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.