Few games burst with the imagination and whimsy of Yoshi And The Mysterious Book. The artfully pristine levels and the mechanical invention tucked inside every one is dazzling and serene to behold. The relaxed pressure-off gameplay accommodates the creature-finding exploration seamlessly, and The Mysterious Book will easily bring magic and wonder to the eyes of youngsters as they revel in the joys of discovery. Yes, The Mysterious Book is easy, the great mechanics could’ve used some fleshing out, and the visuals aren’t quite as pleasing as its crafty predecessors, but it’s hard not to be giddy and delighted by this new Yoshi-fronted pearl of platforming pleasure. Yoshi is back in a bodacious and beguiling new way.

The Super Bomberman Collection is a solid compilation of all the SNES/Super Famicom games that plays well, and it has enough digital artifacts to feel like its own exhibit inside a museum. Boss Rush is a fine addition to a franchise that has struggled with good boss design, but online play should have been included as multiplayer is the bulk of Bomberman's appeal.

Mina the Hollower is another masterpiece from Yacht Club Games, a Zelda style game that manages not only to equal the series that inspired it, but in some ways surpasses it. The world is detailed, gorgeous, and overflowing with secrets. The writing is sharp and often hilarious while maintaining a gothic horror vibe. Best of all, it feels amazing to play, with tons of ways to customize Mina and the game itself to fit your playstyle. It’s filled with freedom and challenge in equal measure, but as a Hollower you are more than up to the task.

007 First Light is a top-tier game both Bond fans and stealth action gamers will love. It has all the hallmarks of a great Bond film with some of the best stealth action gameplay in the industry. I’m excited to see one of my favorite franchises in the hands of a studio that loves it as much as I do. 007 First Light is worthy of the Bond legacy and easily one of the best games of the year.

ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies is tense espionage, political dread and arcane philosophy wrapped up in a beautifully crafted CRPG package. The freedom to develop your spy in whatever faculty and fashion you wish is fun to engage with, and the narrative had me hooked from the moment I stepped foot onto the scene.

Sektori is, without a doubt, one of the best shoot ‘em ups to drop in years. While it stands on the shoulders of giants, it brings enough to the table to prove its worth. Beautiful in its simplicity and addictive in action, you’ll constantly have to fight that “one more run” feeling to get anything done once you start playing. Everyone should give Sektori a try.

It’s hard to say anything negative about Two Point Museum because it just keeps getting better and better with every new DLC. Arty-Facts is a fantastic and innovative installment that feels so distinct from the other packs in its range of gameplay features and aesthetics. The sheer amount of commissioned art pieces that all look samey may not make your museum look too aesthetic, but the silly takes on famous art pieces more than make up for it. As I said before, we are witnessing a generational run of DLC.

The Horizon series is about the friends you made along the way. It is undeniably more of the same, but the thoughtful social additions and inclusion of non-racing activities into the grander Horizon world makes Forza Horizon 6 feel considerably better. Most of all, anyone can play it. And everyone should.

A solid and satisfying puzzler wrapped around an H.P. Lovecraft story that hasn’t been told to death. It leaves you wanting more, with a shorter runtime, but thankfully a price to match. Another hit from developer Out of the Blue Games, and one I hope they continue into a third installment.

Directive 8020 isn’t the best game The Dark Pictures Anthology has to offer, but it is better than most of them. The story has some fantastic twists and turns, the characters are likable if a bit too shallow, and it's intensely replayable with an absolutely astounding amount of variance.

Mixtape is an immersive game as you follow Rockford, Slater, and Cass on the last night of High School. Spanning the highs and lows of the evening, the game’s Mixtape includes music from Devo, Iggy Pop, Lush, The Cure, and more. A full game you can complete in a 4-6 hour span with an hilarious, emotional story that will leave many in tears. If you’re a fan of 80s and 90s nostalgia, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off-style cutaways, and an ode to outcasts, you’ll enjoy Mixtape.

Motorslice can be a frustrating game with a weird tone, some bad writing, and almost malicious design at times. However, getting through those rough spots feels trivial compared to how good the game feels at its best. At its worst, the drum and bass stylings of Pizza Hotline will keep you going until you can reach the next section of truly blissful platforming. It all makes Motorslice feel a bit like the chainsaw P wields: sharp around the edges, but once it's revved up there's nothing that can stop it.

Saros is Housemarque's ultimate creation; the culmination of years of hard work and experimentation. Returnal is Game of the Year quality, no doubt. But Saros has taken what Returnal offered and refined it, only adding to the formula until the end result is Housemarque's finest release yet. In a sea of great April games, Saros' excellence stands out as another Game of the Year contender.

Little Nightmares VR: Altered Echoes does a great job bringing the 2.5D “dollhouse” perspective of the series to a fully fleshed out VR world, complete with grotesque enemies, simple puzzles, a mysterious narrative, great graphics, and fun VR mechanics. While the campaign is short, even by Little Nightmare’s standards, it is worth experiencing, and features some of the most surreal and exciting set pieces yet for the series during its final chapter.

Ys Memoire: Revelations in Celceta is a very basic Ys game. It's fun and has some cool mechanics, but the story is mostly bland and goes on for just a little too long. Still, the music is good, the combat is fun, and the initial focus on exploration is neat.

Knocking it out of the park once again, San Diego Studio continues to make MLB The Show 26 a premier sports sim.

Tides of Tomorrow is a great adventure game with an excellent story, striking aesthetic, and the potential to connect players worldwide in unique ways. Like our lives, the choices you make will affect those who follow you. With a narrative that speaks to real-world concerns and the consequences of choice, Tides of Tomorrow leaves a lasting impact everyone should experience.

Terran Armada is something of a mini-DLC focused more on adding cool new stuff throughout the base game rather than providing a typical DLC expansion experience. For what it is, it's a lot of fun, but can get a bit tedious before you even reach the halfway point. As an introduction to the Free Lanes free update, however? It's the perfect compliment, encouraging you to explore the new unknowns.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a phenomenal game, with a gripping story and combat systems that encourages you to constantly evolve your strategy. It's a game that treats you like an adult in all its aspects, but is never too punishing when you fail. For fans who have been asking for Pokémon to "grow up", this is your answer.

A wonderfully deep (ha!) puzzle detective game, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss treads a fantastic line of respecting the source material, updating it in a fresh way, and delivering some deliciously restrained horror.

Aether & Iron offers a story-driven noir adventure that can both satisfy and frustrate. The retro-futuristic depiction of 1930s New York with floating cars on flying islands is enticing, complete with factions and seedy characters. Turn-based combat on high-speed streets is engaging and satisfying, offering some new considerations to your typical turn-based experience. While the story and characters are worth experiencing, some of the storytelling mechanics can feel frustrating and unwieldy. That said, the patient, strategic gamer looking for a well-told story will find a good time with Aether & Iron.

MOUSE: P.I. For Hire is un-brie-lievable. Somehow, the lofty ambition they presented in 2023 has been surpassed by an excellent release. This spunky noir shooter is exactly the kind of game I wanted, and it's so much fun to play I might just start it again. Don't sleep on MOUSE; this is a premium and ingenious game in an indie package.

Sad Cat Studios has finally delivered the game they've been promising for years, and it's every bit as brilliant as I'd hoped. Featuring an incredible tale of what it is to be human, Reach touches hearts and rips some out as he hops and wacks his way across Phoenix City and beyond. This is an Indie Game of the Year contender, no doubt about it.

Don't space out; Capcom's PRAGMATA is a stellar, action-packed game that will have you over the moon... Well, on the moon. The multifaceted combat system, lunar setting, and gripping story come together to deliver a tense, atmospheric, and heartfelt story about survival and a meaningful bond, although it does suffer from some slight predictability.

People of Note is a beautiful musical RPG starring Pop, Rock, EDM, Rap, and Classical styles of music with countless others showcased throughout the adventure. From witty puns of your favorite bands, engaging combat and puzzles, and even full music videos from heroes, villains, and more--People of Note delivers an adventure unlike any other. Help Cadence and friends save the world and learn about musical genres and mash-ups along the way! If you studied music, teach music, make music, or simply love music, People of Note is an adventure across genres you'll undoubtedly love.

The Sega Villains Stage DLC doesn't fully deliver on its premise, but it makes up for it with some of the strongest and toughest content in the game.

Screamer started as a frustrating reimagining of an arcade drifting racer, with a downtrodden, slow-moving plot. By the end, I wanted more, and I became a drift racing believer. I’ll never win an online match, but I’ll take losing for another chance to race in this universe.

Mega Man Star Force 3 represents the culmination of the Star Force series in more ways than it just being the final entry of the series. The story noticeably steps things up from 2, concluding things in a satisfying way and tying up loose ends from the first game. It pushes the battle system forward with the Noise Change and White Card systems, adding some of the depth back to Star Force's otherwise more streamlined battle system. Throw in a challenging post-game, and it's hard to argue against 3 being the peak of the series. Star Force 3 is a rare sequel that pretty much unanimously improves everything while sacrificing nothing. While they're all worth playing, and ideally you'd play the other two before this one, Star Force 3 best represents Star Force's unique appeal.