10. Boneworks – Developer: Stress Level Zero
I’ve been a huge fan of Stress Level Zero’s games since I first started playing Hover Junkers. Boneworks is yet another high quality VR title from the developer and is a must have for fans of Virtual Reality. From gunplay to physics, Boneworks pushes the boundaries of what is possible in VR forward.
9. Kingdom Hearts 3 – Developer: Square Enix
The third installment of Kingdom Heart continues the tradition of vibrant worlds and stories that make almost no sense. That’s the charm of the series. The combat is explosive and the characters are fun. There is a lot here for Disney fans though Final Fantasy fans may be disappointed.
8. Satisfactory – Developer: Coffee Stain
There is nothing quite like exploiting an alien world to build giant factories. Conveyor belts that are miles long filled with wire. Creating nuclear waste by the train full. Jabbing aliens with a stun baton until they go to “sleep”. All guilt free because it’s a video game. What’s not to love!
7. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – Developer: Respawn
Electronic Arts made a great Star Wars game that isn’t filled with wallet burning micro transactions or loot boxes. Something that comes as a shock for anyone who follows the video game industry. The gameplay is challenging and not for the faint of heart. If you have ever wanted to stab a giant bug with a lightsaber… This one is for you!
6. Neo Cab – Developer: Chance Agency
You play as a future cab driver with the threat of automation hanging over you like a dark cloud. The story of the game is told through conversations you have with the people that enter your car. A simple adventure game with deep ideas and even deeper characters. A must play for fans of adventure games and graphic novels.
5. Borderlands 3 – Developer: Gearbox
I love the Borderlands series. While others have been incredibly critical of the humor and characters I have grown a soft spot for them. With over a billion different guns to point and shoot, variety is the real star. Best played with friends!
4. Sayonara Wild Hearts – Developer: Simogo
Sayonara Wild Hearts wins our soundtrack of the year award, if we had one. The way the gameplay and music collide is nothing less then incredible. The visuals are nothing to over look either. Apple Arcade has had some hits this year but all pail in comparison to SWH.
3. The Outer Worlds – Developer: Obsidian
Fallout and Elder Scrolls have been the kings of first person RPGs for a long time now. A new challenger has arrived to rock those titles to their very foundation! That challenger is The Outer Wilds! It takes the basic framework of a Fallout game and improves on it in every single way. Whether you want to be a hero, villian, or simply a space bound idiot The Outer Worlds has something for you. A delight from beginning to end.
2. Luigi’s Mansion 3 – Developer: Nintendo
I couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face while playing Luigi’s Mansion 3. The soundtrack hit! The animation flowed! The vacuum sucked (in a good way)! Every time I guided Luigi to a new level in the haunted hotel pure excitement followed. What waits beyond those elevator doors? What new exciting theme awaited. The game had almost a theme park quality to it. Simply one of the best games ever made and on a normal year would have been my number one.
1. Control – Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Control is one of my favorite games of all time. We are talking a top 5 situation here. The moment I walked through the doors of the Federal Bureau of Control’s “Oldest House” I was hooked. Normally I don’t play through a game more then once. Control, on the other hand, I started playing through again immediately. The story is nothing shy of a masterpiece. Every audio file, document, and video you find in the world is truly meaningful while a lot of other games make you feel like a trash collector. The brutalist art design is spectacular and lends itself to horror very well. Bottom line, Control is one of the finest stories ever told backed up by intense gameplay and characters that are truly fascinating.