While the idea of a poker roguelike might sound like a niche game, the flair and fun found within Balatro makes it an absolute must-play for fans of the genre. Breaking the rules of poker to score millions of chips in a single hand was a rush, and I was always chasing ways to push it even further beyond. While there are a few times you can feel snubbed by the luck of the draw, these are wildly overshadowed by the moments where you hit it big.

This game has tons of gameplay to be had if you give it a chance. Smilebit certainly went the extra mile with the extras in this game.

Wow, for a small startup developer like Starbreeze (whose only other released game was "Enclave" on the Xbox and PC) this is like dropping an atomic bomb for one of the first games you bring out.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps improves upon its predecessor in almost every way, from its drastically improved combat system to its use of NPCs and side quests. Like Ori and the Blind Forest before it, Will of the Wisps is held back by intermittent technical hitches that can result in some frustrating moments, but it hardly keeps this incredible sequel from shining through.

The franchise mode works pretty well for the first year, but then you find out that your players don’t really gain much in ability, veterans are still powerhouses far after their prime years and your team goes to pot as it drafts and sends up younger players when you sim seasons.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered is an almost perfect package for both new players and returning fans looking to replay the game but with a new experience.

Dave the Diver is a whacky, 2D/3D game that mixes several genres to form a fun adventure with silly characters and never a shortage of things to do. Each trip into the mysterious Blue Hole is different, and you’ll have plenty of quests and upgrades to work on. Spend your days diving, and your nights running a sushi bar. If you are looking for a great balance of not too hard, not too easy, Dave the Diver is it. While some of the missions can get kind of hairy, managing your resources is what it’s all about. The story is fun, and I really enjoyed the MarinCa app that gives us facts about sea creatures we catch!

Hi-Fi Rush presents some of the best action combat out there and combines it with rhythm game mechanics to make something truly special. This is a game that’s firing on all cylinders constantly and bursting with creativity and style.

God of War: Ragnarök's PC port is certainly packed with features, and while most players won’t encounter some of the issues outlined above, the button prompts problem can remain an annoyance for those who like the Classic control scheme. It’s also possible some of the bugs we ran into were just strange accidents, as we cannot replicate them again aside from Atreus’ green hair on Deck. With that in mind, while PS5 may still be the ideal way to play, the PC version will allow players to experience the game at the absolute best visual quality it can hit.

Chained Echoes is an incredibly uneven RPG heavily inspired by the likes of Chrono Trigger and Xenogears. With bad writing, poorly thought out mechanics, and an overly complex… everything it can be hard to get through. Even so, there is a little fun to be found here, mostly near the beginning.

If you can handle the difficulty and don't mind an exercise in frustration, this is one of the best platformers out there and an honorable ode to the glorious days of old-school. If you prefer a more easy going experience, you may want to pass on SMB and save yourself the rise in blood pressure.

You could just plow through the story and ignore a lot of the side stuff and be completely happy. In fact, you'll probably get a good 20 plus hours out of that. However, if you choose to feed all the animals, collect all the treasures, complete the bestiary and find all the beads you'll find it very rewarding without being too tedious.

This is Civilization at its best and over time it will ripen like a fine wine and become a masterpiece. 2K Games have outdone themselves in making some massive changes without changing the core gameplay and alienating their fans.

Super Mario 3D Land is the first 3DS title that really takes advantage of the 3D capabilities of the system.

The PC port of The Last of Us Part II Remastered feels like a miracle. The game runs incredibly and looks fantastic, on both a desktop PC and Steam Deck. A lot of care has been taken to get this game to this level on PC, and it really shows in every frame.

It may be a poor teacher with text-heavy interfaces, but Monster Hunter: World is a great entry into the franchise if you haven't played anything from the series thus far. It's polished and filled with content, and you'll regret not immersing yourself in the series sooner. It provides a challenging yet enjoyable combat system that will keep you on your toes, and the variety of menacing monsters adds new challenges and keeps things from getting dull. You’ll happily trade hours of your free time for more monsters to hunt, capture, and slay.

This is a breakthrough in what interactivity can accomplish with little aid from more traditional storytelling mechanics – its resulting importance to this medium is no exaggeration.

The big things presented here are no slowdown, nice graphics, co-op Story mode play, a good amount of single and multi-player options outside of the Story mode and a plethora of extras and cheats to obtain.

Guild Wars 2 represents a raising of the bar for MMOs, taking the best aspects of a great many titles that have come before it and polishing them up in a way that makes it addictive and fun for all. Given the rate that ArenaNet has been addressing player concerns and patching them, I think we can expect great things from Guild Wars 2.

The downright beautiful visuals work together with solid technical gameplay and an online experience that is easy to get into to make a game that is hard to harp on. Really, my only complaints center around several interface issues which are annoyances rather than serious bugs in the game.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 for the PS5 is a great PlayStation game, but not necessarily a great PS5 game. It’s still a ton of fun to play, with no noticeable bugs or glitches. However, the only utilized PS5 feature is improved loading times. Adaptic triggers and haptic feedback felt largely unused, so much so it felt more like I was playing with a PS4 controller. Nonetheless, that doesn’t stop this remake from being amazing --- it’s still a ton of fun to play, and for new players there’s plenty of content to chew through that you won’t necessarily be missing those missed DualSense features.

Chicory: A Colorful Tale, while not perfect on Switch, is still a great game you need to play. The new controls schemes have their issues, but they also have their moments to shine.

Moss: Book II is a genuinely emotional, surprisingly creative, and incredibly gorgeous follow-up to its critically acclaimed predecessor. Book II takes the themes and gameplay ideas from the first title and nearly perfects them and in doing so has created a longer, more difficult, and more fulfilling adventure for Quill.

If you enjoyed The Bloody Baron quest line in The Witcher III: Wild Hunt, you will absolutely love Hearts of Stone. While it is the first piece of DLC with a price tag, the storyline justifies that at twice the price.

Atlus has done an incredible job with creating a portable version of Persona 3, and if you are a fan of the series or are looking for a JRPG to add to your collection, then P3P is definitely worth getting.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, despite being a remake of a 21 year old game, feels like a breath of fresh air. It masterfully combines action and turn-based combat using some in-depth character customization and weaves an intricate tale of love, empathy, political strife, and redemption. It’s a game that is almost always firing on all cylinders, keeping you engaged on this road and those beyond.

Resident Evil 4 was a triumph of a remake, and it somehow one upped itself with VR. The movement is perfect, the terror is real, and it’s a fantastic new way to experience one of the best ways of the year. After eighteen years, Resident Evil 4 is the gift that keeps on giving.

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.

A fantastic PC title that didn't get watered down in the conversion to console. If this is the future of console gaming, I'm sold.

This game is a refined and better game than "Burnout 3" even if there are a couple missteps along the way. The graphics, sound and overall sense of speed are greatly improved and the game is as addicting as ever.

Nomada Studios has truly cemented their place in the indie landscape as a representative of how video games are a strong narrative medium. They do this through beautifully crafted animation, vibrant backgrounds, and a whimsical yet powerful soundtrack. Every element of Neva perfectly encapsulates the immersive experience of the player, from story to gameplay, resulting in Neva standing tall in the face of its predecessor, Gris, as its own masterpiece.

An excellent game to introduce someone to the Metroid universe.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D is an immensely enjoyable experience.

Overall this game was a unique experience that is not your everyday type of game, but is worth playing and I would suggest this game to almost anyone. It is a game that simply tells a beautiful and tragic story. It sucks you in emotionally and does not let go.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne adds just what Monster Hunter World needed and even more quality of life changes to the greatest Monster Hunter game of all time. The new monsters and quests pack a punch, and there’s enough content to justify the price. If you’re going to take on this cool expansion, make sure you bring along some friends and a few hot drinks.

Despelote was a bit of a personal one for me, and I can see why some players may not love it due to it being a walking simulator where you kick a ball around. But for anyone willing to give it a chance, you’ll find a snippet of pure sentiment to engage with as you put on the shoes of its developer. You see Ecuador for its authentic self as a child and witness a moment that you probably never batted an eye at before. But you leave with a fuzzy feeling, wanting to reminisce about your own memories you had as a child.

In a world where multiple save points, extra lives and cheat codes dominate, it's down-right refreshing to see a title step up and proclaim "I am difficult, and that's all right." Demon's Souls is that title, and for that I commend it.

Obsidian’s Pillars of Eternity is a love letter to those gamers who remember RPGs of old – when parties were large, adventures were world-sprawling, and you read a book or two worth of words before the world was saved.

Fable 2 is an outstanding game that can't be missed this overcrowded holiday season.

Rez Infinite is a treat for the senses, and while there might not be a lot in the way of content, you’ll surely come back for more several times. The simple but addictive gameplay will draw you into a musical neon trance that you won’t want to leave, and it’s the perfect length for sharing with friends.

What's my final verdict on Beatles: Rock Band for the Wii? It's everything I was expecting it to be and more. It's fun to play, it has just the right amount of challenge, and just about everyone can jump in and enjoy themselves.

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood has everything you loved and hated about AC2, but it has shined up the positives to a sheen I didn't expect. Toss in the fantastic multiplayer with its persistent experience and leveling system and you have a solid and worthy successor to an already great series.

Left 4 Dead 2 improves on most everything from the first one, while adding enough new levels, Infected types, weapons, and items to give a new experience.

Despite superficial similarities to classic Nintendo games like Super Metroid, Axiom Verge isn’t afraid to bring a lot of new ideas to the table, and is all the better for it.

Unicorn Overlord has some of the best and most enjoyable strategy gameplay out there. It’s gorgeous and engaging, and will have you wanting to uncover every inch of Fevrith before you put it down.

Dark Souls 3 improves upon the beloved franchise in almost every way, and, if it is indeed the final entry in the series, is a worthy sendoff.

As a martial artist I can't express how much I'm enjoying this game. The styles are spot-on, the conversation is professional quality, the graphics are fantastic, and the storyline is everything you could hope for.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 gracefully fuses story and gameplay in a masterful conclusion to the Claus saga. It draws from earlier games in ways that will satisfy long time fans, while also firmly establishing its own world and characters. Aionios is a beautiful world to explore, with a rich history and fascinating conflict. The characters that stand at the center of this tale are some of the deepest, most relatable people in gaming history with a fantastic english dub backing them up. This is a game that will keep you engaged for hundreds of hours, and even stick with you well after.

In short – it will kick your ass. However, each time that you lose, you know that you could have done better. You don't lose because the AI cheats. Oh no. You lose because you simply weren't good enough.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury contains two excellent Mario games, but is unfortunately held back by frustrating controls, especially in multiplayer, and a lot of waiting in Bowser’s Fury when going for 100%. If you can get past that though, you’re in for some of the best 3D platforming Mario has to offer.

So if you loved Demon's Souls, or like games that sadistically punish you for your mistakes, go out and pick up Dark Souls right now. If you like those types of games, and haven't played Demon's Souls on the PS3, then go get both (if you have a PS3). While it's not perfect, it can be a hell of a lot of fun and is definitely worth the purchase price.

Paradise Killer is now the perfect murder mystery. With some visual and performance issues taken care of and the addition of new secrets to uncover as well as some gorgeous Ray Tracing, there’s never been a better time to breathe life back into paradise.

Pokémon Pokopia is a cozy Pokémon life simulation game that is full of adventure and creative opportunities. The game is very fun and relaxing, with great building and crafting systems that don't leave players feeling overwhelmed. It's a Switch 2 exclusive, but maybe some day our friends on the first Switch can join us.

Psychonauts 2 is the perfect sequel. It builds on everything the original game was while adding its own unique spin on gameplay and story. The overworld is a joy to explore and the levels are more stylish and dazzling than ever before with fantastic controls. It’s a fantastic experience that will stick with you, and has a ton to see and do.

The sound this year is exceptional and easily stands out as the biggest aesthetic addition to this year’s game.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty represents the best the game has to offer. The main quest is tense and thrilling, with amazing characters played by fantastic actors and twists around every corner. Every quest gives you something unique and interesting to do, including side quests. Dogtown is gorgeous, deadly, and deep.

The Dead Space remake is exactly what a remake should be. Quality-of-life improvements help the game flow better and meet modern standards, while the updated graphics bring the terror to life in vivid detail, providing a grotesque beauty to the nearly non-stop carnage. Despite the years which have passed since the game’s initial release in 2008, Isaac’s trek through the USG Ishimura remains as enthralling and terrifying as ever.

It's currently the finest game available for WiiWare, and one of the best games available for the Wii.

Oddmar is a challenging yet fun platformer that perfectly fits the mobile environment. With beautiful graphics and defined challenges per level, it represents a bright future for mobile games.

Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin improves upon Dark Souls 2 in nearly every category, and is the Souls game that current-gen console owners deserve.

If you like piles of guns, lots to do and shoot, and a robust leveling system with a natural coop multi-player aspect and aren't put off by the cel shading, it's a no-brainer.

So, to recap: There's a crisper and more friendly GUI. There's a new wide selection of mostly great songs. You have loads of freedom to come and go from the stage as you please AND its backwards-compatible with Guitar Hero World Tour.

Intergrade is a decent upgrade to a fantastic game. While some of the new features like haptic feedback leave a lot to be desired, the INTERmission DLC is a blast with some truly incredible gameplay, music, and characters that makes this worth getting if you already own a PS5.

Good game, Good graphics. Not as good as "Metal Gear Solid 2." Not enough content. Kind of short.

Out of the Park 15 is not only a great baseball simulator, but approaches all-time great sports game, period status.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is the best Fire Emblem game since 2005’s Path of Radiance. Players who skipped Shadows of Valentia may find a lot of things strange and different at first, but it all fits together so well that it starts to feel natural pretty quickly. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing in the beginning, you can still succeed and enjoy playing in the long run. The story is fascinating, the characters are lovable and entertaining, and the presentation is great.

With the graphics, the online play, and the engrossing singleplayer campaign, this game is definitely worth your gaming dollar.

NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition takes one of the best games ever made and turns it into a miraculous, portable experience. While 30 fps may seem like a downgrade, you won’t even feel the difference after a few minutes and the sacrifice is more than worth it. The new costumes are a great way to freshen up the game, but this version does lack some of the older cosmetics still exclusive to other versions.

Dawn of Sorrow can be expected to last between 10 and 20 hours and quite a bit longer than that for those completionists out there. That's a heck of a lot of game for $30.

This game is simply the modern day "NBA Jam" (which is ironic considering Midway is bringing back that line this year) with more to unlock and tons more things to do. This is the epitome of arcade basketball.

Like any Femme Fatale or Private Dick who spends too much time in the bottle, L.A. Noire has its fair share of flaws and stories to share. Missing out on this game would be a crime.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is one of those rare moments where a game takes itself seriously as a work of art. It’s beautiful, touching, joyful, and tragic all at once. While you’ll be spending most of its runtime just driving trucks around instead of contending with the terrain, it’s still incredibly fun to play and witness its very human story unfold.

Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition is an incredibly polished PC port with all the bells and whistles you could possibly ask for. It looks and runs incredibly, with the ability to tweak visuals and performance to suit your device. Nixxes continues their perfect streak of ports, and this is a fantastic way to experience Aloy’s second adventure.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a triumph, and a worthy continuation of the Like a Dragon franchise. RGG Studio has managed to improve on the gameplay mechanics and features of the previous title in virtually every way whilst upholding the narrative quality and goofy nature of the series. The game is not without its flaws, but they are overshadowed by its strengths, and the game deserves praise for its ambition and innovation. Infinite Wealth is undoubtedly an early game of the year contender, and a must play for RPG lovers and Yakuza enthusiasts alike.

Resident Evil Requiem proves that there is still plenty of infected blood left in this franchise's veins. Requiem manages to balance horror and action in a way that enhances both. While its second half is a bit messier than it should be, it's still a fun ride that only Resident Evil can deliver.

Even if you don't like strategy games, if you love action games and have an open enough mind to try out something a bit slower-paced, you will be rewarded with one of the most thrilling, thought-provoking, and heart-pounding games of the year.

If you are not up to doing a franchise in this game it may be smart to avoid WSB, as the franchise mode is the bread and butter of this game.

This game came out of left field, but it smacked a grand slam right out of the ballpark!

There is no doubt that Battlefield comes with some warts courtesy of a few mission features and the forced inclusion of Origin, but once these are ironed out we should have a title worthy of carrying the series name.

I Expect You To Die 3: Cog in the Machine is a great VR experience. It’s incredibly tactile while still remaining convenient and easy to play. However, having to repeat the same parts of levels over and over to progress can get very frustrating.

Red Matter 2 builds on the solid foundation established by its predecessor, giving us even better visuals, more interactivity, and all new devious puzzles to solve. It’s a true showcase of Sony’s PSVR2 platform, and a fantastic sequel to boot.

Dreams is an ambitious game that succeeds on every front where others have failed. Media Molecule took what they designed, developed, and created over the years and encapsulated it into an experience that has endless possibilities; for them and us. It’s hard to sum up how groundbreaking and pioneering the game is as it’s more than the sum of its parts, it’s exactly what you make of it. Let your dreams come true.

Run to your nearest shop or hit an online store – if you are a Deus Ex fan, Deus Ex: Human Revolution is what you've been eagerly waiting for.

CoR leaves you wanting more, not because it is short, but because it is good.

The control is simply phenomenal with the Logitech Driving Force Pro... A force feedback wheel where it pushes against you as you go into a turn at high speeds is just spot on.

If you are more a fan of music titles than the Fab Four, then you might be disappointed in the shorter songs and roughly half the songs you’d normally expect for the price. Any way you slice it though, this is good music that folks from almost any generation can relate to - I can’t think of a single band that has ever pulled that off, or ever will again.

Persona 3 Reload is the best Persona game to date. It reimagines a fan favorite to be the best it can be, even if it does stumble in some ways. There are a few Social Links that could have used overhauling, and the game is a bit too faithful to the original in these ways. However, the overall experience is transcendent and took me straight back to hanging out with my virtual friends in high school, getting to know them and slicing up Shadows. There really is nothing out there like Persona.

A solid platformer with laugh out loud humor and stunning graphics.

Pro Skater 1 + 2 not only perfectly recreates the pure joy of the originals, it improves on them greatly. The visuals have obviously been improved, but so have the responsive controls. If you have liked a Tony Hawk game in the past, you’ll feel right at home here.

There is nothing you’ll play this year like Alan Wake 2. The choice of two protagonists works wonderfully, with an interwoven plot that is Remedy at their best. I love the twists and turns it takes, with an incredible atmosphere set that boosts everything it touches, including the combat. Alan Wake 2 is breathtaking both visually and audibly, whether in Bright Falls or The Dark Place. Our departure thirteen years ago is long forgotten; Alan Wake's return is a triumph.

Mr. X Nightmare is a quality addition to an already quality game. You can feel the care taken to bring in the new characters without wrecking the balance of the game, the fantastic soundtrack, and a great new mode that’s positively addicting and well-made.

And for those of you who do and who want to get a little drawing time in, you can't really go wrong with Colors! 3D. It's available for a reasonable price – $6.99 in Nintendo's eShop – and allows you to put your 3DS to use honing an actual useful skill.

Horizon Zero Dawn is an excellent open-world experience that puts fighting towering robots at the center of the action. It’s held back somewhat by its weak narrative, and occasional glitches, but that doesn’t stop it from being the most badass game I’ve played this year.

One of the best PlayStation games gets a port worthy of its reputation. Nixxes has provided an excellent port, one properly optimized with all the bells and whistles. Not to mention, there is so much you can engage with between Ghost of Tsushima, Tales of Iki Island, and Legends. Don’t delay, grab your katana and play this game.

From a purely technical perspective, Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is a triumph. Delivering gorgeous ray traced lighting, blistering framerates, and high resolution, coupled with speedy load times and eye-popping visuals, Devil May Cry 5: Special Edition is the best possible rendition of the game. Returning special features like Turbo mode, Legendary Dark Knight mode, and Vergil himself is sure to keep any air-juggling Devil May Cry fan happy.

As a game, The Last of Us: Part 1 still deserves a high score after all these years, but I give that score hesitantly, as I am acutely aware that previous releases offer more content and that this release was not created for those who have already played through and enjoyed the game in the past, but rather to welcome in new players or for those who wish to harness the full power of their PS5. While this is the most technically impressive version of The Last of Us that we will likely ever get, it is anchored down by its previous releases, while simultaneously missing important components those versions had, namely the superb multiplayer. Despite some interesting bonus features, new cosmetic items, vastly improved AI, and a few quality-of-life changes, there may not be enough here to justify the purchase for anybody except newcomers. That said, the impressively robust suite of accessibility options is a welcome addition worthy of praise and will hopefully provide an opportunity for a new generation of fans to experience this story.

Power and Magic, along with Microsoft, have captured what was great about "Virtua Tennis" and brought it up to a higher degree of greatness. You can't go wrong with this game unless you totally despise tennis games.

This game has a metric ton of playtime in it and it is a heck of a lot of fun to play.