Genshin Impact's open world and clever combat are fantastic, but its endgame tries way too hard to milk you for cash.
I cannot help but smile every time I think about Dragon's Dogma.
Helldivers is hands down one of my favorite multiplayer experiences of this year.
OlliOlli2 has extracted the very essence of skateboarding and poured it into two-dimensional bliss.
By making excellent use of its procedurally generated world and wacky gadgets, Heat Signature is a mission worth taking.
Even if its new loot system is a bust, Battle for Azeroth is a vibrant expansion full of wondrous new locales to explore, characters to meet, and stories to tell.
Warframe's daunting complexity doesn't detract from its delicious combat and flexible progression.
The Taken King might not make up for that first year and all of its shambling about, but it puts Destiny on a path that, as someone who spent all of last year whining endlessly to anyone who would listen, I can finally shut my mouth and just enjoy the game. If that isn't an incredible feat, I don't know what is.
While the sweetest fruits will be saved for those with an appreciation of philosophy and history, the elation of solving a puzzle that you spent an evening trying to crack is a reward that anyone can enjoy.
What makes Darkest Dungeon a fascinating experience isn't the rich character progression and overarching strategy, but the way it manages to make each character feel like a living, breathing human before asking you how much you'll ruin them to increase your bottom line. There's pockets of subtext that I continually filled with my own moral struggle. Spaces left ingeniously blank where, when I allow myself to reflect on my actions, I realize that the greatest evil isn't waiting at the end of a dimly lit crypt. It is sitting right in this chair, typing these words.
The additional layer of choice, breathtaking scenery, and colorful sidequests make Odyssey not only the best Assassin's Creed to date, but one of the best RPGs since The Witcher 3.
If Blizzard can continue to deliver, Legion sets the stage for what could be the best chapter of World of Warcraft yet.
Bloody and captivating, Valhalla is Assassin's Creed at its best.
Stormblood's rousing tale of rebellion and exceptional boss fights aren't just exquisite by MMO standards, but rival even the most beloved Final Fantasy games.
Coupled with a striking new world to explore, Shadowbringers' poignant and character-driven story is one of the best in the entire series.