These are brilliant, memorable, inventive and emotionally involving adventures, and the combination of remastered visuals, 3D options, Trophies and a $40 price tag make them more irresistible than ever.

The best Forza Horizon game yet, delivering an astonishingly vast and detailed open world, filled with incredible features. With easily 100 hours of high quality solo content and infinite potential with community creations and online play, Forza Horizon 6 is a glorious showcase game for Xbox gaming. Just be warned the straight-laced racing gameplay is pretty tame compared to the genre's finest.

Blood and Wine is a gripping murder mystery set in a picturesque new locale, and a fitting end to the story of Geralt of Rivia.

A fantastic sequel that lives up to its namesake, Dark Souls 2 is an action RPG that's challenging and rewarding in equal measure.

Adding so much as to be a little intimidating at first, LBP2 brings a slew of impressive new creator features, while still offering plenty of cool new things for those who just want to play. The basic, flawed platforming of the original is still there, but compared to the possibilities LBP2 opens up, it's insignificant.

Funny, instantly accessible, tightly programmed, and undeniably enjoyable, Guitar Hero earns several encores. Grab your lighter and get ready to rock.

Diablo 4 is a diabolical assault on the senses. Sharp refinements to combat, gear, and loot systems make this one of the best action-RPGs in years, and the expressive open world shows there's still room for Blizzard to expand on the core Diablo concept.

Three outstanding games (two of which are vastly enhanced with dead-on motion controls) available for the price of one. We can’t imagine a better deal on Wii this year.

Whether it's a small victory, like narrowly saving an ally's life, or a pivotal ultimate that lets you obliterate the opposing team and secure the final objective, Overwatch is ripe with the kinds of memorable moments that define worthwhile multiplayer.

More of the same is absolutely fine, as Bayonetta delivers her trademark action in true style. This sequel takes too long to get going and can feel harshly unfair, but when it's at its peak, the action is breathtaking.

Truthfully, the entire game feels like a defiantly kickass celebration of music. Combined with the complete success and undeniable innovation of Pro Mode, how could anyone resist Rock Band 3?

FIFA 10 adding new dynamic dribbling to its already refined passing game is like adding Ronaldo to Chelsea. It makes a winning formula that much better. A brilliant, championship-conquering football game.

A huge improvement over the first game, Assassin’s Creed II offers up an enormous, beautiful open world that’s easy to get lost in, an epic storyline and all the fun that comes from creatively killing villains and tearing across 15th-century rooftops at ridiculous speeds.

Expands and improves upon an excellent foundation in meaningful ways, with minimal compromise on the Switch's mobile hardware.

It may be one of the best action/horror games of all time, but the hardcore audience wants more than the best of 2005. Outstanding game, questionable release.

But if you really want something different and meaningful, you must play this. You will remember some of these battles for the rest of your gaming life, and you may never play another game that blends art and action this seamlessly.

A superbly-produced, feature-rich racing game. Too much of it may feel like busywork and filler, but few other racers are this slick or feature-packed, and it certainly has moments of magic.

Chains is short for a GoW title, taking us about six and a half hours to complete on normal difficulty. True, the unlockable difficulty levels, challenge modes and goofy bonus costumes give it more longevity than that, but another level or two wouldn't have hurt. That said, Chains is still an impressive piece of work.

Lush and vibrant, it is everything an expansion should be: a furthering of a much loved and honored world. We found ourselves barely able to stop playing long enough to write this, and plan on delving right back in as soon as we can.

In the spirit of your favorite old-school fighting games, MLB 10 The Show is spectacular – and spectacularly mean.

Both a great remaster and an enjoyable ‘new’ game in its own right that takes you on a journey in a way few things can.

Probably the key flaw in Killzone 2 is how meticulously scripted it is. For example, if a Helghast is programmed to run to a certain location and then start shooting, he usually won’t shoot until he gets there, even if you’ve ambushed him and are filling him with holes.

Do you buy Halo mostly for the multiplayer? Then Reach is everything you'd want and expect from Bungie's final contribution to the franchise – perfectly polished familiarity with exactly the right amount of fresh features and bold risk-taking. If you're counting on an epic, sweeping and satisfying campaign story, however, you might want to keep waiting for Halo 4.

The best stories are the ones that you craft as you kick butt across the universe. Dark Avatar makes your space operas even more varied in tone and content than ever before.

When we finished Mass Effect the first time, the very next thing we did was start it all over again. It's clear that this is the beginning of a fantastic franchise, and we're already salivating over the possibilities for "Mass Effect II."

Forza Motorsport 4 is a big step forward from Forza Motorsport 3 in almost every way. The only flaw is the nonadjustable, overaggressive AI that occasionally makes the game overly frustrating. The pros far outweigh the single con though, and this is the new standard for racing sims.

Split Fiction is another expertly crafted cooperative game from Hazelight that perfectly straddles two genres simultaneously and consistently introduces one good idea after another.

If your machine is up to it, you won’t find a better team game than Battlefield 2, period.

Gears of War 3 boasts the best co-op and multiplayer of the series, by far, easily making up for the less-than-satisfying campaign. The end of the trilogy may not live up to your epic expectations, but somewhere in the tenth – or hundredth – hour of Beast and Horde 2.0 modes, you'll forgive it.

Not only a brilliantly authentic presentation of its subject matter but a tremendous game in its own right, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a big, clever and finely crafted experience which propels Rocksteady immediately into the realm of triple-A developers. This year's BioShock. That's what it is.

High fantasy role-playing at its finest. Its detailed world, memorable characters, meaningful choices, and engrossing combat system makes Dragon Age the sort of game you’ll want to replay from start to finish several times. RPG fans won’t be disappointed by this truly epic adventure.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a near perfect followup to its justifiably revered predecessor. Unfurling from its cocoon, this Metroidvania has evolved on just about everything I loved about the original. With a gorgeous, labyrinthine world full of secrets, and twitchy acrobatic controls, Silksong can be rewarding when it's not being overly punishing. It's a bit tougher out the gate than last time around – but Silksong has been worth the wait.

Just one word will accurately describe the whole experience: "fantastic."

Zelda: A Link Between Worlds brings the outstanding gameplay of the SNES prequel to the 3DS in a well-crafted adventure that will give you a rush of nostalgia. With interesting new characters, atypical series gameplay elements, and fantastic 3D visuals, Link's next adventure is a must play.

A beautifully made and reverent take on the original game that works both as a remake and a completely new game.

This is the best reason yet to own a Switch 2, and shows Nintendo at its absolute best. The central destruction mechanic is so much fun, and smart level design keeps it delightful from beginning to end with an adventure rivaling Mario's very best.

It’s pretty clear this is a test lap for Nintendo, and once the kinks are worked out you'll see more gamers gearing up for a race through the Mushroom Kingdom.

A huge improvement over the first game, Assassin’s Creed II offers up an enormous, beautiful open world that’s easy to get lost in, an epic storyline and all the fun that comes from creatively killing villains and tearing across 15th-century rooftops at ridiculous speeds.

Animal Well is stubbornly traditional in keeping you in the dark as you embark on your adventure, but that's firmly to its credit as you unravel the mysteries sprinkled around its map. Puzzles involving animals, toys and mechanical devices demand creative thinking, while the sense that nothing is quite as it seems never lets up. This is an endlessly inventive Metroidvania with unfathomable depth.

There continues to be nothing quite like Animal Crossing, and New Horizons proves that there's life in the old Nook yet.

It's the circle of virtual life -- and it's insanely addictive.

Cataclysm's certainly not perfect, but it's the best World of Warcraft expansion so far and a damn near miraculous dip in the videogame fountain of youth for Blizzard's six-year-old MMO. Unless you absolutely, militantly despise World of Warcraft and all that it stands for, this one's a no-brainer.

It’s an almost flawless exhibition of gaming greatness, which can effortlessly make even the most ham-fisted of gamers feel like they’ve got elite skills. Bayonetta is already an early contender for GOTY for 2010.

Far Cry 3 doesn't need a strong multiplayer component because its single-player campaign will keep you invested for dozens of hours. You'll be eager to explore every bit of the tropical setting, to drive along the beach or hang glide over the ocean.

Ico's flaws make it what it is, because without flaws there is no beauty, only blandness. Play Ico before you play 'sequel' Shadow Of The Colossus - it's the perfect companion piece.

A game of monolithic proportions... It is the best use of your 360 currently on the market and, whether you know it yet or not, the reason you bought one in the first place.

Takes the winning formula of the previous games and adds many new and addictive concepts to it. A refreshing sequel bursting with charm, wit and personality.

We liked Trials HD, and after playing Trials Evolution, we can heartily recommend it to fans of the original. And for those who've never tried Trials before, this is an excellent starting point. Evolution is a wonderful game that's rich with personality (including a surprising sense of humor) and sophisticated gameplay.

The story and acting are great, the missions are enjoyable and riding around on the retooled bikes is the most fun it’s been in any GTA since Vice City. It’s not going to change the minds of any Niko-haters, but anyone itching to delve back into Liberty City should grab it now.

The passing has been given an overhaul to eliminate the ping-pong passing that plagued online games and made EA sad as it didn't represent a real game of football. But I fancy they've gone too far in the opposite direction.

FIFA 10 adding new dynamic dribbling to its already refined passing game is like adding Ronaldo to Chelsea. It makes a winning formula that much better. A brilliant, championship-conquering football game.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 improves on its predecessor across the board, while saluting the superhero genre over the last 30 years as a whole. With a captivating narrative and unrivaled spectacle, it's the quintessential superhero game, in story and mechanical terms.

No game is perfect, but the HD redux inches Wind Waker ever closer to that ideal.

Tack onto all this a robust soundtrack, a comprehensive level editor and a war room filled with new maps and unlockable features and you’ve found one of the longest, most rewarding DS games out there. Put this online and it'd be damn near perfect.

In many ways, MLB 11 The Show is a victim of its own success. It succeeds completely as a baseball simulator – the best we've ever played. We're spoiled, though, and would love to use it to dive into something completely new.

There's also a huge, gaping multiplayer-shaped hole running right through the middle. The only other fly in Riddick's surgical bruise ointment is its length. Or lack of it.

If you don't want a heaping pile of Japanese culture, or don't like an odd or off-putting story, then maybe you should stay away. Otherwise, Persona 4 is a superb (if long) RPG, and probably the last great PS2 game.

Tight, gorgeous and virtually bursting at the seams. It’s the crown jewel of this generation’s baseball games, proving that follow-ups can indeed meet (or beat) their superstar predecessors.

If you like clever game design, intelligent horror, or well-realised artistry, you really have to play through Limbo. It's an immaculate production, as close to perfect as it gets, and it will stay with you for a very long time.

Fast yet measured, breezy yet deep, and above all highly replayable, it's a game that stands as a refreshing example of stealth action done right.

While its story falls short of the bar set by Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood packs in more than enough new content and improvements to make up for it. It's not the best of the series, but it's still an essential piece of the ever-expanding AC puzzle.

Unfortunately, we just can’t recommend the Wii version as the best playing Okami even though it's "newer."

So after this glowing review why isn't it a 10? Mainly because Super Meat Boy may turn off some players who aren't looking to be tested, even if I believe that the quality of the SMB earns it the right to be that difficult.

There are just enough new ideas to lure those in who’ve never cared, and just enough left alone to keep the fans happy. Pity all of the DS-minded bits drag the finished product down a notch.

Keeping almost everything that made the original great while taking suitable steps to amp up the fun, Dead Space 2 will please both the series' fans and those just starting with this haunting adventure.

It's still not very accessible to non-grognards, and it's still fairly boring when it comes to multiplayer (turn-based games just involve too much waiting around for other people to finish up). But it's also still incredibly addictive, begging you to stay up just five minutes more, just to see what happens in the next turn.

Though it falls slightly short compared to other Mario titles (aka some of the greatest games ever made), it's certainly a release worthy of the character's legacy. It expertly builds on franchise history, has tons of clever ideas, and even with the rare control hang-ups, it stands tall in the realm of 3D platformers, especially compared to the paltry library of games the 3DS currently has.

It's a game that should absolutely be played by anyone interested in a more strategic take on the cliched alien invasion story--so long as you're not afraid to lose a fight once or twice.

Metroid Prime 3 falls into the same category as "Twilight Princess" - the ultimate achievement of the series, yet in desperate need of an evolution.

A triumph for the series and one of this generation's greatest games yet. Monster Hunter World takes the beating heart of a vital, niche franchise and elevates it toward universal appeal.

Everything a massively-multiplayer online RPG should be. It's original, massive in scope, and wonderfully social, removing many of the gates that held back the genre in the past. Being able to play with friends regardless of level or class is a gigantic leap forward, and one that, when mixed in with all of the other innovations in the genre, make Guild Wars 2 one of the best MMOs currently available.

Forza 2 is real world driving honed to perfection, and easily the best racing experience on the Xbox 360.

A great value, even if you only plan to play one of the three games. That it has three you might want to play, plus a bunch of fun extras, just cements this as the best multi-game compilation since 2007's Orange Box.

There are some annoyances--the physics engine feels like it's been overly tinkered, and the shortcomings of career mode's become apparent when you step out of Europe's top leagues. However, it succeeds at one key task that it sets out to do: render FIFA 12 obsolete. You can wear last year's jersey, but you won't want to play last year's game any longer.

Sekiro has the best swordfights in any video game. It leans too heavily on its mediocre stealth, but its satisfying combat will keep you going through hundreds of brutal deaths.

The best Tekken to date proves that plenty of depth makes for a vibrant fighter, justifying its current-gen exclusivity to deliver a skull-thrasher that really feels like an evolution rather than a simple update.

The only thing that's hard to adjust, in fact, is the tension in your muscles. GTR 2 is hugely better than its predecessor in exactly the area that matters.

Creative Assembly trimmed some of the fat while boosting the flavor to make Total War: Shogun 2 one of the tastiest entries in the franchise yet. It's much more accessible than the last few Total War games without sacrificing any depth or strategy.

The combination of sublime gameplay, unprecedented level of compelling historic team matchups, and an excellent update to My Player puts NBA 2K12 at a level no hoops game has ever been. The absolute mountaintop.

Endwalker rounds out a decade of swirling story developments and character arcs with a triumphant finale, ensuring Final Fantasy 14's legacy as one of the best MMOs ever made.

Alan Wake 2 is a strange, imaginative, and truly ambitious sequel that never fails to upend your expectations. While some of the bigger concepts presented by Remedy Entertainment lack refinement, a few rough edges don't detract from a consistently confident and startlingly original adventure. You won't find anything else quite like Alan Wake 2 this generation.

A fulfilling experience. The improvements to gunplay and customization take it further than its predecessor. Its story gives you enough hooks and motivators to want to see it through to the end. Unfortunately, it may feel like a bit of a slog to get there, and you'll want to sort out exactly who's hosting that game between you and your online friends very early on. However, with a well-balanced squad, there are few more pleasing experiences than taking down a gigantic robot constructor through four unique skillsets.

Despite it having been released twice already, this is still an adventure worth playing through again.

This multiplayer component caps an already stunning single-player campaign and extends the value greatly. If you can't get enough of WWII, Call of Duty 2 is the hot ticket.

The ultimate descendant of classic console RPGs. It's what all RPGs might be like if Final Fantasy VII hadn't come along and changed everything.

It might not have the Best Game Of All Time credentials of Ocarina of Time, but Majora’s Mask is still one of the most incredible adventure games ever made.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is an excellent expansion so large that it almost feels like a sequel. It's a better version of a great game.

Dark Souls used to feel like a gigantic trap. Dark Souls 3, for better and for worse, feels like home. The third in the trilogy is bewitching while it lasts, but may not leave you wanting more.

This is one of those rare titles that add strength to the argument of games as art. Get it.

Morrowind will please both serious role-playing fans as well as anyone looking for a technically stunning adventure that will hold their attention longer than your average hack-and-slash title. This is the good stuff.

Gameplay on the 360 is almost perfect, but for the mushy d-pad on the wireless controller. Precise jumping (of which there isn't all that much, thankfully) or very quick direction changes aren’t always easy. You definitely have to want to look past some of the issues this creates. But when the core game is this great, that’s pretty easy to do.

An already amazing journey into synesthesia achieves its full potential with PS VR and Area X.

While its story falls short of the bar set by Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood packs in more than enough new content and improvements to make up for it. It's not the best of the series, but it's still an essential piece of the ever-expanding AC puzzle.

More maps, more enemies, more weapons, more glorious spectacle than the original, and that’s just the co-op. Fresh versus modes and intense violence make this the apocalypse to beat.

More maps, more enemies, more weapons, more glorious spectacle than the original, and that’s just the co-op. Fresh versus modes and intense violence make this the apocalypse to beat.

Intelligent, creative, and never less than thrilling, Titanfall 2 finally realises the series' true potential with verve and polish.

With so many modes and diverse rewards to uncover in Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, it almost feels like 2.5 games in one package. Plus, the fact that the online component works so incredibly, and we still can't pick a favorite between playing as a cop or racer speaks volumes to the game's quality. Quite simply, there is no better, more accessible racing game out there.

Quirky, creative, and constant good fun, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury blends Mario gameplay old and new with great success, creating a title that feels worthy of his 35th birthday celebrations.