Call of Duty: Black Ops III is a big step forward on multiplayer play, the quality of the single-player story, the imaginative story paths, and the outstanding quality of the wide-open landscapes, and the wide variety of enemies. I suspect that Activision has a very good chance of restoring the series to record levels in comparison to the last couple of years.

I really like Game of Thrones on HBO, but I’m enamored with this game. Something about having ownership of character decisions in a fantasy story that lives up to the legend of George R.R. Martin is incredible.

Borderlands 2 is everything fans of the original could have hoped for. No, it doesn't mess with a formula that already proved itself. Instead it supports the framework for a great role-playing game with a bigger world, while offering more customization options for its players. It's also one of the funnier games you're likely to play this year.

Prison Architect is arguably one of the most important and disturbing games I’ve ever played.

I was not expecting to love Unity, but I do. Ubisoft nailed the big assassination missions and everything in between.

Octodad is a great example of a game that conveys a message through gameplay. In conjunction with its story, characters, and setting, the controls offer an empathetic look into the life of an extreme outsider trying to fit in and trying to do right by his family...I love that. Gaming is growing up, and Octodad is some of the best evidence of that.

That’s the heart of Hitman: giving players the power to create their own stories. And that’s as big and powerful as ever in Hitman 2. So I don’t care if it’s not the newest thing in the world. It’s still one of the most solid and rewarding games you can get. And it’s an ideal antidote to games that are more obsessed with looking immersive than playing great.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is an epic adventure, and it’s a story well told and well played.

The characters can be intriguing, subtle, or over-the-top. But you remember them, and that’s saying much more than I can about other RPGs I’ve played this year.

Card game enthusiasts, in particular, will probably find a lot to like here. Tequila Games has a great creation here, and if it continues to update Earthcore and add new cards and challenges, I only see it getting better.

In Sheep’s Clothing continues on the brutal and downright insane path that Smoke and Mirrors began. It’s a little on the short side, but Telltale uses the time to maximum effect through heightened drama and expansion of the game’s world and society. It’ll leave you excited for the final episode and angry that you can’t play it immediately after finishing this one.

While this is a game about a gang of sociopaths killing thousands of enemies and collecting a bunch of stupid blue things that give them magical powers, it’s secretly about a gang of puckish rogues that care deeply for one another. It’s admirable that Volition even attempted something like that. It’s astounding that it succeeded.

It delights in its subject matter, and what the protagonist lacks in dialogue, they make up for in puckish charm. Yes, the story is short, but it doesn’t waste any of its space or time. It’s a wonderful game to play, especially now before the really massive releases start later this year.

Bravely Second is something of a rare JRPG sequel. It features the same battle system, world, and many familiar characters from the original. The new Jobs and even more convenient features for grinding make it a fun adventure for anyone who loved the original.

A dynamic, fun, and challenging experience in a unique setting. The simple presentation belies the complexity and variety of gameplay. Gamers looking for a cerebral puzzler with a high replay value would be well-advised to check it out. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more enjoyable prison experience.

I’ve played many games in this series, including Shogun: Total War and Total War: Rome, and I have been amazed each time by the improvements in gameplay and graphics. This title is the most impressive yet, and I can easily see someone sinking in hundreds of hours — without running into constant reruns of gameplay or visuals.

This is another fantastic collection of Mega Man games, this time highlighting two series that you may have missed if you didn’t have a Game Boy Advance or DS.

The quintessential pick-up-and-play party game, especially now that multiplayer has been added. Anyone can "get it" within seconds of grabbing the controller, and the difficulty ramps up much more smoothly than in the original.

If you're a fan of Mega Man but feel uneasy about how Mega Man 11 looks or adds to the formula, don't. This is a fantastic 2D action game worthy of the Blue Bomber's name.

It doesn’t pander to the player like a child, taking a long time to reach a modicum of difficulty. It’s under the impression that we’re here for a challenge and provides just that for us. Fairly, that is, so that the only one to blame for our violent rage quits are ourselves.

Sniper Elite 5 is exactly what I want from the series: new maps, new Nazis, and new ways to kill them. The only real let down is that the graphics have not evolved evolved from the last couple of iterations. The levels look great and are fun to explore, they just don’t have a next generation feel. That said, this game is an absolute blast. The time I’ve spent stalking Nazis in the French countryside has been quite enjoyable. The additions and tweaks between this and the last game add to the experience instead of detracting or distracting. I can’t wait to get back into France and kill some more Nazis with my friends.

Life Is Strange’s conclusion is as effective and powerful an ending as we could hope for. It’s been an emotional, haunting, and often ridiculous time following Max and her friends on their timey-wimey quest, and I’m going to miss them.

Bringing such an interesting, varied, and challenging game to consoles was a great move by Square Enix for the franchise. It’s more Final Fantasy than any recent Final Fantasy game.

Diablo III on the Switch is my new favorite way to play the game.

Day of the Tentacle is a classic, and this remastered version is a great way for old fans to see the time-hopping adventure looking its best. Hopefully, it’ll also give a new generation of players a chance to experience all of the silliness for themselves...The few technical terrors I encountered were annoying, but they only momentarily zapped the smile that I wore throughout the rest of my playtime.

Toward the end, Genderwrecked drops its pretenses and casual memes. I almost felt like it was rewarding me for making it so far — like it trusted me enough now to show its emotional core.

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is charming, fun, and — in a rarity for Nintendo’s Wii U ports — right-priced for the Switch.

The pacing becomes somewhat sluggish right before you hit the final act, but from there it moves at a 100 miles an hour. I didn’t leave my couch until well after the credits rolled.

But the reason that I so unreservedly love this take on Game of Thrones is because it also has a great story that acts as a canvas for you to express these characters upon. And like any great story, I’m looking forward to the final chapter with mixed emotions because I don’t want this to end.

As a game, The Phantom Pain excels. The stealth and action work beautifully in the open-world setting, and maintaining your Mother Base gives you plenty of rewards. It’s long, fun, and gives players tons of variety. I just wish that the story offered more.

If you ever had any love for the originals, you’ll smile like an idiot seeing how good they look now.

Samus Returns has an appropriate name. It really does feel like a homecoming for a franchise that I love. It’s great to be playing a new 2D Metroid.

I never thought I would be this enthusiastic about an MMO again, but I’m in love with A Realm Reborn. Its beautiful world always offers something fun and interesting to do.

While Episode 1 had the unenviable task of reintroducing people to the world of The Walking Dead — Episode 2: A House Divided takes off running with numerous action sequences and tension-filled scenarios that will keep you guessing until the end.

If you’re a fan of classic action-platformers, The Messenger is another indie game that you need to own. It’s much more than a tribute to Ninja Gaiden.

FIFA 13 is irritating and painful yet wonderful and nuanced, just like the sport it so painstakingly emulates.

I’m blown away by how well thought out the base design in Dead or Alive 5: Last Round is.

It's a cute, easy-to-play, innovative brawler presented with humor and a well-developed sense of fun. It's even more fun played through with a partner or two, and though the vs. multiplayer isn't to my taste, I'm sure many gamers will like it.

Despite the slightly higher cost of admission ($75 versus $60), and the addictive yet very wallet-unfriendly collectible aspect, Skylanders Swap Force is still a great game and a great value for the content and replayability you get right out of the box.

God of War is an exhilarating, beautiful action game that turns one of PlayStation's biggest icons into a character you can care about.

Like many penultimate television episodes, Episode 4: Amid the Ruins serves to set up the series’ finale by applying pressure to The Walking Dead’s characters and upping the stakes. Clementine’s group has never been more desperate.

Horizon 2 doesn’t just use the Kinect well. It also is one of the best games for the Xbox One controller, and it’s all about those force feedback-capable triggers.

If you’re unsure if you’re ready for more Trials — but you loved the previous games — you’ll find plenty to love here. Just make sure to hold a conclave with your friends to agree on a platform.

Evoland II may not offer the most amazing gameplay of any title you pick up this year, but its charm, writing, and storyline will keep you entertained and playing on through all the genres and graphical styles it represents. It’s a mashup on a grand scale — and a successful one — bringing together many of the elements that make us love all those games individually.

Final Fantasy XV has its problems, but it’s filled with enough special moments that you can forgive the issues. The combat is fluid, thoughtful, and cinematic while the open world gives you a ton to do. If you hated Final Fantasy XIII because of its linearity and lack of anything to do outside of the main story, you’ll dig just how much stuff Final Fantasy XV has to offer.

After spending over 60 hours with the new expansion, I can say that it’s one of my favorite game expansions in recent history. If you are a fan of Monster Hunter Rise, then you should consider playing the new content. I have enjoyed my time with Sunbreak and can’t wait to continue my adventures with my friends, taking on new challenges, and reaping the rewards. All right, hunters; we’ll see you in the field.

I liked how the single-player campaign drew me into the characters like Vargas, Price, Soap and Laswell. The story had something to say and it delivered some incredible action scenes like firefights on both the inside and the outside of a glass skyscraper. It makes us stop and think about modern warfare. But the game doesn’t forget that the reason we’re all here and reporting for duty again is the fun.

Monster Hunter: World is one of the more rewarding action role-playing games I've played in recent years.

No, it's no Dark Souls with mechs, but Armored Core VI carves out its own identity.

Most of what this adventure does is refreshing and just plain charming — especially for its take-my-money-please $39.99 price. The title made me smile with its top-notch production value, radiant world, and phenomenal music.

Blackout is so fun that it could be a game unto itself, complete with set pieces that the players themselves create, either through bloopers in my case or amazing expert gameplay by others. It might take you 30 matches to become proficient at it.

Thanks to Episode 5: No Time Left, I spent nearly three hours sitting at my computer with a knot in my stomach and a few unshed tears in my eyes. It's rare to play a game that moves you emotionally, makes you care about its characters, and causes you to gasp out loud as it shocks and disgusts you.

Most impressively, Iconoclasts evokes nostalgia without feeling derivative. It hits a lot of character tropes, but it manages never to feel stale thanks to fantastic visuals, a memorable world, and solid gameplay.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions brings the series’ gorgeous, twin-stick action successfully to iOS. The graphics and music are as good as ever, the variety and options are staggering, and the controls work. It’s a game that absolutely must be on your iOS device.

Any gamer who’s a fan of puzzle games, brain teasers or adventure games will enjoy Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, especially if they’re not afraid to pull out a notebook and get writing while playing. It’s a fantastic story wrapped in a solid foundation of gameplay, and what few drawbacks there are don’t take away from the experience in any way that matters. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a game that’ll challenge and reward you equally, and it’s one of the best overall experiences I’ve had in 2024 so far.

I enjoyed the ending, but it was so long. I had to wipe the sweat off my forehead. But it felt so good to be done.

Tekken 8 is a robust package that features some of the most satisfying digital fisticuffs I’ve ever seen.

If you strip away the Rauser parts and the catchy soundtrack, Luftrausers would still stand on its own because of its excellent gameplay. But those features add so much depth and excitement that they actually pushed me to become a better player.

This may be one of the most memorable handheld titles you’ll play this year. And what a special year it is.

Splatoon 2 is just an easy game to like. It’s bright, cheery, and employs endless tricks in a constant quest to make you smile.

You’ve got to be in the mood for Talos. It’s demanding of your time and attention, especially if you’re the type that wants to finish most things you start. And you’ve got to have a love affair with words...But if that describes you … this game can be magical. The result is a little melancholy, a little melodramatic, but one of the better puzzle game presentations I’ve ever played.

As it progresses, you move from overconfident to worried to intensely focused, extremely frustrated, and, finally, triumphant.

A great selection of games make this a strong collection, and I also appreciate the accouterments that Digital Eclipse has thrown into the package. If you're a beat-'em-up or a TMNT fan, The Cowabunga Collection is going to offer a lot of fun for you and your friends.

It’s a much bigger game than the original, giving you plenty of land to explore and tons of missions to beat. It feels so much different from your typical big-budget console game these days. It’s more of a comic book than an action movie, allowing players to delight in their own heroics. It’s one of the PlayStation 4’s most stunning and entertaining exclusives.

This game offers a potential for endless hours of fun...We all expected a knock-off, but this fighter has an identity that's completely unique.

It has more than enough to satisfy the hungriest RPG fans: fun exploration, in-depth combat, and a scope that will keep players engaged for a very long time.

I have little to complain about regarding the single-player campaign. It’s a fun shooter that brings back aspects of classic design (like health packs and sprawling levels) that I didn’t realize I missed so much...The multiplayer doesn’t make as much of an impact. It feels safe compared to the unapologetically old-school campaign. Still, it’s a fun bonus for one of the most exhilarating, chaotic shooting experiences I’ve had in a long time.

Devil Survivor 2 was already an enormous game, but Record Breaker nearly doubles up on that with a new epilogue...It’s not easy, and it’s certainly not short, but Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker is one of the best strategy role-playing experiences available for the 3DS.

The story of God of War Ragnarök may not be as straightforward as it was in God of War, but that’s to its credit. It’s messy and complicated, but that makes the emotional payoff all the better. The gameplay remains largely unchanged, which unfortunately does lose it some points with me, but it does feel enjoyable when the player can settle into a rhythm. God of War Ragnarök is an exceptionally good game, and if you loved the last one, you’ll almost certainly love this one too.

For those who know what they’re doing, the seasoned grand strategy player, they’re going to find more of what they love — and better ways to exploit what they love and determine their destiny.

It's unfortunate that 343 didn't stretch past the standard Halo playbook instead of falling back to so many recognizable gameplay beats (and I do wonder if that was a conscious decision meant to counter the "Will it be Halo?" doubters), but the gameplay itself offsets those issues. The level design is a precision instrument. Above and beyond that, Halo 4 expertly folds an intimate story into an epic scope, taking risks with iconic characters and sticking the landing every time.

Crypt of the NecroDancer has reminded me how creative, original, and fun video games can be. I’ve switched it off at 2 a.m. more than once this week, forcing myself to break from a dangerously addictive “one more go” loop as I tried in vain to beat the damn thing.

Twilight Princess succeeds largely because of its fantastic dungeons, and the HD enhancements are enough to give fans an excuse to go riding through the plains of Hyrule once more.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is one of the biggest and best games available for any handheld game system, and it still stands as one of the best role-playing games in recent years, handheld or otherwise.

People who got into the fighting game community with Street Fighter IV may not want to hear this, but from a base design, Street Fighter V is by far the superior game. Capcom has paved over and smoothed out a lot of the things I didn’t like about Street Fighter IV’s design. A lot of those issues created poor play habits, which makes it feels like Capcom is making small steps to mature the game, and in turn is trying to mature how the player base plays fighting games.

Children deserve massive, explorable worlds just as much as adults. It’s wonderful that TT Fusion took that concept and made a fully functioning and largely non-violent world without sacrificing action. You won’t miss firing guns or swinging lightsabers in Lego City — not when you’re scouring the landscape for super builds and smashing everything in sight.

Enough defining design elements of the Elder Scrolls single-player RPGs have been successfully grafted onto the traditional MMO template to make The Elder Scrolls Online feel like what an Elder Scrolls massively multiplayer online game ought to be.

Disney Infinity 3.0 is an improvement over its predecessors in nearly every conceivable way. While it is still features a cartoony style that doesn’t quite push the limits of modern consoles, it is an enjoyable game (especially if you have children to share it with) with as much content as the Death Star has destructive power.

It is a rare title that all generations or genders of players can enjoy. I heartily recommend it, as there are no rotten vegetables in this game.

The story is quite elaborate, the human character animations are outstanding, the performances are great, and there are some real moving moments in the game

This is a good installment, but the stutter in combat makes me wonder if it’s as polished as it should be. The game has crashed on me sometimes during Blitz modes in particular, with a lot of players. But overall it held up tremendously well in multiplayer as I fought my way to the first Prestige level and got through it with a 0.84 kill/death ratio. In fact, the more I played the more I enjoyed multiplayer.

Starfield is not a perfect game, and I can see some players becoming frustrated with some of its bigger imperfections. It’s a game that offers a massive world that’s not always particularly full, which could turn off some players. However, past its initial rocky start, Starfield feels special and interesting and deserves to be tried at least. More than anything else, I’m curious to see where the Bethesda audience takes Starfield. Each game from the company has its own dedicated community and I want to see what Starfield’s community will look like in a few months’ or years’ time.

This is how you spiff up an older game. What could have been a cynical attempt to double-dip into Nintendo fans’ wallets actually turns out to be the Mario Kart series’ definitive entry. The racing looks and feels just as great as it did on the Wii U, but the addition of battle modes finally makes it feel like a complete package...Add in the new characters and the Wii U DLC content, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a fantastic addition to the Switch’s early library.

If you're only going to get one of the Mega Man X Legacy Collections, definitely go for this one.

Golem Arcana bills itself as a “digitally enhanced miniatures war game,” and it certainly excels at what it sets out to do.

The Disney side is still the best side of Kingdom Hearts, and Kingdom Hearts III nails that part. But even it's story, as ridiculous as it is, gives fans emotional moments and satisfaction.

Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix offers old fans a great excuse to play some of the series’ older installments while also giving curious newcomers the best way to get their first fix.

Fire Emblem: Fates is a fantastic turn-based strategy game. If you’re worried about the multiple versions, you don’t need to be. You’ll get a full experience with a single campaign, but it’s great to know that you can keep going and discover new content long after beating a single path.

Act 1 was just an appetizer. Act 2 is the meaty main course that defines Broken Age — and not just because it finishes the story. It’s where Double Fine let loose and went crazy with the puzzles (and the complex train of thought you need to solve them).

Smashing baddies, exploring dungeons, and scrounging for as much money and items as you can find is a satisfying departure from many strategy-heavy games coming out these days. Dragon’s Crown is a nostalgic return to classic side-scrolling brawlers found in arcades in the early ’90s, complete with flashing “go” arrows and food that falls out of villains and chests.

The online features drag the experience down a bit. If you’re someone hoping for a good online multiplayer experience with Ultimate, you’ll be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a fun fighting games to play with friends on a couch, nothing serves you better than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Yes, nostalgia plays a big part in my enjoyment of these games, but I don’t have blind love for The Disney Afternoon Collection. These side-scrollers have just as much charm now as they did in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and I’m thankful I can finally own DuckTales 2 and Chip n’ Dale Rescue Rangers 2 without spending hundreds of dollars at a retro gaming store. This is a loving and handsome collection. If you had any affinity for these games growing up, I guarantee that they’ll still make you smile.

It’s even more remarkable that all of this exists in a browser-based game.

I adored Heist and didn’t really play much of the first Dig, but I now consider myself a fan of the SteamWorld canon. Image & Form is doing great work with this universe, and I wouldn’t want to miss this sequel. Even if you’re going from Metroid: Samus Returns, which is similar, directly into Dig 2, I still think you’ll come away thrilled and looking in the developer’s direction hoping they have something else new coming very soon.

Machine also brought the most amazing characters, quality storytelling, and well-paced gameplay to The New Colossus. You’ll want to spend time with these people and discover their fate — sometimes that will warm your heart and sometimes it will break it.

It is one of the most feature-rich asynchronous multiplayer games I’ve ever played. I love having all of these ways of competing against my friends, and I think the Blueprint events are a smart way to make the game feel more personal and connected. I plan on making at least a few more missions and sending them to all of my friends after Horizon goes live later this month.

Ubisoft Montpellier has created one of the best Metroidvanias ever, one that can stand up to the legacy of the genre founders and the modern masterpieces.

The end result is a video game that looks, sounds, and feels incredible. And it’s one that should appeal to long-time fans and people who are new to skateboarding entirely.