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Cairn wasn't on my list of must-play titles this year, but it needs to be on yours. It's a puzzle game disguised as a climbing game, as no two climbs ever feel the same or offer the same solution. Cairn is just this incredible game I can't put down.
I Hate This Place does a great job of creating an 80's vibe with a classic action-horror atmosphere. The story is interesting and dark, the protagonist kicks ass, and the action is fun and visceral.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons Nintendo Switch 2 is bent on stranding you once again on an island of your own creation. And while there's a small cost for the upgrade here, you'll get challenge and some satisfying answers to previous pain points.
The game's visual identity is striking, and the spacecraft's transformation as it comes alive is excellent. There's a great sense of atmosphere that's reinforced as you keep moving forward, that eventually gives out because of uneven and frankly, unnecessary combat.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade adds significant quality-of-life improvements. The addition of the Xbox Series and Switch 2 is the cherry on top for series fans, but the icing on the cake is having an incredible RPG available on the go.
Cassette Boy has an engrossing core mechanic and a great retro look and feel. Puzzles are interesting, if not convoluted at times, and the world includes lots of nooks and crannies worth exploring.
Big Hops uses a fun, joyful, and colourful world to invoke a sense of adventure waiting to be explored. Using your frog abilities is always a blast and provides some of the best traversal available in a modern 3D platformer.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon comes out swinging after a largely divisive previous entry in Daybreak 2, where so much of the story was tied up in time travel shenanigans. However, the main narrative is compelling despite a slow start.
For those governors who do learn how to play with productivity, Anno 117: Pax Romana rewards them with one of the most satisfying civilization growth simulators out there right now.
Renegades is competent, polished, and approachable—but cautious to a fault. It keeps Destiny functional and familiar at a time when the game arguably needs boldness and self-confidence. For longtime players, it doesn’t feel like a new course has been set, only that the ship has been carefully steadied.
Duskpunk is excellent, a dark and dirty story of revolution, choice, and ultimately, hope, if you so choose. It's a fantastic Citizen Sleeper-like that stands on its own merits.
Skate Story is brilliant and a skateboarding game like no other. Tight skateboarding, heady narratives, gorgeous graphics, and a banger soundtrack make it one of this year's best experiences.
With dozens of Metroidvanias and challenging platformers available each year, Constance could get lost in the shuffle. But I'd argue, it needs to be near the top of that pile. With creativity at its core and mechanics that offer a rewarding challenge, Constance is now one of my favourite Metroidvania games.
Octopath Traveler 0 is a good prequel with stunning HD-2D graphics that stands shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the series. Taking what made the battle system great and adding a back row of four more party members to combat provides a new level of strategy. However, a mid-game difficulty spike is uneven in the big moments, so farming for better equipment breaks the pacing up to that point.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond might not be a total reinvention of the famed series, but it's refined and faster than ever. Despite the prolonged development period, the campaign comes together to deliver an excellent outing for Samus as she explores an expansive world with new psychic powers that imbue the core of the game in fun, innovative ways.
Sleep Awake kicks off a bit groggy but then wakes up and delivers a memorable, unique, and bizarre experience. Katja’s plight might not mesh with many people, but it’s wholly unique and one of the heavier games I’ve played this year.
Marvel's Deadpool VR is a ton of fun, despite some pacing and technical issues. The action here carries the package, with every fight being a whirlwind of carnage that never gets old.
It's often hard to iterate and improve on a genre that's been around for decades, but Marvel Cosmic Invasion makes the most of that opportunity. It might feel like you've done this song and dance before, but with a deep and otherworldly story, a great cast of characters, and excellent visuals and music, it's an absolute blast to play.
GIGASWORD is a difficult retro action-platformer. It won't hold your hand and it requires focus. But the journey is a rewarding one and one that's built on a strong foundation of lore and hard-hitting action.
Kirby Air Riders shares a lot of the same DNA as its predecessor, and it's a sequel that belongs in this era. The simplistic controls might not be for everyone, but if you can look past that, you've got a competent racer that does its own thing instead of attempting to battle it out against Mario Kart World.