With flawless lighting, excellent gameplay, innovative immersion, and a fresh new story, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the sort of game that we’ll be talking about for the rest of the console generation. This is how you start a new generation of gaming.

Out of the Park Baseball 17 is a culmination of hard work over several years that has resulted in a perfect sports simulation experience.

It’s rare to see a sequel nail it this hard, but God of War: Ragnarök has once again raised the bar for every action adventure title. It’s the best game I’ve played in a very, very long time, and is, in a word, perfect.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 is a triumph for the Jurassic World Evolution series of games. Every inch of this game is oozing with quality-of-life improvements. I am seriously chomping at the bit to get my hands on free updates and further DLC.

We’ve waited far too long for an Aliens game this good, but it’s finally here. With an exciting campaign, five exciting classes, a dazzling array of weapons, and a staggering array of monsters to use them on, Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a perfect organism.

Every once in awhile a game comes along that inevitably inspires a new generation of gamers, artists, and designers, an inflection point that imprints itself on the genetics of the medium and help up as a gold standard for years to come. Cuphead is one such game, a quirky assemblage of novelties that comes together in a breathtaking fashion, with a charming exterior that belies one of the most challenging games of this generation.

At just $14.99, Execution Force gives you fresh ways to combat the demonic Nurgle horde with snipers, psykers, poisoners, and spies at your disposal, the forces of Chaos don’t stand a chance.

I’ve been playing Cottage Living for an hour or two each day for a week now, and still feel like I have a lot left to discover. There are plenty of quests, and I really like the laid back simple living feeling to the expansion. Caring for and dressing up my farm animals is an absolute delight. Cottage Living is a total home run in my opinion, if you’re a fan of the game this is a must-have for your collection.

Don’t question it — just buy it. Buy it right now. It isn’t a shooter, and there are no puzzles and some will question if this even qualifies as a “game,” but What Remains of Edith Finch is an exemplar in video game narrative design. No other game I’ve ever played has provoked the same meditation on death, and ultimately life and the beauty of it all.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is one of the best puzzle games out there, and this remaster only improves on perfection. Its sharp and witty writing is accompanied by a gripping murder mystery plot, a beautiful art style, and an ear worm soundtrack. Ghost Trick absolutely deserves more attention than it got back on the DS, and hopefully this resurrection will change its fate.

Jimmy and the Pulsating Mass is a gift. Its at first simplistic presentation belies a work of thought, care, and empathy. It satisfies those looking for quality in exploration, combat, and writing, while tying all elements together to focus the experience on communicating its message.

Split Fiction is a stunning and emotional buddy co-op adventure that kept us fully invested until the very end. Jumping between Zoe and Mio's different worlds was executed flawlessly, with unique gameplay, storylines, and details for every chapter. It's also the first of Hazelight's games to feature cross platform play, which performed superbly. This is how co-op games should be.

The overall experience has a trim and polish that is exceptional even by Nintendo’s standards, and while there are a few nitpicks that longtime fans of the series might find, it’s hard to argue against this being the best game in the series to date.

Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition is the best version of Monolithsoft’s masterpiece. Its additions serve to streamline the experience and make an already great game that much better. Its expansion Future Connected gives some much needed closure on one of the story’s best and most complex characters while spicing up the exploration and combat in a fun, new way. If you’re not already a fan, this version might just hook you like it has so many others.

It’s not just that Horizon Forbidden West is bigger, it’s better. Guerrilla had already crafted an incredible title in Zero Dawn, but they’ve graduated into building an immaculate one in Forbidden West. Its strengths are taken to new heights, tuned to being the best they can be, and what were once weaknesses transform into pillars the series can build on. Besides a few minor technical issues, Horizon Forbidden West is the perfect example of what you want a sequel to an already great game to be, and it’s certainly a challenger for best game in 2022.

1000xResist is one of those special games from a team of individuals laser focused on creating their masterpiece. It’s story is meaningful, gripping, and heartfelt. This is a work of art you absolutely need to play.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is the best open world RPG this year. It’s colorful locals are a joy to discover, combat and stealth feel deep and rewarding, and there’s a viking hoard of things to do.

Persona 5 Royal is the crown jewel of the series. It expands and improves upon everything that made the original a powerhouse title in the first place. The new activities and confidants staggeringly stand out, and the numerous minor improvements subtly propel the game into a masterful league of its own. Roll out a scarlet carpet and hail the king of JRPGs.

Fans continue to deliver incredible facsimiles of real-world parks, and the Planet Coaster Studios Pack fills in gaps with a deluge of content. From non-infringing shark attacks, to new ride types, this is easily the biggest and best expansion yet. It’s a must-have for anyone who owns Planet Coaster.

A complete package, with all DLC packed in, Final Fantasy XVI Complete Edition lives up to its name. The performance on a wide variety of hardware speaks to a lot of optimization work, and mods make the skies the limit. This is the ultimate way to experience this fantastic entry to the series.

There is nothing out there like Microsoft Flight Simulator. It delivers the entire world in unrivaled quality, combined with pinpoint precise controls and realism at a level that is unmatched. If you want a taste of the sky, this game is virtual perfection, and if you are learning to fly in the real world, nothing will reinforce what you’ve already learned more than Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Spiritfarer excels in every genre it dips its toes in. It’s a joy to see what’s in every corner of the game’s ocean, explore every nook and cranny of the various islands, and play various minigames all while managing your ship and making sure your passengers are happy before you see them off. It’ll make you laugh, cry, and feel terrified all at the same time. It’s one of those games that, after finishing, you immediately want to play again.

After a long wait, Gran Turismo Sport is here, and it is racing perfection beyond measure. This is the best racing game that I have ever played, overflowing in beauty, grace, playability, and precision. Driving a go-kart, a fusion-engine concept race car, or a standard Ford Focus all provide a wealth of fun and unique challenges. Gran Turismo Sport is a triumph, and will be played voraciously by racing fans for years and years to come.

Undertale is one of the most unique efforts seen in indie gaming. Combining a love for the old with a willingness to innovate and utilize game mechanics to express ideas, rather than a binary input-output, this game should be on any and every one’s radar.

Nintendo and MAGES defy all expectations, delivering a grim murder mystery filled with heartbreaking characters and a tragic narrative that stands among the visual novel genre’s best. Hopeful just as much as it is haunting, Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a monumental feat of storytelling from Nintendo’s long dormant adventure series.

The Resident Evil 4 remake Separate Ways expansion is a flawless DLC, and serves as a valuable and engaging conclusion to the Las Plagas saga. Capcom has done the entire remake of Resident Evil 4 right from top to bottom. Stepping into Ada’s high heels and grappling from rooftop to rooftop feels exhilarating and refreshing as we get to peek into her side of the story. Now I want a full game with just Ada alone! After all, who doesn’t love her?

It’s very rare that a game grabs me this completely, but God of War is, without a doubt, an early contender for Game of the Year. It’s flawless in its execution, and the new benchmark for action titles. Well done, Santa Monica Studios, and thanks for taking us on this entirely new adventure.

Tunic sits among the pinnacle of indie titles and is just as fun as it is cute and colorful. There are an astounding amount of secrets to discover in the game and, once you’ve found everything, you can easily play it again and again to do things in a different order using your knowledge. It’s a delightful experience that I just can't get enough of.