I’m still conflicted with how I feel about Baldur’s Gate III, and I probably will be for a while. While it carries on the legacy of perhaps one of the most influential CRPGs of all time, I’m not sure if it’s better than the first two games that preceded it. It is a different story by a different team and, while it’s deeply connected to those first two games, it is a promising start to more new adventures set in a familiar world that I’ve always loved.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an absolutely massive adventure, just like its predecessor Breath of the Wild. However, it isn’t as though we’re retreading familiar paths or going through an expansion of the existing game. Rather, it does feel entirely new, with its new creative elements adding more freedom while still offering a bit more structure when it comes to visiting Temples and following its story. The technical elements and execution mean that it could be welcoming to all audiences and gameplay styles, and it’s a prime example of what sorts of heights the Nintendo Switch can hit.

Hades 2 is a game you need to play. It is that good. It is worth it. You will regret it if you don’t give it a chance and support a developer like Supergiant that consistently gives us meaningful, well-designed, memorable, and most importantly fun games.

Though I would prefer more open levels in the future, Astro Bot cements itself as PlayStation’s premier platforming series. This game solely brings back the golden era of PlayStation platformers like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro. The sheer number of brilliant cameos show the right mix of nostalgia amidst expertly-crafted level design. If you’re looking for the purest form of video game fun but with modern mechanics, this is it.

This simple approach to modernizing a game maintains everything that made the original work, while updating its control scheme, its visuals, and adding a few extras along the way. While this means that a few dated elements remain unchanged, the quality of the game is such that this is not enough to taint the overall excellent experience the game has to offer.

Elden Ring is a potentially great game that is hindered by massive performance issues. It doesn’t do anything particularly genre-defining, as it mostly sticks to what FromSoftware always does. It will no doubt please fans of the Dark Souls series. But its lack of accessibility options and somewhat restrictive multiplayer may leave some wanting. Ultimately, I think it will potentially offer a better experience down the line, as the day-one patch has already changed some fundamentals of the game. With no real improvement regarding its performance on PC, Elden Ring is a hard game to recommend until a more stable version is available.

What makes Super Mario Brothers 3 a true classic are two things. First is the great level design. [JPN Import]

God of War Ragnarok is as slick and beautifully crafted a game as you will play this generation, and my experience with it has been delightfully bug-free.

It's incredible how moving this game is. The boss fights in particular, both with the people you face and how they are handled, are extraordinary.

Overall, God of War feels like a game made with a specific audience in mind, and I don’t fall into its parameters. Regardless though, the God of War PC port holds up well, gameplay remains similar, and it can be accessible to people with a variety of rigs. For that reason alone, it may be worth a shot.

Improves on its predecessors in every possible way.

Hades sets itself apart from other entries in the roguelike genre with an intricate and engrossing story, while simultaneously creating a varied experience for both casual and hardcore players. With thousands of Boon possibilities accompanied by the different Aspects each individual weapon has and the perks granted to you by the Mirror, it gives players the opportunity to customize their builds to an incredible degree. Hades was more than worth the wait, as the full release is easily Game of the Year material.

In an attempt to make Resident Evil 4 with more modern sensibilities, it has left behind what made the original game so great to begin with.

I absolutely recommend Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and think it’s a gorgeous game. I loved the story it told and the characters I encountered. I just feel like some design choices keep it from being absolutely perfect. I’d have loved more incentives to really explore levels and maps that would make it easier to get around and find secrets. The game is absolutely worth your time, especially if you love detailed characters and a fun story.

Calling a title “the best game of 2024” may come across as rather shortsighted when done so in February. I don’t care. I’m going to say it. I believe Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is the best game we are going to see in 2024, and it also gives me faith in the future of the series.

Super Mario Bros Wonder is clearly designed to be a game for everyone, regardless of skill level. The relative ease of main campaign stages that aren’t hidden away and addition of badges and “easy mode” characters Yoshi and Nabbit absolutely feel welcoming. The plethora of secrets and variety in stages feel more suited for people familiar with the series, giving them something to dig into as they play. While the downside means a somewhat decreased challenge, it’s still a delight.

The visuals in this game are simply amazing. The levels and backgrounds look sharp and are filled with shades of blue. The sun demonstrates realistic reflectivity, it can shine in your eyes and even create shadows.

Basically, Castlevania Dominus Collection is another fantastic compilation of Castlevania games. The three DS titles returning here are all wonderful games in their own ways, and they play quite well on the Switch thanks to M2’s efforts. Haunted Castle and Haunted Castle Revisited feel like a fun bonus and a way to bring the Belmonts into a collection that otherwise focuses on other heroes fighting Dracula and his forces. It’s a worthwhile bundle of titles, especially on the Switch.

Street Fighter 6 is a fighting game for everyone. With control schemes that will let you do cool things simply by mashing the buttons, a sprawling single player mode, and a character creation system that allows you to cobble together whatever moveset you like, it feels like something designed to give you whatever you want out of a fighting game.

Shadow of the Erdtree is more Elden Ring, just with a much better performance. However, I was underwhelmed by some of the locations and felt as though the boss fights weren't challenging in a way that felt rewarding when I did manage to beat them.

The visuals in this game are simply amazing. The levels and backgrounds look sharp and are filled with shades of blue. The sun demonstrates realistic reflectivity, it can shine in your eyes and even create shadows.

Ultimately, Final Fantasy XIV Endwalker marked the end of an era. Plot threads from A Realm Reborn onward come to a close. The story is rife with fanfare, paying homage to past expansions in ways that sometimes feel overmuch or hit in just the right way. While the story isn’t as effective as it could be, the combat adjustments and quality-of-life improvements make Endwalker a strong expansion.

Offers a larger and more challenging adventure than the first title. Even though most of the gameplay additions are tweaks off the original game Metroid Prime 2 is still an amazing title.

As a whole, Metaphor: ReFantazio is quite charming and fun. It’s interesting to see so many familiar elements from Shin Megami Tensei and Persona in this sort of high fantasy game.

We’ve called out a few examples, but we’re making a point not to explain absolutely everything, because a lot of the joy of UFO 50 is stumbling upon and exploring a new game. It’s best approached as a goodie bag, with discovery and learning through playing as its key tenets. The difficulty is perhaps a bit higher than we’d like in spots for some of the games, but overall it really is a can’t-miss release.

Slay the Princess: The Pristine Cut is a fantastic horror game that you will think about weeks after you finish playing, as you will be captivated by the story and message the game is trying to portray. It’s the type of game where you’ll want to close the curtains, dim the lights and binge on for the evening alone or with a friend (if you can agree on options, of course). This is a perfect indie horror title to play during the spooky season and should not be skipped by avid fans of the genre.

Between Slay the Princess and Scarlet Hollow, Black Tabby Games is fast turning into a developer whose titles you can’t afford to ignore. The creativity, character development, and world-building are excellent in this latest visual novel, and the degree to which our experiences can change based on our choices is astonishing. It’s so well-thought out and impressive, and a perfect example of “your choices matter.”

Chained Echoes looks, sounds, and feels good. The 16-bit art looks great and lends itself to a game of this style, the soundtrack is absolutely beautiful, and the game’s exploration and combat systems flow very smoothly. I had a hard time putting it down, and when I wasn’t playing it, I kept wanting to go back. Naturally, Chained Echoes is not without its flaws—there’s no way to review tutorial screens or lore and battles feel more reliant on luck than skill—but I had a great experience. It wears its SNES-era JRPG influences like badges of honor, while also forging an identity all its own.