Matt Bianucci
Arise: A Simple Story creates an entire package whose diverse gameplay, beautiful environments, and touching story make for a fully immersive and unmissable experience.
F1 2020 improves on virtually every aspect of the series, combining a satisfying and detailed on-track experience with a variety of old and new modes that allow for a comprehensive and engaging racing simulation.
Ys IX: Monstrum Nox brings a wide array of impressive gameplay elements in concert with a wonderful cast of characters to make an exhilarating, thoughtful package that's one of the series' best.
Much of F1 2021 builds on the high-class foundation from previous games that make the series one of the best racing games out there, but new additions, especially Braking Point, are both great pieces of content on their own and optimistic foundational pieces for the future.
Planet Zoo is a worthy spiritual successor to Zoo Tycoon and makes improvements in virtually every area to bring the genre into a new generation.
Journey to the Savage Planet combines a hilarious and upbeat tone with a constant sense of discovery and progression to make for a fantastic explorative experience.
Despite some frustrating design choices, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 makes some welcome additions to the One Piece story and the simple yet enjoyable combat, making for a great entry in the saga.
Streets of Rage 4 impressively combines classic arcade beat-'em-ups with modern day adjustments to create a fantastic sense of progression and reward in a retro setting.
Despite a shallow loot system, Minecraft Dungeons crafts an enjoyable and relaxing dungeon crawling experience that offers something for both fans of the series and fans of the genre.
CrossCode creates a wonderful world for its characters to immerse themselves and for us to explore, and its gameplay allows it to also be a wonderfully complex RPG.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game made good on the promise that movie tie-in games usually failed to keep, and the Complete Edition proves that virtually the entire package is just as enjoyable over a decade later.
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy overshadows its monotonous alchemy system with a fitting combination of charm, exploration, and a dynamic, living world.
While it misses the chance to transcend the sum of its parts, Maquette tells a beautifully relatable story with a gorgeous presentation, accompanied by a clever and unique size-bending puzzler.
Outriders actively props up its own strengths and encourages you to employ them, organically allowing you to experience its full potential and mostly outweighing a disjointed story.
While not a monumental upgrade over past installments, WRC 10 makes some welcome changes to the formula that continue to make it a must-play for fans of the sport.
Diablo 2: Resurrected is a faithful, meticulous remaster that shows just how well the original has aged.
Back 4 Blood wastes no time trying to divert your attention from its obvious influences, but it doesn’t need to when it nearly lives up to the expectations its spiritual predecessors set so high.
There’s an immediate familiarity for House of Ashes in the Dark Pictures catalog, but this entry is as thematically complex and consequently engaging as any game in the series so far.
The King of Fighters XV is a huge upgrade over its predecessor in its visuals and presentation, and its minor tweaks to gameplay make an already stellar franchise even better.
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen is yet another reason Bungie’s epic living world has this type of staying power, and new and existing players alike have every reason to jump in here.