The controls are caught in a weird, nebulous void between being optimized for the Wii and Wii U, but the expansive miniature landscapes, excellent pacing, and varied Pikmin powers combine to overcome any technical issues or limitations.

Bandai Namco promised that “now is the time for change,” and Tales of Arise legitimately feels like a game that’s trying to bring change to Japanese RPGs. It’s strong characters, epic story, engrossing battle system, and lush visuals are only marred by a disappointing final act, and those areas of the game where the team refused to let go of outdated ideas and conventions. If the Tales team can find it in themselves to push things just a little further, then this might truly be the spark that sets off a revolution in a genre that’s needed a regime change for so long now.

Spelunky 2 rests on the laurels of its predecessor, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It still retains all of the gameplay mechanics and level design that made the original such a satisfying experience. But as a sequel, Spelunky 2 feels a little too scared to expand its horizons. For a game that’s all about taking risks, Spelunky 2 is surprisingly risk-averse.

Halo Infinite handles the burden of the franchise’s long history gracefully. At times, as with the campaign’s story, it can feel like developer 343 Industries is weighed down by Master Chief’s Mjolnir armor. But Infinite’s bolder design choices, like its open-world environment and Grappleshot, make it feel exciting and new. The multiplayer might play it a little safe to appease longtime fans, but if the worst thing you can say about it is that it feels like old-school Halo, then it’s doing something right. It’s Halo made for Halo fans, but there’s enough novelty to keep it feeling fresh.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is an exercise in reestablishing familiarity with one of Sony’s most recognizable faces. Almost everything new in the game is ancillary, but what makes this retrospective collection worth consideration is the the quality of design the original games brought to the table.

The formula that has kept Rocket League fresh translates exceedingly well to Nintendo’s hybrid system, whether docked or portable. Less polished visuals are a small price to pay to be able to play Rocket League anytime, anywhere, at a performance level that never quits, though the notable jaggies and (through no fault of its own) a hindered party system mean that the Switch version isn’t the most competitive version of the game.

Cuphead is an addictive mix of fun and frustration that will constantly keep you coming back for more. It’s amazing combination of terrific gameplay, tremendous style, and an original concept immediately catapults it into every game of the year discussion.

Sabotage Studio's debut title, The Messenger, is an impressive evolution for the platforming genre. It takes risks that at times work in its favor but also create frustrating mechanics for players to look past. The melding of 8-bit and 16-bit aesthetics into a love letter for the NES era of platformers is nothing short of genius, but the style outweighs the gameplay in some areas, including the difficulty level.

While it often feels constrained by the platforms it currently calls home, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is a fantastic adventure that provides a rich amount of depth and challenge for both solo and team players alike.

Titanfall lives up to all the expectations established when it was first revealed, in a way that so few games are able ever to accomplish, and represents nothing short of first-person shooter multiplayer taken to new heights.

When taken for what it is—and not what it could have been—we’ve been given a game that serves as a fantastic first step, but which also is clearly only a first step in what will be an arduous journey.

DK’s latest adventure is one of the most clever, joyful platforming experiences I’ve had in a while, and it adds just enough newness to the series to keep the formula engaging without going overboard.

Pentiment is a true achievement of marrying story, style, and theme into a magical and cohesive whole. In lieu of 3D graphics that try too hard and still fail to represent an authentic-feeling world, Obsidian’s artists opted for a more illustrative aesthetic to tell their gripping story of a murder in an abbey, a choice that resonates throughout the entire game. While it might not satisfy every player, especially those expecting a more traditional RPG or adventure experience, those who can immerse themselves in Pentiment’s vision of 16th century Bavaria will find one of the best games of the year.

A charming adventure that'll provide your brain plenty of entertainment as it's tasked with solving-and then creating-a wide array of colorful block-based 3D spatial puzzles.

While Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons occasionally succeeds in tugging at the heartstrings, there’s a heavy-handedness that runs through a good portion of the drama—and that’s off-putting. The unique controls take too long to get used to (considering this is only a three-hour experience), and the puzzles are simple and repetitive. The aesthetics are definitely pleasing, however.

Final Fantasy XII released to mixed opinions when it first hit back in 2006, and even today, fans will still argue over where it deserves to land on a listing of the best chapters of the franchise. It received those opinions because it was a bold, daring, and different chapter of a series that up-ended our expectations for what Final Fantasy should be—and all these years later, those elements are part of the reason why I still think it’s one of the best entries we’ve ever received.

Simple and to the point, Rayman Fiesta Run follows proudly in its predecessors’ footsteps. The endless-run dynamic is a nice change of pace for fans of the franchise—I just wish the party could’ve lasted longer.

PopCap maintains the addictive tower-defense gameplay and cheesy humor that made the first Plants vs. Zombies such a phenomenon, while adding a plethora of new features that ensure this game will consume every free second you have—if you let it.

DmC is everything a reboot should be-confident, thoughtful, and brazenly unafraid to sacrifice a few sacred cows along the way. For all the backlash they've had to face, developer Ninja Theory has delivered the most polished, refreshing, and memorable hack-and-slash experience in recent memory.

Sega took a chance in letting a longtime Sonic fan and a few smaller dev teams bring the original 16-bit iteration of their mascot back into the modern era, and the result is Sonic Mania, one of the purest and most enjoyable Sonic games we’ve ever been given. The question isn’t if this experiment in reviving classic Sonic was successful or not—the question is what happens next.

Strange though it may sound, this port is the definitive version of Diablo III. By removing the auction house and adding in offline play, local co-op, and an effective console control scheme, Blizzard has allowed the underlying gameplay experience to shine through like never before.

For its 4 to 6 hours of gameplay, Mutant Blobs Attack!!! is a fun little game. It may be the cheapest on PSN, but since some similar smartphone releases are much less expensive and take a lot longer to beat, it does bring up the debate of proper game pricing. Regardless of what it should ultimately cost, though, Mutant Blobs Attack!!! is a fun, quirky game that anyone can enjoy.

The unique storytelling and charismatic narration will pull you into an enthralling experience, but glitchy cover mechanics, poor checkpoint management, and off-putting pacing will rattle you out of your gaming reverie more often than you'd like.

This is easily the best Resident Evil game in years. It masterfully blends Eastern and Western horror sensibilities into a truly terrifying package that also harkens back to the series’ roots.

Whether you’re in the mood for stealth or all-out action, Rise of the Tomb Raider has got you covered, but when it comes time to put down the guns and start talking, the game screeches to a halt. Even so, it’s hard to deny what a blast it is to slip into Lara’s shoes once more.

Bigger doesn’t always equate to better. Forza Horizon 2 definitely delivers a gameplay experience a step above its predecessor, but gutting story mode leaves the single- player soulless and more akin to a grind.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 is the biggest and best entry in a befuddling franchise, and a game that really makes a case for everyone’s favorite second fiddle to get more spin-off adventures. Developer Next Level Games has expanded on the Poltergust’s abilities in meaningful ways, adding more variety to the action and puzzles alike. Gooigi might seem a little shoehorned, but it’s a great excuse for cooperative multiplayer on a system built for it. A few minor annoyances aside, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a strange, charming, and generous sequel.

Dance Central 3 still offers some frustrations with the Kinect sensor recognizing certain moves, the learning curve is still a bit steeper than it could be, and having to pay to import old tracks from versions you've already purchased is the worst sort of corporate vileness, but all things considered, Dance Central 3 is a major step up from its predecessor that proves to be much more than the Kinect's best example of a functional game.