Rise of the Ronin is bursting with ambition: it wants to tell an important moment in Japanese history in a compelling way in an open game world in which you can lose yourself endlessly. Unfortunately, this does not always work out well and the game feels messy and colorless. Fortunately, Team Ninja's excellent combat saves the day with razor-sharp precision and memorable fights.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is one of the best open world games to date. With its free combat system, the company of quirky pawns and the lively game world, this second part offers the ultimate adventurer feeling. It is still a complex RPG with many underlying systems, but they all work together to continuously provide your gaming experience with unforgettable moments.

This is one of those games whose simple concept lends itself to almost limitless depth. Even after dozens of hours of play, this roguelite deckbuilder manages to surprise you with strategies you never knew were possible.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's road trip is enchanting and wonderfully written, meandering between emotional and absurd moments. The battles remain great and the soundtrack is overwhelming, but it's the charming environments and characters that make Rebirth a triumph. Every location you visit feels like a small vacation with your best friends.

Ultros is beautiful, psychedelic and a great metroidvania that turns into a gardening game halfway through. You just have to be in the mood for that, even if you don't have to.

Skull and Bones does not offer the celebrated pirate life. Customizing your ship is nice and the naval battles are okay, but otherwise the game has no slick or taste across the board.

Although Helldivers 2 is somewhat lacking in originality and depth in terms of missions and story, it more than makes up for it with funny *tone of voice*, spectacular gameplay and hilarious moments. Despite the sometimes chaotic action, it offers enough tactical depth to give you an advantage in combat, while emphasizing the importance of communication between teammates.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden does not seem to be able to support the developer's ambitions. The combat system is fun, but not exploited enough. Exploring the game world is incredibly limited and keeps you on your toes too much. On top of that there are technical imperfections, such as long loading times. Graphically it's all okay, but not brilliant. Characters look nice standing still, but when they start talking it's as if actors are wearing thick rubber masks and the animations are awkward. But the biggest problem is that the game doesn't actually do anything new. Everything you encounter you have seen before and better. Ironically, this game about a ghost and a ghost hunter is a bit soulless.

Games are often more than the sum of their parts. The reverse is the case with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The positives are overshadowed by the negative elements, and the result is as messy as it is boring.

Persona 3 Reload is an old-fashioned Japanese RPG that places a heavy emphasis on routine gameplay and collecting experience points. Fortunately, there is light at the end of the infamous Tartarus Tower, because those who play through the game until the final minutes will be rewarded with a fantastic story with intriguing characters that you will not soon let go.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a game with many (beautiful) faces. It is a fantastic piece of social criticism, an excellent role-playing game, a tragic comedy, and a wonderful parody of games like Pokémon, Crazy Taxi and Animal Crossing. Infinite Wealth is so diverse and yet so firm: this is why open world games are so much fun.

The new Tekken does not want to reinvent the wheel, but relies entirely on the rock-solid gameplay for which the series is known. That works out well in this case. The new Heat system makes battles even more explosive and intense, and the Special Style control option ensures that even inexperienced players can pull out all the stops. With these sharp additions and the impressive visual splendor, Tekken 8 can win the hearts of veterans and new fans alike.

The Last of Us: Part 2 Remastered places less emphasis on the visual upgrades than the substantive extras, and gets away with that just fine.

The Lost Crown is a great metroidvania. Sometimes the difficulty level peaks unexpectedly, which can lead to some frustration due to the linear nature, but usually the strong combat and fast platforming ensure that this is a very fun game.

Even in this top year, A Highland Song stands alone. Rarely have we seen a game that understands so well how interactivity and freedom of choice enhance the gaming experience, without taking away that same freedom later. A Highland Song is a sublime exploration of coming of age, Scottish history and the myths that arise where man and nature meet.

The world of Pandora offers enormous potential for a video game, and Massive Entertainment has fully exploited that potential with an open game world characterized by fantastic natural environments and stunning details. Unfortunately, the hackneyed missions and shallow combat get in the way of a truly compelling open-world adventure, making the game feel like a mediocre copy of Far Cry in terms of gameplay.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is not a full-fledged Call of Duty, but it is marketed as such. This has major consequences for quality. Whether that quality is relevant to you depends on the mode you buy the game for. The single player is boring, short and bad. The multiplayer is nostalgic, but is also too safe an update of the predecessor with old maps. The Zombies mode is different, big and exciting. So have fun, maybe?

Jusant remains continuously fun thanks to varied climbing puzzles and an impressive game world. Based on that world, Just also tells a moving story with an emotional ending. This is one of those games that you probably want to skip at the tail end of an incredibly busy gaming year, but Gamer.nl recommends otherwise.

Alan Wake 2 keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. If not with survival horror action, then with an abundance of unexpected plot points and gameplay sequences. This sequel is really completely unique in that respect. Not all risks taken pay off, but Alan Wake 2 is an adventure in atmosphere, story and surprise that you really cannot miss.

To move forward, sometimes you first have to take a step back. Colossal Order is laying a foundation that it can build on for years to come, but currently has its own predecessor as its main competitor.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is surprising, creative and at the same time a worthy, two-dimensional sequel to Super Mario Odyssey.

Spider-Man 2 is a by-the-book sequel. It offers more of everything that worked so well in the previous parts. This results in an incredibly good and smoothly playable game that oozes fun, but Insomniac often makes the safest choices, so the game does not often surprise.

It makes Cocoon the ultimate example of what a game should strive for: full of puzzles and a strange world to intrigue you, perfectly folded into a final product where it is unclear where the world ends and the user interface begins. It's a game that requires no tutorials or explanations - playing it is as natural as riding a bike. Despite this simplicity, a complex game quickly forms that will haunt your mind for a long time. Cocoon is a game that we can point to for years to come as an example of a perfect puzzle game.

If you are stripped far enough, you will eventually be in your shirt. Assassin's Creed Mirage also experiences this. Everything that does not have to do with assassinations is omitted, but nothing new is added either. The result is at times nostalgic and entertaining, but ultimately as fleeting as a mirage.

Forza Motorsport is an ode to motorsport. Here it's still about petrol, roaring engines, gravel traps and old-fashioned circuits. It is the representation of a culture as it once was: loud, theatrical, bold and yet also a bit masculine. It leads to an intriguing game: never before has it been so cool and exciting to race through the fog at Spa Francorchamps with a souped-up Toyota Celica or a factory version of the Porsche 911 GT3. The only thing missing? A good and varied single player.

EA Sports FC 24 is in everything but the name 'just' another new Fifa, but a Fifa that we finally enjoy playing again. The smoother animations are the ultimate lubricant that finally addresses the biggest pain point of recent years.

Mortal Kombat 1 mainly draws strength from the formula that made the series great. This means a high degree of accessibility, completely bizarre and grotesque characters and of course blood that flows (very) freely. The Kameo fighters are an excellent addition that give the gameplay the necessary depth. This means that Mortal Kombat 1 remains fun to play for a long time, even if you are already tired of the gruesome fatalities.

Lies of P is more than just a Bloodborne clone, although we'd be lying if we said it's just for inspiration. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, they say. Quite literally translating is exactly what happened here, but fortunately the developers have also given it their own look. Lies of P tells a fascinating story, scores above average on the aspects that make a soulslike good and even adds some innovative game mechanics. Look beyond your nose, squint a little and you will still get Bloodborne Remastered this year.