The Elder Scrolls: Legends is really good CCG that cleverly milks the Elder Scrolls universe and turns it into an entertaining card game. Legends feels quite different from Hearthstone both because of the Lane mechanics but also the two-attribute deck building that brings more variety to the game. The game's Magicka (the equivalent of Mana) doesn't stop at 10 like it does at Hearthstone, so decks that play for the long game can get to play more expensive cards more easily, which can be a lot of fun. I've been enjoying playing through the campaign and (being a Skyrim fan) playing with all the Shouts and the Dragons. While I'm not going to desert Hearthstone for Legends, I like jumping from one to the other since they give me different kinds of challenges and tickle different parts of the brain. Overall, Elder Scrolls: Legends is a card game definitely worth your time and one that has a lot of potential to get even better.

You can enjoy the game simply for its battle system, or you can play it to experience its fantastic story.

I feel the need to personally thank the developer, Nyamyam, for creating Astrologaster. I learned a lot from it, and now want to talk about it with everyone I know because I’ll seem so smart, knowing all about this obscure British man from the 16th century. Not only that, but the game is an experience in its own right, with the madrigals and artwork creating something wonderfully unique. I cannot rave about it enough.

I already thought The Talos Principle 2 was fantastic, but the team managed elevating it into something beyond special with The Talos Principle 2 – Road to Elysium. While the third part of the DLC was a bit too hard for me in parts, The Talos Principle 2 – Road to Elysium is an essential for everyone who liked the base game. This is the best kind of DLC and every puzzle game fan should buy the base game and The Talos Principle 2 – Road to Elysium as soon as possible.

If you like RPGs, this is a game you need to play. It's a fantastic port of one of the true essentials of the genre.

Suzy Cube was in development for three years, and it’s clear just where all that time went into. Everything about the game is absolutely well-crafted to a ridiculous degree. Suzy Cube is one of the best 3D platformers ever made for mobile, and you ought to play it.

If you loved the Mikey games, you owe it to yourself to check this out, especially since the original Mos Speedrun [$0.99] was a fantastic game that heavily inspired that franchise.

Flipping Legend is just an astounding take on a well-trodden genre, of the free-to-play action-y runner. The work that Hiding Spot Games put into this along with Noodlecake's help has been spectacular. The reports from GDC were that this was coming together really nicely, and after playing a ton of this one before and after release, Flipping Legend is a must-download in my book.

On an iPhone or iPad, the 2-D, side-scrolling block-based sandbox is a winning formula, and The Blockheads is the most well-executed, true-to-Minecraft game I've had the pleasure to experience on iOS.

Crypt of the NecroDancer is one of this generation's finest games, and the mobile version only makes that even clearer.

But with Attack the Light, Grumpyface delivered a fantastic RPG that anyone can enjoy.

Archetype delivers one of the most robust, beautiful, and most importantly fun FPS experiences that can be had on the iPhone.

If you’ve not played Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales before, the PC version is an easy recommendation on Steam Deck. Miles Morales is a tighter and more focused take on the formula than the original game with better combat and a brilliant use of licensed music. The story is perfect to experience during the holiday season as well. It has been about two years since its PlayStation debut, and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales has aged brilliantly. It is yet another ‘perfect on Steam Deck’ experience from Sony. 

Faced with big shoes to fill, increased competition, and a very different market, Wind-Up Knight 2 isn't in the most enviable position, but it manages to succeed through good old-fashioned elbow grease.

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath is one of those wonderful little gems that too many people missed when it first came out. It was an amazing game then as a full-priced retail console game, and it's every bit as awesome now on a mobile device.

Battle of the Bulge is a must-have for anyone with an interest in historical wargaming. It's only flaws are limited single-player replayability and the fact that it is so easy to start playing that some players may jump in expecting a Risk-like game, only to become frustrated when the game's nuances assert themselves.

Despite its free-form approach to puzzle solving, the game offers very little incentive to replay it, so it’s not really a game you’ll keep installed on your phone for long. It is, however, a game that’s well worth the time it takes to play. If you’re already a subscriber to Apple Arcade, LEGO Builder’s Journey is a must-download, if only just to see how much a game can accomplish in a story while taking such a minimalist approach.

It boasts a tutorial that is incredibly approachable, making the game appropriate for even the most casual of puzzle gamers, while offering a top-end that's full of strategy, a bit of luck, and an entire trail of character development decisions.

Even though you might already have a ton of similar word games on your device, the clever refrigerator magnet-powered gameplay feels surprisingly fresh, and makes the UI used in previously released word games flat out seem archaic in comparison.

If you're willing to buy into Year Walk, to explore it's shifting landscape and learn its lessons, you'll find a tremendous game. I've never played anything quite like it.

Jetpack Joyride doesn't need any kind of "if you like randomized endless games" or any other disclaimers. It is a game you simply must own.

And really, where Sage Solitaire succeeds is that it does feel so great as a game that you can just pick up and play.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio at its peak. It feels fresh while still bringing together the best aspects of my favorite games from the studio. Not only does it manage to deliver a compelling story with twists and turns throughout the massively long main story run time, but the sheer quality of its optional content and mini-games puts some of the best entries in the series to shame. We finally have a modern Yakuza game that matches not only the quality, but also the quantity of Yakuza 0’s awesomeness. It gets my highest possible recommendation. I can’t wait to see what the studio does for the next game.

Hearthstone is not only an example of a free-to-play model done right, but it's a must-play for card game enthusiasts everywhere. It's incredibly easy to get into, the picturesque art is easy on the eyes, and best of all -- it plays perfectly on an iPad.

Despite being one update behind the PC and console versions right now, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is absolutely essential. Playdigious did a fantastic job with this outstanding beat ’em up, and you owe it to yourself to play it if you have a Netflix subscription.

A beautifully created action (adventure?) game that places you in the role of a spider who must spin webs in order capture enough food to make it to the next level.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance isn’t just the definitive version of a game I loved years ago, but one of Atlus' best RPGs in a long time. I always enjoy revisiting games I love every few years, but Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is just an incredible upgrade and release on its own. It is one of the best games you can play on Steam Deck in general, not just for this year.

If you enjoyed the first Monsters Ate My Condo, I think this is an upgrade that's worth your time and dollar. It looks better, it sounds better, and it still has that completely wacky style that's almost impossible not to love.