Red Dead Redemption 2 redefines the open world genre. Arthur Morgan's journey through the late 1800s American frontier never reveals the stitches at its seams. Whether you're engaging in a massive shootout in a saloon or quietly enjoying a moment of reflection while fishing on a lake, it all feels like a part of Morgan's life. The level of detail is unsurpassed, and it's a game that wants you to take it slow and enjoy those small details. Rockstar took some risks in eliminating traditional gaming conveniences, but everything pays off in service of the greater experience. Red Dead Redemption 2 sets a new benchmark in detail, immersion, and cohesion that will be heralded for years to come. It's just about as perfect as a game can get.

If you’re like me and spent an exorbitant amount of time with the game already, you may find that the new content will keep you busy for a some time, but ultimately it will be a trip down memory lane more than a new lease on life.

If there is one game you buy this year, make it Batman: Arkham City. Few other games released this year will reach this level of polish, variety, story quality, action, scale, and length.

Elden Ring feels like the game FromSoftware has been building up to ever since Demon’s Souls released in 2009. A huge open world filled to the brim with challenging enemies, characters sporting obvious influence from George R. R. Martin, and the typical drip-feed of lore FromSoftware is famous for crafting all combine to form an intoxicating adventure you won’t soon forget. Yes, the formulaic nature of these games is absolutely showing after three console generations, but as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

The atmosphere is second to none, especially in regards to other games out there trying to wrangle the wild west. The characters, the world and the storyline all mesh perfectly to make an experience you wont soon forget.

It’s a hallmark of excellence in writing, design, and performance. Naughty Dog and Sony not only have a system seller on their hands, but a game that’ll define an entire console generation—a true classic that’ll be talked about and fondly regarded for years to come.

The number one reason I am most excited about playing Persona 5 Royal (and I’m betting this is the same for you, too) is to woo my new waifu, Kasumi. I hope this game steals your heart all over again, just like it has mine.

The Last of Us Remastered is just a perfect game made even more perfect.

Between the marvellous story, perfect pacing, evolving/subtle soundtrack, challenging but not frustrating puzzles, and one of the absolute best ending sequences the likes of which may never be seen again, there is literally nothing to complain about this game.

In a world of by-the-numbers sequels and soulless cash grabs, Astro Bot stands as an oasis, an absolute masterpiece packed to the brim with charm, creativity, and a genuine love for video games, old and new. There are still four months left in the year, but if I'm being honest, I think I've already found my pick for game of the year.

As near perfect as a game can get and should not be missed.

God of War is an epic reboot of an epic franchise. The evolution of Kratos could have gone horribly wrong. Instead, Santa Monica Studio has given the franchise the treatment it deserves. This new narrative tone has heart, and serves to make Kratos much more relatable in his new role as protector, while remaining as brutal as past installments. Reworked and improved combat options make for an enjoyable and customizable experience, and phenomenal audiovisual performance ensures that each trip to the mythical lands before the Vikings is a wonderfully grisly experience. God of War is a must-buy experience well worth the wait.

Offering a fantastic storyline that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, BioWare has proven once again why it is one of the top developers in the gaming industry. They took the time needed to make an even better title than before on a new console.

While God of War Ragnarok manages to “be better” with its presentation, combat, and exploration, its story falls a little flat with too many should-be standout moments failing to land. However, for those who can focus on the near-perfect journey rather than becoming all-consumed by the disappointing destination, Ragnarok delivers an epic sequel that is better in almost every way, further bolstering the catalog of must-play exclusives wielded by PlayStation.

It's an empathetic emotional journey that recontextualizes the idea of the hero at the center of the story through new perspectives and unique methods of storytelling that only video games are capable of. It's a multi-faceted experience with symmetry, details, and layers that players will be discussing for years. Polish and production values not only meet but exceed the level of Naughty Dog quality that players have come to expect. The Last of Us Part II is an era-defining game, a perfect companion to the first that harmonizes with, rather than smothers, that original pivotal ending, crafting an unforgettable and emotionally challenging narrative with these beloved characters.

I haven’t felt this drawn to a game in a long time. Hades is fully deserving of every award that it has earned, and PlayStation players finally get to experience this perfected Supergiant Games masterpiece on PS4 and PS5. It’s an utterly brilliant melding of narrative, art, music, gameplay, world, and characters, with unique details throughout each element that come together to create a game unlike any other. Hades bears the mark of being a Supergiant game, while never feeling like it retreads any of the developer’s past work. Rather it builds on everything they’ve learned. It’s a triumph of player choice and discovery, consistently engaging, and always begging for just one more escape attempt.

With so much content in such a tiny package, P4G will keep me occupied for months trying to nail down every possible ending and effectively complete the game to a 100%.

Persona 5 is proof that few titles can compare to a truly great role-playing game. Over its 60 hour playtime I got to forge meaningful friendships with an eccentric cast of characters, discover the secrets of Tokyo, and even managed to find some nice restaurants to dine at. The time investment might seem like a lot, but rarely is time wasted when spent with friends. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, as it largely builds upon Persona 4‘s stellar base, but it adds a level of polish that is simply lacking from its contemporaries.

Incredibly, unbelievably, what we have here is a nearly perfect finale to the Metal Gear franchise. I truly believe that The Phantom Pain is where Kojima always envisioned he would take the franchise. This is personalized, open-world infiltration at its finest.

The Resident Evil 4 remake is a remarkable achievement that walks the fine line between action and horror, appealing to both old and new fans of the series. Capcom has kept the original’s essence and expanded on it with beautiful and detailed environments, expanded gameplay, and deeper character development. While the absence of Mercenaries Mode and Ada’s storylines at launch is disappointing, the overall experience of the main game more than compensates for this. Resident Evil 4 remake is an exceptional example of how to reimagine a beloved classic properly, and it is undeniably a must-play for both horror and action fans alike.

In some ways it feels like I’m playing Uncharted for the first time again, living that sense of incredulity and adventure as we join Nathan Drake and his charming half-tuck for one final adventure rooted in love and sacrifice. It’s a bittersweet feeling, but they’ve gone all in to make sure that A Thief’s End is the Uncharted finale that the fans deserve.

So much more than a game. It blends genres and transcends the video game medium to offer up an experience unparalleled in this industry. This game will easily be a front-runner for Game of the Year and is in my mind a serious contender for being the best game of this generation. It may not have a multiplayer mode that can stand up to the likes of Halo and Call of Duty, but it does offer the best single-player experience that $60 can buy.

The gamer in everyone will launch Skyrim in their PS3 and sit in awe at the masterpiece Bethesda Game Studios has created.

Kratos' legacy of brutality and chaos ends with a remarkable bang. The game is brimming with unforgettable, jaw-dropping moments that will stay with you forever.

The entire Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception experience comes together and delivers an unforgettable adventure rich with cinematic eye-candy, intense action sequences, and a multiplayer component that convincingly entertains.

Through its expanded story, fantastic graphics, and abundance of side activities, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth vigorously continues the momentum from FF7 Remake. While some parts of the game are too slow or padded for the sake of content, the majority of the experience is a pleasant ride through nostalgia. It will be curious to see how progress, if any, is carried over to the next game, given all the exploration and items that you can obtain here. At any rate, FF7 Rebirth lives up to its promise as a love letter to the original game and solidly sets up the third and final title in the trilogy.

Journey is minimalist to allow you to fill in those gaps with your own emotion and experience — to apply your personal situation and make the story your own. It’s a simple beauty, but one that shines brightly and now has the opportunity to be played by millions more thanks to its stunning upgrade to PS4, with beautiful lighting and environments that impress.

The PlayStation 4 finally has its exclusive killer RPG.

Forza Horizon 5 was well worth the wait for PS5 owners, who are getting the incredible racing game in its most content-rich state yet. Filled with polish and a progression system that makes every gameplay session feel meaningful, this is one of the best racing games ever made and a must-own for fans. If you’ve been a PlayStation-exclusive gamer, then make sure to check out what you’ve been missing.

With such a diverse and deep amount of content crammed onto the disc, along with the highly addictive gameplay, this is the fighter that no fighting game fan should be without. Get. It. Now.

Nearly two years have passed since Undertale originally released, and it still manages to be an incredibly fresh experience. Every battle is a unique puzzle that the player has to solve, and it’s impossible to count how many times I laughed at the bad jokes of Sans. I’ll never see all that the game has to offer, but that’s okay. I’d rather make friends than destroy them.

While minor design choices keep it from being absolutely perfect, The Witcher 3 will go down as one of the best games of this generation of consoles.

Street Fighter 6 simply lives up to the hype. From its smooth graphics and fresh presentation to its approachable controls and intricate fighting system, pretty much everything is on point. Not only is the Battle Hub a fantastic multiplayer venue for online play, but World Tour is a revelation. It’s clear Capcom has learned many lessons from Street Fighter 5 and has poured everything it could into this sequel. And in today’s age of modern, live-service gaming, it’s rare to see a game like this come out of the gate swinging with tons of content. In what marks a triumphant comeback for the series, Street Fighter 6 sets a new standard for all future fighting games to come.

Demon’s Souls on PS5 is a brand new vision of a classic, one that captured the hearts, minds, and frustrations of many a player more than ten years ago. Bluepoint retains its pedigree of respecting the original while making the new update seem wholly fresh. If you missed Demon’s Souls the first time around, or maybe if you just want to relive some old traumas, the PS5 remake is an excellent archstone to pass through for newcomers and Boletarian veterans alike. Who knew that one of the best PS5 launch titles would come from recapturing the lightning in a bottle that struck back in 2009? You may have died again, but Demon’s Souls lives on thanks to Bluepoint and the PS5.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition is still the RPG dream it has been since its release. Better still, there are a few compelling reasons to own this title on PS4 this go around, and players don’t need to sacrifice how it looks or performs in order to do so. If you haven’t played Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition and you’re into RPGs, tabletop gaming, or sprawling narratives full of choice, now is the time to jump in.

Some will be disappointed by how quickly the game ends, but the two hours that mark your journey is the most incredible and unique you can possibly have on your PS3.

LittleBigPlanet 2 is a special game that entertains effectively, and does nothing less. Playing together with friends, and enjoying the unrestrained power of man's creativity is a sight to behold.

The only trouble with Borderlands 2, on a critical level, is that it feels less like a true sequel than a Borderlands 1.5, a redux of the original title that lacks in completely new ideas but still clearly has all-around improvements.

There's an endless list of things to gush and wax poetic about — the haunting soundtrack, the monochrome visuals punctuated by bits of crimson and neon magenta, the callbacks and homages to your favorite PlayStation 1 horror games. It's clear that Simogo has an undying love for the medium as a whole; not because of the winks and nods to the games of the past, but because Lorelei and the Laser Eyes forges its own path, and it does so with a startling amount of confidence and an unwavering artistic vision that has to be seen through to its conclusion. I doubt I'll be able to convince genre detractors to cross the aisle, but if you have even the slightest interest in puzzle or adventure games, you owe it to yourself to give this modern-day masterpiece a try. Just make sure you have some pen and paper, and a bit of patience, at the ready.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is a pretty cool game. Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is an awesome extension of it.

MLB 10: The Show is the closest you’ll ever come to experience playing baseball for a Major League Team. The sheer polish and level of detail mostly overcome the share of problems that hinder it.

Whether you're climbing a colossus for the first time, or revisiting an old friend a decade later, the legacy lives on. Shadow of the Colossus is even more amazing today than it was when it first released, and earns itself a spot as a must-own for anyone with a PS4. I've never been as enamored with this game as I am in 2018. Bluepoint Games has successfully honored the original while completely making it their own, a balancing act that only the most devoted of fans could pull off. It's awe inspiring. It's colossal. It's the perfect remake. It's Shadow of the Colossus exactly as I remember it, yet it's Shadow of the Colossus like it's never been before.

Hazelight Studios has done it again and crafted one of the PlayStation 5’s best co-op games. Featuring likable characters, terrific boss fights, and more variety than Saturday Night Live, Split Fiction will be one of 2025’s best games. It’s an easy recommendation for anyone that liked A Way Out or It Takes Two, and shows a developer that is truly perfecting its craft.

If you liked Limbo (or even if you didn’t, maybe?), or found yourself piqued just a little by what you’ve seen of Inside, then go snatch it up. It’s a rabbit hole that you’ll find comfort in diving into.

I just wish there was a more elegant solution for touch-screen gameplay that simply doesn’t translate to platforms other than Wii U, where Legends was conceptualized and built first.

This isn’t just an old Resident Evil molded into the new Resident Evil formula. It’s a new take on Resident Evil 2 that doesn’t feel like it’s trying to “modernize” or “fix” the original. It’s more of an expensive, ludicrously polished tribute than a remake in the semantic sense, a project that has been in demand for years and quietly pursued for just as long. I’m glad it worked out so well.

It is a magical recipe of pain and frustration that seeks to make you a better player by the end, simply breaking you down step by step, until you feel like you have personally leveled up more than your digital avatar, and that is something not a lot of games can do.

This is the best version of Diablo III, possibly anywhere. Sure, it may look better on PCs with high-end graphics cards, but you can’t beat the control scheme and accessibility of the console version.

With accessibility to spare, a real commitment to diversity and an infectious sense of innocent fun, Overwatch feels like an important game — the sort that can bridge boundaries in the oft-segmented gaming community. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that this may just be the project to revitalize lapsed or disheartened gamers’ interest in the medium, or the one to bring new players onboard the FPS wagon.

I dreaded the day that boat began to pull away from the island. I decided my friends could wait. I was still having too much fun.

While the new defensive control scheme is certainly a bold move, it is a double-edged sword that may alienate veteran players at first. It does grow on you over time, but prepare to set aside some time to learn the new system.

Between the tight platforming, nostalgia-inducing graphics, and pitch-perfect sound design, old-school gamers need look no further for their fix.

These more intimate scenes coalesce wonderfully with its grander narrative to make Spider-Man 2 an amazing and well-rounded follow-up. Insomniac’s understanding of Spider-Man is unparalleled in the medium, as evidenced by the empowering and expanded combat mechanics, breathtaking traversal, and narrative that focuses on the heroes in addition to those underneath the mask. The team has mastered its craft and, like Spider-Man, is only getting better with experience.

Does an admirable job at upgrading the leading baseball simulator. The new analog control scheme feels natural for hitting, pitching and fielding, while the announcers have a more lifelike flow to their conversations. It seems that only some stiff Road To The Show fielding as well as unreliable online are the only blemishes on an otherwise faultless package.

Brotherhood beats its predecessor in every aspect. It has a new team management system, a beautiful environment to explore, fantastic controls that will have you running all over the city, along with an engaging storyline. Throw in one of the most unique multiplayer experiences to date, and you have yourself one of the greatest games of the year.

The true vision of the creators has seemingly been realized, in glorious 1080p high definition.

This is the modernization that Monster Hunter definitely needed. Not only is it the most dynamic title in the series to date, it's just a fantastic action role-playing game. Even if you've bounced off the series in the past, I highly recommend giving Monster Hunter: World a try. It's where the series finally truly clicked for me, and that is very much by design. Capcom has updated their formula for a new generation, and it's a real treat for all.

Most every major unresolved plot point is given a conclusion in The Vault of the Traveler.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 is still a perfect game, and the small PS5 enhancements only serve to make it even better, but don’t expect a drastically different game or experience when jumping to the new console. The PS5 version simply continues to polish something that already gleamed beautifully.

LIMBO is stunning.

Untethered from the expectations that come with a Dark Souls or Bloodborne game, FromSoftware was able to create a game that maintains the studio's unique identity while allowing them to explore interesting new mechanics and ways of telling the story. Sekiro is challenging, but fair—a game with the goal of allowing the player to grow, rather than the avatar. It blends mechanics and narrative in a way that is too rare in games today, allowing for a deep level of immersion that begs for just one more clash of blades no matter how difficult the encounters get. Seeing each one to its bloody finish is well worth the trials it takes to get there.

With no real competition in the NBA video game arena, 2K Sports could have phoned this one in and still dribbled away with a boat load of cash. Instead, they took a well designed NBA 2K12 and polished it up, threw in a few more needed additions, added some bells and whistles, and finished what could possibly be the Sports Game of the Year.

Persona 3 has made an amazing transition to the PlayStation Portable system and all of the changes made to the title have pushed this game into a realm of its own.

It's also a concept that is incredibly well executed.

With or without PlayStation VR, Rez Infinite is an incredible revival of a classic best, but given the choice, I’d much prefer to immerse myself with the headset on my head, finding the ultimate incarnation of Rez’s synesthesia in virtual reality.

Titanfall 2 is the new king of the FPS hill. Controls are tight, action is fierce, maps are intricately designed, and Titans are badass. The cherry on top is a campaign that is genuinely enjoyable, and one that fans of the first game are likely to be satisfied with, which expands upon the universe of the series. Group all of this together with an ambitious free DLC plan, and the choice of which shooter to buy this holiday season becomes obvious. Titanfall 2 is second to none.

Dark Souls III is another punishingly hard game in an era of hand-holding that masochists will appreciate. While enemy AI is laughably dumb, those same enemies can take you down in no time flat. This is a game that forces you to learn its intricacies and quirks, and use them all to your advantage. Sporting a wonderful environment full of color, suffering, death, and a small amount of hope, fans can expect to sink several dozen, if not hundreds, of hours into the game, if they haven’t already.

What Criterion Games has done with Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit is develop the best entry in the series in the last 5 years of release.

Manifold Garden sure took its time to reach us, but the wait has been worth it. This is a beautiful puzzle game that stretches your spatial reasoning, but not immensely so. The difficulty could have been increased, but designing and then developing these complex spaces that loop forever was no doubt a huge challenge on its own. Play Manifold Garden to engage your brain in a different method of thinking. While short, completing this puzzler will give you an immense feeling of satisfaction, and it is well worth the $19.99 asking price. Get ready to think with relativity.

Tetris Effect is a sort of instantly timeless puzzle game that is good about delivering the exact sort of single-player trial you need, when you need it.

The Dead Space remake is the definitive version of the game. The original has aged relatively well, but it’s not available on current-gen consoles, and the PC version is finicky on newer hardware and versions of Windows. Some changes in the remake work better than others, but the important thing is that, like the original, it’s survival horror at its best and a worthy successor to the beloved series.

As a complete package, Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade just feels like the definitive version of an already perfect game. And the addition of Episode INTERmission is a great excuse to bring old players back for new content (or just a solid extra couple of chapters for new players).

A large portion of FIFA veterans, as well as new players, will undoubtedly be blown away with FIFA 11′s realism and satisfying gameplay; it's staggering to notice the amount of polish and improvement the latest iteration of FIFA has received, but it's something you really must experience in order to truly understand.

This is really the pinnacle of a customizable shooter. Every level has multiple paths that you can take, each tailored to a specific play style. Combat is tough, and every battle is won, not through sheer reaction time, but rather through cunning tactical moves.

L.A. Noire combines the best of action games, the best of adventure games, the best of cinema, and the best facial animation in video games to create an experience unlike any other.

Death Stranding 2 isn’t the revolution that the first game was. Instead, it refines almost all aspects of the original to make an excellent, well-polished experience. On the Beach firmly establishes the Death Stranding universe and makes it a franchise in which I could see many more stories told (even if they’re not by Kojima himself). It might be Kojima’s most well-rounded title to date, and it shows that he’s still got the touch even as he enters his 60s.

It’s a game that simply needs to be experienced.

The massive amount of choice given to players keeps the game interesting through multiple replays, proving that multiplayer isn't necessary to be a hit. In a year, and an industry, stricken with a plague known as "sequelitis", Dishonored is the perfect cure, and should etch its name into every Game of the Year discussion with a sharply-tipped assassin blade.

Detractors might cry foul that Capcom has forced two wildly different experiences into one package, but I prefer to think of it as two sides of the same coin. It’s an endless buffet of nail-biting, pulse-pounding action, and, I would argue, survival horror at its finest.

Apex Legends is an expertly-crafted battle royale shooter, which is no surprise when you consider the development team behind it. It feels like the culmination of lessons learned from other games in the genre, almost as if battle royale has finally grown up.

The transition into HD isn't as good as it could have been, but you're still getting three of the best games in the series - of all-time even - on one disc for one low price. If that doesn't make an exclamation point appear above your head, I don't know what will.

Dead Space 2 is more of the same that you've been wanting over the last two and a half years. Despite its few flaws, it's still an experience that no one should miss. The core gameplay is as solid as ever and, despite a few hiccups and plot holes, the story is still incredibly engaging.

Dreams is possibilities made manifest, and while Media Molecule needs to have a strong hand in curating that experience, its a perfect foundation from which to grow and evolve and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 and 2 not only lives up to the beloved classic games, but it lives up to my memory of the beloved classic games; an important distinction. It walks the fine line of recreating the classics for a modern era, while never feeling either dated or burdened with new and unnecessary changes.

Those 13 years should have led to something better, and it’s surprising that they haven’t. Alan Wake’s gunplay has gone from dull to frustrating in the sequel, while its venture into true survival horror has been plagued by predictability and amateurish jump scares. Its narrative has a few memorable moments and is able to periodically use its outlandish antics to its advantage, yet it is still dragged down by its refusal to provide enough rewarding resolutions to its litany of riddles. Alan Wake 2 doesn’t improve on what made the original such a cult hit and is instead an uncharacteristically rough draft that needed more edits. It’s not a lake or an ocean. It’s a disappointment.

Metal Gear fans should rejoice, as this game could easily become your new favorite MG game if you're not paying attention, because even though it has a few flaws, the game is so good that you'll easily over look them.

Though the “1” in its name may officially stand for the Great War, it could also represent the rebirth of a franchise that took a bit of a beating with Battlefield 4, went down an awkward path with Hardline, before finally rising as the Battlefield title that simply all shooter fans must buy.

Even with the handful of bugs this is a unique experience that is very easy to recommend. It’s an amazing RPG with an absolutely stunning amount of depth for a game where you’re mostly just talking to people. Both the story and cast of characters are highly memorable and no two players will have the same experience. It’s really easy to see why PC gamers have been raving about Disco Elysium, this truly is a must-play experience.

Horizon Zero Dawn is an early contender for game of the year. Guerrilla Games has outdone themselves, in astounding fashion. This is a glorious game, the result of a team of masterful artisans who not only had a story that they wished to tell, but a world that was living inside of them which they wanted to share with us all. Now, we get to play inside their creation, and it is a breathtaking experience to behold. A massive, open world filled with equally massive, terrifying robots, juxtaposed against the beauty of the Earth, nature fighting back the darkness as it tends to do. Horizon Zero Dawn is the kind of game you play to get lost in, and can be enjoyed by players of all types. This could be the beginning of a stellar franchise, and there is something for everyone here. If you own a PS4, you owe it to yourself to give Horizon Zero Dawn a go.

So, whereas NBA 2K10 was a moderate update in the series, 2K11 has made a heaping lot of improvements across the board to achieve a much better overall gameplay experience. The presentation is loud, full of energy, extremely realistic, and hardly ever falters.

Minecraft PS4 Edition is a tried-and-true game in a solid console format. Couch co-op is extremely fun and easy to jump into, – it’s like the video game version of the perfect playground.

If you can fling yourself over the price hurdle, The Last of Us Part 1 is absolutely the best version of the single-player game. The environments look superb, the characters are rendered perfectly, and the gameplay remains super satisfying. What’s more, the game has been opened up to a wider audience with a comprehensive suite of accessibility settings, and veteran players can sweat it out in the Permadeath and Speedrun modes. The price tag is cheeky, undoubtedly, but if anyone can pull off this wallet heist, it’s Naughty Dog with The Last of Us.

The Vita version of Spelunky turned out brilliantly and is probably the best port of the game you could pick up, especially if you plan on taking the game out on the road with friends.

One of the most engaging pieces of interactive storytelling I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing.

Series vets will be happy to find an improved game this time around and new players to the series will find plenty of fun to be had on their way to the cup.

Between the different characters, morbid and disturbing story, and intense, action-packed gameplay, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is definitely a game all PS4 and PS Vita owners should have.

Nier: Automata is a delectable buffet of remarkable experiences that seamlessly and beautifully mesh together. In spite its plethora of elements, the game doesn’t suffer from the sometimes inevitable pitfalls of trying to do too much.

While the story doesn’t exactly pop, as a PS4 player, I’m happy to welcome Lara home.