Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King is an incredibly long game filled with standard offerings from the tried and true JRPG genre. While the battle mechanics remain traditional, the narrative and characters that push it forward are incredibly charming. So much so that they surround the game’s design with ample incentive to keep playing until bitter sweet farewells are made. DQ8 is goofy, charming, and endearing, but more importantly it’s still constantly enjoyable even after spending an absurd amount of time with it.

Wasteland 3 is an easy recommendation for RPG fans. It's a wild ride from start to finish - one that is well worth every hour and playthrough spent on it. Prior to launch, one developer stated that Wasteland 3 was "epic in size", but experiencing it first-hand proves that this is an understatement, that the game has much more to offer players than first glance, and that the game is worth playing, time and again.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a wonderful package that delivers on its mission statement of merging a compelling sci-fi story led by 13 protagonists with a unique take on the classic RTS formula. Despite some points of confusion early on due to time travel shenanigans in Remembrance and a sometimes hard-to-read battlefield in Destruction, 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is one of 2020's must-play games and will make players want to mount up in a Sentinel of their own.

It packs so much RPG goodness into a tight package that fans are going to be engrossed from beginning to end. More importantly, the choices presented to them are so inviting and diverse that it will be easy to start up a second playthrough and feel like new experiences are on the horizon. Put simply, The Outer Worlds is the deep sci-fi RPG that gamers have been promised from so many franchises, and only now has been delivered.

Assessed in a vacuum, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered is an undeniable improvement over the original game with better graphics and it makes great use of the PS5's unique features. It doesn't do enough new for those that have already played through Horizon Zero Dawn to make a return trip, but it's the perfect jumping on point for newcomers and is a worthwhile upgrade for those that have yet to finish their playthroughs.

Co-op support like in other Soulslike games would have put Lies of P over the top, but even without it, the game will still greatly appeal to Soulslike fans. It has a lot going for it, and from a technical standpoint, it's basically perfect. It runs smooth as butter, looks fantastic, and has no glitches that we discovered. And while the writing can be clunky at times, the ending is legitimately wild and worth suffering through the worst bosses to reach. It's true that Lies of P gives in to some of the worst Soulslike instincts at times, but it can be extremely fun when the combat clicks. Just expect a significant time investment and a lot of frustration before that happens.

Combat may become a little tedious after long stretches of play, the load times are a little lengthy, multiplayer is a smudge unbalanced, and SnapMap is a so-so addition, but the adrenaline-fueled gameplay and the ample replayability featured within the campaign makes this a standout entry in the FPS genre – let alone a worthwhile resurrection of DOOM.

It simply has more options than many other first-person shooters on the market, and even though it’s lacking a campaign, it doesn’t feel content deficient at all. Between the multiplayer, Blackout battle royale mode, and Zombies, players will more than get their money’s worth with this game.

What 11 Bit Studios has crafted here is truly special, as it lives up to its city-building survival name. Those looking to test their mettle in a different type of city-builder may want to take this one for a spin. However, those that may be looking for something a bit calmer will not find it here. Because although there are calmer points, this will keep even city-builder experts constantly moving, especially if they increase the difficulty. And if the first one is anything to go by, then that adventure is only just getting started.

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.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a legitimately great Arkham game, one that mostly lives up to the high bar set by the Rocksteady trilogy. A few patches will go a long way in making Arkham Shadow even better, but even now, it's an easy recommendation for Quest 3 and 3S owners.

Doom: The Dark Ages is action-packed and has really high highs, though the last quarter of the game doesn't quite maintain its momentum. Still, Dark Ages is a no-brainer for fans of the 2016 Doom game and Doom Eternal, as well as anyone who is in the mood for a high-quality and exciting first-person shooter experience.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess isn't perfect, but it's a fascinating game and one that begs for a more refined sequel that builds on its ideas. What's here is still mostly great and should greatly appeal to fans of tower defense games, the Pikmin series, and even the Demon Slayer anime. It's great to see Capcom willing to roll the dice on such a unique concept, and hopefully there's more of Kunitsu-Gami to come.

Tunic is more than a Zelda clone and will win over many players — those who enjoy the art style, the relentless challenge, the sense of exploration and discovery. But people picking up the game should be aware that it is a niche title that some gamers simply won’t have the patience to complete. Those who do take up the gauntlet will find an enjoyable, albeit sometimes frustrating, experience that fully deserves praise.

In ending Clementine’s story and the Walking Dead Final Season, players get a sense of fulfillment, as the ending only feels natural for everything that Clem and AJ have been through.

Nioh 2 is a worthy successor to its original, hitting nearly every beat there is to make it the best it can be. Where it drops the ball doesn't prevent Team Ninja from taking the bases it needs or hitting its homerun with the game. It's an easy recommendation for any lover of action RPGs.

There’s a reason The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is considered one of the greatest action-RPGs ever made. The world is brilliantly realized, everything from the gameplay to the story contains a great amount of depth, and it gives players the power to make a meaningful impact on the world through the choices they make. And with arguably the most impressive Switch port of any game to date, players have a whole new way to experience CD Projekt RED’s massive hit, one that just might be the preferred way for those who can stomach mildly-reduced visuals.

There are a lot of neat little touches here and there that make Sunbreak a fun all-around experience, even without the game-changer that was the Clutch Claw back in Iceborne. For Monster Hunter Rise fans still looking to grind out some armor for dozens of more hours, Sunbreak will definitely deliver on that front. But for the die-hard Monster Hunter fans out there that are looking for something a little different than the base game, there's not much new stuff to partake in this time around. Sunbreak feels like DLC for Monster Hunter Rise's Endgame rather than being a proper full-blown expansion.

Doki Doki Literature Club is one of the most celebrated psychological horror games of recent history, and the Plus release adds enough new content to refresh the experience for veterans who've already experienced the original. Meanwhile, players who have never tried out Team Salvato's original game will find the most complete experience yet from Doki Doki Literature Club Plus.

The game has aged incredibly well, with an engrossing story mode that's an absolute blast (while it lasts) and is greatly enhanced by the addition of local co-op. And even those that have already played Pikmin 3 extensively on the Wii U may want to consider double-dipping for the Switch version, as the new side story missions with Captain Olimar and Louie are a great deal of fun and definitely worth checking out.

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.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a well-made game, but the story mode can be a drag and the multiplayer implementation may not be what fans expect. There is still room for improvement with this franchise, and it's easy to see how a third entry that addresses these concerns could very well end up being a classic.

Overall, The Rise of the Golden Idol is a massive achievement in storytelling and gameplay, especially for a point-and-click puzzle game. Despite its steep challenge and the potential for players to encounter a game-halting bug, The Rise of the Golden Idol is worth a try, even for those who might not consider themselves a fan of the genre. Its gameplay is slow and intentional, but filling out those Event pages, completing every objective, and witnessing the whole story unfold is highly satisfying — something even some of the most fast-paced action games fail to accomplish.

Ratchet and Clank makes the rest of the current-gen remasters looks lazy, by rebuilding the original game from the ground up and delivering a hilarious adventure full of enormous guns.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land being a super easy game is to be expected as a low difficulty is really one of the Kirby franchise's defining traits, but that, combined with how short it is, may leave some fans feeling somewhat unsatisfied. However, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a consistently entertaining, adorable, and clever little 3D platformer while it lasts, and it even has some surprising Kirby lore revelations thrown in for good measure. Despite its short length, Kirby and the Forgotten Land marks yet another must-play Switch exclusive, especially for fans of the franchise.

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.

In short, FIFA 17 is a fuller experience than previous games, and when that’s married up with the slick, licensed depth and complex player ratings that fans expect, it’s hard to find reasons not to pick it up. The gaming equivalent of a half-volley into the top corner.

The Nintendo Switch edition is a great choice for anyone who is feeling nostalgic or hasn’t picked up the game before. The Switch’s visuals are on-par with the other remastered releases of Final Fantasy X/X-2, but with the added plus of custom controller binds and the Quick Recovery system.