It’s a charming, charismatic adventure that will leave you with a smile across your face for the duration of your play.

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.

Baldur’s Gate III had extremely high expectations set for it and has exceeded them. Not only is it a contender for Game of the Year in a year with many exciting titles, but it’s a continued evolution of what CRPGs are capable of achieving, building upon the legacy of the original Baldur’s Gate games mixed with some of the more contemporary gameplay elements found in Larian’s more recent games. The result is a masterpiece of a game that raises the bar for the genre. Baldur’s Gate III excels in every area, from music to graphics to story to gameplay. It’s a difficult task to recreate the open-ended possibilities of tabletop gameplay within a video game, but this is arguably the best attempt at doing so to date. Baldur’s Gate III is one of those rare games that’s nearly flawless in its execution and should be experienced by every RPG fan.

Aside from just being one of the best indie platformers or retro throwbacks in recent memory, it’s easily just one of this year’s best games, period. Aside from playing like a dream and having flight-based gameplay that’s an absolute delight, it evokes the old quote of “You’ll laugh, you’ll cry” through an absolutely astounding and moving story with several lovable characters and a fascinating world to discover.

Wielding nothing more than a deck of cards and a poker-themed twist on proceedings, developer LocalThunk has conjured something incredible and awe-inspiring with Balatro. What starts as a relatively-novel twist on the deckbuilding format quickly blossoms into an experience that's equal parts methodical, experimental, chaotic but satisfying all the same. A game that rewards clever thinking, mathematical meddling and having the courage to be just that bit braver in uncovering just how far one can push its systems at play. Wherein success and failure alike stand as equally memorable moments to build off. A paradigm for what roguelikes and deckbuilders should aspire towards, Balatro is addictive, expertly-crafted and the new front-runner for what is easily the best gaming experience of 2024.

Stalker 2 is nothing short of a miracle. Developed by Ukrainian studio GSC Game World over the course of seven years amid a pandemic and a war -- among many other challenges -- Stalker 2 is a labor of love and the best type of sequel one could hope for. While many long-running franchises have strayed from their roots in an (often misguided) attempt to appeal to as many players as possible, Stalker 2 knows its core audience well and delivers exactly the type of game we were hoping for.

Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is a masterclass in storytelling and gameplay, offering players an unforgettable journey through the Star Wars universe. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newcomer to the franchise, this iconic first-person shooter is sure to leave a lasting impression and remind you why Star Wars continues to captivate audiences of all ages.

More importantly though, Mass Effect 2 is simply an amazing game from start to finish, regardless of the decisions you choose to make.

This quirky, spastic shooter has rightfully earned its seat at the Indie Game Round Table.

Elden Ring is one of the best games in years, with a breathtaking vast world to explore, and one of the most satisfying combat systems in an RPG. This is the accumulation of FromSoftware’s work over the last thirteen years and an evolution on its inspiring formula.

The Red Star is an amazing game; it's fast, fun, and loaded with variety. [July 2007, p.52]

There are so many ways to enjoy the game that don’t require you to put in a lot of hours with farming and socializing if that isn’t your thing. Instead, the many mechanics are loosely reliant on each other but have the opportunity to be robust. There’s so much about Moonstone Island that could make this review a year long, but we’d rather spend that time becoming the very best alchemist that ever was.

The incredible thing is how alive it all seems.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is an incredible reimagining of the original two games that keeps the core of what they were in the limelight. You have a stunning world redone and put together with the utmost care and respect for the fans. It's the perfect way to hop into the series if you have missed these games the first time around or have been on the fence about giving them a shot. They maintain their challenging nature from the original release, with a nice amount of quality-of-life changes that seem minor, but add to the experience, bringing them to another level, feeling more like a modern release due to these changes. From the first game, forcing you to be the lone hero, taking on the role to protect the land he holds dear. To the second game, where your party looks to take on the role of their ancestors and protect their people from the threats terrorizing the populace. These are incredible games, filled with character, charm and challenging gameplay, and they're absolutely worth playing in this new and enhanced release.

The Wii U version of the title is practically the same as the other console versions, but unlike Wii U ports that originally came out months ago, it's possible that prospective buyers have still not purchased it. If that's the case, the Wii U version is as fine option as any, but those who have the game have absolutely no reason to buy it again. Still, forgetting its a port, Assassin's Creed III is the best game in the Wii U launch line-up and should be a must-buy for those yet to experience its incredible adventure.

A constantly-rewarding, brilliantly-structured and simply mind-blowing series of rug-pulls, Void Stranger isn’t just special, it’s a phenomenal showcase of what might be some of the best design in a puzzle game for some time. That on its own, the Sokoban-themed formula delivers truly clever, sneaky and genuinely-challenging ordeals that evolve, alter and ask more of the player. It’s what the game provides around and in-between such moments that in many ways, speaks to younger days of note-taking, theory-crafting and generally getting lost amid the spectacle put before you. Indeed, so long it’s been that a game has demanded all but the entirety of one’s time and so easily, but justifiably, received it. An enigmatic premise with just-as-sprawling a delivery, Void Stranger is a triumph and easily the year’s most engrossing gaming experience.

It's hard to talk about Fable III without heaping more and more praise on it. It's one of the best games of the year and one of the richest role-playing experiences to hit the Xbox 360. It begs to be played by anyone who appreciates a game that is expertly produced in almost every area.

Bravely Default is a flagship series in the making and worth exploring even for the uninitiated; its craftsmanship is simply too good a testament to the medium to pass up.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is still, after all these years, the prime example of Paper Mario at its very best. Its writing is still funny, its characters are quirky and fun in ways that they just aren’t in other Nintendo games, its combat is simple yet deep enough to stay interesting throughout and it’s a visual and aural treat thanks to all the enhancements made by Intelligent Systems. The improvements made both in and out of combat also go a long way towards making the game shine even more than it already did. Sure, the extra tutorials can be annoying for longtime fans, but otherwise, this new version does the original justice and makes it an even more worthy addition to any Switch owner’s library.

It's exactly like Guitar Hero II for the PS2, but made even better by Microsoft's favorite son. [Mar 2007, p.58]

It features arguably the best story of the series that’s greatly enhanced by the added dynamic of three contrasting protagonists.

There's nothing like Mark of the Ninja on Xbox Live Arcade, and now, Steam. Others may taunt fast action stealth, but this is the true evolution of that concept with speedy and thought-provoking mechanics. Keyboard and mouse controls can take a while to get used to, but once you've got it down, you feel like a master assassin. Mark of the Ninja is a triumphant victory that is a must-buy for any and all stealth fans.

Mario has over thirty years of history behind him and yet Odyssey manages to mix those feelings of old titles with new ideas for a fresh take on a genre everyone is familiar with. Whether in it for a simple fun time or looking to play Odyssey to completion, there’s tons to be enjoyed by every player that will keep pulling them back for more. Mario’s trip across the world is one of pure, simple joy that simply shouldn’t be missed. Super Mario Odyssey is nothing short of a love story to the series as a whole and a title no Switch owner should be without.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is equal parts daunting, accessible, beautiful and hideous, but every aspect combines in such a remarkable way that it’s nearly impossible to not give it a sweeping recommendation.

There are times when you feel obliged to find faults no matter how minor, but in the ten-plus hours spent with Moon Studios’ latest, there are none. It’s a feat few studios can rightfully claim to accomplish in recent times but such a claim is more than merited for a game that nails all departments.

Doom: The Dark Ages is AAA gaming at its best, with huge set pieces and memorable moments around every corner of the beautiful environments that only add to the highly-polished and heavily-addicting gameplay. Id Software hasn't held back any punches in creating one of the most grandiose and large-scale games in recent memory, utilizing their big-budget funding to create a 100% user-focused experience that makes the player feel immensely powerful without forgoing a sense of challenge or difficulty. The classic Doom formula has been deconstructed and reformed into a techno-medieval bloodbath, with gaming's original one-man army going on an unbridled rampage of demon-slaying destruction that somehow tops the scale of the iconic franchise yet again.

Kentucky Route Zero manages to cover fascinating new ground with each act, and I can’t wait to see where it goes from here. More importantly, I can’t wait to see all the strange sights along the way.

It’s one of the most overwhelming experiences on the market, containing not only the best character development found in any RPG, but an open world that’s actually polished. The artistic and visual fidelity help with the immersion, but it’s the branching, player driven storyline and exquisitely layered combat system that create something special.

Each game in the Final Fantasy series introduces something new, continually seeking to provide an engaging experience for fans to enjoy. In the case of this remaster, fans can now play it on modern hardware, with new features that make the game feel brand new again. The voice acting brings new personalities to characters we might not have expected or seen before, while the improved visuals bring out so much charm that makes the game look exactly how you might have remembered it. This enhanced version of Final Fantasy Tactics is a perfect remaster that not only offers a new coat of paint for the game, but also preserves the original game, allowing you to play either version you prefer. This is a reminder of what makes the series truly special and it's a joy to play through the adventure in the land of Ivalice once again.

The Last Guardian is Team ICO’s magnum opus. Everything they learned from the prior games in this semi-series has been put to use here and allowed them to craft their greatest adventure yet. Trico’s tale is one of sadness and joy, and something that everyone who enjoyed the team’s prior work should partake in as soon as possible. Newcomers will want to come in with an open mind for exploration and puzzle-solving, but if they do, they will be rewarded with the finest gaming experience yet on the PlayStation 4. Its sense of scale is unmatched and it features the best graphics yet on the console. Minor flaws do exist, but they don’t detract from the overall experience enough to make it anything less than a masterpiece.

The skies may be an endless expanse of blue but the planet beneath it is infinitely detailed, and Microsoft Flight Simulator lays out the whole thing in a single game, waiting to be explored.

The entire package is wrapped together in a gorgeous presentation that serves as Naughty Dog’s PS4 swan song. The Last of Us Part II’s harrowing tale and exploration of violence may not leave everyone happy by the time the credits roll, but it’s another stunning home run for Naughty Dog.

It would be an immense understatement to say Simogo have made the five-year wait for their follow-up release worth it. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes defies not just genre conventions, but that of tone, aesthetic and even presentation to craft a game of wild imagination and even wilder a delivery. Yet for all its leisurely skirting the boundaries between one perceived tone or form of presentation to the next, none of what is experienced amid the Hotel Letztes Jahr feels distracting or otherwise ill-fitting. Be it at its most satirical, surreal, strange, and on some occasions, psychologically unsettling. A masterfully-orchestrated series of puzzles that are both stand-alone and interconnected alike, a brilliant use of a more-restricted color palette emboldening its art-style and aesthetic. And best of all: one of the most curious, perplexing but ultimately satisfying mysteries to see fully unraveled and revealed in its truest form. Combined, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes stands as Simogo's best work to date. Even with a portfolio as creative as theirs, a release deserving of that most lofty of titles: magnum opus.

Simply put, Celeste is a tour de force. A piece of work that will no doubt go down as one of the year’s best platformers or even just one of its best games in general. Between the immaculately crafted levels with a wide variety of challenges, the intense gameplay that rewards crackerjack timing, the sheer amount of post-game content and things to discover in every chapter, and a moving, amazing story in the form of Madeline’s urge to climb the behemoth that awaits her, what we have here is truly magnificent and an experience that simply cannot be missed. And hey, word has it that the view from the top is amazing.

One of the Gamecube’s best and possibly one of Nintendo’s best, Metroid Prime Remastered is a brilliant enhancement to what was already an all-time classic.

Rarely do you find games these days that could be described as a combination of “ambitious,” “thought-provoking,” “hard-hitting,” “hilarious” and “extremely fun,” but somehow Not For Broadcast delivers on that front. It’s truly a unique gem with terrifically-varied gameplay, a perfectly-absurd sense of humor with impressive writing and performances, and a story guaranteed to throw you for a loop. Not For Broadcast is a bizarre masterpiece and one not afraid to gleefully mock everything it sees in the most over-the-top yet devastating ways possible, and for that, it deserves top honors. So that’s our report, and have a peaceful night…

Play it, and be happy. [Dec 2008, p.57]

Metal Gear Solid 4 is by far one of the best games released so far this year.

Episode 2: Rules is a fantastic experience and continues to build on Dontnod’s reputation as the king of episodic gaming. Life Is Strange 2 has the potential to mesmerize players with its three remaining episodes and become a worthy contender for 2019’s GOTY (despite the first episode being released in 2018, of course).

More than just a gimmick, the first-person mode really does change how it’s experienced by adding a new layer of gameplay. It won’t be for everybody, but the sheer fact that the option is there is commendable. More still, multiple new vehicles, weapons and animals have been introduced. If none of that were enough, over a hundred new songs have been added to the already robust radio stations.

Tekken 8 is a bold direction in the fighter genre that ultimately leads to it being one of the greatest fighting games of all time. The amount of content that Bandai Namco is offering here is more than ever before seen in a fighting game.

Go ahead and spend the points on this, regardless of if you have an older version, or even if you somehow haven't heard of Rez. [Spring 2008, p.60]

It’s worth a replay if you’ve already got the PS3 version, and if you’ve never played it before, then there’s no prettier way to inaugurate your new console.

Most importantly, Space Giraffe is pure addictive fun, constantly demanding one more round as the pulsing light melts your eyes out of their sockets. [Oct 2007, p.66]

Ten years after its initial release in Japan, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition has proven that sometimes classics can still get better with a little extra love and care to make them shine brighter than ever before as a true masterpiece.

The Last of Us Part II was a masterful game back in 2020. The haunting and emotional story, the morally-complex characters and themes, the blend of stealth and combat, the environmental storytelling, and the immaculate presentation all came together to deliver an extraordinary game that remains a conversation topic to this day. The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a reminder of the original’s excellence, and it’s a fantastic remaster that remains true to the original product, all while enhancing it in fantastic ways.

Super Hexagon is an incredible game. Its simplicity makes it accessible, and its challenge level is rewarding when you learn to overcome it.

This is the best kind of portable game, the best kind of adventure game and the best kind of sequel.

Hades 2 is one of those games that perfectly encapsulates the best traits of its genre and manages to cleverly work around its harshest weaknesses. It’s the kind of project that has so much passion to all of its details that it’s worth coming back for more every single time. Whether struggling against the odds or acing it quickly, the experience will stay with you as long as you don’t give up and pay attention to everything it has to offer.

Every moment is pure destructive joy, the likes of which absolutely must be played. It is something that I never thought would be seen again: a AAA isometric shooter. With likable heroes, overwhelming villains and engrossing story and gameplay, Livelock sets a new standard for the genre. No bugs could be found, either, with the exception of the mechanical ones that are supposed to be shot. Publisher Perfect World Entertainment proved that they knew what they were doing when they picked this up to release as their first non-free to play game. This is a masterpiece.

Final Fantasy XVI will change what we think of the franchise moving forward. It’s groundbreaking on so many levels, elevating the thirty-five-year old series to new heights. The combat is highly engaging and invites creativity and experimentation by giving players a bevy of tools to play around with. The story is beautifully written, and although it takes nods from other fantasy properties, it builds its own unique universe to immerse one in.

This is the definitive first-person shooter experience, a no-brainer purchase for the vast majority of gamers, and the first true system-seller of the new console generation.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition takes a nearly-perfect game and makes it better. Nothing about this title really needed to be changed, which makes it even nicer that the developers took the extra effort to implement various quality-of-life improvements in addition to giving it a graphical facelift for the current console generation. Given its compelling story, fantastic dialogue writing and incredibly fun gameplay, it was arguably the best game released in 2015. This new update does nothing but improve upon a masterpiece. The improvements to graphics and gameplay are enough solidify Complete Edition as the definitive version of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

What I've been experiencing since first putting this game in my Wii is the culmination of several lifetimes of game design mastery by its creators. [Dec 2007, p.40]

Chock-full of replay value, the added content makes this the definitive edition. Challenging, but rarely frustrating, Super Time Force Ultra is a strategic run and gun.

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

Whether or not you enjoy first-person shooters is irrelevant. It is whether or not you want an experience like no other; one that will be left in the back of your mind for years to come.

Whether you’re a fan of the original Hellblade or a newcomer to the series, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 offers a deeply engaging and unforgettable experience. Its blend of realistic graphics, compelling narrative and innovative sound design makes it a standout title of the year.

Halo 3 is the combination of a thoroughly decent singleplayer campaign, a great multiplayer component, and absolutely incredible enhancements to each. [Nov 2007, p.52]

Virtue's Last Reward follows up on 999 wonderfully and delivers everything you'd want in a sequel. It's got the same kind of creepy soundtrack and cerebral gameplay 999's fans will love, but done far better. Part of that is due to it being more user-friendly, making VLR an easy recommendation for anyone who missed out on 999. Everything about how VLR plays is improved, resulting in a better experience in every way imaginable.

Assassin's Creed III is a beautiful, sprawling adventure that proves to be one of the most, if not the most, ambitious titles ever created. Just when you think you have it figured out, an entirely new element is introduced that enriches it further, rendering it one of the least repetitive experiences to be had with a controller.

Calling All Cars is to the PS3 what "Hexic HD" was to the Xbox 360. [July 2007, p.68]

More importantly though, Mass Effect 2 is simply an amazing game from start to finish, regardless of the decisions you choose to make.

As it remains, this is still one of the most charming, charismatic adventures you will have, leaving those who experience it with a smile across their face for the duration of their play.

It's an all-new game with dozens of new mazes, and a timed score-run that's all about managing risk and reward. [Sept 2007, p.68]

If you felt you have moved on from Halo and that it is no longer relevant, than you are truly mistaken. Yes, Reach is another Halo, but Bungie refined and tweaked the formula to make it stand its ground and make it as addicting as it was in 2001.

Gran Turismo 7 is the quintessential Gran Turismo and the best of what the series has accrued over its 25 years of existence. The game is beautiful, detailed and fresh, powered by a detailed handling model that’s yet to be seen in racing games.

Fallout 4 contains what should go down as the best open world in the history of this medium considering the sheer wealth of meaningful content packed into it.

The simplicity of Phantom Spark's controls and short, easily-memorizable courses are a welcoming on-ramp for a beast of a racer, where the need for a better time eventually reveals a skill-ceiling that's far higher than it's got any right to be.

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

An incredible unison of sub-genres and seemingly conflicted elements alike, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is an absolute triumph of game design through-and-through, and is worthy of a second playthrough for those who have already experienced it earlier this year.

Super Mario Galaxy 2, just like the first, is one of those magical games that nobody is going to want to miss.

As far as single player goes, I think nothing will capture the initial highs you got from taking in Rapture for the first time, and the enormous twist the original delivered. However, the sequel’s story is just as intense and has its own narrative highs and a mean twist of its own, and I think the end payoff is a bit more impactful and sinks in better than the ending of the first BioShock.

Atlus has really created something special with Persona 4, because it still maintains the freshness of Persona 3, while also being different and in many ways superior.

If this were 15 years ago, I wouldn’t have to write 2,000 words explaining why Street Fighter is awesome, but since we’re here, stop reading this review and, for God’s sake, go out and buy this thing.

All in all, if you know from the start you are getting into a game that is entirely based around its cooperative multiplayer elements you are going to be rewarded with hundreds of hours of the best gaming experience you have had in years.

In reality though, Etrian Odyssey is a challenging, ballsy, rewarding game that gives the otherwise stagnant RPG genre a swift, much-needed kick in the ass. [June 2007, p.62]

Simply put, God of War II is as good as it gets on the Playstation 2. [Apr 2007, p.44]

It's awesome. Joker features the same style of RPG-lite storyline and team-based combat from the earlier "Monsters" games, only everything here has been prettied up. [Dec 2007, p.62]

As far as single player goes, I think nothing will capture the initial highs you got from taking in Rapture for the first time, and the enormous twist the original delivered. However, the sequel's story is just as intense and has its own narrative highs and a mean twist of its own, and I think the end payoff is a bit more impactful and sinks in better than the ending of the first BioShock.

If this were 15 years ago, I wouldn’t have to write 2,000 words explaining why Street Fighter is awesome, but since we’re here, stop reading this review and, for God’s sake, go out and buy this thing.

All in all, if you know from the start you are getting into a game that is entirely based around its cooperative multiplayer elements you are going to be rewarded with hundreds of hours of the best gaming experience you have had in years.

An incredibly solid game that could fetch $30-40 as a retail copy.

It's faultlessly fun, both solo and multiplayer. If you're releasing a competing title later this year... well, it sucks to be you. [Vol 3, Issue 2, p.57]

As far as single player goes, I think nothing will capture the initial highs you got from taking in Rapture for the first time, and the enormous twist the original delivered. However, the sequel’s story is just as intense and has its own narrative highs and a mean twist of its own, and I think the end payoff is a bit more impactful and sinks in better than the ending of the first BioShock.

Between the new campaign and Firefight mode, Halo 3: ODST shows that the Halo franchise can have a Spartan-free title that can still rise up to the same level of entertainment that is to be expected from the series.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is one of the most polished, most intense and most entertaining pieces of software out on the market.

Finally, console owners get to experience the entire "Half-Life 2" saga without having to load games off of several discs or tweak their PC just to get a decent framerate. [Dec 2007, p.58]

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.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 shouldn't work. Coming a year after the controversial Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, six years of pent-up resentment towards an irksome matchmaking system and years of increasingly abhorrent monetization, Black Ops 7 had a massive hill to climb. Despite all this, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 not only works, but vastly outshines recent Call of Duty releases. Treyarch's focus on refining the mechanics of Black Ops 6, rolling back many of the franchise's controversial systems of years past and building fun spaces to play in has paid dividends. The campaign is a mixed bag thanks to a weak overarching plot and terrible Avalon missions that are offset thanks to strong character moments and the brilliant Endgame mode. Multiplayer launches in the best state it's been in years thanks to movement tweaks that put more emphasis on gunplay skill over sliding, open matchmaking and the best set of launch maps in years. Zombies also gets a glow-up thanks to the brilliant Ashes of the Damned and Dead Ops Arcade 4. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 doesn't break the mold or make meaningful changes to the formula, but it does refine the current formula into the best launch experience a Call of Duty has had in years. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is the win the franchise has been looking for.

From its gripping story, tactically-grounded combat, vast ensemble of well-written characters not to mention the sheer amount of side content to conquer and smile at, and the most graphically-impressive game in the franchise to date thanks to the Xbox Series X, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is no less than a brilliant reinvention for the Yakuza series and one of 2020’s best, most complete experiences.

Sleeping Dogs isn't a groundbreaker so much as a hodgepodge of awesomeness. It is the satisfying culmination of years of open-world gaming. With hours of replay value, smooth combat and great voice acting, Sleeping Dogs illustrates the beginning of a successful franchise.

Although some of the visuals leave a bit to be desired, the core of everything else is fantastic and gives players many ways to play while also offering arguably the biggest challenge in the series to date. That’s not to mention the meaty post-game that offers hours more enjoyable content to complete, which is something that the other Switch titles can hardly claim without the inclusion of paid DLC. Not only is Pokémon Legends: Arceus the biggest leap in innovation the series has ever had, but it’s deserving of praise for being a wonderful and charming adventure the entire way through. Hopefully we see more in this vein in the future, as it’s sure to leave anyone who plays it craving to see what else could be done moving forward.

We cannot recommend Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 enough to those who played the first title and hope those who haven’t consider giving the series a much-deserved once over as it’s one of the most satisfying turn-based challenges to date.

Candleman is the first true surprise of 2017. An ambitious little platformer that seemingly came out of nowhere and ended up as an unforgettable, brilliant and gorgeous light in the gaming landscape, not unlike its protagonist.

It might not be the most complex or most challenging title out there, but it is unique, clever, funny, and, most importantly, genuinely and remarkably fun.

Borderlands 3 is a no-brainer for those who already own the game to experience what the PlayStation 5 is capable of. The Resolution Mode visually adds so much more and the Performance Mode gives players a chance to try out the 120hz mode on a compatible display. The story remains the same, but the DLC will add many more ways to play for users. The DualSense Controller with the PS5 is the true game changer here and it’s further bolstered by the 3D Audio. Gearbox no doubt took advantage of the new hardware to unleash the proper Borderlands 3.

Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus is, plain and simple, one truly superb and expertly-crafted metroidvania game. The cast of colorful characters ends up leading to quests that feature impressive gameplay that encourages exploration as you eventually discover more of the world, the action is superb and challenging with a lot of fun movement, and it all looks dazzling as you take in all of the sights of Japanese mythology, depicted here in such a charming style. If you're a fan of the genre, you need to check it out. And if not, consider Bō a good place to start.