It Takes Two is, without a doubt, the best co-op game you can play right now. It’s much more ambitious and bigger budget than A Way Out, which was still brilliant in its own way. Josef Fares and the team at Hazelight take things to the next level here, and I can only imagine what they’ll do when they’re inevitably given a triple-A budget. Grab a friend by the hand and pull them through an adventure unlike any other as soon as you can - you won’t regret it.

If you're the kind of person who can't stand bugs ruining your games then maybe you might want to wait a bit until this is good and patched. But even with the glitches, Ori and the Will Of The Wisps is undeniably a captivating, marvelous game that makes us hope that we won't have to wait another 5 years to see Ori in action again.

It's a magnificent thing, and this story will be lingering in my thoughts for quite some time. Pentiment takes Obsidian's expertise in branching narratives, role-playing, and building evocative worlds, then packages it all up in an exciting and unique way. I was devastated when it was over, and I'm still not over that ending. But now I'm looking forward to playing it all over again, this time with another Andreas. Maybe one who speaks Latin, studied law, and spent his wandering years in Switzerland. There are some bad choices and disastrous consequences I'd like to avoid this time too. That's the beauty of being an artist: you can always scrape the parchment clean and start again.

A lot of people will enjoy this kind of streamlining, but when everything is this streamlined, the overall effect is a slightly more mindless Monster Hunter. But when something incredible is happening every seven seconds, what’s a little mindlessness anyway?

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a wonderful platformer with hectic and hilarious combat. New character Rivet is the game's brightest spark, and while the story is a trifle overambitious, the characters and loveable enough and funny enough to constantly keep your interest.

Beyond the heavy grind, which is certainly purposeful, some gameplay features which feel a bit light, and a story that might as well not be there, Rogue Legacy 2 will quickly see itself enter the roguelite hall of fame as a shining example of why the genre works so well, and fittingly for a game about lineage, as a show of how far a sequel can improve upon its predecessor.

For new players, this is the perfect entry point. For veterans, it's a nostalgic and thrilling homecoming. This release stands as a testament to the enduring power of both the tactical RPG genre and the unique storytelling of Ivalice, and it has me more hopeful than ever for its future.

People are going to play this game and have a lot of fun. That’s all a lot of people want from a game, and Forbidding West delivers. Through a certain lens, it deserves the perfect scores I’m expecting to see. But much like Ghost of Tsushima, a lot of you are going to come away disappointed by the lack of substance and new ideas. In many ways, Horizon Forbidden West is like it’s own machines. It’s grand, it’s gorgeous, but it has no soul.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim has found its perfect home on the Nintendo Switch with its mash-up of two genres that work best when on handheld — visual novel and RTS. I ended up carrying my Switch with me for days on end as 13 Sentinels was like a good book that I couldn’t put down. The gorgeous hand-drawn graphics and intricately layered storyline pair beautifully together to create a love letter to classic sci-fi.

Halo 3 is a very good game. As a conclusion to the storyline, it's hard not to be engaged with how things play out with the UNSC, Covenant, and Flood all appearing. Gameplay is very satisfying. Nothing beats sniping enemies, or dual-wielding and taking out the brutes. Although the campaign is shorter than in Halo 2, most players should feel satisfied with the amount of content overall. Multiplayer is a lot of fun. Finally, as a PC port, Halo 3 comes with no notable complaints whatsoever.

Deathloop feels like your first bite of a cheesecake after being stranded on a desert island and living off seaweed for six months. In a sea of shotgun-spread triple-A games that are all too familiar, Deathloop is a precision 50. cal bullet of originality right through your eye socket.

Sword of the Sea brought me to tears at one point. It’s not something I can spoil, because I would implore anyone who will ever play this to experience this particular moment without any foreknowledge. It’s a short journey that took me a smidge over three hours to complete, but heck, what a stupidly enjoyable three hours those were.

Metroid Dread suffers from some minor grievances, but overall it is a remarkable achievement in not just resurrecting a dormant and beloved series, proving its authority in the genre it inhabits, or exhibiting the kind of airtight design we’d expect from a title of this calibre. It is a remarkable achievement because it is one of those few rare games that sets itself an atmospheric goal and launches it towards and through the stratosphere. This, here, is one of 2021’s very best games - we’re always in for a treat when Samus returns.

It's a great entry point thanks to the Village Quests and helpful dog companion. If you're a fan who already pre-ordered and want to know if it's good, rest assured. You might actually like Rise better than World, as it brings back some of the strategic variety while building on more recent quality-of-life updates. It's a shame that the Switch holds the game back in small ways, but this is a contender for best in the series. If post-launch support is as good as it was for World, this game could easily rise above the rest.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door will probably be the last Mario game to release (solely) on the Switch. While I’d have loved a new Mario game, porting this cult classic means that a new generation of players can experience it. New fans will have a ball, laughing along with Mario & co., even if their experience will be slightly marred by the backtracking and pacing. Old fans will enjoy the quality of life improvements and some new additions. Whether you’re a Paper Mario veteran or this is your first time entering his origami world, this is the definitive way to experience The Thousand-Year Door.

Separate Ways is so good that it makes other Resident Evil games look worse by comparison. It’s hard to believe that this campaign was only $10 when Resident Evil 3 Remake, a game of similar length yet far less satisfying, was full price just three years ago. It’s even more surprising that just last year we were playing Shadows of Rose, a lightweight, uninspiring retread of Resident Evil Village that similarly tried to make old locales feel new again, but failed to match the quality of the base game. Separate Ways is more like a Resident Evil 2-style parallel campaign than a bonus DLC, and it’s been given the level of polish and care it deserves. Separate Ways has always been essential to the RE4 experience, but the remake elevates it to the quality of a standalone Resident Evil game. And at just $10, it might be the best value in gaming this year.

The result is a dozen levels that span an incredibly diverse range of locations that eclipse everything you can see in DOOM (2016) in just the first couple hours. Double jump, dash, and wall climbing create the opportunity for platforming puzzles and sprawling worlds that the developers have maximized to their full potential.

Hi-Fi Rush’s PS5 port might not have much that makes it stand apart from its launch last year, but replaying it reminded me just how special it is and made me fall in love with it all over again. In a generation where games are constantly trying to sucker you into spending all of your time and money on one ecosystem, Hi-Fi Rush shines as an all-too-rare standalone, uncynical labour of love that deserves to be played on every platform.

In an age where games are fighting harder than ever just to succeed, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 should not be one to pass you by, as a return to form for the RPG genre. It’s not just a game about history - it’s a game that feels like it’s making history.

In an alternate universe, Hitman became one of the best-selling series of all time, its influence akin to something like PUBG. In this better world, where the pandemic never even happened, Hitman spawned a genre of its own - the Hitmanlike, where developers put level design and systemic play right at the top of their priority list. Alas, we can’t break through the skin of the world and reach that universe. We’re stuck here. In our world, Hitman stands alone. There’s nothing like it, and Hitman 3 is an outstanding refinement of that unique 21-year-old recipe. Just watch out for that secret ingredient. (It’s poison).

Inconsistent graphics and the lack of a female protagonist we had in Portable aside, however, this remains a solid means of enjoying one of the finest RPGs of the past two decades. Its writing is sharper, combat is more satisfying, and it brings this world to life in ways that just weren’t possible several generations ago. Reload might lack its signature rough edge, but those coming around for the first time will find plenty to love.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is the best version of an accomplished open world adventure with great characters, excellent combat, and a setting that is constantly inviting to explore. While the base game falters in its storytelling, the Iki Island expansion manages to tell a nuanced story of parental influence and the challenge of moving on from the past in spite of your personal allegiances. It’s the most human Jin Sakai has ever been, yet the brief campaign and emphasis on familiar busywork hold it back from potential greatness. If you didn’t like the game before, this won’t change your mind, but fans will find a lot of added brilliance to dig into here alongside a narrative journey well worth taking.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is an awesome game with a few annoying flaws that stop it from reaching the same heights as its predecessor. Final Fantasy VII was lightning in a bottle, while Final Fantasy VII Remake is just a really good game that wears its skin. The story of the remake series isn't over yet and we hope that Square Enix improves upon the formula for the later entries, but for now, Final Fantasy VII Remake is still well worth your time.

It's a fast-paced and fun fighter with a colourful cast and some truly excellent tunes. It's easy to play it for hours online as an experienced fighting game player, or just blast it for 30 minutes with some friends over the weekend. It can be chaotic and unpredictable, but it's always gorgeous and engaging. Guilty Gear Strive is easily the best fighting game of 2021 so far, and there doesn't seem to be much on the horizon that can top it. If you're looking for a new fighting game to play this year, this is the easiest decision you'll ever make.

Even though I reached the credits after just a few hours, that didn’t stop me from diving back in to uncover as many secrets as possible. This is the first Five Nights at Freddy’s game that has captured me like the original trilogy did, but it’s also the first to stand on its own two legs beyond the allure of what’s happening outside of the screen. Into the Pit is exactly what the series should be, and I hope future FNAF games are taking notes.

It’s one of the most gorgeous, creative, and satisfying games of 2025 and has effortlessly clawed its way to becoming my frontrunner for Game of the Year.

Roads To Power is more than just the next in a long line of DLC. It’s a true expansion, one that promises all-nighters to die-hard fans, and could be the missing something that brings hesitant newcomers to finally try on the crown.

Pikmin 4 isn’t quite the best game in the series, but it’s certainly the most confident. With this new entry, Nintendo has decided to wipe away much of the past tedium in favour of ensuring moment-to-moment gameplay is more enjoyable than ever. But eradicating its past frustrations also removes much of the challenge and depth from the game’s battles and puzzles. Commanding its multicoloured armies and pilfering this planet of its treasures while gathering a motley crew of comrades kept me enraptured for hours, just don’t come into this expecting the harsh journey back home to be little more than a leisurely stroll.