Breath of the Wild draws from many sources of inspiration, including older Zelda games and titles like Skyrim and The Witcher 3, to create something wholly unique. Nintendo has crafted a wide, beautiful world to explore, underpinned with some interesting emergent mechanics. Breath of the Wild stands as one of the best in the series and a great opener for Nintendo's newest console.

Eight years after the masterpiece that was Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar Games is taking a second shot. New protagonist Arthur Morgan gets a better supporting cast, an absolutely beautiful open world with more visual variety, and a ton of things to kill or collect. There's some occasional tedium in travel, and a few bugs and annoyances, but nothing that prevents Red Dead Redemption 2 from being an excellent game.

With the new power, the developer has added more depth and life to the world of Los Santos. It's the same game, but the new visual effects and first-person mode provides a strong experience. It's not completely worth a double-dip if you tore through the original GTA V, but it's definitely worth a second look.

Super Mario Odyssey honors much of what makes other 3D Mario games great, plus it adds plenty of its own flavor to the Mario stew thanks to its capture mechanic. Mario Odyssey can keep you busy for hours and hours if you want it to, and you probably will. Outside of a few instances where the camera took on a mind of its own, I can't think of a moment when I wasn't enjoying myself while journeying with Mario and Cappy.

There's not really enough distance between the PS3 version of The Last of Us and this new Remaster to make it worth double-dipping, unless you're simply that fixated on counting lines of resolution. If you missed out the first time around, though, you really shouldn't let it slip past again.

This is how you do a reboot. After Kratos lost his way, Sony Santa Monica has set the God of War on a new path. A more measure, nuanced character, a great supporting cast, an excellent combat system, and some of the best graphics in the PlayStation 4 game to-date add up to a winner.

The Last of Us Part 2 is an outstanding action game; a darker, more introspective follow-up that seeks to challenge the conventions of big-budget action games. In this it's not always successful, but its execution is impeccable, and its story proves an appropriate bookend to the story of Joel and Ellie. In short, it's some of Naughty Dog's best work.

Half-Life: Alyx is billed as a VR return to the series, and that's exactly what it delivers. It does what Half-Life has historically done well, and without the clouding of nostalgia or unhelpful notions of what constitutes "revolutionary" design, it ranks alongside Half-Life 2. It is a full-length VR experience that both needs to be in VR, but that uses the tech to more strongly evoke the same feelings you got with a mouse and keyboard years ago. There are some small flaws that are no more annoying than over-long sewer odysseys or having to crouch jump were in past games, and its spectacle hits the hardest of any in the series. It sets Half-Life up for a compelling future—here's hoping we see it.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 is simply the pinnacle of the CRPG genre. It offers a campaign with memorable characters, interesting role-playing options, and excellent systemic combat. The environments are beautiful and the soundtrack is solid. That alone would put it at the top of the heap, but then Larian added offline and online coop, a PVP arena mode, and Game Master mode, the greatest throwback to the Dungeons & Dragons pen-and-paper games that underpin the entire genre. I might have small issues here and there, but Divinity: Original Sin 2 is one of the best in a strong year for gaming.

The fact that 3D World remains lively and interesting despite calling back to so many well-loved classics serves as a succinct reminder as to why Mario remains successful after so many years and so many games: At its heart, the series is ultimately just about having simple, unpretentious fun.

With the most bewitching tale the series has ever told and an incredibly likable cast that rises above their typical archetypes, Persona 5 sings a song of rebellion. Not just against the norm of JRPGs, but of society's oppressive grasp, inspiring its players to rise up as the Phantom Thieves would. In the end, in spite of its minor missteps, Persona 5 has the power to steal the hearts of longterm fans of the series and newcomers alike.

Hearthstone is easy to play, yet it delivers an astonishing breadth and depth of strategy. If you're looking for a fascinating, involving and highly addictive cerebral gaming experience, there are few finer than this.

Metal Gear Solid 5 overstays its welcome a bit in the back half of the story, and F.O.Bs aren't much more than a fun novelty, but otherwise it's a stunningly enjoyable game that almost perfectly integrates a sizable open world environment with solid stealth fundamentals and a huge arsenal.

Uncharted 4 finishes off the story of Nathan Drake in style. It's one of the best-looking games on PlayStation 4, the environments are huge, and the action set pieces are great. The pacing falters in the middle due to new vehicle sections, but once Uncharted 4 gets going, it's a great ride.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate feels like a mic drop for the series. It packs in almost every conceivable character and stage, plus a sizable single-player mode. Spirits don't quite land, but the battles feel better than ever. It feels like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be a Switch party staple for a long time to come.

Combine a highly compelling visual narrative with superb puzzles and brilliant platforming, and you have Inside, one of the most intriguing, addictive, and beautiful-looking games of this generation. Its only downside is that it's quite short, but while it lasts, it's absolutely glorious.

You can debate the merits of some of this version's additions, but the same strong core that has pushed Forza Horizon to the top of the driving sim heap remains firmly in place here. It's an incredibly impressive graphical production that puts even its beautiful predecessor to shame, and it's a true pleasure when out on the road. Forza Horizon 4 is one of a handful of showcase games that truly ought to sell you on an Xbox One X and a 4K TV.

Refreshingly, Bloodborne knows what it is, and doesn't stray too far from the Souls formula—but its few alterations make for a fresh experience that will challenge even the most hardened Souls veterans. If you're looking to justify the purchase of a PS4, I can't think of a better reason.

What really makes the game shine in-between all the chaotic but elegant ways to hop across the game's rooms, is the surprising heart at the center of it all.

The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is probably one of the most well-crafted RPG worlds yet...Is it perfect? No, the combat is rote at times and the inventory and crafting needs work, but in the end, The Witcher III is a top-notch RPG experience.

The Demon's Souls is a gorgeous technical powerhouse. Fans may differ on stylistic aesthetic choices, but the core game remains the same challenging and precise experience. It's a perfect way to begin a new console generation for the core gaming set, and an all-time classic you will beg your friends to play.

Regardless of its indie status, Undertale is one of the best and most inspired RPGs in years. By playing with traditional, turn-based mechanics, creator Toby Fox has crafted an experience with a legitimate surprise around every corner. If you have a PC and ten bucks, you owe it to yourself to play this amazing game.

The attention to detail afforded to its characters is matched only by the comprehensive nature of its soundtrack and stage selection. On top of that, the Wii U brings with it a huge amount of single-player and multiplayer content, putting it a notch above its similarly strong handheld counterpart.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a victory lap for an amazing entry in the series. The only place Mario Kart 8 faltered was in its Battle Mode and Nintendo has rectified that here with a full-fledged version. 48 courses, 42 characters, 8 battle arenas, 5 battle modes, extensive multiplayer action, and the ability to take console Mario Kart with you wherever you go. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is absolutely worth the asking price.

Though you can tackle it at anytime, Blood and Wine is definitely CD Projekt Red's farewell to Geralt of Rivia. The great storytelling, interesting characters, and solid hunting mechanics all return in one last adventure, taking Geralt to a new region. If you've played Wild Hunt and Hearts of Stone, you owe it to yourself to experience this excellent finish to Geralt's tale.

In many ways, that unbridled sense of creativity serves as the source of Legends' problems. It's constantly throwing new concepts and mechanics into the mix, but there's no discipline to it, no restraint.

Dark Souls II provides the best of both worlds: an admirable sequel for series veterans, and a perfect jumping-on point for gamers who've shied away from From Software's RPG brand until now. And if you're afraid of the series' tough-as-nails reputation, From has made sinking into Souls addiction a much more effortless process. You just have to let Dark Souls II break you first.

A novel exploration of the underpinnings of game graphics, Fez at once pays tribute to classic 2D platformers while revealing the shenanigans that went into their design. Borderline inscrutable at times, Fez is a puzzle on many levels. Yet its mysteries, clever as they are, deserve to be unravelled.

Pretty much everything about this game feels fresh and exciting: the class-based combat, the art style, the roster, the modes. It's equal parts strategic and twitchy, encouraging you to think while also rewarding skill, and its roster is a delight. Overwatch may well be the best new multiplayer shooter to come along since Modern Warfare and Team Fortress 2 took 2007 by storm. I can't wait to play more.

Bayonetta 2 is the high-flying return of everyone's favorite Umbra Witch. Platinum Games pushes to the Wii U to its limit with fast action, magnificent vistas, and huge bosses. The addition of the original Bayonetta just pushes the entire package over the top. If you're a Devil May Cry fan, this is a must-buy.

Bigger and better than its predecessor in every way, Forza Horizon 3 features a beautiful, incredibly diverse landscape, an impressive roster of over 350 meticulously-detailed cars, and an absolute ton of driving activities and challenges. Forza Horizon 3 is without doubt the finest arcade racer yet seen, and it looks set to become one of this generation's greatest games.

Disco Elysium wants to get you in touch with the voices in your head. This detective RPG calls back to the old Infinity Engine games like Planescape: Torment and Baldur's Gate, but it put a unique spin on everything. With a beautiful oil painting aesthetic, it also features a system that treats your skill like additional party members, each with their own opinions on your actions. Ultimately, every lengthy run-though of Disco Elysium is about the consequences of your choices and actions, adding up to some fantastic stories. A great, surprising entry into RPG canon.

A Link Between Worlds takes some much-needed strides to shake things up. But it does so within a pair of worlds most fans know maybe a little too well, and you know what they say about familiarity. This is a good first step in Nintendo's journey to revitalize Zelda, but the next leg of the trip needs to be considerably bolder.

The sense of fear and terror when playing Resident Evil 2 never leaves you. It’s unlike anything else I’ve encountered in a Resident Evil game previously. I’m just going to go ahead and call it: Resident Evil 2 is the best Resident Evil game in the franchise and represents a series and developer at its peak. Don’t be distracted by the pretty graphics and gore, Resident Evil 2 is straight-up dangerous.

Spelunky 2 is an outstanding sequel. Derek Yu, BlitWorks, and the rest of the team behind it have assembled a game that adds to what made Spelunky great without trending toward bloat or changing too much of the essentials. In some minor ways, the level randomization and art style don't feel quite up-to-par, but the overall package is polished, compelling, and brimming with secrets. As ever, players will die over and over in pursuit of a successful run or even just an ounce of progress, which is the way it's meant to be. I'm excited to see what others uncover as they pick themselves up again and again to venture deeper into Spelunky 2's depths.

For me, it’s like rediscovering an old friend who I'm delighted to find has actually gotten better with age.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf remains the pinnacle of the series, but New Horizons brings with it a bunch welcome quality of life changes, such as terraforming the island to your every whim. The addition of crafting isn't a burden as I worried it would be. In fact, it becomes a fun objective to work toward, effectively diversifying the usual chores of selling bugs and fish to pay your never-waning debts to that rascally raccoon. With real-world headlines more harrowing than ever, there's never been a better time to go on vacation within Animal Crossing: New Horizons.

Final Fantasy 14 set a high bar with its previous expansions, but Shadowbringers stands above the rest. Expected additions come in the form of new regions and the new jobs, Dancer and Gunbreaker. Both bring their own flavor to the game, though the Dancer is the standout. More importantly, Shadowbringers tells a tale that not only contains some meaningful real-world connections, but also provides an experience that's firmly Final Fantasy-esque. Great writing, solid voice acting, and an excellent soundtrack wrap Shadowbringers up in a package that should satisfy Final Fantasy 14 fans and neophytes alike.

Perhaps the definitive version of Diablo 3, Reaper of Souls Ultimate Evil Edition is streamlined, buttoned-down and an absolute joy to play - especially so when you start adding friends.

In many ways, Wind Waker represents a high point for the Zelda series. Its tremendous world, lovely art, amazing combat, and welcome new features have yet to be surpassed by its sequels. For my money, Wind Waker is Zelda at its best. But this time, it's even better than before.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps serves up a balanced meal of combat and platforming that captured me immediately. I'm not a big fan of the first game, but Ori's weapon wheel and slick maneuverability turns Will of the Wisps into an irresistible ballet. Unfortunately, performance problems on the Xbox One S in particular bring down a game that is otherwise almost perfect.

Monster Hunter has been in need of a big change for years, and this reboot-of-sorts could have easily gone wrong. Instead, Capcom took a careful look at Monster Hunter's design and cut all the fat while leaving the series trademark dense gameplay completely intact. All the changes, from the broad, sweeping ones to the granular alterations, only serve to improve an already winning formula. The next generation of Monster Hunter has finally begun, and, with Monster Hunter World, it's off to an incredibly good start.

A great PvP game that offers some of the most intriguing and nuanced team combat around.

Sekiro is a demanding and rewarding game. Harrowing to the point of emotional exhaustion, some players will bounce off after a few of the meaner boss encounters without the now-classic FromSoftware multiplayer. Brave individuals that persevere, though, will dig through a rich, textured game crammed with spectacular levels and enemy encounters.

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is the best sort of remaster: its improvements may seem minimal, but it overhauls most of the tedium that once plagued the Wii RPG classic. While some things it can't fix with polish—the too-big environments, the boring side quests, its messy battle system—for fans or curious new players, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is easily the best Xenoblade Chronicles out there, even with its annoyances.

Majora's Mask 3D feels at home among today's indie games, but it also serves as a reminder that there used to be room for the offbeat at all levels of the games industry. And with the tweaks and improvements this version enjoys over the original release, it remains quite playable despite its age.

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne skimps a bit on introducing totally new monsters, but it's still a large expansion filled with very smart refinements. The campaign alone comes close to matching the scale of the base game, and it wisely ditches some of its more tedious elements. If you played through the original and wanted more, then Iceborne is almost everything you could ask for. It's not a full sequel, but it's pretty darn close.

From Software's amazing streak continues with Dark Souls III, which amounts to the finest game in the series. Returning players will find everything they've grown to love in a much better form, while newbies will be treated to the most accessible Souls to date.

Pillars of Eternity is more than an appeal to nostalgia; it's a rich RPG in its own right, boasting enjoyable combat, a strong story, and masterfully paced quests.

Dead Cells comes screaming out of its prison cell strong. Things slow down a bit as the progression system and run repetition set in, but the moment-to-moment action stays fantastic all the way through.

Although it's a little on the short side, and its production values are a bit oldschool, Titanfall 2's single-player campaign is a really enjoyable experience while it lasts. It's very inventive and fun, and a great warm-up for the game's excellent multiplayer component, whose gunplay and controls are absolutely outstanding. All it needs is a few more maps and modes.

Every Sega/M2 3D Classic collaboration to date has demonstrated incredible love and care, even for mediocre games like Altered Beast. That same devotion applied to a top-tier masterpiece makes for an essential addition to any 3DS. This is the 3D Classics game to get.

Everything clicked. It's still Tetris, but it's Tetris with something to say; Tetris that brings together the beauty all around us, from jazzy piano-led cityscapes to a celebration of other cultures. It may have those imperfections of parts that feel incongruent, but at the end, I'll come away thinking of that moment where it all fell into place for me, like hard-dropping a tetromino into the perfect spot.

Even if you know the Kingdom of Drangleic like the back of your hand, you're in for many new surprises. And if you've never played Dark Souls II before, your patience has paid off: This is simply the best version of it you'll ever play.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses soars on to Switch with a fully-realized school setting, deep character customization, and multiple full-length campaigns. While it loses momentum in the second half, it still manages to come off as a striking reinvention of the well-worn Fire Emblem formula. That makes its first real console appearance in more than a decade a triumph.

Apex Legends spices up the battle royale formula with hero-based shooter pizazz and its revolutionary pinging system, which helps everyone feel welcome to the team. Though its Season One rollout has been disappointing content-wise and its visual flair remains bland, Apex Legends still has the solid foundation necessary for a free-to-play shooter to survive in the long run. And with 50 million players reached in its first month, it's not like it's slowing down anytime soon. We're all jumpmasters now.

A gorgeous-looking, wonderful-sounding puzzle game that provides an all-too-brief, but utterly memorable gaming experience. Brilliant.

Art's Dream, the long-awaited story mode of sorts for Dreams, does a neat job demonstrating the possibilities of Media Molecule's game. Similarly, the collaborative nature of Dreams' players' creations factor into a welcome online ecosystem. For all that Dreams has to offer creatively, and for all the litany of levels and their enjoyable experiences, I'm yet to see a level that will stay with me after I'm done playing it. Dreams is fantastically experimentative, and it's obvious that the near-limitless creation tools provide a platform on which the community can build far into the future, but to judge this package as whole right now, it's not the wider product that leaves a lasting impression.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is a graphical showcase for the next-generation consoles—a sprawling, beautiful open-world RPG with a deeply satisfying exploration loop and just enough in the way of mechanical depth to keep hardcore adventurers happy.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the perfect remake. It doesn't just recapture what made the series so beloved, but helps us fall in love with mastering combos and finding secret areas all over again. The one major downfall of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is a relatively slight one: its multiplayer options are slim at launch. Even being a grinding, rolling advertisement for the sorts of brands you'd find at Zumiez, all the brands's non-stop presence is something undeniably Tony Hawk—and hell, I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a cart waiting to check out at Zumiez now. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is an excellent remake with a rare power: the power to make skaters of us all.

Horizon Zero Dawn is disappointing. It has a story that I struggled to care about (complete with massive expository dumps—yay), a bland protagonist, and overtly repetitive and constraining missions that worked against its open world sensibilities. When Horizon Zero Dawn hit its rare strides—from its gloomy Cauldrons to traveling across its sprawling vistas—it only made me wish the rest of the game were as worthwhile.

The meat of Spelunky comes from its endlessly varied, endlessly difficult single-play mode, and that feels more at home on Vita than on any other platform the game has graced to date.

By the end of What Remains of Edith Finch, I felt close to the Finch family. I felt close in a way that only games could articulate with their unique interactive language. I was a kid on a swing, trying to get as high as he can. I was a baby in a bathtub. I was a curious, hungry kid. What Remains of Edith Finch doesn't just tell you about the tragic history of the Finch family, it allows you to embody it.

Mario Kart 8 is not the best in the series, but it does stand near the top.

Whether you're a serious student of game design, looking to kill a few minutes with your friends' creations, or an avid enthusiast of sadism through game design, you'll find something to love in Super Mario Maker.

We don't get games like Nier: Automata too often. And by that I mean games that simultaneously weave a deeply harrowing existentialist narrative, in addition to playing with our expectations on how we play games. There's nothing else around like Nier: Automata (except for maybe its predecessor). And in an industry that sometimes leans too heavily on sameness, it's wholly refreshing.

Black Flag is an evolution for the series, not a revolution. It's a gorgeous game that learns from the disappointing Assassin's Creed III and the addition of the naval open world is a triumph. If you're tired of the formula, there might be enough here to bring you back into the Order.

NBA 2K17 addresses most of my biggest issues from last year in cutting out canned animations and going back to basics with MyCareer, and it's still as polished as ever. It's easy to take its excellence for granted, but Visual Concepts' ambition and willingness to take risks keeps it from ever becoming stale. NBA 2K17 is the champion, and it's tough to see it losing that title anytime soon.

XCOM 2 updates the franchise's formula without sacrificing what works in the original game. You have more freedom than before, and relatively superfluous elements like the Interceptors have been cut. More importantly, the pacing and structure really does make you really do feel like a band of renegades taking on an occupying force. It's been a fun ride, and with more mods on the way, I'm looking forward to playing it again - the best possible compliment I can pay to a tactics game.

I have small nitpicks here and there, but that's all they are. Dishonored 2 is an amazing continuation of everything the first game started. With the first game, Arkane Studios took the crown of heir apparent from Thief. With the sequel, the studio has defined its rule. It's a stealth-action title with some kickass abilities, and some huge, visually-interesting levels. Even if the family of Emily and Corvo doesn't have another horrible day, Dishonored deserves to live on beyond this.

I can't begin to guess whether or not a few more months in the oven would've translated into a steady framerate, a longer list of new Pokémon, and a functional import option. But I do know that Pokémon X and Y are, by some of the series' own standards, incomplete in their current form. Given the choice between a delayed game and a disappointing one, there's no question which D word I'd pick.

While it stumbles over its own ambition far more than it should, Ori and the Blind Forest bursts with both detail and passion. At times it's less a game you play than one you force your way through despite your better judgment, but the parts where it all works together make it worth the pain. And wow, does it look good.

Players now have the chance to make their own hellish, evil Mario levels on Nintendo Switch. Super Mario Maker 2 starts with the foundation established in the first game, and adds new themes, new game styles, and new items. It falters due to the loss of the second screen of the Wii U and 3DS iterations, and the lack of Amiibo costumes hurt, but this is still a fantastic package for a Mario fan or budding lever designer.

By turns hilarious, disturbing, witty and poignant, The Stanley Parable is a successful experiment in the video game medium's inherent interactivity and how this can affect an author's story -- for good and for ill.

Civilization VI is a worthy sequel for the franchise. Firaxis has crafted the best vanilla version in the franchise's history, with a host of leaders, a great soundtrack, some keen art direction, and new features like the city expansion. There's not much missing this time around and I look forward to seeing what Firaxis adds to an already amazing game.

Legacy of the Void has been a long time coming - so long that in some ways it feels like a bit of a throwback. But Blizzard has packed plenty of value into their final expansion, piling co-op missions on top of their solo campaign while tinkering with the multiplayer's pacing and mechanics. The story is ultimately disappointing, but on a mission-to-mission basis, StarCraft II represents the apex of old-school real-time strategy design.

Featuring a dynamic, scalable questing system, redesigned classes, new artifact weapons, a strong, lore-heavy storyline that positions you as a bona fide champion, and a ton of endgame content at launch, Legion feels like the strongest WoW expansion since Wrath of the Lich King. Whether it can continue this momentum over the expansion's duration remains to be seen, but for now, Legion is the invigorating shot in the arm that the game sorely needed.

Deadfire relies on tradition when it's suitable and tries to do something new everywhere else. The end result is one of the best RPGs I've played in recent years.

Doom Eternal builds upon the excellent foundation of Doom (2016) with a mess of demons, Glory Kills, and great weapons. Most of what made Doom great is carried forward into Doom Eternal, with new mechanics like an armor-filling flamethrower and the room-clearing Blood Punch. Eternal wants to be more though, so it adds to Doom Slayer's story and adds more twisty levels to explore, which puts some bumps in the tight pacing of Doom (2016). Nevertheless, it'll still feed your need for that rip and tear.

If you love and miss the Portal series, it's time to celebrate: The Talos Principle has all the first-person puzzles you've been craving, wrapped in an extremely thoughtful package. Don't be surprised if you feel legitimately smarter after reaching the end of its 100-plus puzzles.

Nioh is Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja taking a more measured approach to what they do best, and is a surprisingly feature-heavy and battle-focused heir to the Soulsborne method. But it ultimately stands on its own, and is a worthy addition to any Action RPG library.

Rocksmith 2014 is a very impressive guitar learning experience. Its comprehensive suite of lessons and practice formats, fun mini-games and hugely entertaining Session Mode make it suitable for anyone, from novices who've never picked up a guitar to competent players looking to improve their technique.

As fun in this beefed-up incarnation as in its original release, Guacamelee Super Turbo Champion Edition offers one of the best-designed and most original takes on the well-worn metroidvania phenomenon you'll ever find.

Capcom fills fans' dark souls with light! Devil May Cry 5 is an excellent return to form for the franchise, setting it up for a bright future. Nero's here, Dante's back in pitch-perfect form, and V provides a brand-new style of play. All Capcom really needed to do with Devil May Cry 5 was repackage the classic DMC gameplay with a modern coat of paint, but DMC 5 is an excellent, thoughtful update.

Sure, there's fetch quests, kill quests, dungeons, and raids, but what makes Final Fantasy XIV beloved by its players is that story. This grand tale of the Warriors of Light and Warriors of Darkness. Of the Eorzea Alliance, the Garlean Empire, the Scions of the Seventh Dawn, and the Crystal Braves. Of all the characters you meet, whether in glorious combat, or in a quiet dinner.

From Software has always excelled when it comes to DLC, and The Old Hunters is no exception. It's simply some of the best Bloodborne content you'll ever find, especially if you blazed through the game last Spring and need a valid reason to relive the nightmare all over again.

The first Injustice was a well-done fighting game, but it's completely outclassed by its sequel. NetherRealm Studios offers up a love letter to the DC Universe and fighting game fans. An accessible combat system underpins a game with a great roster, tons of character customization, and several robust gameplay modes. The story mode alone is worth witnessing. As a complete package, Injustice 2 sets the bar for fighting games.

It's easy to fall in love with The Witness, and even easier to have your heart broken by the callous indifference of Jonathan Blow's beautiful island. A healthy challenge is good for any game, but the puzzles on display here offer few inroads to understanding for those who can't think exactly like their creator.

I went in to Battlefield 1 with admittedly low expectations. I was excited about the setting, but I had my doubts that DICE could execute on it given their recent track record. Thankfully, DICE not only does justice to World War I, but refocuses the series as well. Battlefield 1 does a great job of getting back to basics, and it's aided by some fantastic map design. Overall, this is the most fun that I've had with the series since Battlefield Bad Company 2, making it one of 2016's best shooters.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake sets out to fully re-imagine a classic RPG with improved combat and an expanded story. Unfortunately, it's hurt by weak side quests and a surplus of padding, and its biggest change is bound to be controversial. It's one of the most coherent and enjoyable Final Fantasy releases in years, but it's also likely to be one of the most divisive.

Despite the nagging feeling that something's missing, Pokémon X and Y make some huge leaps forward for both the competitive and casual crowds. I just wish these games felt as complete as their predecessors.

After two years of additions and tweaks, Capcom has finally gotten Street Fighter V into the state it should've launched in. What was only a tournament-ready fighter is now a robust package. A roster of 29 characters, the long-awaited Arcade Mode, Extra Battle, Challenges, a great Training Mode, and solid online play add up to a release that shouldn't be missed for avid fighting game fans.

Astral Chain is the directorial debut of Nier Automata designer Takahisa Taura, and it proves that he's a creator worth paying attention to. Part melodramatic anime, part overly complicated Tamagotchi, it's an eminently playable action role-playing game that delivers the pleasure of good teamwork in a way few singleplayer games accomplish. Building on action design ideas seeded in Nier, Astral Chain encourages you to bond with your beloved pet cybermonster both on and off the battlefield. Then, it teaches you how to fight as one.

Making excellent use of the visual novel medium to tell its story, Steins;Gate is a beautifully crafted piece of interactive fiction that blends character drama, sci-fi and critique of popular culture into a compelling and memorable whole.

While Sun & Moon doesn't change the basic Pokémon formula, it definitely freshens up the experience in welcome ways. With a great world, appealing graphics, reduced nuisance elements, and more opportunities to connect with your critters, this feels less like "the latest Pokémon game" and more like "the next Pokémon game."

Dragon Ball FighterZ is a class act of a fighter and I'm looking forward to more additions to the game from Arc System Works. (Videl, Broly, Master Roshi, and Mr. Satan are begging to be added to the roster as are alternate costumes for existing fighters.) What's here is a complete package, with a fighting game that's fun for fans, but still has depth for masters.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake for the Switch improves most of the flaws from the original game while maintaining (or enhancing) everything that makes Link's Game Boy adventure a classic. Its shiny new coat of paint suits it well, even if slowdown issues pop up from time to time. A few hours of play is all it takes to remind you why Zelda fans love Link's Awakening so very much.

Rocksteady absolutely nailed the feeling of being Batman and Arkham Knight only increases the scope of the original games. Yes, I got annoyed, but the moment-to-moment play of Batman: Arkham Knight is still amazing. If you've saved the Asylum and cleaned up the City, it's worth finishing the Knight off.