10. Dead Cells (Switch/PS4/XOne/PC)
"A roguelike Metroidvania inspired by Dark Souls" might sound like a generic Kickstarter pitch, but Dead Cells shows how to make it work. Combining fast-paced action, engaging progressive systems, and tons of style, it plays like a dream. A developer dedicated to community feedback also does wonders for the game, as it has seen several major overhauls specifically in response to player complaints. Dead Cells is easily one of the most enjoyable, addictive roguelikes on the market.
Monster Hunter: World is a deep and rewarding RPG title that lives up to the franchise name and pushes some boundaries. Games always say that everyone can play in a style that best suits them, but nothing is actually different. In Monster Hunter: World, you'll find dozens of fighting styles that master the use of different weapons. There are no classes, so you aren't permanently stuck with any one choice, and they can all be mastered if you have the dedication and desire to learn and practice.
All in all, Hitman 2 is the series at its best without shooting for the stars. It's an incremental update to a working formula that is fun to play, but it can sometimes feel underwhelming. Based on its level design and gameplay opportunities alone, Hitman 2 is one of the best entries in the series — and that's all you need to know if you're a fan of the franchise.
Into the Breach presses all the right buttons to keep tactical strategy fans hooked, and many will come back over and over again despite any shortcomings they may perceive. I, for one, plan to waste away many more afternoons saving the world from an infestation of bugs. Then, once I finish spraying my house and yard, I plan to play some more Into the Breach.
6. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch)
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate lives up to the name because it's the best Smash game to date. The absurd character roster, immense amount of content, and general amazing gameplay make it fun in a way that's tough to beat. There are minor quibbles here and there, and the poor online component is a genuine black mark on the rest of the game. Still, Ultimate is a joy to play and a must-buy for anyone who has ever enjoyed smashing some bros. Even considering the Switch's amazing lineup, Smash Ultimate is one of the best the system has to offer.
5. Assassin's Creed Odyssey (PS4/XOne/PC)
After dozens of hours, I still have yet to really scratch the surface of the true Odyssey narrative because as I mentioned before, there are multiple story arcs to follow. One concerns Kassandra and her true family roots, another involves a massive conspiratorial web that spans all of Greece, and yet another involves the greater picture of the pieces of Eden and the Assassins' mission. Windows into each of those arcs are found throughout the map — within the missions and into the cinema scenes and dialogues. This is the kind of game where you could wipe out days of time paying attention to one piece of the greater story, with the true joy coming when you get to take a step back and see the story you've built.
4. Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4/XOne)
Red Dead Redemption II is exactly the kind of game you'd expect from Rockstar. The open world is vast but filled with many things to do. The side missions are just as exciting as the main ones, and the minigames prove to be good distractions if you somehow start to get bored with any of the missions. The story is perhaps the strongest the studio has had in years, with loads of memorable characters and good pacing, and RDR2 does all of this with a top-notch presentation. For a game that many have said would easily be in the running for numerous end-of-year awards, RDR2 certainly makes a strong case for itself.
3. Celeste (Switch/PS4/XOne/PC)
It's rare for a game to get so much right, but Celeste does. On the surface, it's a blisteringly tough Super Meat Boy-style platfomer where you can — and will — die hundreds of times trying to string together the perfect combination of jumps to make it through the latest deviously difficult series of traps. That isn't the only thing that makes it shine. Amazing music and charming graphics do wonders to making it an enjoyable experience. Perhaps most unexpectedly, the storyline is heartfelt, emotional and manages to convey some serious subject matter in an remarkably effective manner.
Of all the iterations of Kratos I've seen over the lifetime of the God of War series, Old Man Kratos is probably my favorite. His newest adventure might not have quite the same wall-to-wall bombast as the ones that came before, but he's added a new dimension to his personality. He can only stay Old Testament-angry for so long, and the table is definitely set for more installments. There's more to explore now in this new corner of mythology, and it'll be compelling to see if he burns everything to the ground or finds an even higher place to go.
Marvel's Spider-Man does what a lot of good art does, which is examine techniques and concepts that work well, and then blend and refine them to create something unique to itself and possibly greater. I've made this point before: Art and artists have built on and inspired each other since the beginning of time. So yes, I've heard and seen the Spidey/Arkham hot takes, and I ended up not caring at all because at no point did I forget I was playing a Spider-Man experience. I was too busy swinging around in Manhattan, with buildings whipping by as I tailed a police pursuit, thinking about how right it all felt.