A mixture of lovely characters and a world brimming with imaginative ideas is complemented by a rock-solid combat system and experimental platforming that blend together strangely, but just works. If you're after a smaller adventure in-between the coming month's biggest releases, not much will shine brighter than this gem.
For a reasonable price you can own Bayonetta and Vanquish – two of the greatest action games ever made, and they’ve aged like a fine Japanese wine, proving exactly why PlatinumGames is the best in the business when it comes to character-driven action experiences.
Valve has surpassed impossible expectations with Half-Life: Alyx, bringing a series long thought buried back into the limelight with extraordinary impact. While some might find it unfortunate that such an experience is housed inside virtual reality, I feel it's an innovative step forward for the series. If you have the means to play it, Half-Life: Alyx is absolutely essential.
Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition is a triumphant return for a JRPG classic. It doesn't change enough to attract previous doubters, yet enhances the foundations in a number of tremendous ways. It's never looked, sounded or played as good before, meaning it's the perfect time for eager newcomers and familiar adventurers to jump in.
This is the definitive way to experience Horizon Zero Dawn and the Frozen Wilds expansion if you're in possession of a PC to take advantage of its highest settings.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is a triumphantly ambitious venture which pushes the boundaries of photorealism in the gaming medium. It requires a lot of horsepower and the support of Azure technology to accomplish such a feat, but these barriers are washed away when you're staring down at endless cities and thick jungles from thousands of feet in the air. It's breathtaking, and I hope it brings such simulators further into the mainstream.
Mortal Shell is one of the year's biggest gaming surprises, offering a deep, fascinating journey into a melancholic world. It takes blatant inspiration from Dark Souls and Bloodborne,. But innovative tweaks to its combat and progression mechanics let it easily stand on its own two feet.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a triumph, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio should be commended for redefining such a seasoned franchise, despite the backlash it might have received. Leaving Kazuma Kiryu behind hasn't been easy, but Ichiban Kasuga and company have crafted a compelling path into the future that I cannot wait to see continue.
Stardew Valley is the best of its kind, surpassing the classic titles it shamelessly imitates to create one of the most delightful games of the past decade.
Persona 5 Royal is the definitive version of the modern classic JRPG, merging new elements that fit naturally but not quite fixing some of its most noticeable flaws.
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury is both a welcome return for a platforming classic and a novel expansion of what made the game so special back on the Wii U. There's a solid chance that millions of players missed out on its excellence back in 2013, so now is the perfect time to take it for a spin.
It Takes Two is some of the most fun I've had with a game this year. Me and my partner screamed with endless delight at its conveyor belt of cute, innovative ideas for a genre that seldom tries new things outside of a few beloved exceptions.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake is one of the finest JRPGs in recent memory, setting a new benchmark for visuals and real-time combat in the series while managing to begin retelling one of gaming’s greatest tales in grandiose fashion. It’s just a crying shame we have to twiddle our thumbs and wait for the next chapter.
Melody of Memory is a loving homage to the legacy of Kingdom Hearts, aiming to honour almost two decades of absurd excellence whilst also forging a new path forward. If any franchise is going to make a rhythm game an integral part of its overall plot, it's Kingdom Hearts, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is the best game Vanillaware has ever made. This entrancing tale of teenagers thwarting the apocalypse through the means of giant robots and time travel is truly one of a kind, subverting the tropes we’ve come to expect from anime and science-fiction to craft a story that easily sits amongst the genre’s best.
Its attachment to the past can hold it back from greatness, especially in regards to its dedication to bombastic set-pieces and a hesitation to explore its own ideas. Village is drenched in excellence throughout, but the occasional fumble stops it from reaching the heights of both its predecessor and the seminal masterpiece it is so desperate to imitate. There’s also not nearly enough big lady - she needs her own game.
Those looking for an easygoing yet surprisingly deep JRPG will be taken with Monster Hunter Stories 2, even if some of its more notable flaws are harder to forgive. But once you look past those, you’re left with a wondrous little adventure with an engaging battle system, lovable characters, and an emotionally resonant narrative that sunk its claws in far deeper than I ever expected it to. If you’ve never been able to vibe with the mainline games, give this one a punt.
NEO: The World Ends With You is the sequel we’ve been waiting for. While its new cast of characters have a lofty legacy to live up to, they manage to cement themselves as equally memorable even if their own journey begins to intersect with one we know so well. Combat falls victim to repetition, yet the ideas that surround it are substantial enough that such flaws are easy to forgive. If you’re after a vast JRPG adventure, it’s time to surrender yourself to the underground and never look back. TWEWY is back, and I hope it’s here to stay.
Much like the real world, everyone’s hopes and dreams are different, and it’s this uniqueness that makes them so undeniably beautiful. It’s a poetic struggle, and stopping to appreciate the instances of silence on a road filled with tragedy and heartbreak helps Road 96 feel like something I’ve never played before. Road 96 feels like an experience created by a studio that understands the fragility of the world we exist in, seeking to project these issues onto a fictional world where comparing them with our own is all too easy. Subtlety isn’t the objective here, and by pulling no punches, this game manages to say something well worth listening to.
Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is the best version of an accomplished open world adventure with great characters, excellent combat, and a setting that is constantly inviting to explore. While the base game falters in its storytelling, the Iki Island expansion manages to tell a nuanced story of parental influence and the challenge of moving on from the past in spite of your personal allegiances. It’s the most human Jin Sakai has ever been, yet the brief campaign and emphasis on familiar busywork hold it back from potential greatness. If you didn’t like the game before, this won’t change your mind, but fans will find a lot of added brilliance to dig into here alongside a narrative journey well worth taking.