Red Dead Redemption 2 is a landmark title for storytelling, open-world design, voice acting, and immersion in video games. It is certainly among the best games of this console generation, but that's not all. It should eventually go down as one of the greatest games of all-time.

It’s adorable, heartwarming, comforting, and just an absolute joy to play. Super Mario Odyssey sees the series return to the collect-a-thon/3D platformer genre that it, itself pioneered, and once again, Mario is setting the flag up high for others to follow.

A game that will give you faith once again in PC ports. To not take a bite of this seductively colorful cherry does both your rig and your very self a disservice which can never be forgiven.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is a new benchmark for what RPGs can be. Its wealth of variety in how its story can unfold, and the insane amount of options for how players can approach different combat and exploration scenarios, make it a must play for just about anyone. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say this is the kind of game we’ll still be talking about 10 years from now, and it more than earns this feat.

Tears of the Kingdom stands tall as a sequel that transcends the great achievements of its predecessor. It takes players on yet another unforgettable journey through the enchanting world of Hyrule.

The additions introduced in Royal allow Persona 5 to become the excellent JRPG it was always truly meant to be, and it's a wonderful effort that will surely be appreciated by fans.

In its playful personality and incredibly inventive design, Astro Bot reminds me a lot of Mario Odyssey. It truly does sit alongside the best platformers of all time, providing some moments of pure magic and joy. Considering how smart and unexpected much of Astro Bot is, the possibilities for future adventures are endless.

Despite all my complaints about Atreus and the game's imperfections, this is still an easy game to recommend to anyone with a PS4. God of War marks the glorious and bloody return of everyone's favorite Spartan, and with the new dive into Norse mythology, there's still plenty of adventures to look forward to as the series evolves.

This title is arguably the best-looking game on the Switch and captures the magic of the original all over again. Metroid Prime Remastered reminded the world why people consider this one of the greatest games ever made.

As an open-world skeptic who was pretty much convinced that the Souls formula wouldn't work in such a setting, I'm happy to have been proven wrong. Elden Ring retains the heart of what makes FromSoft's action RPGs so compelling, and takes things to a whole other level by pulling the best elements from their older games and improving upon them in this one.

God of War Ragnarok is the epitome of cinematic gaming experiences. It's an unforgettable, magical adventure teeming with treasures to find, legendary opponents to slay, and relationships to forge along the way. At its core, the experience is built around a near-perfect core gameplay loop that sinks its Chaos Blades into you and refuses to let go.

Hades feels like a small, but masterful step forward for the roguelite genre as a whole. Maybe there really is no escape from the Underworld, but that’s just fine by me; this is a cycle I don’t want to end.

I’m not even close to having experienced all that Dwarf Fortress has to offer, and I’m excited to see what I can learn next. After all, failure is the mother of learning, so I must have learned a decent amount from Dwarf Fortress.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is raw and savage, and it’s easily one of the best RPGs we’ve played this year.

It still excels, in every sense of the word. From story and gameplay to visuals and soundtrack, this game has it all.

The game’s core message feels weak at times, but Persona 5 more than makes up for that with its style, and by showing players a damn good time. Is it the best Persona game we’ve seen yet? Not quite, but it sure is the best-looking one to date.

It’s a technical marvel, and is undoubtedly one of the best stealth action games ever made.

Resident Evil 4 Remake is further proof that Capcom knows exactly what made these games so beloved in the first place, and longtime fans will find a lot to love in this brilliant recreation of the 2005 classic.

The first three chapters of Drake’s tale sought greatness, a spirit not so relevant to A Thief’s End. The feeling of boundless adventure burns brighter than that of a neatly closing door, but though this is not these characters’ highest caliber tale, this is the tale that rings true. Whether you find Uncharted 4’s conclusion the proper one is an endless calculation of spoilers and motives. As for myself, I hope to see more of Uncharted, but if I do not, I will have witnessed an unforgettable end to a legacy.

Every aspect of the game feels fine-tuned and thought out, and the sheer amount of changes and diversity of content is simply staggering. This is the most ambitious and all-inclusive Super Smash Bros entry, and one of the very best games Nintendo's little system has gotten yet.

As phenomenal of an experience as Limbo was, Playdead somehow managed to top it with Inside. It’s a hauntingly beautiful game, especially for how violent and dark it turns by the end. The mechanics, while simple, really cause you to stop and think how all the elements of a puzzle should work together. Although it’s a rather short experience, Inside will undoubtedly keep you thinking hours after you’ve seen the credits roll. You’ll definitely be pondering the implications of what happened, and it’ll make you eager to replay it in case you might have missed anything.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a masterpiece, as if created on a canvas by the Paintress herself, and is an absolute must-play...Its inspirations from RPG series contemporaries like Persona and Final Fantasy are clear in its gameplay. However, Sandfall’s unique mix of turn-based & real-time combat, stunning world, impeccable soundtrack, and first-rate cinematic storytelling makes the debut title of this new studio stand out on its own. By not only honing the strengths of past RPGs and being bold enough to push them forward, this stands as one of the new greats within the genre. If this is what a brand-new dev team can create just for their first game, we should all be excited to see what they whip up for their second.

It's hard to imagine an arcade racer playing and looking much better than Forza Horizon 4. It's by far the best Xbox One exclusive for 2018, and among the best games this console generation, period.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is, for all intents and purposes, a phenomenal second act in the Remake series. Though it's open world design isn't perfect, the game is finely honed in every other area and provides as luxurious of an experience as FF VII Remake did.

I simply loved playing Super Mario Bros. Wonder and don’t think another game this year has made me smile as much as this one. It’s a delightful platformer that continues Mario’s 2D legacy into the future with fresh design concepts and gimmicks you wouldn’t have seen a mile away. Now that Super Mario Bros. Wonder has proved that the 2D Mario format still has fresh new tricks up its sleeve, I’d love to see how they iterate on it in their next games.

The sum of its features produces a complex yet accessible gameplay experience that is amazing pretty much in every aspect.

Looking at my death count at the end of the game, it was a little shocking to see that I’d died that many times. But Celeste constantly reassures the player that it’s not something to be ashamed of. Every death is a lesson learned, and with every lesson comes improvement. As long as you don’t give up, there’s always a path to success. Even if you have to fail 2,649 times to see it.

Forza Horizon 5 is a superb racing game. Despite these slight niggles it still manages to put a beaming smile on my face every time I go hurtling off a danger sign, masterfully overtake the leader of a race to snatch the victory, or perfect a drift. It's easily one of the best-looking games on the Xbox Series X, and its extensive roster of cars and events will ensure it's engine keeps quietly ticking over for months on end.