A list of the bestest games we’ve plonked a sticker on this year
So yeah, I’d encourage you to have a flick through the list below and see if there’s anything you can add to the wishlist. Even as the person with “Reviews” in their job title, I can confirm I literally have loads of these Bestest Bests in my backlog. I will endeavour to play a handful over this Christmas break on my Steam Deck, maybe combining the experience with a nibble on a mince pie. Anyway, enjoy! And Merry Reviewsmas!
A Space For The Unbound’s world-ending coming-of-age adventure holds incredible weight while also being sentimental and heartfelt.
A gorgeous cycling road trip about documenting your travels through a melancholy post-war world that’ll soon be washed away in a great flood. An adventure with a poetic outlook and deliberately slow pace, Season keeps pulling you in deeper and deeper.
As long as your PC is up to the job,Returnalis a top-notch conversion of PlayStation 5’s finest, combining razor-sharp shooting with dense atmosphere and a captivating story.
An affecting and powerful visual novel,The Wrecktakes a long hard look at grief, guilt and family relationships to deliver a cathartic gut punch to the senses.
A gripping tale of rites, rituals, and revenge, Paranormasight has turned out to be one of this year’s biggest surprises. Its subversive approach to both horror and visual novels is as refreshing as it is chilling. A must-play for Zero Escape andDanganronpafans.
Part reimagining, part dutiful modernisation, theResident Evil 4remake is silly, bold and brash, sure, but unashamed of its past and happy to relish in its inspirations. The scale of what Capcom has achieved here is remarkable.
Tchia’s gorgeous archipelago is bursting with character and exploration potential. Together with a heartfelt story and authentic New Caledonian inspirations, this adventure is an impressive debut from developers Awaceb.
Dripping with atmosphere and armed with several compelling story hooks, Dredge is an eldritch fishing tale that will have you hooked from the word go.
While its refusal to let you cheat the exam will prove too punishing for some, the new System Shock is a breathtakingly beautiful and astonishingly faithful remake that proves the enduring power of Looking Glass design.
Viewfinder is a puzzle game like no other. Its reality-shifting, mind-bending hook is constantly fascinating, and the directions it takes will leave your head spinning in the best way possible.
Superbly presented with oceans of strategic depth, Let’s! Revolution! is a spirited fantasy roguelite that gives Minesweeper a vibrant new lease of life.
A staggering improvement upon a solid foundation, Remnant 2 is an engrossing Soulslike that brings all the horror and joy of alien world exploration to wonderfully dark fruition.
A thoughtful and beautifully-written tale about online friendships and the communities that bring people together, Videoverse makes every interaction and dialogue choice count as you navigate its interpersonal dramas.
Larian’s RPG is an incredible world to get lost in, and though it may take you 100 hours, you will want to play again. It’s the best Dungeons & Dragons game anyone has made, and probably will ever make. Unless there’s a sequel in another 20 years.
A crowning achievement of open world stealth puzzling, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is fiendishly good fun. Easily Mimimi’s best stealth strategy game yet.
Another solid entry in a unique story-generator series that rewards a fascination with human cultures, but demands acceptance of failure and misfortune.
A brilliantly written and performed spy-thriller set in the middle of Night City and of Cyberpunk 2077’s overarching story.
Masterful geography makes this world-hopping puzzler not only a series of clever problems, but a grand exploration of a wonderfully realised cosmic universe.
Station To Station is a short but lovely train-themed puzzle game, perfectly balanced, and you’ll play it in pursuit of a more beautiful engine.
A very satisfying tower defence roguelike, except the “tower” has legs.
Repetitive combat in World Of Horror can’t entirely mar a unique, stylish and layered horror adventure that makes you want to play more the more that you play.
Jusant’s tale unravels through concrete, satisfying climbing that contrasts with ephemeral hints at the past, in a game that marries function, form and story in a most beautiful way.
Reprising its engrossing mix of chewy puzzles and deep philosophising about the nature of human experience, The Talos Principle 2 raises the bar yet again with its playful approach to problem-solving, and asks how we fit into the wider machinations of the world at large.
An inventive roguelite citybuilder brimming with challenge and excitement, making it a bold step forward for both genres.
