Marathon is a thrilling extraction shooter with satisfying gunplay, beautiful art direction, and tough-as-nails difficulty. It's a breath of fresh air in a packed genre, and one of the best games of the year.

Pokémon Pokopia is a cozy, creativity-encouraging sandbox filled with Nintendo's cutest mascot animals, offering endlessly fun ways to build and shape your surroundings.

Requiem wonderfully combines everything I love about Resident Evil's recent remakes and new installments, shining as a new, explosive entry that honors the series' 30-year history.

Combining an old-school 3D platforming ethos with modern indie innovation, Big Hops delighted and surprised me with its creative and sophisticated adventure.

Nioh 3 is a massive, thrilling action-RPG that masterfully expands the series with new combat styles, sprawling maps, and fantastical Japanese history.

Mario Tennis Fever is a must-have arcade sports game that wowed me by blending traditional techniques, power-ups, and fantastic, fighting game-like movesets.

Cairn combines limb-based controls, visually striking graphics, and a somber tone to create an original and moving mountain-climbing adventure.

More party game than a pure racing title, Kirby Air Riders takes everything that made the original Kirby Air Ride so beloved and builds upon it with more characters, vehicles, courses, and unlockable items.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a nostalgia-packed superhero celebration that features hard-hitting action, a wealth of comic book flavor, and a thrilling tag mechanic that sets the brawler apart from its genre contemporaries.

Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a nostalgia-packed superhero celebration that features hard-hitting action, a wealth of comic book flavor, and a thrilling tag mechanic that sets the brawler apart from its genre contemporaries.

Gorgeous, highly entertaining, and a thrill to unravel, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Switch 2 is the best single-player shooter in years and a triumph for gaming's coolest heroine.

While Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment seems familiar on the surface, it builds upon Age of Calamity's foundation, improving it in terms of graphics, performance, and combat.

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is an excellent remaster of the classic tactical RPG that introduces many improvements while remaining true to the original core gameplay.

Battlefield 6 reinvigorates the long-running series with chaotic and dynamic multiplayer gunplay that's sure to satisfy new and returning fans.

Hades II improves on nearly every aspect of its phenomenal predecessor with deeper combat and customization, a substantially larger world, and creative witchcraft abilities.

Silent Hill f is a tremendous new entry in the horror series that blends well-known hallmarks into something engaging, challenging, and wholly original.

Although it can't match the thrill of a truly new entry in the series, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is an honorable and beautiful recreation of the original stealth masterpiece.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is a near-perfect reintroduction to the classic Sega series, complete with an incredible art style, fast and stylish swordplay, and excellent platforming.

By swapping the little plumber for the big ape, Donkey Kong Bananza delivers a potent blend of action, creative level design, and environmental destruction that boldly reinvents the blockbuster Nintendo platformer formula.

Mario Kart World is a generational leap forward for the series, elevating familiar racing shenanigans with imaginative new modes and a huge map to explore as you see fit.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion is one of Bethesda's finest releases. If you loved the original, rest easy knowing that Oblivion Remastered is almost exactly the same as you remember, now beautifully refined in the Unreal Engine. If it's your first time in this world, I encourage you to approach it with an open mind. Although dated in some ways, Oblivion is still one of the best open-world RPGs ever made.

Featuring many beloved titles and new accessibility and graphics options, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a fantastic addition to any retro fighting enthusiast's library.

Featuring many new ways to slaughter hordes of demonic foes, including an incredibly potent new shield mechanic, The Dark Ages isn’t just the biggest Doom game yet—it's the most welcoming to newcomers.

City of the Wolves resurrects the long-dormant Fatal Fury series using rich offensive and defensive combat mechanics, a cool comic book-inspired graphics style, rollback netcode that enables dependable online play, and an RPG-like mode that sees you leveling up characters while braving South Town's mean streets. It's a top-tier fighter and developer SNK's best combination of gameplay and presentation since the beloved The King of Fighters 13.

South of Midnight is a fun and charming action-adventure game that features a beautiful, unique, and tear-jerking world steeped in Southern gothic folklore.

The First Berserker: Khazan is an action-RPG set within Nexon's Dungeon Fighter Online universe that pivots from the franchise's beat 'em up roots to embrace weapons-based, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice-like action. However, the game stands apart from its inspirations by leveraging cool anime-style aesthetics and environments filtered through stylized comic book shading.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition arrives on the Nintendo Switch with new gameplay mechanics, updated graphics, and a fresh story chapter. The sci-fi RPG still has lingering issues, but it's easier to love and a treat for series fans.

Monster Hunter Wilds' superb polish and gameplay refinements have the potential to elevate the iconic action-RPG series to new heights.

Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii takes almost all the parts of previous main games, adds ingredients from other Like a Dragon titles, and blends them into a fresh swashbuckling adventure.

Wuthering Waves distinguishes itself from rival free-to-play action-RPGs by featuring clever, hard-hitting combat and terrific climbing and parkour abilities that encourage exploration.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is the plumbers' first RPG outing on the Nintendo Switch, and it's an adorable and merry high-seas adventure filled with side quests.

UFO 50 is a fantastic and fascinating collection of 50 genre-spanning games from acclaimed indie creators, a project as ambitious as it is generous.

Dead Rising is back from the dead with a remaster that completely overhauls the visuals and brings other improvements to the 2006 classic.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom gives Princess Zelda a starring role, combining new and classic elements to deliver an inventive title that's one of the most delightful in the series yet.

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics lovingly bundles several superhero fighting games in an excellent package featuring contemporary conveniences.

Astro Bot breaks from its tech demo roots to become a wildly entertaining, modern 3D platformer that stands out as a top PlayStation title.

Black Myth: Wukong draws from the iconic Sun Wukong mythos to deliver an action RPG packed with satisfying action and dizzying magical variety, set in a delightful world.

Alan Wake II: Night Springs is a terrifically twisted, episodic DLC collection for one of 2023’s best video games that recalls Rod Serling's Twilight Zone.

The Nintendo Switch remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is a fantastic Mario RPG that's every bit as good now as it was on the GameCube.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is essentially an interactive arthouse action movie that combines potent gameplay elements with a visceral psychological journey.

Stellar Blade is an excellent PlayStation 5 action game that blends tight defense and stylish combat in an impressive post-apocalyptic package.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau builds upon the Metroidvania formula to deliver exciting action, emotional storytelling, and African cultural specificity.

Dragon’s Dogma 2 builds upon the gameplay and themes of the original to create a sprawling, open-world RPG packed with thrilling combat and captivating exploration.

Penny's Big Breakaway combines retro gameplay with modern indie innovation to create a stylish 3D platformer that plays well and radiates creativity.

Unicorn Overlord is a rewarding, highly strategic RPG that highlights developer Vanillaware's gorgeous graphics style.

Splatton 3: Side Order is DLC that injects fun, roguelike freshness into Nintendo's inky third-person shooter.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth builds upon its predecessor for a brilliantly polished behemoth of an RPG that belongs in every PS5 owner's library.

Helldivers 2's thrilling action, absurd humor, and surprisingly fair monetization practices make it one of the best PlayStation 5 multiplayer games.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is packed with the absurd humor, crime drama, and mini-games you expect from the JRPG series.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered is an excellent update of a recent classic that adds fresh features for new and returning fans.

The thrilling Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown features skillfully designed mazes, dynamic combat, perfect movement, and clever temporal abilities that make for a welcome series return.

Football Manager 2024's improvements make for a notably more realistic simulation with new front office options, set piece coaching, and a superior match engine.

Super Mario RPG for Nintendo Switch is a great-looking and faithful remake that brims with the original release's charm and wonder.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is another excellent entry in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, one that's packed to the gills with crime drama, oddball humor, and many mini-games.

Separate Ways is an action-packed send-off to the Resident Evil 4 remake and a must-play update for new and returning series fans.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder takes the 2D side-scroller in a fresh direction thanks to reality-bending Wonder Flowers that add fun gameplay-changing effects.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is an incredibly polished sequel that perfects the previous games' combat and delivers new, exciting ways to traverse New York City as you beat up bad guys.

Phantom Liberty is an excellent expansion to Cyberpunk 2077 that delivers a rich, polished bonus act to the dystopian RPG.

Sea of Stars is a vibrant, beautiful RPG that's packed with gameplay conventions from yesteryear, but it has enough flair to stand out from its inspirations.

Mortal Kombat 1 isn’t the clean narrative reboot that its name implies, but its rich single-player action and new tag-team aerial brawls make for the best fighting system in the history of the franchise.

30XX recalls classic robot-blasting action of the Mega Man X series, but adds its own fun-filled spin on the formula via multiple play modes, custom stage creation, and randomly generated weapon drops.

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a delightful skating and hip-hop mash-up that builds its foundation on Sega's classic Jet Set Radio series, but contains enough narrative and gameplay freshness to stand on its own as an arcade-style action game.

Baldur's Gate 3 is an incredible RPG for PC and PS5 that's true to the Dungeons & Dragons experience as well as the sheer possibilities that tabletop games allow.

Blasphemous 2's grim world packed with brutal monstrosities, haunting religious symbolism, and gripping action make it a standout title in the oversaturated Metroidvania genre.

Honkai: Star Rail is a stylish and engaging turn-based RPG that marries a quirky sci-fi tale with anime-style graphics.

Nintendo's Pikmin 4 beautifully builds upon the franchise’s quirky strategy formula to deliver new mechanics and dense locales that make you feel even more like an interplanetary explorer.

C-Smash VRS is a game about playing squash in space, but it's also a wonderful, senses-stimulating experience that can only be truly appreciated in virtual reality.

Final Fantasy XVI for the PlayStation 5 marries iconic series elements with brutal political intrigue and intense action to create a gripping entry unlike any other in the franchise.

Cassette Beasts puts a cool spin on the proven Pokemon formula by adding strategic combat, lovely throwback visuals, and a genuine sense of adventure.

Diablo IV is a beautiful, massive new chapter in the classic hack-and-slash series that features a wildly addicting hunt for fresh gear.

Street Fighter 6 represents the many lessons that Capcom learned from Street Fighter 5's rough launch. Its option-rich mechanics and community-centric features make it a fighting game that casual and hard-core players should look forward to.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece of a sequel that instantly joins the ranks of the best Zelda games of all time.

Like its predecessor, the action-packed Jedi: Survivor is as an excellent example of a modern single-player Star Wars game that adheres to the brand without feeling derivative.

Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp successfully resurrects Nintendo’s terrific, turn-based tactics series by offering a generous package that nearly makes up for the 15-year wait.

Pentiment is a thrilling, Renaissance-style whodunit that forgoes conventional video game action by focusing on an engaging narrative, branching dialogue options, and character relationships.

Capcom faithfully recreates and reimagines the legendary Resident Evil 4 by improving the graphics, tightening the gameplay, and keeping the original game's core scares and charms intact.

Theatrythm Final Bar Line is a terrific musical celebration of the Final Fantasy series that features more than 300 tracks, unlockable characters, and light RPG elements.

Bayonetta Origins ditches ridiculous spectacle for a puzzle-filled, combat-packed storybook adventure starring the young witch.

Returnal arrives on PC two years after making a splash on PS5, packing many exclusive features that make this version the one to beat—if you've got the rig to handle it.

Wild Hearts is a refreshing take on monster hunting that features huge creatures, cool weapons, and highly useful support systems.

Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe is a classic Kirby game, with enough content to justify picking it up even if you already own Kirby Star Allies and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. It’s just an enjoyable, simple platformer with almost two dozen abilities, an extra campaign, and a bunch of minigames. As a remastered Wii title, it doesn’t do anything new, but it stands strong against Kirby’s more recent adventures and earns our Editors' Choice award in the process.

Featuring gorgeous graphics, revamped controls, and a budget price, Metroid Prime Remastered gives Nintendo’s glorious FPS classic the update and new audience it deserves.

Hi–Fi Rush drums new life into the action genre with fun cartoon-like visuals, excellent music, rhythm-focused gameplay twists, and addictive melee combat.

The Dead Space remake is a brilliant shooter that delivers horrific body horror and satisfying gunplay, but spices up the familiar elements with new weapons and frights.

River City Girls 2 tops its predecessor in nearly every way with more characters, enhanced combat, cross-platform play, and some of the best music you'll hear in a video game.

Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a thoughtfully updated port of a 2010 remake of a 1995 game. Contemporary tweaks let the strategy-RPG's story and gameplay shine.

More than Marvel meets XCOM, Midnight Suns is an epic comic book adventure with dynamic and inventive strategy mechanics paired with engrossing superhero socializing.

Crisis Core Reunion is a thoughtful, high-quality remaster of the PSP classic. The main story remains melodramatic, but the revamped battle mechanics deliver lots of baddie-bashing fun.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take the beloved series in a long-awaited open-world direction on the Nintendo Switch, one that's filled with enjoyable battles and multiple storylines.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet take the beloved series in a long-awaited open-world direction on the Nintendo Switch, one that's filled with enjoyable battles and multiple storylines.

Featuring gorgeous graphics and wildly inventive stages, Sackboy: A Big Adventure is an underrated gem of a game that's made even better by a wonderful PC port.

Featuring a large cast of superheroes and supervillains along with deceptively deep strategy mechanics, Marvel Snap turns the popular comic book universe into an ingenious and irresistible mobile collectible card game.

God of War Ragnarok builds upon everything the 2018 reboot established to deliver a greater gameplay experience that's filled with emotion and hard-hitting combat.

Persona 5 Royal makes the jump to PC, and delivers the same thrilling gameplay and touching moments as its original release, but now with a new mode, fresh characters, additional music, and all previous DLC.

Featuring giant demon battles, massive destruction, and flexible combat that encourages creative fighting, the long-awaited Bayonetta 3 is the witch’s biggest action romp yet.

Gaming’s most inexplicable mascot crossover, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope delivers a clever, cosmic adventure alongside tightly tuned tactical gameplay.

PlayStation's PC campaign continues with Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, an excellent port of two of the most critically lauded games from Sony's catalog.

Splatoon 3 offers entertaining, fast-paced multiplayer action that anyone can enjoy, but the new features don't differentiate the game much from its predecessor.