Evan

Laika is a really special game. It tells an impressively deep story for its cartoony graphics and anthropomorphic animal characters, but where it really shines is in its gameplay. Laika is like a mix between the Trials series, Hotline Miami, Dark Souls, and Metroid. It's gloriously violent, deeply challenging, incredibly satisfying, and it all fits together so smoothly that it's a wonder more games in this style don't exist.

Very few games can elicit a strong emotional reaction from me. Even fewer can do it with every ending to their story. For Citizen Sleeper, that adds up to six separate times it made me cry. Every single ending the game offers is incredibly moving, offering deep meditations on life, friendship, relationships, and the little furry friends that make our lives special.

Not everyone will jive with this game, but I think that makes it even more special. Outer Wilds appeals to the innate curiosity of its players. It encourages them to ask questions about its world, and then to go out and find the answers. There's a tiny bit of guidance, but the journey is largely dictated by the person with the controller. And what a journey it is.

Lots of video games try to emulate sports, but very few manage to actually capture what makes playing sports so fun; especially team sports. Rocket League's focus on physics-based gameplay means that the only way anyone can improve is through playing better. There are no "stronger" cars to unlock, no power-ups that give an advantage. Becoming a better player is the only way to improve, just like a real sport.

This may not be the best BioShock game overall, but the storytelling—particularly the relationship that develops between Booker and Elizabeth, makes it stand head and shoulders above the rest of the series. It also has a twist for the ages, one that easily rivals the first game's.

A fascinating and unexpected genre blend of seven or eight different kinds of video game. There are few predictable moments throughout the game, and the ending—the true ending—is an all-timer.

To me, Dark Souls is a life-changing game. It's not just exceptional in its environmental and combat design, it's not just subversive in its storytelling; this is a game that taught me how to live a better life. Very, very few games can achieve something like that.