Octopath Traveler II is the worthy second chapter of a series that made the history of the genre to which it belongs. The influences deriving from the predecessor are more than obvious, but the filings made to the formula, the additions and the large amount of content make it one of the best JRPGs out there.

Engaging and exciting, Core Keeper is a perfect example of development and creativity. In addition to keeping you completely glued to the screen, with 1.0 it dramatically increases the hours that someone could spend inside it, thus allowing the player passionate about video games of this caliber to lose track of time. The game design of the production is certainly the most alive and irrepressible part, as well as the world around the main character. In addition, I have given names to some animals within the production, which could please the colleagues of TGM.

Returnal is an amazing game. Metroidvania, roguelite and bullet hell mixed perfectly, and the result is fluid, rich and incredibly addictive action. The loop becomes the cornerstone of a mysterious, allegorical, at times terrifying narrative, capable of keeping you glued to DualSense from start to finish.

Easy to learn, hard to master, beautiful to watch and imbued with a performant netcode: REV 2 is probably the best 2D fighting game so far.

Forza Motorsport is bigger and stronger than ever, and undoubtedly the most beautiful racing game on Xbox One. It offers the most varied, approachable and inherently fun driving experience on console (and PC). At the same time, though, the Career mode needs a serious revamp, and the loot system is questionable (to put this gently).

Despite the all-too-demanding hardware requirements, Football Manager 2019 is the ultimate managerial football experience, rich, sophisticated, able to satisfy all its players.

Astral Ascent offers the usual roguelite gameplay where you have to die a ton of times to get a decent build and progress a little bit, and the system of spells and power-ups at the beginning is a bit foggy. After the first couple of hours without any particular excitement though, the game explodes and shows us its full potential, especially when you manage to unlock the four heroes. At that point, it becomes one of the best video games in this genre, despite the fact that not much attention has been given to the platformer component. If you love characters to grow with thousands of combinations, you are in the right place.

Elegant and minimalist, Humanity is an excellent puzzle game. Its philosophy, effectively represented by the constant stream of humans to be led to safety, is supported by excellent technical realization and over-the-top design. Despite levels lasting dozens of minutes, the trials it subjects the player to are al-ways challenging and entertaining thanks to a number of solutions designed to enhance the player's experience, such as the ability to repeat the scenario with given commands, speed up the passage of time, and actual video walkthroughs.

Day of the Tentacle is one of the best graphic adventures of all times. The game is a truly unique gem, full of humour, insane puzzles and an incredible voice-over. This Remastered version delivers stunning hi-res graphics, audio commentary, improved interface and controls (not suitable for gamepads), while keeping intact the original spirit. A must-have for all the adventurers out there.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a wild journey within an incredibly fascinating setting; some technical uncertainties destined to disappear and a partial repetitiveness limit its glory, but overall it is an adventure worthy of William Gibson himself. Cyberpunk 2077 allowed me to finally feel immersed in that pen & paper RPG I discovered in 1988, pouring rain clouding my view in a kaleidoscope of neon signs, just as I had imagined while leafing through those pages. Some may not consider it a perfect game, but I do.

Twilight Princess is respectful porting, maybe even too much respectful, of the original Gamecube version. The control system maintains the original flaws, and there are few, or hardly any, changes to the gameplay. Which might be good for hardcore fans of the original, but newcomers might have expected something more.

Fuga: Melodies of Steel 2 is a RPG that mixes game elements in a wise and detailed way, managing to do something excellent. It’s doesn’t that step than its predecessor, but it improves its qualitative in every aspect. Must have absolutely.

Generations is one of the best chapters of the Monster Hunter saga, a game that will please newcomers and fans in equal measure, thanks to the introductions of arts and styles. A bold step in the right direction, a more than welcome breath of fresh air.

Inscryption turned out to be a small surprise, an indie title that breaks the rules of card games offering players something more elaborate and exciting, by adding in a mixture of roguelite, puzzle and horror. A pity that the game has no voiceover: it would have made its particular setting feel even more alive.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope is not only one of the best exclusives for Nintendo Switch, it is a game capable of evolving significantly compared to the previous chapter, reaching an absolute playful level. A hilarious, light-hearted, creative but also pixelated work, with an artisanal and constantly growing level design for the duration of the adventure, exactly like a combat system that is pure joy, tactically deep and at the same time hyper-dynamic , comic and totally available to the player's creativity. The exploratory phase also exponentially improves, very pleasant and full of secrets and secondary activities, immersed in colorful worlds, cared for with love, perhaps not very "galactic" but adorable and embellished with an exceptional soundtrack by the author (indeed, by authors). Sparks of Hope is proof that love for one's work always makes a difference beyond commercial ambitions (Kingdom Battle has sold 10 million copies and expectations go in that direction anyway); the result is a game that takes a lot, a lot, a lot of effort to put down to do something else.

DiRT Rally is probably the best rally simulation ever made, and its debut on console strengthens the good driving model developed by Codemasters. The gameplay is incredibly deep, challenging and realistic, the controls are precise and smooth (even with a gamepad), and the game never goes below the 60 frames per second. A truly unique driving experience.

Fans of sandbox management games will be in their element with Timberborn, though those less familiar with the genre might initially find it disorienting due to the absence of more guided game modes. Once these initial hurdles are cleared, however, it becomes evident that this is a title offering a potential playtime measured in the tens—if not hundreds—of hours, thanks in no small part to robust community mod support.

Yoshio Sakamoto had the right idea when he decided to have MercurySteam involved in the development of Metroid: Samus Returns. It's a decent remake, whose major flaws are the same as the original, and there are some new gameplay elements that will please old and new fans.

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King is the epitome of how a remake should be made: it adds new elements and improves the original formula, without compromising the feeling and the fun of the original game.

Those who got excited with Slay the Spire should also jump on Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles without delay. Everyone else will find a very complete deck builder in which there are dice instead of cards, using them to build chains of combos relying on the dualism Purification and Corruption. The huge amount of Oracles, dice and Blessing to unlock, Sentinels to upgrade and enemies to defeat ensures excellent replayability even if the too many combinations available encourage a bit too much luck at the expense of strategy. The graphics are inspired although the colors chosen, pale blue and crimson, do not provide good contrast.

The War Within isn't a groundbreaking, surprising, or original expansion, but it's a good jumping-off point for something bigger. It uses subtle improvements to smooth out and tighten up World of Warcraft's traditional gameplay in all the right places, gently evolving it and making it feel more familiar and welcoming than ever, for veterans and newcomers alike.

Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is a very good video game that manages to fit the simulation soul and the roguelite one. Making mistakes makes poor Wilbur's life a real hell like the real one, and what he manages to achieve is not always optimal. What is really great, however, is this pearl of a game here that manages to do all the right things and implement simulation mechanics that are really well integrated within it. To be had seriously, both if you love space and if you need to stock up on a similar video game.

StarVaders is a really fun and solid deckbuilder, it is well made from many points of view. Even if it has room for improvement, it deserves to sit at the same table as the best "videodrugames".

Wasteland 3 is a good role-playing game, technically passable but enriched by a dense network of intriguing subplots that will push the most dedicated to play it several times. Watch out for the ever-present release bugs, though – best to wait a couple patches if you want to avoid unnecessary hurdles.

Obviously, the PS5 version of Crusader Kings 3 isn’t the best way to experience Paradox’s medieval grand strategy. However, despite its poor interface and the lack of support for mouse and keyboard, this is still one of the best games of its genre.

Between its improved technical performance and the additions to Bellabel Park, the Switch 2 edition feels like the most complete version of a video game masterpiece that, even at launch, seemed unlikely to improve. Yes, only Nintendo can surpass Nintendo.

Aegis Rim is another small, but at the same time impressive masterpiece from Vanillaware that delivers an engaging story through an incredible visual style and an enjoyable narrative-strategic hybrid. This will be remembered as one of 2020’s best PlayStation 4 exclusives.

Anarchic, exciting and at times ingenious: The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom is an adventure that will test your brains without overstressing your fingertips. It doesn't last long and hardcore gamers will perhaps complete it too quickly, but the journey is sensational and enveloped in the usual ‘made in Nintendo’ magic that makes it a must-have in any case.