The original game has been reworked visually and mechanically to be far more playable in 2021, even though it’s still less than ideal when it comes to combat, especially moving onto the sequels. The second and third Mass Effects don’t receive as major an enhancement to their quality of life, but what they do receive is visual clarity. The game runs magnificently on current and last-generation consoles, not to mention load times are insignificant now and the graphical touches that have been instituted only help to enhance the experience. There’s nothing quite like Mass Effect out there, and having upwards of 300 hours worth of content readily available is an immense value that goes unmatched. It may have taken longer than we had expected to come out, but we finally got a remaster that’s does the franchise proud.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus delivers an enjoyable action packed first person shooter experience. The alternate take on history makes for an interesting story populated by characters who are easy to care about. The characters that the player is supposed to hate are quite easy to despise since the game doesn’t hold back about cranking up their despicable level. Some sequences are hard to sit through since they don’t shy away from racism, antisemitism, animal cruelty, domestic violence and just sadistic behavior in general, but this features Nazis, so expecting sunshine and rainbows would be a naive viewpoint. Overall Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus delivers a memorable experience that isn’t afraid to pull punches to get an emotional response but still maintains the over the top action movie camp factor. Most importantly, it delivers fast paced shooting action and explosive carnage which is what people typically want from a first person shooter.

Axiom Verge was already one of the best Metroid-style games in years and it lands on the Switch like it belongs there. The game is endlessly creative with new enemies, weapons and tools, making each new area a fun challenge to explore while giving plenty of reason to revisit the older ones. The huge, detailed bosses can seem insurmountable at first, but give up their patterns after an attempt or two, and good odds of receiving a new ability afterwards makes the fight worthwhile.

A JRPG combined with an action platformer setup seems like a strange marriage, but this is a perfect example of how to pull off a seemingly unlikely combination. Vanillaware took an already great game, revamped it to feel more contemporary without losing any of its charm and made improvements across the board.

The Theatrhythm series has always been a celebration of Final Fantasy and the iconic music associated with each title. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line continues that tradition by bringing together more titles, songs and characters onto consoles for the first time. The transition is nearly flawless, allowing Final Fantasy fans to experience some of the most iconic songs from each title in a fun, easy-to-play gameplay experience. It’s not perfect, though, with some titles getting more favor over others. Some exclusions are odd, particularly the absence of the critically-acclaimed Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker and the fact that a good number of iconic tunes are trapped behind premium deluxe editions is simply not OK. Past that, this is a successful transition from handheld to console with tight gameplay, plenty of content to unlock and a beautiful presentation backing it up. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line isn’t the perfect celebration of Final Fantasy, but it’s a great one.

Put on your +1 cape of adventure and go pick up Divinity: Original Sin now, because it would be a sin to miss out on something this good.

By and large, though, this is a game that shouldn’t be missed by anyone who appreciates Sega and/or gaming experiences of the late 80s and early 90s.

Katamari Damacy was a unique and bizarre game that offered simple fun in lieu of a complex and twisting narrative. This title may be short and repetitive, but it’s extremely difficult to play this and not have a good time. Whether a newcomer or a fan of the PlayStation 2 version, the odd gem of a game should be included in every Switch owner’s library.

Though the first game in the franchise didn’t have a clear direction for itself, Dirt 2 is outdoor racing across various types of racing events tied together under a cohesive extreme sports presentation.

Return to Monkey Island is pretty much as perfect a sequel to such a series of classic games as one can get. The puzzles are just as clever as they were decades ago, the visuals are the stunning, characters both new and old are a joy to interact with and provide great humor, and the story is not only well-crafted, but also has surprisingly profound moments. It’s easily a classic that can proudly stand alongside the other Monkey Island games, and one of the year’s best games in general. Take it from a now-behind-bars Stan: it’s one worth picking up.

Just like both of its predecessors, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a fantastic turn-based RPG with monster-raising elements. With satisfying challenges and depth to its mechanics, it’s an impressive new entry to its franchise, rewarding fans with an epic experience.

Botany Manor is a genuine delight, a charming little adventure game with a nice story, a lot of creativity in its plant designs and unique botanical work, and amazing puzzles that feel like a throwback to the classics of yore while having their own beautiful twists based around thorough exploration. It's an absolute gem, so make sure you don't overlook it just because Victoran-era botany doesn't seem all that intriguing at first. As it turns out, it can make for one amazing game.

The main story in Phantom Liberty is engrossing to the point I was hesitant about what choices to make because I had become invested in the characters. The missions themselves were cinematic in the best possible way, whether it was fighting for our lives in a burning warzone or trying to gather intel at a swanky party. Those who have already enjoyed Cyberpunk 2077 will find just as much enjoyment here, and those who were interested but hesitant due to the tech issues will find a great opportunity to give this game a second chance.

Lumines Arise is an expressive, compelling puzzle game that manages to provide a carefully created experience that merges together sound, visuals and gameplay. It’s a spectacle of lights, colors and sounds that continues to be enthralling for long bursts. There are very few projects like it on the market, and it’s an easy recommendation for anyone who loves puzzles and contemporary music.

All in all though, I’d recommend giving this game a few days, playing through any initial frustration, and experimenting with this extremely well crafted sandbox.

Persona 4 Golden is slowly starting to show its age in the gameplay department, but that doesn’t detract it from being one of the best RPG experiences you’ll find. The lovely cast of characters and goofy, yet shockingly serious story will have you enthralled for the 100+ hours it has to offer. The PC port itself is also well optimized; it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles most PC titles come with, but considering this is a remaster of a handheld port of a PS2 game, there’s more than even I would have expected. Persona 4 Golden is an absolute must for all JRPG fans and the PC version only highlights this further. Even if you owned it on PlayStation Vita, this is a tale well worth experiencing again at a higher resolution and 60fps.

Dispatch is an impressive hero story, a compelling tale of flawed humans who can become something more when given a new chance to shine. The game combines a compelling emotional aspect of building bonds with them and the strategic element of managing a group of heroes to save a big city from many simultaneous problems. With an inspired direction, this is a great start for AdHoc Studio and signals that they are a group of developers to keep an eye on for future experiences as well.

Neva is another winner from Nomada Studio, but it's also much more than that. It's a drop-dead gorgeous game with truly fun platforming action, puzzles and combat, with hauntingly-beautiful moments. But the titular character is the true highlight, easily encapsulating the biggest strengths as you see this wolf grow up alongside Alba. It's a journey of motherhood that takes the form of one of the year's best platformers, and just one of the year's best games, period.

Yes, basketball fans will likely have a great time playing NBA 2K16 for hours on end, but there are too many small steps back here that can’t be ignored. The good news for fans of sports games is that the first misstep in this great franchise is still a very good game, which speaks to how truly fun its gameplay is.

Pikmin 3 is the answer to the question “what’s on the Wii U?” It may not be a killer app, but it’s a wholly satisfying title that quite simply can’t be had on any other console. Imaginative, challenging and visually gorgeous, Pikmin 3 has one of the highest fun factors of any game this year.

While many Total War fans might scoff at playing with elves when they could be conquering Europe or Japan with historically accurate techniques, Total War: Warhammer II is the best place for the typical gaming nerd to start. It succeeds on that long promised, but never really delivered idea of taking part in battles akin to Lord of the Rings.

Tales of Arise is the best Tales game in over a decade. It’s the advancement the series has needed for quite some time now, such as the far more explorative dungeon designs (as small as they are) and the switch to the Unreal Engine. On top of that, the majority of the cast of characters are compelling enough to keep your attention locked on the story, and the combat reinvigorates the tried and true formula into something special.

Mossmouth did the impossible with Spelunky 2 in managing to create a sequel to an incredible game that did not disenfranchise existing fans or turn off newbies. Instead, they’ve crafted another hard-as-nails experience that’s devilishly fun to play. Almost every new feature is an improvement and the new visual and audio flourishes enhance it further. Those who never played the original game don’t have to. They can jump straight into Spelunky 2 and enjoy a masterful title that will likely never grow old.

What likely started out as an Xbox and/or Bethesda executive thinking “Hey, wouldn’t it be neat if we kept this game a secret and launched it during a special event?” has led to what could easily wind up as one of this year’s GOTY contenders exploding onto the scene in spectacular fashion. Hi-Fi Rush is classic video game action that blends amazing combat in a unique hybrid of genres in with memorable characters, a wicked sense of humor, terrific gameplay that’s accessible for all players and mind-blowing visuals and music. It’s an instant classic, even without the shadow drop, and delivers a candy-coated blast of chaos that conceals a clear labor of love and a weird purity to it all that you need to experience.

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics brings together multiple beloved arcade classics. The seven games included in the collection haven't been heavily altered from their original arcade releases, save for the art and music galleries and online play, but that's perfectly fine. These games were great in the arcade and they remain fun today in their unaltered state. The six fighting games, when played in order, can show the evolution of bringing the Marvel Universe to Capcom's approach to fighting games, starting with the straightforward one-on-one matches of X-Men: Children of the Atom to the three-on-three tag team matches between 52 characters in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Countless hours of enjoyment can be had fighting against friends in the six fighting games, with The Punisher serving as a nice bonus game when the gameplay style needs a change of pace.

The handheld mashup of "Bejeweled" and RPG has finally hit the TV screen. and it's just as addictive as ever. [Dec 2007, p.69]

Whether you’re a comic book or PC gaming enthusiast, Marvel’s Spider-Man is well worth experiencing for the first time or once more.

For disillusioned former veterans and newcomers alike, Warlords of Draenor is the time to pick up a new WoW expansion; it’s just that good.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition lives up to the Definitive Edition moniker that it sports this time around. Everything about the game has been enhanced to another level for fans, new or old, to jump into and enjoy. The updates to the graphics and gameplay have not only made the game feel more up-to-date, but more compelling and fun as a whole. You’ve got plenty of options and routes to build your characters while on foot, as well as various options for the Skells you fight with. With the past expansions being reworked into post-game content for players to enjoy, there's plenty to do in this version of Xenoblade Chronicles X. There's no doubt that this fan-favorite game is back in its full glory and better than ever.

Absolum is a remarkable beat’em-up experience in which perfectly crafted combos and 2D visual delight drive a compelling journey through the fantasy land. While the experience can get repetitive early, this is a minor slight in what is otherwise an impressive, compelling experience throughout its entire run. The game is easily recommended for any fans of 2D action games and does what it sets out to do strikingly well.

Iconoclasts is an amazingly well-done game that never settles down for more than a minute, effortlessly switching from one challenge to another and never letting the player get too caught up on an area. As good as the gameplay is, though, the part that sticks in my head is the story, and the terrible price Robin and her friends and enemies all pay on the way to salvation. It’s a long, difficult journey with a large cast of characters to meet, befriend, fight, and sometimes lose along the way, creating a memorable world that will stick in your head long after the final boss is defeated.

Don't overlook this game based on descriptions alone, because you'll be missing out on an experience that is unlike anything else. [Sept 2007, p.58]

If you have someone who you’ve always wanted to experience video games with but never could convince them to play, give Tales from the Borderlands a shot. This story, these characters and this product are simply too good for only a small segment of the population to enjoy.

With its ingeniously implemented seasonal puzzles, graceful platforming segments and immersive environment, LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias has successfully triumphed over the faults its predecessor, elevating it to a near-masterpiece.

Kirby's Epic Yarn is one of the most enjoyable platformers out there. While some may balk at its ease, it does offer more of a challenge for those who come into it with an open mind.

With so much to love about BUSTAFELLOWS, it’s an easy recommendation for all otome visual novel fans. It’s not perfect; the inability to save at dialogue choices is annoying for completionists, but that’s a small complaint in the grand scheme of things. Excellent characters, storytelling, localization, voice acting, art and more make this one of the best releases this year. Here’s hoping BUSTAFELLOWS is just the start of PQube’s otome localization career. Give it a look if you want a taste of the criminal underworld alongside delectable romance.

Anybody who’d like to replay the series or experience it for the first time before the looming release of Unharted 4 have no reason not to pick up The Nathan Drake Collection; it’s simply the best way to experience three great games.

There are many titles like The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles which never get localized for more fans to enjoy, and although it took six years, it’s safe to say it was worth waiting for. Perhaps the best part is regardless of one’s history with the series, anyone can give this entry a try as it’s a proper prequel that requires no prior knowledge in order to dive into right off the bat.

If the gaming world doesn’t talk about Tales from the Borderlands as one of 2015’s best offerings, then something has gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Overboard! is one of the year’s most delightful surprises so far, a terrific reverse murder mystery with several twists and turns around every corner, and one that can still put up a notable challenge as you try to figure out every possible step towards getting Veronica off the hook and on the path to a life of luxury instead. A mix of sharp writing, clever puzzles and simple yet effective gameplay results in a killer experience that will leave you coming back for more.

With easy-to-pick-up controls and stunning graphics, Fight Night Round 4 is a fantastic experience with plenty of replay value and tons of unlockable content to keep any boxing fan busy for months.

The Witcher: Enhanced Edition is a remarkably deep title filled with decision making tasks that actually have an effect on the story itself.

F1 2017 is the best representation of a complicated sport that Codemasters has offered. Offering its deepest and most authentic career mode, it draws players into the sport like no other F1 game ever has.

Crash Bandicoot fans got what they asked for last year with a proper follow-up that honored the legacy of Naughty Dog’s classic trilogy. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time embraced the mechanics that made the franchise such a hit while adding its own unique spin. The move to PS5 and Xbox Series X|S maintains the same essence that made the game so enjoyable last year, but it now looks and runs better. The visuals are cleaner and the frame rate runs at a solid 60fps. DualSense support is lackluster compared to other titles, but the smart use of Activity Cards makes up for it. With a free upgrade available for current owners, and the ability to import saves from the cloud, hopping back into Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is simple, or start a whole new adventure for the first time. Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time was the return to form the franchise needed and it’s looking good on next-gen.

Velocity 2X isn’t just one of the best games of the year, it might just be the best downloadable title exclusively available on the PlayStation 4.

Killer Instinct Season Three offers up the best incarnation of the reboot to date.

With its tight controls in full tow, The Messenger is a fantastic debut from a studio that may play deeply on their sole influence but, crucially, find the means to push beyond mere imitation to create something aesthetically fresh. A stellar platformer and one many will remember for some time.

Rise of the Tomb Raider’s PC debut is nothing short of phenomenal, and provided you have the PC to back it up, it can look and run substantially better than its Xbox One counterpart.

Vampire Survivors is a long slow burn that never stops getting hotter, maybe not quite the first of the genre it ignited, but certainly the best. [Early Access Provisional Score = 90]

F1 2020 is as good as it gets on the current generation of consoles. Codemasters has perfected its craft to make F1 2020 the pinnacle of the series. My Team is fantastic and will keep people interested in a single player experience engaged. Featuring Michael Schumacher was the right decision for the adding the classic cars, but having him as an actual presence in the game would be better. The casual difficulty should help attract some new players, while the overall racing gets a boost thanks to refinements and the new Overtake Button. The online multiplayer needs a new innovation as the current state still leaves a lot to be desired.

It will take at least another year for the game's full depth to be discovered. [Issue#35, p.44]

Even if you don’t have someone to play co-op with, this is an absolutely captivating experience from start to finish. Whether it’s taking on hordes of endless alien invaders or driving around with your homies, Saints Row IV is just pure, unadulterated fun.

Mushihimesama is a phenomenal arcade game and an indispensable addition to any shooter fan’s library.

Capcom’s execution isn’t always perfect, and the lack of quest variety may wear on some, but Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is just about everything it strives to be: a sprawling adventure full of charm, customization and a whole lot of monsters.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a cute, fun, deeply enjoyable and satisfying trek through a ruined world that only needs an irrepressible spark of creation to burst back to life.

Titanfall has some noteworthy shortcomings, and yet the accessible gameplay makes it an easy recommendation not only for FPS veterans, but those who normally avoid the genre as well. As a result, Titanfall is the best gateway FPS ever created and is a must-buy for anybody with an Xbox One.

Tomb Raider is not just a reboot, but a revelation in a series that had long passed its prime.

The remake of Silent Hill 2 doesn’t surpass the original, but it’s still an admirable attempt. It succeeds at recreating the same tension-filled atmosphere with a sense of dread that only grows as James progresses in his quest to find Mary. The updates to the camera are a welcome change, and while combat has been improved, there are some aspects that are annoying.

Opus: Prism Peak is an impressive adventure game that manages to provide an emotional experience that feels deeply relatable and well-executed. Its beautiful art style is accompanied by an involved gameplay with photography mechanics and a world that grows if the player decides to explore it as much as possible. It’s an inspired testament to the powerful experiences the genre has to offer and one of 2026’s must-play games.

Guilty Gear Xrd -Revelator- serves as a worthy expansion/sequel to Sign in many ways.

Valfaris is pure badassery in every level, from its brutal environments, the monstrous abominations of its bosses and of course the driving guitar soundtrack pushing the action forwards. It’s hardcore run & gun action from the very start and exactly what we dreamed 16-bit gaming would grow into back in the day.

Trials HD is a whole lot of of fun. It seems simple enough, but there’s an incredible amount of skill needed to be good at it.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for Switch remains a stellar platformer, both in its presentation and more importantly, its finely-tuned challenge. Grueling in its difficulty, yet cunning in its delivery more so, the necessity on getting every split-second move or decision right may put off some, but those keen to stick with it — even replay a level a few more times thereafter — will quickly discover Tropical Freeze’s loop isn’t so easy to put down.

This year’s most unique game is something that gamers far and wide should experience for themselves, be it as a pallet cleanser in between massive AAA releases or as something to show them the power of the medium itself.

Mario Kart World is a surprising step forward for the Mario Kart franchise. The introduction of the rail and wall riding systems are welcome additions, adding even more skill-based racing to the already beloved formula. That’s on top of Nintendo putting the World in the Mario Kart World name. Nintendo has crafted an impressive interconnected lobby system, allowing you to explore the vast world while in-between matches. This Free Roam feature could be better improved, though, with a better map system and potentially cooperative play in the future. All in all, Mario Kart World is one of very few Switch 2 exclusives to truly speak about, offering an immense amount of value at the console’s launch. It’s highly addictive and will leave a lasting impression on fans and newcomers.

Nioh 3's gameplay still excels, but there are some noticeable issues. Ninja style is a fantastic, fun new way to play the game and build characters around, but Team Ninja doubled legacy inventory management issues from previous games. Samurai style remains enjoyable and refined yet also feels a bit too tame when compared to the speedy new Ninja style. Nioh 3's balancing also feels off, swinging back and forth between easy to difficult, and then very easy in co-op. It's a lot of fun to play, but the experience can vary wildly. Still, Nioh 3 is the culmination of Team Ninja's continued work on refining the Nioh experience. Nioh 3's ambition has yielded the most enjoyable and accessible entry in the franchise yet.

In the past Nintendo’s reluctance to embrace new intellectual properties for release on the Wii has failed to produce new classics. However, their dedication to their established franchises has always seemed to result in fun games and Punch-Out!! for the Wii is no exception.

Persona 3 Reload is a fantastic update on the classic, but some design choices make it hard to declare it a definitive version. New voice acting, graphical facelift and improvements to combat make this version of Persona 3 feel contemporary and an absolute joy to play. The omission of The Answer epilogue and the choice to play a female protagonist that were included in other versions of Persona 3, however, can make this version feel incomplete. But aside from the additional content being excluded, Persona 3 Reload is a great example of how to remake a game in a way that appeals to modern sensibilities without alienating the original fan base.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown combines elements of the classic 2D games with the 3D reboots to create a solid metroidvania. In fact Prince of Persia translates to this genre so well it's surprising it took until 2024 to happen. The gameplay is a mix of fighting, platforming and puzzles that are balanced in a way where things never get stale. Many of the obstacles Sargon faces will present a challenge and only the most skilled players will make it through without falling prey to a trap at least once, but none are so challenging that they can't be overcome with a little perseverance. The same can be said for the combat, where learning the intricacies and nuance of the combat system is an important part of winning against the challenging boss fights. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown may not revolutionize the genre, but it's one of the better metroidvanias to come out in recent years.

Pentiment is a short but sweet adventure from Obsidian, one that plays to their strengths when it comes to dialogue and gives players enjoyable mysteries to figure out. While there are hiccups at times with the story structure and the climax, it’s still a captivating journey through a rather tense period in history, but one that also seems oddly calming thanks to its likeable characters and visual flairs that bring Tassing to life.

As ridiculous and as unruly as it’s ever been, the five year wait for Bayonetta’s third outing ends on a predominantly satisfying high. Finding enough new ways to make its decade-plus old combat formula feel fresh and exciting all over again, Bayonetta 3 is at its loveably over-the-top best when everything is focused squarely on the combat, the combos and the pursuit of the best ranking to add to one’s collection. Even new faces like Viola provide interesting enough divergence, even if the narrative material — much like the main story throughout — isn’t as strong by comparison. It doesn’t always get the balance of spectacle and execution spot-on, but Bayonetta 3 doubles-down on the familiar parts that matter and succeeds with just how creative combat can get. Bayonetta 3 is the quintessential PlatinumGames outing that despite its brief issues is just too engaging to ignore.

If you stick with the original runner or his female counterpart, don’t mind a bit of iffy 70s-throwback art, and can forgive the repetitious level backgrounds, the actual running/jumping/sliding gameplay rapidly gets under the skin, demanding more and better play.

LYNE is a great game not only for its clever puzzles, but for the soul soothing elegance it emanates throughout the experience.

Oddly enough, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons is more about the journey than the destination. It’s sobering, funny, heartfelt, and inspirational all at once, sprinkled with some real life lessons in between. If this is what Starbreeze Studios is truly capable of, then we’re ready to see plenty more — especially if it means more interesting experimental mechanics like the ones exhibited here.

It has its issues with Vaan being one of the most lackluster protagonists in Final Fantasy history, but the combat is fun, versatile and highly addicting. It helps that Square Enix has put in an on-the-fly button to enable the High Speed Mode, which cuts down on unnecessary grinding of items, license points and experience significantly. The game has also been masterfully remastered, with beautiful 1080p visuals and some added visual techniques such as bump mapping applied to the environments.

Every element is perfectly in place with dynamic gameplay, inspiring level design, a fantastic Noisia/Combichrist soundtrack and an over the top modern tone that wholly compliments the series. Combine all that with a 15-20 hour campaign full of an emotionally resonant (and often outlandish) story, and all but the most jaded gamers will walk away satisfied.

Dragon Ball FighterZ has excellent gameplay mechanics and successfully captures the Dragon Ball spirit. Dragon Ball FighterZ is not just a must-play title for gamers who love Dragon Ball Z, but also for the fighting game community as a whole.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R is an example of how remaking a classic game should be done. From the overhauled graphics to additional quality-of-life improvements that can make the frantic battle system even more enjoyable, Star Ocean: The Second Story R takes the best game in the series and makes it even better. Gemdrops could have just increased the resolution and called it a day, but instead put in the effort to make a truly worthwhile remake of a classic. This remade version is a must play for Star Ocean veterans, but would also serve as a good entry point for RPG fans who haven’t got around to this series.

While not the best in the franchise, Silent Hill f is a true Silent Hill experience. It's just a great horror game even if you don't want to judge it against other Silent Hill titles. This is the second AAA horror game released in the same month, so Halloween is looking very competitive this year. The technical aspects involving both the audio and the visuals showcase what the PlayStation 5 Pro can do, albeit one bad section. The other world gameplay elements do stray a bit too far, not to mention the relatively short campaign — although it does have some replayability thanks to the five different endings, each feeling like director's cuts. Still, the core ideas of Silent Hill are here, with a unique cultural setting with a story that has very dark endings. Both horror and Silent Hill fans need to experience Silent Hill f.

Sonic Mania is one of those games that your childhood has always dreamed of. One of the biggest icons in the industry gets the old-school game it deserves, a nice and lengthy throwback to Sonic’s glory days that’s still spiked with the kinds of creative juices to keep things fresh, even after twenty-five years. With adrenaline-fueled gameplay, jaw-dropping visuals, and massive levels that encourage exploration, this is an absolutely terrific platformer and a true gem that’s guaranteed to please fans and newcomers alike. So yes, add a third checkmark, because this may be the greatest Genesis game never made.

Desperados III is a downright fantastic real-time tactics title. The gameplay is simple to understand and get started with and each stage puts players to the test. While each stage is contained in size, it provides a sandbox of open opportunity for players to experiment. Rarely does failing leave a bad taste in a player’s mouth. Instead, it simply inspires players to keep trying until they finally succeed. The utterly compelling gameplay immediately ropes you in and simply doesn’t let up. The real-time stealth tactics genre is back in grand fashion thanks to Mimimi Games and Desperados III.

Closing out a season of fantastic launches, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle finally delivers on the promise of Xbox Games Pass, delivering a high-quality and entertaining single-player adventure that fans of the series will absolutely adore.

While Pony Island is a short game —we clocked in at around two hours for a playthrough— it is an achievement. Very quickly, Pony Island’s subtle ominousness becomes a journey into utterly fun madness.

With fluid combat, huge areas to explore, dungeons to conquer, loot to lust over and friendships to be strengthened or destroyed by an able co-op mode, it’s surely the best of its kind on consoles. Diablo III was good when it launched in 2012. Now, it’s great.

Diamond Dynasty has enough to keep you coming back for more and this is fueled by the Moments missions. The Show should always be considered as one of the top console exclusive games on the market as MLB The Show 19 is the definitive baseball game of this generation.

You may get a sense of deja vu as you play, but GRAW 2 is still a game that's worth having in your library. [May 2007, p.52]

On paper, it’s easy to pick apart Resident Evil 7 for its inconsistencies; the game struggles to find a balance between being purely horror or a title more reminiscent of Resident Evil’s past, and the poor presentation and writing don’t help. And yet, in the moment, much of that can be easily forgiven or even straight-up forgotten because it immerses the player so well into a terrifying world of horrors thanks to the polish, initially intense combat sequences and numerous memorable sequences that range from simple exploration to grand, over-the-top boss fights.

While there has been an influx of open world games over the last few years, Crystal Dynamics have been able to find a perfect balance of cinematic action and strong adventure elements...Rise of the Tomb Raider is an adventure like no other, giving players a twenty hour experience that will have them engaged from the moment Lara comes on screen.

An immensely clever and unique game, Chants of Sennaar expertly captures the power of language through its well-crafted cultures and its intricate and perfectly-challenging puzzles, turning the art of translation into a captivating bit of gameplay. By the time you’ll have validated your last glyph, you’ll still be left wanting more, but what we have here still makes for a terrific journey that is not to be missed out on.

While technical hiccups are a shoe-in with any game as complex as Rocksmith, the ones found here don’t mar the experience much. Since every facet of gameplay has been given a nice thick coat of improvement in Rocksmith 2014, issues that the original title was known for have either been removed entirely, or overhauled beyond recognition.

Thumper is a beautifully dark, unforgiving and utterly fantastic rhythm game, and its sense of menace is only matched by its wonderful playability.

That being said, DJ Hero is a quite fresh approach to the rhythm genre despite the areas where it obviously falters. It’s certainly an expensive game to grab, but its unique style of play and well-done mashups do a good job towards warranting it.

One of the most versatile racers on the market, Forza Horizon 2 fires on all cylinders.

It would be easy to dismiss a game like Monster Train as nothing more than yet another entry into the ever-increasing deck-building genre upon first glance, but after just a short while playing it, its various complexities begin to reveal themselves, making for deep gameplay that keeps you coming back for just one more run. Much like the best puzzle or strategy games, Monster Train excels in being insanely addictive, all while being easy to learn yet hard to master. Shiny Shoe should be commended on this labor of love, an absolute gem where controlling the forces of Hell feels like a blast of heavenly fun.

The combat can feel a little repetitive in long play sessions because it essentially is, but overall SteamWorld Heist is an excellent merger of role playing and turn-based combat.

We couldn’t have asked for anything better than Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward. It comes packed with a staggering amount of content that will leave players overwhelmed in both quantity and quality. It contains a storyline that’s highly entertaining and rivals most RPGs in length, three new jobs that are more than welcome additions and flying mounts that help revolutionize traversal in Eorzea.

While the 3DS title may have received mixed reception, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a wonderful return to form from the first title that does the series justice. It’s on par, if not better, than the original simply because of the great atmosphere and wonderful puzzling challenge it brings. While fighting enemies isn’t the most difficult thing ever, especially for older players, it’s still fun and never overstays its welcome between exploring each and every floor in the haunted hotel. Luigi’s Mansion 3 is an absolutely wonderful time that makes it easy to want to jump in and keep exploring the hotel to find every last secret it has to offer.

It may not have the best soundtrack, but Dance Central 3 is polished, packed with content and utilizes the Kinect better than any other dance game.