I realized that every time I write one of these I make some jokey comment about how much the world is falling apart but at least we have video games I guess it’s still kinda falling apart but at least we have Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso. Okay, now this is the part of the show where I ignore video games and talk about movies. Please go watch Hundreds of Beavers and Rap World. You can thank me later.
Oh, also go read Godzilla’s Monsterpiece Theatre. It’s a comic about Jay Gatsby, Sherlock Holmes, Cyborg Jules Verne, the Time Machinist, and Dracula teaming up to fight Godzilla. It rules.
10. Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip
Close enough, welcome back Simpsons: Hit & Run.
9. Thank Goodness You’re Here
If the idea of being a little dude who goes around helping a town full of absolute weirdos appeals to you, then you owe it to yourself to pick this game up. I keep saying we need more comedy games, and this is a perfect example of what to strive for because this game had me chuckling to myself from start to finish.
8. Black Myth: Wukong
I think we can all agree that none of us actually believed this game was real when it was being shown off because the visuals just looked too good, the gameplay too smooth, and thankfully it delivered on all that. It might not be the deepest of the stylish action genre, but damn is a blast to play with enough variety to make you want to try out all the different powers/transformations. It also features some of the most interesting monster designs I’ve seen in a minute, a lot of it inspired by creatures from Chinese folklore. I was cautiously optimistic about this game and cannot stress enough how happy I am at how much fun it ended up being.
7. Space Marine 2
YEARS OF WAITING, STAYING LOYAL TO MY BOY TITUS AND THE EMPEROR BLESSED ME WITH THE MOST HEAVY METAL GAME OF THE YEAR. CHAINSWORD GO BRRRRRRR
6. Metaphor: ReFantazio
When Atlus drops a new RPG I’m there, especially when it happens to be one of the most topical RPGs in recent memory with it touching on race issues, equity vs equality, and classism. It doesn’t sheepishly handle any of these topics either, opting to bring them to your face and force you to have a conversation about them in an honestly refreshing way. There’s a time for subtly and, when it’s written well, there’s a time for being blunt about a topic. This is one of those times. Besides this, Metaphor: ReFantazio also features one of Atlus’ most likable cast in a minute, with my favorite teammate constantly switching around (in reality it’s always Heismay) and a well-done job system that had me testing out different combos with characters constantly. Atlus rarely fails to hit the mark with one of their RPGs and Metaphor: ReFantazio continues that streak of delivering us something truly special.
5. Marvel Rivals
I’m still completely shocked this is on my list, let alone how high up it is. Overwatch was fine and all, but I quickly grew tired of it because people would get too sweaty and the gameplay felt, overall, a little slow. Marvel Rivals upends this by taking the formula that Overwatch created and adding a much-needed shot of adrenaline. Using the Marvel IP helps for sure, but it’s also just smart design because I can hop into this game and have a pretty good sense of how each character might play based on my familiarity with the comics. Whereas Overwatch feels like Mortal Kombat, Marvel Rivals feels like Marvel vs. Capcom as I’m swiftly combo-ing maneuvers together and playing a game that feels like I’m actively playing it at all times.
4. Helldivers 2
This is the Starship Troopers videogame I’ve been waiting my whole life for. I love me some co-op goodness, but turn it into a hijinks simulator and I’m sold. Rolling with my friends and dying laughing as we shredded bugs apart while our own missiles rained down on us, or screaming in terror as automatons pelted the rock we were hiding behind with a gauntlet of lasers all contributed to some of the best memories I’ve had all year playing games. It’s just an utter blast to throw up every once in a while for a few missions, and win or lose we still end up having fun laughing with each other at whatever silly thing happened to us.
3. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Ichiban continues to show that he’s one of the best-written protagonists in gaming and a worthy successor to Kiryu to continue this franchise forward. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth takes everything that worked in the previous game and absolutely perfects it. The job system is expanded, the turn-based gameplay is improved dramatically, it includes some of the series’ best minigames and they even managed to include fully realized Pokemon and Animal Crossing-inspired modes. There’s a lot to experience in Infinite Wealth, and it’s all wrapped up in a touching story of Ichiban trying to find his mother and Kiryu grappling with his cancer. Oh, and you can take photos of sickos or fight a giant sentient Roomba. It’s a very good game.
2. Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom
I’ve been shilling this game all year and I’m never going to stop. Yellow Taxi Goes Vroom is one of the best modern attempts at recapturing the feeling of those 90s 3D platformer collectathons, and I was completely glued to my steam deck the whole way through. An absolutely gorgeous, at times absurd, art style, fantastic music, and a really clever movement system had me hunting for every secret in each of the comically themed worlds. It has a demo, just give it a whirl and change your life.
1. Astro Bot
“IT’S JUst A PLayStATiON ComMERCiaL”
Man shut the fuck up nerd. Astro Bot is pure, unadulterated joy that will hopefully lead to a resurgence of Sony 3D platformers and is easily the best thing I played this year. A lot of the games on this list had me hooked from start to finish, but not quite in the same way Astro Bot did. Each new planet had me excited to see what new world I’d get to explore and yes, what nostalgia-bait Playstation character I’d discover. Astro Bot was just a complete delight to play through and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that final level.
