Mortal Kombat 11 delivers an engrossing, content-rich fighting game experience that stands as one of the best entries in the long-running, blood-soaked franchise.
Slay the Spire is one of the best deck-building games we've played, featuring addicting, strategic combat blended with a satisfying roguelike gameplay loop.
Super Mario Maker 2 offers a short but sweet story mode and even more robust level creation tools, with truly impressive user-created levels that are a blast to play.
Control offers over-the-top action, a bizarre but interesting story, and a focus on fun over realism that helps solidify it as one of the year's best.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is a mammoth expansion with plenty of new monsters that will push players' skill, and their patience, to the limit.
As far as exercise games go, Ring Fit Adventure is quite easily one of the best to date, delivering fun and genuine exercise in equal measure.
Call of Duty: Warzone is a top tier battle royale game, putting its emphasis on action and fun over looting and inventory management.
Doom Eternal is a non-stop thrill ride, barraging players with incredible fast-paced action from the opening mission to its blood-soaked finale. Fans of the franchise should be thrilled with it, and anyone looking for a meaty FPS to fill their time can't go wrong with this game.
The lack of online co-op in the new Battletoads is definitely the game's biggest flaw, so if fans can overlook that, they will find what is otherwise a great beat 'em up throwback with hilarious scenes, fun combat, and plenty of variety. And with it being on Xbox Game Pass, subscribers have no reason not to check it out. Overall, this Battletoads comeback is a major success and is sure to leave a smile on players' faces, and so hopefully fans don't have to wait 26 years for the next entry in the series.
Bowser's Fury is great while it lasts, but it is admittedly short, and so Super Mario 3D World's high price tag on Switch may be hard to swallow for those that have already played through the game on Wii U. Double-dipping makes more sense for someone who is wanting to take advantage of Super Mario 3D World's online co-op functionality, but other returning players may want to wait for a sale. However, anyone that hasn't played Super Mario 3D World on the Wii U should go out and buy Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury on Switch immediately, as it is a fantastic Super Mario 3D platforming experience with enough content to keep fans busy for weeks.
The next-gen upgrade for Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time makes an already fantastic and content-rich platforming game even better.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is the definitive way to experience the game, and the Yuffie Intermission DLC is a must-play for fans.
Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a compelling twist on The Legend of Zelda formula that will appeal to fans of Nintendo's popular franchise.
Psychonauts 2 was worth the 16-year wait, as it's easily Double Fine's best game so far and a strong contender for Game of the Year.
As it stands, Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is the comprehensive, definitive Ghost of Tsushima experience. Its new multiplayer mode isn't in the game yet but will be coming soon, and in the meantime, fans still have the current Ghost of Tsushima: Legends experience to check out, the base game's story mode with PS5 features, and the substantial Iki Island expansion. Newcomers and returning fans alike have reason to check out Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut, with it hopefully keeping fans satisfied until they can get their hands on Sucker Punch's first game built exclusively with the PlayStation 5 in mind.
Arkane Studios hits it out of the park with Deathloop, an infinitely entertaining first-person shooter stealth game with an intriguing PvP twist.
Lemnis Gate's incredibly innovative turn-based FPS concept makes it something truly unique and the potential sleeper hit of the year.
Resident Evil 4 VR succeeds in making a 16-year-old gaming experience feel completely brand new and delivers Oculus Quest 2 its first killer app.
There's room for improvement in a potential Pokemon Legends: Arceus sequel, but what's here will still keep Pokemon fans busy for hours on end. Pokemon Legends: Arceus's gameplay is simple but incredibly rewarding, stripping away much of the tediousness that has plagued recent entries in the series to focus on what's fun. Those who grew up with Pokemon should like it especially, as while it makes dramatic changes to the core formula, it somehow feels truer to the spirit of Pokemon than the older releases.
'Cat game' Stray accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, delivering an authentic cat experience in the form of an adorable puzzle/platformer.