THE FINALS has room to improve, but it shines in all the ways that matter. If you're keen on a new first-person shooter that mixes chaos with strategy in a sleek package, it's worth a look.

Don't Nod has taken several key lessons from Vampyr and applied them to great effect with its second action RPG. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden might not be revolutionary in anything that it does, and from a gameplay standpoint, it can sometimes feel a bit too straightforward for its own good, but with a well-realized setting, captivating story, excellent protagonists, and genuinely compelling choice-and-consequence moments, it's an easy game to recommend to fans of the genre.

Every mode, except Ultimate Team, has been enhanced with more engaging systems and streamlined features. The presentation feels livelier and more dynamic, with a welcome dose of college football DNA. Unfortunately, sluggish load times and a few poor interface choices continue to plague the yearly series.

By and large, if you already have Judgment on the PS4, its remaster is hard to recommend. There isn’t much that’s new here, after all, and spending additional money on a nearly identical experience doesn’t make much sense. That said, if you’ve never played Judgment before, this is an extremely easy recommendation. It tells an excellent story, offers a ton of varied and enjoyable content, and delivers an extremely polished take on the classic Yakuza formula.

Teardown on the PS5 is a great adaptation of the mayhem filled sandbox simulator that fans loved on the PC. It plays well, performs great, and while there are a few minor issues like the cumbersome user interface, Teardown is a great time nevertheless.

Helldivers 2 is essentially the first game, except bigger, louder and more epic in scale. Despite issues with matchmaking and some desperately needed quality-of-life, it's enjoyably engaging.

Although lacking replay value, The Old Country is well worth your time thanks to its storytelling chops, decent gameplay and excellent production values.

Herdling continues Okamotive's reputation for unorthodox titles that resonate in unique ways. Desolate and survival-driven, yet warm and freeing, it's an adventure unlike any other despite the occasional hiccups.

Hot Pursuit Remastered misses a few chances to really bring itself into the current era of racers, but it still has no trouble reminding you why it is one of the best racers of its time.

As a game, Ultimate Showdown does little to convince you to choose it over the newest Tekken, Dead or Alive, or Mortal Kombat game. But given how well its core gameplay holds up with its various enhancements, it’s certainly worth a look for fighting game fans looking for something a little different.

EA Sports FC 26 refines the formula with Authentic mode and better defending, making it a strong entry for fans. Still, it’s an iterative release with limited appeal for newcomers or those seeking major changes.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is a great way to experience one of the more fun stories in the series thanks to the new and improved gameplay.

Helldivers 2 is an increasingly rare live service success story that leans into what it does best on the ground and makes quick missions fun and easy to play.

While its story and characters could have used more work, It Takes Two is fantastic co-op game that moves masterfully from genre to genre and never overstays its welcome.

While Wrath: Aeon of Ruin might give off the impression that it’s just another boomer shooter in a market already well-past saturation, it manages to forge its own identity by being a throwback to classics of the genre with a flair of its own. And of course, the incredible level design and gunplay go a long way in making the game incredibly fun. The only real downside is that, for its wild settings and visuals, the weapons never really break the mold of classic shooter archetypes.

Jusant mixes rock climbing and platforming with a calm atmosphere and an interesting story.

Buoyed by a fantastic setting, Like A Dragon: Ishin! is bound to be a treat for all fans of the series.

RIDE 6 is the motorcycling series at its most complete, where worthwhile onboarding, progression with momentum, and an overall passion for two-wheel machinery outshines uneven presentation and a festival setting which misses the mark.

The Alters is more than a fascinating concept, mixing strong characterization and impactful decision-making with an enthralling quest for survival, even if the gameplay doesn't always excite.

Like an NFL team’s high new draft pick, Madden NFL 25 provides the franchise hope for the future with its great on-field gameplay, phenomenal presentation improvements, and streamlined gameplay modes, as long as it irons out the predatory microtransactions in the meantime.

Despite many nods to Hood: Outlaws and Legends’ source material, the densely-packed progression mechanics and fun gameplay are the star of the show here. It stops short of being a total showstopper, but comes far closer than you might expect.

Tempest Rising is a wonderful throwback to a genre that often feels forgotten in the modern age.

The Show maintains its place atop the sports games landscape.

MotoGP 25 delivers an authentic racing experience with sharp physics, smart AI, and gorgeous bike models. It offers plenty of modes and deep customization, making it a strong entry in the series. However, lackluster commentary, bland off-track visuals, and a dry career presentation hold it back from greatness.

Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and the Secret Key doesn't completely rewrite the series' rules, so much as expand and improve on them. It's still a relaxing traipse with Ryza and friends, but evokes a sense of nostalgia and hope for the future.

While the likes of Terraria and Valheim continue to hog headlines, Core Keeper offers strong competition. Its compelling gameplay, excellent art style, and extensive range of content make it worth diving in.

MLB The Show 21 does exactly what a sports sequel needs to do; it refines and expands on the best features of the predecessor, without taking away from what works.

Thanks to a couple of key improvements and changes, EA Spots FC 25 is one of the better iterations that EA Sports' annual football franchise has seen in recent years.

Ninja Gaiden 4 has its missteps, especially during the story and with Ryu's sections, but it's still a triumphant comeback for the franchise.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is packed full of content with exceptional visuals and improved physics but it desperately needs patches focused on optimization for a smoother experience.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is a faithful, meticulous remaster that shows just how well the original has aged.

FIFA 22 makes some important changes on and off the pitch, and though there's still plenty of room for improvement, it's still the series' best game in recent years.

A strong outing for the rebooted college football series, with revamped coaching systems and a polished presentation that elevate the experience.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora may not be for those suffering from open-world fatigue, but it delivers an immersive experience for fans with some solid gameplay and storytelling.

For first-timers, Yakuza 0: Director’s Cut is the definitive way to experience one of the greatest action-adventure games ever made.

While Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is able to surpass its two predecessors in just about everything from gameplay to story, the PC port is in desperate need of optimization patches.

Invincible VS will be immediately satisfying for the casual crowd, but it also brings genuine competitive potential through its hidden mechanical complexity.

As developer Neowiz gears up for a sequel to Lies of P, fans get one more chance to dive back into its twisted world with the Overture DLC.

Sonic X Shadow Generations is a slick, high-performance Switch 2 upgrade that shines with Shadow’s best outing yet.

Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles 2 delivers a faithful, accessible, and polished adaptation that expands the first game’s formula with improved exploration, side quests, and refined combat.

Echoes of the End offers an engaging couple of days of play, thanks to its well-paced mix of combat and puzzles.

As a rogue-like that may not be on everyone's radar, Inkbound goes beyond expectations to deliver an addictive and gorgeous turn-based experience.

Despite its rather simple combat system, Broken Roads is a fantastic new entry in the RPG genre.

Fluid and adrenaline-fueled combat make Stellar Blade an intriguing experience.

Bright Memory Infinite brings the ideas of its predecessor to a much more satisfying conclusion and comes within striking distance of many of the games it’s inspired by.

30XX carries with it the legacy of the Mega Man X franchise in its aesthetics and general gameplay.

Going toe-to-toe with Overwatch is a tough ask, but Marvel Rivals brings an impressive roster and its own nuanced action to the table, competing with and even exceeding Blizzard's efforts.

Genshin Impact remains an unbelievable proposition as a free to play title, and the PS5 version of it remains the best way to check it out on consoles for now, in spite of several missed opportunities for obvious and meaningful upgrades.

Steelrising is a solid Soulslike with well-implement and familiar design and mechanics, but its alternate history clockpunk French Revolution setting is what makes the game shine. Spiders' latest is a game that deserves your attention.

Happy Home Paradise is a relaxing add-on to the base game.

System Shock’s remake hopes to reintroduce the classic to a new generation of gamers. How well is it able to pull this off?

Frictional Games' signature psychological horror is applied to a compact but tense sandbox setting with fairly strong results.

Luigi's sophomore solo adventure is still an absolute blast, and even though this is a fairly conservative remaster, it makes for a welcome return to the haunts of Evershade Valley.

It can be frustrating, but Ghostrunner is an excellent game that combines fast-paced action combat with a compelling game world that any fan of action games or cyberpunk should enjoy.

While Nobody Wants to Die doesn’t really emphasize its gameplay as much, in turn, it offers up a story that is an absolute joy to experience, thanks in no small part to its well-realized cyberpunk world and well-written characters.

It's taken a long time to get here but The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel 4 is a well-rounded experience, brimming with memorable characters, storylines and world-building. Despite a few stumbles in pacing and localization, not to mention performance issues, it's an incredible role-playing experience.

Conscript is unlikely to deliver genuine scares, but this old school, atmospheric survival horror romp is still easy to recommend to fans of the genre.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream won't offer anything that stealth aficionados haven't seen before, but its world-building and gameplay execution make it worth a look.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection is a surprisingly great modern rendition of the classic franchise that manages to be more accessible while never once letting up on the soul crushing challenge that has come to be synonymous with the series.

This blast from the past is finally localized for the West and provides some compelling gameplay to go with its intriguing plot.

Midnight Fight Express takes a cool look, great music, and fluid combat to the next level in one of this year's best beat-em-ups.

Splatoon 3 is simultaneously brilliant and frustrating.

Nightdive sticks the landing yet again.

Some occasional technical issues and an unwillingness to truly burst out of the norms for the genre keep Darktide from reaching enormous heights, but within the confines it sets for itself, this is about as good as it gets.

With an enhanced version of one of the series' best 3D outings to date, as well as a legitimately great brand-new adventure starring a returning fan-favourite, Sonic X Shadow Generations is well worth a look for fans of Sega's platforming franchise.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Reverie is the epilogue players deserve after Cold Steel 4. It's a strong send-off for many of its characters and sets up the future well, even with its flaws.

Directive 8020 imbues every interaction in trust and paranoia, delivering emotional turbulence and atmospheric dread that’s only overshadowed by inconsistent mechanics.

MADiSON is a must-play psychological horror game that'll have you on the edge of your seat from the first second right until the credits roll.

WILL: Follow the Light tells a simple story of a man trying to look for his son after a massive storm, and along the way, has to confront the mysteries of his own life. The intimate nature of the core premise is compelling enough to carry this walking simulator throughout its entire runtime.

Rise's first expansion isn't a revelation for the series but adds to almost everything fun from the base game while adding some much-needed challenges.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits delivers an all around excellent experience that's consistently engaging and manages to enrapture the player, even without doing anything particularly new or innovative.

Age of Empires 3 is still flawed, but Forgotten Empires and Tantalus Media have delivered an excellent remaster that improves the game in almost every way.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn successfully strikes a balance between being a great entry point into the Soulslike genre for those new to the genre, while still largely scratching the itch that genre veterans will be on the lookout for.

Dead Island 2 isn't ground-breaking, but it's a lot of fun.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition lives up to the name and delivers the best version of the legendary game, with almost across the board improvements.

Gundam Evolution might have shamelessly lifted some of its presentation and mechanics from other games (and I think it did), but it’s still a great game at the end of the day.

The Nioh Collection is the definitive way to play the series, for newcomers and veterans alike.

Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance is a strange game that doesn’t seem like it would be all that fun at a cursory glance. Dig deeper, however, and you’ll find that all of its smaller systems mingle together in a way that brings about one of the more fun and unique real-time strategy games out there.

Sons of the Forest can fumble with its narrative, but its survival crafting fundamentals and sandbox still warrant a look.

Tales of Arise is a well-made, consistently enjoyable JRPG, and though its storytelling tends to be inconsistent, its gorgeous world and consistently enjoyable combat are more than enough to keep you hooked until the end.

While there may be some issues out of cockpit, Star Wars: Squadrons is an excellent spiritual successor to the X-wing series that captures the look and feel of Star Wars.

Minecraft Legends isn't going to rewrite the book on action strategy games. However, it offers compelling gameplay backed by mechanics from the main game that rewards exploration and ingenuity, on top of having an easy control set-up.

Version 2.0 is a momentous occasion for Kuro Games' open-world action RPG, and it's worth jumping back in for the new story and content.

Guilty Gear Strive is a beautiful, technically complex fighter that sports a great soundtrack, incredibly varied roster, fantastic teaching tools, and some of the best netcode in the genre all while making Guilty Gear more accessible without sacrificing too much of its technical depth. While its online lobbies need work, it's easily one of the best fighters on the market today. Go buy it and start rockin'.

While not a monumental upgrade over past installments, WRC 10 makes some welcome changes to the formula that continue to make it a must-play for fans of the sport.

The Artful Escape is an incredible odyssey of self discovery, and its few shortcomings don't hold it back from being an excursion patently worth making.

Rockstar's magnum opus still holds up after all this time, but its re-release leaves much to be desired with its lackluster "improvements."

Gotham Knights' insistence on being a modern open world RPG leads to some gameplay issues and painfully generic mechanics, but there's a lot of fun to be had here nonetheless, and an engaging story to experience. It may not be Arkham, but it's good enough in its own right.

MotoGP 22 spends more time on subtle tweaks and playing the nostalgia card than meaningful evolution, resulting in not much more than a merely passable iteration.

Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is the best way to experience the story of Naruto, both for long-time fans as well as beginners. Naruto's story mode offers a host of content in itself, and the versus mode can be plenty of fun if you have friends that like the series. Just don’t expect much in the way of actual gameplay depth.

Tribes of Midgard is a great concept, but half-baked mechanics and design decisions prevent it from reaching the triumphs it could.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau delivers a genuinely touching and heartfelt story in a rich and mystical world, even if it lets itself down with its combat, platforming, and design.

MotoGP 26 doesn’t meaningfully upgrade much of its catalog, but its large amount of content and wide range of accessibility options allow it to remain the definitive experience for MotoGP fans of all skill levels.

Chronos doesn’t totally shed its VR veneer, but the simplicity of its roots make it an inviting, uncomplicated option for fans of Souls-likes and RPGs.

Destruction AllStars delivers delightful carnage and non-stop mayhem, but issues with progression, monetization, and some poorly designed modes hold it back. Hopefully, Lucid Games and Sony will continue to build on this excellent foundation, because Destruction AllStars has the potential to be a special game with a little bit of work.

Serious Sam 4 won't rewrite the book for narrative FPS campaigns and that's perfectly fine. It sticks close to the series' roots while offering some contemporary improvements and improved presentation. If you're hankering for some straightforward shooting action that doesn't take itself too seriously, Sam "Serious" Stone's got your back.

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns is not without its flaws but it will appeal to most hardcore fans thanks to strong performance by the actors behind Havik and Noob Saibot, excellently directed cutscenes and the brutal animalities.

The third and final paid DLC for Remnant 2 is a step up in some ways, but it's still nowhere near as good as the base experience.