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Assassin's Creed Shadows is what you get when you combine the best of the many eras of this franchise, while evolving its open world design to perfection. Shadows has proven that a series about to turn 20 years old can still evolve in the right direction and bring exhilarating moments paired with top-notch gameplay.
Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & The Envisioned Land is a bold new approach to the series and a welcome evolution to most of its mechanics. With a strong cast of characters, an excellent story, and an enjoyable open world to explore, Yumia is here to become the queen of all Atelier heroines.
Split Fiction goes beyond offering the greatest co-op adventure this year. It is a love letter to many game genres and franchises that reminds us that games can be all about having fun with someone else.
While its core story can occasionally feel needlessly convoluted, Avowed's combat system is arguably one of the best in the genre. Round this out with a colorful cast of likable companions, some fun exploration, gorgeous locales and smooth performance, and you have an RPG that will satiate fans of the genre, while serving as an accessible launch pad for any greenhorns out there.
Monster Hunter Wilds takes everything that worked from World and Rise to deliver the ultimate monster-hunting experience. Combat improvements, an excellent story, and a giant lineup of monsters make this the hunter haven we were all waiting for.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 vastly improves everything from its predecessor. The combat is smoother, the story is much better, and the scope is grander than ever. It has some minor glitches, but none of them are game-breaking. Despite its size, it is one of the smoothest games in recent years and will go down in history books as an RPG masterpiece.
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is an excellent addition to the franchise that elevates practically everything with new in-depth systems, superb map design, and almost endless replayability.
Sniper Elite: Resistance returns with the tried and tested formula of Sniper Elite 5. While that should be enough to make this a great game, it suffers from some jank here and there that makes it a very good return to Europe, but not a flawless one.
Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a perfect new approach to a beloved franchise. With highly customizable combat options, epic battles with a lot of variety, and superb storytelling accompanied by excellent character development moments, it is a remarkable game from start to finish.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1-2 Remastered does more than just bring classic dark fantasy adventures under a new spotlight. It is a love letter to a beloved series of the 2000s that blends QoL features so perfectly that it is highly approachable to new and old fans alike.
Planet Coaster 2 has a lot of potential to become a great theme park sandbox. However, its many technical issues and bugs hold back what could be a smooth roller coaster ride.
FANTASIAN Neo Dimension takes the classic RPG formula and instead of modernizing it so much that it loses its roots, it embraces what made the genre so good and elevates it with QoL features. Add to that an unforgettable cast, a terrific story, and a fantastic soundtrack, and you have a recipe for success from start to finish.
An alluring and uncompromising open-world survival shooter held back by poor optimization and an absence of AI interactions.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is a detailed flight simulator with grand ambitions, dragged down to earth by technical issues that ruin the overall experience.
Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an excellent choice for those who love unique twists, dynamic combat, and a gorgeous world to explore.
Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is the best way to experience this RPG classic. With new QoL features, expanded story content, and a gorgeous new visual style, this is an unmatched entry in the whole franchise. And while there are a few things that feel dated, it still stands out as a masterpiece of the genre.
Undermined by its own storytelling and technical troubles, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a tale of community but never quite finds its home.
Metal Slug Tactics is a new take on the legendary franchise that puts side-scrolling action aside for a more in-depth tactical approach. While the combat and roguelike systems are highly engaging, they still suffer from many bugs that prevent this game from reaching greater heights.
Black Ops 6 excels in delivering an adrenaline rush Campaign with the most variety of mission types we've ever seen in a Call of Duty game, featuring rock solid Multiplayer and Zombies modes, with a massive amount of content to dive into from the get-go.
Sonic x Shadow Generations is the ultimate way to play any of the hedgehogs' adventures. While the Shadow standalone story eclipses that of the Blue hero, both are terrific in terms of gameplay and genuinely feel like some of the best games the legendary franchise has to offer.