Ghost of Yōtei is a love letter to feudal Japan, its contradictions, its aesthetic rigor, and the fantasy that has inspired generations. It is not just a competent sequel, it proves that Sucker Punch's formula has room to grow and mature. The transition to Hokkaido gives it its own identity, both because of the colder and more isolated landscape and because of the cultural weight of the protagonist Atsu, whose personal journey changes but never loses relevance amid the visual spectacle. The evolution of combat is one of the great triumphs: refined, varied, visceral, and always demanding, it is the spice of a world that breathes life and that you will want to explore to the limit, full of interesting characters and arcs that contribute to a narrative mechanism that, with a little more audacity, would live forever in our hearts.

Pokémon Pokopia is one of the year’s biggest wins, a game where the motivation isn’t about defeating some looming antagonist, but about the calm, deliberate restoration of order, reclaiming a space that was once beautiful, a process that feels within reach of our own hands. There’s no combat and no urgency, just a therapeutic hypnosis carried by the gentle brushstrokes of the adorable creatures that have captivated multiple generations. It’s probably the best Pokémon spin-off to date.

Life is Strange: True Colors is a “must-play” for all those that played the first title and felt that something was missing in the second. It’s a game of landmark events, strong emotions and tough decisions. Be prepared to meet Haven Springs and unravel the secret that hides within the city and that conceals the death of so many other characters. Having the risk of becoming one more death, Alex does not give up on bringing justice and truth to all those that accompany her, including you.

Bayonetta 3 is a brilliant feat of video game design. It makes a commitment to absurdity from its very start, and makes that commitment its greatest strength. The Demon Slave abilities give us the largest-scale battles in the franchise, and the introduction of Viola is like an homage to the purest hack and slash games of the past. Everything about this title screams passion, competence and personality.

Forza Horizon 5 is a monument to freedom, adrenaline and arcade fun, in a Mexico whose dimension is rivaled by its breath-taking beauty. With hundreds of cars, dozens of events and an immaculate driving experience, it's by far the best arcade racing game of the year, with a surprising depth that might even surprise the sim racing purists.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth has been both a respite and a surprise, and this for someone who didn't play the Remake but finished the original several times. It's much more than a remake, even though it shares the same themes and motifs, centered on Sephiroth's manipulation and uncertainty regarding Cloud's memories. It's a gigantic title, with a remarkable visual scale and a fantasy world where we would be able to live in and therefore want to get lost in. It's also one of the best games of early 2024, packed with content that's bound to keep you engaged for many hours.

I’ll admit I was hesitant at first, but I ended up liking Metroid Prime 4: Beyond more than I expected. It carries a density and maturity that the series deserves and that’s increasingly rare to find, especially within its genre. It’s a deliberate continuation, built with care and respect for its own legacy, a design that favors subtlety over forced innovation, and a story about returns, about the weight of waiting, and about how the past, when properly unearthed, can still cast light on the future.

The biggest part of what lies within Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut is not new, but we are standing before a flash flood of content from the best that Playstation has given us in the past few years with new additions and improvements that are more than enough to deserve the attention of all those who complimented the game in the past. The story of Jin in Iki is well framed and is not narratively superficial, and the consequences will be felt as soon you find him again, which bears to mind that this expansion is also a good sample of what it may be a sequel free from the bindings that hold down Gen 8, with the same aesthetical identity but with a new power to explore.

Capcom did not forget Nintendo, delivering a mesmerizing and anticipated entry using what has been done so well in MHW. It adds something new to the series, with a mantle of Japanese folklore and culture. The innovations are enough to make us feel the weight of Monster Hunter Rise, a truly differentiating title that, like Monster Hunter World, will leave its mark to be replicated in future generations. Fast, fun and extremely addictive, Rise shows that Nintendo platforms continue to be one of the best places for memorable hunts.

Much to the chagrin of some extreme fanboys, who incomprehensibly defend the total and eternal exclusivity of PlayStation Studios' games, Sony seems to have other ideas. And I'm glad that's the case, because a game like Spider Man Remastered deserves to be played by all video game enthusiasts, whether they are Spidey fans or not. Who knows, maybe they will be finally convinced.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy surprises with a remarkable, true and emotional story with excellent performances, all in a unique graphic style, full of effects and color that give strength to the game and above all to its message. The gameplay is not at the level of everything else that is presented, but that doesn't make it a truly negative element. An ode to books, movies and fans, with a team that goes back to giving it all, something that the player won't forget, taking us to moments of laughter and sadness like no other Marvel game has ever done.

Timberborn is a fantastic city builder that hides surprising complexity behind its adorable beaver aesthetic. Although its systems are not always clear at first glance, building dykes and dams to tame waterways proves to be an incredibly satisfying and addictive experience, capable of keeping you mesmerised for hours on end. Essentially, each map is a survival sandbox that begs to be solved, subtly transforming into a game of management and automation.

The Sims 4 High School Years fulfills its purpose: giving players as much gameplay possibilities as it can, with one of the richest Sims 4 packs yet. Despite some stubborn rabbit holes, the recriation of High School's highs and lows is very well done, from the clothing to Copperdale High's hallways.

Star Wars Outlaws will continue to occupy my time over the next days, fortunately with the advantage of becoming an experience shared with many other people. Personally, it's one of the good surprises of the year, it takes different styles of gameplay and stitches them together into a very well-tuned amalgam, without exaggeration and with protagonists that it's impossible not to like. All this, in the Star Wars universe, is an excellent example of how Lucasfilm's world has much more to offer than lightsabers and Jedi.

Beyond being a strong contender for the Guinness record for the longest video game title ever, Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel Park is an excellent example of what a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition should be. It offers more than enough content to surprise veteran players with new features and encourage them to approach the original adventure in fresh ways, while also standing as a complete and absolutely essential package for those who have never played it.

Metal Gear Solid Delta is one of the best examples of what a remake should be. Without disrespecting the original masterpiece, it introduces graphical and quality of life improvements that make the game more accessible to a modern audience, accustomed to some advances in the genre, freed from the technical restraints of the PS2. All the changes are subtle and optional, making Delta an experience capable of pleasing purists and novices alike, something that few remakes are capable of achieving.

This remake reveals the secret of Naughty Dog's latest success, the way it has perfected its gameplay model, without ever neglecting the cinematic element. The story remains central to the experience in The Last of Us Part 1, but taking everything it learned from the second part, the studio gives us a true masterclass in set pieces of action and emotionality. We go through scene after scene totally immersed in Joel and Ellie and their quest, as if to "live a movie" that we no longer remember, even though we know how it will end.

12 Minutes is a welcome and delicious experience, inspired in the mystery classics by some of the best masters. It can make us feel the entire spectrum of emotions and making us think on how we deal with the truth, while navigating with equal artisanship through various genres. The small imperfections that you may find are the sign of a limited production team, but they are insignificant and incapable of meddling in this claustrophobically welcoming journey.

The secret of Astro Bot lies in its aesthetic and mechanical variety, and the reason why we can easily lose hours with its animated charm.

Far Cry 6 is the ultimate exponent of Ubisoft's open world formula. It’s a great pleasure to explore the island of Yara and all its corners, where we have enormous freedom and options to face all of its challenges. Giancarlo Espostio shines as Antón Castillo, a villain that will go down in Far Cry history, even if the other characters in the narrative are not up to him. A must for fans of open world games.

Dead Space Remake is the new benchmark for what a successful remake should be. Motive Studio has shown that the right formula is one that treats the original content with courtesy, adding only the strictly necessary elements to adapt the experience to the current technology. Once again, Dead Space takes the crown of the sci-fi horror genre, with a gameplay experience that is absolutely fascinating and gripping across the board. The care and respect invested in this remake is evident at all times, making it it a strong candidate for the GOTY title.

There's never been a better time to take a look at Cyberpunk 2077. Phantom Liberty is what any content expansion or DLC should be: meaningful, relevant and deep. It adds tremendous value by adding an engaging story, a vast cast of captivating characters and mechanics that revolutionize the gameplay. Added to this are dozens and dozens of hours of secondary content, a new place to explore and an impressive direction that switches between gameplay and cinematics, putting us in the driver's seat of a spy movie. It doesn't do it without stumbling slightly, but I feel that Update 2.0 and Phantom Liberty are CD Projekt Red's ultimate redemption, finally presenting the Cyberpunk 2077 they always wanted to deliver.

If memory can be an anchor and the future an unknown, then Season: A Letter to the Future asks us to be mindful of the present as we explore the beautiful world it has created. Armed with a camera, a recorder and diary, riding a bicycle trough gorgeous sceneries, we dive in a story about memories and new eras to unravel. To say it's not for everyone is to belittle both the game and those who play it, so it's really best to recommend it to everyone. Change is scary, but maybe Season will help us find some answers.

Pikmin is Nintendo's ugly duckling. The idea of having plants that act like worker ants, of different colors and qualities, isn't all that appealing. Funnily enough, it works: I surrendered to the gameplay, creativity, lightness and relaxation that Pikmin 4 manages to deliver. Admittedly, there is still work to be done on other components, such as strengthening the cooperative mode, local and online, in order to offer a more interesting shared experience for all players. Still, the solo story mode made me feel the Nintendo magic again, the one I felt when I first played Pokémon, Super Mario, Wario or Zelda. It's a title that proves how little our age matters in the face of a game, only mattering how it makes us feel.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon takes the risky option of including RPG elements in its core, but it does this absolutely brilliantly. It's a new approach that may make those fans of action in previous games a little apprehensive, but it does deserve a chance. It's a fantastic gateway to the series and not to be missed by fans of Japanese RPGs. It maintains the series' spirit, refreshing it with Ichiban Kaguya, heroes who risk becoming the new icon of Yakuza.

Respawn delivers a sequel that's shaped like our favorite cake, even if it lacks the icing on top. Despite performance issues and poor improvements to some gameplay elements, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor comes to show just how cohesive the Star Wars universe really is. The title offers us the most fun version of the Jedi to play so far, in a vastly improved environment, with countless planets to explore. Cal Kestis returns for a new adventure with enhanced habilities, an assortment of lightsabers, enhanced strength, new friendships and a charming style.

Like a well-tuned train, Monster Train 2 doesn't deviate from the tracks it laid in the first game. The experience of the sequel is familiar to those who already know the franchise, but the new mechanics and new game modes translate into (another) hundreds more hours of fun.

Without ever completely abandoning the franchise's defining elements, Fire Emblem Engage leaves behind Three Houses' web of friendships and relationships to focus on the battlefield. The result is a somewhat uninspired story and an absolutely brilliant, fluid and extremely engaging combat system capable of being both accessible for beginners and profound for fans of 'min-maxing.'