Resident Evil Requiem's gripping story and intoxicating gameplay blend are wrapped up in a perfectly-polished experience with eye-popping graphics and a blood-pumping soundtrack. Resident Evil Requiem is a horror gaming masterpiece and one of the best games Capcom has ever made. It's the ultimate Resident Evil game and will be remembered as fondly as the franchise favorites in the years to come.

I truly think that everyone should play Neva at some point; it's hard to imagine someone not feeling profound emotion from this trim but unforgettable release, which now sits comfortably on the short list of video games that have brought tears to my eyes. If it has captured your attention in any way, then it's safe to say that it's worth your time. It's certainly worth far more than the $20 Devolver Digital and Nomada Studios are asking for it.

Everyone is here for it, and the utter chaos of this finale is memorable, tear-jerking, and instantly replayable. Everything has been building to this moment and the building of emotion grants an overwhelmingly triumphant and satisfying conclusion, but it also begs the question of what comes next but hope for the future.

Breath of the Wild isn’t just for longstanding Zelda fans, it’s the pinnacle of an open-world experience that will appeal to anyone looking for a great game. An overall lack of voiced dialogue and an initially tricky menu layout are easy to come to terms with and overlook when compared to the sheer scale and fun found in Breath of the Wild. Anyone wondering how it stacks up, it’s important to note that this could very well be the best Zelda has ever been, and it provides gamers of all walks with a Hyrule that’s more than worth saving.

Starfield delivers on everything it promised and then some. It's the ultimate sci-fi game, giving players an incomprehensibly massive world to explore and letting them play however they want. Starfield has what it takes to be another Skyrim-level game that's played religiously for the next decade. It's utterly engrossing, an absolute must-play, and the best Xbox console exclusive in years.

It's hard to go into more detail about why The Alters is so great without spoiling the experience—it truly is a game that is best enjoyed with as few preconceived opinions as possible. What is more or less undeniable is The Alters' ingenuity, its clever and thoughtful narrative structure, and its satisfying, genre-defying gameplay loop. The Alters represents a massive step forward for 11 Bit Studios, positioning its greatest strengths in a new light, and ultimately unfolding into one of the best gaming experiences you're likely to have all year.

The game is by no means perfect – its pacing is inconsistent and side quests can be hit or miss – but the combination of the combat and the story at large are strong enough to reduce any complaints to minor quibbles. Recently, Square Enix has come out to say that Final Fantasy can take on many different forms depending on the team behind it, and the folks at Creative Business Unit III have found a way to make this latest game their own. There is so much joy and care put into making sure that this experience feels epic and rewards its fan base, even though it’s doing a lot of new things. Final Fantasy 16 is proof that the unexpected can be just as enjoyable as the tried and true.

Ghost of Tsushima walked so Ghost of Yotei could run. Yotei beats Tsushima in every category, with better graphics, better music, better gameplay, and a better story, despite the occasional narrative lull. Ghost of Yotei is the kind of game that you can't stop playing, and when you're not playing it, you'll be thinking about when you can play it again. It's a masterful open world game and one of the best exclusives on the PS5.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is a fantastic collection that greatly enhances two top-tier games. The lack of multiplayer is disappointing, but it's hardly a deal-breaker. And after seeing how great Uncharted looks and plays on PS5, fans will be clamoring for a proper Uncharted sequel built for the ground-up for the platform.

As someone who has always admired visual novels from the outskirts but has always been hesitant to dive into the genre, it's a testament to the greatness of The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy that I now find myself eager to go back and play through its creators' previous works. But that won't be possible until I invest dozens more hours into Hundred Line's story in an attempt to unlock and see all 100 endings the game has to offer, which feels practically essential given how much enjoyment there is to be found in both its narrative and its TRPG gameplay.

From its captivating music and memorable story to its gorgeous style, every aspect of the game seems to mesh together and work incredibly well. Each piece builds up and compliments the next, until the game is justified in standing atop the RPG genre as royalty. With its release onto PC, Switch, and Xbox X|S, Persona 5 Royal will finally conquer the last locations it had been absent from, and a whole new set of gamers will get the chance to undoubtedly fall in love with this masterpiece.

From its superb visual presentation to its wildly successful combat system, Devil May Cry 5 is the perfect action game. The developers put all their energy into providing a constant string of exciting, over-the-top battles that push players to the limit and test their abilities to pull off the most stylish combos possible, and the result is a game that keeps a breakneck pace and never slows down. There isn’t a single dull moment in Devil May Cry 5, and it’s arguably the best game in the series to date.

The best comparison to be made is that Sony Santa Monica took a blockbuster, popcorn action flick and made it an Oscar contender, without sacrificing any of the series’ central DNA. God of War is one of this generation’s crowning achievements and is up there with some of Sony’s best.

From the tremendous environments to the incredible character work to the globetrotting story, the design of the game is second to none, setting a new bar for interactive experiences. It’s true that Naughty Dog puts a lot more stock into story and character, but even then Uncharted 4 is pure, unadulterated fun.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit is both an exceptional addition to the Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise and a truly remarkable piece of retro-inspired horror. Melding haunting pixelated visuals, rich animations, and disturbingly realistic sound, the title delivers on all fronts, marking FNAF’s 10th anniversary with an experience unlike any before. While FNAF’s mainline titles move the story forward, balancing kid-friendly scares with a bleak and disturbing backstory, Five Nights at Freddy’s:Into the Pit goes back to where it all began, immersing fans in the series’ darkest and most straightforward horror title to date. In doing so, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Into the Pit delivers a can’t-miss experience for fans of the FNAF franchise that any fan of the genre can sink their teeth into.

For those who appreciate RPGs that lean into simulation rather than spectacle, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a standout experience — one that is best approached with patience and an eagerness to embrace its historical authenticity and realism. It may not cater to every type of player, but for those willing to engage with its systems, it delivers one of the most satisfying and immersive role-playing experiences in recent memory. With its stunning visuals, refined gameplay mechanics, and a gripping continuation of Henry's journey, KCD2 cements itself as one of the most compelling RPGs of the year, regardless of what may come after it.

Firaxis continues its excellent work on the XCOM franchise with XCOM 2, a game that improves upon all the elements of its predecessor and delivers a phenomenal strategic experience from start to finish.

If anything, Spider-Man 2 could have benefited from cutting out the Mary Jane sections and trimming a few of the side quests to make it an even leaner, more perfectly-paced game. But even with some flaws, Spider-Man 2 is still a spectacular experience and the best entry in Insomniac's Spider-Man game universe to date. It delivers everything hardcore Spider-Man fans would want, with breathtaking battles against some of the hero's most iconic villains, and a gorgeous open-world New York City to experience it all in. It's certainly in the conversation as a Game of the Year contender and a must-buy PS5 exclusive.

Helldivers 2 is an exceptional cooperative experience, featuring a tight gameplay loop that is easy to pick up, and extremely difficult to put down. While its launch was plagued with issues, the title ends its first week as one of modern gaming's best multiplayer experiences. From the moment the opening cutscene rolls, players are engrossed in a hyper-militarized world that is just as rewarding as it is deadly. Whether players achieve a glorious victory or fail miserably, Helldivers 2 finds ways to make every mission truly memorable, by injecting its vast battlegrounds with a dark sense of humor, gratuitous gore, and uncapped replayability. After just one week, the title has proven itself a must-play experience on both the PC and PS5. With the majority of its universe still waiting to be explored, and the foundations of its story beginning to take shape, Helldivers 2 is sure to be an experience that keeps fans coming back for more.

Even without its extra game modes, the Resident Evil 4 remake is still phenomenal. It offers nonstop visceral combat and clever changes that help it feel both new and familiar at the same time. The fact that the Resident Evil 4 remake is not as content-complete as previous iterations of the game hurt it, but what's there is still so good that most will be able to forgive it.

The game is a triumph in more ways than one, and while it’s not without flaws, it’s safe to say that Hideo Kojima and company have successfully adapted the core of Metal Gear Solid for an open world.

Avalanche has created something truly special with Hogwarts Legacy. It succeeds at being the dream Harry Potter game that many fans were hoping for, and if nothing else, it creates a rock-solid foundation for future Wizarding World games to be built upon. Hogwarts Legacy lives up to the hype, and we can confidently say it's the best thing to come out of the Harry Potter franchise since the original books and movies.

Gears 4 is a painstakingly crafted love letter to those that have a meaty soft spot for the franchise. Aside from the costly cosmetic-focussed transactions, this is the exact experience that fans have been waiting for.

Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an exceptional follow-up to Marvel's Spider-Man, even if a lot of the formula feels familiar. On PS5, though, it is a must-play just to see the potential of the new hardware and what it will offer from both a visual and a performance standpoint. For many console gamers, this will be their first taste of steady 4K 60FPS or Ray-Tracing that adds meaningful improvements to the presentation. Insomniac's work on the game is stunning.

In the end, FAR: Changing Tides is a worthwhile experience that certainly lives up to its atmospheric adventure description. While the lack of in-game prompts poses a challenge to some, its absence encourages players to strike out and explore on their own and organically find solutions to puzzles. The puzzles are challenging, but solving them without any help from the game feels rewarding, encouraging players to keep moving forward. While some minor annoyances can be found in its controls, no glaring issues exist that cannot be fixed with a simple patch. Overall, FAR: Changing Tides perfectly executes its simple gameplay, offering players a truly memorable and immersive experience.

The insane amount, and variety, of content available in this game is going to make it an experience that players don’t want to walk away from for at least the next year. The graphics may hold it back from being the game that defines this console generation, but the unforgettable narrative and open-world experience are more than enough to make up for the slightly dated aesthetic.

For Nintendo Switch 2 owners, Donkey Kong Bananza is a no-brainer. It successfully appeals to old-school Donkey Kong fans and newcomers to the franchise alike. Simply put, Donkey Kong Bananza is the Nintendo Switch 2's first must-have game since Mario Kart World and a good reason to go out and buy the new console.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is an extremely familiar game that manages to feel new thanks to The Coalition’s vision for a fresher Gears. Just when something begins to feel stale the game changes and provides players with a wholly unique task or a gigantic set piece to draw them in to the action once more.