With 21 different locations to hunt, tons of monster both new and old, heap-loads of armor and weapons to unlock, playable cats, and completely new ways to play with your favorite weapons, Monster Hunter Generations is the pinnacle game in the series and a must-buy for anyone looking for a solid multiplayer action RPG on the 3DS, even hunting monsters solo is a blast.

As far as I’m concerned, Risk of Rain 2 is as good as gaming gets. Unlocking items, discovering new synergies, planning out builds — it’s all immensely satisfying. Make no mistake: This is a tough game, and the randomized nature inherent to roguelikes just won’t click with some people. But, for players with a taste for escalating action and challenge, this game stands as one of the very best in the genre.

Arguably the best in the series. Better sneaking mechanic, one of the best cover systems ever, and pacing on a level unlike anything you've experienced in a stealth game, all while keeping it accessible to new players.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a colorful, exciting riff on tactical gameplay. It includes fun Mario and Rabbids characters, a punky new character with a cool weapon and cooler personality, Sparks to collect, and new and improved combat. It could do with a few more puzzles and things to do outside of battle, but as it stands, Sparks of Hope is an excellent follow-up and one of the best strategy games you’ll find in Nintendo’s library.

PGR4 makes a lot of absurd decisions ranging from motorcycles to Lady Sovereign to unreadable menus to Quebec. While the core gameplay is the about the same as it has always been, the one good upgrade, the weather effects, isn’t enough to maintain PGR’s earlier decent showing.

Everything that originally made Thumper a fantastic game is still here to be found in the Switch version. It’s incredibly fun and this time around can be played for both short bursts and long car rides. It’s a fantastic addition to the Switch’s growing library.

When the online modes work, they really sing, allowing for hours to slip away into tons of entertaining crashes and near-misses. Unfortunately, they can also be extremely broken.

This year, as 2K8 lags with its overcomplicated controls, EA has managed to slip by. NHL 08 is imperfect, but with its simple gameplay and its clean presentation, it’s somehow on track to lead the league and push it forward.

Not only a fantastic JRPG in its own right, Ni No Kuni: The Wrath of the White Witch is perfect for anyone who has ever wished to live inside a Studio Ghibli film.

The foundation for the UFC Undisputed series has been remodeled so thoroughly that faulting UFC Undisputed 2010 for its optional Career mode and its questionable online business practices would almost be missing the point.

We're glad to see Ubisoft spare their Prince from becoming a pauper by ditching the dreary aesthetic, but the minor improvements along with too many familiar gripes keep this game from being king.

Bugs aside, this is the most ambitious simulation ever attempted, and one of the best simulations ever made. It combines extreme realism and unprecedented depth to create an experience that any self respecting sim junkie should not be without.

This is simply one of the coolest games ever to grace a monitor screen. The action is intense, the feel is authentic, and the multiplayer is great.

Does a fantastic job for the hardcore hockey fan with endless hours of play in Dynasty mode, but it can’t quite match the competition when it comes to delivery and mechanics. The lack of online play for Xbox owners once again makes me want to holler at EA for their irritating deal with Sony.

The bevy of new moves and increased difficulty will surely please fans, though more work could have been done polishing the graphics and smoothing out some of the gameplay quirks. As it is, this is a solid drive to the basket.

In a year where some excellent RPGs have debuted, Wasteland 3 goes toe-to-toe with the best. The 80-100 hours of content are full of surprises, and you won’t want for things to do in the game. This title is what Fallout should have become, if not in gameplay, then in narrative content.

Playing Guitar Hero III is like picking up a brand-new, fashionable (wireless!) guitar. It may have a light but solid body, a sexy and sophisticated shape, more durable strings, more easily adjustable tuners, and hell, it may just sound better, but it doesn’t have the spit and polish - that look of a mature instrument which reminds you of all the years you’ve spent with it, of all the sweat and beer stains.

Even though it could have done with a few more options for the lone wolf player, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars has a lot of replayability online and is quite simply the best fighting game offering on the Wii.

The formula from the original series has been transplanted to near perfection and the Ready at Dawn crew has added a few gems that will keep you coming back for more.

Whether you enjoy playing actual games, managing a franchise, or playing an individual shooting for stardom, it's here.

Without a real single-player campaign and some equally progressive, detailed match types, this conflict is destined to be the biggest thing to <I>almost</I> happen to online gaming.

It’s unique art and gameplay make it an unexpected treat, and it’s got the makings of an instant cult classic.

Champion mode is so good, in fact, that the more traditional Legacy mode feels hopelessly archaic and soulless by comparison.

For over 40 hours, The Outer Worlds allowed me to be a space cowboy with all the adventure, intrigue, and danger that came along with it. Planet-hopping throughout Halcyon is one of the best experiences I’ve had in a game in years, introducing me to a cast of sympathetic and interesting characters, throwing me into exciting gunfights, and inundating me with tough decisions to make. This is a must-play for RPG fans, and an absolutely vital game for Fallout fans.

An excellent fighting game, especially for a handheld, and just about the best 3DS launch title. But if you already own Super on a console, gimmicky 3D and a small smattering of new features doesn't come close to warranting yet another purchase of the game.

Underneath its shiny surface, Paragon City turns out to be as paper thin as the comic books that inspired it. It’s a really nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there.

It might not be a Diablo-killer - it's not nearly deep enough on any front or with the scope of Hell to fight through - but what's here is entertaining and worth a play-through.

It is far more co-operative [than "Ultima Online"], and there is much less player-killing. But this comes at a price. There is also much less interaction with the environment.