It may have a simple premise, but this PlayStation 4 title is one of the most exciting space shooters of the year.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut is an outstanding action role-playing game. It sets itself apart. The significant amount of content, and the entertainment value, makes for a game that will eat away hours. With a near-endless supply of quests to complete, monsters to slay, and loot to collect, the adventure to Borgovia shouldn't be missed.

A total package and a feast for the senses, Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 should not be missed. It feels like a game brought forward from the Xbox 360 era in the best possible way. Put simply, Space Marine 2 is on the short list for 2024’s best shooter.

It didn’t matter that I’d never designed a game before, didn’t matter that I’m not much of an artist, didn’t matter that I can only play music and not compose it. From the very beginning, I felt welcomed by Dreams.

There can be no dispute that DOOM is back. The campaign brings the glory of the '90s screaming back with heavy metal, blood and guts. But the multiplayer mode feels confused and the Snapmap level editor needs to add some serious content for modders to play with. Regardless, DOOM's campaign is reason enough to dive back into Hell.

If there’s one game that I would go back and play over again as if it were the first time, it would be Outer Wilds. It’s a fantastic space exploration experience that rewards your curiosity to explore and desire for knowledge. The Echoes of the Eye expansion further enhances your journey by introducing horror twists to the classic formula. Now that Mobius Digital has released a 4K60FPS patch on next-gen consoles, there’s no reason not to blast off on your spaceship and start your adventure.

There’s a reason why Dear Esther spawned the “walking simulator” genre. It was the first, and is still one of the best, exploration games you can play. On your second playthrough, however, the directors commentary is why you're really here.

Despite its relatively short length, Guacamelee! Gold Edition is definitely worth your money. You'll enjoy every second of its cartoony style and sense of humor.

Thrasher is something entirely new, both in video games and in the VR space. Not for the faint of heart, and you are going to have to practice. You don't just want to play Thrasher, you want to play Thrasher well. And Thrasher wants to pound on your eardrums and heart while you try. A digital geometric nightmare-scape, that is also one hell of a good arcade game. Video games don't get much more creative than this one.

I can't recommend this game enough, whether it be for the casual Hatsune Miku fan, the curious gamer, or the dedicated hardcore music gamer.

Limbo is an instant classic regardless of the platform you choose. The vita version in particular suits the portable aspect of the system well and it looks and plays amazing on the gorgeous OLED screen. Do yourself a favor and pick it up and don’t forget to bring along a good pair of headphones.

While some expansion packs in the past might have been lacking in content, The Sims 3 Seasons truly expands the game beyond its base experience.

The fact that this charming game was created by a single person is astounding. Tunic delightfully combines what we loved about games from our childhood with modern day influences. With tons of challenging enemies to encounter, cryptic puzzles to solve, and secrets to uncover, this game will ensure you won't regret embarking on the adventure of this cute little fox. There’s simply no better way to play this game than on the PlayStation 5, with the intuitive Game Help feature and flawless performance.

Company of Heroes 2: The British Forces is an excellent multiplayer expansion pack for veteran players, while it's also a great entry point for newcomers with its standalone design.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty proves once again that CD Projekt Red are the undefeated champions of DLC. At $29.99 it offers supreme value, with a compelling new story, location, and hours of content that outclasses many other full-blown AAA titles. After a few rough years, both Cyberpunk 2077 and CD Projekt Red have regained their footing rather triumphantly.

I stand here with 2006’s Oblivion in one hand and 2025’s in the other. My unapologetic recommendation: take the remaster and knock yourself out. This is the definitive way to play Oblivion now — as clunky as it is classic.

If you've been looking for an MMO to check out that's not World of Warcraft, definitely give The Secret World a shot. While it's not perfect (it'd be nice if the in-game browser could remember your last visited page during the same game session), it's still a fun game with a unique way to improve your character, truly making him or her whatever you want them to be.

Hearts of Stone is a metric ton of fantastic Witcher 3 content. It's a must for owners of the original game.

Flying Wild Hog has topped their previous game, Hard Reset, in nearly every respect with Shadow Warrior. A myriad of beautiful environments, crazy but balanced and innovative combat, and a smoother difficulty curve prove that the Polish studio has graphical, level and gameplay design talent to spare. Don’t miss this one.

Knockout City is a rollicking good time, restructuring dodgeball into a competitive team sport that anyone can enjoy. Appropriate for all audiences, there is plenty of fun here for casuals and the hardcore crowd alike. Knockout City leaves plenty of room for the game to grow and expand, making it a solid platform for success as a living game. Bright, cheery, inclusive fun.

It's easy to scoff at the idea of VR making any appreciable difference in a VR game, but you would be wrong to do so. Moss, a combination platformer/audio book, is exactly that, and it is very, very well done. If asked if I would have enjoyed it as much flat, I have to say that I wouldn't have. The VR aspects are subtle, but still make large contributions to the overall game play. It appears to be a small kid's game at first, but the difficulty does ramp up to a fairly challenging level.

Rock Band Blitz works as not only an extension of the Harmonix brand, but also as a stand-alone action game full of cool power-ups and competitive leaderboards. Plus, it's a set of mostly great songs that can be played in Rock Band 3. It doesn't matter if you shred with a fake plastic guitar, retired from the road long ago or are playing for the first time; Rock Band Blitz has a little something for everybody!

Ravaged delivers some of this year's best online vehicular carnage that's set perfectly to the backdrop of an engrossing and atmospheric post-apocalyptic world.

A beautifully crafted RPG that provides the boost that the GameCube so desperately needed.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a stellar achievement. Through its fun and accessible cast of characters, solidly made toys-to-life component, and beautiful graphics, Ubisoft has hit the ground running. With the addition of a healthy amount of Star Fox content, the Switch version is definitely the preferable way to go, but regardless of your system Starlink is a remarkably entertaining game, and an auspicious launch for a new gaming universe.

If there is one shooter to be had this year, it is Battlefield 1. The series’ return to classically-styled warfare is a breathe of fresh air for both the franchise and the FPS genre. The solo experience(s) are enjoyable and serve as a primer for the larger, more enjoyable multiplayer experience. That multiplayer options feel like more than just a simple mode thanks to the new Operations mode, but are more like a living and breathing world that will keep players hooked for a long, long time.

The missions themselves are excellent and the writing behind the game is remarkable (even surpassing most of the movies).

This is a refreshingly unique take on the old school swords and sorcery genre. The time trial aspect may turn some players off, but it's a challenge that is actually a joy to play.

Dispatch is possibly the greatest narrative game ever made, if only they could smooth out the actual dispatching. I absolutely love this world, this story, and these characters. I just don't like the parts where I am scripted to fail, and I further don't like that those parts ultimately don't matter. Whatever, ignore my whining. This is a great game.

Downloadable content, cleaned up graphics, and new songs makes this a nice buy for Xbox 360 owners.

It is a truly welcome gem in the medium that takes risks and propels the experience with new energy nearly every step of the way. The player constantly moves forward and the game gets tension done in a way seldom seen in gaming. A Way Out is an example of a triumph in new ideas, while using traditional methods of gameplay to get the point across that this is a different beast.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds is proving itself to be eternal. Here we are, more than a decade from the game's initial release and it is as addictive and enjoyable as ever. This has truly become a beat 'em up classic and has demonstrated that it can stand the test of time. The Ultimate version is just that—the ultimate version of the game. It looks, sounds, and plays better than ever. Fans of the genre must experience this one and they will find a game that they'll keep in rotation forever.

Digimon Story: Time Stranger is an excellent entry for the franchise and continues what made the prior Digimon Story games great. The story is fun and engaging with a lot of different choices to make in the narrative and Digimon to level up and digivolve. While some of the mechanics can be a bit complex and the difference in difficulty between normal and Titan battles can be a bit jarring for the unprepared, it won’t take long before you’re saving both the real and digital worlds like you’ve been a Digimon Tamer you’re entire life.

Wanderer combines delightful world design with insidious environmental puzzles, to create a top-notch VR experience that should not be missed. With incredible visuals, a mountain of surprises, and a fun AI buddy to tag along on your adventures, Wanderer is a delightful brain teaser of a game.

As a low-cost title and with a demo on the eShop, Pocket Card Jockey is a fun way to pass the time.

Windjammers was a lot of fun on Neo Geo and it’s still fun now on the Nintendo Switch. While I had some minor problems at first using the Joy-cons to make precise curve shots, it’s not to hard to adapt and soon you’ll be throwing the disc every which way on demand. Once you’ve mastered the controls and have gone through Arcade Mode over and over again, grab some friends and have them join in on the fun.

The big questions are if the game can hold up against the cheaters and what cool mods will be created once Gearbox released the development kit.

The developers of Cris Tales set out to make a love letter to the genre. When writing a love letter it's easy to cloud your judgement at times. You're after all so head over heels into it. Do you really care what others think? The load times, basic story, and unsatisfying ending are easy to overlook when you're in love with the genre. Cris Tales is too pretty to pass up if you want a taste of a nostalgic JRPG.

Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep is the type of DLC I’d place up there with the likes of Undead Nightmare and Old World Blues in that it gives something completely different while still having it feel like the original game.

I absolutely adore Theatrhythm Final Bar Line as it’s a loving celebration of both the Final Fantasy franchise and its music. From the cute little chibi depictions of characters and the impressive catalog of songs to the extensive accessibility features and impressive role playing elements, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line is a masterful rhythm experience.

Pragmata was well worth the wait. It's an incredibly fun sci-fi adventure with amazing combat, lots of areas to explore, and two of the best protagonists I've seen in games in a while with Hugh and Diana. The story unfortunately may be run of the mill and predictable, but I still enjoyed the experience. Certain moments of the story hit hard like they should.

Gravity Rush Remastered is a fantastic port of an already fantastic game. The updated presentation is beautiful and nothing was lost in translation when putting a handheld game on the consoles.

Final Fantasy XVI decided it wanted to be different. Gone is any element of turn-based combat. But not all typical Final Fantasy elements have been left by the curb. An excellent musical score, great cast of characters, and a story that will be hard to top are all here. There are a few hiccups with this new style. I missed a minimap more than I thought I would, cutscenes back to back after taking ten steps was a common annoyance, and side-quests feel like an afterthought. But those are small potato issues. This is a Final Fantasy game for both newcomers and those who loved the old-school fantasy settings of previous entries. Final Fantasy XVI isn’t perfect, but it’s close.

If you’re like me, and the PS2 is your only game system, you will still be amazed by the graphics, gameplay, and overall amount of fun you’ll have playing Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow.

Civilization remains the preeminent turn-based strategy game. This iteration has a lot of good ideas and a few flaws in execution. The flaws will be fixed, the good ideas will stay and deepen over time.

If you hate sadness and heartache, then Long Road Ahead is not for you. This is a journey fraught with triumphs and setbacks, often happening simultaneously. This is yet another strong episode that reinforces my opinion that The Walking Dead is one of the best games of the year!

How To Survive is more than just a solid zombie role-playing game, it's also one of the best games of the year. With its mix of Diablo-esque hack and slash and dual-stick shooter action, 505 Games' newest Xbox Live Arcade game is a real surprise. It has a deep crafting system and a world you can't help but want to explore. How To Survive rewrites the book on zombie RPGs!

Runbow has a fairly unique concept in its playstyle that I don’t believe I’ve seen in any other game before. While the single player modes provide quite a bit of challenge on their own, I feel the multiplayer modes are where this game shines. While AI opponents would have been nice so anyone could experience those modes, this is an excellent game for quick play on your own or for when you have lots of friends over.

There is a wide variety of nations and leaders to choose from, as well as a variety of Victory conditions to pursue and an even greater abundance of maps randomly generated or otherwise to build your empire. There are grievances that could be improved, sure. But those are really ancillary to the the core loop you experience. A loop that is hard to break out of. Civilization VI is top-notch and feels right at home on a console.

I was hoping that Shards of Infinity would get a digital release and it didn’t disappoint…mostly. Newer players to the game might find that even the easiest difficulty can still be quite challenging and that may prevent them from fully enjoying the game, at least against AI opponents. Once you’ve learned some basic strategies and have gotten used to how some of the cards work, you’ll find a challenging deck building game that keeps you on your toes and is just as enjoyable as its physical counterpart.

The HD-ification of Okami is a stunning success. The improved visuals alone make the cheap price of admission worth it. And if you missed this game in 2006, now's the perfect time to make up for it.

God of War II manages to improve on nearly every element of the original game, something that seems unbelievable given the quality of the first title.

Fans who enjoyed the F-Zero series won’t want to pass up FAST Racing Neo. While a bit more difficult than the classic Nintendo series, most of the core gameplay is very similar while adding a couple of new mechanics. While the multiplayer is a bit lackluster in customization, there’s a lot of single player racing to challenge players for quite a while. Fans of fast-paced racers won’t want to miss this one.

Offworld turns a spreadsheet simulator into a knock-down drag-out scrap for Martian resources and almighty dollars. The pacing is almost breakneck. But with so much transparency in delivering the numbers, it maintains a sense of fairness, even as black market tactics from less-scrupulous rivals threaten to tear down your 30-minute monehy-making empires.

With a beautiful open world, great narrative side missions, and enough tension to raise even the calmest player's blood pressure, Dying Light 2 wrings a mountain of slick fun out of the most dire of settings. Scary to play solo and a ton of fun in multiplayer, Dying Light 2 will keep you entertained for a long time with its fantastic mission structure and groundbreaking day/night mechanics. It took a while, but Dying Light 2 was worth the wait.

It's not the grand reinvention of the dungeon crawler, but Torchlight 2 is a great deal of fun in a nice cheap package.

I went into Tangledeep expecting to enjoy it and it didn’t disappoint. The game looks and sounds great, the gameplay mechanics aren’t too difficult to learn, you can hang out in lower levels to grind a bit if need be, and the myriad of optional modifiers means you can tailor the difficulty to your liking. If you’re looking for a roguelike dungeon crawler to keep you entertained and possibly challenged depending on your settings, Tangledeep should have you covered.

The Outer Worlds 2 refines the overall Outer Worlds universe, pulling back on ridiculous and expanding into more human territory, while still keeping its satirical tongue firmly in cheek. Every system in the game has been refined, from greater control over character development to slicker and more impactful combat. This is a great RPG that firmly cements the franchise as a genre leader.

While I would liked to have had a bit more variety (the ability to carry a fight inside a building, for example), it is a very impressive first effort for this new genre.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 has got to be one of the year's best first person shooters. It's got enough to give every kind of gamer more than enough to keep them happy.

To put it succinctly, the camera system is awful.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus is another stellar fighting option for the Vita.

With a stellar cast of characters, a beautiful setting, thoughtful and open ended gameplay, and a decidedly more playable post-launch game, Assassin's Creed Syndicate is the game that many fans of the series have been waiting for.

Just about everything works perfectly in Gun Club VR. The length of the shooting rounds is just right - not too short, not too long. It is easy to earn the dough required to be new weapons, and there is a sandbox level that will let you test them all out on a closed range before buying to ensure that you don’t waste your efforts on buying a gun that you end up hating. Short of finding an actual gun shop/club that offers this kind of all-inclusive and profoundly satisfying shooting environment, Gun Club VR is the way to go.

It may not be a full 3D Skateboarding game like we used to have, but for those who want their extreme skateboarding fix should look no further than OlliOlli. Its fast, fun and incredibly addicting and I think I will be returning to this game many more times in the future.

Train Simulator 2014 introduces new features and improvements for both beginner and veteran players of the series.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen truly feels at home on PC with its in-depth gameplay and beautiful world.

Polyarc has done an outstanding job with Moss Book II and I never thought I could get so emotionally attached to an adorable mouse like Quill. An immersive world and lovable main character are only the cherries on top of what otherwise is a solid VR puzzle-action-platformer game.

Despite the manner in which it will punish and abuse you, Bloodborne will have you crawling back to it and saying, "Thank you, sir, may I please have another." It's a gorgeous and dreadful world that sucks you in, and then kills you. Beautiful in every single aspect of the game and sense of the word, this progression of the Souls franchise is more accessible and addicting than ever.

Like Limbo, Inside is short, mechanically addictive and emotionally haunting. It’s the perfect addition to the Switch’s growing library of now-portable indie hits.

As warm, deep, and emotionally engaging as it ever was, Life is Strange: Double Exposure delivers another great adventure for beloved hero Max Caulfield. With a great new cast of interesting characters, a banger of a mystery, and enough ethical dilemmas to fry your brain, Double Exposure continues putting players through the wringer in the best possible way. A few minor technical issues cannot distract from the great story and beautiful visuals.

Unravel 2 is more than just a puzzle game. It’s a journey of working with someone, sometimes that someone being yourself, and going on a journey that will change you. It’s a marvel how the developers evoked such feeling out of this slick combination of gameplay and visual storytelling, even one without words. Like me, it will leave you speechless at the end.

Xenoblade Chronicles X is a landmark achievement in RPGs unmatched in depth, scope and beauty. While it suffers from a few common RPG issues like grind and fetch-quests, the overall quality of the experience far exceeds anything in competitors like recent Final Fantasy or Elder Scrolls titles. If you have the courage, Xenoblade Chronicles X offers a quest hundreds of hours long and rich in unforgettable moments.

The tracks are an example of quality over quantity, and one could assume that a future DLC solution will address this anyway. The new Drivatar system is basically a crowd-sourced AI training system and results in a more realistic (and, at times, frustrating) racing experience. Multiple configuration options allow the challenge to be finely calibrated to any skill level. If nothing else, the visuals alone are worth the upgrade.

Shadow Warrior 2 is a smart evolution of the solid framework established in the first game. Bigger guns, nastier enemies, grander levels and more friends means more Wang for everybody.

First time you're hearing about The Nioh Collection? It's a great pick up for your PS5 and one of the best franchises of the last generation! But if you've been grinding away on the PS4 version? Maybe wait for a sale.

The newest installment in the “Europa Universalis” franchise is yet another evolutionary step forward. If you liked EU1 – EU3, you will want to pick this one up. If you are interested in grand strategy and you have not played it, you should pick up a copy. If only they could fix the combat system.

It's still as violent as ever before and best of all, it's still incredibly fun.

A second shot of adrenaline that complements the original game, Legends II improves upon all the things that made the first Legends great. Voice work is a tad on the corny side, but the cooperative mode and RPG depth just below the beat-em-up surface make this game a real winner.

The real question I set out to answer for myself was a simple one. Is Athena Crisis a true successor to the Advance Wars and Wargroove formula? Or does it feel more like a cheap knockoff, trying to get a quick buck from an unsuspecting gamer? I think seeing all the units that are available to play with speaks enough for itself to show that this isn’t the Advance Wars you grew up with. While the dialogue does feel a bit Saturday morning cartoon, the amount of choices you have when crafting an army are massive. Add a campaign editor, and a few other customization options and you have a title that is worthy of the games it wants to emulate. Not only that, but sets the bar for the next title in this genre to rise up to.

It may look like a kid's game, but Viva Piñata features more than enough action and strategy to keep even the biggest action gamer addicted for hours on end. Don't feel embarrassed buying it.

Like hidden treasure, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker packs a lot of value into an unassuming package. With a supremely addictive set of charming, brain-teasing levels, stellar production values and a budget price, Captain Toad is the perfect way for Wii U owners to wrap up 2014 after indulging in Smash Bros.

If you enjoyed Super Mega Baseball 3's predecessors, you're in for a treat. SMB3's identity as a quirky but committed sports title remains intact. With promising post-release updates ahead, SMB3 will satisfy your baseball cravings for the indefinite future. The Metalhead team listened to its community and implemented their feedback. For that, they deserve extensive praise and thanks.

Stone Simulator is less a video game and more a meditation — an ambience of time, weather, and surrealism. You don’t play it so much as witness it: fog rolls in, fireflies emerge, UFOs drop stones and abduct horses, and a leafy shaman conjures storms that vanish in seconds. It’s a slow, atmospheric drift through moments that feel poetic, absurd, and occasionally profound. With no score, no goal, no movement, it asks only for your presence. For those willing to sit still, it offers something rare: a space to simply be.

With 21 authentic tracks to choose from and over 450 cars to unlock, Forza 6 has knocked it out of the park to provide gamers with an amazing experience from start to finish. Whether with the xbox controller or a steering wheel, there's so much to enjoy that you'll forget just how much time you put in.

Regardless of your feelings on the first two Metro games—which are quite good in their own right—this is a masterful portable collection handled with an expert hand by the games' original developers.

Ys Origin is a fantastic game and definitely a good way to get into the series itself. The controls feel pretty fluid for the most part. You have several different difficulty options to choose from, so anyone from newcomers to experts can enjoy the game. The visuals still look pretty good today, and the soundtrack is nice to just sit back and listen to. If you're looking for a way to get into the series, Ys Origin is a great place to start.

Total War has been striving to capture this feeling of Epic iteration after iteration and looking to a historical context for inspiration. But it's the realm of fantasy, the Warhammer universe and its wonderful storytelling, where I think the formula has found its true home. This is probably the best Total War game to date, and certainly the best Warhammer game. Put together the two make wonderful companions.

Esoteric Ebb is a gorgeously illustrated, dialogue-drunk RPG that marries Disco Elysium’s inner-monologues with D&D's gameplay bones. Its bureaucratic labyrinths, strange citizens, and bickering ability scores keep every conversation swaying between revelation and the ridiculous. Solid writing and solid technical performance make the whole investigation run smoothly. It’s a game for anyone willing to take the bad rolls with the good—and enjoy the story that spills out when the dice decide you’re not the hero today.

Beautiful 2D platformers are practically a meme when it comes to indie game development, but Gris still rises above its contemporaries. Artful in both its watercolor design and broad-strokes storytelling, Gris is a gentle reminder that good puzzle platformers can make you feel smart without smarting, and that being succinct is not a bad thing, especially in the current culture of exhausted replayability.

Bandai Namco and CyberConnect2 have done some amazing work here, and everyone who's a fan of the show needs to play this game.

The epic scale of space battles and awe-inspiring backdrops they take place in make the Homeworld Remastered Collection a must own for real-time strategy fans.

The BioShock trilogy is still three masterpieces that demand attention. While the first game hasn't aged particularly well, the sequel never got the recognition it deserved, and the third game is ultimately pretty disappointing, but they're still all worth another playthrough. The Switch port is masterfully done, smooth and crisp, and a great way to experience these games for the first time or revisit them.

Muramasa: Rebirth was a great game on the Wii but on the Vita, it is a masterpiece. Excellent and engaging gameplay, enjoyable stories (yes, multiple), and one of the most visually appealing art styles ever used in a video game combine for an adventure that every Vita owner should take.

Oxenfree is everything that is right in the indie development scene. It tells a great story, has really unique gameplay that's almost completely dialog driven, and has some of the most subtle horror elements I've seen in a game. This is one of those games that you shouldn't sleep on, make sure you check it out.

With its sharp presentation and emphasis on variety, Forza 2 is definitely one of the best games of 2007.

With a cleaned up presentation, deep gameplay modes, and new mechanics that bring a more realistic experience on the pitch, FIFA 14 definitely captures the beautiful game in all of its glory.

Iceborne is a well-crafted expansion that will give returning players a ton more content to experience and a bunch of new mechanics to master. Even past the story, the end-game leaves plenty of content for the most hardcore of players to dive into. The PC version is acceptable but will need to address some of its system issues to make sure everyone can enjoy the game at the same level.