Yes, Octopath Traveler 0 can feel a bit bloated at times, but it’s also the best thematic use of the series to date of the “anthology” style of storytelling, all held together by deliciously dark villains and an uplifting core message. More than anything, it’s astounding how ambitious this game is in terms of transforming a mobile experience into a single-player RPG — on a level that we’ve quite honestly never seen in video games before. It’s experimental and messy in many ways, but so much more compelling because of that exact reason...In a world where mobile games end service and ultimately disappear from history, I genuinely hope this is a blueprint both Square Enix and others can continue to use. But in the meantime, I can at least say Octopath is on the right track.

There’s something for everyone here. For Marvel fans, it's chock-full of crowd-pleasing Easter eggs and fan service. For nostalgic arcade junkies, it's an absolute blast to play through, and it looks and sounds damn good the entire time. Marvel Comics Invasion is the definitive Marvel beat ‘em up, and one that will be well worth revisiting as many times as we did its arcade forebearers 30 years ago.

Kirby Air Riders is absolutely not going to be a game for everyone, and it doesn’t want to be. And it won’t be a constant in your life either. But like that weird uncle and his larger-than-life stories, it’s probably an experience you’ll remember fondly now and again. And in a world where video games are obsessed with occupying your time and stringing you along for weeks, months, even years — that’s undeniably refreshing.

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a game that manages to capture the very feeling of the word ‘resilience’ quite the same way. And that applies to even the gameplay experience of methodically learning the systems and improving. I can easily see Lumines Arise being one of those yearly games for me, the select few I play through as a kind of comfort pick. And I guarantee you’ll find your own something out of it too – even if I can’t say exactly what that’ll be.

It’s almost impossible to find copies of many Tales games today, and Bandai could’ve simply ported the game to modern platforms and been done with it. But Tales of Xillia Remastered is the best version it can be, a hidden gem polished to a sheen. RPG fans shouldn’t miss it.

I might hesitate to call Age of Imprisonment an “essential” Switch 2 game, but it’s a crucial piece of giving the system a strongly varied first-year lineup. And, more than anything, it makes me excited to see the future of Koei Tecmo and Nintendo’s budding relationship.

This remake is one for the ages, and that’s whether you remember playing Dragon Warrior 2 on a little CRT television three decades ago or whether you’ve never even touched the series in your life. And there are decades of games and history to dive into if you can’t get enough.

The sequel utterly revels in the absurdity of its satire on capitalism, government, authoritarianism, and individuality – even if it takes a bit longer to get situated than the first game.

Overall, it feels like Z-A has made a definitive statement about what the “Legends” games are able to aspire to – a way for Pokémon to get weird and experimental alongside the main games. Looking back, that’s the most compelling part about Z-A: the promise it holds for the series’ future and the steps it takes to do something different. So even if Z-A isn’t everything I wanted it to be, it’s a world I dearly enjoyed getting to live in.

Battlefield 6 is a new high point for the franchise, and the beginning of an overdue journey towards making things right.

I played Hades 2 and Absolum back-to-back, and Absolum feels like the perfect chaser.

Easily one of the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous games I’ve ever played in my life, Ghost of Yotei is a sequel that makes a strong first impression, and makes a handful of meaningful improvements over its predecessor. But as a sequel, it lacks a bit of the novelty that Ghost of Tsushima had, and while many elements of Yotei are objectively stronger, just a bit of its shine wears off after a few dozen hours of formulaic open world design.

Immortal family drama is at the heart of Hades II, just as it was its 2020 predecessor. This time, though, the stakes are higher, the cast is larger, and the action is more demanding, mostly for the better.

It’s a game that manages to honor the series’ legacy, while simultaneously pushing it in a new direction, and it might just be the best Silent Hill to date.

Borderlands 4 rises above it all by committing fully to the bit. It serves up exactly what the fans wanted, exactly what it would be like to play as Cate Blanchett for one sixty hour mission, blowing up aliens and weirdos alike, ascending and descending from spacecraft.

Cronos is a strong reminder of how important the survival element of the genre can be, and how so many games have seemingly lost that half. I absolutely adore the decrepit little world that Bloober has built here, and just wish the game could have stuck the landing better in support of it. Cronos comes within a razor’s edge of being a new horror classic, but even with its missteps, its world and panic-inducing combat is something well worth experiencing. A snafu in the review process meant I had access to the wrong build of the game for a while, but it’s proof of how much I enjoyed Cronos that I was willing to play through it another whole time in the review process...More than anything, it feels like post-Silent Hill 2 Bloober Team has really found its footing. Cronos is absolutely a step in the right direction, and I can’t wait to see what the studio does next to keep on building from here.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Star-Crossed World may not transform what was already in the game, but it never needed to. Three years after its release, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is still an excellent platformer, made just a bit better by the new edition’s visual improvements. But the new levels added in Star-Crossed World are the real reason to pay attention to the new release, as some of the best games of an already great game. Between the Star-Crossed World update and the upcoming Kirby Air Riders, this is as good a time as there’s ever been to pay attention to Nintendo’s strangest mascot, and a good sign that the Kirby series has still more to offer.

Every element of Shinobi works in concert to make for a relentlessly gripping experience, and I think it’s legitimately fascinating how the game takes elements from so many different places to make something new. It’s like if you took Metroid, Ninja Gaiden, Hollowknight, and Street Fighter and threw them all into a blender, but the mixture actually turns out delicious...It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a Shinobi game, but by all accounts, this feels like it could be the start of a new franchise for Sega. That mix of platforming and fighting elements is intoxicating, and it feels like it’d be an actual crime to not see more of it.

Ninja Gaiden Ragebound is one of those games you finish and it feels like it’s gone by in the blink of an eye. While there can be some frustration in difficulty spikes, by and large it feels like a perfectly-paced experience that manages to find that sweet spot: not too short, but not too long. But nearly every minute of its six-ish hours is sublime...I can see myself going back to Ragebound for years to come — popping in for a replay every now and again, because it simply feels that good to play. While Ninja Gaiden 4 is still on the way, Ragebound makes a bold statement that the series side scrolling legacy still holds plenty of promise. Ninja Gaiden is back, and hopefully it’s here to stay.

Every time I’d get to a new layer, I’d immediately ignore the story objective and spend a half dozen hours just smashing things around like a toddler in a sandbox.

There’s untold satisfaction found in fine-tuning your economy and constructing the perfect siege defense — seeing the whole thing basically run itself at a certain point.

As an old school fan who remembers these originals so fondly, it pains me to say this isn’t the perfect, definitive remaster I’ve been praying for since 2020.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach may not be for everyone. But if it is for you, it's one of the most enjoyable games of 2025, a must-see follow-up that is more cohesive, refined, and fully developed than the first.

The follow-up to Mario Kart 8 was always going to have a tough time trying to fill its predecessor's shoes. But Mario Kart World does just enough to establish itself as its own distinct and still fun entry in the series. From its joyous presentation to the new depth of its accessible racing, Mario Kart World succeeds in living up to the Mario Kart name despite remaining firmly in the shadow of what came before it.

Onimusha 2 is the kind of game that the blockbuster side of the gaming industry feels like it’d be averse to these days, an ambitious sequel that completely leaves out everything the first game did, and keeps players in the dark. Even all these years later, I’m still blown away by the sheer gutsiness of the game, and in this case, I respect the choice to simply use this remaster as an update and not alter anything about the core vision of the game. If anything, I hope choosing to bring Onimusha 2 back in this way serves as inspiration for Capcom to re-embrace the series’ sense of experimentation as they revive it with Onimusha: Way of the Sword. At the very least, experiencing Onimusha 2 again all these years later has solidified in my mind — it’s one of Capcom’s biggest unspoken masterpieces.

Doom: The Dark Ages' brand of heart-pounding frenetic action still makes for one of the most fun shooters you can play this year, and another spellbinding step in the series that revolutionized the first-person shooter.

Revenge of the Savage Planet wants to be the game you can sit on your couch and beat over a weekend with a friend, and that’s just perfect.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn’t just a great RPG, it’s a generational one — and picture proof of the power of how a team’s clear passion, when used just right, can be used to create something transcendent.

Last Defense Academy is indulgent in every sense. It’s filled to the brim with complex characters and systems, an absurdly deep story, and wild new art styles and gameplay twists. Kodaka and Tookyo Games know the exact kind of player they designed this game for: the sickos who revel in the off-the-wall absurdity, complexity, and violence of games like Danganronpa. It doubles down on its bizarre ideas instead of making concessions to appeal to a wider audience, and it’s better off for it. You’ll need to commit to Last Defense Academy to really see it through, but if you can, you won’t regret it for a second.

It would be easy to let Mandragora fade into the crowd of Soulslike Metroidvanias, but it’s so much more than the sum of its parts. I’ve avoided a lot of Soulslike games over the years for what felt to me like focusing on difficulty to the exclusion of all else. But while Mandragora can be extremely punishing, it’s a reminder that difficulty can also be an expression of a game’s world, and pushing through that challenge can be far more satisfying than completing a game that doesn’t take such pleasure in pushing players to their limits. Mandragora is one of the most nerve-wracking games I’ve played in years, and I’m already eager to pick up another of its classes and wallow in its infuriating joy all over again.

The Lunar games are steeped in the ideas of the era and time they were made, and because of that, retaining the original vision is essential. I’m glad developer GungHo realized that for this collection, and I’m even happier these games can finally be played without hunting down an ultra-rare copy and dusty console.

There’s a lot of bottled magic in Blue Prince, and it reminds me of the best reasons why fantasy still captures hearts today.

Xenoblade Chronicles X isn’t a game for everyone. It doesn’t have the kind of guided story a lot of RPGs do, and its dense systems can be a lot to digest. But it’s a game with a wholly unique vision, and only gets better the more time you put into it. It’s hard to think of a bigger high note the Nintendo Switch could be going out on.

More than anything, Wilds feels like an experience, a grand journey filled with a shockingly emotional story, bombastic hunts, and jaw-droppingly gorgeous vistas. It’s an adventure that tries, and mostly succeeds, in making sure that you’re having fun at all times.

If you’re looking for something that fits the cozy game formula, Wanderstop will probably leave you disappointed. It offers none of the satisfaction of building and expanding that the genre typically does, instead opting for a more ephemeral sense of accomplishment. But where the endless demands in farming games can make them stressful to play in spite of their friendly facades, Wanderstop left me feeling at peace like no other game has. Wanderstop asks you to let its stories unfold slowly and find joy in work done for its own sake, and I couldn’t be happier to oblige.

Split Fiction is a generational work. It’s brimming with creativity, tells a resonant story that reflects the current state of the world, and is a sincere love letter to genre fiction that has inspired so many of us.

I can’t think of a single other game that lets you manage museums, and it’s baffling it hasn’t been done before now. Two Point Museum clicks within minutes of taking control, and it only grows more captivating with time. It delicately strikes a balance between complex and approachable, and it’s genuinely hard to imagine how Two Point Studios can improve on its formula from here.

This is a Yakuza game through and through, filled with both raucous absurdity and heart-crushing emotion.

Avowed is a concise and tightly designed RPG that never sacrifices the ambition of its grand adventure.

Daybreak 2 may not be quite what Trails fans are expecting, and if you’re not a fan you might feel a bit lost — but if you buy into the experience, there’s a truly delightful role-playing game underneath.

The Tales series has been quiet ever since the release of Tales of Arise in 2021, and Tales of Graces f Remastered proves there’s still a place for the franchise — particularly the older games that have faded into obscurity. Even if it’s not the pinnacle of the franchise, Tales of Graces f still holds up in nearly every regard. It’s a game that’ll warm your heart with a dose of nostalgia, and for anyone playing a Tales game for the first time, it’s a good indication of why the series has stood the test of time.

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is tremendous. It is a worthy new chapter in the chronicles of film’s greatest archeologist and one of the year’s best video games.

With Fantasian, it’s clear that Sakaguchi wanted to take a hard look at the key games that have defined his work, namely Final Fantasy VI, and find a meaningful way to advance his craft — to create something that can appeal to both the old guard and brand-new fans. In my mind, he and Mistwalker have wildly succeeded in that endeavor, creating one of the defining RPGs of modern gaming. It’s an enthralling experience that reminds me why I love video games so much and simultaneously makes me excited for where they can go in the future.

With Dragon Quest 3, it really feels like Square Enix has cemented itself as the king of remakes and remasters. From Final Fantasy 7 Remake, to Star Ocean 2, and now this — Square Enix has consistently shown why remakes can be meaningful and the role they play in the larger ecosystem of video games. Dragon Quest 3 isn’t just a rehash of a tremendously influential RPG, it’s a chance to really reinforce why this game was so important in the first place. That creates a bridge for new fans to get into the wide world of Dragon Quest while honoring the lasting legacy this game has left...But more than anything, it’s proof of why this franchise has endured for decades — Dragon Quest 3 is a chance to step into an enrapturing fantasy world where fears and worries melt away, and where the hero really does save the day. Good prevailing over evil is a simple joy, and that’s the beauty of it.

For those who do decide to delve in and grind to the end, Brothership has a message about how we’re all in this together. And seeing the classic brothers get up to all sorts of creative hijinks is always a fun nostalgia trip, providing just enough cuteness to see this journey through.

Black Ops 6 is easily the best Call of Duty campaign in years and one of the year’s best first-person shooters. It strays from what one might expect from a Call of Duty campaign (an onslaught of set pieces with a few moments of respite to break up the action) in favor of an anthology of cool and memorable ideas for levels. Its story doesn’t go anywhere Call of Duty hasn’t before, but the variety of its mission design more than make up for it.

Romancing SaGa 2 is a game that’s unrelenting in committing to its vision, and if you can buy into it, you’re in for one heck of a ride. There’s still nothing else quite like it.

Super Mario Party Jamboree, like any other great Mario Party, isn’t some big departure from what was first established in 1998. There are some good times to be had in the new modes, but they serve more as a fun distraction from what these games do well. For a package as jam-packed with fun ideas and content, Jamboree is easily one of the most entertaining multiplayer games you can own on the Switch today.

Ys X: Nordics doesn’t exactly feel like an evolution of the prolific series, but more of a sidestep into something new and different. I’m not sure if future games will look like this, but that’s honestly Nordics’ biggest strength. It simultaneously feels faithful to the franchise and bold and new, all at once. It certainly stumbles here and there with story and the visual variety of its world, but it’s a robust seafaring tale full of rebellious spirit — just like the pirates that inspired it. It’s already been an absurdly busy year for RPGs, but I hope something as stellar as Ys X doesn’t get lost beneath the waves.

While it has some issues with mode variety and how things are implemented, Sparking Zero is a deliriously good time that makes it almost impossible to not have a massive smile on your face while playing.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is a startling, insightful RPG that succeeds far more than it struggles. This genuinely feels like a massive step up for Atlus in terms of storytelling and writing, and the genuine way the game tackles its themes feels important.

Echoes of Wisdom proves that even after nearly 40 years, The Legend of Zelda still has room to surprise us... Echoes of Wisdom feels like the Zelda-fronted game I’ve been waiting decades for. I only hope this isn’t her last turn as the series’ star.

Dead Rising was always an underrated masterpiece in my eyes, but with this remaster it feels like it has the polish to be truly deserving of that title, and the streamlined approachability means it can appeal to an entire new generation of fans.

More than anything, my time with Astro Bot is dominated by one word: surprise. There were moments that had my jaw on the floor, moments I cackled with glee, and even one or two where may have shed a tear. Astro Bot is everything that I love about video games — the potential they have to cause wonder and excitement, self-reflection, and, most importantly, fun.

Age of Mythology: Retold is exactly what a remake should be — not just bringing something classic to a modern audience, but meaningfully changing and upgrading it for that audience. It’s stunning in nearly every way, and a clear sign that real-time strategy games still have a bright future ahead.

Creatures of Ava is a mixed bag when it comes to mechanics, but it’s a game I couldn’t stop playing once I saw the beauty under its surface. The world of Ava is one of the most compelling environments I’ve explored in a video game in some time, and its subversion of worn-out story tropes is nothing short of brilliant. Where most games make playing the hero about laying waste to your enemies, Creatures of Ava provides a needed counterpoint by showing that you can’t always be the hero, and not every story even needs one.

SteamWorld Heist II’s great tactical battles and sense of humor make it hard to imagine anyone not being won over by it, whether you’re a fan of strategy games or not.

Dungeons of Hinterberg is a gorgeous, sincere, and snuggly little adventure. It doesn’t do anything groundbreaking, but its individual parts come together to create an immensely fun package that feels like a warm cup of tea on a cold dreary day. Fans of the cozy genre owe it to themselves to check this one out. The engaging puzzles and dungeons also warrant a look-in from those who have fuzzy memories of solving the elaborate temples of older 3D Zelda games. Dungeons of Hinterberg is a masterful mix of the modern cozy game and the wondrous sense of adventure of old-school role-playing classics. Spending a few days in this magical, quaint little town is sure to be time well spent.

Kunitsu-Gami, in many ways, feels like a game from a bygone era. It’s reminiscent of one of those weird experimental PS2 titles, like Okami, that would go on to become beloved cult classics. The brilliantly inventive mish-mash of strategy and action is immediately fun, but only grows more complex and delightful as the whole game progresses...This, coupled with Kunitsu-Gami’s entrancing art style and story, makes it one of Capcom’s best games in years, and that’s really saying something. Kunitsu-Gami’s sheer ambition blew me away, and the way the game consistently innovates upon its own formula is something other strategy titles should take notes from. No matter how you look at it, this is one you don’t want to miss.

I could actually see myself replaying Dawntrail in its entirety just to pore back over this adventure and look for missed details and re-experience the highs and lows. That’s a first for me, nearly a thousand hours in.

Whether this is your first step into Trails, or you’ve been with it for over a decade, Daybreak is a definitive RPG experience that can proudly stand with the best.

Shadow of the Erdtree feels like the moment where FromSoftware has to interrogate what it wants its games to be, and how the studio moves forward. Does the studio integrate more options for players, making the games more approachable to a wide array of players? Or do they stick to a core philosophy of being abrasive and unrelenting? More than anything, I’m interested to see how Shadow of the Erdtree lands with players, especially those who played Elden Ring as their first Souls games.

Even if its dream is often a nightmare, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is one of the most compelling games I’ve played in years. As a puzzle game, it’s already a triumph, but the meditations on art and bold aesthetic choices elevate it to the level of a magnum opus as grand as the artwork at the heart of its story.

Homeworld 3 is one of the most entrancing experiences I’ve had with a strategy game in years, and proof that the single-player RTS still has an important role to fill.

Looking back at my time with Stellar Blade, I believe it has the potential to turn into a franchise instead of just a one-off deal.

Third act woes aren’t enough to overshadow an otherwise fantastic game. From its gorgeous world, stellar writing and voice acting, and score that’s already on the short list of 2024’s best, Tales of Kenzera is a game I recommend wholeheartedly to anyone who believes in the medium’s ability to evoke very real, and above all very human, emotional experiences.

There are times you can feel Dragon’s Dogma 2 groaning under the weight of its own ambition, but the sheer confidence of its unfaltering vision keeps it surging forward.

Unicorn Overlord’s story may not have thrilled me, but I still can’t recommend it highly enough to strategy fans. Every time I found myself longing for more character depth or a less predictable story, those critiques were washed away by the next hour-long battle pushing my strategic abilities to their limit. It’s hard to focus on shallow character dynamics when every brain cell is focused on developing the perfect set of tactics to pull off a clutch victory, after all. The sheer joy of leading your army to victory through nothing but clever planning is hard to overstate, and I’m convinced it will make Unicorn Overlord a new classic of the strategy genre in years to come.

The novelty of Helldivers 2, like its in-game purpose, is reliant on multiple conditions working together in synergy. Said conditions haven't just been met but surpassed, in less than a month since launch. It's an outstanding achievement, one that has deservedly engulfed the conversation. Yet, the commitment to a live service model comes with compromises. It's the game of the moment, sure, albeit a fleeting one. Only time will tell how long the ships outside your window will stay in orbit — or if there'll even be a server to queue up for.

I knew The Gold Saucer was going to be a big moment in Rebirth, but nothing could prepare me for the cacophonous performance that broke out when I entered the gilded theme park: dazzling holograms, gyrating bodies, and a healthy dose of Terry Crews-esque Pec Popping. It was just one of nearly a dozen moments that had my jaw on the floor.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong keeps things very simple. It’s about jumping up, surviving obstacles, and rescuing cute toys. But most important of all, it’s fun.

The story of Granblue Fantasy: Relink certainly doesn’t rank among the RPG greats, but its combat is so phenomenal that I can’t stop playing it anyway.

Bandai Namco has never put together such a feature-rich version of Tekken before, and even as the latest chapter of the Mishima saga comes to a close, the legacy of the signature fighting game series will be celebrated for years to come...But what Tekken 8 proves more than anything is that the infamously complex franchise is still capable of evolving. The new game makes a serious investment in making its most intimidating features accessible to a wider audience, while also offering weird detours and an ambitious story mode that reveals the limitations of the Tekken brand.

It’s the longest game the series has ever seen, and the most “Yakuza” Yakuza game imaginable — in the best way possible.

he Apollo Justice trilogy does a phenomenal job of updating these three games for a modern audience, and making them more seamless and enjoyable to play than ever. Missteps with Dual Destinies aside, this is an essential collection for both fans and newcomers alike.

Moss: Book II is a perfect lesson in the power and limitations of VR. As a technology, VR is still clunky, but clearly its storytelling potential is only beginning to be realized. In terms of gameplay, Moss: Book II doesn’t always make the best of VR, but its unique perspective lets you form a genuine friendship with its loveable main character. In the end, my bond with Quill was far more satisfying than any flashy game mechanic.

The minigames get even better in Party Mode, which is essentially a Mario Party clone within WarioWare: Move It! Players appear on a game board on which they roll dice to move, stopping every so often to compete in minigames. While I knew one person attempting to wiggle their body was funny enough, seeing up to four people do the task in tandem is nothing short of laugh-out-loud hysterical. As far as party games on the Switch go, WarioWare: Move It! makes a great case for being high on that list.

This remake is clearly a labor of love made by developers who were influenced by the classic game. Gemdrops managed to enhance everything great about Star Ocean 2 while still retaining the aesthetic and feel that was so essential to the original experience. The main narrative still feels a bit slow and underdeveloped at times, but so much has been improved that it hardly matters. Star Ocean The Second Story R truly sets a high new benchmark for how to remake classic RPGs.

What I was asking for was a way to control the world, but Jusant just wanted me to enjoy moving through it. Jusant did give me most of what I wanted in the end, but the real turning was just learning to accept what the game is. It’s about moving through a society that’s had to change or disappear, enjoying the bits of the past left for you and lamenting what was lost. When I learned to appreciate the poignancy of cracked tiles on the bottom of a fountain with no water running its carved mouth, I started to love Jusant.

In many ways, Wonder’s success is built upon the numerous iterations of past 2D Mario titles. The core idea of tight platforming across stages has been nailed down for so long that each new entry is able to iterate in more granular ways, even if it doesn’t innovate on a larger scale. Wonder doesn’t reinvent the wheel that is the Mario game, but it gives it a heck of a tune-up...Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a dazzling return to the 2D platformer for Nintendo’s star plumber and his band of friends. My only hope in the aftermath of Wonder is that it doesn’t take another decade to see more 2D Mario games.

The first half of Spider-Man 2’s narrative can feel a bit slow, but the superb open world and emotional second half more than make up for it. This is a compact and tight experience that feels laser-focused on delivering an experience that always feels varied and exciting. It universally succeeds in that vision and takes the crown for the best superhero game ever made.

Forza Motorsport is one of the best accessible surprises in 2023. Turn 10 Studios’ dedication to disabled players is tangible as soon as one starts the game. It’s beyond refreshing to finally have a racing title that physically disabled individuals can confidently purchase knowing they will be able to successfully complete every race. And as the industry continues to acquire new accessibility knowledge and improve upon itself, Forza Motorsport should be viewed as the beginning of a new accessibility era.

Mortal Kombat 1 is a love letter to everyone that’s grown up with the series, while still inviting newcomers to join the fight. Its a ‘best of MK’ compilation — that brings a few of the series’ missteps along for the ride. But it wouldn’t be Mortal Kombat without a bit of jank, right?

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is one of the best uses of the spy thriller I’ve ever seen in video games, and the difference between this expansion and the base game circa 2020 is staggering. I certainly didn’t expect to be saying Cyberpunk 2077 is now one of the must-play experiences of 2023, a year already packed with dozens of incredible games.

Bethesda’s latest is bursting with “just one last thing” attention-grabbers that will keep you up well past your bedtime, night after night. Its imperfections are vexing, but its allure is undeniable.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is an utterly unforgettable experience with satisfyingly crunchy combat, a fascinating narrative with surprising twists, and deep customization for mech-heads. If this is the future of Armored Core, then the future is bright indeed.

Playing Baldur’s Gate 3 is an exercise in wonder. How could anyone manage to make a game of this scope, execution, and quality? It’s thrilling, it’s emotional, and it’s incredibly wacky, all at the same time. The sense of freedom and reactivity is unlike anything I’ve played for years, maybe even ever. and all of that is only heightened by a world that feels simultaneously whimsical and horrifying. Baldur’s Gate 3 is a game we’ll be looking back on for years to come.

Great art isn’t about trying to speak to the largest audience. It is about selflessly tearing pieces of yourself off and sending them into the world to be seen by others — with no guarantee that anybody will resonate with them. It is the desperate hope that while your experience is personal, others will accept you for who you are and what your art says. The openness of HFTGOOM is an exercise in radical healing for someone who has gone through Ann’s experience of being forced to close themselves off.

There are some balancing issues between the classes, and going forward Capcom will need to provide more diverse content and game modes. I can understand the initial barrier of content-gating turning off a lot of people, but it’s clear that this ties directly into Capcom’s overall vision. If you can stick out those first few hours, though, you’ll find one of the most enrapturing experiences of the year.

This is the most approachable Pikmin to date, with satisfying gameplay systems that will appeal to a broad variety of players.

The truly staggering achievement of Trails into Reverie, however, is that it manages to bring some true catharsis and poignancy to nearly nineteen years of connected storytelling, something that no other video game series in existence can claim.

The latest installment of Square Enix’s decade-spanning series gets its hooks in you immediately and never lets up. The stakes are consistently high, the scenery is always breathtaking, and the combat system is nothing short of fantastic— whether you’re battling bees on a sidequest or chipping away at Titan himself.

Capcom’s latest takes everything you’d expect from the father of the fighting genre and turns it up to 10. There’s something for everyone here, with no fat or filler to ruin the experience. Street Fighter 6 is the best fighting game experience in a long time, and in the years to come, its impact and legacy could be every bit as massive as Street Fighter 2.

Firmament is a magnificent achievement in visual worldbuilding that I’m still thinking about weeks later. I’m already back in the Realms, looking for Easter eggs I may have missed the first time. My desire to learn more about Firmament’s story is a testament to Cyan’s ability to make players care about fictional worlds, and its shorter runtime and smoother puzzle mechanics make it the most approachable game in the company’s history, as well as a perfect primer for the puzzle adventure genre at large. I truly hope Cyan keeps making worlds like this for decades to come.

Tears of the Kingdom handily exceeds the sky-high expectations surrounding it. It’s an instant classic — and a testament to the unmatched ingenuity of Nintendo’s game design.

With Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Respawn has crafted one of the most memorable Star Wars experiences of the last decade. If you’re a fan of a galaxy far, far away, you can’t miss this one.

Ultimately, Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores feels like a good tease. It flirts with the concept of some biggest things yet in this story, but doesn’t quite commit to most of them in full. It’s always great getting to spend more time with Aloy, and while I wish a couple of things were explored further, it’s still a fun ride that hints at some of what is to come.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp leans into the toybox aesthetic of the series, giving the first two games a gorgeous new coat of paint, along with several welcome gameplay updates. If you’re a fan of strategic, turn-based gameplay, don’t sleep on this one.