I love a great third-person actioner, and I’m hard-pressed to think of one that nails the formula as perfectly as Nioh 2 does. The systems are pleasantly crunchy and there are a ton to dig into, the moment-to-moment fights get my blood pumping, and the artwork and theming are all spot-on. Too much of a good thing is too much of a good thing, but Nioh 2 is exactly the right amount.

Griftlands’ successful experiments in branching narrative, combined with a deckbuilding system that ranks among the genre’s richest, make it one of my favorite roguelikes to date. Whether I’d recommend it on Switch, however, is another matter. Roguelikes sing on handhelds, but anyone opting to experience Griftlands on Nintendo’s hardware is setting themselves up for a massive learning curve that may turn prospective players off. One way or another, though, Griftlands is a title that deserves every roguelike fan’s attention.

If I were to look at any single aspect in isolation, Shape of Dreams isn’t the best roguelite I played in 2025, but it shines by delivering an enjoyable experience with plentiful meta progression that encourages diverse builds and character mastery. These qualitites keep me coming back to grind for more unlocks and the options and modifiers give ample choice to tailor the experience to my taste. For players who are interested in trying this style of combat, or for those who just want to just hop in for a chaotic dungeon run with friends, I fully recommend Shape of Dreams.

Several unfortunate technical issues hold[] it back. The item inventory screen is pure hell to navigate.

There are lessons to be learned in Attentat 1942. Whether on social media or on the streets, there’s something to be said for taking a stand in the world. It might be hard to see it now, but we can only hope that in fifty years we’ll we be proud that we were talking about #YesAllWomen and #BlackLivesMatter and #LoveIsLove because we changed the times… or perhaps the times will change us? Attentat 1942 is a welcome wake-up call showing that it’s impossible to look into the future, but we can recall our past, and when doing so, good people are going to wish they had something better to say for themselves than “I didn’t know what to do.”

When taken as a whole, Shiren The Wanderer: The Tower Of Fortune And The Dice Of Fate delivers a carefully crafted, carefully considered experience that captures the best of what makes a good roguelike, while also mitigating the pain points that give the genre its hardcore reputation.

Overall, it’s tough to describe Tetris Effect as anything other than what it is – a great game of Tetris with a bunch of cool modes and filtered through the same stylistic lens as Lumines and Rez. It looks awesome in VR too, though the lack of greater online functionality is unfortunate. Still, it turns out that the Effect of playing Tetris is simply having a damned good time.

Like the team’s previous work, Never Alone, Beyond Blue shares informative content via a genuine love for its topic. I can easily imagine pre-teens picking this up and wanting to be marine biologists, in the same way that I wanted to become a skateboarder, or how one might want to be a paleontologist after walking out of Jurassic Park.

While many of the game's components have become stereotypes over the years, here they are carefully constructed and fit together perfectly, creating something larger than the sum of its parts.

After initially turning me away with an unhelpful tutorial and a stiff learning curve, Battle Brothers morphed into a worthwhile and gripping tactical experience, and conquering its barren, bloody landscapes stands firmly among my proudest gaming accomplishments so far.

Online, WWE 2K23 performs well, with a few exceptions. Playing simple head-to-head is fairly seamless and responsive, but multiple team matches presented a handful of collision glitches and targeting problems. I found myself kicking the air on more than one occasion, while my opponents sat untouched nearby. It wasn’t a dealbreaker by any means, but in a title so focused on recreating WWE action, this repeatedly took me out of the moment. Fortunately, I didn’t experience any issues finding matches or opponents, thanks to snappy loading times and an easy-to-navigate lobby.

Despite a collection of minor technical issues, Age of Wonders: Planetfall is one of the best strategy games on any platform this year, console or otherwise, and weaves a compelling tapestry of play within every layer of its design, including tactical battles that are so good, they almost seem out of place in 4X. It may not entirely escape the colonialist trappings of its genre, but it manages to sneak in a thoughtful twist or two as it indulges in a delightfully weird sci-fi reverie.

While Tri has never been my favorite Monster Hunter (Freedom Unite still holds that honor) there's no question that Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate is a huge step up from its predecessor.

In the end, Art Sqool feels more like an art project itself, rather than a full-blown game. It’s a rather short experience and it might not be for everyone, but there is genuinely nothing else like it. I may never be an artist, but for the hours that I attended Art Sqool, I truly felt like I was creating something special.

An excellent effort from Obsidian, and though The Outer Worlds doesn’t surpass its predecessors by offering a world worth visiting over and over, the adventure it presents is more than worth the time spent.

Technical issues aside, anyone craving more of the sort of stuff Telltale was serving up with Lee and Clementine would be well-advised to check into The Wolf Among Us.

Deathstate captures the wonder and horror of Lovecraft as well as a shooter possibly could, throwing aside existential dread for overwhelming strangeness. This isn’t a genre pairing that I would have anticipated, but once again Lovecraftian horror has proven that it can work anywhere, so long as it’s produced by developers who understand and care about it.

Shadow Broker is the best Mass Effect 2 DLC by an interstellar mile.

Rain World asks players to get to know its world over dozens and dozens of lives, to figure out each area one at a time, learning to time jumps and hurl spears to earn their right to survive in a ceaselessly hostile environment. It’s a gorgeous jaunt through an alien world full of horrors, like Another World crossed with the open map of a Metroidvania title. With its incredible art design, tight controls, and extremely deep set of gameplay mechanics, this is a truly special platforming experience that anyone with a high tolerance for constant failure owes it to themselves to try out.

The game is what it is, and nothing I could say in this review will effectively capture the sensation of holding the guitar controller straight up in the air and slamming through an insane series of notes on reflex, not really understanding how I did it - and not really caring.

Monster Tale introduces a deep, satisfying facet of gameplay into one of the most tried and true formulas in gaming history. There are parts where it feels like it's a slave to the ancient ways of backtracking and suspiciously-placed save points, but none of the sore spots are pronounced enough to cause any serious problems.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Fabulous Fear Machine. Aesthetics and charm kept me enthralled and invested, even if the mechanics didn’t put up a challenge. The game is short enough so that players don’t have to grind for hours to see everything it has to offer. It’s perfect as something that can be started and completed within a weekend, and I highly recommend the journey.

A rare case of a brilliant idea coming together brilliantly.

People who aren’t interested in classic JRPGs may not find anything here to pull them back in, but for everyone else, Dragon Quest XI is guaranteed to scratch that particular itch for quite some time. Not bad, Square Enix, not bad at all.

There’s more to praise in Dungeons of Hinterberg, like the clarity of the UI, the ease of using supporting systems, and the numerous quality-of-life measures that the team has obviously, intentionally deployed. Everything about the entire experience feels thoughtful and considered, and the devs were smart not to overreach. They’ve managed to successfully deliver on the promise of Hinterberg, capturing a holistic, singular experience that resonated with me in a way that few do. For the first title out of a brand new studio, this is incredible stuff and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

I don't know what possessed People Can Fly to saddle such an exceptional action experience with such a terrible story, but being surrounded by monstrously stupid, foul-mouthed sociopaths actively lessened the gameplay experience for me. So long as a player can tune out the plot and characters, Bulletstorm is an unmitigated action masterpiece, but damn, does the story work hard to mitigate everything good about the game.

Games can have messages, but they can also be a venue in which we act out our most twisted fantasies free of judgment and consequence.

It's no easy feat to invigorate a genre that has remained fairly set in its ways for the last few generations, let alone do it with the imagination and energy present here.

How impressive is this grueling horror experience? I guessed the ending mere minutes into the demo earlier this year, and yet when it came time to play the full game, I still found myself getting caught up in the twists and turns. That’s right — even knowing the ending before going in, the journey was so powerful that I’m glad to have taken it, and would recommend that any fan of first-person horror do the same.

Even with this one shortcoming, Skyrim VR is a triumph. While I’m nowhere near completing the campaign, I haven’t found a single quest, threat, or objective that’s more difficult to deal with in VR than it was in the old Skyrim. It was already a wonderfully deep world to inhabit before players could freely explore it from within, and the developers have proven that a fully-featured action RPG can work just as well (or frequently better) in VR than it ever did on a flat screen.

In the end, NBA 2K24 might be the finest sports videogame I’ve ever resented. The butter-smooth gameplay, extensive core modes, and pristine visuals will deliver months upon months of top-tier digital hoops, which is reflected in the final score. However, those interested in character and team advancement will likely find the reliance on microtransactions to be too demanding and expensive to realistically pursue.

It's to Lost Planet's credit that the skillful handling of the difficulty and level design puts the player in a state of desperation for almost the entire length of the game.

On one level, I feel a little cheated by Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars — generally we can expect a new Senran Kagura and a new Neptunia every year, so it’s a bit of a disappointment that in 2021 audiences are getting a single game from both franchises. Fortunately it’s an exceptional piece of work. It won’t give players everything they’d expect from either franchise, it has satisfying systems and some of the funniest writing either series has seen in years. This is a good action-adventure, but for fans of either series, it’s absolutely essential.

Doraemon: Story Of Seasons is one of the nicest surprises of the year. I wasn’t expecting a non-Stardew Valley farming sim to grab me like it did, and I certainly wasn’t expecting it from a Doraemon game, but here we are. On top of a great evolution in the farming RPG genre, it’s also a fantastic use of a coveted license. Stardew Valley 2 is probably a long way off, but the people that gave Eric Barone most of his ideas have just given us a substitute worthy of both franchises.

Writing a review of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is something I never thought I’d get to do, but I am so glad that Capcom decided to take a chance in bringing these two exceptional stories to the West. Despite its status as an offshoot from the main franchise and a heavy reliance on very specific settings, it might even represent the best opportunity to delve into this wonderfully quirky and original series thanks to excellent quality-of-life improvements and slick presentation. Longtime fans have surely bought it already, but The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a fantastic pickup for anyone looking for a good yarn coming from a series filled with them.

Despite those bumps, there's no arguing that Telltale is turning out must-play material with The Walking Dead, and unless the game somehow crashes and burns on an epic scale before it reaches the end of the fifth and final episodes, it's guaranteed to earn a spot on my year-end "best" list. Don't miss it.

Rising from the ashes, Sleeping Dogs has proven just how wrong Activision was to cancel it 18 months ago. It takes several gameplay styles from many of the best open world games of this generation and gives them a distinct Hong Kong cinema feel.

A port of a six-year-old PS2 title might not fit the profile of a platform defining title, and it might be more than a little ironic, but the fact that the game manages to accomplish this so far out from its initial release is a testament to its quality.

While I don’t think Sonic Origins Plus will convince doubters of the initial release to convert and I still have my qualms over some of the presentation choice, there’s no doubt that Sega managed to make a solid package even better.

Kentucky Route Zero is an absolutely amazing adventure that is packed with personality, and bolstered by stunning visuals and music. Some long-in-the-tooth plot segments slightly diminished my enjoyment, but the story always remained moving and intriguing.

Addictive personalities will no doubt find themselves caught up in the game to the exclusion of all else. There's always one more quest to undertake, one more rare to find, one more level to grow…it's these elements that keep people coming back.

Road To Ballhalla is a delight. It rises above its inspirations to bring a new musical sensibility to the action puzzle genre. While some levels can be frustrating or even punishing, it never feels unfair — clearly a huge amount of thought has gone into balancing the difficulty, and anyone who brings a steady hand and a good amount of patience will find one of the most wonderfully kinetic puzzlers around.

It's not the longest game, and it's not the most complex game, but it succeeds at almost everything it sets out to do-which puts it head and shoulders above most other games out there, Star Wars-related or not.

If viewed as an RPG with a tiny world and far too much text, I would imagine players walking away from Fate/Extra feeling unsatisfied or bored. However, when taken as what it really is-a visual novel with a superb level of gameplay-then it can only be appreciated as the fine effort that it is.

Katana ZERO is relatively short action experience, but the fast, brutal, and provocative play left me wanting more — and that’s about the highest praise I can give it.

In a year full of massive, story-driven and crunch-produced experiences, it’s refreshing to spend time with something so straightforward. Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 does something simple but does it right, and when I’m dropping blocks or matching puyos, I just can’t seem to put my Switch down.

Even though the spectacular combat in Dragon’s Dogma makes it seem like a successor to other Capcom fantasy beat-em-ups, the depth of its world design and surprising story twists make it one of the more fascinating games of its era. With a fantastic port for the Switch audience, it’s as if Capcom made a deal with a dragon and somehow came out the winner.

Despite these minor hiccups, Tower of Guns almost perfectly achieves what it sets out to do. The tower can be run quickly, but the array of weapon and perk choices, combined with the randomness of the drops, the bosses, and the levels themselves, produces an enormous variety that ensures running it almost never gets old.

This is a fantastic presentation of two top-notch virtual novels. My only major quibble is that player is never made aware of how important it is to play the two games in the correct order. It’s not enough to see a couple of endings in 999 – if players don’t make it to the true ending before moving on to VLR, it will be casually spoiled in the most off-handed way imaginable. Beyond that, very little goes wrong here, and I’d say that this one of the best visual novel experiences I’ve had.

I understand that the last arena is supposed to be a quote-unquote boss fight, but I feel the drastic shift will sucker punch players right at the end of the game. Don’t get me wrong though, I enjoyed Boomerang X. Enemy designs were clever and paired well with the abilities available, and even though the plot was thin, there was just enough to keep me curious right up until the end.

While it doesn’t revolutionize the groundwork set by its predecessor, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 remains a great racer that gets plenty right. With a solid career mode, a varied,, colorful garage and some of the best retro aesthetics ever, Horizon Chase Turbo 2 is an easy winner for arcade racing fans.

Dead Rising 4 may not be the series’ high point, but it’s easily the second-best, and a great experience in its own right. Zombie slaughtering has never been this accessible or thrilling, and the developers at Capcom Vancouver have once again proven that they know exactly what to do with a winning formula.

I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the strategy, there's a ludicrous amount of content, and there's even pass-the-handheld multiplayer for those into that sort of thing. Apart from the less-than-sizzling looks, this one's a must-have for any turn-based strat fan with a 3DS.

Indigo 7 might not win any awards for writing, but I’ll be damned if there’s another arcade puzzler with this much charm and an equally addicting gameplay hook. Similar to the great Puyo Puyo Tetris 2, it’s an experience that’s preventing me from putting my Switch down.

Buckshot Roulette has tension and drama, enough strategy to make gameplay not fully dependent on luck, and the fact that the dealer doesn’t always make the right move just puts it over the top. While there’s currently not much content as it’s still under development, the joy in its simple, ruthless premise makes it an easy recommendation regardless.

With new console hardware expected to arrive by late 2020, there’s a good chance much of 2K Sports’ design and programming teams are hard at work making the most of new technology. However, that doesn’t excuse the visual and gameplay gaps that shouldn’t be here. That said, NBA 2K20 is still a fantastic basketball sim with enough modes and features to keep fans busy until those revolutionary next steps start to come in over the next few years.

Distrust is pretty top-notch stuff. It’s the sign of intelligent and well-considered mechanics that something as inherently repetitive as Distrust never once felt tedious to me. Russian publisher Alawar previously gave us last year’s Beholder, a similarly high-concept little gem from their home country. This makes them two-for-two on Steam releases, and I can’t wait to see what other fascinating indies they bring us from their side of the world.

It’s easy to think that the run-based deckbuilder genre has been entirely tapped out, but Roguebook counters that notion in an instant. Though its broader narrative and post-game balance may be a little thin, everything else between these pages is incredibly rich and satisfying. By combining the elegance of tabletop map exploration with a thoughtful evolution of deckbuilding mechanics, Abrakam and Richard Garfield have found a match made for the history books.

Tempest Rising is what I would call a neo-classic RTS — and it’s something we need and hunger for in the modern gaming landscape. The story, gameplay mechanics, and strategic diversity of engagement scenarios make it one of the best RTS titles of the past few years, yet, the lack of balance and problematic AI behaviors prevent it from becoming a perfect experience for avid RTS fans. However, with such a promising debut, I’m excited to see more from this developer in the form of DLC and stand-alone titles the future.

In general, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 should be seen as a master class for Tekken devotees, and is certainly one of the best titles the genre has to offer.

The shooting was fun and all, but it would have been much more satisfying had I felt like all of my murdering had been in service of something.

The Quarry sits comfortably near the top of the interactive movie genre. Equal parts clever and terrifying, it earns its ten-hour runtime with a series of twists and turns that are sure to delight. There’s action, romance, comedy, and unbelievably disgusting violence. Supermassive Games have delivered a rollercoaster that serves as a fabulous follow-up to Until Dawn, so anyone who enjoys the genre will be in for one hell of a ride.

That said, in an age of brainless blockbusters and iterative sequels born from a fear of financial failure, playing something as different and brave as Minority's work felt like coming up for a breath of air after spending far too long under water.

Having not played wither Klonoa before this review, I was expecting a bubbly platformer that was a product of its time, but instead, I was floored by how beautiful Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series was, and by how strongly it connected with me on an emotional level. I hope see more of this in the genre.

Whether played solo or tackled with a friend, those looking for a fast-paced, third-person tower defense will find that the unique traps and reaching for high scores will more than keep them occupied.

I'm giving Advance Wars 2 an 8.5 because of the game's lack of any significant innovation (the missile silos and volcanos are nice, but one new tank doesn't cut it for me). The developers decided not to take any risks, which I can't really fault them for, since the first game was so damn close to perfection to begin with.

This gleeful variety is ultimately what gives TimeSplitters 2 most of its staying power.

This entry is a huge accomplishment which makes the argument that the Metal Gear series isn't just still relevant in the world of modern open-world action games, but that it has the chance to be at the forefront of them.

Aside from a few minor quibbles (I can jump across streets and hop over entire buildings, but a knee-high window ledge is insanely finicky to get past?) Titanfall is undoubtedly a great game which does an exceptional job of breathing new life into an increasingly-stale genre.

Even without seeing the secret ending, I was fully satisfied with my experience playing Professor Lupo and his Horrible Pets. It’s as clever and well-constructed a puzzle game as I’ve seen, and the fact that it manages to tell an interesting story through those puzzles elevates it to a whole new level. This is a great accomplishment, and deserves the attention of anyone who wants their brain teased.

While the anime story grated on me, Tsubasa‘s gameplay kept me hooked since the animations are smooth and flashy, and it’s easy to pick up and play. Those who want a sim may not get the same joy out of this arcade-style soccer interpretation, but for me, it scratched a very specific itch that I didn’t realize needed to be scratched.

Shadow of the Colossus ranks among the best works this medium has ever produced, so giving it new life in this way is both giving players everywhere a gift and erecting a monument to its greatness.

Simple graphics, simple control, complex gameplay; Orbient is nothing less than a masterpiece of minimalist design, and one of the most compelling examples presented for the case that video games are a new medium of art that must be recognized.

Hyper Light Drifter isn’t for everyone—the replay value is low and some may not like how cryptic and mysterious the story is, but for me, the positives far outweighed potential issues. For those wanting to explore a world with rich environments, strong atmosphere and rewarding combat, Hyper Light Drifter delivers.

As someone who plays all the roguelike deckbuilders that come to console, Rogue Lords is the best one to cross my path in quite some time. The art, characters and theming are all great, the mechanics are intricate and interesting, and although there are a few rough patches, the campaign can be completed without devoting hundreds and hundreds of failed runs to it. For anyone who enjoys the genre, this one’s fangs are satisfyingly sharp.

Limbo is a perfect fit for the Switch since it’s easy to pick up and put down, the shadowy aesthetics empowered feelings of loneliness and desperation, and even though I didn’t appreciate the spikes in difficulty, I won’t forget the immersive journey that Limbo took me on.

Load times are also an issue. I spent too much time waiting, whether it's waiting to go through menus or for each level to load and reload.

Kosmokrats is an incredibly strong debut from a brand-new studio, and I had a wonderful time with the comrades and their journey through space. The gameplay was engaging, the jokes were good, and I was absolutely invested in the fate of the Peeler and their crewmates. This well-crafted work doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre, but becomes a noteworthy, standout release because of it. Whatever Pixel Delusion does next, I’m in.

Overall, Kaze and the Wild Masks is an exceptional 2D platformer that iterates on the systems and concepts of its forefathers to create something special. It’s a great title, and one that even the most creative minds at Nintendo should take note of.

If Half-Life: Alyx sold as many VR headsets as it should have, every new adopter needs to make Saints & Sinners a priority. Although it obviously lacks the polish that Valve was able to bring to their juggernaut, it’s another hearty single-player offering that was not only built from the ground up for VR, but showcases the exciting advancements unique to the platform. It’s an easy recommendation, even to people like me who thought they were sick of zombies.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure does a generally fantastic job of following up on Max’s story despite the plotholes and an ending that left me wanting. However, it still pulls off a (mostly) satisfying narrative while exploring trauma and interpersonal relationships via sci-fi elements. It’s a great continuation for existing fans, but I’ll say again that newcomers should definitely start with the original Life is Strange — still an excellent play!

Though I’m a bit disappointed that Atlus didn’t create a truly definitive edition of Persona 3 for modern audiences, this game remains one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played. With its masterful use of storytelling and grandiose themes, the adventure fully immerses the player in both its life sim and dungeon crawling mechanics. In fact, not only did this game create the template that its successors still follow today, but it also might just be the most memorable and thought-provoking Persona overall. Despite the shortcomings of the slightly outdated portable version here, it is undoubtedly a must-play for any RPG fan who hasn’t tried it yet.

Blue Fire is a wonderful blend of action, platforming and contemporary influences, and at the end of it all, it manages to be something truly special. I have yet to uncover every secret Penumbra has in store, but I know I’ll have a good time doing so.

Although I'd never heard of it before it randomly popped up on the Xbox One store, Factotum 90 ended up being an absolutely wonderful puzzle experience, appreciated for the compactness of its design and for the elegance with which it was delivered. Also... Noel and Barbara are kind of impossible not to adore.

As far as handheld shooters go, Killzone: Mercenary is undoubtedly the new gold standard and, quite frankly, makes a mockery out of its handheld peers.

With a string of never-ending combos rattling off my fingertips intuitively, without thought, I now stand my ground against one and all, confident in my abilities, quite certain of my power. And it's exhilarating, in the face of such overwhelming adversity, to be able to do so.

Guildmaster Story doesn’t have a subtle bone in its body, but that’s for the best. Every part of this experience is crafted to get players to open their eyes and see the systems of exploitation all around them. Including — and especially — the one in their hands.

I can’t stress enough what a bleak experience Death end Re;Quest 2 is. There are bright moments and the gameplay is tight, but players will always have the sinking feeling that wrenching emotional agony is just around the corner.

While these complaints are not enough to cripple the game, it’s a shame that SNK has done such a tremendous job with most of the things that matter, only to stumble on certain design issues. Minor missteps aside, It’s pretty brilliant, and it’s safe to say that the series has made the leap to 3D surprisingly well despite still needing some polish, and maybe a bit of a facelift as well.

So ingenious, yet simple in its execution that it would have succeeded on almost any platform. In spite of a few flaws, it is damn near a match made in heaven.

Guilty Gear Rev 2 is a fine update to Revelator that takes an already superb base game, adds some great characters into the mix and refines the fighting engine even further. It still has certain accessibility issues that any game this complex is bound to have , but there’s still nothing quite like Guilty Gear on the market when it comes to delivering high speed battles mixed with awesome visuals and great music.

Regardless of these minor criticisms, there is little to dislike about Alba: A Wildlife Adventure. Whether it’s the pleasing aesthetic, organic open-world, adorable animals, or the soothing soundtrack, Alba is a title that lifts spirits. It chooses a distinctively optimistic approach to humanity’s environmental crises, and succeeds in making the player appreciate the uniqueness of the ordinary.

In other words, Disgaea 4 continues the tradition of letting us play our own ways while rewarding us for doing the same thing over and over again. As "hardcore" as these games are, developer Nippon Ichi makes them playable in lots of different ways. Perseverance, ingenuity and even failure are all rewarded.

There's always more to learn of the characters in all sorts of ways, and underneath the goofiness, there was still a thick layer of strong narrative and character development that kept me invested through sixty hours. I don't know if JRPGs will ever return to their previous prominence, but if Ar Tonelico Qoga is any indication, they still have a lot to offer.

A landmark superhero game that offers an experience not only unique to superhero games, but gaming in general.

The standard of quality for the modern era of stealth strategy games is very, very high. Sumerian Six is not at the front of the class, but it’s still a great entry, and a highlight of 2024. I spent more than 30 hours dispatching fascists with the Enigma Squad, still have two levels to go, will absolutely finish them and someday return for another run. Stealth strategy, when done right, is just that good, and Sumerian Six is absolutely done right. Bravo, Artificer. Sequel please.

Like Shadow Tactics before it, Desperados III is one of the best tactics games available, and certainly one of the most satisfying titles I’ve played this year. It’s a finely-tuned masterpiece of Swiss-watch construction, polished in every respect and delivering the kind of tuned cerebral action that isn’t easily found. For fans of complex strategic gameplay, they just don’t come better than this.

In a year that’s been flooded with massive triple-A games, each one larger than the last, it was a real treat to play through something as compact, focused and soulful as Rime. It was a welcome respite from excess, and proves that sometimes the best things come in small packages.