Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has made some bold changes to the series, and ultimately, they’re for the better. The inclusion of a battle royale mode is a first, and even the more familiar multiplayer and Zombies survival mode are not what they once were. Changes are always risky, but in Black Ops 4’s case, it worked out for the better.

The Missing’s clever innovations on the platforming genre are more than just gimmicks. They underline the game’s deeply emotional core and create a uniquely affecting experience. Like any Swery game, you might run into some technical difficulties, but those are easy to overlook when the experience as a whole is so fully realized. The Missing is like a dream in every sense, but it’s one that you won’t forget after you wake up.

You might not initially think that the story of a Yakuza member fighting for control of the streets of Tokyo would make a good template for a tale about post-apocalyptic warriors battling over resources (and pride), but Sega’s Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise is the best game the beloved manga series has ever seen. While the experience does have some failings, they’re nothing protagonist Kenshiro can’t shake off.

After the misstep that was Mario Party 10, Nintendo has gone back to basics with Super Mario Party. The competitive boards and minigames are back, along with a few welcome gameplay twists that make this party game feel like a fresh start for the series. From two-console minigames to the Joy-Con motion controls, the new Switch features elevate the entire experience, making Super Mario Partythe best in the series so far.

Despite not deviating too far from its series' 30-year long formula, Mega Man 11 is a reminder that Capcom's Blue Bomber still has more life in him. The new Double Gear System and subweapon Rolodex provide enough of a modern upgrade to make the game stand out from the pack, while the tight controls and familiar story make it feel wholly Mega Man. A misstep in the sound design keeps it from perfection, but it's only a small blemish on an otherwise fantastic entry in the series.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey lives up to its namesake. By fully investing in becoming an action RPG, Odyssey’s characters, combat, story, and scope are beyond anything the series has accomplished so far. Its ambitions might get the better of it sometimes, like in how it divides its story moments or in how the leveling system can get out of hand, but the overall experience is, simply put, epic. Even when the game’s pacing hits a speed bump, there are plenty of engaging and rewarding side quests and distractions to keep you busy.

It can be hard sometimes to make collections for retro games feel exciting, especially if those games have been released numerous times before. Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle bucks that trend not only by having games that are still enjoyable to this day, but also by including two titles that are finally being released on consoles for the first time. A few issues mars the overall package, but not enough to put a major damper on its offerings.

While it took longer than it ever should to fix its mistakes, Bungie’s new expansion for Destiny 2, Forsaken, is a massive leap forward. Guardians can finally experience a story that packs an emotional punch and several reworked features that make general gameplay epic. However, it also divides players with its endgame progression, forcing them to choose between becoming a dedicated daily player or someone that can only enjoy a small portion of what it has to offer.

FIFA 19 is one of the most satisfying games in the series yet. The addition of the UEFA Champions League adds some excitement to everything, even if it artificially bloats the overly long final chapter in The Journey. Subtle but meaningful tweaks to the gameplay make it both flashier and more physical than last year’s edition while still retaining that good ol’ fashioned FIFA feel, and the new modes and stat-tracking tools added to Kick Off are great, even if they’re relegated to local play.

Forza Horizon 4 delivers another standout racing experience with plenty of cars, races, and charm, but the way the game implements its much touted seasons feels unnecessarily restrictive and takes away from what would otherwise be a neat addition.

Too often the action becomes a total slog as you fight the same enemies over and over—while also fighting the camera and lock-on systems.

NHL 19 is one of the best-playing hockey games I can remember, thanks to an overhauled animation system and the best body checking money can buy. World of CHEL is cool, too, at least as a foundation for future editions. Unfortunately, as it is right now, unless you like player-locked multiplayer experiences, this banner addition won’t have much more to offer other than a few challenges and a new parka. Still, if you’ve skipped the last few years of NHL games, you could do a lot worse than NHL 19.

Yo-Kai Watch Blasters never manages to shake off that minigame feel, but its core gameplay, though shallow, is fun. Don’t go in expecting anything too deep (or expecting to go anywhere beyond the town of Yo-Kai Watch 2), and Blasters is an enjoyable enough way to pass the time.

NBA Live 19 fully expands on its The One mode while adding a little more weight and momentum to its actual gameplay. While its in-game presentation and distinct style of gameplay might turn off players looking for a strict basketball sim, NBA Live 19 consistently rewards players for actually playing without trying to gouge them for more money.

NBA 2K19 had a real opportunity to learn from last year’s mistakes, and in some ways it did. The Neighborhood is more convenient, the Prelude is way more interesting, and the gameplay has seen some subtle but important improvements. Unfortunately, all this is marred yet again by the game’s predatory microtransaction system, which turns the MyCareer stuff into a grind-heavy, pay-to-skip farce.

As what may be the last hoorah for this particular story arc, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a stereotypical stealth-action game, but one which manages to separate itself from the pack by excelling in everything that makes this genre what it is.

Mini Metro was a surprise hit for me when I first played it on computers four years ago, and I was really excited to finally see the game hit a proper console. While the controls aren’t quite as good as I was hoping they’d be, the game itself still remains enjoyable and engrossing, offering a more-than-worthwhile experience for anyone who hasn’t played Mini Metro on other platforms.

Donut County isn’t really bad at what it sets out to do, but its ambitions are so meager that you can’t help but feel the concept hasn’t been explored to the fullest extent. This is indie game design at its most disposable. I’d be shocked if anyone is still talking about—or even remembers—Donut County a year or two from now.

Firewall Zero Hour is one of the most precise and tactical VR shooters out there. Too bad the systems surrounding it are so wanting.

Marvel’s Spider-Man mixes the prestige ambitions of a Sony exclusive with the hyperkinetic fun of a great superhero game. It’s not a pairing you’d expect to work, but it mostly does here, though some aspects of the open-world design, like repetitive side content, let down the overall package.

In an era when so many other wrestling games continue to focus on style over substance, a legendary Japanese franchise returns to remind its rivals of how things should be done. While Fire Pro Wrestling World isn’t without room for fixes or improvements, it’s still by far the best video game wrestling experience to arrive in recent memory. It’s been 12 years since the last proper Fire Pro game, but it was absolutely worth the wait.

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.

Dragon Quest XI brings the legendary Japanese RPG franchise to consoles (properly) for the first time in 13 years, and it’s a mostly fantastic new chapter of the series. Its story, gameplay, characters, and visuals all work to blend timeless series elements with newer-era genre refinements, and most of the time, the results are great. Unfortunately, there are a few times when honoring tradition is a weakness, not a strength—most specifically in the case of the game’s protagonist.

Drinkbox Studios’ Guacamelee! 2 brings back the colorful lands of the living and the dead, but this time around, there’s more of a focus on challenging platforming. It’s all about Juan’s new Pollo powers, which provide new ways to obliterate enemies or traverse around them. It doesn’t revolutionize the series or knock other recent platformers out of the water, but Gucamelee!’s sequel is a tight, well-constructed adventure that knows how to crack a joke.

Compulsion Games transformed its randomly-generated, survival game into the dystopian narrative everyone asked for, but those randomized elements are still holding We Happy Few back from reaching its full potential. The twisted tale of a society addicted to its own Joy is lost underneath an endless hunt for bobby pins and scraps of cloth.

Madden NFL 19 is, in pretty much every way, less exciting than its predecessor, at least on a conceptual level. Last year’s game had a new engine and a completely new mode to boast. This year’s biggest selling point—Real Player Motion—definitely makes running a more viable offensive option. Otherwise, all you’re getting is part two of what’s becoming an unnecessary trend in EA’s sports-related telenovelas and a whole lot of advertising for Madden Ultimate Team.

At first glance, Dead Cells might seem like another overhyped Metroidvania-style platformer trying to break into the stuffed platformer genre, but it's actually worthy of all its praise. Motion Twin's impeccable implementation of roguelike elements into a classic 2D exploration game is the key ingredient that makes it all work, and the impressive controls don't hurt either. The enemy variety and story might not be groundbreaking, but the positives eclipse any of the game's small negative aspects. Dead Cells is a standout in the genre.

The classic 2D and 3D platforming games are just as addictive as ever, and the new X Challenges bring a new set of trials for seasoned players to tackle. Newcomers are also welcome with the Rookie Hunter mode, making these collections the definitive way to experience the franchise.