Marshall Honorof
Metroid Dread meets - and arguably surpasses - its lofty expectations, with demanding gameplay, clever level design and an ambitious story.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the exclusive title the PS5 has been waiting for. With finely tuned gameplay, an ambitious story and terrific production values, it's a high-water mark for the series.
Demon's Souls is the standout title among the PS5's launch lineup, combining tight gameplay, gorgeous graphics and an unforgettable setting.
Pick up The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening if you have any affinity for the series and don't mind replaying a 26-year-old game. However, if you've played the Game Boy original to death, you won't find much new here.
Everything in Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is out to delight the player, and just about everything succeeds.
Final Fantasy XV is a masterpiece, channeling some of the franchise's best qualities while adding something new and unexpected at every turn.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End completes the franchise on a high note that series fans will remember for a long time to come.
Assassin's Creed Unity refines the franchise's gameplay and graphics with next-gen tech, and the results are understandably excellent.
You'll keep coming back to "Dark Souls II," and should you triumph, your victory is one that will stay with you.
"Assassin's Creed IV" is very different from the five games that preceded it, but proves that a little change can be a good thing.
Elden Ring offers rewarding gameplay, a cohesive setting and gripping lore. Some of the open-world systems feel clunkier than they should, though.
Age of Empires IV may not redefine the real-time strategy genre like its predecessors, but it's still a deep and challenging dive into the world of medieval warfare.
Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is the best way to play one of 2020's best games, but the PS5 upgrade can be a bit pricey.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade leverages the PS5 to make a great game even better, but it's the Intermission DLC where the experience really shines.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD makes a few smart improvements to an excellent game. A cumbersome control scheme still holds it back, however.
Tales of Arise doesn't exactly forge new ground in the JRPG genre, but a fast-paced battle system and a well-told story make it easy to pick up, and hard to put down.
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition still possesses some of the original game's flaws, but also builds on a lot of its charms in ambitious and satisfying ways.
Old-school Castlevania fans should pick up Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night right away. So should anyone with an interest in Metroidvanias, action/RPGs or high-quality side-scrollers in general.
Mass Effect: Andromeda isn’t the most innovative game out there, but it’s easy to get lost in this imaginative space opera.
While Tales of Berseria isn't quite as good as the series gets, once this game gets its daemonic claws into you, it's hard to put down.