Spelunky 2 is a masterpiece of procedurally generated platforming that stays true to the legendarily challenging original while also holding surprises around every corner.
Elden Ring is a massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path.
Like the base game did before it, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree raises the bar for single-player DLC expansions. It takes everything that made the base game such a landmark RPG, condenses it into a relatively compact 20-25 hour campaign, and provides fantastic new challenges for heavily invested fans to chew on.
Devil May Cry 5's trio of outstanding combat styles set a new high bar for the series, and its mysterious story keeps things interesting along the way.
Street Fighter 5 Arcade Edition marks the completion of a transformation from bare-bones fighting game with a rock-solid core to a fully featured example of the genre at its best. The new V-Triggers are sure to shake up the competitive scene, while the nostalgic new modes breathe new life into the single-player fighting.
Nightwolf's versatile move set, strong fundamentals, and awesome design make him one of MK11's best characters yet.
Nioh 2's many systems may be a little overwhelming, but the stellar combat and satisfying difficulty make it worth it.
As a remaster, it may disappoint, but The Wonderful 101: Remastered is still the best way to play this Wii U classic
Ghost of Tsushima is an excellent action game and its open world is one of the most gorgeous yet.
In Demon's Souls, a touch of smart quality of life changes and gorgeous visuals go a long way in modernizing this tough PS3 classic.
Great action, smart strategy, and random curses carry Curse of the Dead Gods to top of the action roguelite genre.
Guilty Gear Strive sets a new standard for anime-like fighting games with its visuals, stellar netcode, and flexible fighting system that encourages and rewards creativity.
Sifu's brutal learning curve and unique structure that requires you to beat it in just one lifetime are significant barriers to overcome, but on the other side is truly one of the best modern action games around.
Rogue Legacy 2 honors its own legacy as the premiere roguelite thanks to its outstanding assortment of classes, diverse areas, and rewarding combat, putting it shoulder to shoulder among the very best of the genre.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is not just more Cuphead, it's more of the best type of Cuphead. The six new main bosses are all incredible from both a visual and design standpoint, making this DLC expansion nearly essential for any Cuphead fan.
Rumbleverse combines all of the deep mental mind games and combat sensibilities of a fighting game with the last-person-standing objective of a battle royale to incredible effect, leading to one of the most refreshing takes on the battle royale genre in recent memory.
One of the best combat systems in gaming gets even better with Bayonetta 3. It's story is a bit of a letdown and its wild action scenes take a toll on the performance in certain spots, but neither of those issues get in the way of Bayonetta 3 being a top shelf action game on the Switch.
Pizza Tower is a blisteringly fast 2D platformer with an unmistakable art style and unforgettable soundtrack that transcends its Wario Land inspirations and finds its own identity as one of the most energetic, fun, and creative 2D platformers in recent memory.
Street Fighter 6 is the most feature-rich a Street Fighter has ever been at launch, but even beyond that, it's roster of 18 characters is excellent, the new mechanics revitalize the one-on-one fighting formula, and it absolutely nails all of the little things that make for a stellar fighting game.
Featuring fast, reflex driven, action heavy combat, Final Fantasy 16 is certainly a departure from what fans may expect out of a Final Fantasy game, but its excellent story, characters, and world building are right up there with the best the series has to offer, and the innovative Active Time Lore feature should set a new standard for how lengthy, story-heavy games keep players invested in its world.