Frostpunk 2 is a worthy successor to the original Frostpunk in every single way. It keeps the systems that made the original great while further expanding on the concept by including new governance mechanics that make the game feel fresh and new. It's a must-play for existing Frostpunk fans and a good entry point into the series for newcomers to the franchise.

Charming, comedic, and uplifting. The Plucky Squire tells a fantastic hero's journey that works as both an excellent game and a picture book.

GRIME is worth every second of your time, even with the middle section from hell. Its bosses and music alone are worth the price of admission, but you’ve got an impressively built Metroidvania with RPG and Souls-like elements here, as well. It rewards exploration and finds new ways to challenges players at every turn, and some of its unique mechanics stand shoulder to shoulder with other titans of any of its influences.

In the end, The War Within is the expansion that WoW needed. It finally feels like Blizzard is starting to listen to their players. If you used to be a player and enjoyed the first expansions, I recommend giving this latest addition a try. After years of lacklustre content, I’m overjoyed that what was once one of my favorite games has been returned to a state where playing is fun again.

Stunlock Studios has created a smash hit in V Rising. Not only is it a solid survival game, but it introduces creative mechanics to the genre that often depends on tried and true practices. The narrative is primed with areas the dev team can expand into, which I’m really looking forward to.

Phantom Liberty is Cyberpunk 2077 at its best. All in all, I was very impressed by both Phantom Liberty and the 2.0 update to Cyberpunk 2077. Do they revolutionize the game or make it the second coming of heaven we all expected back in 2020? No, not even close. Are they going to change people’s minds about the game? Absolutely not. But if you enjoyed the base game even a little bit, I can wholeheartedly recommend Phantom Liberty‘s price tag.

Despite a combat system that gets old quickly, Paper Mario: The Origami King's writing, puzzles, worldbuilding, and visuals make it the best entry in the series since The Thousand-Year Door.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes has the nostalgic feel of a '90s JRPG but revitalizes the genre with lovable characters and epic strategy sequences.

Intergrade's Episode Yuffie may be short, but it's a significant step up in Remake's storytelling and renews my faith in the remaining chapters.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is the best the series has to offer, a showcase of creative design and smart strategy. It's one of the most enjoyable experiences on the Switch.

An enjoyable blend of story, puzzle-solving, and the ever-looming threat of spectacular, expensive failure keeps you coming back for more in Hardspace: Shipbreaker.

Chivalry 2's ability to convert chaos into exuberance gifts players with an experience that brilliantly hones in on one of the greatest aspects of gaming: fun.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a superb "equal" that builds on Three Houses in the best possible ways.

Super Mario RPG has officially taken Super Mario Wonder’s spot for being the most lighthearted and delightfully quirky game I’ve played this year. The lovely characters, goofy villains, and vibrant world offer so much fun to be had. It’s also frequently funny, a testament to how enjoyable and unserious the writing is. As someone playing the game for the first time, I felt nostalgic for a time when games felt as light as laughter and as warm as a good hug. Overall, it holds up today, which I think would be true even without the updated visuals, since at its core, Super Mario RPG is simply timeless.

Cozy Grove presents island life sans crass Capitalistic Raccoon Overlords, and is a lovely experience through and through. If you took Animal Crossing and just indie’d the hell out of it, you’d get Cozy Grove.

Disgaea 6 is focused more on improving what's already here, and it more than succeeds in that task. Yes, NIS will have to add some more substantial changes to the series beyond just some tweaks here and there one day. With Defiance of Destiny, I'm happy to wait a while longer for that day.

Little Kitty, Big City is a casual adventure and exploration game done right. Double Dagger’s love for its four-legged protagonist is evident throughout, blending classic platforming elements with an engrossing open world filled to the brim with colorful characters, quests to solve, and items to collect. To that end, the studio’s multi-platform project is bound to keep players charmed and entertained, if only for an afternoon gaming session.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is an excellent spin-off that adds its own twists to what makes Borderlands great.

Lies of P has a horror aesthetic that makes this iteration of Pinocchio unique. The subtle world-building is great for those who look for it, but those who try to just rush through the story can miss out. The truly scary part of Lies of P is the combat. Boss battles can be cruel and frustrating sometimes, even feeling unfair due to the controls that are hard to master. But if you stick through it, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience. Souls fans shouldn’t sleep on Lies of P.

Judgment remastered is a fine return for 2019’s Yakuza spin-off. Though all of its changes are purely technical, it's the best version of this detective thriller. As a direct remaster, previous frustrations remain, such as the lengthy target tailing sequences and unnecessary drone crafting mechanics. But when you’ve got such an engaging story packed with content and a keen sense of style, Remastered is undeniably the best way to play Judgment.

I can't imagine any of Hi-Fi RUSH getting old. It's so vibrant, so full of life, and so unique. It stands out in a world where many AAA releases seem determined to be anything but. Add in the replay value of chasing high scores and Rhythm Tower, which functions a lot like Devil May Cry's Bloody Palace mode, and this is a game that you can play for a long time.

Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition makes a great game even better with a new character, new modes, and overhauled visuals for next-gen consoles.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is an outstanding RPG and a big step forward for Ys, with superb story, combat, and characters — plus one of the best settings in the series. Ys IX: might not do everything perfectly, but it's one heck of a wild ride and a good contender for the best Ys game to date.

It plays well, it’s got a lot to say and it’s toying with its own narrative in unique, fascinating ways. We’ll be talking about Alan Wake 2 for years to come.

Overall, I would recommend Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed to Disney fans most of all, but also to 3D platformer fans. It is worth delving into if you have played the original 2010 title or if this is all new. It’s fantastic fun for the whole family.

Trails from Zero might be missing a few features it could, and maybe even should, have had, but if you've never played it before, don't let that hold you back from giving it a try. This decade-old RPG lost none of its potency as time wore on and remains an essential experience. In short, Zero is a remarkable feat of RPG storytelling and worldbuilding; even 12 years after its original release, little else like it exists.

Super Mega Baseball has never been given the accolades it's deserved, but this is the year baseball fans will finally notice this all-star.

Astro's Playroom proves that the DualSense's haptics and adaptive triggers are for real — and that Astro Bot could have a very bright future on PlayStation 5. It's a stunning display of the thought and care Sony has put into the DualSense controller. And it's a solid platformer that everyone should play at least once.

Diablo 4 feels like a statement game from Blizzard, a “we’re back” for anyone who was concerned after Diablo 3’s rough launch and the middling reception to Diablo Immortal. It’s the sequel to Diablo 2 people have been waiting for, and it doesn’t disappoint. Diablo 4 is a game about legacies, so it’s fitting that in developing it, Blizzard has re-solidified the franchise’s — and its own.

TMNT make a triumphant return in this pixel-perfect sequel to the classic arcade brawler. If you have a soft spot for classic arcade brawlers of the 80s and 90s, Shredder’s Revenge is a damn near perfect homage and sequel to one of the best of the era. It doesn't get much better than this.

Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is one of the finest rhythm games of all time. Even if you don’t have a special attachment to the Final Fantasy series, you’re still bound to connect with this game on some level. It’s impossible not to with some of the most iconic, exciting, and evocative songs in all of gaming. It helps that such memorable tracks are backed up by the franchise's most engaging and complex gameplay to date.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, highly customizable, punishing but fun mech action game, there’s no other game on the market I can recommend more than Armored Core 6. Its few foibles are easy enough for me to forgive, and if you can break through some of its early walls, I guarantee you will find a magical experience unlike anything else on the market right now.

Nothing in Amnesia: The Bunker feels like a waste of time except a strangely out-of-place final boss encounter. And though it’s a shame Frictional Games couldn’t muster up a spookier atmosphere to elevate the experience to its zenith, this is still an A-plus horror experience that all fans should play.

Wraith: The Oblivion — Afterlife is a wonderful example of what a pure horror survival game made exclusively for VR can be. It forces you to be slow and deliberate. It rewards you for making the most use of your physical play area as you slip out of harm's way or sniff out Barclay Mansion's many secrets. It also hosts a cast of interesting characters, and each of its monstrous specters has a fascinating backstory to seek out.

The Nioh Collection brings two of the most satisfying last-gen games to next-gen, offering improvements both new and returning players are sure to love. If you’re looking for a new game to beat you into submission before you learn its secrets, and you want to play the best version of it, pick up the Nioh Collection. It will hurt, but you’ll get so much more in return.

One Step From Eden is a fantastic rogue-like deck-building game that is a few small tweaks away from perfection.

Stray takes about five to six hours to finish, but it makes use of that short run time to tell a touching story between a cat and a robot drone. Its controls feel great and impactful, whether you're jumping or running. There’s so much personality to the cat, too: being able to meow on command and do cat things like knocking over items and scratching on walls is a nice touch. Stray is a tightly focused journey that is worth experiencing at least once.

The best compliment I can give Rogue Trader is that it is a faithful love letter to the Warhammer 40K universe. Many of the aspects that fans of 40K want in a CRPG game are here, from various iconic factions to superbly-designed gritty tactical combat. Most story choices feel incredibly meaningful and character-building decisions are usually fun despite a slew of useless Talents. I’d say Owlcat’s Warhammer 40K Rogue Trader can even offer a competent fight against Baldur’s Gate 3, which is saying a lot. That narrative consequences & agency system combined with a highly customizable ground & ship combat is just that good.

With enhanced graphics and modern controls, Metroid Prime is well worth playing (or replaying) on the Switch.

Doom Eternal absolutely delivers on all-fronts by blasting us with one of the most intense and satisfying single-player shooter campaigns in years.

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is legitimately the best arcade sports title to come out since Rocket League.

Wasteland 3 invokes feelings of classic RPGs such as Fallout and manages to nail the feel and tone perfectly in a modernized setting.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is another triumph return for the series — a beautiful game with only the smallest blemishes to its luster.

FUSER would be an incredibly special game if it came out last year. But now, in late 2020, it almost seems necessary. FUSER is unlike any music game you have ever played before, and that's by design.

Murder by Numbers is an exquisite detective puzzler with wonderful writing, gorgeous graphics, and masterful music.

SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters' Clash was a game I loved dearly at one time and have had a wonderful time coming back to in 2022. Fans of both SNK and Capcom can find plenty of enjoyment here, whether in the gameplay itself or just in the card art — just don't expect the bells and whistles one might expect from a modern CCG video game.

Vitamin Connection is one of the best games on Switch. It's extremely fun, creative, and great with a friend. An easy pill to swallow.

Fabledom provides hours of entertainment, but it suffers from the usual drawbacks of a city builder, such as the slow pace and drop in difficulty when you reach a stable point. Adding romance was an interesting choice, but I feel that aspect is held back by the design of city builders in general. That being said, I had fun running my city in the background and coming back to see how much progress was made. Given its design and visuals, Fabledom would be an amazing mobile game.

Bloodroots is a high-speed slash-and-bash extravaganza that always makes you want to beat "just one more level."

Last Epoch is an impressive aRPG that features a web of interconnected systems and activities. The game's time in Steam Early Access served its purpose and, rough launch and some rougher edges notwithstanding, it delivers a smooth and enjoyable experience. Not as simple as Diablo 4, and not as complex as Path of Exile, Last Epoch has something for everyone, from the casual dungeon divers to the minmax lovers ready to chase that elusive stat.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is an impressively built Metroidvania game that weaves enjoyable gameplay and deep emotional storytelling.

A sequel done right in the truest sense, improving on everything from epic monster hunting to slaying mechanics while delivering a vast fantasy world.

Serious Sam 4 is a delightfully old-school first-person shooter that doesn't bring a ton of new stuff to the table but still hits all the right notes.

Iron Harvest leverages its unique setting and strong design into an impressive and memorable RTS.

Bravely Default 2 is the best JRPG that never came out of 1998 Japan. It has a deep combat system, a sunny disposition, and a weirdly positive outlook. Don’t pick it up unless you’re willing to make it a lifestyle choice for a month or so, and you have to be at or near the maximum possible biological tolerance for classic-style JRPGs. Bravely Default 2 is the absolute Platonic ideal of the form, with upsides and downsides that are both traditional for the genre and unique to it.

With a variety of entertaining games, some lively stages, and good replayability, it’s a fun experience, especially with friends. We only wish there was more of it on offer. Though some minigames feel a little finicky, it’s otherwise a sweet treat all around.

Capcom’s latest pack of coin-op classics won’t disappoint old arcade hounds looking to re-experience their youth.

Is it actually fun to be a vampire? Let's find out together, in the latest attempt to export Vampire: The Masquerade to video games.

Thymesia is one of the best Souls-likes to enter the genre in years and is worth your time, attention, and occasional rage moment. If you played too much Elden Ring and are looking for something to provide a relatively bite-sized but tightly packed Souls experience, this is the game for you.

NHL 21 provides more of the same, and with the uncertainty of the real world season, even less of what few changes fans come to expect of yearly releases.

The Thaumaturge successfully delivers a weird and surprising RPG that is filled to the brim with narrative. Whether you’re chasing down demons, or manipulating the minds of the socially elite, you’ll feel the power of the Thaumaturge. With its complex turn-based combat and choice consequence system, there are plenty of opportunities for replayability.

Shantae has been weaving her magic for nearly 20 years and still feels distinctive amidst the sea of other platformers. Her latest romp might not feel quite as fresh as Half-Genie Hero, but it’s still a worthwhile, highly entertaining adventure.

Even if you thought you were "done" with Assassin's Creed Valhalla already, Wrath of the Druids has more than enough elements to drag you back in. It may not break a lot of new ground, but raiding monasteries, making terrible decisions, double-crossing friend and foe, and partaking in more drinking contests is good fun and a well-made complement to an already great game.

WarioWare Move It is short but filled with tons of quirky fun to be shared with friends. The Joycons are used in creative ways that'll have you in silly poses as you play through over 200 microgames.

For a game made in three years (most of that time as a completely remote team), the scale and ambition of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is most impressive. The feeling that Respawn is pushing the boundaries of the Unreal Engine past its breaking point is prevalent and demonstrable in the numerous performance issues and bugs, so you might want to wait to pick this up until many of the fixable issues have been addressed.

SteamWorld Build has the right balance of complexity and relaxing simplicity.

Othercide is a modern gothic take on turn-based tactics. It's stylish, difficult and a solid addition to the genre.

Ever thought you could do better fending off an attack from a giant monster? Kaiju Wars lets you put your money where your mouth is in this 50s retro movie-inspired game.

An emotional rollercoaster that doesn't always hit the mark with what it tries to pull off. It does, however, provide enough amazing highs to outweigh its unfortunate lows.

Midnight Suns is a salad with nice dressing and some juicy steak over cheap iceberg lettuce: I'm not here for the lettuce, but I'll certainly eat it as long as it means I get the steak. It's one of the best tactics games of the last five years.

Tavern Talk makes you a side character in a fantasy adventure, and that's surprisingly fun!

Overall, Return to Moria is a solid entry in the survival genre. It has some unique gameplay mechanics that are fun to explore, while the Middle-Earth setting lets a dedicated fanbase venture into the world in a new way. Aside from bugs that will hopefully be resolved in soon-to-come updates, I can see it being a staple among players. I know it holds a solid spot in my survival rotation.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is full of content that series fans will enjoy and offers a few unexpected surprises along the way. Even if its particular themes aren't for you, it's tough to deny the amount of bang for your buck offered with this game.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has its fair share of rough edges, but look closer, and you'll find a world full of possibility and hope wrapped in a gripping narrative and remarkable combat.

Dirt 5 continues Codemaster's tradition of creating some of the finest racing games around that have neither the words "Gran," "Forza," or "Speed" in the title.

At every turn, Avatar Frontiers is a game that boldly blooms. Each time I stepped away from the world, I found myself wishing to return. Whether I was soaring the skies on my Ikran or running through the forest floor, I was entranced by the world of Pandora. There wasn’t a moment of the game where I didn’t feel I was getting a first-hand experience of a living, breathing alien planet. However, much like James Cameron’s films, the planet’s allure outweighs the substance of the plot. So, while I certainly found myself empathizing with the Na’vi mission and my protagonist’s quest, it felt a bit run of the mill. With that in mind, newcomers to the franchise will experience an elevated hands-on version of Avatar’s initial arrival.

Axiom Verge 2 is a proper love letter to Metroid. The vast world is challenging and exciting to explore, the power-ups provide intelligent ways to solve puzzles, and the story is involving. It's not perfect though, thanks to the lackluster combat and occasional bouts of frustration.

Sometimes we wake from a dream and wish we could recall its details. Sometimes we're trapped in a nightmare and wish we could wake at all. Nightslink feels like a bit of both.

Stranger of Paradise is a mechanically rich and satisfying action RPG marred by poor balancing and performance issues.

Ghostwire Tokyo is essentially what I thought it would be, for better and for worse. It's charming but empty, ambitious but too formulaic, and it's got the most personality of any game I've played this year. I sincerely hope Tango has more Ghostwire in store, either as DLC or a sequel. Despite its issues, there's nothing else quite like it.

If what you’re looking for is a quick burst of arcade action, or just a decent action game you can jump into and play for 10 to 20 minutes, Gaiden’s got you covered. It doesn’t have quite as much depth as something like Streets of Rage 4, but its crowd-control mechanics are an entertaining addition to the basic beat-’em-up formula.

From the story and the karakuri to the kemono monsters themselves, Wild Hearts has some world-class mechanics and writing behind it. It falters in a few important places as well, especially regarding performance, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth your time and money. If you love taking down fantastical beasts of every shape and size, this time in a world inspired by feudal Japan, there’s no substitute.

Despite those issues, however, I still whole-heartedly believe this game is worth a look. Just as the interesting minutiae of the plot are enough to overcome some of the issues I had with the macro-level concept, the overall experience was more than enough to make up for having one or two bouts of irritation.

Terrifying and unique, Saturnalia delivers almost everything you could want from an indie horror game in a single stylish and accessible package.

Moving Out's familiar brand of local-multiplayer party-game fun lets everyone join in on the fun, laughter, and cursing.

Atelier Lydie & Suelle DX is a hard sell if you've already played it, but remains a stand-out Atelier game with strong heroines, excellent crafting, and good combat. If you have played it before, especially on the Switch, you’re probably better off buying Sophie and Firis separately when they go on sale since the DX version doesn’t add anything vital or new.

Cat Quest 3 is a simple but exciting action RPG that forgoes the typical epic scale of the genre to focus on short, unique challenges. But while it’s certainly great for short play sessions, its length (about 10 hours), fun recurring characters, and satisfying player progression make it worthwhile beyond those sprouts of action.

Peril on Gorgon is the first of two story DLCs for The Outer Worlds. It tells a fun tale and, like the original game, doesn't overstay its welcome.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a welcome return of an obscure, yet memorable PS2-era series. This revamp of the Wii U version still feels firmly rooted in the past, but it makes such superb use of atmospheric visual and audio effects that the overall experience is a unique take on horror games. It’s well worth giving this remake a second chance.

UnderMine is perfectly content to work in existing mine shafts instead of boring new ones, and it's a stronger experience for it. It's a comfortable, rewarding dungeon crawler with a unique identity and plenty of fun on offer. If you’re looking for something fresh and innovative, you’ll want to look elsewhere. Just know you’re missing out on a darn good time if you do.

Capcom Arcade Stadium isn’t flawless. It could definitely be more complete, but the 32 games on display here still offer a pretty great slice of gaming history. As examples of their genres, it’s amazing how well most of these games still hold up while serving to vividly illustrate just how much gaming has changed since.

Return to the world of Eldest Souls with the Depths of the Forgotten DLC, a worthy continuation of a good, sometimes great, boss rush Souls-like hybrid.

If you're looking for an RPG with deep combat systems and grueling dungeon designs, you'll want to look elsewhere. From a story perspective, though, it’s essential playing if you like RPGs at all. It might not be the most fun you’ll have with an RPG this year, but you’ll probably never forget your time with SMT 3 either.

Going Green has a great deal going for it despite its current problems. The addition of solar power is a nice touch, but the real meat to this expansion is the ability to work up essentially a farming prison colony and — darn it! — it's fun.

After Three Houses' gripping tale of political intrigue, it's certainly a little disappointing to see the series take a step backward narratively, but Fire Emblem Engage does enough well that it's not a huge drawback. Moving forward, if the franchise can combine the ideas of Three Houses and Engage, it could result in something truly special.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 makes good on its promise of revitalizing a legendary franchise, but it's modern twists aren't all clean landed.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure still plays incredibly well in 2023. The story and gameplay still hold up over a decade later even if its presentation doesn’t look the best at first glance. The political nuances and events in the game allow you to immerse yourself in the world—it makes you feel like you’re a part of something bigger. Any JRPG fan would be remiss not to pick up Azure.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is an engaging mystery that involves murders that span over a period of 100 years.