Though to be honest, it's too late for that--I've already lost hours to Marvel Snap and I am obsessed. The game is fine-tuned, well-designed, and so easily digestible that it’s difficult to put down. I keep finding myself continuing to play even after having completed my daily or season pass missions, just because I want to play another match, or try a new card. Second Dinner has built an incredible foundation here, and I expect Marvel Snap will continue drawing me in for years to come.

You wouldn't know it with a passing glance, but it's one of the most progressive and innovative RPGs to come in a long time, breaking down tradition for the sake of invention, with great success.

Even now, playing through it one year after I originally beat it, it's hard to put down. The Siberian wilderness is just as detailed and gorgeous as it is on Xbox One, and I didn't notice many differences in the character nuances, either.

Those who obtain perverse pleasure from collecting every last coin and item in this type of game will be titillated - and those who don't will be frustrated.

Yoku’s Island Express takes two unlikely genres and combines them into one playful, natural experience. The game’s audio and visual design is simply joyous and the large game world seamlessly combines its pinball puzzles with some brilliant level designs.

Arc Raiders is an extraction shooter unlike any other, playing out like a totally unpredictable, immersive, thrilling story generator directed by the community.

It's a hardcore twist on already impressive game, making the hack 'n' slash action more difficult, but also more compelling than before.

The stirring scale of the single-player levels is impressive and the pervasive details make them truly awesome. Despite the squandered story, blasting your way through the campaign is electrifying, thanks largely to the deadly weapons in your arsenal. The cooperative multiplayer is a resounding success, and the competitive modes are terrific in their own right. Anyone looking for a superb shooter experience need look no further than Resistance 2.

The relationships you forge define your adventure through Ashen, and helping your new friends is a powerful motivator that drives you forward through the game's beautiful world.

The numerous tweaks and upgrades of DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition have made a game that isn't just a better version of DmC, but a bonafide hack 'n' slash classic.

Adding this much new life to what should be a very familiar game is an amazing achievement.

Grimly gorgeous and violently entertaining, The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile is one of the finest games released so far this year.

Dirt 3 is a superb off-road racer that adds some great new features and improves upon its predecessor at just about every opportunity.

Halo Infinite strives to transform what it means to be a Halo game, making Chief into a reluctant father figure for a young and naive AI and putting him into an open-world setting. It turns out that was a risk worth taking for the franchise, as Infinite is an incredible game. Certain story elements are on the weaker side and the amazing Grappleshot makes the rest of Chief's equipment feel a bit lacking in comparison, but these are small shortcomings in what otherwise feels like the best Halo campaign in years and an excellent evolution of what Halo can be.

Ashen does more than enough to differentiate it from other Souls-like games. Although its combat utilizes the same stamina-focused mechanics, the inclusion of features that promote a sense of community with the game's characters makes for a wholly different experience.

Surprisingly little has been sacrificed in the transition to the portable console, and in some ways the fact that you can now hold it close by undocking the Switch makes it a slightly more immersive experience than sitting feet away from your TV. If VR isn't something you have access to or want to invest in, the Switch version of Thumper is arguably the second best route to experience everything this impressive and brutal rhythm game has to offer.

When all was said and done, all I could think about was starting another playthrough.

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

MachineGames has successfully designed a game around its protagonist; its mix of improvisational stealth and combat feels distinct by adopting a fast and loose style that echoes Indy's scrappy persistence. It might not be quite as accomplished in all areas as the studio's Wolfenstein games, but Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is still a frequent delight.

Your return to Aperture Science is a joyful one in this immensely appealing, laugh-out-loud funny, and thoroughly satisfying sequel.

Major improvements to the cooperative mode coupled with the Vita's portability make this the best version of the already excellent Spelunky.

DMC5 proves the series can still be brilliant and imaginative without compromising its longest-held traditions.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a bold choice for a name. It plants a flag in the ground that suggests anything less than a constant sense of awe and delight will be a failure by its own terms. But then, surprisingly, Mario Wonder rises to the challenge and the result is a modern classic. The Wonder effects are the marquee feature, and for good reason, as they serve as a springboard for a cornucopia of creativity. But it's the smart and thoughtful choices around new power-ups, badges, online multiplayer, and visual flair that cement it in Mario canon. This is the rightful successor to Super Mario World, and hopefully, will serve as a touchstone for 2D Mario going forward.

Spider-Man Remastered is playable with a keyboard and mouse, too, now, but it's still best enjoyed with a controller. Full support is offered for all controllers that make use of Steam's API, with the correct button-mapping showing up in-game for Xbox and Sony DualSense controllers alike. The DualSense benefits from the work done on the PS5 version to include more accurate haptic and adaptive trigger support, but like all other games that utilize these features, you'll have to use the DualSense wired directly to your PC for them to work. Still, it's nice to feel the gentle pressure of the trigger that is applied at the apex of a swing, or the satisfying pitter-patter of rain on a gloomy day, so it's worth the hassle if you have a DualSense available.

Ghost of Yotei builds and improves upon its predecessor with a gripping story, rewarding exploration, and fantastic combat, with each aspect emphasizing the characteristics of a new protagonist. As a sequel, familiarity is baked in, but every alteration is in service of Atsu and her profound differences, making for a game that manages to feel distinct even when what you're doing is so recognizable. The Ghost is just a mask; what matters is who's behind it.

Character rebalancing, strong online multiplayer modes, and an updated roster help Super Street Fighter IV expand on its predecessor in every way.

The single-player campaign is over in a flash, but the high quality of that campaign and its terrific multiplayer options make Call of Duty 4 a fantastic package.

The latest Sims game is also the greatest, striking a terrific balance between the fresh and the familiar.