With Doom, it’s clear that id Software set out to make a shooter game which puts fun above all else, and in that regard, the studio hit the nail right on the head. Some old-school purists may scoff at a Doom game with progression and unlocks and other modern shooter elements, but if their refusal to let go of the past keeps them from playing Doom, they’ll only be robbing themselves of the chance to play what is hands down one of the most solid shooter experiences of 2016 so far.

Rocket League is easily one of the best games of 2015, a true surprise in the sports department with its stunning combination of soccer and cars. Between varying modes, a sharp presentation and fun-as-hell gameplay, you'll be free-wheeling to get into another match (we'll see you there).

Control is Remedy's best game in nearly twenty years, and easily one of the best games of 2019.

Nioh 2 finds success by layering small yet significant additions onto a base which Team Ninja already perfected in the original Nioh. New features like character customization and Yokai abilities complement a robust gameplay template which was designed to appeal equally to fans of Souls-like games, RPG’s, and fast-paced hack-and-slash titles.

There’s a lot to do in Yakuza 0, but it may take you some time to get through the game. While the story is very compelling, there are so many side activities that are equally entertaining, it may be difficult to pull yourself away to continue with the main story. If you have a history with the Yakuza series, there are even moments when you see where these characters began that will make you feel even closer to the grouping of polygons on your TV screen. Almost everything about Yakuza 0 is well-done and exceeds expectations.

There’s no denying that MLB The Show 17 is one of the most comprehensive and realistic baseball simulators that has ever been made. No matter what sort of baseball experience you’re looking for, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll find it in the latest from San Diego Studios.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is fun on so many levels. I had fun with it as a competitive hardcore fighting game. I had fun with it as a hopeless screaming otaku. I even had fun grinding up Zeni to unlock characters and dress my lobby avatar up. I haven’t had this much fun with a fighting game in a very long time. DBFZ is one title that casuals and pros alike won’t want to miss.

It's great to see developers continue to pour their best effort into twin-stick shooters, even if the concept seems dated compared to other genres. Assault Android Cactus is a quality entry in the genre, filled with personality, excitement and creativity. The amount of characters available is impressive; the co-op factor is insane but fun; and the gameplay doesn't stop when it comes to challenging your high-scoring skills.

PES 2016 lives up to the hype and is a wonderful tribute to 20 years of hard work from Konami and PES Productions.

Ratchet & Clank is a must-play for PS4-owning action game fans, and long-time fans of the franchise will fall in love with it all over again.

Valkyria Chronicles 4 does the franchise justice, possibly more than any other Valkyria Chronicles title. If you are looking for a good new strategy game, this should be on your radar.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is an unexpected delight. Fans of tactical strategy games should absolutely pick this one up as soon as possible and enjoy dozens of hours of intense battles and detailed progression.

Crash 4 isn’t just a competent sequel, it’s a genuinely well-made platformer in its own right. It expands on its now-ancient predecessors in meaningful ways, and incorporates some truly lovely visuals alongside plenty of compelling and challenging level designs that manage to stay fresh throughout.

Ni No Kuni II could have been genre-defining, but really, really good is just going to have to do instead. The way that the beautiful visuals meld together with Joe Hisaishi’s breathtaking score is nothing short of remarkable and it all combines together for something that feels genuinely earnest and charming. While far from perfect, Ni No Kuni II is an easy recommendation for fans of JRPGs both old and new.

It’s not often that a game opens you up to a whole new sport, but if you give F1 2018 some time, it will do that. Fans of sim racing should give this one a look, even if they’re more into street cars and exotics. Why wait to unlock the most amazing cars in the world when you can start behind the wheel?

Rare Replay is a well-done collection of titles and special features, and is almost as much of a no-brainer purchase for every Xbox One owner as Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Yet another action-packed, turn-based role-playing game that makes you feel like you're directing a long, albeit rambling episode of the show. While it is very similar to South Park: The Stick of Truth, and just as much fun, the theme change from medieval fantasy to comic book superheroes makes this feel different and new. In the end the game may be funnier than it is fun, but it's still a good time.

Wasteland 3 is an outstanding RPG. It features a rich world with fun battles, great characters, and plenty of choices to keep you busy for a very long time. This is a best-in-class game that achieves what it sets out to accomplish. Players who opt to take the deep dive into the game’s awesome end-of-the-world landscape are in for something spectacular.

FIFA 17 is visually stunning and "The Journey" is a welcome, if imperfect, new mode to the series. The new title is recognizable as a FIFA title, as any long-time fan of the series can attest to, which can be just as negative as it is positive. It's a fun, solid title but one that already has us thinking about what needs to be improved for next year's installment.

It’s unfortunate that Gears 5 continues the trend of ‘games that were clearly shipped before they were ready’ since its diverse offering of different gameplay experiences is virtually unmatched by any other shooter game or franchise. Once The Coalition has ironed out the campaign performance issues and multiplayer network problems, this latest Gears of War game has a very bright future and is a must-play for any fans of the shooter genre no matter their individual tastes.

Salt and Sanctuary is a good 2D conversion of the Souls formula, but its experimental nature invites more than a few flaws. If you don’t mind difficult-to-see graphics and sometimes cheap combat, then you’ll happily come back for more.

Like previous installments, Forza Motorsport is an engaging racing game with the kind of depth and detail to satisfy both serious and casual drivers.

Sprint Vector is an immensely entertaining VR racing experience that handles movement in a very unique way. If you’re looking for a Mario Kart style VR game, you’ve found it.

It’s difficult to fault The Coalition for not running with new ideas when it comes to Gears of War 4. The game definitely feels like a Gears of War title, but it’s more of a revamped reboot rather than a proper sequel. If you’ve been a fan of previous Gears titles, there’s a lot to like about Gears of War 4, but for anyone who wasn’t already sold on the series, don’t expect anything here to suddenly change your mind.

Going through the campaign once by myself was fun. But doing it again on heroic or legendary with friends is even better. Plus Warzone is addictive.

Enter the Gungeon is an incredibly addicting indie game that will keep you coming back for more. It goes to great lengths to improve on the rogue-like genre, fixing flaws and tightening balance, all with a tongue-in-cheek presentation that can’t help but make you smile… if you like shooting things, that is.

Wargroove is the best kind of strategy game because it has enough depth and complexity to be endlessly compelling in the hands of the best players but is also simple enough to understand for anyone to pick up and enjoy the charming pixel art. With a ton of content and an amazingly detailed level editor, Wargroove is like a love letter to turn-based strategy games.

Creed: Rise to Glory is nearly a perfect VR boxing experience and more than worth your time if you’re looking for a new way to have fun in VR and get a solid workout in at the same time. The story and atmosphere manage to make it feel like you’re actively participating in a true underdog story that does justice to the source material while doing new and interesting things in VR.

Frostpunk is one of the best sim games to come out in decades. If you want a more bleak and depressing twist on the age old genre of city management, this is your game.

There’s not a bad thing to say about Streets of Rage 4. The action-packed gameplay and responsive controls give you an incredible, satisfying beat ‘em up experience whether you’re playing alone or in local or online co-op. The extra modes are fun, and the multiple difficulties are inviting, and each provide a unique dynamic. After 26 years, Streets of Rage is back and better than ever.

The fast-paced, adrenaline pumping action sequences that we’ve all come to love from Uncharted games are aplenty, and specifically, the game’s finale might be one of the best Uncharted sequences in the franchise.

Hyper Light Drifter is a fantastic and unique experience that deserves to stand on its own merits, outside of Zelda’s shadow.

Xenoblade Chronicles X will likely be a mixed bag to those who step in with very little role-playing skill or knowledge of the series up until this point, so they may want to proceed with caution. Others, however, that absolutely love what Monolith Soft has done so far will enjoy this chapter the most, thanks to its immense gameplay options and fantastic looking world. It's certainly worth a look either way.

SOMA isn't perfect, but it sets a certain standard for what horror games can achieve with a bit of inspiration. Though it isn't heavy on the scares, the bits of horror spread throughout work well, and the story will leave a lasting, hard-hitting impression.

Miles Morales’ biggest problem is by far its length which will turn some people off. But honestly, there’s room for more short form experiences, even as major console release titles. Miles Morales doesn’t waste any time with padding and instead keeps pushing high quality Spider-Man gameplay at you, which in my opinion is a strength, and not a weakness.

Spiritfarer is worth playing for the visuals alone, but the mature storytelling and fascinating look at a concept we don’t see explored very often make it well worth checking out. Expect to put at least 35 hours in if you want to see the whole story, more if you’re a completionist.

It's probably the least buggy big huge open world game Bethesda has ever released, which is saying something, but it's still an audaciously ambitious title with a lot of roughness around the edges. With some of those previous games, buying the game near launch was a recipe for frustration; it was better to let the patches and modders fix it up before experiencing it for the first time. Fallout 4, however, is a fantastic game as it exists right now, and the technical issues don't even come close to providing a reason to wait to play it.

There's a lot to like in The End Is Nigh, and seeing the Super Meat Boy formula tinkered with and experimented on is really interesting. The game suffers somewhat as a result, but damn, it's still a lot of fun to play.

Speedrunners is a fantastic party game, but remember that necessitates there be a party first.

Where last year’s game sometimes felt like a non-stop shooting gallery with blazing ping-pong action across the entire field, this year’s game more closely follows the pace of a typical real-life match. And that's a good thing.

If you're looking for an old-school side-scrolling action game that's along the lines of Dark Souls in logic (but not necessarily tone), Rogue Legacy is a sweet addition to your library. It's hard as heck at times, but progress can eventually be felt for those who stick with it, and the retro-style presentation will be right at home with classic NES/SNES gamers.

For those of you who were suffering from franchise fatigue, Assassin’s Creed Origins should cure your ailment. Ubisoft’s increased development time for the game brought a gigantic open-world full of stories, exciting battles, and a loot system that have you exploring for dozens of hours.

Final Fantasy XV is a tremendous return to the franchise and includes a lot things we love about the series. I experienced a few missteps here and there, but it didn’t deter from an overall great experience.

If you’re the sort of gamer who usually looks down their nose at the Call of Duty franchise, Black Ops 4 might just be the game that changes your opinion ever so slightly. Old-school purists can find their competitive multiplayer fix, and with the revamped Zombies and new Blackout mode, there’s no denying that Treyarch’s latest stands well out from the pack.

I was hoping for an original take on the open-world genre, but I got Assassin’s Creed in samurai drag. If that sounds like a blast to you, it will be, especially if you go into it with the knowledge of the game’s design missteps. It’s not that it’s bad - it’s just bad for me.

Aside from a few script malfunctions and some odd enemy behavior at points, this is a perfect Metroidvania game. If you are a fan of the genre, a fan of Castlevania, a fan of Metroid, or just a fan of 2D platformers in general, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up.

Persona 5 Strikers is a worthy addition to the Persona 5 game line. If you enjoyed the previous exploits of the Phantom Thieves, then you will love everything this game has to offer.

FIFA 18 is what many folks wanted FIFA 17 to be. Overall, it's the best soccer game money can buy right now.

Very minor issues aside, I think that Blasphemous II is an absolutely fantastic and challenging addition to the list of Metroidvania titles that exist, and the majority of fans of the first game are going to adore this. I know I do.

Kingdom Hearts 3 was a good game and an enjoyable experience, but it’s not the best Kingdom Hearts game in the franchise. There is plenty of room for improvement, and hopefully we will see that room explored if KH3 ever gets a final mix release.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided isn't a revolutionary experience, but it is a high-quality one in just about every way. If you're a fan of the genre or the series you'll love it, and it's worth a look even for those new to this kind of game (though prepare to wade through hip-deep lore as you go).

Splatoon 2 manages to deliver an addictive and engaging online multiplayer experience with plenty of ways to keep you busy and layers of satisfying combat to keep you coming back. The lack of social features is a significant flaw, but it isn't a fatal one, and hopefully we'll see that aspect of the game improved in the near future.

Little Nightmares II is just a worse game than the original. Everything they added to the system feels clunky at best and unfair at worst. It’s a shame because this same story, with its same environments, same levels, same enemies, and same music and sound would have been infinitely better if they kept the mechanics from the original.

If you have a Switch and like JRPGs, then Octopath Traveler is a game you cannot miss. This is the next gen classic RPG we have been waiting for, a fusion of retro, indie, and modern design that could only be played now, and could only be appreciated because of the games that came before it.

You have so much choice in what you do and how you do it that you might not be bothered by having overflowing pockets or being unable to find a store. Heck, bring a knife to a gunfight if you want. You do you. Me, I'll be exploring the stars, with a gun in my hand, a song in my heart, and a grin on my face.

Castle Crashers Remastered keeps the game relevant to Xbox again and comfortably keeps a void in the systems library filled.

Trials Rising isn’t trying to be realistic, it’s trying to be simple fun, and at that it excels. It looks good, it will make you laugh, and most importantly, it’s entertaining.

Ape Out is a fun and fast-paced action game with nary a dull moment. The brutal difficulty can go overboard at times, but even then it's never too daunting. This is one of the coolest games of 2019 so far, and any fan of slick, stylish action games should give it a go.

As a long-time fan of the Xeno series, I found Xenoblade Chronicles 2 to be a disappointment. A little balance testing, some reduced system bloat, and a little more effort in presentation could have made it an RPG to remember. If you played Xenoblade Chronicles 2 with a cheat device or walkthrough it would probably improve the experience, because you could bypass all the boring grinding and rough difficulty spikes. As it is now, the game is kind of a mess. An addicting mess, yes, but still a mess.

While there are still some areas that could use polishing (like that commentary team – wake up, fellas), Madden NFL 16 continues to make strides with some strong gameplay change-ups and abundant online features.

While it may be geared more towards hyper-competitive players with extra cash to burn, there’s still a lot to enjoy in EarthCore for even casual CCG fans. You may have to put up with some turbulence as you learn the ropes but the game’s seemingly simple yet addictingly fun premise is well worth the effort.

Once again Capcom creates a fighting game meant for fighting gamers, specifically fighting gamers that want to re-live Street Fighter’s history. If this is you or if you are a scholar of video game history in general, then 30th Anniversary Collection is not only a fun fighting game, but an astounding educational and historical tool about the history of fighting games. If you are more casual, then you might get some fun out of trying the 12 different games 30th Anniversary Collection has on offer, but you’ll likely end up wanting more.

The Messenger is a game that makes no effort to hide who its intended audience is, and its clever combining of two distinct gameplay genres ensures that it casts a rather wide net. Whether you’re a die-hard retro gaming fan or a genre newbie eager to dive into the deep end, Sabotage’s debut title is one adventure worth embarking on.

While I do think the audio mixing could use a little tweaking, I really enjoyed all of the music, voice acting, and even the sound of the wind blowing through the trees in certain areas. Little touches like that really elevated the overall experience.

EA has gone to great pains to incorporate their new license into the title and it shows from the game modes all the way up to the game’s tagline. Champions Rise and so has this franchise to the occasion.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey hits all the notes a sequel should. It’s bigger, prettier, the existing mechanics have been improved, and there’s plenty more added. It tells an engaging story, with an excellent protagonist (play Kassandra), all in a beautifully realized setting. Odyssey attempts to address some of the issues that have plagued this franchise since it first released more than a decade ago, but you can only polish something that’s showing its age so much. The combat in particular needs a significant overhaul, and the enthusiasm for more and more gameplay systems and microtransactions at times make the game feel a bit bloated.

If you're a fan of Jackbox's stuff, Quiplash is an easy purchase, a game that will hook you with its multiple puzzles and hilarious answers. Better connectivity and a single player component would've made it the stuff of legend, but being a consistent party favorite is a good second place spot.

Taken as is, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is everything a fan would want in a remake of this game, whether they plan to play it alone, with a friend, or against a bunch of people they meet online.

Wild Hearts is a game with a ton of charm, but it left me wanting more. It feels like it could have made the leap from good to great with some relatively minor additions and tweaks.

Watch Dogs 2 is definitely an improvement over the original. The entire vibe of the series has changed for the better, with likable characters, tongue-in-cheek scenarios, and a new hacks and gadgets that will keep you busy for quite a while.

Alone With You tells its somewhat bizarre tale in solid fashion. The story and characters, though sometimes inconsistent, are strong enough to make this a worthwhile piece of interactive fiction.

Hitman 2 is the perfect game for fans of the franchise that are looking for an excuse to dive back in. It doesn’t do much to improve on the original formula, but the original formula is still fun and exciting enough to carry the game when combined with IO Interactives attention to detail, level design, and NPC AI. The whole game feels like you’re wandering around living, breathing environments that are built to challenge your skills and creativity as an assassin, but that manages to do so in a way that feels fun and addicting even after multiple runs through the same level.

The Banner Saga 2 is fantastic. Yes, it has flaws, and yes, it’s not for everyone, especially if you aren’t a fan of reading walls of text. But for strategy fans and especially fans of games with narrative, this will be one of this year’s shining releases.

Speaking as someone who has never been heavily invested in racing games, Project CARS 2 blew me away. It won't hold your hand and it isn't afraid to challenge you, but it will reward your efforts with hard-earned success.

Superhot is an absolute joy to play, and it includes some great extra modes, neat story twists, and outstanding art. It's a complete package, and even though it's all over rather quickly, it's worth revisiting again and again.

The Division 2 is everything a player could want in a sequel. It reinvents and recalibrates where it must, but it also wisely builds off all the work Ubisoft put into refining the first Division. This sequel definitely makes you work for your rewards, but its fine-tuned gameplay and expansive suite of different activities ensures the journey towards earning those rewards is one worth taking.

Superhot: Mind Control Delete may have gotten its start as an expansion, but it ultimately evolved into a very complete-feeling standalone product. The new gameplay mechanics are awesome, and there’s a lot to love about its dozens and dozens of levels. Taking on a room full of enemies in slow motion continues to feel incredible, and there’s really nothing quite like it outside of the Superhot series.

Tekken 7 will satisfy Tekken fans the world over, but won’t impress anyone who hasn’t already been won over by the franchise.

One of the best indie games to surface this year, Runbow is a sheer delight, whether you're running through the game on your own or taking up with a group of friends in a fight to the finish. Make sure you rush to the eShop and give it a download.

Madden NFL 17 turned a corner. While it hasn't overhauled its entire system to the point that it looks like a game-changer, the little aspects make the follow-up more polished. Kudos to EA Sports to stepping up its game.

With its engaging and well-written story campaign, satisfying progression mechanics, and wealth of endgame pursuits, Forsaken does more than enough in helping Destiny 2 realize its full potential. It may be tough for some fans to forget and forgive Bungie’s earlier blunders, but if Forsaken is the studio’s way of making amends, then I’m certainly willing to give it another chance.

Asteroid Base's Lovers In a Dangerous Spacetime turned out to be worth the wait, perfectly blending elements from space shooters with a bit of strategy and throwing in some entertaining co-op as well. There are times it can be overwhelming – especially if you're going at it single player – but it's still an adventure you can't help but fall in love with.

Octogeddon doesn’t have the same charm or polish as Plants VS Zombies, but it’s a refreshing new take on the bullet hell genre. The concept is zany and feels like a thin veil laid over simplistic game mechanics in the vein of Divekick, but the excellent animated cutscenes bring coherence to it all. Ultimately, Octogeddon is a good time-waster, but not much more.

Metro Exodus is a masterful execution of a dying breed of video game: the measured, finely tuned, linear single player action game. From start to finish it’s an amazing thrill ride that rarely takes a moment to catch its breath and it lacks the bloated filler that plague so many other games these days. Instead, Metro Exodus is all meat from head to toe and it’s well worth the time.

Galak-Z: The Dimensional delivered on every front for me. While it may seem challenging for some, it doesn't disappoint with its space action and strategy, and the presentation is right on the money when it comes to emulating your favorite anime.

Pyre has an interesting combat system, though it does become a tad repetitive. The beautiful visuals and audio more than make up for any shortcomings.

The Banner Saga 3 is a perfect finale to The Banner Saga. While it’s not the most well designed game on the market, it’s one of the most well written games I have ever played.

Death Stranding isn’t for everyone, but if you are looking for a neat experimental exploration of the fetch quest, you’ll enjoy it. If you are looking for something more traditional, though, you should probably look elsewhere.

If you’re a fan of the Far Cry series, Far Cry 5 is a definite must-have. The gameplay is familiar, but there are shiny new features that are a blast to play with.

Pro Evolution Soccer 19 is a fun one to play. Unfortunately, I’m already thinking of ways Konami can improve it for next year’s version (I’ll still be playing PES 19 though!).

Mortal Kombat 11 is one half perfect fighting game, one half exploitative mobile game. It’s worth playing despite its flaws, but it easily stands as an example of how even the best games can be ruined by questionable monetization practices.

It may not be the best in terms of graphics or value, but none can deny that Call of Champions is the ideal way to get a quick MOBA fix, even when you’re away from your PC.

Death of the Outsider is a mature and highly polished spin on the core Dishonored formula. It tries new things and mostly succeeds, and it's a must-play for fans of the franchise. While it's nice that it exists as a standalone title, it shouldn't be the first Dishonored game you play.

Pro Evolution Soccer 18 is another viable competitor to EA's FIFA dominance, though the same familiar shortcomings continue to plague the franchise.

The abundance of options available at your fingertips is very cool, and the ability to share couldn't be easier, save for direct posting to social networks – but we'll make do with what we have.

Despite the overwhelming quality of its emotional storytelling and the fantastic characterization of the game's protagonists, every frustrating puzzle, every quirk of the controls, and every graphical hitch will leave you wondering why, after such a painfully long wait, this was all The Last Guardian could shape up to be.

The Octo Expansion is a great addition to Splatoon 2, offering a lot of gameplay for its $19.99 price tag, and helping to expand Splatoon’s universe with a decent storyline. At about $0.25 per level, it’s hard to argue that Nintendo isn’t offering sufficient value for your gaming dollar. Fans of Portal or other puzzle platformers should check it out, especially since you can play this mode even when you’re out of range of your Wi-fi.

The rapid, mini-game-like design of Shutshimi makes it ideal for quick bursts of play. Even then, the game is so captivating that it's hard to put down even after you've spent an hour or two playing.