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2011's Mortal Kombat reinvigorated the franchise by taking it back to its roots, retelling the story with a slight variation. Mortal Kombat X goes a step further and wades into uncharted territory with great results.
Axiom Verge was already one of the best Metroid-style games in years and it lands on the Switch like it belongs there.
Make no mistake: Bloodborne will put hair on your chest.
People are going to talk a lot about the big plot points in Life is Strange, and the second episode will give them plenty to dig into.
At its core, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number doesn't do much different than its predecessor. It's gritty, pulp fiction cranked to eleven.
It's very tempting to dismiss Life is Strange out of hand as the same pretentious pabulum that it emulates, but the affectations of hipster cinema prove essential to its narrative goals. DONTNOD's sophomore effort aims to capture the voice of today's youth, and outside of a few heavy-handed moments it succeeds.
If there's one game that deserves the remaster treatment, it's Resident Evil. The thirteen year old remake is arguably the best game in the long running series, not only staying true to its source material, but expanding upon it greatly with new content directly built into the core story.
I adore Stick It to The Man, and if you enjoy the anarchic humor in Paper Mario and Psychonauts, I have a feeling you will too. It's a unique, funny, occasionally brilliant experience full of colorful characters and creative puzzles. If you like your entertainment quirky and featuring love-lorn balding yetis, pick this up. I can guarantee it'll stick with you.
The first Call of Duty built for the current console generation, Advanced Warfare is a leap in the right direction for the series. The exoskeleton power doesn't change "everything," but it creates a fresh experience.
Styx: Master of Shadows is as pure a stealth game as they come. It forces you to be thoughtful and to observe, and rewards your patience with a satisfying tension that few games can match.
More than just a great Lord of the Rings game, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor marks a new era for the franchise that can be enjoyed by fans and the uninitiated alike.
Celebrating two years of hard work, Ultimate Evil Edition is the indeed the ultimate version of Diablo III. Considering the package includes the original game, the Reaper of Souls expansion and immeasurable improvements, it's also a great value. A control scheme perfectly designed for a controller and some of the best co-op yet on PS4 and Xbox One make it worth diving into for players old and new. Delivering the full HD experience, Blizzard's jump to current-gen consoles is a flying success.
The Swapper is yet another indie coup for Sony, as it is very clearly one of the best puzzle games to come out in years. This is a well-designed experience that has the potential to win over non-puzzler fans.
Rogue Legacy is just about as close to perfect as a randomized action platformer could hope to be. The constantly changing challenge, and character to face it with, make every game feel different.
With new content, minor balancing, and smart new formula tweaks, Drinkbox has managed to improve their already fantastic Mexican Metroidvania title. Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition is a better version of an outstanding game, meaning that players new and old alike should take great pleasure from it.
It's easy to see why Sony chose to give Entwined air-time during its conference, as it is absolutely exceptional. This is one of those games that players will go to time and time again due to its extensive replay value. Entwined has the potential to cheer up the heartbroken, enlighten the lonely, and reinvigorate the jaded.
Though it can be vague, strange, and inaccessible, Transistor is one of the strongest games of 2014 so far. Its unique take on standard video game practices make it feel undoubtedly fresh. With strong combat, great enemy design, and a lovely story, Transistor will reward those who put in the time. Its parts are solid, but as a whole, it's a wonderfully sound, beautiful RPG that will stick with players for a considerable amount of time.
Those who already have friends playing have even less reason not to jump in. As far as MMORPGs go, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is at the top of its class.
"We in the killin' Nazi business. And cousin, business is a-boomin'." Those words, spoken by Lt. Aldo Raine in Inglorious Bastards, summarize the Wolfenstein experience in a nutshell — a grossly bloody, partially dismembered, nutshell.
Doing the impossible by topping its predecessor, Rayman Legends is one of the best gaming experiences this year. It takes everything fun about classic platforming and puts it in a visually stunning environment.