Eastward is a beautiful adventure, full of complexity and memorable characters that makes a world full of pixels seem larger than life.

A true achievement in game design and interactive fiction, Immortality is a gorgeous and haunting magic trick that sets a new standard for the medium.

The Forgotten City is a beauty to behold no matter the eye, a deeply contemplative story matched with wonderful puzzles based in classical antiquity.

Advancements in progression, narrative delivery, and player engagement, as well as refinements made to a near-perfect set of gameplay fundamentals, see Saros eclipse its predecessor and ascend to a throne above all others in the genre.

For a game, let alone a series, to have a 30 year long history and fanbase is no small feat and Revolution’s work has retained its audience and place in gaming culture for a reason. Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars is nothing short of a masterpiece, and the fact that we’re still playing this game decades after its initial release is proof of that. Reforged feels like the perfect way to honour the game’s past but modernise it for new audiences. There’s something calming about returning to a game that’s so familiar and such a part of who we are. I cannot thank Revolution enough for the joy that Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars has brought me over the years and I hope the game finds a new audience and sparks more love for the point-and-click genre.

The best Life is Strange game yet. Through the concept of empathy, True Colors manages to drive video game storytelling to new heights. An expanded scope, hugely impressive production values and new, bingeable format make this a must-play for fans of narrative adventures.

This is a game that hands you a hammer in the first thirty seconds, then introduces new and exciting nails for the next ten hours. A simple analogy, sure, but it works as beautifully as the game itself. Bionic Bay is one of those rare experiences that has such confidence in itself that it doesn’t need to muddy the water with bloat and uncertainty – it is precisely what it is, and what it is is excellent. Take a mystifying workplace accident, a rock solid visual identity and a hefty industrial soundscape, throw them together and serve on a bed of platforming mechanics that just refuses to quit.

Mixtape’s style, soundtrack and unique storytelling flair all combine to elicit feelings both new and long forgotten. Simple moments make you appreciate life for what it is: a continuous evolution rather than a static state of being. Our adolescent selves relished in that freedom, and Mixtape seeks to recapture the magic.

CD Projekt Red completes its redemption arc with an essential, meaty, and ultra-fine-tuned DLC expansion that elevates every aspect of Cyberpunk 2077.

Cult of the Lamb stands as a true masterpiece of not one but two genres. I just couldn’t find any issues that got in the way of my enjoyment of its various mechanics, and the love I have for my clan will continue long past the final boss encounter.

Immensely self-assured in the quality of its foundation, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach masterfully iterates and refines, while introducing considered additions that complement the experience, not complicate it.

Psychonauts 2 is exactly what I was hoping for in a follow-up. Double Fine has smartly refined its unique brand of platforming adventure while greatly expanding its narrative qualities. Plus, it's an absolute treat for the eyes and ears. This is how you do a sequel.

A gorgeous, towering watermark for choice-driven narratives, enlivening a heartfelt medieval saga to surpass the greats in prose and play.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a masterful example of passionate game creation, blending a white-knuckle comic book adventure with the beautiful pathos of being human. It is sensational. It is spectacular. It is Spider-Man. (Two).

Serving as both a clever and adoring return to a classic and an imaginative, mechanically perfected look to the future, Resident Evil 4 is Capcom’s best work and a new crown jewel for the long-running franchise.

AdHoc Studio have knocked it out of the park with its comedic take on the superhero life. Thanks to its high-quality graphics, voice acting, story, characters, music, and gameplay, you’ll be immersed the entire time you uncover the incredible story of Mecha Man and the Z-Team.

Tears of the Kingdom will overawe you with its scale and its imagination. It will demand your creativity and ingenuity in a way that few games would dare demand. It pays tribute to the things that have made this series so timeless, while also innovating so relentlessly that it will be the better part of a decade before any game is able to follow in its wake. Nearly four decades after The Legend of Zelda series made its debut, its latest instalment is a breathtaking high-point for the Zelda franchise, for Nintendo and for video games.

Simply put, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a masterpiece. Larian Studios has done such a phenomenal job at bringing back an IP that has laid dormant since 2000 (2013 if you count the Baldur’s Gate 2 remaster – I, do not) and inadvertently put out a game that spits in the face of contemporary, predatory game design. While I don’t think it will be the new standard of RPGs, I think it stands as an example for aspiring RPG developers that, when given the appropriate amount of time, an RPG does not have to conform to the lifeless norms that the AAA industry has fed us for so many years. Larian, you have truly outdone yourselves, and your work will more than likely stand as one of the greatest achievements in gaming.

I went in expecting the world out of the Demon’s Souls remake and it delivered me the galaxy. I don’t normally speak this highly of games, but this is the one exception. Absolutely every facet of the original has been enhanced and it has stood the test of time. Bluepoint has done an incredible job at not only reinvigorating an underappreciated gem, but also leveraging the new technologies afforded to them with Sony’s new system. While there are a couple of minor technical blemishes, they don’t take away from how good of an experience this game is and Bluepoint’s diligence as a developer will surely see these kinks ironed out. This game is a system seller.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder provides an experience so brimming with personality, innovation, creativity and charm that it thrusts the 2D perspective back into the centre of the way we think about Mario games, and if Nintendo sticks with this formula and builds on it, 2D Mario games are never going to have to play second fiddle ever again.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is an expertly executed series revival that displays the best of Ubisoft Montpellier’s pedigree while pushing the action-platformer to new highs.

NetherRealm Studios has scooped up all of its favourite toys and re-distributed them across the playroom in a way that has revivified the Mortal Kombat experience, birthing perhaps the most solid and enjoyable fighting game I have ever encountered.

Moss: Book II is an outstanding sequel, improving on the great foundations of the first game making it one of PSVR's must-play titles, even in 2022.

Solar Ash will go down as an absolute triumph of form and function, a storytelling masterclass amongst a perfectly crafted visual and audible feast. They left it to the last moment to drop right near the top of my best of 2021, but Heart Machine should be proud of their accomplishments across the board.

Buckshot Roulette is an oddly addicting beast. What starts as a series of frustrating dice rolls quickly progresses into a gripping, sinister experience that commands you to keep at it and master its dark payload. It quickly became a game I wanted to run in a window alongside other things, an interstitial challenge I can summon at will. The horrifying maw of the Dealer loomed in the darkness, and I was hungry to keep finding creative ways to force feed him buckshot.

To completely divorce myself from my long love of Warhammer, I would still estimate Space Marine 2 as an exceptional gaming experience. The narrative can only get as deep as the genre allows but even within those limits it plays with interesting ideas, the very nature of the beast being one of disconnection, with forty generous millennia distorting our concept of sensibility and preservation. This is a universe of conflict, pain, and endless peril, and Saber has made it incredibly fun to inhabit, with plenty of reasons to revisit and – most importantly – convince your mates to join in.

The thesis of Dragon’s Dogma’s sequel appears to be that the original was ahead of its time, and indeed will likely draw audiences back to the imaginative original. Dragons Dogma 2 is a game filled with genius ideas about how fantasy roleplaying can be turned into a video game. It requires unlearning much of what we take for granted in fantasy action adventures but rewards this with unique and dynamic world events that will constantly surprise players. It is a masterful sequel that polishes every element of its first draft, with the technology to make those ideas into a seamless adventure marked by heart-pounding threats and euphoric discoveries.

The Drifter has everything you want from a modern point-and-click adventure – a banging story, excellent characters that are unabashedly Australian, and expertly designed puzzles. It’s one of the best adventure games you’ll ever play and it feels like an evolution for the genre, and Powerhoof deserves all the acclaim about to come its way.

Easily the best Ratchet & Clank game in the series, Rift Apart also manages to be the most technically and graphically impressive game of the current generation so far.

An amazing new array of systems reinvents DOOM once again, delivering a bombastic and brutal new way to smash demons. With awesome new cosmic threats dying to meet the serrated edge of your shield, The Dark Ages may well be the best age for any aspiring Doom Slayer.

Even after all this time, there remains very few RPGs as creative, colourful and enjoyable as Persona 4 Golden. Though these new console additions don’t add too much to the experience, it was a journey already at a high level of quality and now more fans can experience and enjoy the murder mystery mayhem.

Monster Hunter Wilds manages to deliver on every expectation one would have for a new Monster Hunter game, before dropping the throttle and blasting through every expectation you didn’t even know you had. With gameplay shake ups, weapon tweaks and a brilliant range of monsters strewn across a score of incredible landscapes, Wilds is a different beast that establishes itself as well worth the hunt.

With its gorgeous visuals and punchy character arcs, Twisted Reflection supercharges the Monster Hunter Stories formula into a whole different beast. This isn't just a sequel – it’s a total glow-up for the series, packed with dazzling world-building and more iconic monsters than you can shake your Kinship Stone at.

A masterful, methodical journey through the shadows of Edo Japan – brilliantly polished and perfectly paced, my only real sadness is that there was not more of it.

Monster Hunter Rise shows a tremendous amount of progress in terms of game design and accessibility, even after the great strides that Monster Hunter World made in those fields, and continues to improve upon itself with interesting ideas like the new monsters and the Wirebug – this game is a must buy.

David Lynch would be proud of Lorelei and the Laser Eyes. It’s wild, clever and compelling in the best of ways, absurd in its visual style and challenging in its puzzles. Do not let this one pass you by.

Return to Monkey Island is a nostalgic and fun swashbuckling experience that delivers an adventure that fans of the series and genre have been waiting years for.

Donkey Kong Bananza is a game so committed to its premise you can’t help but revel in the gorgeous, destructive genius of it all. Constantly building to a spectacular finish and incorporating the most comprehensive post-game experience I have seen in a Nintendo game to date, this is a proper benchmark of brilliance for what a first-party Switch 2 title should be. The world is your oyster – so why not punch it into pieces.

With nothing more than a thumbstick and a face button, Cocoon demonstrates an elite level of game design and mechanical proficiency that few others in the genre could ever hope to achieve.

Resident Evil Requiem is an intoxicating mix of the series’ DNA, blending exhilarating action and palpable horror to make not only one of the best Resident Evil games, but one of the best modern survival horror experiences.

Creating a sequel to a 13-year-old cult favourite that moves into a new genre, creates connections to a shared universe and introduces a new protagonist is a significant gamble. If Alan Wake II was released and managed to be ‘good,’ many would see that as a win for Remedy, but this game is so much more than that. Unashamedly strange and wonderfully unique, Alan Wake II is one of the finest survival horror games I’ve played, and it’s one of the best games I’ve played in recent memory. An insane narrative, told from the perspective of two equally intriguing characters that are brought to life with convincing performances, accompanied by tense, engaging gameplay that evolves over the course of the game. Without hesitation, I can say that the 13-year wait was worth it in every way.

Over a 12 month period, Mortal Kombat 11 elevated itself from a good game, to a great game – and finally settled on being an excellent game. The next-gen upgrade has provided extra gravy to an already generous feast, cementing the title as an exceptionally well made fighting game with a plethora of enjoyable extra content.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon emerges ablaze with FromSoftware’s best impulses. Demanding and rewarding combat is bolstered by series signature customisation and player-driven storytelling to form a masterclass in design philosophy and raw fun.

Sea of Stars is a breathtaking ride through familiarity and originality, engaging in its mechanics and colourful in its story, culminating in some of the best twists and turns of any RPG I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying.

Despelote is yet another juicy example of the ability of hyper specific stories to unlock universally human feelings, rather than the often misguided attempts to generalise settings and identities to reach more people. I want more games like this, and thankfully smart companies like Panic keep publishing them.

Ghost of Yōtei is an improvement on Tsushima when measured by almost any metric. The beautiful open world is dense and invites exploration, the combat is tighter and more varied, but it’s Atsu’s personal, honest story of revenge and self-reflection that makes this an unforgettable masterpiece.

Backed by a stunning art style and the voice of Geralt of Rivia, Tails of Iron is an excellent action-adventure RPG that offers a challenging yet satisfying Souls-inspired experience in a captivating medieval world.

From the first moment I saw The Plucky Squire, I knew it was something special. Every trailer, every preview – right up to actually playing the game, it has delivered on every frolicsome promise that All Possible Futures showcased to us. The technology on display in bringing the book to life is so appreciable that you can’t help but gush about it to anyone within arms reach – it’s just slathered in that special something that elevates a game from being ‘just another notch’ on your interactive media bedpost, and instead reserves a spot in the hallowed halls of games you will love talking about and referencing for years to come.

Refinements made to the core game make Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut feel fresh, but the additions within the truly excellent Iki Island expansion elevate the game to completely new heights.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have been so surprised at the quality of Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus. It does, after all, feature members of the same team that impressed with their Metroid fan game AM2R, before Nintendo politely (I guess) asked them not to. Arguably one of Nintendo’s smartest moves yet given the results we have now, a bright and beautiful adventure that puts signature Metroidvania pathfinding and action to better use as a clever little blossom within an equally clever world. It’s a pure delight from start to finish, one that deserves all the attention amongst a sea of highly regarded titles already defining 2024, that captures the spirit of old-school action titles and stands out with unique visual palette. It is, in a word, breathtaking.

Nudging into pole position for this generation of the kart racing genre, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is all gas, great gimmicks and most importantly, great fun.

Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth wears its title on its sleeve, a seemingly endless amount of content to explore wrapped in an emotional and entertaining story. It’s Like A Dragon at its very, unique best.

With its eccentric elderly cast, intricate themes, unique agency mechanics and narrative structure, Wayward Strand is a compelling experience that reels you in and leaves you wanting to call your grandma.

The Switch has had a good run of major ports lately, and Persona 5 Royal is no exception. It may have taken a while to get here, but the journey is more than worthwhile for new and returning Thieves. And now, Smash fans will finally know who Joker really is.

Returnal is a challenging, atmospheric and creative experience that boasts amazingly smooth and satisfying gameplay. Add in an intriguing narrative, graphical excellence and some impressive utilisation of the DualSense controller and Returnal might just be an instant PlayStation classic.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a confident new IP, bold in its execution and not afraid to mix old and new ideas. It’s a stunning achievement, born from passion and raised within technical excellence equal to the best in the business. Go in unspoiled and be ready for a truly rewarding experience.

Gran Turismo 7 is the culmination of Polyphony’s 25 years of dedication to the racing genre and the automotive industry, and the final result is nothing short of outstanding, with only minor nuisances stopping it short of a perfect lap.

There’s plenty of space for engaging narratives that don’t rely on traditional gameplay and opportunities to craft smaller tales. A Memoir Blue manages both very well in the process of pulling at the heart strings in just the right way.

Warhorse has been quietly cooking up the greatest first-person roleplaying series of the last however many years. It overhauls little from the first game, instead improving on everything that made it such an ambitious, unwieldy beast. The fact this sequel builds upon everything I loved, means it’s a sequel that improves more than innovates. Make no mistake, there are glimmers of a masterclass, action-packed role-playing game here that has me thrilled for whatever Warhorse has in store next. Kingdom Come: Deliverance should now be regarded alongside greats like Oblivion and New Vegas.

Battlefield 6 had the weight of a franchise on its shoulders after the misstep that was 2042, a burden that only intensified with the promise of a return to the days of Battlefield 3 and 4. Stepping back into and refining the class system has reignited the squad-based fire that Battlefield is known for. At the same time, advancements to gunplay and player movement have resulted in some of the most satisfying moment-to-moment gameplay you can find in the first-person shooter genre. A serviceable campaign/tutorial, some fantastic maps, and a new mode that could unseat Conquest mark an incredible start for what should be a long-running title. Battlefield 6 is more than a return to form; it’s one of the best entries in the franchise.

MIO wears its tough-as-nails metroidvania influences proudly, but spends enough time contorting familiar ideas into punishing gauntlets and rewarding patience with dazzling artistic spectacle that it truly comes into its own.

Crafted with intelligence and brimming with chaotic good vibes, Helldivers 2 sets the kind of tone many others in the action space should take notice of, overcoming some early tech issues by being a sheer delight to play.

Moonglow Bay is an absolute delight. If casual experiences with a colourful cast of characters and mechanics that don’t annoy are something you’re looking for, I can’t recommend this fishing adventure enough. Visit for the emotional beats that will have you on the edge of tears and stay for the pure joy of discovery and quite relaxation. Fishing has never been my thing, until now.

Stray is everything I wanted from it, an enjoyable and engaging journey across a well told tale that is every bit as cute as it is mysterious. More importantly, it made me feel empowered and brave in the face of uncertainty – I can’t remember the last time I’ve audibly cried out in delight so many times in the space of a few hours. Cuteness overload, no doubt.

Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC has more meat on the bones than many full releases, and if you miss the beauty and punishment of the base game then the Shadow Realm beckons.

Resident Evil Village is a technical masterpiece, featuring a fantastically realised and foreboding setting with a great sense of balance between action and horror elements. The king of survival horror refuses to relinquish its crown.

Neon White perfectly captures the sense of speed without compromising on accuracy or enjoyment. It’s a ride that’s worth playing, whether to appreciate its finely tuned level design, its enjoyable narrative or that sense of accomplishment when you best a run on the first try.

As oddball as the puzzling puffball on the cover, Kirby Air Riders is a spectacular example of twisting preconceived expectations into something weird, wonderful and altogether incredible – inviting you to go fast and kick arse in equal parts.

Icarus boldly stakes its claim amongst giants in the field and swiftly proves to be a worthy contender. Everything I saw in the lead up to the release of Icarus made it seem too good to be true, but my faith and patience was rewarded many times over when I finally got to drop planetside for the first time, and the time after that, and the time after that. Icarus is going up on my list of favourite things to come out of New Zealand, alongside pavlova and Lord of the Rings.

Ultros is one of those rare beasts that ticks many, many boxes for what makes a game memorable, right from the second its title screen sucker punches you with its prismatic panache.

With stunning visuals, incredible performances and a poignant and grim narrative that hits hard, A Plague Tale: Requiem is a truly compelling journey even if it buckles under its own ambitions along the way.

A welcome return by Drinbox Studios, in a title that manages to entertain on various fronts. It's an action RPG definitely worth diving into a dungeon for, with a lot more exploration needed for those looking for every secret.

Despite its undeniable use of core FromSoftware mainstays in building its foundations, Lies of P emerges as so much more than a simple imitation. The game’s origin points, both expected and strange, belie the clarity of vision that is found throughout almost every aspect, whether borrowed, adapted, improved upon, or wholly original. Round8 proves itself more than capable of pulling the strings, which makes the game’s absolutely fucking wild post-credits tease all the more exciting and hilarious. A delightfully mean world inhabited by equally spiteful creatures and a bevy of sharpened tools with which to go hunting, Lies of P is a tremendously fun surprise.

Taking everything learnt from Void Bastards, Wild Bastards is an inventive spiritual sequel, blending strategy and shooter perfectly within its space cowboy antics. It’s a must play, no doubt.

Such is the joy of Two Point. It’s a lot of lessons about middle-to-upper management under capitalist rule, and it’s also a lot of slapstick gags and grueling puns. It could partly be because this is the richest and most polished effort from the team so far, but I reckon the Museum theme might have Hospital beat for what it brings to the little sim-lite niche that Two Point has carved for itself.

Conscript will drag you into the mud, but the exhausting fight out is worth it.

Fans of Control or those simply curious about who ‘that Alan Wake guy’ is would do well to pick this remastered edition up. At a solid asking price, it’s a fantastic narrative experience that’s worth playing even with the janky older controls, while returning fans will get a kick out of reliving the experience on modern hardware.

Street Fighter 6 is a remarkably satisfying, stylish and approachable fighter that not only redefines a legacy fighting series but an entire genre.

Unpacking is the perfect game to unwind with and provides unique and cosy storytelling through its simple point-and-click mechanics that will keep players wanting more.

Ragnarök chooses iteration over innovation, but continues to operate in a league of its own in terms of its nuanced gameplay and otherworldly technical execution. This is the new posterchild for what the PS5 is capable of, and the passionate product of a development outfit that can seemingly do no wrong.

It’s an abundance of well written humour that bridges the gap between Skin Deep’s surprisingly deep gameplay and storytelling, despite a few hiccups along the way. I chuckled consistently as each new interaction played out in violent, amusing bursts, popping a few heads and scrambling around the outer hull to surprise an unexpected pirate or two. Sure, it’s not a Sam Fisher scenario, but if you’ve been hankering for a stealth experience with a twist, I can’t recommend this enough.

Despite first appearances, Mini Motorways is a rewarding check-in with oneself rather than a simulation of traffic management and logistical network development. It’s a meditative simplification of city builders, like if Sim City was a bonsai that only needed the gentlest of tending, and maybe the occasional congestion-busting bypass.

Amnesia Rebirth is a cruel yet mesmerising experience that goes above and beyond in not only its existential horror but its intuitive puzzles and gripping story that goads you ever onwards.

A surprisingly complex and mechanically perfect condensation of the Soulsborne experience into the boss rush genre. Eldest Souls not only joins the ranks of its genre champs Titan Souls and Furi, it defeats them.

Immortals is more than just a fun open-world with slick combat and massive Breath of the Wild vibes, it's also a superbly written and legitimately funny take on Greek mythology. This is one of Ubisoft's best games in years.

As baseball games go, MLB: The Show 24 is the only team on the field to choose from but handles its license wonderfully well. No doubt long time players will have their gripes with some of the minor changes here or there, that’s a given when yearly titles constantly attempt to evolve, but if you’re like me and want to experience a baseball game for the first time, this is a no-brainer choice. It’s also reflective of what sports titles should be aiming for; a game that isn’t throwing the microtransactions at you in every menu and that treats the history of the sport with respect while sharing it to a larger audience. There’s still space to evolve further, and there will always be another yearly cycle, but the San Diego Studio team are putting in the work and that should be applauded.

Death's Door feels great to play, it's beautiful to look at, and the characters and world are beyond memorable – clock in and get your reap on.

I enjoyed my time watching the little Tempopo buds flapping about to my unintentionally silly commands, perhaps more so than solving the puzzles themselves. I don’t know what that makes me, but it’s a sign that Witch Beam has crafted more than just another puzzle game to wile away a few hours. There’s a lot of love and care in each element of its design, making it desirable to every level of skill or age.

While the original will always have its place in the hearts of many players, The Last of Us Part I is the definitive way to experience the beginning of Joel and Ellie’s journey, even if the price is a little steep.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is a visual and technical marvel that introduces a number of features that, while not essential, absolutely add to the overall experience.

Echoes of Wisdom is an exemplary game. It has completely obliterated the limitations of the old top-down Zelda formula and will have huge gameplay ramifications for the next generation of Legend of Zelda games, whatever form they take (Zelda Maker seems so obvious). It’s heartbreaking to see some control oversights and the glossy plastic art direction hampered slightly by the technical wobbles. I barely cared, though. I just wonder how I’ll be able to go back to the overhead adventures of the little green-hooded twink after this.

Throughout the 12ish hours it took me to roll credits, you can see that this is a developer that understands adventure games and their players. With a story that is engaging from start to finish and is packed full of memorable characters, mostly satisfying puzzles and has a gorgeous art style and immersive soundtrack to boot, Inklingwood Studios has nailed the brief for what it takes to create an outstanding adventure, and to do it with its first try is very impressive. But the real feather in its cap is the quality of life features that ensure the player never loses momentum and spends their time enjoying the good stuff.

Evil West might wear old-school clothes, but under the hood it's a modern stunner. Gorgeous and gutsy, the tale of Jesse Rentier paints a dark world where the best way to illuminate your path is by way of a shocking Tesla-powered knuckle duster. It deftly navigates some of the pitfalls that are to be expected when forging a new IP and drops a winning hand that is more aces than eights.

P3P is still a terrific remake from a bygone era and a gold standard in handheld JRPGs on the Switch.

Thanks to a star-studded voice cast, Earth Must Die is a hilarious sci-fi romp that features plenty of laughs and crude jokes. And while its comedy won’t land for everyone, its meticulous and clever design, and stunning cartoon visuals make it an early contender for adventure game of the year.

Fully invested, second screen, or idle in the background, no matter how you interact with Cast n Chill it calmly meets you on your own terms and provides a serene, relaxing experience.

The underdog in Monolith Soft's Xenoblade Chronicles series has never looked or played better, giving new life to a game that could have been destined to rot in the ill-fated WiiU’s library. By boldly refitting its systems and gently touching up the already-beautiful art, along with adding some welcome chunks of all-new content, this Definitive Edition of Xenoblade Chronicles X is essential playing for fans new and old.

Proving there's almost nothing that can't be painted with the roguelite brush, Ball x Pit manages a dangerously intoxicating blend of arcade brick-breaking, ball-based alchemy and town planning that I haven't been able to put down.