Mario vs. Donkey Kong clearly reflects how good ideas and design age. They don’t. A graphical redesign but same at its core, this game may require a niche audience. However, when it finds it, it simply shines the brightest.

The best thing about Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash is the fact it’s one of the very few video games based on the renowned anime franchise. The rest of it is mediocre, dull, stiff and repetitive. A few solid moments in the pile of sad and poor content makes this a hard game to recommend, but an easy one not to.

Helldivers 2 is an amazing co-op shooter that deserves all the hype it’s getting. The shift from top-down to third person was an amazing choice which shifted the gameplay but kept the original feel of killing bugs and spreading liberty and democracy. However, the servers are still struggling to keep up with the high amount of people drinking liber-tea and trying to experience, in my opinion, a GOTY candidate.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden boasts an amazing story with incredible voice acting. The setting, the narrative and the overall feel of the game is terrific and on par with high-budget games. However, the game has a faulty combat system, which is janky, crude, and lacks fluidity. Having said that, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is definitely one of those games I replay at least once a year.

Another Code: Recollection is a charming collection of two titles, remade with enough love to make them as enjoyable as they once were. A set of new mechanics, beautifully remade graphics, and a selection of wonderful characters make Another Code: Recollection one of the better titles of this kind you’ll be able to play in 2024.

Putting nostalgia aside, this might be the greatest sequel the Tekken franchise has ever received. Quite aggressive and visually attractive, everyone can find something to enjoy in this latest instalment. Add the simplified controls for the newcomers, and it is almost guaranteed everyone will have a good time with this game if they ever decide to give it a go.

At this point, Stargate fans are aching for a video game in this universe of almost any kind. This time, we got a tactical stealth game with many interesting mechanics and ideas, but that is unfortunately very janky, unpolished and a bit uninspired at times. Great for SG-1 fans, though.

Meet the Prince of Metroidvania. The recipe for this genre is so well perfected that a studio like Ubisoft can't possibly make something bad out of it. All jokes aside, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is extremely fun and visually flawless, with its beautiful environments, action-packed battles and challenging platforming puzzles. All in all, a perfect example of an amazing Metroidvania title.

Infinite Wealth is RGG Studio’s magnum opus. With a vast environment to explore and a few whole games embedded into its core, it’s definitely the best title in the series. It’s fun, silly and beautiful while still being an emotional send-off to Kiryu and his unforgettable adventure.

Warhammer 40k Rogue Trader was, besides Baldur’s Gate 3, my most anticipated game of 2023. Owlcat did an amazing job on Wrath of the Righteous and I expected that they would nail the Rogue Trader fantasy. Unfortunately, a lot of changes, bugs and a severe lack of voice acting completely ejects me from the immersion that is necessary for any 40k game. The deep progression system, while very confusing and not beginner-friendly, makes for a unique playthrough each time, but the very slow and boring combat hinders the pacing of a somewhat great CRPG.

Warcraft Rumble is a superbly designed action RTS game which offers deep tactical experience, a massive single-player campaign with 75 unique missions and boss battles, PvP, and other content to enjoy for months. Unfortunately, it's also plagued by predatory monetization tactics that exploit human weakness in order to make you spend an absurd amount of money.

How many spin-offs are we going to get before Persona 6? Jokes aside, Persona 5 Tactica is a great addition to the series, mostly focusing on tactical gameplay, as its name suggests. The only downside is the lack of some core Persona mechanics and features that have been a staple for the series for years.

Versus Rising makes up for everything the previous game was lacking, making this a highly refined experience. It is great for beginners, and even better for those who want to perfect their play styles. This is one of the most balanced and best looking fighting games of the current generation.

Too many bugs and overall lack of optimization prevents Flashback 2 from being at least a decent new entry and sequel to such a legendary series. Give the game a chance only if you are a die hard fan and you have the patience to suffer through its multiple issues.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered is not a remaster at all. At best it has some new features that should have been free. No Return roguelike game mode is lackluster and there is no point in playing it. TLOU combat was complementing the story, and it did so very well – unlike No Return which is basically hide and seek with extra steps. For a layman, the graphic improvements are unnoticeable, especially if you haven’t played it in a while, and there are a bunch of new bugs that were previously absent (falling through the ground, missing limbs on character models, etc). The lost chapters are neat to get some dev insight, but are almost unplayable, as they are mostly alpha. This should have been a free DLC for the fans and not a quick money grab. Naughty Dog, take a note from Santa Monica Studios.

WarioWare: Move It! manages to be one of the most entertaining entries of the franchise yet, especially if you plan on playing it with friends. And yet, once you check out and master all of the mini-games, you will hardly ever return to play it again.

Last Recollection refines the well established formula with a more fluid, flashy and fun combat system and finally gives us a conclusion to a long running arc, but the lack of visual improvements is so jarring it just can’t be overlooked.

Super Mario RPG is almost an ideal remake. It polishes a few flaws of the original but manages to preserve the core experience. It screams with all the retro colors, which makes it unbelievably refreshing for the modern age of gaming.

Star Ocean: The Second Story R is a true delight for the fans of the series, skillfully recreating one of the best titles the franchise had to offer. But if you weren’t a fan of the original game, there's a high chance you won't particularly enjoy this one either. The game features intriguing characters and their relationships, beautiful graphics and a diverse world. Yet, the story lacks depth, and the somewhat clunky combat system is likely to divide the audience into those who love it and those who wouldn’t even want to touch it.

This might be the best interpretation and adaptation of the RoboCop IP, as well as the greatest RoboCop game to date. Even though the gameplay can feel janky at times, Rogue City still offers a unique experience that you shouldn’t miss, especially if you’re a fan of the franchise.

Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections fails to properly unite previous entries into a single, glorious package. Instead, it offers a mediocre retelling of the Naruto storyline and an agonizing list of missing content from the previous games. And yet, if you just want a Naruto game with the biggest roster of characters ever to play with your buddies, this is a great title. Still gorgeous and fun, but in no way the best way to celebrate the renowned series.

Once again, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio gives us a Gaiden game that’s almost as good as the main series titles. The gameplay is spiced up with a few fun gadgets that turn Kazuma Kiryu into a proper secret agent of the 007 caliber. Even though it’s not a main title, The Man Who Erased His Name still has one of the smallest maps in the series and the game itself is a little too short, but is insanely fun nonetheless.

Ghostrunner 2 adds some new ideas and improves on the old ones, making this already high paced, high adrenaline, one-hit-kill action packed FPS even more challenging and fun. The new bike sections are great and bring something new to the game, but the open world is lackluster and empty. I hope that Ghostrunner 3, if it ever sees the light of day, will be able to improve on the open world aspect but keep the overall feel of the game.

Despite the lack of improvements and changes since the last year’s installment, I won't be too harsh on FM24. Sports Interactive announced some big changes for next year, and if this is the last hoorah for this version of Football Manager, they can be very happy with what they have accomplished so far.

CoD: Modern Warfare III is a glorified DLC that should cost no more than $10. This is a ridiculous attempt at a “game” that has literally no new maps and a campaign that is set in Verdansk, a map from the first Warzone installment that was released four years ago! One of the worst gaming experiences.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is a technical marvel due to its gorgeous open world with an alluring atmosphere that calls for exploration, but is unfortunately hindered by the “sameness” of Ubisoft open-world games from the past decade. It offers some new elements like wilder parkour sequences and more hunting oriented gameplay, but not even remotely enough to be hailed as something new or innovative.

The Invincible is a walking simulator with superb voice acting, perfect pacing, gorgeous alien scenery, intriguing space mystery, and an excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, outdated and frustrating traversal mechanics are making the experience worse, but if you love Atompunk and retrofuturism, you should absolutely give this one a try.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder manages to grasp that piece of magic that somehow always felt reserved for the 3D titles of the franchise. It may not be a perfect experience, but whether you play with friends or enjoy its wonders alone, you will most definitely have a great time. It’s a new standard for what 2D Super Mario games should strive to be.