A modern JRPG masterpiece. It is the perfect blend of the classic JRPG formula mixed with contemporary features. Almost everything this title does has had some equivalent seen in RPGs that came before it, but they have been tweaked where the experience still feels fresh.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is an utter delight that can be overwhelming at first, but is worth picking up for those wanting to dive into fast-paced combat with that Fire Emblem twist.

Disgaea 5: Alliance of Vengeance implements some of the smartest choices the series has seen since its debut in 2003, making this not only the best Disgaea game to date, but one of the best Strategy-RPGs available.

Pacing issues aside, Cursed to Golf is a unique and terrific blend of different genres that makes for a highly enjoyable and fresh spin on the classic sport. Be it through golfing skills, puzzle-solving skills, luck or a mix of all three, each hole presents a multitude of options to try out and paths to take, with each perfect shot providing a sort of golfing high as you soar through a passageway filled with spikes and vines. Throw in charming old-school style and aesthetics, and you get one challenging course that’s a blast to play through.

If you’ve been looking to get in on Company of Heroes, then this is the place to do it.

Loaded with humor, skill-based action and interesting brainteasers, the original Darksiders is one of the best games to come out of the last generation. It takes numerous recipes from other games and creates an adventure that’s worth taking.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined has been remade with excellent precision. The developers have done a phenomenal job recreating what made the original so special, all while retaining its artistic integrity. There are also some fantastic quality-of-life improvements implemented, such as auto-battle and custom difficulty adjustments. This is a massive game, taking upwards of 100 hours to complete, but with it comes some slumps. The story’s pacing can be a bit awkward at times, and several of the plots have been modified. Kiefer’s newest model also stands out comically bad and the chatter that comes from the party outside of battle feels useless half of the time. Regardless, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a memorable and ambitious remake that does far more right than it does wrong.

It’s a charming adventure that doesn’t overstay its welcome or drag the gameplay down with too much fluff in between fights and allows players who just want to get through everything quickly the opportunity while having a small handful of side activities that let those who want to take it slower the chance to take a breather between encounters. Fire Emblem Engage feels like one of the tightest experiences in the franchise since Awakening and is well worth giving a try for those looking for something with a perfect clash of old and new.

When compared to GTAV, the game falls short in most places — notably in driving and side-missions. Falling short to one of the games of the generation, however, is still a huge accomplishment and Watch Dogs blazes its own trail by offering the ingenious addition of hacking. With tons of content and a surprising amount of humor, Ubisoft has laid an incredibly solid base with Watch Dogs. It might not be at the top of its class, but it’s a damn fine salutatorian.

Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demons ignores everything that fans are looking for in a Bayonetta game to deliver a charming and deeply-emotional experience. Players who are only interested in the traditional Bayonetta experience might want to skip this, but those who are willing to see the familiar character in a completely different context will be rewarded for their open mindedness. The puzzle solving and joint combat from controlling Cereza and Cheshire together ends up leading to enjoyable and satisfying combat even if the challenge is on the lower end. The beautiful watercolor-inspired design and storybook presentation does a perfect job of setting the stage for the emotional tale of Cereza’s origins. It might not be what fans were hoping for, but sometimes great games are created by taking things in a completely new direction.

The Bit.Trip is a must for anyone who owned any of the original games on the Wii, or heard of them and just wants to try them out. Their designs are simplistic in theory, but a riot to play.

The longevity of Halo Infinite will rest with its multiplayer battles as this is the online shooter the world has been needing. Halo Infinite is the defining project from 343 Industries thus far.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes may be rough around the edges with a shaky sandbox setting, screen tearing and generic music, but it does right by the Marvel universe and offers an experience that can be loved by both devoted fans and children alike.

While it may only take an hour or so to complete the main mission that acts as the prologue to the next game, the PC port of Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes not only lives up to expectations, but surpasses them in creating an overly satisfying sandbox to sneak through.

This is not a game that can properly be played casually as it is simply too complex and too vast to get the full experience from fifteen minutes a day. Mastering the nuances of everything that is offered and learning how to best interact with each faction and party member will take time. For those who have the time and desire, however, this is one of the more rewarding time sink titles available. With the winter months on the horizon, Tyranny is a highly-recommended game to lock yourself away with while waiting for the weather to warm up.

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 Bug Butcher is a good-humored throwback to an almost-forgotten series, updating the gameplay while preserving the heart of what made it great in the first place.

The Artful Escape may not have particularly deep or challenging gameplay, but the main reason to attend this show is its incredible writing and Francis’ trippy, out-of-this-world journey in discovering his new persona, one which features a lot of nifty twists in various ways, alongside truly striking sci-fi visuals and an expertly-crafted soundtrack. The Artful Escape is an astonishing rock and roll epic that the likes of Ziggy Stardust would be proud of.

Anyone that was a fan of the original Command & Conquer games or similar RTS from the early 2000s can't pass up Tempest Rising. The look, sound and upgrades to a system that changes things up just enough will appease classic fans. Anyone expecting an elaborate amount of depth akin to what some of the recent RTS games have incorporated, however, won't find it here. There's not much to do, just the campaign, skirmish and multiplayer. There's only two factions and not a ton of maps. Once each faction is figured out in a month, the game will turn into a rush game online. This was a complaint of the legacy C&C games and this gets carried over with it. It won't be about strategy, it'll be about what works. There's a lot here that any fan would want in a modern C&C game, but it doesn't check every box on the wishlist.

Codemasters gets it right with the handling in F1 25, allowing for challenging physics no matter the assist options or the controller. Using a racing wheel with no assists brings one of the more realistic interpretations of the sport the series has ever seen. Every bit of this is fixed over last year's outing. It's addictive and challenging while allowing those with a greater skill to showcase how much faster they can be than those with less skill. Outside of this, the experience is familiar. Having LIDAR circuits and reverse circuits are good additions, but there just aren't many that take advantage. Braking Point 3 offers a darker story for those that are looking for a story mode in an F1 game. My Team 2.0 adding more depth is a welcome addition for those that understand the managerial portion of the sport. Most importantly, for those who are simply wanting to race, F1 25 offers an excellent experience.

NBA 2K18 is once again king of the court, proving why the series has managed to remain so superior in recent years. While not each of the updates to the signature modes prove to be as beneficial as intended, the ones that do work, particularly in MyCareer, are further boosted by rock-solid gameplay and a presentation unrivaled within the genre.

A cozy indie game that has players embark on a whimsical adventure through a vibrant and charming world. With its adorable characters, dynamic gameplay mechanics and attention to detail, Promenade offers an experience that fans of old-school platformers and adventure games will love.

Snipperclips gives players an overall enjoyable experience that allows them to sit down and relax while playing alone or with some friends. The puzzles start simple but get complex enough that it will take some creative thinking to figure them all out. While it may not offer a ton of replayability after every level has been beaten, it can easily make for a fun experience when showing it to someone who has never tried it out before. Someone looking to pick up a simple multiplayer title for the Nintendo Switch to sit down and enjoy with a friend need look no further than Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!

If you’re getting tired of swords and sorcery, or just looking for meaty tactical battles, few RPGs will satisfy you better.

F.I.S.T. Forged in Shadow Torch is a must-buy for Metroidvania fans looking for something that tries new things. It takes the well-worn staples of the sub-genre and blends them with a steampunk feel and a richer storyline than most.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla brings quality of life improvements to the new Assassin’s Creed model but doesn’t stray too far from familiar territory. If you enjoyed the last two games and want more of that, Valhalla is exactly what the doctor ordered, but there may be some who after spending 200+ hours completing Origins and Odyssey are burnt out on the format.

Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is a continuation of what fans have come to expect from the series and the Monstrum gifts add a new and fun gameplay mechanic. In some ways the Monstrum gifts make this the most fun Ys game to play even though there are other arguments against it being the best one.

One of the year’s best orchestrations of gameplay and presentation in unison, Card Shark is a smart, but above all, brilliantly-crafted journey of cunning and deception.