If you like a calmer and more strategic approach, small bugs don't bother you, and you have enough patience when handling a lot of stuff, the console version of Baldur's Gate 3 is worth of every penny.

In its open world, narrative, combat, and traversal, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom proves itself to be a triumph, a game that will be remembered not only as a phenomenal sandbox experience but an outstanding achievement as a game.

Astro Bot is an exceptionally successful game in its own right, injecting pure happiness into your body over its 10-15 hours. It's exactly what Sony's console needs right now with its brightly coloured exterior, sharp controls and simple yet varied gameplay. The course for the stars is set, and I'm sure Astro will make it to the top.

FromSoftware hasn't reinvented itself with the expansion, but I think they've created their best piece of content yet, both from an aesthetic and, more importantly, a design standpoint.

After playing the first Early Access period, I was almost certain Hades II had not lived up to its predecessor, despite still being an all-timer of a roguelike. I soon learned after playing the 1.0 version that I could be wrong. Once you're past the inch-high hurdle of the tonal shift and gameplay differences, it becomes clear that you couldn't ask for more out of a Hades sequel than what you get with Hades II. Bigger in scope and scale, with genuine surprises, a gripping story, and characters you'll check in on every time you get the chance, Hades II is as good as if not better than Supergiant's original roguelike champion, accomplishing a feat equal to stopping Time himself.

Metroid Prime is still one of the best games in the world, and you really owe it to yourself to experience it at its very best in Metroid Prime Remastered.

All in all, this is a very, very complete remake in a lot of senses, and shows that Capcom has really nailed this process of bringing back its beloved titles in a faithful yet meaningfully improved way.

Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth does justice to its origins by beautifully updating it for a contemporary audience, while daring to tinker with some of the things that some fans might consider sacrilege.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the 2D platforming Super Mario Bros. game we have been waiting for, for years.

Forza Horizon 5 is beautiful. It's varied, it's well put together, it's deeply rewarding and overflowing with content to engage with. It's not even as confusing as it has been. That, in my book, makes it one of the best games of the year, but if you are expecting even an ounce of creative reimagining of the core formula, you might feel different.

Metaphor: Refantazio has managed to meet and defend itself against the high level of expectations that have been growing among gamers over the last few months. With a rich and expansive story and world, memorable characters, a timeless soundtrack and game design praised by some of the best developers in the genre today, I can only recommend jumping into this fantasy.

Horizon 6 disappointed me. Me, who has played all six instalments in the series. I feel some of the progress Horizon 5 introduced is missing; I don't think Playground are willing enough to experiment with everything from progression to UI design; and I don't think Japan comes across well as a setting here. But conversely, this, along with the last handful of Horizon games, is one of the best arcade racers you can find, based on everything this game predictably executes so masterfully. I therefore take the liberty of recommending Horizon 6 solely on the basis that it works as well as it does, although I must once again recommend that Playground Games really take their time to be more ambitious in the future.

I could go on and on praising Split Fiction and pulling out unique moments that will undoubtedly become fond gaming memories in the future, but I don't want to take the joy of discovery away from you readers. Because there really is a lot to discover and fall in love with along the way. We should all be happy that Hazelight exists and thrives in the gaming industry, and I'm crossing my fingers that Split Fiction will be a gigantic success so we can enjoy more great experiences from one of today's most exciting developers. Split Fiction is a co-op masterpiece. It's as simple as that.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a tremendous game that has set a new standard for RPGs, the ambitions of smaller teams, and AAA experiences in general. It's an easy game of the year candidate if I've ever seen one. A masterful story born from an exceptional concept.

Donkey Kong Bananza is hectic, chaotic, barrels of fun, and overflowing with charisma, but it also has clear areas where it could be streamlined and improved, and that's mostly the story of this game.

If you're playing with a controller and have a reasonably good PC, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is the ultimate version right now. If you want to experience this classic and have the opportunity, this is definitely the version I'd recommend. Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a masterpiece and as close to art as a game can get.

After a few hours it really starts to be felt that this game would benefit from more atmospheric music, for longer periods. Minus that, I have no complaints about this lovely indie gem.

In my nearly ten years here at Gamereactor, I have so far managed to award three perfect scores, and now it's time again. Hollow Knight: Silksong is a masterpiece, simply put. No question about it. Expectations were sky-high in advance, but with a lot of patience and even more skill, Team Cherry has managed to rise above the competition and cement its place in the starry sky as one of the brightest shining celestial bodies. If you like challenging video games in general and well-made Metroidvania titles in particular, I cannot recommend Hollow Knight: Silksong enough, because it's a game that enchants and challenges, dazzles and delights. And finally, for those of you who are wondering: Yes, it was definitely worth the wait.

Amazing, spectacular, superior, ultimate. All words that have been used to describe Spider-Man in his comic run and adjectives I could use to describe Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

The PC version of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is a powerful experience that really shows what modern hardware can do for gaming. If you love the game's story and have been waiting for the PC version, you won't be disappointed. Square Enix has delivered a solid port that allows even more players to experience this epic adventure. The game's strong technical foundation, combined with an already fantastic story and gameplay, makes it a release worth considering even if you already know the story from previous versions.

I highly recommend Resident Evil Requiem for anyone who only has a Switch 2 or who particularly enjoys switching from TV to handheld mode (with headphones, of course). If you're not looking for maximum fidelity and visual luxuries above all else, this is a very serious port that knows where to make sacrifices and therefore retains the shock value and immersion of the lead version, a great job by Capcom and automatically one of the best games in the Nintendo Switch 2's young catalogue.

Even with a fair chunk of the extra content feeling lacklustre, the core content, AKA the base game that launched back in 2020, is so good that it elevates The Last of Us: Part II Remastered out of middling waters.

Dave the Diver knows from the very first scene what it wants to be, and from the get-go it's firing on all its available cylinders. You get a fantastically complex gaming experience here, with a self-awareness that would suit many major studios.

The final product is excellent, and my unpopular opinions about game length do not change the fact that this remains - still - one of the greatest video game releases of all-time.

Balatro really is a fantastic, ingenious, and genuinely unique game. It features the perfect blend of simplistic and accessible game mechanics matched up with broad, deep, and complex mathematical systems that will entertain and challenge seasoned card players.

Once the single player is done and you get used to the awkward presentation, we still have a very solid fighting game and a phenomenal foundation to build on. And at the end of the day, that's by far the most important thing in a game like this. As long as it's genuinely fun to punch your friends in the face, there's no way I'm going to get bored.

Final Fantasy VII: Remake seamlessly and wonderfully slots onto the Nintendo Switch 2. This is a fantastic and memorable remake of such high-quality that it's something everyone should at least try once, and if that's through the Switch 2 edition, you're in store for a pretty strong version that can hold its own.

It's a more concentrated and slightly simpler game than its brilliant second instalment, which really expanded every part and is better in my opinion. But if you scale it all down, it's still the same concept. You're treated to fantastic puzzles and a really nice facelift that makes it definitely worth experiencing. Even if it was then followed by something more grand and even better.