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It's hard to understate how incredible having the whole world available feels and the amount of possibility it opens up.
There are times when you feel obliged to find faults no matter how minor, but in the ten-plus hours spent with Moon Studios' latest, there are none.
Rockstar continues to improve upon one of the greatest games of all time, not to mention getting over the hump that haunted them for the past seven years.
Fez was one of the most enjoyable and entertaining games I've experienced last year and the same thing applies with the PC version. It's a charming, charismatic adventure that will leave you with a smile across your face for the duration of your play. It's also incredibly cryptic and is far more than skin deep, introducing a deceivingly vague world. I can't decide if Phil Fish and his team are geniuses or completely out of their minds.
Rarely do you find games these days that could be described as a combination of "ambitious," "thought-provoking," "hard-hitting," "hilarious" and "extremely fun," but somehow Not For Broadcast delivers on that front.
Elden Ring is one of the best games in years, with a breathtaking vast world to explore, and one of the most satisfying combat systems in an RPG. This is the accumulation of FromSoftware's work over the last thirteen years and an evolution on its inspiring formula.
Gran Turismo 7 is the quintessential Gran Turismo and the best of what the series has accrued over its 25 years of existence.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition takes a nearly-perfect game and makes it better.
What likely started out as an Xbox and/or Bethesda executive thinking "Hey, wouldn't it be neat if we kept this game a secret and launched it during a special event?" has led to what could easily wind up as one of this year's GOTY contenders exploding onto the scene in spectacular fashion.
Already a masterstroke of design and execution on original release, Metroid Prime Remastered goes one better in cementing Retro's debut Metroid outing as one of gaming's greatest evolutions of a series.
Final Fantasy XVI will change what we think of the franchise moving forward.
Baldur's Gate III had extremely high expectations set for it and has exceeded them.
A constantly-rewarding, brilliantly-structured and simply mind-blowing series of rug-pulls, Void Stranger isn't just special, it's a phenomenal showcase of what might be some of the best design in a puzzle game for some time.
Moonstone Island is an addicting blend of various genres that still maintains its own identity.
Wielding nothing more than a deck of cards and a poker-themed twist on proceedings, developer LocalThunk has conjured something incredible and awe-inspiring with Balatro. What starts as a relatively-novel twist on the deckbuilding format quickly blossoms into an experience that's equal parts methodical, experimental, chaotic but satisfying all the same. A game that rewards clever thinking, mathematical meddling and having the courage to be just that bit braver in uncovering just how far one can push its systems at play. Wherein success and failure alike stand as equally memorable moments to build off. A paradigm for what roguelikes and deckbuilders should aspire towards, Balatro is addictive, expertly-crafted and the new front-runner for what is easily the best gaming experience of 2024.
Dontnod created a stroke of genius with the ending of Episode 3: Chaos Theory, leaving an open-ended cliffhanger that is nothing short of the best jaw-dropping conclusion to any episodic title to date. The music, pacing, writing and voice acting surpass all expectations set for the series so far, providing enough substance for Life Is Strange to become a serious contender for GOTY.
A year later, its still hard to say bad things about this compilation. Final Fantasy X is still one of the best installments in the franchise, and the fresh coat of paint is a delightful treat.
Finally, Final Fantasy X and its sequel have breached a platform outside of the PlayStation family and it comes with positive tidings.
Ether One might well represent the apex of its particular subgenre. It engages the player at every level they might want to engage it, and rewards them handsomely for plunging into its depths.
When we reviewed Shovel Knight at its initial release back in June 2014, we were amazed by its impeccable design, rock-solid mechanics and loving homages to classic games. All of those aspects still ring true on PS4, and Yacht Club Games has without a doubt successfully replicated one of 2014's finest experiences on Sony's flagship console.