All of the little improvements, and there are tons of them, make MLB '06: The Show a masterful follow-up to last year's game.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent prequel, but it's also an emotional, thought-provoking story in its own right, and it's a world that is hard to leave when it's done.

For RGG Studio's first crack at an RPG, it's a damn fine result. It delivers what I love most about Yakuza and introduces new ideas that largely pay off. Ichiban isn't doing it alone, either. He has friends and mentors, ones who've helped him fight and overcome personal tragedies. It was an absolute thrill to watch him grow, and that's what's most important for a game so focused on its characters. Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a passing of the torch, and a fantastic entry in a beloved franchise that proves that it's in good hands with Kasuga Ichiban.

Every bit the massive shooter package that its predecessors were, and it holds the series' standard high. The thrilling and emotional return of Master Chief and Cortana is the highlight, and the campaign breaks new ground in narrative quality for the franchise. The top-notch competitive multiplayer picks up where Halo: Reach left off, infusing the action with some mainstream elements while still remaining undeniably unique.

Forza Motorsport has been gone for a long time, but it's evident that Turn 10 has used the time to reevaluate its formula and implement some striking changes that will likely ignite a new passion for simulation racing for petrolheads and bring in a swathe of new players. The inclusion of car-specific progression creates a stronger relationship between you and each car you own in your garage, with the methods of leveling each on up pushing you to hone your racing craft in the most rewarding way the series has delivered thus far. Forza Motorsport does this all without forgetting its heritage, delivering a standout simulation racing experience that looks and sounds stunning, while feeling reliably accurate and satisfying on the tarmac. It would be nice to have more locations to enjoy Forza Motorsport breadth of vehicular content on, but it would be a lie to say I didn't have a massive grin on my face during every lap that I completed.

The World Ends With You is a compelling and immaculately presented RPG from start to finish, and is a great way for Square Enix to kick off a new franchise.

NetherRealm has delivered a fighting game that can be enjoyed by new players and pros alike in ways that go beyond pure competition. It's a bar that every fighting game should meet, but one that has up until now seemed out of reach.

The Forgotten City rewards your inquisitive mind with equally satisfying rewards at every turn, making its time-travelling tale one not to miss out on.

The Forgotten City rewards your inquisitive mind with equally satisfying rewards at every turn, making its time-travelling tale one not to miss out on.

Ghost Trick's unusual premise, unique gameplay, satisfying puzzles, and wonderful characters make it an adventure game you don't want to miss.

Professor Layton and the Curious Village mixes an interesting story, challenging logic puzzles, and exploration into an extremely entertaining package that you won't want to put down.

This gleeful third-person shooter is outrageously fun.

The Forgotten City rewards your inquisitive mind with equally satisfying rewards at every turn, making its time-travelling tale one not to miss out on.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 boasts a fast-paced and thrilling campaign, as well as some of the most immersive and exciting multiplayer action ever seen on consoles.

The Orange Box is one of the greatest values in gaming history, because it's jam-packed with a variety of world-class content.

This is the varied, exciting Battle Mode that Mario Kart 8 should have had all along.

NetherRealm has delivered a fighting game that can be enjoyed by new players and pros alike in ways that go beyond pure competition. It's a bar that every fighting game should meet, but one that has up until now seemed out of reach.

The Plucky Squire is a joyful story about creativity and inspiration that is itself both creative and frequently inspired. In the world of the game, The Plucky Squire is a beloved franchise and popular character with multiple entries in his long-running series. Here in the real world, he deserves to be a star too, and I can only hope this is the start of his success story.

A remarkably satisfying conclusion to a beloved trilogy, and a poignant and memorable role-playing action game in its own right.

The Talos Principle is an absolute joy to play, packed to the gills with expertly designed puzzles and enough ancillary content to make any history of philosophy buff salivate. But all of that is almost beside the point in the face of the game's thematic ambitions.

A remarkably satisfying conclusion to a beloved trilogy, and a poignant and memorable role-playing action game in its own right.

Bayonetta is simultaneously gratuitous, ludicrous, and marvelous, but that's precisely why it's such a wild and fun adventure.

That old Civilization mantra still echoes, just like it used to: One more turn.

Whether you’re playing Expeditions, drafting a wild deck in traditional PvP, or picking apart a previously successful strategy, Legends of Runeterra finds a way to reward you for it by always having something for you to gain experience toward. Spending time in the game is investing in your future success, and the gains are often represented quite immediately in the form of new cards to toy with, bringing the most avid players back to the drawing board for more. While balance changes are undoubtedly on the horizon and the state of the game will evolve over time, Legends of Runeterra currently does a good job of introducing players to a colorful world popularised by League of Legends, and it’s a rollicking good time to boot.

Whether you possess a storied history with the series or come with a clean slate, Mass Effect 3 expertly entangles you in its universe and inspires you to care about its future.

Of all three Fire Emblem Fates titles, Revelation is the most rewarding. It marries the best parts of sister titles Birthright and Conquest, offering varying maps with complex and often interactive terrain, as well as ample opportunities to grind for experience and build relationships between members of its warrings kingdoms.

Tropical Freeze isn't a heavy-hitter from Nintendo in the same way Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey are, but it's a fantastic platformer that's bursting with creativity and expertly designed challenges. It's tuned just right--always tough but rarely frustrating--to ensure that even the most common moments feel great.

It's not often that a cult classic gets the green light for a sequel, especially 12 years after the original game was released. Capcom hasn't tried to make Dragon's Dogma 2 more palatable to potentially attract a wider audience, either. It stuck to the first game's core values and expanded upon them to create a bigger and better game that consistently delights in its approach to seamless exploration and the thrill of adventure. This means it feels very familiar in a lot of ways, but it's a game for those who fell in love with the original, despite its flaws, and will hopefully find an entirely new audience who perhaps never gave the first game a chance. Even after 40 hours, my heart continues to grow fonder for this special game. It's an exceptional achievement that's quite unlike anything else, and I wouldn't hesitate to place it amongst the pantheon of Capcom's very best.