The King of Fighters XV is a game deserving of its title. It feels like the perfect evolution in a long-running fighting game franchise and isn’t afraid of being what its main fans want it to be. Mechanics aren’t watered down and it doesn’t backtrack on what makes the series so great. That makes for a perfect entry for all types of players. However, there is a severe lack of content, a curse that’s been plaguing fighting games for a very long time that sadly makes an appearance here. Thankfully, strong online play makes it a great fighter game for the hardcore players who simply wants to hone their skills and challenge the next player, which pushes KO FXV into the ranks of the best modern fighters around.

So long as you're willing to play by its rules, Lost Ark it is an absolute blast thanks to its perfect blend of visceral ARPG combat and steady MMO progression.

A rewarding experience from its start, Sifu delivers challenge after challenge, all of which are too exciting to turn down.

OlliOlli World delivers beautiful, fast-paced, and captivating skateboarding fun.

With a slow plot and uninteresting characters, Dying Light 2: Stay Human's few redeeming qualities are what sets the franchise apart from other zombie games out there.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a step in the right direction for the aging series, even if its technical limits can't always support its ambitions.

While Rainbow Six Extraction stands out within its genre and the Tom Clancy lineup of games as a whole, it rarely does so to its advantage. This extremely tough experience becomes more frustrating if you play it alone or with random players. If someone is looking for a very involved cooperative game to play with their best friends, Rainbow Six Extraction may grab their attention, but its repetitiveness and terrible grind may get to players after a while.

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.

Chorus' stellar space combat is brought down by a myriad of design choices that range from frustrating to outright annoying.

Graceful movement and jaw-dropping fights against colossal monsters make Solar Ash a worthy follow-up to Hyper Light Drifter. [Recommended]

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain is a shockingly addictive collection of brain teasers, but a slim package makes it a hard sell.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl play it safe, faithfully remaking two classic DS games -- at times to a fault.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl play it safe, faithfully remaking two classic DS games -- at times to a fault.

While it adds some interesting new features to the Call of Duty formula, Vanguard's mixed bag of changes makes it a forgettable entry.

Being online-only, Battlefield 2042 had to make up for its lack of any single-player content whatsoever with a variety of worthwhile online content. The game’s developers have not only succeeded in that regard, but they have gone above and beyond. All-Out Warfare is a fantastic evolution on the classic Battlefield experience, modernizing the franchise with more scale, spectacle, and ways to play than ever before. Battlefield Portal and Hazard Zone likewise shine in their own regards, with the former proving that it can serve as the base for players to create their own unique experiences within 2042. If any future Battlefield title omits these two modes, I might consider them incomplete.

Shin Megami Tensei 5 is yet another gem for the Nintendo Switch that every JRPG fan needs to check out.

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

Riders Republic makes the best use of Ubisoft’s open-world template. It’s a consistently fun extreme sports game with tons of variety, a wealth of challenges to chase, and excellent social hooks. All of its sporting events are easy to pick up and play, making it perfectly suited for quick drop-ins. Its sense of style is a little out of whack and it doesn’t have the most elegant camera solution, but I’m always eager to fire it up and see how much more it can one-up its zaniness.

Mario Party Superstars is the best game in the series, bringing a better selection of minigames and fewer gameplay gimmicks.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy has some rough edges, but its solo team play mechanics are a perfect match for the dysfunctional superhero family.

Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl is a must-play for the hardcore, but doesn't look after casual audiences.

Far Cry 6 is an outstanding game because it has a great design of mechanics and missions, its setting is authentic even with localization flaws, and the game does not drag on too long or become repetitive; on the contrary, just walking around the island and exploring the public and hidden routes is a satisfying activity.

Metroid Dread sharpens everything that makes Metroid enjoyable, while more fully realizing its horror ambitions.

Diablo II: Resurrected is a huge accomplishment for a remastered game. It preserves the original game in amber while still showing just why it was considered a legendary game in the first place. It is perfect for veterans to jump back in and play as if you have been playing it for the last 20 years. It is also still approachable to new players who can finally see what all the hype is about.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania should include everything fans love about the series: Skill-based difficulty, great music, fun minigames, and excellent replayability with a good group of buddies by your side. Unfortunately, this collection feels like a rushed remake that throws out the precise controls and stellar music of the original titles. The charm and fun gameplay of the original games are still there, but this remake doesn’t feel like much of an improvement over the classics.

Outside of its stunning visuals, Hot Wheels Unleashed is a toothless kart racer, relying too heavily on nostalgia goggles and the Hot Wheels brand to carry it instead of the solid ideas that end up hardly being implemented. What players get with Hot Wheels Unleashed is the same experience I had with many of my Hot Wheels as a child; I was entertained for a few hours, then grew bored and tossed it in a box. That’s not to say that I didn’t have fun with the game. Those few hours were full of spectacle, because it’s simply impossible to not get caught up in the game’s sights and sounds. Eventually, though, it’s going to take more than racing a hot dog car down a strip of vinyl track to keep me interested.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is the finest adventure game released in years and a clear highlight of the latest console cycle. Both its exploration and combat components gradually build in complexity with tools that always have a clear purpose. That elegant mechanical design keeps the focus on the game’s impactful story, which tells an aching, but hopeful tale of environmental disaster. There are a lot of points of comparisons to be made when breaking it all down, but Kena: Bridge of Spirits blends every little influence together into its own gorgeous mix.

Lost Judgment is a mechanically sound Yakuza spin-off, but its convoluted story makes it feel like a TV show that's gone on a few seasons too long.

Skatebird's rough skating mechanics are offset by its charming internet-age humor.

WarioWare: Get It Together's character-swapping gimmick adds unnecessary confusion to a perfectly enjoyable microgame collection.

Deathloop is a tremendously stylish stealth-action game that builds on Arkane's strengths, even if some of its creative gambles fall flat.

There isn’t an easy way to recommend Life is Strange: True Colors. It, like the rest of the Life is Strange franchise, isn’t a typical game. It’s more akin to a visual novel or point-and-click adventure. The game is a slow, enjoyable experience, perfect for when you want to wind down for the night or get up in the morning. More than that, though, it’s an emotional triumph. Experiencing Alex’s adventure and seeing the world through her excellently crafted perspective is a joy that hit me harder than I expected it to.

Tales of Arise is a games I would recommend for anyone looking for “the future” of the JRPG genre. This game could easily be Bandai Namco’s Final Fantasy 7. It feels tailor-made for the era and pushes the barriers for RPGs thanks to complex combat, weighty storytelling, and gorgeous visuals.

No More Heroes 3 is one of the best action games of the year and offers some well-rounded fun. The writing, gameplay, performance, music, and virtually everything else come together to deliver a must-play game for the Nintendo Switch, just as the original did back in 2007 on the Nintendo Wii. Fans of Suda51, No More Heroes, action games, and a hilariously good time need to give this one a try. If you weren’t a fan of developer Grasshopper Manufacture and Suda before, you will be after this one.

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

12 Minutes is something unique and experimental, and like any experiment, there are going to be some hiccups. As it turns out, this game’s main fault was that it, by its nature, rips time from its players. But between those moments, it tells a brilliant story, one in which you can go back to any chapter and decide to do a rewrite. 12 Minutes certainly won’t be for everyone, but if you’re looking for a change of pace, the game comes recommended highly.

I’ve played a decent number of RPG expansions in my time, and a majority of them have built on what makes the base game good. Whether it was The Witcher 3‘s Blood and Wine or New Vegas‘ Old World Blues, a good DLC takes the best aspects of the base game and raises them up while including a unique, new spin. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla‘s Siege of Paris is antithetical to that. The game’s best parts — its world and characters — are left in the muck, while a boring gameplay loop and heavy-handed story take center stage. Of course, some players will enjoy having more of the same to explore, but considering how long it takes to even finish Valhalla, I couldn’t imagine coming back for seconds. When I first arrived in the game’s version of Paris, I saw an exhausted, burnt-out land. When I left it, I could certainly sympathize.

Pokémon Unite can be a lot of fun, but it’s not a must-play multiplayer experience. Pokémon and MOBA fans alike are likely to miss some of the depth of their respective titles, while the game’s supremely confusing menu system, pay-to-win microtransactions, and strange design omissions make it more difficult to recommend. There’s a good game deep in there, but it’s covered in layers of unnecessary material and bloat.

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

Death’s Door is one of the best games released this year and will certainly be a game-of-the-year contender by the time 2021 wraps up.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is a top-notch spinoff that cleverly distills the complexities of Monster Hunter into a friendlier RPG. Rewarding combat and a thoroughly entertaining story make up for repetitive map design and a stuttering frame rate. For those who found Monster Hunter Rise too intimidating, this is a better way to get a grasp on the basic ideas in a less demanding, turn-based format.

Whether you’re fighting, crafting, or gathering, your actions always serve a purpose in the Burning Crusade Classic campaign. Anyone can feel like they’re contributing either to their own guilds and groups or to the server as a whole. Leveling can feel sluggish at times, but talent points, meaningful gear upgrades, and a clear endgame goal create an RPG experience that still manages to make it a game worth experiencing if you have the time, even if it’s more demanding than we typically tolerate from games like this.

On paper, Mario Golf: Super Rush should be a hole-in-one. The core golf experience has never been better and multiplayer modes like Speed Golf offer a clever twist on the formula for casual players. There’s just not much to do outside of its short, disappointing adventure mode. Free DLC should help pad it out in the long run, but an overall lack of content leaves the package in the semi-rough for now.

Scarlet Nexus is a must-play for any fan of Japanese action RPGs and standard JRPGs. If the story doesn’t grab your attention, the combat will. It has enough meat to its action to distract from its very minor blemishes. Its characters are a delight to interact with and seeing them grow together really had me fully invested in all of their arcs. I left the experience craving another title like it that takes its excellent action even further.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is another great PS5 exclusive that really shows what the hardware is capable of. It’s a visually detailed platformer filled with three Iron Man movies worth of thrills. The shooting suffers a bit due to some overeager DualSense integration that’s a literal pain, but Insomniac has created a colorful blockbuster that’s loaded with good, old-fashioned comic mischief.

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.

Resident Evil Village boils all the best and worst parts of the franchise down into an eclectic, though uneven experience.

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.

Returnal is a winning combination of big-budget production value and creative, genre-spanning gameplay that’s usually reserved for cult indie hits. It tells a haunting sci-fi story that thematically justifies its cyclical, roguelite setup. Demanding action combined with a lack of viable build options turn too many runs into frustrating nonstarters, but a compelling mystery and fast-paced action always provide a strong reason to die and try again.

NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139… confirms that the original NieR was both way ahead of its time and far behind it. The story is tremendously captivating and it’s only gotten better with newly added content. On the other side of the coin, the repetitive gameplay feels outdated even by 2010 standards. Those who press through the 30-hour adventure will be rewarded with a bold narrative odyssey. It may even outdo NieR Automata in retrospect, but it’s hard to blame anyone who’d rather watch it all on YouTube instead of playing it for themselves.

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.

Balan Wonderworld is a hodge-podge of half-formed platforming ideas that squander a whole lot of charm.

It Takes Two is Hazelight and Josef Fares’ most fully realized vision of co-op gaming yet. It uses clever interactivity to highlight the importance of good communication in video games and relationships alike. With Nintendo-quality level design and a charming story to motivate its platforming action, It’s the rare multiplayer game that will strengthen friendships rather than end them.

If you’re a fan of intense action RPGs, there’s very little like it on the Nintendo Switch right now. It’s a must-have. Once you get to grips with the combat, squeezing in a hunt in a hurry is a rewarding experience.

The Brave and Default combat system strikes a near-perfect balance between two rival battle mechanics that have struggled to coexist over the decades, but that’s about the extent of the game’s individuality. Beyond that, it features a comically overused premise, music that’s simply remixed to suit your current locale, countless dungeons that offer no new experiences and only serve to pad the game’s supposed worth, and an overall gameplay loop that’s worn out before the end of the first chapter. Besides looking a bit nicer on newer hardware, the reason for this sequel’s existence isn’t clear.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is positively brimming with joy. From its bright colors to its adorable cats, it’s the perfect game to close out Mario’s big 35th-anniversary bash.

Persona 5 Strikers is as flashy as Persona 5, featuring the same gorgeous artwork and animations, great dialogue, and brilliant music. It unfortunately lacks the meat on the bone that made the original such an addicting experience to its loyal fanbase. It also provides little incentive for newcomers to play it despite its egregious length being drastically cut down.

Destruction AllStars has a sturdy engine, but it’s overworked in almost every respect. The needless on-foot component and character abilities clutter an otherwise light but fun pick-up-and-play game with satisfying wrecks. Toss in some overeager DualSense support, and the result is a multiplayer game that’s chaotic for all the wrong reasons.

The Medium is a chilling tone piece that's bogged down by retro influence and a protagonist that can't stop oversharing.

Hitman 3 is a great swan song to a fun trilogy of games, held up by its intricate locations and humorous gameplay. Hopefully future updates bring some important additions that extend its replay value and turn it into the ultimate stealth game it is within spitting distance of being.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game — Complete Edition is a much-needed re-release that faithfully preserves the long lost original. The outdated beat-’em-up combat and light features may not live up to fans’ almost mythological memory, but just being able to find that out is a victory in its own right.

Immortals Fenyx Rising merges the best and worst of Ubisoft games with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

World of Warcraft: Shadowlands gets lost in its attempt to offer players more choice than ever before, ultimately forgetting to restock the reward machine needed to keep patrons invested.

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.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity sets the bar for both Nintendo spinoffs with A+ storytelling that enhances Breath of the Wild’s world and deceptively varied, character-driven combat. It’s still a Dynasty Warriors game at heart, for better or worse, but the game makes that feel like less of a backhanded caveat and more of a fresh start for a polarizing genre.

Beyond Light's weak story leaves a lot to be desired, but new stasis abilities help make the game feel fresh again.

Godfall offers a lot of promise with its impressive visuals and impactful combat, but those highlights are lost in a sparse dungeon crawler that sells its strengths short. It’s far different than the Destiny 2 clone fans were anticipating, but that live service style may have been a better fit for its commitment to loot grinding.

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.

Watch Dogs: Legion is Ubisoft’s most ambitious entry in the series yet, and while it doesn’t disappoint like the first Watch Dogs, it feels aimless. Exploring London is a good time, but the game is never challenging, and the story makes very little sense.

At its core, there’s a solid Mario Kart game here, and I hope the environmental and gate effects are brought over to the main series for the proper ninth installment, as I think those additions could add something to the franchise. Still, Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit has too many little annoyances that can only be alleviated by having a perfectly sized, perfectly lit space — like the one in Nintendo’s promotional materials. This might still be a hit with children, or anyone else less interested is Home Circuit as a game than a toy, but anyone hoping for depth or replaying the game will be disappointed.

For those whose favorite games list features the three titles in this collection, you’ll probably be over the moon with the opportunity to play them all at any time on either your TV or on the go. Those who missed out on these entries in gaming history will likely have a tough time adapting to their controls but will find wonder and joy in playing Super Mario Galaxy.

An enjoyable real-time strategy game held back by a lack of polish and content.

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

Fall Guys is a family-friendly battle royale and a game of the year contender.

With Nifty Knitting, The Sims 4's expansion pack strategy hits a sweet spot.

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

Ghost of Tsushima is one of the best games I’ve played this year — it might’ve been my favorite, if not for The Last Of Us Part II. Jin Sakai’s story is violent but thoughtful, delivering an experience that feels unique on the PlayStation 4 despite the fact 2020 is the console’s last year before the PlayStation 5 makes it obsolete.

Iron Man VR is an enjoyable superhero adventure that doesn't quite reach summer blockbuster heights.

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

The Last of Us Part II is a gut punch in the best way...A tour de force that takes the best parts of the original and molds them into their finest forms. The story will leave you reeling, and there are several unexpected turns that will keep you invested throughout. The level of detail and quality in the world creation and story building are at the top of their class.

The Outer Worlds is a fun game. It's just a shame the Switch port doesn't run better.

Chex Quest HD is a breezy blast for anyone who’s looking to spend an afternoon in the ’90s. Smoother shooting and tweaked animations make for a more legible experience that’s still true to the 1996 game, but the minimal package isn’t likely to win over players who aren’t as easily wowed by a “free” label in 2020. Missing UI and shallow extras turn this goofball oddity into the embodiment of the “only ’90s kids will understand” meme.

While it stands on the shoulders of giants, World War Z does so proudly and with plenty of its own merits.

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.

After years of waiting, it pains me to say Final Fantasy VII Remake fails to truly impress. The classic storyline — or at least what’s on offer here — benefits greatly from generous and stellar voice acting, but how you extract the tale of a generation is nothing short of a slog. Running up and down corridors and staircases for dozens of hours is a drag, and while the combat system can, at times, offer up brawls that put MMO raids to shame, mountains of fluff and a combat system that can’t settle on a single style make this one feel like a slight step back from the already problematic Final Fantasy XV. There’s very little freedom of movement here. Just a linear campaign with not much else to offer.

Call of Duty: Warzone is the definitive battle royale experience right now.

MLB The Show 20 is another home run thanks to its refined gameplay and many modes.

Playing Afterparty feels like a bad night out with friends. Things didn’t go as expected, but it’s still fun.

Resident Evil 3 is uncomfortable but exhilarating. There’s a thrill in the danger, like roaming a haunted house or riding a roller coaster.

Doom Eternal is a ludicrous, gory, pulse-pounding masterpiece.

New Horizons is packed with delight. It’s fun, with rare cross-generation appeal. The deserted island theme had some worried the latest entry would stray from the traditional model, but those fears should quickly be alleviated. It does, however, allow for new experiences and prevent the series from feeling stale almost 20 years after its debut.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is a monotonous chore that spoils its charming premise with weak roguelike design and repetitive combat. The colorful, new visuals and endearing story give the remake a welcome dose of character, but the added features overly simplify the adventure. It might be enough to keep the franchise’s youngest fans occupied for a few hours, but there are plenty of other Pokémon games on Switch that deliver a more satisfying experience for all ages.

The highest praise I can give to Reforged is that it’s still Warcraft III. The stellar single-player campaign and strategic multiplayer action are all well preserved here. The updated graphics are a welcome addition, which replaces the original game’s out-of-date visuals with an expressive new look and feel. Unfortunately, the launch version of the game feels far from finished, with bugs and key missing features preventing the current build from being the definitive edition of Warcraft III. It will likely get there eventually, but it’s odd for a remaster to feel like it’s starting from scratch, not presenting an endpoint.

Pascal's Wager doesn't quite match the impressive standards of its inspiration, but Dark Souls fans should check it out.

Respawn Entertainment has shown a game is definitely more than the sum of its parts, and this sampling of classic Star Wars tropes and modern gameplay trends makes for a flashy and frantic adventure. Put it on your must-play list for the holidays.

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.

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.

The game never felt like a chore. Instead, I wanted to come back to it day after day, even when the workouts were making me feel the burn.