Despite working with a more family-friendly property with less blood and guts, Machinegames’ latest still has all its teeth in place. A globe-trotting action-adventure romp becomes a slapstick comedy about outsmarting fascism rather than outgunning it. Its enemies are dimwitted punching bags that are so frail and oblivious to their surroundings that you can tip one like a cow with only a toilet plunger. In a crowded media landscape laser focused on Nazism and its unimaginably ugly resurgence worldwide, Machinegames offers what might be the radical thesis that we need right now: Nazis may be dangerous, but they’re also very, very stupid.

With its wealth of unpredictable levels, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the series’ best 2D entry since its SNES days. It’s still the same familiar platformer, but one that’s been given a new lease on life thanks to a fantastic new art style, delightfully absurd transformations, and flexible difficulty. It’s the closest I’ve gotten to recapturing those magic moments with the original platformers, even if there’s still room for Mario to grow into his new overalls.

Right from the very first moments, Hitman 2 is a massive experience. Landscapes are gorgeous playgrounds for chasing objectives and the variety of tools and weapons at your disposal feels endless. Completing all the story missions is just scraping the surface of Hitman 2’s potential as it demands more finesse in your following visits, and shows promise for the future with its current roadmap. Hitman 2 takes everything we enjoyed from Hitman and improves on it, bringing forth the ultimate assassination game.

Forza Horizon 5 doubles down on the series' winning formula to give players another hit racing game superpowered by next-gen tech.

As a standalone story, Death of the Outsider is well worth the price of admission. Although it doesn’t innovate on the gameplay in any meaningful way, it’s as well-designed as anything in the series and fans will enjoy facing new challenges in the streets of Karnaca. We particularly enjoyed the scrappy underdog feeling of playing as Billie, with fewer powers than her protagonist predecessors.

Song of Nunu is Riot Forge's best game yet, emphasizing gameplay variety and an emotional narrative about processing grief.

Sea of Thieves feels a little thin, but its unique foundation has captured our imagination.

Jusant's creative take on climbing and a minimalistic approach to storytelling make it one of the boldest titles from Don't Nod so far.

Promise Mascot Agency is a positively zany yakuza adventure that's an unpredictable delight.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare has an outstanding campaign, and the multiplayer will have you itching to play just one more game over, and over, and over again.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the most emotionally impactful chapter in gaming’s best soap opera. It struggles to stay fully engaging from start to finish due to a supersized runtime filled with exhausting exposition dumps, but developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio delivers a deeply personal story that’s serious without sacrificing its heart. If any video game could leave you with a new lease on life, it’s this.

It’s hard to say how things will feel as the main story continues in smaller updates over the next few years, but what’s on offer right now suggests Shadowbringers is the finest storyline we’ve had yet. The only thing holding it back now is a truly seamless world – and that’s more a consequence of early design limitations that can’t be undone. If you haven’t played Final Fantasy XIV yet, you’re really missing out on something special.

Marvel's Midnight Suns is as good of an RPG as it is a strategy game.

Madden NFL 19 offers an accessible Ultimate Team mode, a welcome player progression change, and minor gameplay tweaks that make the game ever so slightly more realistic. Longshot: Homecoming, however, is an unmitigated disaster.

Though I initially worried that Hellblade 2's dark story about psychosis would trigger my anxiety, it's a surprisingly inspiring sequel about perseverance in the face of pain. It tells a story about overcoming what holds us down, and finding solace in others. It doesn't quite reach instant classic status due to uninspired gameplay that's much less creative and ambitious than its stunning presentation, but Ninja Theory's latest is still an absolute must-play for any Xbox Game Pass subscriber and an experience I certainly won't forget anytime soon.

There were times I wished The Alters was a pure adventure game without any of the survival elements, but that friction is what makes it work. While the interpersonal relationships and conflicts between the Jans are the heart of the experience for me, and what I can wholeheartedly recommend, I came to appreciate the basic survival loop as a way to add more agency to all the choices I made. Like all the best sci-fi stories, The Alters will leave you with plenty of philosophical questions to chew on.

New Tales from the Borderlands risked ruining this series by focusing on a completely different set of characters and not really following up its predecessor at all. Thankfully, Gearbox Montreal proved that the Borderlands universe is still full of unique and interesting stories to tell, whether it does so in a first-person shooter or narrative adventure game format.

Frostpunk 2 scales up the drama with a bigger, more strategic sequel that's easy to get lost in.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla promised to return to the series’ roots after two big steps away from them in Origins and Odyssey, but what it attempts to rekindle ends up holding it back, and what it does best is what makes it decidedly very un-Assassin’s Creed. Those willing to embrace Valhalla for what it is will find a compelling and satisfying action RPG.

While the move away from more customizable cars for competition, may strike a negative chord with longtime fans, Forza 7 is an excellent racing game.

Though faithful fans might be put off by a more laid-back sequel that’s over-eager to hold players’ hands, Pikmin 4 is a purposeful reconstruction of Nintendo’s most niche series. A stressful comedy of errors becomes a digestible puzzle-strategy hybrid that gives players valuable organization strategies that are just as useful in real life as they are on their Nintendo Switch adventure.

Gears Tactics is a brilliant next step for a series that hasn’t seen much in the way of innovation since its inception. It’s not massively ambitious, but it’s bloody good fun.

Dragon Quest XI is a hallmark of excellence for the genre, and while some may be put off by its adherence to classic tropes, it features a modern twist on combat, narrative elements, and character customization. It’s a hefty slice of throwback goodness without too much of the baggage that can come with old-school games.

WWE 2K24 finishes the wrestling series' comeback story with its best installment yet.

Rift of the Necrodancer captures the true essence of music by creatively visualizing rhythm.

Whether you love the high-octane spectacle of Final Fantasy XVI or the character collection of Genshin Impact, Granblue Fantasy: Relink has a little something for you. It’s a smart blend of ideas, even if it's a bit torn between console and mobile gaming philosophies. More importantly, though, it does all that without sacrificing the playful energy the RPG genre was built on.

Halo Infinite isn't going to reinvent the shooter genre, but it's a fun solo and multiplayer experience that can only get better with time.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate’s accessibility and rapid early progression make it a deeply appealing Nintendo 3DS experience.

Wasteland 3 is a rewarding game that offers unprecedented choice and is a great jumping on point for new players.

Empathetic storytelling and mind-bending level design make Psychonauts 2 a worthy follow-up to one of gaming's great cult classics.

Exoprimal demands a lot of patience, but those who stick with it will uncover a shockingly innovative multiplayer shooter.

Save for a few odd gameplay quirks and frustrating tech issues at launch, Alan Wake 2 is Remedy Interactive’s most confident, fully realized creative vision to date. It fully pays off the long-simmering potential of the studio’s interconnected universe to create a densely detailed, cerebral experience about the nature of horror – both in the nightmares we face in everyday life and the scary stories we create to cope with them.

Rather than following up on 2018’s hit Fire Emblem: Three Houses by repeating its exact playbook, the new tactical RPG is a quick regroup for the long-running series. It looks to reinforce its core combat hook with new systems, like adding extra armor plating onto an ax-wielding knight. It may seem like a step back at a glance, but it's more a lateral move that ensures the series can safely fight its next battle.

Even with its repetitive late game, I still enjoyed just about every second of Kirby and the Forgotten Land. In the game’s opening sequence, Kirby swallows a car and rides down a highway as a pop tune plays. In one shot, he’s cruising against the clear blue sky as some seagulls fly by his window. That’s how I felt whenever I booted it up: Head empty, soaking in the sunshine, not a care in the world.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp doesn’t drastically change the core gameplay from the original, but it didn’t need to. Back in 2001, Advance Wars played beautifully. A simple concept paired with deep systems allowed the series to withstand the test of time -- something that’s even clearer with a modern Switch version. Playing Re-Boot Camp feels like revisiting an old friend and finding out their best qualities remained intact over the years. For those visiting for the first time on Switch, prepare for a new lifelong friendship.

When you get into the flow, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is ruthlessly satisfying.

It’s just too bad about that cancerous story, always eating away at the heart of the game with its poorly conceived characters and overeager messaging. There’s so much fun to be had in Far Cry 4, and none of it has anything to do with the writing.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is already one of the most compelling fighters in quite some time, because it addresses the genre’s biggest problems in so many creative ways, while keeping play interesting for returning fans. The gulf between the skilled and the green, has been large enough that the fighting game community has become infamously insular. Infinite proves that basic accessibility need not come at the sacrifice of depth.

A Little to the Left might be this year's most plesant game thanks to its cathartic organization puzzles.

New Pokémon Snap is a delightful follow-up to a beloved classic, which is no small task. It avoids being a simple nostalgia act by giving players tons of photo ops to chase and way more control over their final shots. There’s more room for it to grow, whether that’s through DLC or a sequel, but it’s a wholesome photography game for fans who want to soak in the colorful glow of the Pokémon universe.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a must-play for fans of the series and anyone interested in visual novels.

While it may be an unnecessary project, Silent Hill 2’s remake keeps the original’s haunting essence intact by staying true to its unsettling atmosphere, off-kilter tone, and uncomfortable moments. It’s a respectful revisit that only veers off course when it tries a little too hard to add pounds onto a sleek horror game. Even with some extra weight, the tortured story told here is every bit as harrowing as it was in 2001.

While not without its flaws, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a monumental game.

Advanced Warfare is extremely unfriendly to the newcomer, with busy, text-laden menus that aren’t explained well and speedy play that is difficult to keep pace with. The campaign is a worthwhile training ground, but it’s hard to apply lessons and feel progress being made when crack human snipers are gunning you down seconds after a respawn.

Stray isn’t a furry gimmick that’s in it for the memes. Its cat-centric gameplay brings a fresh perspective to the adventure genre, putting an emphasis on curiosity-driven exploration. Some of its gameplay ideas feel limited and underutilized, but playful cat interactions make it a warm and fuzzy experience from start to finish. Come for its adorable furball hero, but stay for the socially conscious sci-fi story about how human beings are the architects of their own downfall.

Each of the top contenders in the battle royale genre offers something different, but there’s a reason Apex Legends has exploded in popularity so quickly. It’s the most accessible and straight-up enjoyable game that uses the formula.

Wolfenstein II a fun, challenging, lushly produced, narrative first-person shooter that any fan of the genre would be remiss to skip.

Ultimax is practically a fandom fortress. It could be savory or bitter; that depends on the player's palette.

Pentiment impresses with its amazing dialogue, intriguing themes, and gorgeous visuals.

Sea of Stars goes beyond retro homage to deliver a moving indie RPG with a strong combat system at its heart.

Costume Quest 2 is a classic JRPG, stripped of all the tedious baggage and wrapped in Double Fine’s impeccable writing and sense of whimsy.

Any worries we had about returning to World War II were promptly quelled throughout Call of Duty: WWII’s well-made campaign. Its strong characters and squad-focused gameplay tweaks, make it the best Call of Duty campaign yet. The multiplayer hasn’t evolved as much, but the asymmetrical War mode showcases new growth. Toss in a strong zombie mode, and this is the finest Call of Duty package in recent memory.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero puts together a politically engaging story, fun gameplay, and likable heroes into one epic RPG.

God of War Ragnarok is much bigger than its predecessor, though not inherently better. It’s more reminiscent of the jump between the original God of War in 2005 and God of War 2, offering a largely similar experience down to its plot beats. That larger scope makes for a messier story that loses some of the previous game’s intimacy, but the trade-off is even sharper combat that further establishes the franchise as the God of action games.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater manages to live up to its own legacy thanks to the forward-thinking design of the original, but takes no risks beyond a more approachable control scheme. It is because Kojima pushed the limits of interactivity and stuck to timeless themes in his writing that even a copy-pasted version of it is still effective over 20 years later, though with a few embarrassing relics of the past. In that way, the legacy of the original is perfectly preserved here. But it does raise the question of whether or not we even needed it.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader delivers a dream CRPG for Warhammer fans if you can get past its bugs.

Minecraft Legends does a great job at making the real-time strategy genre more approachable, even if its campaign gets repetitive.

Nintendo Switch Sports is exactly what it needs to be. It’s an intuitive package of Wii-era sports minigames with more precise motion controls and full online integration. Addictive activities like bowling and badminton make it one of the Switch’s best multiplayer party games, though overly complicated minigames like soccer miss the simple appeal of the series. With long-term support planned, I’m hopeful that Nintendo can build up the currently thin offering and turn it into the kind of console staple that any Switch owner needs to have installed.

Doom: The Dark Ages delivers another dose of reliable thrills by building on the foundation established by its excellent predecessors. The power fantasy of it all is more potent than ever, but Id Software’s experiment in excess proves that there is such a thing as “too much” when it comes to video game spectacle.

Control feels like the first step in a bigger project for Remedy Entertainment. While it doesn’t reach its full potential in storytelling and there isn’t enough variation in the combat, the powers that are there are great and the creepy atmosphere complement the action well. Traditional single-player games that aren’t bogged down in level-gating or unnecessary role-playing mechanics are a rarity these days, and that alone makes Control worth paying full price for.

Need for Speed Unbound is not trying to be an ultrarealistic simulator or even a super comprehensive open-world online racing game experience. It wants to be a stylish, tough, and rewarding ode to street racing culture. While it’s not the best in its genre due to some weak writing and eventual repetition, Need for Speed Unbound is a surprisingly entertaining racer in a year that hasn’t seen much racing game excitement since Gran Turismo 7.

Cat Quest 3 is a light but charming pirate adventure that'll make you feel like a kid again.

World of Goo 2 is the meta sequel that the eccentric puzzle classic deserves.

Echoes of Wisdom’s best parts are the ones that break away from what’s expected. My favorite moments largely happen in Still World rifts, where I need to carve my own path through twisted snippets of Hyrule’s world using echoes. I’m attuned with Zelda most when I find a large gap I can’t pass, but realize I can get to the other side by grabbing hold of a flying tile with my bind ability and following its path. In clever puzzle platform moments like that, I feel like I'm tapping into her third of the Triforce; I’m using her wisdom to meet any challenge that arises. And I’m doing that by drawing on her connection to all things within her kingdom and communicating her eternal royalty through tangible play.

Infinity Nikki is the stylish open-world game that players have been begging for.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a return to form for this once-lauded RPG studio that should satiate Dragon Age fans quite well after a decade-long wait. But returning to form and perfecting form are not the same thing. BioWare has plenty of room to regrow as it gets back on track making the kinds of games RPG fans want them to create.

Super Mario Party Jamboree’s core board game is still as fun as ever, and made even better thanks to some clever new maps. Its signature minigames, though, are a little more inconsistent as some of Nintendo’s best ideas are almost exclusively saved for hit-and-miss side modes. It’s a multiplayer package that spreads itself thin, but there’s enough fun content here to keep the dice rolling for another turn.

Flock will bring out the inner birdwatcher in you, even if only for a few short hours.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is a charming Mario adventure marred by a difficult and tedious battle system.

It’s the right level of strategy and team synergy for a micro-scale game like this.

Revelations 2 is neither a particularly good game nor a particularly bad one. It has all the ingredients of a good Resident Evil game, but lacks substance.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is more effective as a moving reflection on grief than as a Metroidvania.

While it has its quirks, Weird West is a bit of storytelling spectacle that seems to have been hand-crafted for diehard RPG fans.

Islands of Insight is the modern reinvention the puzzle genre needs.

Empire of Sin delivers a clever, genre-melding experience that perfectly marries the world of 1920s organized crime with strategy gameplay. Bugs and a lack of combat speed or automation options can grind its pace to a halt, but it does a stellar job of putting the player in the mindset of a mob mastermind (or a gun-toting buffoon) with streamlined speakeasy management.

Planet of Lana makes up for some repetitive 2D puzzling with a gorgeous art style and a good-natured tone.

Children of the Sun stumbles on story, but its unnerving hyper violence hits its mark.

Death Stranding is The Tree of Life of videogames. Some people will hail it as a technical and narrative masterpiece that pushes the medium forward. Others will simply be bored to tears by the slow, repetitive gameplay. Both takes are valid. Death Stranding is a bold project that’s sure to be as divisive as the political anxiety it’s commenting on. It won’t change the minds of Kojima detractors who think he should just make movies, but the game’s thoughtful social components showcase why he still plays such a vital role in the games industry.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a fantastic sequel on several counts. It improves on its predecessor in just about every way by finely tuning its stealth and navigation systems, adding more gameplay variety, and delivering a visually stunning world that puts games with much larger budgets to shame. Its weak spot comes down to its messy storytelling, which exposes the thematic limits of a medium that’s over reliant on violence as its primary form of interaction.

WWE 2K22 is a robust wrestling simulator that gets the series back on track after its nearly career-ending 2020 installment. It’s filled with modes, impressive combat tweaks, and a truly phenomenal creative suite that turn it into a hoss of a game. There’s still work to do if 2K Sports wants to fully rehabilitate the series. Multi-man matches need a rework, its more promising modes need to be expanded, and there’s still plenty of gunk to clean up. But if this is how much an annualized series can turn itself around by taking one year off, then every franchise like it should consider an offseason.

The Isle of Armor improves on Pokémon Sword and Shield's open world experiments with a light expansion.

Lysfanga: The Time Shift Warrior's time-bending combat hook is so smart, you'll want to show it to everyone you know.

The stripped-down sandbox may be a disappoint longtime fans, but it’s an extra feature that adds to a game that would still feel complete without it.

Taken as a complete package, Sonic X Shadow Generations paints a full picture of the series’ long, hard journey. I started by dragging my way through a fun but shallow game that never quite felt right and arrived at a revelatory thrill that feels like the genuine future of the series. The takeaway from all this shouldn’t be to make a third Generations game, put Shadow in the starring role more often, or to even bow down to anyone with a complaint — lord knows that last one is a recipe for disaster these days. Rather, the most positive possible outcome is that it will inspire a moment of self-reflection. We do not grow by plugging our ears, running away from the past, and ignoring anyone who doesn’t say exactly what we want to hear. Growing up is about recognizing our imperfections, and knowing which are worth embracing and which are actually worth working on.

Like a Dragon: Ishin's timeless story and accessibility options make up for some of its outdated gameplay.

Gundam Evolution is a hero shooter that gives Gundam fans and new players a full product despite being free-to-play, though it's not without high item prices and tech quirks.

What’s included in Mario Tennis Aces makes the game a great choice for Mario and tennis fans alike, and we can see dedicated players competing in high-level player over the next few months, but we wish there was more meat. Unless you plan on becoming really good at online player, or constantly have visitors at your home, you’ll be limited to only a few modes, none of which are likely to keep you entertained for more than an hour or so at a time. For a commute, or something to play before work or bed, it does the job — but don’t expect it to keep your attention throughout the summer.

Escape Academy is an endearing puzzle game that just wants to share the unique pleasure of escape rooms with everyone. Each well-designed level brings a set of clever logic puzzles that are always satisfying to solve, especially with a pal. It has a harder time bringing players a meaningful sense of failure, as the meaningless time limits suck the tension out of the room. Despite its struggles to nail down the energy of real-world escape rooms, it’s one of the most fun ways you can spend a Saturday gaming night this summer.

Sniper Elite 5 is an increasingly rare WWII game that actually does something new with the conflict. While its story has nothing new to say and its commitment to history can be a burden on its creative potential, its open-ended missions make for a devilishly enjoyable stealth action game. Its excessive violence can be a little hard to stomach, even for the most hardened gamers, but you can’t have a guilty pleasure without a heaping helping of self-indulgence.

Ara: History Untold brings city-building to Civilization with strategic success.

Is Outriders a sophisticated action game with a compelling sci-fi story? No. Does it feel fun to freeze a spider with an ice turret and shatter it with a well-placed sniper shot? You bet. Sometimes, that’s all one really wants from a shooter like this. It could use an offline mode for single-player sessions and a fair bit of maintenance, but it’s a solid foundation for an action game that respects its players’ time.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is at its best when it's reimagining Japanese folklore in visually astonishing ways and delivering moving visualizations of what it’s like to pass on. It’s less compelling as a checkbox-driven open-world game, with limited content stretched too thin across its apocalyptic version of Shibuya.

Live A Live is a high-effort remake from the presentation side, though the base game remains an uneven RPG experience.

Disney Illusion Island is a charming all-ages platformer that acts as a breezy introduction to the Metroidvania genre.

When all is said and done, and Nazi Germany’s ego has been bruised by a couple of rad teenage girls, one fact remains — Wolfenstein: Youngblood is fun as hell. The goofy Blazkowicz sisters make it compelling enough to endure its sometimes annoying quirks. Bring a partner for best results. The game shines when you’re playing co-op alongside a friend.

Biomutant is a clear labor of love that’s loaded with imaginative world building. The in-depth character customization options create a more personalized kind of action RPG. It’s eyes are often bigger than its stomach, which can often result in a repetitive, at times unstable experience. Even with those flaws, it’s hard not to be charmed by a kind-hearted project with some environmentally conscious storytelling.

Payback is one of the better entries is the long and storied Need for Speed franchise. It hews to its Fast and Furious inspiration well, blending camp, action, tight racing, and an entertaining world to drive way too fast in. If you can get over the obnoxious introduction, you’ll have no trouble getting comfortable at the wheel.

Zenless Zone Zero is at its best when it's delivering stylish action over puzzles.