Kirby and the Forgotten Land is a huge step in a new direction for the series. Many fans will say that despite enjoying recent titles, the formula had been growing stale and repetitive especially after Star Allies. Forgotten Land at its core is still Kirby, and feels like the traditional adventure, but adding this extra layer to levels, exploration and combat opens up a whole new way to experience the journey like never before. It’s not only utterly charming in that lovable Kirby way, it’s also a fantastic look at the kind of new creative ideas we’ll hopefully get to see from here on out. While the 2D-styled Kirby titles will still be around, it’d be wonderful if focusing on larger 3D adventures was the new plan moving forward as Kirby and the Forgotten Land hits the ground running with one of the franchise’s best titles to date.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance stakes its claim as the definitive version of the original and sticks the landing. It changes what needed to be fixed and keeps what worked intact. While it doesn't go too above and beyond what was before it, that by no means makes Vengeance anything less than great. The original was one of 2021's best RPGs and now Vengeance can claim a high spot among 2024's best and brightest. It's a hardcore, fantastic and rich experience that should be on everyone's must-play list.

FIFA continues to show no signs of slowing down its dominance, as this year’s title further enhances the consistently enjoyable gameplay thanks to improvements to the on-field animations and varied, but realistic presentation. The core modes could have been better off with a similar amount of enhancements, particularly FUT and Career’s reliance on an unnecessarily complex menu system, but as a whole, FIFA 18 will once again reign supreme as one of this year’s most accessible and crowd-pleasing titles both in and outside of its genre.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm – Episode 2: Brave New World is an excellent entry in the series. It’s an emotional roller-coaster from beginning to end and an experience that will leave you with questions answered and tears in your eyes. Anyone who enjoyed the first episode, or even the original game, will love it. Seeing Chloe gain so much characterization here while also growing as a person with Amber is a minor revelation. The more grounded nature of Before the Storm remains one of the biggest advantages it has over the original game and helps it stand out tonally as well. The same visual issues abound, but the animation and overall sound design combine with the writing to make a story that hooks you at all times.

Antichamber is a giant, brilliant, stripped-down shot of pure mental exercise, delivered with a stark but colorful style and wrapped in an accessible FPS shell.

It’s amazing that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn managed to turn a generally detested game into a great one, but this is proof it’s possible. Playing on PS4 is quite the experience as well.

Motive Studio has done the unthinkable with Dead Space. It has turned this iconic, incredibly memorable survival horror game from fifteen years ago into an even more immersive and engaging experience. This isn’t just a simple graphical upgrade, but an overhaul on a significant portion of the mechanics and storytelling, crafting a better and more gratifying universe to dive into.

We’re getting to the point where denying the greatness of the Forza franchise is borderline ridiculous. The saddest part about Forza Motorsport 6 is that it will likely be brushed away by critics and gamers alike as a fantastic racing game rather than a fantastic game in general. Make no mistake, with all of its meaningful content and rock solid gameplay, Forza Motorsport 6 is one of the best games to come out in 2015, period.

If you somehow missed the many opportunities to tryout Lara’s rebooted fiction, then the Definitive Edition offers a remedy for that.

Madden NFL 18 may be the biggest leap forward in the franchise since going to 3D in 1999. The tightest and crispest Madden to date, it looks and performs stunningly, all while adding tons of little things to correctly represent the game of football.

The visual clarity and overall quality-of-life improvements are a welcome addition and only help excel this dungeon, high school life simulator even further. Persona 4 remains one of the best JRPGs on the market and now it’s accessible to more players than ever before. Whether you’re a long-time fan or a fresh to the franchise, Persona 4 Golden is an experience you won’t soon forget.

This is a game that transcends its name and should be spoken of in the same breath as the genre’s best.

Sure, there’s no Trance Vibrator attachment, but being immersed entirely in Rez’s world is an almost religious experience in and of itself.

Fire Emblem Warriors pays tribute to the most recent 3DS titles that helped the series take off in recent years. While it would have been more varied if they had included more than just a handful of characters from older entries, it still creates an enjoyable action packed spin-off for new and old Fire Emblem fans alike. Fire Emblem Warriors is an easy title to pick up and play at any time, regardless if just doing one mission or sitting down to grind for a full session. Whether a fan of the series or just looking for another title to play with friends, Fire Emblem Warriors makes for a great time with plenty of content to keep players coming back for more of its perfectly-captured action.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred continues the story of Diablo IV into its next inevitable chapter. The story continues in a satisfying way as players explore the new region of Nahantu. The Spiritborn class is a blast to play, the mix of a martial artist with different Guardian Spirits providing support has potential for numerous viable builds. Ultimately though, even with the new area, vocation and other new features added, Vessel of Hatred offers more of what players can expect from Diablo IV.

Whether new to the series or a long time veteran, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the perfect balance of challenge, adventure and fun that shouldn’t be missed out on.

Codemasters have crafted an almost perfect racing game with Dirt Rally.

Littlewitch Romanesque is a gorgeous, enthralling visual novel. Not only is the magical storyline interesting but the cast of distinct characters really bring the world to life. This is counterbalanced by a surprisingly addictive gameplay system which pairs luck with strategy in order to take on tons of quests.

Street Fighter V was one of the biggest disappointments at its launch but over the past four years has evolved into one of the best fighting games of this generation. Street Fighter V: Champion Edition is the definitive version of Street Fighter V (for now). With the exception of the increased roster, the additional content beyond Arcade Edition is largely cosmetic, so this may not be a necessary upgrade people who are satisfied with the their current roster and don’t care about costumes and stages. For everyone else this is the version of Street Fighter V to get. Between the top-notch fighting mechanics and fan service there are countless hours of entertainment to be found in Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.

Those already tightly entrenched in the series won’t have anything to scoff at. Significantly improved over its predecessor, Dark Souls III will have players immersed in the deep and rich fiction that From Software is known for.

To put it simply, Stephen’s Sausage Roll might be some of the meatiest and most delicious food for the mind you’ll taste all year.

Musicus! might not be the best game from Overdrive, but it’s high on the list. The sad thing about this release is it’s the last game that Overdrive will release. The company has always worked toward creating games they want to make, rather than focusing on popular trends that will sell the best. Their commitment to their own ideals allowed them to produce yet another excellent visual novel. Fans owe it to themselves to pick this one up. Those who have yet to play an Overdrive game should also look into this title. Musicus! is a wonderful visual novel with flamboyant characters, awesome music and an enjoyable and emotional story that you won’t soon forget.

A beautiful, emotional journey through some of the best looking environments on the PlayStation 4, Abzû was well worth the wait.

If you’ve somehow managed to stay away from the phenomenon this entire time, then Ultra Street Fighter IV is the perfect gateway to becoming a World Warrior.

Hades is no less than an absolute masterpiece, easily a contender for Supergiant’s finest work yet, and a candidate for the year’s best game. It delivers truly classic action in almost every sense of the word, has the perfect level of difficulty, looks breathtaking and has a unique take on Greek mythology that hits just the right tone, always finding a way to keep you coming back for more, always playing to see what’s next. It’s the stuff of legends and everyone involved should be proud of what they’ve made.

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 a great game and worth a try if you're brave and/or a masochist. [July 2007, p.64]

If you have someone who you’ve always wanted to experience video games with but never could convince them to play, give Tales from the Borderlands a shot. This story, these characters and this product are simply too good for only a small segment of the population to enjoy.