The Best Video Games of 2024 So Far [IGN]

Despite the relative sparsity, 2024 is keeping pace with 2023: 49 games have earned a spot on this list as we move into the second half of the year. This list compiles every game and expansion released in 2024 that received a review score of 8 or higher from IGN. Here are IGN’s best video games of 2024 (so far).

This list will be updated as new releases receive qualifying review scores.

Review Score: 8 (“Great”)

These games leave us with something outstanding to remember them by, usually novel gameplay ideas for single-player or multiplayer, clever characters and writing, noteworthy graphics and sound, or some combination thereof. If we have major complaints, there are more than enough excellent qualities to cancel them out.

Alan Wake 2: Night Springs

From our review: Alan Wake II: Night Springs is a compact collection of standalone stories that veer from entertainingly violent shootouts, to tense stretches of survival horror, before settling on and reveling in the utterly batshit craziness that makes Remedy’s multiverse of madness so keenly absorbing to explore. There’s admittedly not much new here from a gameplay perspective, and it feels like a bit of a tease to play as a version of Control’s heroine stripped of her special abilities in the second episode. Even so, the highs I felt during my short return to Alan Wake’s universe greatly outweighed the lows, and I’d gladly play through another collection of bite-sized side stories if Remedy ever decided to bake another batch. Could there be more Night Springs in the future? Hope springs eternal. – Tristan Ogilvie

Another Crab’s Treasure

From our review: Another Crab’s Treasure is one of my favorite soulslikes in quite some time. It borrows a lot from the usual genre playbook, but adds a colorful, irresistibly charming, and wholly unique veneer that makes it all feel brand spanking new. The story is well-written and filled with memorable moments and characters, the shell-swapping mechanic is unique and adorable as heck, and the unrelentingly cheerful mood is like finding land after years adrift in an angsty sea of Bloodborne imitators. Its combat isn’t the deepest ocean around and it has a bit of jank here and there, but Another Crab’s Treasure is so clever and wonderfully ridiculous that it’s absolutely worth your time. – Travis Northup

Botany Manor

From our review: Clever clues entwine with Botany Manor’s charming old English setting to make a lighthearted first-person puzzler worth tending to. Figuring out how to grow its fantastical plants kept me on my toes, and the blossoming flora painting onto the pages of my herbarium with bright colors gave me a comforting sense of achievement. I was more invested in deciphering its puzzles than I was reading the notes and letters that make up its fairly one-note story, but the variety of surreal seeds with unique traits in each new area gave an exciting cadence to the somewhat repetitive act of tracking down clues. Botany Manor is a laid-back game that doesn’t ask you to do too much, simply grow some strange plants and decompress – and sometimes that’s exactly what you need. – Saniya Ahmed

Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile

From our review: It’s tough to think of a mobile game that comes as close to giving the full-scale multiplayer experience as Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile does. There’s nothing here that reinvents Warzone, but that isn’t the point. Though the touch controls put you at a clear disadvantage to anybody using a Bluetooth controller and your phone may struggle to keep the frame rate and textures smooth if it isn’t the latest and greatest, Warzone Mobile excellently uses maps and gameplay elements to provide a fast and fun battle royale experience. If you’re already into Warzone, cross-progression makes it feel like an extension of the game you already like, with more opportunities to play it more often. It’s fair to say that the best thing about Warzone Mobile is that it makes it easier to play more Warzone. – Phil Hornshaw

Capes

From our review: Capes’ clever and challenging take on superhero-flavored turn-based tactical combat gives you all of the information you need to turn the tables on its villains. Watching the action figure-like characters combine their powers and supercharge their diverse ultimate abilities sells their teamwork well, and chasing optional objectives in each mission gives you a lot to think about to counter a wide range of enemy types. Stealth missions don’t work quite as well but they’re mostly optional, and the story, heroes, and villains are entertainingly written throughout the substantial campaign. – Dan Stapleton

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Early Access

From our review: While Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor’s Early Access status is clear in the limited number of modes and maps it currently contains, it doesn’t feel unpolished or annoying to play at all. Translating the adventurous, raucous, party game spirit of its shooter big brother to a single-player roguelite about as well as anyone could have, it’s an enjoyable addition to one of my favorite franchises. Whether it’s first-person or top-down, wielding a small arsenal of wonderful, punchy weapons as I sprint through critter-filled caverns on my murderous quest for loot and glory warms my stony heart. – Leana Hafer

Disney Dreamlight Valley

From our review: After more than a year since its original debut, Disney Dreamlight Valley is still pretty great, with cartoonish and colorful areas to explore and loads of charming characters to meet. Hanging out with a growing roster of Disney icons is a remarkably good time, and some of the recent additions, like Gaston, made my return to the valley an even more worthwhile venture. But a lot of the shortcomings from the Early Access days haven’t necessarily improved much either, including its habit of leaving stories on a cliffhanger ending, a monstrous grind that just don’t quit, and bugs that continue to plague an otherwise good time. Still, there’s something undeniably riveting about chilling with the goofy oddballs and loveable toons from Disney’s impressive catalog, and returning to this zen-like simulator washed my troubles away like few cozy games can. – Travis Northup

Dragon’s Dogma 2

From our review: Dragon’s Dogma 2 is a strange and wonderful game that seems haunted by some of yesteryear’s bugaboos. It is a retelling and reimplementation of all of those wonderful ideas from the 2012 cult-classic, including an awesome dynamic world and some of the best combat in the genre that integrates a subtle but amazingly complex physics system. On the other hand, its finicky ally AI, clunky climbing, choppy frame rate, and camera with a habit of going haywire at the worst times are all “features” I wish hadn’t been brought back for another round. Even so, there’s an action-RPG here that’s richly rewarding and incomparable to its contemporaries if you can be patient with its quirks and open to embracing its hands-off open-world and quest designs. – Jarrett Green

Enshrouded Early Access

From our review: Enshrouded will likely be an instant hit for anyone who’s ever wanted to build a castle in a fantasy world full of danger, and it makes all that building fun and easy with an intuitive set of tools. But even if you don’t care much about crafting or building, Enshrouded’s RPG systems are already solid enough to carry you through its open world for a few dozen hours – even if its vague story isn’t all that powerful, its puzzles are forgettable, and its combat and movement systems could use some fine-tuning. Thankfully, there’s usually no pressure to do anything but try to unlock the next visually-breathtaking area, and that made for a smooth 62-hour journey. – Gabriel Moss

Expeditions: A Mudrunner Game

From our review: Expeditions: A MudRunner Game certainly isn’t a replacement for the supremely addictive SnowRunner, but its more untamed wilderness maps and huge truckload of exploration-focused missions do see it function as a very worthwhile complementary experience – despite some aggravating mission gating and a bit of an unfriendly map screen. Its unique brand of slow-paced bushwhacking won’t ever be for everybody, but successfully taking a truck on a trek through terrain that the toughest trailblazers would fear to tread is still an oddly satisfying challenge that proves the journey is always more important than the destination. – Luke Reilly

F1 Manager 2024

From our review: F1 Manager 2024 doesn’t completely escape the pitfalls that come with being an annual series, though evolutionary changes make this a welcome third outing. New features like creating your own team offer strong customization options, and securing victories with a tailor-made squad feels even sweeter than building upon an existing one. The mechanical faults and expanded sponsorship systems add welcome strategic depth, too. Several flaws like the tedious contracts system and sprint format, could use further work, and some lingering issues like collision damage haven’t been solved, but this is still Frontier’s best take on a Formula 1 management sim yet. – Henry Stockdale

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail

From our review: Dawntrail has some growing pains and notable lulls as it establishes a new era for Final Fantasy XIV, but the compelling cultures of the Tural region are strong enough to carry you to its greater moments – it’s also nice to see real-world influences near and dear to me represented so well in FFXIV. And though it takes a bit to get there, once the main story flips the switch and shows you what it’s really about, it hits the kinds of peaks we’ve seen from the MMORPG time and time again. Dawntrail left me floored with a unique sense of self-reflection and stunned by spectacular combat encounters, and to go through that journey with characters I’ve grown to love, both new and old, proves that this experience can only exist in the form that it does. This expansion is a worthy extension of FFXIV, and it leaves a world of fascinating possibilities for the future. Dawntrail doesn’t forget that this is a Final Fantasy story, and the way it ties in its past, present, and future makes for incredible moments that continue to uplift and define the series. – Michael Higham

Granblue Fantasy: Relink

From our review: Granblue Fantasy: Relink bucks the RPG genre’s usual trend of long and slow-paced stories, but the relative brevity of its campaign doesn’t compromise on the quality of its storytelling. Its mobile game origins don’t always translate over well, feeling a little thin in some aspects, but questing with friends in multiplayer is very exciting – even if the lack of crossplay is disappointing. However, Relink’s fun action combat and interesting cast of characters has kept me happily playing long after I beat the final boss. – George Yang

Harold Halibut

From our review: It may take place at the bottom of the ocean on a distant alien planet, but Harold Halibut’s story is an entirely human one, both in terms of its carefully handmade environments and its strong emphasis on empathy towards its eccentric cast of characters. While I wish that there was a little more interactivity to be found throughout its subaquatic setting, and Harold’s shuffling run could have been boosted to a sprint to reduce the time spent repeatedly schlepping from one end of its levels to the other, I nonetheless remained captivated by his whimsical quest to unite his community and explore the spectacular surroundings of his sunken home. Consistently funny and full of surprises, Harold Halibut is a wholesome, handcrafted adventure with plenty of heart. – Tristan Ogilvie

Homeworld 3 Multiplayer

From our review: Homeworld 3’s multiplayer modes deliver both a safe, traditional skirmish sandbox that we expect from any RTS and also a more novel, three-player co-op mode in War Games. The fact that the two factions are only slightly asymmetrical and the map selection is so slim makes skirmishes feel a little barebones, though as always Homeworld’s three-dimensional strategy gameplay offers different opportunities to outthink your opponents in a style of competitive multiplayer battle you won’t find elsewhere. Meanwhile, there’s a ton of immediate thrills and long-term potential in War Games thanks to its randomized upgrades that allow co-op partners to specialize their fleets to concentrate on taking down different types of threats and handle anything that might come their way. – Dan Stapleton

Homeworld 3 Single-Player

From our review: Homeworld 3’s campaign goes out of its way to change up the style of missions we fight our way through as Imogen S’jet seeks out a missing Hiigaran fleet and faces an unhinged enemy. The resulting battle of wills feels more consequential than the off-screen galactic threat behind it. Relatively close-quarters scenarios have you guiding dozens of ships through eye catching gauntlets of asteroids and enormous space stations, and the dogfights and capital ship slug-fests that play out are a sight to behold. Being able to pause time and give orders makes managing your fleet much less overwhelming, especially given the tricky controls and sometimes disobedient friendly ship AI. Straightforward tech upgrades and a limited selection of ship types limit the campaign’s replayability, but building an armada and watching it tear through the enemy is always a satisfying sci-fi light show. – Dan Stapleton

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess

From our review: Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is an exciting action-strategy hybrid that left me yearning to know more about its inspirations and intricacies. The satisfying day-night structure of its stages evoked that overwhelming “just one more thing” feeling that easily had me losing track of time – and while it could occasionally be tainted by busy work base management deeper in, the overall experience was a delightfully unique one. It’s not the most challenging action game around, but the strategy it demands is still satisfying, and its wide range of interesting enemy designs and quiet but effective storytelling are something I’ll remember for a long while. It’s an odd thought, but I’m glad a game as enigmatic as Kunitsu-Gami exists. – Casey DeFreitas

Last Epoch

From our review: Last Epoch is an impressive, time-bending action RPG that combines rich customization with modern action. In the mechanical sense, it serves as an important stepping stone between Diablo and Path of Exile – but even without making direct comparisons, it competently stands on its own merits thanks to a flurry of unique, intertwining systems and a strong endgame that make it difficult to resist pouring an entire weekend into its endless loops. Just don’t let its poorly told story or the handful of bugs that have yet to be squashed discourage you from seeing this adventure through to the end of time. – Gabriel Moss

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak

From our review: The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is an exciting new start for the series. With a fresh cast of characters joined by a handful of familiar faces, it’s a welcoming point for potential new fans to jump in while also rewarding veteran players for returning. Daybreak’s updated hybrid battle system still has a few kinks to work out with its real-time elements, but enhanced movement options and other impressive tweaks make the turn-based aspects better than ever. Wrap that up in an engaging story full of political drama and a compelling new setting, and Daybreak is exactly what the Trails series needed to reach new heights. – George Yang

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD

From our review: With its substantially enhanced graphics and more flexible twin-stick control setup, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is undoubtedly the definitive version of Luigi’s second apparition-filled adventure. If you’re a newcomer to the series – or perhaps you only came onboard with Luigi’s Mansion 3 and are working your way backwards – then there’s plenty of ghostbusting and puzzle-solving fun for you to find in Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD’s five haunted houses. However, if you’re a fan of the original Nintendo 3DS version and you were hoping for more dramatic gameplay changes or additions, then you may well be a touch disappointed. What’s more, playing this remaster in the wake of the third game may put its limitations in an unfavourable light. All told, though, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is a great installment in Nintendo’s spectre-snaring series, even if it’s not the best one you can play on the Switch. – Tristan Ogilvie

MLB The Show 24

From our review: Hank Aaron’s motto was “Always keep swinging,” and MLB The Show 24 does just that. It continues to push the envelope for what a baseball sim can be by adding a deep respect for the history of the sport on top of its already excellent gameplay. Season 2 of the Negro leagues is off to a fantastic start, and I can’t wait for the next episode to drop. The addition of women to that and Road to The Show emphasize Sony San Diego’s commitment to the idea that baseball is for everyone. With great new features like Custom Game Entry in Franchise, and seamless integration of Major League Baseball’s latest changes, not even a lackluster Storyline and a Diamond Dynasty mode in flux can change the fact that this is a great way to play baseball. – Justin Koreis

Once Human

From our review: Once Human is a lot of fun, with survival-crafting that is simple and accessible, but still rewarding to dig into. Building a house is amusing, even if pieces aren’t always cooperative about snapping together in the right orientation. And while the combat is generally pretty basic, the grotesque weirdness of the monsters more than makes up for that, especially when you get a menagerie of weird little creatures of your own to fight with. Once Human would benefit from more creative quests and a flatter difficulty curve, but I still had a great time, and I’m eager to continue my adventures in this twisted world as its first season progresses. – Justin Koreis

Palworld Early Access (Steam Version)

From our review: Even in its Early Access state, Palworld is amusingly irreverent, has a surprising amount of content and deep survival mechanics, and is absurdly difficult to put down. It’s impossible to overlook just how shamelessly it takes ideas and designs from Pokémon, it’s got some unsurprising bugs and performance issues, and the work of keeping your base’s supplies topped off needs a little retuning – but when you’re riding on the back of a flying dragon while shooting a blue duck with an assault rifle, most of those blemishes wash away entirely. This is already one of my favorite survival games, and I’m incredibly excited to see how it evolves. – Travis Northup

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown

From our review​​: Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown captures not only what made games such as The Sands of Time so good, but it irons out a lot of the little issues that plagued the 3D games in this series by opting for a 2D perspective – and owning it. It also works extremely well as a traditional Metroidvania, sticking with tried-and-true elements of the genre but executing on them with precision. The story can feel a bit jumbled at times, but it’s the fast and fun combat system, the tight and satisfying controls, and the stylish look and feel that elevate Sargon’s journey and make The Lost Crown a worthy successor to the best of the Prince of Persia legacy. – Phil Hornshaw

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

From our review: Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II delivers a spellbinding adventure packed with cinematic spectacle and story surprises that maintains a surging sense of forward momentum and never wastes a second of its slender run time. Its combat manages to feel consistently intimidating and immediate despite its mechanical simplicity, and its perspective-based puzzles regularly scratch cerebral itches even though they largely rehash or rework concepts from Senua’s previous story. A journey as brutal as it is beautiful delivered with hardware-pushing visuals and persistently absorbing audio, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is another Viking-worthy feast for the senses that meets the high bar set by its predecessor, even if it never really manages to clear it. – Tristan Ogilvie

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance

From our review​​: I was more than happy to revisit Shin Megami Tensei V, one of my favorite games of 2021, through this definitive version. Vengeance doesn’t necessarily make drastic improvements per se, but I enjoyed the new twists, content, and quality of life upgrades it does bring all the same. And while the storyline and route exclusive to Vengeance are a bit better than the original, their appeal as a returning player is really just in how they shake things up at certain points. Don’t get it twisted, though – there’s never been a better time to play this hard-nosed RPG, if not for its satisfying turn-based combat, then for its masterful execution of a uniquely demonic world. There’s a certain attitude that comes through vividly in its art style, character design, and music that you just don’t get in other games. So, if you’re simply looking for more SMT or have yet to experience Atlus’ devilish RPG series, Vengeance is absolutely worth seeing through. – Michael Higham

Splatoon 3: Side Order

From our review: With already excellent weapon variety and intense combat, Splatoon 3 is a perfect fit for a roguelite game mode. Side Order’s outstanding new enemies and powerful set of abilities result in the craziest combat power trips Splatoon has ever seen. It does occasionally stumble when implementing its roguelite elements, leading to some repetitive boss fights and poor pacing. But even with those issues, this DLC is still a blast. Add in another stellar soundtrack and a distinct style that sets it apart from the rest of the series, and Side Order is a worthwhile stop at the Splatoon 3 buffet. – Logan Plant

Stargate: Timekeepers

From our review: I’m pretty pleased with the first seven episodes of Stargate: Timekeepers. SG-1 and Atlantis have been off the air for 15 years now, and it sounds like we won’t be getting any more Shadow Tactics games. So to get an experience that combines both of those bygone things I adore so effectively is a great surprise. I wish the story and characters had a bit more depth to them, and there are some issues with enemy behavior and missing keyboard shortcuts that could use a bit more polish. But overall, I would gladly venture forth through this stargate again. – Leana Hafer

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble

From our review: Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a brilliant return to form. Monkey Ball has finally found its way home again with a set of 200 fantastic courses that range from delightfully charming to devilishly challenging, backed up by tight mechanics and predictable physics that put me in total control of my monkey’s fate. This isn’t just a cover album of Monkey Ball’s greatest hits, though, as the new spin dash ability is a genius evolution of the franchise’s core ideas, and smartly-implemented online play adds fresh layers of cooperation and strategy. The underwhelming and forgettable battle mode is Banana Rumble’s biggest disappointment, but the sheer amount of optional objectives and replayability found in its adventure mode make it easy to ignore. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of the amazing GameCube originals, but Banana Rumble is easily the best Super Monkey Ball game in over 20 years. – Logan Plant

The Thaumaturge

From our review: The Thaumaturge is a slow, text heavy caper that is often curious and sometimes captivating, weaving revolutionary labor politics and mysticism together to create a unique and charming piece of historical science fiction. It is eurojank through and through, filled with criss-crossing systems like gathering observations, Thaumaturge abilities, and combat that are all fun and engaging despite the sometimes hitchy controls, clunky conversations, and odd voice overs that make this journey a bumpy one. But if a little jank didn’t stop you from enjoying RPGs like Vampyr or The Witcher, you’ll be well equipped for this otherwise exciting ghost story. – Jarrett Green

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank

From our review: Turnip Boy has already committed a bunch of crimes, and he does even more in Turnip Boy Robs a Bank. While it’s not much longer than its predecessor and has similar pacing problems towards the end, this sequel has gotten a huge overhaul for the better. It’s changed genres from a dungeon crawler to an action roguelite, with massive improvements to the combat that help make that switch work. And with more quests to complete, more jokes to laugh at, and more secrets to uncover, it still holds onto what made its predecessor so charming. It goes to show that there’s always room for Turnip Boy in our lives, even if he’s killed way more people (veggies?) since the last time we saw him. – Carli Velocci

WWE 2K24

From our review: WWE 2K24 is clear proof that 2K and Visual Concepts have certainly hit their stride when it comes to making today’s package better on the whole than yesterday’s. While not drastically different, there are enough new little features added to every inch of this iteration that make it well worth climbing back into the ring. Old enemies still have their number, though, such as making its docuseries Showcase mode feel good to actually play, creating a more consistent tone and pacing in MyRise, and getting more of the current day roster up to the high visual bar that’s currently only hit by its most popular superstars. But even with those lingering annoyances, WWE 2K24 puts an impressive cap on a three year run of great wrestling games. – Jarrett Green

Zenless Zone Zero

From our review: By leaning into early 2000s nostalgia and then blending it with a stylish vision for the future, Zenless Zone Zero crafts an inimitable world that is easy to get invested in. Exploring New Eridu and getting to know this charming cast both in and out of combat was a thrilling ride I was keen to keep at for hours on end. It’s not necessarily as deep as many of its gameplay inspirations, and momentum-killing hacking puzzles can sometimes sour the mood slightly – but with exhilarating, approachable combat and so many extracurricular activities to take care of, it was always easy to turn a corner and get swept back up in the captivating culture of Zenless Zone Zero. – Sarah Thwaites

Review Score: 9 (“Amazing”)

We enthusiastically recommend that you add these games to your to-play list. If we call a game Amazing, that means something about it seriously impressed us, whether it’s an inspired new idea or an exceptional take on an old one. We expect to look back at it as one of the highlights of its time and genre.

1000xResist

From our review: When all the pieces fall into place, 1000xResist paints a beautifully messy, often cruel, but brutally honest picture of who we are. It’s an invitation to see a deeply personal and mature reflection of the Asian diaspora, dissecting the immigrant experience to show something much greater than simple representation. It’s profound without ever being pretentious, unapologetically sentimental without excess, and bittersweet in intimate moments without losing sight of its radical politics. While all that is a testament to its impeccable writing, its artistic vision creates a striking sense of place for its characters to become more than just their functions. 1000xResist is a revolution in storytelling, forged by the things that have shaped our lives, and in turn, one that shows us what it takes to shape our future. – Michael Higham

Animal Well

From our review: Animal Well is a veritable feast of brain teasers that’s far more concerned with twisting your mind into knots than any grueling platforming challenges. It’s lovely to look at thanks to gorgeous pixel art and dynamic lighting, and an excellent use of haptics and well-tuned physics systems make it fun to touch, too. Animal Well’s steadily unlocked toybox of tools thoroughly rewards play, curiosity, and experimentation for hours upon hours after the credits roll. Though that late-game maze of mind-teasers might grate once in a while if you’re reluctant to ask for help, the massive onion of Animal Well’s secrets remains dense, clever, and thrilling even when you’ve peeled back as many layers as you think you possibly can… and then peeled a few more beyond that. – Rebekah Valentine

Balatro

From our review: Remarkably approachable with complex systems waiting for those willing to lose themselves to it, Balatro successfully assembles the infinitely fun gameplay loop that every great roguelike sets out to create. It takes the fundamentally simple nature of poker’s scoring hands and shuffles in deep mechanics that don’t feel like a chore to learn but are always thrilling to exploit. A deck-builder of endlessly satisfying proportions, it’s the sort of fun that threatens to derail whole weekend plans as you stay awake far too late staring into the eyes of a jester tempting you in for just one more run. Simply put, Balatro is no joker, but in fact, ace. – Simon Cardy

Destiny 2: The Final Shape

From our review: Destiny 2’s potential was clear from the first time I blasted my way through The Red War seven years ago, but Bungie never actually realized much of that potential until The Final Shape. This finale expansion’s story largely succeeds at delivering a satisfying ending, the raid is brutal and epic, the Prismatic subclasses breathe fresh life into combat, and the new enemy faction adds some much-needed variety to the things you’ll spend hours shooting in the face. None of that makes Destiny’s avalanche of confusing RPG systems, currencies, and storylines any easier to digest – but for the first time in a long while, I can wholeheartedly recommend pushing through that darkness, because there’s now a bright and beaming light at the end of the tunnel. – Travis Northup

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth

From our review: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth impressively builds off of what Remake set in motion as both a best-in-class action-RPG full of exciting challenge and depth, and as an awe-inspiring recreation of a world that has meant so much to so many for so long. After 82 hours to finish the main story and complete a decent chunk of sidequests and optional activities, there’s still much to be done, making this pivotal section of the original feel absolutely massive. Minigames, sidequests, and other enticing diversions fill the spaces of its vast and sprawling regions, painting a new and more vivid picture of these familiar locations. But more than just being filled with things to do, Rebirth is often a powerful representation of Final Fantasy VII’s most memorable qualities. It does fumble the execution of its ending, getting caught up in the mess of its multiple twisting timelines, but new moments and the overarching journey manage to evoke a deeper sense of reflection in spite of that. So, for as flawed as parts of how this classic has been reimagined might be, Rebirth still stands out as something both thrilling and unexpectedly impactful. – Michael Higham

Hades 2 Early Access

From our review: Hades 2 feels impossibly huge and unbelievably polished by any standard, much less an early access game. Mel is awesome, the new tweaks to the combat and progression are excellent, and its just unbelievably feature packed with twice the content of the first. Despite that, it is clearly still a work in progress: There are some placeholder art assets; there are still more weapon aspects to come, there’s a weapon missing from the arsenal of a six, there’s currently no proper story ending, and there’s still another planned region that will be part of the next major update in the next few months. But even with all that it’s currently missing, what’s here right out of the gate is astounding, and the thought of more coming on the way is a tantalizing treat. – Mitchell Saltzman

Helldivers 2

From our review: Helldivers 2 is the rare modern multiplayer game that does almost everything right. It gives you a ton of freedom, feels fantastic to play, and has a smart progression system that doesn’t nickel and dime you or rely too much on a paid battle pass. It manages to keep its missions fresh by introducing a ton of enemies, modifiers, and objectives, and varying them in interesting ways. There are some matchmaking and performance issues that still need to be worked out, and you can only go so far by yourself or with random players – but if you’ve got a solid squad, it’s an incredible time, and certainly one of the most fun multiplayer shooters I’ve played in years. When I’m not Helldiving, I’m thinking about Helldiving, counting down the time until my next drop. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to pour myself a nice, hot cup of Liber-tea and get back at it. Those bugs and robots look like they could use some freedom, and Managed Democracy isn’t going to spread itself. For Super Earth! – Will Borger

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth

From our review: Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth’s overhauled combat system injects some welcome flexibility and flash into every turn, its difficulty curve has been pruned of nasty spikes to remove the need for repetitive grinding we endured in the last turn-based game, and its spectacular Hawaiian setting is crammed with enough enjoyable activities to overload even the most ambitious of holiday itineraries. A compelling, country-hopping crime story kept me on the hook like a freshly lured barracuda for the 50 hours it took to complete, and the vibrant new job classes and unique combat arenas ensured that the fighting continued to feel fresh. Sprawling, enthralling, and packed with dynamic brawling, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth isn’t just the best turn-based Like a Dragon game, it’s one of the greatest games in the entire series. – Tristan Ogilvie

Lorelei and the Laser Eyes

From our review: Exploring Lorelei and the Laser Eyes’ forlorn manor feels both familiar and novel. Shoving playing cards and letters and other objects into my pockets in the hopes that they’ll help me decode a lock or solve some mystery down the line would fit right at home with the best of the classic point-and-click adventure game genre, but the lovely, low-fi presentation, eerie story, and creative puzzles wrapped around that are all impressively fresh. An unwavering dedication to being a one-button game adds some unnecessary annoyances, but it doesn’t stop it from being a captivating journey just the same. Like all the best puzzle games, it had me frantically scribbling symbols, numbers, and names on physical pieces of paper just to make sure I left no otherworldly stone unturned. – Tom Marks

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

From our review: Paper Mario has finally returned to its RPG roots with an amazingly loyal and visually dazzling remake of The Thousand-Year Door. Everything fans have been begging Nintendo to bring back is here, including a delightfully varied turn-based battle system with satisfying real-time elements and unique, lovable party members who are essential to both the story and gameplay. Rogueport and its surrounding areas are bursting with personality thanks to writing that’s just as sharp and funny today as it was in 2004. It also introduces a host of modern improvements that streamline (but don’t eliminate) the original’s backtracking issues, easily making this the best way to experience Mario’s quest to gather the Crystal Stars. There’s a reason The Thousand-Year Door has been considered one of the greatest Nintendo games for the last 20 years, and this brilliant remake ensures it will maintain that reputation for at least a thousand more. – Logan Plant

Persona 3 Reload

From our review: A stellar visual overhaul and countless small changes and additions beyond it leave a significant impact, making Persona 3 Reload a more fully realized version of a beloved RPG. Although still dated in some respects, quality of life improvements and new features refresh its exciting turn-based combat and add depth to its touching story moments. Through an incredible new voice cast that embodies these unforgettable characters and an endearing soundtrack to reforge its identity, Persona 3 Reload tells a powerful, timeless story of tragedy and hope with sharp emotional sincerity. This is the kind of remake I’ve hoped for, and even after spending 70 hours to see it all the way to its conclusion, I still find it hard to believe it’s real. – Michael Higham

Sons of the Forest

From our review: Sons of the Forest takes everything its predecessor did well and does it a little bit better. And considering how much I enjoyed the original, I can easily recommend this strong follow-up. Exploring a huge, beautiful, deadly island through the changing seasons is a treat on its own. The new base building mechanics could entertain me for days without ever touching the main story. And to top it all off, we have smarter and more unsettling enemy behavior paired with thoughtfully improved combat. The technical polish and touched up story since its Early Access release round out what is easily one of my favorite open world survival crafting games ever. – Leana Hafer

Tekken 8

From our review: Tekken 8 is an amazing new entry in the long-running series. Interesting tweaks to its classic fighting systems, a full suite of fun offline modes, great new characters, incredible training tools, and a vastly improved online experience all add up to a fighting game I will be playing for many years to come. By honoring its legacy, but continuing to move forward, Tekken 8 manages to stand out as something special. – Ronny Barrier

Unicorn Overlord

From our review: Reflecting on the incredibly diverse and remarkably creative world I explored across my 45-hour journey, any issues I had with Unicorn Overlord ended up feeling like nothing more than nitpicks. The tactical combat system is unique and complex while also being easy to understand, expertly blending mechanics from many of its peers with smart new additions of its own. The interesting terrain across the continent of Fevrith makes every fight feel unique, with some of the best map gimmicks I’ve seen in any strategy RPG. Because the campaign is told through the eyes of a diverse and creative cast, its trope-filled fantasy story is elevated in a way that a more traditional storytelling style wouldn’t manage. The shorter, more personal stories work wonderfully to support a loop of exploration and liberation that had me begging to see one more tale told, one more town rebuilt, and one more battle fought. – Eric Zalewski

V Rising

From our review: V Rising has been nicely polished up during its dark slumber in Early Access, allowing it to fully rise to the occasion with its excellent boss design and challenging ARPG combat. Keeping the killing rays of the sun and your dwindling blood supply as ongoing concerns is effective and evocative in selling the vampire fantasy, as is the ability to craft the sprawling, spooky estates of my nightmares. And the huge amount of customization available when setting up your own private server practically eliminates the need to do chores that are timed to real-world days in a way that only really makes sense for playing with a larger clan and having those timers going even when you’re not online. Arise, ye children of the night, and sink your teeth into one of the best ARPGs – and one of the best vampire games, in general – of this moonlit age. – Leana Hafer

Review Score: 10 (“Masterpiece”)

Simply put: this is our highest recommendation. There’s no such thing as a truly perfect game, but those that earn a Masterpiece label from IGN come as close as we could reasonably hope for. These are classics in the making that we hope and expect will influence game design for years to come, as other developers learn from their shining examples.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

From our review: FromSoftware says Shadow of the Erdtree is the only expansion Elden Ring will get, so it’s fortunate that it’s hard to imagine a better DLC than this – as long as you’re not hoping for it to do anything radically outside the box. Everything I loved about the original has been condensed into an incredibly tight package – one that’s the size of many standalone games all on its own, and can only be considered “small” in comparison to the absolutely massive world of Elden Ring itself. Erdtree’s absolutely jam-packed with secrets, valuable treasures, challenging boss battles, and horrific monstrosities to face off against, as well as cool new weapons, spells, Ashes of War, Spirit Ashes, talismans, and more to play around with and use to find even more novel ways to tackle its memorably brutal battles. Add on some very interesting lore revelations, not to mention the same spectacular visual design and stellar music that accompanies its larger-than-life bosses, and you’ve got what is certainly one of the best DLC expansions I’ve ever played. – Mitchell Saltzman

Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.