Motive Studios delivers a remake that isn't just a faithful adaption of Dead Space for the modern age, but a love letter to the entire franchise. New narrative tweaks, the addition of a talking protagonist, and open exploration across the ship add up to a stellar horror experience.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake was a great example of how to rebuild a classic for modern audiences. 7 Rebirth follows the same trajectory, while also building upon every aspect of the previous. Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is a well-optimized PC port that shows Square Enix learned a lot from its predecessor, both technologically, and otherwise. Deeper combat gameplay, a massive world with a boatload of side content, with every major location from the previous game rebuilt and celebrated in new and unexpected ways. While some of the game's open world content can devolve into a bit of a Ubisoft-style collect-a-thon, some of the quests add interesting new lore and come with potent rewards and bespoke dungeons along the way. FF7 Rebirth shines most in its more linear story-heavy sections in my view, which absolutely over-deliver on the nostalgic expectations of fans of the original, all while creating something fresh. I'm still sceptical of Final Fantasy 7's "newer" plot elements, but it doesn't stop the game from being an absolute trip, for fans both old and new.

It's great to see that the franchise makes a triumphant debut on Microsoft's machine because many gamers expressed concerns about optimization and other issues before launch. If you like challenging experiences along the lines of Dark Souls, be sure to give Monster Hunter: World a go. The game will keep you engaged for dozens of hours because it takes patience more than anything to become a legendary hunter.

Microsoft Flight Simulator expands to Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S as a truly next-generation experience, presenting a technical showcase to flex these new systems. The title sports commendable optimizations on console and maintains solid performance, especially as a title reputable for pushing the best PC hardware out there. While Xbox Series X renders striking vistas with a 4K target, it's the Xbox Series S that takes the spotlight with incredible results on this $299 box. It's the toughest test yet on next-generation systems, but a slick port makes it snag-free.

Make no mistake, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a true work of art, a hallmark of excellence for the medium, and an example to be followed. That said, a bit more polish would have gone a long way to put the icing on this very glorious cake.

This is a tough one to review. I put hundreds of hours into Monster Hunter Worlds, which represents what is arguably my favorite game of last gen, and maybe even a top 5 of all time for me. As such, you can imagine how excited I was to play Wilds. Unfortunately, a variety of design oversights holds Monster Hunter Wilds from achieving the high bar set by its predecessors, which shows how fragile the ecosystem of Monster Hunter is when poorly balanced. Wilds is simply far too easy, which means you rarely need to upgrade gear, you don't need to farm mats, you don't need to adjust tactics, or repeat-fight monsters — I'm by no means "pro," but the fact I died only once all the way through to high rank is not representative of the challenge that makes the game's various systems rewarding to use. As epic as the new monsters are, as awesome as the environment design is, and as fun as hunting with friends remains — the core Monster Hunter experience felt a bit degraded in Wilds. Without some balance tweaks, I'm not sure Monster Hunter Wilds will achieve the longevity of its predecessor, but new players may appreciate the gentler learning curve.

Yakuza 0 is a quirky and addictive action game that every Xbox One owner should play.

Some technical issues aside, it's a masterwork of emotion, and a game that shows developer Remedy Entertainment still has plenty of surprises up its sleeves.

The campaign is still just as epic as before. The multiplayer is tremendous and offers a whole different challenge to its sibling, Infinite Warfare, with a much different way of approaching the game and your tactics inside it. And it looks terrific, especially if you look at it nine years ago first.

COCOON captured my interest from its first reveal trailer, and now it's one of my favorite games of the year. This unique, beautiful, mysterious puzzle-adventure game enraptures you from the first few seconds of gameplay, and keeps you entranced for its short runtime with fascinating world design, genuinely clever and engaging puzzles, and some of best visuals in gaming this year.

From the beginning of the game to the end credits, I loved Sea of Stars. It has an engaging combat system, gorgeous pixel-art graphics, a large variety of intriguing side content, and a fantastic plot featuring a charming world, likable characters, and crazy twists that I didn’t see coming. If you grew up playing JRPGs in the 1990s or are a younger fan who likes JRPGs in general, then I guarantee you’ll love Sea of Stars.

While the game's creativity shines in its beat-by-beat gameplay and level design, It Takes Two's selling point — its narrative — feels half-baked.

The Resident Evil 4 remake is finally complete with the release of Separate Ways, and it's exactly what you'd expect — more RE4, but this time with more Ada. Missing story pieces, expansions over the original, and the addition of a grappling hook are all worthwhile additions that make the Separate Ways DLC a brilliant addition to Resident Evil 4 (2023).

Stardew Valley is [one of] the most intriguing and engaging games you'll play in 2016, and maybe 2017. If you want a break from all the skull-crushing and bullet sponges, and want to kick back and relax while actually feeling like you're accomplishing things, buy it.

FUGA: Melodies of Steel cuts through the bleakness of its setting with heartwarming characters and childlike optimism, although its punishing turn-based tactical play may force you into gut-wrenching perma-death situations. FUGA is an underrated gem, and deserves the attention of JRPG fans everywhere.

CD Projekt RED brings a thrilling race against time where you must save the president and go undercover, all while trusting no one. Combined with the free but accompanying 2.0 update, Phantom Liberty delivers an experience that even disappointed players of the base game should definitely check out.

NetherRealm and Warner Bros Studios have delivered a fantastic sequel with Injustice 2. This is a fighting game overflowing with polish and charm. The particular fighting mechanics might not appeal to everybody, but adjust to them and it's almost impossible not to have a good time. If you love fighting games or DC characters, Injustice 2 is a must-buy.

With a colossal open world packed with well over 100+ hours of engaging content, substantially improved combat compared to the original KCD, and more, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an undeniable triumph from Warhorse Studios. It's one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and will undoubtedly be in the conversation for 2025's Game of the Year.

Immortality is unlike any other game. It's wildly ambitious, gorgeously shot, well acted, and incredibly unique. You might think you understand the straightforward gameplay, which requires you to match clips together to uncover the story of actress Marissa Marcel, but you have no idea what you're getting into and what you'll be at the end.

Dishonored 2 is an amazing game. Played entirely in first-person, the freedom it bestows players closely resembles that of the Elder Scrolls games. Although the game is broken up into distinct levels rather than an open world, each chapter is huge and filled with atmosphere, detail, and myriad nooks and crannies to explore. The Empire really feels like a believable steampunk world, one with countless stories to tell.

If you loved DOOM 2016, you simply have to buy DOOM Eternal. The gunplay achieves all-new heights, with new gore mechanics, spectacular new weaponry, and varied demons from DOOM's vast back catalog (as well as some new ones, no spoilers though, sorry!)…I can't help but wonder why id Software felt the need to triple-down on the mild platforming elements DOOM 2016 introduced, because all they do is add road bumps to where you really want to be — in the midst of the DOOM hellscape, ripping and tearing demonic creatures from the depths. Thankfully, DOOM Eternal brings plenty of that. And then some.

Valendis is a beautifully pixelated world with a rich history in this story-driven RPG. The initial introductions drag on a bit long, but once the story picks up it pays off in the end. Chained Echoes manages to introduce useful mechanics to its combat with the Overdrive system that work with the player while challenging them to change up their gameplay and strategy at the same time while still affording plenty of room for customization and accessibility.

The port of Halo 3 to PC is excellent across the board, and the addition of new features and content make it the best the game has ever felt to play.

Croteam has created an uncanny post-biological-human world full of Artificial Intelligence, and they are decidedly unique and interesting characters you actually want to interact with and care about. The Talos Principles 2's puzzles are challenging but fair, and rewarding to solve.

Neva cements Nomada Studio as a master of color and art design, with phenomenal visuals and animations that make the powerful, emotional narrative even more impactful. Neva also dramatically improves gameplay versus GRIS with satisfying combat and platforming. My only major grip is that the journey is simply over too soon.

Wolfenstein II is a glorious single-player experience that stands proud in a AAA industry that seems increasingly obsessed with multiplayer and "Games as a Service" business models. Wolfenstein II is a pure experience that shooter fans cannot afford to miss.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an amazing game. Obsidian has gifted the already cluttered RPG genre with an excellent title that offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay. Puzzles, ship combat, side quests, exploration, and other activities keep you occupied along the way.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a great game which lives up to Ninja Theory's strong history of producing excellent action titles like DmC: Devil May Cry, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and Heavenly Sword. Its approach to presenting mental illness in a way many people can understand is also remarkable. The use of stellar voice acting enhances the experience and gives it a "AAA" feel despite the fact that it costs a fraction of that.