This is a truly terrific baseball video game. And it starts with those excellent Negro League Storylines, a must-play for all baseball fans.

A stunning game. Metroid Prime was always good-looking, but the remaster pushes things to a new level without destroying the integrity of the original. Every texture looks to have been overhauled, and little lighting touches abound. Tallon IV comes to life because of this, as does Samus. The end result is a fantastic shooter that today’s games could learn plenty from.

The end result is the finest way to experience the original Dead Space. And, 15 years after its release, Dead Space remains a game that everyone should play. That’s what happens when a game arrives ahead of its time: It can thrive two full console generations later.

This isn’t just a PSP game any longer. It’s a key piece of FF VII lore, and it finally gets its proper due now.

The entire formula seems simple on its surface, and maybe it’s been done before? But it’s never been done with this much aplomb and balance, and it’s never stoked gamers’ curiosity quite as much as it does here. Vampire Survivors looks simple, but it’s far more elegant than that, and it contains just one flaw right now: It lacks any sort of survival mode.

This is, quite simply, the finest sports game ever made, a game that rethinks what a sports game can be – and will keep you entertained for an impressively long time. If you can avoid constantly restarting and rethinking your dream franchise, that is.

You won’t grow bored of the game, either, because of that terrific story, and the cutscenes that drive it. With Soul Hackers 2, Atlus is building on the success of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, and further cementing its position as the dominant force in JRPGs.

It’s, quite simply, one of the best titles on the Nintendo Switch, and one of the top role-playing games of 2022.

Additionally, while improved trade logic was supposed to show up in this year’s game, I was still able to trade for Shohei Ohtani with just a handful of my second-tier players; trades remain a bit too easy to execute in this game (NBA 2K’s sliders are recommended as the fix here). And there are still no custom created draft classes, meaning your Franchise mode eventually winds up with a host of random players if you play it long enough. (I’d love to see historic draft classes in this game)...It all prevents an intriguing game from reaching its ultimate potential. MLB The Show 22 sets a new bar in one category, and every sports game can learn a lesson from it. And it’s fun enough. There’s just more potential to be unlocked, hopefully next year.

It’s a solid journey to the Forgotten Land overall, and one that’s filled with mystery and enjoyment. Kirby’s 3D translation isn’t the most challenging game you’ll play this year. But boy, is it fun.

But the storytelling is a hair too cryptic to be easily followed. That’s true for most of Dying Light’s story elements too; from tiny touches, like photos of a dead family in an abandoned house to larger-scale interactions with other characters, the game struggles to emotionally draw you into its conflict. I never cared about saving Mia; my main focus was always on reaching the next objective. The bright side: Despite all those shortcomings, I had an absolute blast doing that.

It’s all terrifically done, especially when coupled with the story, which is full of mystery and plenty interesting. Elden Ring gets the little things right, too; the music that backs your journey is some of the best (and most well-utilized) in gaming. And every enemy feels distinct; you’ll face plenty of soldier-types, but the dragons and wildlife and the giant ogre-types that pepper certain lands inspire plenty of awe.

It all adds up to the most definitive version of one of the finest adventures the God of War has ever taken. If you’re thinking of diving into God of War, this is the best, most elegant way to play it. Opt for the PC version over the PlayStation 4 title – and enjoy a splendid ride.

In the end, it’s hard not to love Halo Infinite, which is easily the most complete game in a franchise that’s long set the bar for gaming. There’s just nothing like playing through an adventure as the Master Chief.

Here, each battle is a conscious decision that may spell your doom. And despite a story that’s a bit too often on the periphery, that makes for immensely satisfying action.

Add in absolutely stunning visuals, and you have one of the finest adventure games of 2021. Guardians of the Galaxy is everything you could want in a Marvel video game, really, filled with a blend of electric moments and thoughtful junctures.

At the moment, it’s still more Far Cry. The upside of that: It’s loads and loads of fun, story be damned.

Back 4 Blood definitely builds on Left 4 Dead, and it doesn’t drive too far from that steady formula. But the Left 4 Dead formula still works, and it’s a recipe for quick cooperative gaming fun whenever you take it on. Yes, there are other cooperative games out there, titles with deeper story and more lore or more involved progression. There may not be a cooperative game that’s easier to instantly jump into, though, than Back 4 Blood.

It all adds up to a solid sci-fi battling sandbox, although at the moment, the game is marred by bugs. Outriders is prone to crashes, and load times can be long. And the cross-play and cross-save features that were expected are messy and confusing (although both ideas are new for this console generation, so you give Outriders a slight flier). Such issues hold the game back, limiting the overall fun and immersion you can experience in the world of Outriders. Still, when you combine characteristics from some of the greatest franchises in gaming, you’re bound to get a pretty solid game. And that’s exactly what Outriders is.

It’s all a far cry from the roots of Plants vs. Zombies as a tower defense title, and in some ways, yes, I do miss that. This was, to me, the ideal tower defense game, and I would have played many many sequels of it to great enjoyment. Neighborville makes the shooter transition solidly and competently, joining the sea of shooter games out there.

EA knows not to mess with the classic formula, so the largely visual upgrades work, creating a satisfying game. Truth is, racing games haven’t changed that much in the last decade; it’s about speed, and letting you feel that speed. Sure, you’re missing the “rewind” feature of current racing games, and it might have been nice to get that added in here.

This game isn’t a miss. Zelda this is not, but it’s plenty of fun.

It’s an overall terrific revamp for NBA 2K21, and a game that has something for everyone, especially when you consider that MyTeam and MyCareer also have plenty of other fun to offer. And the WNBA game has also never been quite this satisfying, delivering grounded, strategic basketball...It all adds up to the top sports gaming hit of 2020. Need a sports game on your next-gen console? This is it.

No, it’s the same great game it was last year, the same awesome basketball gaming experience it was last year. It’s just not quite a must-buy, especially if you’re taking aim at the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5.

At the moment, there are few major Marvel baddies (I’ve only seen side quests to face the aforementioned two), but imagine Square adding, say, Red Skull or Loki in the coming months. Already, more heroes (Kate Bishop and PlayStation exclusive Spider-man) are on the way, and that alone will enrich the experience.

So you keep playing The Origami King, even if Olly isn’t quite the master villain of previous Mario games, because you just can’t help yourself. Paper Mario: The Origami King never leaves you feeling defeated, and it never ever crushes your gaming spirit. All it wants to do is give you a chance to enjoy a world of fun and whimsy. These days, nobody should ever say no to that.

Paradise Remastered definitely shows its age 12 years after its initial release, but it still plays as fast as ever. And on a console lacking a light speed racer? That counts for plenty.

That’s a disquieting echo throughout this game, for reasons that extend beyond this game, and, at times, that can make The Last of Us 2 emotionally challenging to play. But that’s not a reason to avoid this game; if anything it makes The Last of Us 2 that much deeper of a gaming experience. At times, you’ll wish you the game gave you options, permitted you to make choices for Ellie in critical moments. Or maybe that lack of choice is the cold, hard lesson of it all.