colorful display of one’s imagination gone wild. Being able to play a co-op game with someone else feels right as it provides a sense of togetherness that is rare to come across these days. Split Fiction reiterates this need to tell stories that can be experienced and enjoyed alongside others.

Despite having high expectations for Astro Bot, Team Asobi still found a way to surpass all of my hopes. This isn’t just one of the best games of 2024, it’s one of the best platformers that I have played in the last decade. Those who have a long attachment to PlayStation or just a simple love for games of this genre cannot let Astro Bot pass them by.

For those that have never played these games, or longtime fans looking to revisit some old favorites, Super Mario 3D All-Stars offers three of the best games of all time. After all these years, Super Mario 64, Super Mario Sunshine, and Super Mario Galaxy remain as captivating as ever.

It is tough for me to imagine liking a game more this year. Infinite Wealth got me out of my seat during several momentous story moments and sucked me into its grips with all of the outstanding side content. I'm not ready to say this is the best game RGG has ever released, but it's very close. This is a master fine-tuning its craft to the point of near perfection and one of the first must-play games of 2024.

Rather than trying to do something entirely new, the ninth mainline installment in the saga, Resident Evil Requiem, finds a way to perfectly mesh all of the best aspects of the series so far. The result doesn't just make Requiem one of the greatest Resident Evil games yet, but it stands as a perfect celebration of the franchise for its 30th anniversary.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is the Budokai Tenkaichi 4 fans have been waiting to get for a long, long time, but it's also the perfect first entry to jump into if you've never played a game in this series. It's a great first impression, and even better reunion. You've been waiting for a Dragon Ball game like this.

Persona 5 Royal truly captures all the promise of the original while adding so much more to the mix, and is easily one of the most rewarding, captivating, and enjoyable gaming experiences I've had in some time. Few games have ever hooked me as much as Persona 5 Royal,

Resident Evil 3 proves that Resident Evil 2 wasn’t just a one-off success of a remake and shows that Capcom has a winning formula on its hands.

Scott Pilgrim EX is everything fans of the cult classic game could have hoped for, taking the concept and expanding it into something extraordinary.

The challenges and style make the latest installment in the Crash Bandicoot series instantly feel like one of the classics, but there are so many new features and abilities that the game is several steps ahead of its predecessors. It's both a throwback to the past and an innovative glimpse into the future, striking a balance that so few reboots and sequels are able to find. If you love Crash, It's About Time is as close to perfect as you can get, even if it makes you break a controller now and then.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth improves on nearly every aspect of the Final Fantasy 7 Remake, pushing the PlayStation 5 to the limit and creating a jaw-dropping experience in the process. Improving on both the Remake and the original version of the game seemed like a nigh impossible task, but somehow, Square Enix was able to do just that.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is easily the best game that the PlayStation 5 now has to offer. From top to bottom, it offers an experience that is practically faultless and keeps you from ever wanting to put the controller down. Not only is Rift Apart itself superb, but as a showcase for what the PS5 is capable of, it’s likely the best example we have seen so far and continues to verify that Insomniac Games is one of the best studios in the world.

The Demon’s Souls remake may flip perspectives on the Souls series once you’ve finished it. Instead of being a game that’s tough to go back to, its polish and refinement will make it hard to return to Lordran or Drangleic even if another game still ranks higher than Demon’s Souls. Completing the first playthrough is really just the start of Demon’s Souls, and with more replayability than ever before, it’s going to keep people dancing between the Archstones for a long time.

The end product here shows that PlayStation is becoming much more experienced with this PC porting process, which isn't just a great thing for God of War, but it bodes well for the company's future plans in this space.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus is easily the strongest Pokemon game made in recent memory and should provide unforgettable memories that rival the first time a player first encountered a favorite Pokemon or conquered their first Pokemon Champion fight. It's a must-buy Pokemon game destined to land on many "top games of the year" lists and should bring countless new and lapsed fans to the franchise.

By all accounts, Alan Wake 2 is simply a masterpiece. This is far and away the best game that Remedy has made so far and only continues to assert that the studio is one of the top AAA developers in the world. On all fronts, Alan Wake 2 is rife with inventiveness and wit that was only matched by its ability to scare me and make me laugh in the same short span of time. Not only does this serve as a new benchmark for what Remedy is capable of in the future, but it should be a shining example to other studios around the world of what story-driven third-person games can achieve. Whether you're new to the series or have been waiting 13 years like I have, Alan Wake 2 should absolutely not be missed.

FAIRY TAIL is bombastic, breezy, and full of fun to watch characters, except, this time, it's us making it all happen.

Everything feels carefully considered for those jumping into Street Fighter 6 as their first game in the series. But at the same time, there's clearly a ton to dig into for those who want to keep playing on deeper and more dedicated levels. Street Fighter 6 is just pure fun, and every punch hits hard, every kick feels great, and it's just so cool to look at. It's the most fun I've had with Street Fighter in years, and the great, hard hitting start to a powerful new era for the franchise.

Metroid Prime Remastered is not a bold reimagining; it offers just a few slight tweaks to take advantage of the Switch hardware, and lets the game speak for itself. There's a reason Metroid Prime has been so well-regarded over the years, and the Nintendo Switch now offers the quintessential way to play it. If you're a series newcomer that started with Metroid Dread, or a longtime fan like myself, Metroid Prime Remastered is a must-own game on Nintendo Switch.

Hades 2 is truly an impressive feat in gaming. It delivers on nearly every level, from gameplay to voice acting to visuals and beyond.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is about as close to perfection as it gets for a 2D Mario game. While the New Super Mario Bros. games were fun, they never felt like they had their own distinct identity, the way we saw with classic Mario games like Super Mario Bros. 3 or Super Mario World. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is dripping with creativity and personality in every facet.

Even though The Last of Us Part II relishes in making players uncomfortable and reminding them characters can lose everything at a moment’s notice, those bleak traits are part of the game’s appeal even if the charm’s a morbid one. It’s a monumental effort in storytelling and a model for tales of vengeance and repercussions pushed forward by gratifying gameplay, and while not everything you do will sit right with you, the game never leads players to believe the result would be anything different.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is in the running for 2020's Game of the Year, blending some amazing mechanics, compelling storytelling, and flawless gameplay. Even if you're new to the series, this is a must-buy if you own any of the video game consoles that it will be released on later this month.

Even with that gripe, Lost in Random just does so much right that it doesn't even really matter. I wouldn't trade my experience in the game for anything, and I'd be willing to get lost in the world of Random all-over gain. If you're on the fence, trust me, just roll the dice and jump on in, because you won't regret it.

Not only is Samurai Warriors 5 the best-feeling game in the franchise to date, but it's also the best-looking too. The character roster features a mostly returning cast with some new additions, but even the older additions have been given a whole new design to fit the new ink-brush aesthetic. Some of the visual presentations haven't changed such as the stiff dialogue scenes making a return, but when in the thick of it, the Samurai Warriors franchise has never looked better.

It is entirely feasible to think you could craft a convincing set with this set of tools, and that’s the highest praise I can muster. There’s never been a better video game to move a crowd than Fuser.