Blaine Smith
Every facet of God of War has been created as a labor of love. Seldom do we see such a complete, whole experience in modern gaming. God of War is nothing short of a modern day masterpiece.
Roguebook has everything it needs to set the genre on fire. A gorgeous visual feast, combat as deep and challenging as any CCG, rewarding roguelike mechanics – it has it all. If you're a fan of the genre, this one is quickly setting up to be a GOTY contender.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is nothing short of a masterpiece. The story is incredible, the world gorgeous and immersive, voice-over and writing of the highest quality, an amazing soundtrack, everything comes together in near perfect harmony. It’s not only the best RPG of the year, it’s the RPG of a generation.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is the best tale the franchise has ever told, featuring the most varied and rewarding gameplay the series has seen in years. Valhalla will forever dine in Odin's Hall as one of the greatest RPGs of this generation.
Bloober Team has long established itself as a purveyor of innovative and frightening horror experiences, but it will be tough to outdo this one. The Medium is a terrifying and disturbing look into the darkest recesses of human behavior, wrapped in an immersive, atmospheric, and beautiful looking game world.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a Flarkin Fantastic game. It's easily the best game of the year so far. My only disappointment? We need more Lipless.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction is one of the most intense and exciting co-op experiences available today. It's an incredible addition to the Siege universe and one that stands alone as a fantastic demonstration of innovation in an otherwise stagnating genre.
Despite its brilliance, Lost Ark's ARPG nature won't be for everyone. However, if you've been yearning for a new free-to-play experience to explore, you won't get much better than this. The combat is exciting, the progression is quick and accessible, everything about Lost Ark screams a level of quality we've not seen in an MMO for many years.
To keep it simple, Two Point Campus delivers. It’s everything fans of Two Point Studios’ works would expect. An expertly crafted management simulation experience with the perfect amount of humor, wonderfully designed characters, and charming graphics, it is a game full of heart from start to finish.
Gotham Knights is up there with Elden Ring as a Game of the Year contender. Its fast, responsive, and action-packed combat is surpassed only by a narrative that had me glued from the very first cutscene. A must-play for fans of open-world titles, and an easy pickup for anyone invested with the Gotham Knights or DC Universe.
Marvel's Midnight Suns is, without question, my Game of the Year and has quickly become one of my favorite games of all time.
Simply put, Starfield is Bethesda's greatest-ever RPG. The living, breathing universe they have created is one of the most impressive in the gaming space and the sound effects and musical score push the immersion to near perfection. If only I could stop speaking to the back of NPC's heads.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is a tale of redemption in its purest form. No rubbish, no corpo spin, dedication, passion, and determination to deliver on promises made long ago. The team at CD Projekt Red may have taken a rough road to get here, but now they can rest easy. Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is finally, the game we all hoped it would be.
Mortal Kombat 1 delivers one of the most impressive and exciting storylines I’ve ever experienced in this genre. The voice acting, the facial animations, everything comes together in near-perfect harmony. Fighting is fun, challenging, and rewarding every step of the way. Mortal Kombat 1 is brutally brilliant, and probably the best Mortal Kombat game I’ve ever played.
For The King 2 is the perfect sequel. It takes the very best components of its predecessor and uses those time-tested elements to raise the series to new heights. To put it simply, For The King 2 is one of the best strategy-based co-op experiences on the market today.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 feels like the first proper RPG I’ve played in years. Its world is captivating, filled with stories both told and waiting to be found. This is a must-play for RPG fans who’ve grown tired of the hand-holding nature of modern games and just want to get lost somewhere magical and quite frankly, brutal as hell.
Detroit: Become Human is a stellar example of storytelling in the video game space. What initially seems like a futuristic science-fiction story quickly steers into a very real struggle of freedom vs. oppression which has been endured throughout history. With just one single playthrough, Detroit: Become Human will warm your heart, provoke your thoughts, and light a fire in your stomach.
Marvel's Spider-Man is a complete package that near-flawlessly combines elements of the RPG world with the thrilling combat of an action-driven experience. Whether you're a hardcore spidey fan or just like to dabble in spandex, Marvel's Spider-Man is, in a word, amazing.
You'll struggle to find a more immersive and rewarding setting in which to forge your own odyssey. A detailed environment combining both the realistic and mythical aspects of Ancient Greece, everything comes together to deliver a narrative-driven, open-world RPG that rivals the biggest names in the genre. Put simply, Assassin's Creed Odyssey is the complete package.
Two Point Hospital is a colorful clown car of character, warmth, and comedy. Spend some time under the hood, however, and you'll find a deep, rewarding, and challenging simulation experience.