Among the hundreds of worthy Indies, this meta-horror wormed its way to the top the way it wormed into our consciousness. Slay the Princess isn't a jump to action, it's an ever-present question. Every path has been carefully designed and following them rewards us with both joy and dread.

There's a daring in Tears of the Kingdom's commitment to the single-player experience. Understanding the intimacy of a player against a world of exciting challenges, it offers us the private joys of discovering all its wonderful secrets.

When it comes to high-flying action, no one does it like Spider-Man 2. Combining the powers of Miles, Peter, and Venom, the usual combat ballet gave way to harder hits and the new traversal skills made us feel as much like Spider-Man as we could ever hope.

It is a once-in-a-generation masterpiece; there has never been an RPG quite like this. Its faithfulness to tactical RPG might feel old school. But, the dense world, dizzying combat options, rich stories, and endless interactive possibilities are nothing if not ground-breaking.

Capcom ushers in an era of friendly fighting by opening up the SF arena to a new generation of fighters. With the Drive System that takes fights from 0 to 100, and a World Tour that takes you through the ropes, Street Fighter 6 is the perfect welcome basket.

Before the heartbreak of Mimimi Games' shutdown, they gave us another one of their virtuoso strategies. Their nuanced and rewarding tactical mechanics are on full display in this stealth pirate package. All of it is balanced out by its unsurprisingly gorgeous presentation.

The new chapter in the writer's block saga emerges as a runaway success. Alan Wake II is a compelling double feature. Saga's detective work and Alan's Dark Place are brimming with a blend of top-notch puzzles, intense gunplay, and spine-chilling environmental scares. From Control to this stunning sequel, Remedy has cast itself as a master of the craft.

This wordless puzzler doesn't need dialog to take you as far as you want. Step by step, it takes you on a ride—short as it may be—from one Orb world to the next. It feels just like a Cocoon: ever-evolving yet always a comfort.

This may be a 2D Mario game but it isn't short on dimension. Its levels are brimming with charm and it's only amplified by what the Wonder Flower brings to every stage. Nintendo has set a new standard for vibrance and innovation in Mario games, and this one definitely lives up to its name.

A true testament to the principle of “if it ain't broke.” Everything we loved about Octopath Traveler has been polished to perfection in this sequel. The characters are brand new and made more alive with enriched interactions and refined turn-based combat.

Simple yet refined, lightning quick. The iconic locations and Marvel collectibles may have been a huge draw, but there was no doubt that Marvel Snap's revolutionary card play always had the strength for a wider appeal.

Apple Arcade got us a ticket to this full-fledged island getaway with all our favorite Sanrio characters. Loaded with content in such a small package—from cooking and decorating to all-out adventures—every day here is loaded with fun and friendship. Hello Kitty is giving Nintendo a run for its money.