Wonderful Everyday is an absolute enigma. It opens up with a route that lulls players into a false sense of security before a massive sucker punch. Fortunately, unlike a real punch, the storyline earns its sudden divergence and explains it thoroughly throughout. After completing the final route, restarting the game reveals exactly how cunning the intro actually is. Players need to be prepared for anything as they play, like power through horrific moments, but they’ll be rewarded with an amazing tale unlike any other visual novel out there.

Kaze and the Wild Masks is a must-own platformer — especially for anyone craving a new Donkey Kong Country game. The flow of the action is in line with Rare’s classic trilogy, and outshines the Returns games as well as Yooka-Laylee: The Impossible Lair. It features smooth controls and a lot of anti-frustration features to craft something that still offers a fair challenge, but scales the difficulty better than most and finds a healthy balance between collecting things and making doing so a chore. It’s genuinely rewarding to collect everything in a stage, but beating a stage on its own is still a lot of fun. It looks great and has a fantastic soundtrack to boot. No matter what platform you have, you’re in for a fun time with Kaze.

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

People of Note is a great RPG in a charismatic world of music that plays with real-life aspects of genres and a huge ton of puns. With a deeply strategic system, the game lets players use a variety of abilities to come out on top. It’s remarkable in pretty much every aspect it brings to the table and a game worth exploring.

While not a groundbreaking game like its predecessor Resident Evil 5 offers up one of the most fun co-op experiences to date. Any fan of the RE franchise or action games in general will find a lot of enjoyment in RE 5.

Bravely Second is without question another memorable, worthwhile and undeniably essential play for anyone striving to get their latest RPG fix.

Caravan SandWitch exceeds expectations by building upon the success of similar games with a laid-back vibe. This game has depth, an interesting narrative and a fleshed out supporting cast, which are elements that most cozy games fail to achieve through gameplay. While the game may occasionally lag or include missed bugs, its all-around quality isn't dampened at all.

Disc Room expertly blends together the simple yet unique mechanics of Minit and the lightning-quick carnage and quick challenges of High Hell, so yes, the end result is akin to peanut butter and chocolate. Disc Room is a joyfully insane experience that delivers a terrific dose of old-school arcade action, all wrapped up in an innovative and attractive package, with a set of tricky yet highly intriguing and nicely-designed puzzles to act as the cherry on top. In a way, there’s something for all types of gamers here, so make sure to not miss out on this gem.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a great beat’em up that shows significant love towards the Marvel universe, its stories and the lively worlds it presents. It has a great variety of playable options, each with significant differences to their movesets, and the attention to detail in its stages is remarkable. For anyone who loves the genre or Marvel itself, it’s an easy recommendation and guaranteed fun.

A marvelous and unique delight of a murder mystery, one you’ll have walked away from feeling shocked over what exactly you just saw play out in the story, satisfied over the challenging puzzles you’ll have solved to help out each masked guest, and dazzled over the vibrant and mesmerizing aesthetics. Well, I say you’ll have walked away from it, but there’s still a good chance you’ll still go back if you feel you may have missed any secrets those luxurious and deadly walls may have held. Cavalier Studios have crafted one of this year’s most refreshing adventure games that is absolutely to die for.

It might be a stretch to call it a piece of work on par with that of some of the most-acclaimed film directors of the modern age, but Road 96 is an incredible adventure game that succeeds thanks to a strong narrative, a superb cast of characters, one of the year’s best soundtracks and its unique procedurally-generated approach that might see you coming back after the initial eight hours or so, just to see what could possibly be on any other routes. Everyone will walk out of Petria (if lucky) with their own unique stories to tell, and they’re certain to be entertaining ones.

Shadow Labyrinth is a simple and solid game that feels more like a thank you than anything else. Fans of the genre it now calls home, as well as fans of Pac-Man, get to enjoy a whole new take on the series and the world they belong to. The visuals add to the nostalgic feeling while still adding a new world and experience for players to fight their way through. There's satisfying Metroidvania combat and exploration, a new story to experience and a ton of references to games that we all know and love within this universe.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is a charming farming game that lives up to its original release. This remake succeeds because it improves upon the 2003 title. Farming and befriending townsfolk is as fun as it has ever been, and is as enjoyable for longtime fans as well as it is newcomers.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is an amazing title for new and old fans alike, with a gripping story and gameplay that can ease one in easy or start out rigorously hard for any type of player. There’s so much to be experienced in the world of Fodlan that anyone looking for a wonderful tactic RPG will be in for a fantastic time.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed playing Brave New World and would recommend it to anybody either currently playing Civ V or who’d like to play it again.

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.

It’s the type of ending so few stories get these days, and it’s told with strong performances from talented actors and gorgeous graphics that capture all the spectacle.

If you’ve never played République before, this is the best way to experience it. If you have, I’d say the graphical improvements alone make it worth a second look.

NBA 2K23 is the game the community has been wanting, but that hardcore community is far more advanced than any casual player looking to just play a basketball game. It’s the little things that help to make NBA 2K23 the best sports representation to date, and the legacy content now puts the series far ahead of any other sports series out there. It’s not without its fault, beginning with the difficulty and learning curve of the game. Every bit of content in this year’s game is fresh and useful and you’ll find yourself playing every mode. If you purchased the version that offers 100K virtual currency, you have to choose if that’s going to MyPLAYER or to MyTEAM. The modes remain a grind to keep the player on the game, but the Jordan Challenge is worth the price of admission to begin with. This is better than the 2K Showcases in the WWE series due to the presentation aspect. It’ll be difficult for 2K to one-up NBA 2K23, one of the best video game sports adaptions of all time.

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.

Wealth of Nations adds real depth to the game.

Episode 3 is an emotional thrill ride that had my jaw glued to the floor with spectacular ground-shaking events. If you thought the last episode was disturbing, you haven't seen anything yet.

It may have taken its sweet time to finally arrive in English, but now that it’s here, you absolutely owe it to yourself to play The House of Fata Morgana.

Silent Hope is an outstanding dungeon crawler and one of the few on the market that are easy to recommend for players either burned by prior games or who are completely new to the genre. Having so many different kinds of characters to play as keeps every run fresh and encourages the player to not only keep trying with another run, but do so with a different character with every failure to see if their outcome changes. It controls wonderfully across the board with responsive button commands and accurate stick movements. It looks good enough too, with a consistent framerate and a complete lack of slowdown and should be a must-buy for anyone looking to get into dungeon crawlers or who wants to experience one that emphasizes player fun over pure loot.

Ori and the Blind Forest was great when it first came out and it’s still great in the Definitive Edition.

It’s been a long time since players have gotten to revisit Sinnoh, and all things considered this may be the definitive way to enjoy it. While some changes may seem minor, they really do add to the overall enjoyment experience. Sinnoh was always fun but flawed, and while that’s still a teensy bit true here, it’s better than ever before. Although it’s easy to say it’s a shame that it’s missing the Platinum content, what’s here is still fantastic and will make it more fun to replay for years to come. Sinnoh fans will hopefully be excited to see their region well taken care of while they were gone, and new players can easily enjoy it without having to pick up old systems and cartridges that are now significantly more expensive. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the best remakes we’ve gotten since Heart Gold and Soul Silver and offer up a fantastic, faithful yet slightly re-imagined version of Sinnoh to enjoy before the next entry in the series makes its debut.

Castlevania Dominus Collection is not only a great collection of games, but also an impressive technical feat of bringing games designed for Nintendo DS hardware to modern platforms. Haunted Castle Revisited is the main attraction of this collection, but it's a standout surprise. An old arcade title that was not well liked or discussed got completely remade and ended up being a good game. For Castlevania fans, the DS titles are all must-play games and M2 went to great lengths to ensure those games remained exceptional on modern hardware. Retro game compilations are standard these days, but between the caliber of games included and effort and making sure they run as well as they do, this is one of the best collections available.

Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a delight to play. Purple Lamp did a fantastic job of remaking the game from scratch with grand visuals and the addition of a double jump makes the game more playable than its Wii incarnation. The paint and thinner mechanics are a true highlight of this Disney adventure, and the overall atmosphere of the game is both creepy and upbeat. It would be a real treat to see if Purple Lamp could make an Epic Mickey 3 in the future, as this game shows the Vienna-studio's talent of making the Wasteland come to life.

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.

Metamorphosis improves on République’s initial episode in a number of ways, not the least of which being that it raises the emotional stakes of the story.

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.

It’s been a long time since players have gotten to revisit Sinnoh, and all things considered this may be the definitive way to enjoy it. While some changes may seem minor, they really do add to the overall enjoyment experience. Sinnoh was always fun but flawed, and while that’s still a teensy bit true here, it’s better than ever before. Although it’s easy to say it’s a shame that it’s missing the Platinum content, what’s here is still fantastic and will make it more fun to replay for years to come. Sinnoh fans will hopefully be excited to see their region well taken care of while they were gone, and new players can easily enjoy it without having to pick up old systems and cartridges that are now significantly more expensive. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are the best remakes we’ve gotten since Heart Gold and Soul Silver and offer up a fantastic, faithful yet slightly re-imagined version of Sinnoh to enjoy before the next entry in the series makes its debut.

The Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is a title that everyone who loves a great well-written story should have and one that current fans can still enjoy returning to once more.

Every aspect of Evergarden’s design is linked to multiple other parts, balancing challenge and opportunity into a single puzzle-y mass that makes perfect logical sense once you figure out the patterns. And even if the current round doesn’t work out as planned the next game is another chance to figure it out, with no clock and no pressure beyond the curiosity of what other secrets may be hiding in the forests of Evergarden.

This game is not for everyone and if you didn’t grow up on super-hard games that tested every reflect, it probably isn’t going to be a game you enjoy. However, it is an absolute must-buy for anyone who loves a challenge. It controls perfectly, looks and sounds great, and does everything it sets out to do nearly flawlessly.

New Super Mario Bros. U plays it safe in the right areas while providing enough new things and challenge to make it worth not only playing, but coming back to for series veterans. Featuring tons of platforming fun, it plays wonderfully on both the GamePad and Wii Remote and has the best level design of any New SMB-series game to date. A notable improvement from NSMB 2, it does just the right amount of new things to seem different from past games, while still giving fans what they expect in a Super Mario Bros. title.

Dirt Rally 2.0 may just be the most complete racing experience of this generation. The physics and handling model will be a treat for hardcore racing fans, even if it pushes away casual racers. The improved lighting engine brings an utterly realistic and beautiful dynamic to gameplay as the cars look fantastic inside and out. Replays are truly a marvel despite some visual issues hurting the immersion. Yes, there are some things behind a seasonal DLC paywall, but that doesn’t affect what is being offered at launch. Dirt Rally 2.0 feels like the true racing game to test everyone’s driving ability.

Alan Wake 2 is the perfect release for Halloween as it presents a psychological horror movie into video game format. Fans of the original title will thoroughly enjoy what this game has to offer as it keeps its core design while offering much deeper story content.

This is a developer that understands and loves their source material, which very evidently comes out in their work. Consequently, Shadowrun: Dragonfall is another home run for the up-and-coming studio.

Amid Evil does everything possible to let the player have a blast in the intricate landscapes of its mystical realms, tearing through a paper-thin quest to exterminate the corruption of the land while tackling the more important task battling and exploring every square inch of the map.

Much like a jalopy can become a classic, Arrrowhead has beautifully restored Gauntlet to its former glory and made it something you’ll be proud to take a spin in. Ride on, Gauntlet fans.

Games from the Alien movie series tend to be hit and miss, but when they hit, they really hit. Alien: Rogue Incursion improves on the experience from the legendary Alien: Isolation. Rogue Incursion offers more of a traditional survival horror design thanks to its pacing, ammo conservation, puzzle solving and atmosphere. The pacing is what dictates this game, and while there may not be a ton of enemies on screen at once, it's about being enthralled in the position of a facility overtaken by Xenomorphs. Rogue Incursion isn't about mowing down enemies, it's about the unknown and the fact that the controls work flawlessly and minimal damage can be taken on Zula, Alien: Rogue Incursion is the first true survival horror game designed specifically for virtual reality. More importantly, for those Alien fans that have access to VR, this is the game to experience.

On the whole, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D offers up one of the most challenging and rewarding platforming adventures in recent memory. Take note, developers, this is how a port should be done.

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.

A feature-rich (at times astonishingly so) package of content — major, minor and entirely optional alike — Nihon Falcom have proven once again with Trails into Reverie why they remain one of the best and most renowned RPG developers still going. The story of Reverie may find itself branching out into three routes, but that holds no sway when it comes to presenting a familiar brand of quality. In a narrative that’s as much intriguing in its larger story beats as it is surprisingly effective in its accompanying smaller ones alongside. Add to this a combat system that’s still as fun to work out and tinker with, a wealth of customization potential and generally the kind of design philosophy that’s both ridiculously over-the-top yet thoughtfully engaging all the same, The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie serves as both a culmination as much a proud celebration of the series’ grand accomplishments.

Virtua Fighter 5 is a rock solid entry into the series, and a must-buy for your PS3. [Mar 2007, p.64]

ATLUS and Studio Zero have crafted a rare gem of an RPG, much like years before. Outside of a few dings here and there, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a near-perfect game that rivals that of Persona 5. The rich fantasy elements are matched with spectacular gameplay, gorgeous designs and captivating storytelling. It’s been a fantastic year for RPGs with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Like a Dragon Infinite Wealth leading the way. But now, Metaphor: ReFantazio proves there’s a new king on top and one that will hopefully reign supreme for years to come.

Lazy Bear Games have created a retro themed-world that is wonderfully entertaining and simply must be experienced by gamers far and wide.

The action packed gameplay and well developed story make the time in Bolivia enjoyable, and the freedom to play solo or cooperatively through campaign caters to anyone’s preferred social level in gaming. Wildlands might not be what longtime fans were hoping for from a new Ghost Recon, but putting expectations aside, Wildlands is not a game to miss.

Its character customization system is surprisingly robust and the insertion of the players custom character into the story works much more smoothly than expected. Combine that with opportunity to befriend one’s favorite characters, side content that’s worth doing and decent online play, and the result is a surprisingly solid game that Omega Force should be proud of.

Sonic Unleashed is a glorious return to true console form for Sonic.

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.

OneShot pulls players in with poise and wit in a way most games can only dream of, offering up the best an adventure game can offer. With a character that can easily be understood and cared for, OneShot creates an unforgettable adventure while hiding secrets that could very well be missed. What awaits in OneShot is well worth anyone’s time.

This is arguably the definitive version of Trine 2, offering more content and the ability to draw and aim with a touchscreen. While some of those controls can be a bit finicky when in the heat of battle, it does offer a fun and interactive way to play this brilliantly crafted game. Trine 2: Director's Cut does the Wii U's eShop a favor in creating a platformer that's both luscious and well designed and could easily go as a standalone product in some capacity. Even if you own the original, this is definitely worth checking out to see the enhancements.

Perhaps the best compliment that one could pay Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition is that it is absolutely Divinity: Original Sin in every sense of the name.

The Last of Us: Left Behind captures everything that is great about The Last of Us and distills it down into a tight two hour journey.

The one blemish are the abhorrent loading times, which is a shame as they’re simply an optimization issue rather than a design one. Expertly crafted on practically every level, Bloodborne is a deviously delicious experience that deserves to be experienced by anybody valiant enough to conquer it.

To just put it bluntly: buy this game. Even if you’ve played both titles before, there’s enough here to warrant a purchase. Final Fantasy X, at least, should be played by anyone who considers themselves even the slightest fan of roleplaying games.

Minishoot Adventures is a fantastic little game that deserves all the love it can get, and a great fusion of two genres that don't get to play together anywhere near often enough.

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.

Pokémon Pokopia is a huge new direction for Pokémon, much bigger than might be expected for a spin-off. It retains the heart of Pokémon with literally hundreds of different monsters to chat with, and it's always a lot of fun to see who's showing up next. The different areas are nicely designed, frequently with interesting secret areas, although it can feel overwhelming arriving at a new island and seeing just how much there is to do to bring it back from the edge of ruin. There's a long way to go to discover how the world got broken and then fixing it, but as the days roll by and the islands come back to life, the hope that maybe a Ditto and its trainer might eventually be reunited grows with the health and comfort of the reappearing Pokémon.

There's a deeply satisfying flow to Modulus, whether it be solving the layout of a new shape or debugging the system for an older one that isn't delivering like it should, and the game pleasantly eats time with a series of stress-free challenges that you've always got the tools to solve. It's a peaceful world on the plateaus jutting into the sky, even when covered by an ever-more-tangled factory that only its creator can see the logic and beauty in.

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a fantastic metroidvania. It doesn’t do anything to revolutionize the genre, but it does excel at creating at creating a memorable experience that follows the familiar metroidvania template while still being unique. The visual style and amazing soundtrack complement each other well, creating a sense of tranquility in a desolate and horrific world. The challenge hits that sweet spot where the difficulty is high but victory is never out of reach, learning the enemy behaviors and getting an understanding of the collected abilities will allows players who persist to see the story to its end. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a must play for fans of the genre as it’s simply one of the best metroidvanias ever developed.

Despite the new changes and how much they add to and improve the overall gameplay, it still feels like the same fun zombie killing game at its core.

It’s important not to let the mild criticisms get in the way, as Wanderstop is a beautiful title with something to say about overwork, determination and letting go. It explores these potentially depressing topics with a ton of humor and relaxing gameplay, resulting in a thoughtful, unique title that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Stepping away from the game, I have fond memories of the characters Alta meets, particularly Boro, Gerald and Monster. It’s a chill time that wants the player to spend as much or as little with it as they would like, while also being deep but unpretentious.

Not everything is perfect, though as many of the characters and their roles too closely resemble that of how Persona 4 is set up, and managing so many relationships at once can occasionally feel like busy work.

If someone is looking for one of the most entrancing, addictive RPGs on the 3DS, then they should not hesitate to run as quickly as they can to their nearest game store to purchase Legends of the Titan; it’s certainly worth every penny of its price tag, and then some.

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.

Despite a few rough edges, Styx: Master of Shadows deserves a place alongside Metal Gear Solid 3, Hitman: Blood Money, and Mark of the Ninja as one of the best titles the genre has to offer.

It’s literally just Mortal Kombat X, which is already an excellent game and anyone interested in a few of the eight characters may just want to purchase them a-la-carte.

It’s one of the most — if not the most — hardcore action games to ever come from a major publisher. Players will die — a lot — as they come to realize that this is a punishing is a test of resilience. Those who can brave the challenge, however, will be richly rewarded with one of the most gratifying experiences in gaming and a true sense of accomplishment...A stunning accomplishment.

Not only is this the highest quality story NetherRealm has ever put together, it’s perhaps the best fighting game story ever. Character Variations aren’t the game-changer NetherRealm was hoping for, but do little to detract from how good the core gameplay mechanics already are.

It turns out that Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy shouldn’t have been written off. Eidos Montreal delivers a strong story filled with comedy and tragedy, great characters and a world that feels entirely unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They’ve compiled a lengthy adventure that’ll take players to new and familiar locations and built out a great gameplay system that utilizes all the Guardians’ best attributes.

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.

These two ports prove that HD re-releases still have the potential to feel like more than cheap money-grabs; the seamless God of War Collection seems like it was meant for a handheld all along.

Keep Driving is a charming, captivating and moving roguelike unlike any we've ever seen before, weaving an introspective and meaningful slice-of-life narrative while without sacrificing gameplay and interactivity. There's room to improve, sure, but that doesn't mean that the final product falls short by any means (and we all know by now that roguelike titles like this are ripe for updates and content expansions). At the risk of being overly sappy, it's a game that really does keep us wanting to keep driving.

It’s rare to see a game with stunning visuals and excellent gameplay, but Ori and the Blind Forest does exactly that. As long as you’re prepared for a serious challenge, then this is one game not to miss.

Splatoon 2 recaptures every moment of enjoyment of the original while finding room to add even more. Whether it's the challenging single player or the revitalized multiplayer, Splatoon 2 does a phenomenal job at making itself more than a minor upgrade.

There’s a little something for everyone in the title — collectibles, intuitive gameplay and brilliant visuals. The use of the fairy tale narrative inspires a Brothers Grimm aesthetic that fits with the morals of Neversong‘s story. It’s also a title that has some good replay value as you receive permanent special items after beating the game at least once. While it’s a short game, length of time does not necessarily detract from the quality of the title. Instead, it takes the time needed to tell the story it wants to tell. Length of play-time is often associated with quality, but oftentimes developers take extra time just for the sake of it. And while there are some light gameplay missteps, the title recovers by being genuine in its storytelling. Neversong shows that even deep, emotional stories can come from small packages.

Rockstar has created the single most immersive Wild West game yet, with an intelligently-written story, a compelling core cast of characters, highly-engaging scenarios and a diverse open world to explore. The visuals are also truly stunning, with a substantial amount of detail put into each environment and character model, not to mention the extraordinary lighting techniques.

Thanks to a nice set of challenges, a charming style and sense of humor, and a ton of unlockable items to toy with combined with a hefty chunk of customization options, Two Point Campus easily graduates at the head of its class. The task of having to manage a successful university is tough but fair all around sucking you in as you try to figure out how to best increase your campus’ attractiveness for that one goal without breaking the bank. Two Point Campus is another winner from Two Point Studios and we can’t wait to see what profession they bring their unique simulator style to next…

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.

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.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is how a classic game should be remade. The new graphics style brings Dragon Quest III into the modern era while maintaining the original iconic designs. The quality-of-life improvements also make the 36-year-old game feel modern without sacrificing the core elements of the original experience. There are certain aspects that may not appeal to everyone, such as maintaining the original first-person battle perspective instead of changing it to the more animated one seen in more recent Dragon Quest games, or the omission of the Pachisi minigame. Even with these criticisms, however, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is among the best releases of 2024, reimagining the classic game in a contemporary form without sacrificing any of the original charm.

It may not be Platinum Games' most technically sophisticated piece of work, but it's damn good all the same. For $30, it's a total steal, and a great way to kick off 2013.

Chasm is one of the finest Metroidvania games ever created. While the game’s developmental journey was longer than expected, the wait was well-worth it. Every aspect of the game shows that a great deal of care was put into it and the attention to detail for the core gameplay pays off in spades. There are many different ways to play Chasm and all of them result in an unforgettable experience. It plays like a dream, looks stunning and features an atmospheric soundtrack that makes every new room both exciting and terrifying.

Ubisoft has successfully recreated what made Grand Theft Auto great, but incorporates enough original ideas to set Marcus’ journey apart and make it feel fresh.

Nearly one year later, Night in the Woods remains one of the most quotable and passion-fueled indie titles in recent years. While the Switch version’s technical issues does hold it back from being the best platform to experience the game on, the solid presentation, equal-parts socially-relevant and comedic dialogue and welcome additions to the core game keep Night in the Woods a must-play title for those who are experiencing or have had an emotional stretch of time as a young adult or simply those looking for a well-told adventure title.

Those seeking a satisfying, skill-testing platforming experience will love Rogue Legacy. It puts a fresh coat of paint on a variety of well-worn gaming genres and ends up a must-play gaming experience.

This is a tremendously unique, wildly creative endeavor that is a blast to play and even more enjoyable to listen to.

This is one of the top visual novel releases on Steam this year, and an excellent horror experience in general.

Rogue Legacy 2 is an enormous beast of an adventure, packed with fast combat, great platforming and endless replayability. It’s the kind of game that can be actively difficult to stop playing, with the spoils from one run opening up new opportunities in the next that can be difficult to resist checking out. While progress can be slow it rarely turns into a grind, with most hits and the inevitable death of the current hero feeling fair and avoidable if only you’d been just a bit more skilled. The generations come and go with each one sacrificing a member to castle and lands beyond, but the family obsession burns through the ages and makes it easier for the next descendant to go further and become stronger. It may take countless millennia to learn all the castle’s secrets, but seeing as it’s almost impossible to walk away from the quest, they’re bound to be unraveled some day.

For visual novel fans, or the curious, Ever 17: The Out of Infinity is an absolute must-play. It takes the disaster movie template from the '90’s and early 2000s and adds to it, creating a thematically-diverse, gripping story. While player choice isn’t going to yield wildly divergent results, it feels like it matters to both the story and to the player, which is a feat for a game that was created so long ago. This is one where avoiding spoilers is for the best, as this title has some surprising twists and turns. Even when a story beat relies on a trope, it evolves the trope into something new and interesting. It’s also a lengthy story that takes a bit to see the final ending, but never overstays its welcome.

Hades already looked great, but experiencing it in 4k on current-gen consoles is a sight to behold. Hades received numerous accolades and critical acclaim during the previous year, all of which it remains worthy of here. Supergiant has a built a name for themselves with a small but consistent library of games and Hades may be their crowing achievement (so far). The story is relatable and well written, the graphics are gorgeous and the soundtrack is worthy of live performance. While those elements are important, what matters with a game is how fun it is to play, and with the simple-but-addictive gameplay, there’s no excuse not to play Hades now that it’s available on every platform.

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

While Dusk is a throwback to an older type of game, it’s excellent in its own right, loaded with content and an absolute blast to tear through from start to finish.

It may have taken a number of years to get here, but Yakuza 5 was worth the wait. It’s not only the most robust and well-executed game in the series, it’s also one of the best games of last generation.

With the inclusion of Sunbreak, Monster Hunter Rise is finally a complete package and it does not disappoint. It’s the most fun and varied a Monster Hunter title has been since 4 Ultimate on the 3DS, taking some of the best elements from that title along with Generations Ultimate and the quality-of-life improvements found in Iceborne. The best part is with so much to do it’s shocking to realize that even more will come through free updates and it will be exciting to see just what other monsters decide to make a crash landing in Sunbreak throughout the year and into next. Anyone looking for a fantastic Monster Hunter package who hasn’t already picked it up needs to dive into Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak and begin one of the best hunts to date.