Sure, there’s a few oddities here and there, but overall Gahkthun of the Golden Lightning has rocketed up the list of must play visual novels on Steam.

Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is the very definition of escapism, offering a mindbogglingly large amount of content. One could spend upwards of fifty hours exploring the world without completing more than a few introductory missions in the main story — which itself can offer over twenty hours of gameplay.

While it’s a bit creaky around the edges at times, Sairento VR‘s ninja action is truly fantastic when it gets moving. Hopping from wall to wall while picking off headshots then diving to earth in a slide that ends in decapitation feels amazing, as does holding the high ground and raining arrows down for stealth kills. You can pull out the guns and go in blazing or pick your way carefully and be sneaky, although once one enemy has seen you, all enemies always know where you are so you need to be ready if things go wrong. There’s a huge amount of depth in its gameplay and every moment can be dealt with in whatever way makes you happiest. Dive in with the sword, dual-wield pistols, break out the sniper rifle, toss kunai around or machine-gun everything that moves. If you can combine speed, grace and firepower, there’s not an enemy out there that can stand against your ninja might.

Being the fifth entry to this offshoot of the larger Mystery Dungeon series means that existing fans will know what to expect going in and those players should know that this is arguably the best entry to the series. For new folks interested in seeing what some of the more obtuse genre entries are all about, this is the perfect place to start.

With its charming and unique pinball mechanics that get subtly, cleverly more complex and elaborate the further you progress — as well as a charming art-style present in its environments and characters alike — what it lacks in some grandiose narrative or punctuating tone, Villa Gorilla more than make up for with a gameplay loop that excels on its originality — garnering a wide smile to one’s face in the process.

Zet ZIllions is a game that isn't afraid to head to crazy places, be it sentient planets sucking on pacifiers or more legit terrors from other dimensions. And not only does this make for some great characters, visuals and a wild world to explore, but this extends to the card battles and their spread of unique mechanics, making for a ton of fun as you work with them to create the best deck possible. It's a sheer blast of creativity that's worth checking out and makes the game stand out among all of the other roguelike deckbuilders. Truly weird and wonderful stuff.

I, Robot is an incredible sequel to a lost arcade classic, instantly playable by fans of the original, but with more than enough new gameplay hooks to make it stand on its own. All the features of a Llamasoft game are present, from the occasionally rude level name to an audio soundscape comprised of baa-ing sheep and endless samples, plus the visual overload that dials it back on the main part of the level and goes for broke during the shooter sections. Each level is its own little arcade puzzle, with the player needing to untangle how the enemies are going to move this time and what the best path through looks like, and whether you want to do a full run from Level 0 to the end or just take it a couple levels at a time and continue as needed, I, Robot is happy to accommodate. The authoritarian eye should probably be paying much closer attention to the robot's moves, but its laziness means you can cram an entire level of rebellion right through its all-seeing cornea.

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

A year later, its still hard to say bad things about this compilation. Final Fantasy X is still one of the best installments in the franchise, and the fresh coat of paint is a delightful treat.

If you feel that you’ve already braved the darkest, scariest secrets of Hinamizawa then you will be surprised by the latest chapter.

The Swapper is a wonderfully clever game that’s as smart as it is atmospheric.

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

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

For those willing to take the chance, what awaits is a fantastic, mesmerizing trip across America and its parables and oddities throughout the ages, with a journey that’s easy to get lost in full of amazing writing, splendid characters and superb performances all around.

Those holding out for a showpiece title for their PS5 now have it. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart utilizes the power and functionalities of the PS5 to deliver a must-own experience while also standing as an excellent game on its own. Rift Apart follows Insomniac Games’ tried and true Ratchet & Clank formula, providing excellent gameplay, plenty of content and the signature humor that’s made the characters so endearing.

Despite being left wanting a bit more, What Remains of Edith Finch is a one of those examples of truly interactive storytelling. In gaming, there are many examples of titles that are lauded for their narrative that don’t quite hold up when compared to genre contemporaries in other mediums. There have been and will certainly be many more diatribes that explore this phenomenon. Giant Sparrow has created a title that can be held up against books and movies for storytelling prowess and stand strong. With its contemplative story and consistent interesting use of design, this is a title that should be experienced by anyone interested in what video games can do.

Given its somber tone and grueling difficulty, I’m not sure if I should refer to Brandish: The Dark Revenant as the PSP’s swan song or its funeral dirge, but either way it’s among the system’s best RPGs.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has taken all the best parts from the Wii U version and improves quite a bit upon where it needed some adjustments. From the entirely revamped battle mode to all the brand new characters and features, Deluxe is far more than just a port. Those who have never played Mario kart 8 and have a Switch should consider this a need to play title, and those who had it on Wii U should know that this is still worth picking up as it is the definitive version by far. Whether racing on the track or taking down opponents in battle mode, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a perfect addition to the Switch library and remains the best Mario Kart title to date.

It’s one thing to craft a game with such an entertaining yet punishing series of fights. It’s another to do so with the kind of design philosophy that’s so quick to convince it more than deserves its rightful place. But that’s exactly what Fallen Flag have achieved with seemingly impeccable ease here. Bold, brilliant and consistently surprising throughout, Eldest Souls’ fresh approach to combat marks one of 2021’s real gems.

Tales from the Borderlands isn’t just a superb entry point into what appears to be a captivating story, it has the potential to be Telltale’s best work since the first season of The Walking Dead.

Numerous Japanese visual novels have been coming to English-speaking audiences lately, many of them excellent. The Zero Escape series manages to excite and confound, the Phoenix Wright games lets players live out a Japanese take on Law & Order and even BlazBlue got in on it via the X-Blaze series. Danganronpa manages to eke out a place at the top of the pack. Players new to the series have no reason to pass up this collection. Both games are extremely well written and hard to put down. Returning players who already know the solutions to all of the conundrums but don’t mind re-experiencing the story will find a better looking version of the original two titles here. Since this is releasing at a lower price, that’s enough of a reason to go through again in preparation for Danganronpa V3.

Tokyo Jungle is easily one of the best games this fall season, and is going to be cropping up in gaming conversations for years to come.

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is a standalone title in the venerable franchise that is wholeheartedly worth exploring.

Like The Walking Dead before it, The Wolf Among Us is at once a faithful adaptation and a great original story in its own right. Fables fans will be delighted to see more of the characters they know and love, and newcomers will find this to be a great jumping-off point into an expansive and fascinating universe.

Linelight‘s unapologetically simple aesthetic is cunningly packed with a punch matched only by its intelligent assortment of variety and execution in creating a puzzle game that blossoms into something more than merely guiding colored bars on a circuit board-like winding of lines. A testament to the ever-growing puzzle genre, Linelight is nothing short of a stroke of genius.

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.

Death’s Door is a gem of a soulslike game with a nice and meaty level of challenge and a world filled with lovable characters and loads of secrets to uncover. It may seem minor compared to most in the genre when it comes to length, clocking in at around ten to twelve hours, but it will be one memorable journey. Come for the charming little crow and the colorful cast that they meet after slicing and dicing a few dozen monsters, stay for the excellent writing and the superb tale about death. It’s all to die for.

A special, once-in-a-generation type of game. Cuphead would have flourished on its brilliant art-style and visual aesthetic alone, easily. Yet what truly sets itself apart from anything released over the past ten years is how well everything else binds together. A gameplay loop that constantly throws more and more unique ideas at the player; a soundtrack that energises the maddening antics of its visuals even further; a situation that is equal-parts chaotic as it is psychologically immersive. Though it misses out on being crowned a perfect game, believe me when I say that it’s not by much. Its faults may crop up at the most pivotal of moments, but even that takes nothing away from the generally electrifying sense of joy to be found from a game of this vigor and caliber. Cuphead truly is one to cherish.