It's a downsized version of Rocket League that streamlines and shrinks the experience, without sacrificing its fundamental nature. It also brilliantly takes advantage of the mobile medium with super-quick games, easy-to-understand mechanics, and excellent controls. Sideswipe is a smaller, quicker, lighter-weight version of Rocket League that still captures why the original is so endearing, and it's absolutely a game you should make space for on your phone.

Mutant Year Zero's clever focus on stealth and pre-combat preparation reward your diligence, its turn-based combat encounters are complex, and they help bolster its all-encompassing post-apocalyptic atmosphere. It is a superb tactical combat campaign that you shouldn't let sneak past.

Mario Kart World is a massive, sprawling sequel that playfully expands and iterates on the qualities that made Mario Kart 8 Deluxe such an enduring success. It's an incredibly fun and rewarding kart racing experience that's easy to understand, with enough mechanical nuance to reward veteran kart racers, all presented beautifully as a Switch 2 showpiece. It will be shocking if this game doesn't enjoy the same long-term success of its predecessor, because it's among the best in the series and a worthy marquee title for the launch of a new Nintendo console.

An astonishing and moving postapocalyptic journey.

FighterZ is complex and distinct enough to be enjoyed by fighting game competitors, but there's no question that it's been designed to tap into the hearts of Dragon Ball's most dedicated fans, and no doubt those same qualities will win people over who've never given the series a chance.

An incredibly atmospheric and disturbingly gruesome deep-space adventure that will haunt your dreams and leave you begging for more.

It's a heartwarming joy to get to know each of the calicorns I found on my journey to the mountain, and it's because of the loving bonds I'd formed with each of them that its central gameplay mechanic works so well, both in my hands and in my heart.

Modern Warfare 2 nails the three pillars of play--campaign, cooperative, and multiplayer--to earn its place in the pantheon of modern shooters.

Where past games attempted to get there through huge character rosters and deliberately predictable trips down memory lane, FighterZ has bottled the essence of what makes the series' characters, animation, and sense of humor so beloved and reconfigured it into something new: a Dragon Ball fighting game that can go toe-to-toe with the best of the genre.

It's no surprise that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is still a spectacular game. The near-perfect recreation of two of gaming's most beloved titles has been improved upon in some smart ways, utilizing the power of both the PS5 and Xbox Series X to push the image quality, resolution, and frame rate to new heights. And if the PS5 ever gets an update to add VRR support, the Performance mode will shine just as bright as it does on the Xbox Series X.

Sable is a little rough around the edges, then, yet these shortcomings are far outweighed by its numerous strengths. This is a relaxing adventure that's both familiar and quite unlike anything else. It gives you the freedom to approach things at your own pace--in your own way--while managing to dispel any notions of aimlessness. Even if you don't have a particular objective in mind, you're guaranteed to discover new sights and sounds by hopping on your hoverbike and simply exploring. It's the antithesis to most open-world design, where the onus is on getting you to the next point of interest as soon as possible, and so it stands out even if you remove its beautiful art style from the equation. Sable is methodical, introspective, comforting, and fully deserving of your time.

It's no surprise that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is still a spectacular game. The near-perfect recreation of two of gaming's most beloved titles has been improved upon in some smart ways, utilizing the power of both the PS5 and Xbox Series X to push the image quality, resolution, and frame rate to new heights. And if the PS5 ever gets an update to add VRR support, the Performance mode will shine just as bright as it does on the Xbox Series X.

Only Bloodborne would be so bold as to bury an entire factional player-versus-player mechanic within an optional region, which is in turn buried within a series of oblique steps you might miss if you aren't exploring every nook and cranny, or ignore the game's enigmatic hints. I finished Bloodborne in less time than I did Dark Souls II, yet I treasure it more in spite of its few missteps.

An all-around excellent game that confidently challenges, head-on, all the other WWII-themed shooters out there and comes out on top.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and The Lost Demon is a testament to thinking outside the box. While I don't suspect Platinum Games will pivot to this new style of gameplay and storytelling in future Bayonetta games in the same way Breath of the Wild or God of War (2018) shifted the direction of their respective franchises, I cannot help but be thankful that the studio trusted the vision of its team enough to create this experience. Though with how fantastic every aspect of the game is, I understand why the developer did.

Little by little, you learn the rules--and little by little, you wonder why there are so few games so willing to trust you to examine and explore. That it believes in you is Original Sin's greatest achievement, and given its many achievements, that's high praise indeed.

Fueled by smooth platforming, striking visuals, wacky situations, and infectious beats, Rayman Legends is a nifty platformer that exudes unabashed delight.

FIFA 12 is the definitive football game: challenging, addictive, and with more excellent features than ever before.

Despite some small graphical compromises in 3D mode--rare frame rate stuttering and some occasional pop-in--almost everything in Dragon Quest XI on Switch is an improvement on its original release. If you have been putting off playing this RPG masterpiece, this portable edition is absolutely the way to go--and if you want to revisit it, this version is the perfect excuse to do so.

It uses absurd scenes to imbue this feisty adventure with enough variety to keep you continually amazed, and presents every disparate scenario with expert care. Rayman Legends' off-kilter identity serves as the foundation for this wild and crazy journey.

Puppeteer is a little quirky, perhaps even a little insane in places, but unashamedly so. And you know what? It works brilliantly.

It's rare when a racing game manages to modernize and reinvigorate an old formula with spectacular confidence, but Wreckfest does just that.

Forza Horizon 5 is another meaningful evolution of the series as opposed to a reinvention, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a case of more of the same. Even when it is familiar, Forza Horizon 5 makes small, but thoughtful changes to its established blueprint that hones in on the people behind the cars in a way that the franchise has previously just glossed over. It's not going to convince you to give it a go if Forza Horizon's brand of racing hasn't done it for you in the past, but Forza Horizon 5 still stands head and shoulders above anything else in the genre.

Sound Shapes is a remarkable convergence of music and platforming. Because I've played through the main albums so many times, the levels didn't hit me as powerfully as they once did. But the community levels hammered home just how singular and enthralling this game is.

Its extremely well-crafted gameplay, host of new modes and unlockables, upgraded presentational aspects, and truly amazing commentary easily outdo any issues the game might suffer from. The sum of its parts add up to one of, if not, the finest hockey games ever created.

The lethal and regal presence of the king's phantomlike tigers makes for a welcome change of pace.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is, through and through, a delight. The inventive setting, swashbuckling macabre tone, an enjoyable cast of phenomenal characters, and a compelling gameplay loop all come together for a uniquely satisfying stealth-strategy experience. I can not only recommend it, but I truly hope it's the start of a franchise so that I can spend more time with me mateys.

It's visually impressive and aurally incredible, and it essentially is a superb entry in the shooter genre.