The Zodiac Age brings what we loved from this twelve-year-old release to a new set of gamers in the best way possible. The PC version is an added bonus for fans, not to mention newcomers, as it’s easily the best way to playthrough the lengthy adventure, provided your machine is capable of running it well. Sure, the protagonist doesn’t seem all there and is arguably one of the worst in the entire franchise, but we are treated to an intriguing political plot as it unravels slowly in the background. This is a remaster for the ages, introducing high speed mode to eliminate the needless grind and the various new graphical options only help exemplify the quality of late-PS2 games. Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age for PC is the complete package.

Danganronpa is bizarre in the best kind of way. It’s an engaging visual novel that never stops being excessive, but so many of the characters are charming it’s easy to want to learn about what happens and see if favorites will make it out alive or perish at the end. Visual novels as a genre crave more creativity like this and other detective-styled adventures, so it’s nice to see it now made available for more to try out on Nintendo Switch. Although it’s been some time since it released, Danganronpa is a delight and easy to see why it has such a strong following after all these years. Anyone who hasn’t tried it yet but even has the slightest amount of interest can’t go wrong with trying out Danganronpa Decadence.

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.

There’s a lot of good mining in the depths of SteamWorld Dig, and it stays fun from the basic beginnings to its chaotic ending. It’s not a bad little journey for a steambot that didn’t have a pickaxe to call his own when he showed up in town.

Grand Theft Auto V is one the best games released in the last decade and holds up surprising well nine years later. Like any remaster, the HD makeover can’t hide all the signs of aging from a game that launched two console generations ago, but beyond that impresses. The PlayStation 5 iteration is every bit of the hilarious thrill ride it was back in 2013. Everything played through during the review was familiar territory, but it was just as captivating and entertaining as it was the first time. But by the same token, outside of technical improvements made possible by the more-powerful hardware, there isn’t much of anything new being brought to the party. This is the best way to experience Grand Theft Auto V, but faster loading times and high resolution and framerate might not be enough to necessitate upgrading to modern-gen consoles. It’s still a great port of one of the best games of all time, but it doesn’t drastically improve much over the PC and last-gen version.

Freedom Planet is a love letter to SEGA fans, and newcomers are in store for a special gaming experience that they won’t experience elsewhere in this modern age.

Nihilumbra is the kind of game that many will look over because they think they’ve played things like it hundreds of times before. It’s not. This is a project filled with incredibly smart puzzle design and an important message at its core.

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition is a fantastic experience, and one of the best games I've played this generation. Even with some graphical hiccups, it remains superior to the console counterparts, offering more content, better graphical options and a frame rate that is steady throughout. Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition is an experience like no other that will invoke a multitude of emotions while keeping you planted on the edge of your seat.

With challenging stages of frantic combat and an epic style in both visuals and soundtrack, Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound is a masterful example of 2D platforming action. It’s a strong experience throughout its full length, and both old-time fans and those new to the series are highly likely to enjoy it if they give it a try.

Donut County presents a simple concept to players: collect objects to make a hole larger until the entire stage is clear. Done poorly, no one would remember the experience whatsoever. Developer Ben Esposito turns something mechanically simplistic into a joy via smart design. The adorable world inhabited by colorful characters is something we desperately need more of in games. Donut County might not be a long experience, but it’s one that players can’t help but cherish.

Stray boasts drop-dead gorgeous graphics, an intriguing story and unique post-apocalyptic world, and ridiculously fun and silky smooth gameplay that comes from climbing up and down every area possible with natural catlike agility. Stray is an absolute masterpiece that BlueTwelve should be proud of, and you’d be a fool to miss out on on no matter what, so make sure to check out this feline odyssey ASAP.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate is simply one of the best entries the series has to offer. It opens up a slew of content without feeling overwhelming and gameplay is more varied than ever with tons to do every single step of the way.

A testament to the design philosophy that if an idea is good, it’s usually very good.

Cozy Game Pals have truly crafted one outstanding ode to classic survival horror games with Fear the Spotlight. It perfectly finds a balance between an atmosphere and story that are all suitably creepy, core stealth gameplay that features one impressive, imposing monster while never frustrating the player, and a terrific use of old-school touches like nifty puzzle that wouldn't feel out of place in the likes of Silent Hill. It's the type of horror game that perfectly keeps you on edge throughout all of it, then leaves you walking away feeling refreshed and satisfied. It's an impressive show and one that players need to check out.

While a few more arenas would have been nice, this is the ultimate modern Bomberman, and one of the best multiplayer games around. [Oct 2007, p.66]

With the original Monster Hunter Stories title, Capcom created an entirely new style of gameplay in a familiar world that fans could come to grow and love. It was an attempt at something they weren't sure would take off, but ultimately paid off in creating a beloved spin-off franchise. It's not just lovely to see this first title now available for new and old players alike to re-experience, but it goes back to the series' humble beginning before it blasted off and expanded more than people could have expected. This series is one of Capcom's greatest and we're thrilled to see it now made available for brand new audiences to experience on modern systems. It's well worth picking up for fans of the sequel or those who haven't checked it out yet. Players don't need any familiarity with the core Monster Hunter franchise to enjoy this absolutely wonderful RPG adventure.

Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky is one of the finest JRPGs in the history of the genre, and that still holds true for its Steam debut.

Not only is Forza Horizon a worthy addition to the series, but one of the most comprehensive racing experiences this generation.

Each stage in Kirby and the Forgotten Land – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World is fun and engaging, giving everyone who enjoyed the original version even more to love. There are plenty of things to love about this game: amazing music, great gameplay and stellar art. Kirby and the Forgotten Land + Star-Crossed World is a wonderful addition to the Nintendo Switch 2. It won’t be the most challenging game, with the difficulty being easy, but it's still incredibly fun to play. While it may have been a late addition to the lineup of updated games on the console's launch, it still shows that it can hold its place as one of the best Kirby games.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 takes everything that worked about the original and expands upon it. The core racing action is improved across the board with more kinds of races to partake in and a more in-depth story mode to keep things moving forward. There’s always a goal to attain with XP gaining new vehicles and parts and every race feels like it serves a greater purpose. It controls like a dream, looks gorgeous and offers a satisfying, fast-paced racing experience for all who seek one. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 is among the best licensed racers of the past decade and a must-play for racing fans.

Don’t be surprised to see this small, yet emotionally giant, title competing against the big boys for Game of the Year 2014.

Strange Horticulture is a true hidden gem and a pleasant surprise to start the year on, a delightfully quirky and charming puzzle game that puts a unique spin on botany and requires you to develop a green thumb in order to succeed, largely thanks to puzzle design that truly excels in creating simple yet challenging orders. Backed up by an intriguing world that allows for a lot of interesting lore behind each plant and a relaxing atmosphere, this is something fans of puzzlers should check out. Pardon the awful pun, but it’ll grow on you.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Super Mario Bros. Wonder is one of the greatest Mario titles to come out in the last fifteen years, likely since New Super Mario Bros. DS itself. The only real complaint to be had is that we wish there were even more beautiful and fantastic levels to play after the ones that are there have all been beaten. What Nintendo has crafted here is a title with over 38 years of love for their most-iconic platforming series. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a Mario platformer so reminiscent of the much older titles, but also so full of the magic that modern inclusions can bring to the table. This is not a title that any Mario or platforming fan should be missing out on as Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a must-have for fans of the genre and anyone looking for one of the most utterly charming adventures in franchise history.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about Star Trek: Bridge Crew is that it’s a VR experience that encourages repeat play. Having put a decent amount of time into the title already, it’s understandable that some may hope for additional content added, such as an adversarial crew vs crew mode. What’s in the package already, though, makes for some hectic times and an incredible use of the technology. The message behind the actual game mechanics, that of the need for understanding and cooperation among the players, is possibly the most clever expression of the themes of the franchise a game has ever mustered.

When compared to Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree doesn’t quite live up to its lofty expectations. As a standalone experience, though, Shadow of the Erdtree is an absolute treasure that only helps to enhance the enjoyment of Elden Ring as a whole.

The Talos Principle: Deluxe Edition is a fantastic package of two great first-person puzzlers.

The legend of Polybius is about a mysterious game that breaks the mind of those who play it, but Llamasoft’s version is somehow exciting and relaxing at the same time, and the result is a shooter that leaves the player in a better mental space than when they began.

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.