27. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Siege – Year Released December 1st, 2015 (PC, PS4, XONE, PS5, XSX/S).
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six® Siege gameplay - Solar Raid new operator
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six® Siege is a tactical, first-person shooter with an emphasis on teamwork and tactical play. Knowledge is the key to victory, by mastering the map layouts, characters, and vantage points you will enjoy the highest level of tactical shooter gameplay in modern gaming. The game might be a bit difficult when you start, but as you learn the mechanics you find that Six Siege offers you experiences that you can’t find elsewhere and that’s part of the charm
Choose this game if you like:
- Tactical gameplay
- Teamwork
- Attack & Defense game modes
The game heavily revolves around teamwork and tactical gameplay – the placement of gadgets and traps heavily impact your chances of victory. The game features Attack & Defense game modes where you either eliminate all enemies or attack/defend the objective.
Six Siege has been out for a while, but even after 7 years the game is still well-populated and receiving regular updates to keep the arena fresh and dynamic. Six Siege is looking promising and they’re introducing a new character to the roster to spice up the gameplay, there’s a lot of life left in it yet!
Players getting ready to charge in after tearing down the wall in Rainbow Six Siege
26. Sea of Thieves – Year Released March 20th, 2018 (PC, XONE, XSX/S)
Sea of Thieves Gameplay
Sea of Thieves is a co-op, first-person, PVP multiplayer game where you role-play as a pirate that ventures into the sea to look for treasure or other ships to sink. You can sail in a team of 4 or set out alone and complete quests or voyages from different companies – the end goal is to become a Pirate Legend. The game offers an equal playground, meaning that no matter how long you’ve played, everyone is on the same playing field (except for knowledge of game mechanics) – money & levels are only for cosmetic upgrades
Choose this game if you like:
- ARRGHHH!! Being a pirate
- Hanging out with the boys
- PVP Ship battles
The game offers a wide range of activities from PVP, Skeleton hunting, Treasure hunting, animal hunting and fishing. There are cool tricks like using your Cutlass to launch yourself forward in the water so you can board enemy ships fast, or storing your puke so you can use it to blind enemies! Death isn’t very consequential in this game when you die you can easily be revived – you might lose that voyage’s worth of loot but that’s it. If you want casual fun, Sea of Thieves is the perfect game!
A player is attacking a ship in an attempt to sink it and loot some sweet booty
25. Doom Eternal – Year Released March 20th, 2020 (PC, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S, Switch)
Doom Eternal is a fast-paced, high-tension first-person shooter and the sequel to the hit 2016 reboot. Introducing new gameplay elements to the game such as dashing, and destructible demons - the Doom Slayer is back again to take on the demonic forces of hell.
Choose this game if you like:
- Fast-paced “push-forward” first-person shooter
- Great music that builds tension during action-packed moments
- Amazing visuals, gore, and sci-fi weapons
One of my personal favourites, Doom Eternal is another great game for the franchise, rewarding players that are aware of their surroundings and can react quickly to environmental hazards as well as off-screen enemies. Doom Eternal keeps you on your tippy toes! One of the best things about Doom Eternal is the soundtrack, when the tracks kick in & when it closes out – perfection. The game has generous checkpoints too, so even if you die a reset is never too far away so it never feels unfair.
The doom guy getting ready to rip these two demons apart
24. Dota 2 – Year Released July 9th, 2013 (PC)
Dota 2 Gamescon trailerDOTA 2 is a MOBA where 2 teams of 5 players choose a hero and go up against each other to take down the opposing team’s ”Ancient”. The game is a real-time strategy game where you control your hero in a top-down view and cooperate with your team to execute high-level plays.
Choose this game if you like:
- MOBA
- Teamwork or Dominating as a pro-hyper carry
- Map awareness and multitasking
The game is a competitive MOBA which has an arguably high skill-level ceiling compared to other MOBA games. Denying creeps (and the enemy team of gold) is one of the major early-game strategies, and essential to winning the lane. If you play as a hyper carry character, given enough early game lead you can essentially destroy another team singlehandedly, so keeping an eye out for team stats, stopping an enemy’s kill streak, and map awareness is key to succeeding in DOTA 2. DOTA 2 has a strong ESports scene and gets regular updates so there are lots to come!
The enemy team is destroying a tower on the bottom lane
23. Destiny 2 – Year Released September 6th, 2017 (PC, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S)
Destiny 2 – Witch Queen Launch Trailer
Destiny 2 is a free-to-play online multiplayer first-person shooter game. The game features PVE, PVP, and PVPVE modes and 6-player raids so there’s lots to do and rewards for each kind of playstyle so you don’t have to worry about missing out for not enjoying PVP or PVE.
Choose this game if you like:
- Sci-fi world blended with magic
- Online Multiplayer
- First-person shooter with top-notch gunplay
The game has a sizable amount of content available as free-to-play and the gunplay is top-notch. You get a kick out of using each gun as it sounds great and the kick-back animations are intricately designed. Each player controls a Guardian which depending on the class, has different customizations and skills and you can gear your guardian to adjust how you want to play. Destiny 2 releases a new expansion annually and a seasonal battle pass. The next expansion pack is Destiny 2: Lightfall launching on February 28, 2023
The player is facing off against one of the enemies in Destiny 2’s Witch Queen Expansion pack
22. God of War Ragnarok – Year Released November 9th, 2022 (PS4/PS5)
God of War Ragnarok State of Play 2022
God of war Ragnarok is an action RPG and the sequel to God of War (2018), which completes Kratos’s journey in the Norse saga. The game feels familiar yet different with improvements in the skill tree over the last game. You’ll find more of the same satisfying combat, balancing between attacking and blocking/parrying.Choose this game if you like:
- Action gameplay – once you master it you’ll feel like the God of War
- A fulfilling journey to the end of the God of War saga in the Nordic Mythology
- Exploring vastly different regions – each realm is unique
Sony’s latest PS4/5 exclusive highlights what the PS5 can do. This system seller maintains high FPS throughout the game while having stunning visuals. The combat is fluid, there are a lot of options to customize how you want to play, and numerous armour sets to pick from. The game brings in atmospheric storytelling, with the dialogue amongst Mimir, Arteus, and Kratos building onto the setting so you get a sense of how the characters are changing, and developing as you play through their journey.
Kratos faces off with a Dreki, a deadly crocodile enemy.
21. Cyberpunk 2077 – Year Released December 10th, 2020 (PC, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/XSS)
Cyberpunk 2077 Next-Gen Gameplay
Cyberpunk 2077 is an open-world single-player first-person action RPG set in a cyberpunk future where people are enhanced with cybernetics. You are V; a mercenary who is fighting for control over your own body as you are being erased by a deceased celebrity that got into your cybernetic brain.
Choose this game if you like:
- First-person shooters
- Free roam – open-world adventure games
- Action RPGs with lots of customization
The visuals in this game are breathtaking given that you either have a next-gen console, or a powerful PC. Coming from Witcher 3, the gameplay is kind of familiar – CP2077 offers a huge expansive world with more side content to do than you know what to deal with, lots of customizations, and stats to build for a specialized build. You get to see some crazy things in this game, and some builds can lead to some funny outcomes so you’ll never get bored!
The game had a rocky launch but has since received numerous updates to optimization. A new paid DLC expansion is expected to arrive sometime in 2023, as well as a Game of the Year edition (which may include the DLC)
The player is shooting an enemy NPC with a shotgun but seems to have missed so the enemy didn’t die and is now shooting back
20. Batman: Arkham Knight – Year Released June 23rd, 2015 (PC, PS4, XONE)
Batman: Arkham Knight Gameplay TrailerBatman is an open-world action-adventure game and the third & final game of the Batman Arkham series. Arkham Knight brings back your caped vigilante to protect Gotham City with gadgets and gameplay elements from the previous games. The game also introduces the Batmobile, in addition to faster gliding and transversal options giving a speedy experience.
Choose this game if you like:
- BATMAN
- Fluid free-flow combat with strikes, dodges, counters and gadget slinging
- Collectibles – because there’s a lot of them
- Puzzles
Arkham Knight introduces a beautifully crafted world for you to explore as the Dark knight. The combat is great - fluid and each strike you land feels impactful, there are lots of upgrades so your game never stops staying fresh. The game also has a New Game+ so you can replay the game with gadgets, and abilities unlocked. Highly recommended for all Batman fans, or even just fans of superhero games – Arkham Knight won’t disappoint!
Batman glides around Gotham City
19. Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI – Year Released October 21st, 2016 (PC, PS4, XONE, Android, iOS, Mac, Switch)
Civ 6 – Launch Trailer
Sid Meier’s Civilization® VI is a turn-based strategy 4X game where you control a civilization from an early settlement. Through millennia of struggle and triumph, the goal is to emerge as a world superpower through warfare, development, or culture.Choose this game if you like:
- History
- Turn-based strategy game
- Carefully planned gameplay – like chess, you need to plan your moves out
To succeed at Civ 6, you need to maintain a balance between income, growth, and necessities. The game offers complex strategies and different approaches to secure victory – so if you enjoy a game that’s highly strategic and replayable – look no further! It’s the same Civilization that you know and love, except more!
Civilization VI player with another civilization about to face off
18. Assassin's Creed® Odyssey – Year Released October 5th, 2018 (PC, PS4, XONE, Switch)
Assassin's Creed® Odyssey Official World Premiere Trailer
Assassin's Creed® Odyssey is an open-world third person action-RPG set in the mythological history of the Peloponnesian war between Athens and Sparta from 431 to 422 BC. Assassin’s creed is back this time in Ancient Greece, featuring sea travel, mythical monsters, and more. This is Ubisoft’s second take at making an RPG-based Assassin’s creed, improving upon Assassin’s creed Origin.Choose this game if you like:
- Action RPGs
- Greece Mythology
- Assassin’s Creed
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey is like a homage to Homer’s Odyssey. As you explore Greece, you will find mythical beasts synonymous with those described in the epic. The game offers solid gameplay, upgrades, and equipment options to fully customize your playstyle to your liking. Be it an invincible tank, a relentless archer, or a debuffer – the options are only limited by your imagination.
Alexios Spartan kicks a soldier during a battleground
17. Monster Hunter Rise – Year Released March 26th, 2021 (PC, Switch, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S)
Monster Hunter Rise – Steam / PC Trailer
Monster Hunter Rise is an action rpg where you slay, capture large monsters with weapons, and tools. The goal of the game is to successfully hunt monsters so you can harvest materials off them and create stronger and better equipment so you can hunt stronger monsters and rank up.Choose this game if you like:
- Action games where you can take on a giant monster
- Games with up to a team of 4
- Monster Hunter series
Monster Hunter Rise introduces wirebug and silkbind mechanics. Wirebugs give you an extra layer of movement and silk bind are skills you can equip to change up the weapon move sets. The additional skills are great and the extra mobility allows you to pull off some crazy maneuvers. There’s also a new ridable Palamute companion and the Palicoes you know and love. Coming from Monster Hunter world - Rise is a faster, and flashier rendition of Monster Hunter, though graphically it may be slightly less impressive, the gameplay improvements more than makeup for it. If you love Monster Hunter, you’ll love Monster Hunter Rise!
Monster Hunter: Rise has an expansion pack - Sunbreak, and will also be getting a next-gen console release early 2023 with updated resolution and other enhancements.
A Hunter taking on a Magnamalo alongside their trusty Palamute and Palicoe
16. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy – Year Released October 26th, 2021 (PC, Switch, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S)
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Launch Trailer
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is an action-adventure game which features Peter Quill / Star-Lord and his team on yet another adventure. Keeping the same mood as the movies you embark on another journey across the galaxy getting into trouble and solving problems just as often.
Choose this game if you like:
- Action games with an emphasis on shooting
- “not-so-serious” game with light humor – like borderlands!
- Fan of Star-Lord – the game very closely resonates with the character from the movies
Star-Lord and his team (plus a Lamma)
15. Tomb Raider (2013) – Year Released March 5th, 2013 (PC, PS3/4, X360, XONE, OSX, Linux)
Tomb Raider Official game trailer
Tomb Raider (2013) is a reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise starring Lara Croft. Tomb Raider is a third-person action-adventure game with exploration and survival elements. There are upgrades to skills & abilities as well as equipment (such as increasing arrow and ammo storage capacity). Choose this game if you like:- Third-personon narrative games
- Tomb Raider series
- Nice graphics
You are introduced to Lara Croft on her first journey with her friends, and then everything starts to go wrong. She has to adapt and survive to get out of her predicament and even kill for her very first time. Tomb Raider delivers a careful balance between action & combat. With access to upgrades and different approaches during fights, it never becomes a dull moment. A great reboot if there ever was one!
Lara zip lining to safety
14. Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker – Year Released December 7th, 2021 (PC, PS4/5, macOS)
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker Full Trailer
Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker is the fourth expansion pack for the Online MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV. It is a standalone pack, a complete edition to bring closure to the game’s long arc finally ending the Final Fantasy 14 story.Choose this game if you like:
- MMORPG – FF14 is probably one of the best ones out there
- Final Fantasy Franchise & Job system
- Story-driven MMO – it’s heavily involved in world & character building with long cut scenes
A reaper attacking an enemy
13. Minecraft – Year Released November 18th, 2011 (PC, PS3/4, X360, XONE, Android, iOS, MacOS, Apple TV, Wii U, Switch, NDS, PS Vita, Fire OS)
Official Minecraft Trailer
Minecraft is a sandbox game where you are limited by only your own imagination. A game suitable for all ages where you can embark on a solo adventure or play with friends with the world as your playground.
Choose this game if you like:
- Creating your own world
- Free-unhinged gameplay with no fixed objective
- Fun with others
Minecraft is as fun as you want it to be - if you enjoy building, creating traps and gadgets, this game is for you! Despite being released over a decade ago, it continues to receive regular updates, so the game will never get stale. It's always changing and evolving, providing endless opportunities for creativity and exploration.
A look at the Minecraft world
12. Grand Theft Auto Online – Year Released October 1st, 2013 (PC, PS3/4/5, XONE, X360, XSX/S)
GTA 5 & GTA Online Launch Trailer
Grand Theft Auto Online is an online multiplayer action-adventure game set in the city of Los Santos. The player (you) starts off on a journey to build a criminal empire to amass the most wealth and take on the toughest heists of all time.Choose this game if you like:
- Open-world adventure games
- Grand theft auto
- Getting rich (in a game)
It’s a real-life simulation game that gives you the freedom to do whatever you want. You can steal cars, buy cars, customize cars, blow up cars, run into people with a car and more. It’s harder to think about what you can’t do in GTA than what you can do!
Overview shot of Los Santos during the evening – yes there are day/night cycles!
11. Apex Legends – Year Released February 4th, 2019 (PC, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S, Switch, iOS, Android)
Apex Legends Gameplay Trailer
Apex legends is a free-to-play online multiplayer battle royale hero shooter. The game features an arena where squads of three players using characters with unique abilities called “Legends” battle it out to become the ultimate victor.Choose this game if you like:
- Battle Royales
- FPS Shooters
- Sci-fi setting
Apex is set in the future with high tech gadgets and energy shields. The game features sprint, slide, and climbing mechanics as well as Legend abilities that can grant additional movement options. Awareness and accuracy are key to victory here. For those that do not fancy Battle Royales but enjoy the gunplay – there’s also an Arena mode available, which is similar to Valorant/Counter Strike where you buy equipment and take turns to eliminate the other team.
A squad is shooting at enemies
10. The Elder Scrolls Online – Year Released April 4th, 2014 (PC, MacOS, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S)
The Elder Scrolls Online: Firesong Gameplay Trailer
The Elder Scrolls Online is an online multiplayer MMORPG set in the Elder Scrolls universe. If you’re a fan of Skyrim – then you will feel just right at home. The game is set in Tamriel during the second era before Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim.
Choose this game if you like:
- MMORPG with action elements
- Elder Scrolls universe
- Customization options
Player gets ready to zap a boar
9. WoW Dragonflight – Year Released November, 28th, 2022 (PC, MacOS)
Launch Gameplay trailer Dragon Flight, World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft Dragonflight is the ninth expansion for the MMORPG World of Warcraft. This newest expansion introduced a revamped profession system and a new feature called Dragon riding, which allows you to raise, customize and ride a dragon. There is also new playable race called the Dracthyr which can use an exclusive (also new) class called the Evoker.
Choose this game if you like:
- MMORPG with Lots of content
- Classic MMORPG gameplay style with skill rotations
- Raids!
The game has a rich history and a vast world to explore, so you can spend hours playing and discovering new things. There are many activities to engage in, such as gathering resources and crafting items, and you can choose to focus on levelling up or making gold. The game offers a variety of play styles, including player-versus-environment (PVE), player-versus-player (PVP), and raiding, so there's something for everyone. With the recent expansion, it's easier than ever to jump in and start playing - the quick start option with the evoker character allows new players to catch up quickly.
Red Dragonflight leader Alexstrasaza in her dragon form
8. XCOM 2 – Year Released February 5th, 2016 (PC, OSX, PS4, XONE, Switch, iOS, Android)
Xcom 2 Collection on the Nintendo Switch
XCOM 2 is a turn-based tactical strategy game where players control a military organization trying to fight off an alien invasion. The game features both combat and strategic elements, and it is the sequel to 2012's XCOM: Enemy Unknown. It takes place 20 years after the events of that game, where the player's team has lost the war and is now operating as a resistance force on occupied Earth.
Choose this game if you like:
- Turn-based tactic games
- Sci-fi/alien setting
- Squad management
Xcom 2 is a game that rewards smart decision-making. Every choice you make has consequences, so you need to think carefully about your moves. If one of your units dies, it is permanently gone - this adds to the game's challenge and charm. If you enjoy a highly strategic game where your decisions matter, then this game is for you!
A player is planning on how they want to move their unit “Gretta Johnson”
7. Dying Light – Year Released January 27th, 2015 (PC, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S, Linux, MacOS, Switch)
Dying Light is a first-person survival horror game where you are an undercover agent sent to a quarantine zone called Harran. The game features an open-world environment, crafting make-shift weapons and gadgets as well as parkour movement.
Choose this game if you like:
- Post-apocalyptic horror games
- Open-world action-adventure
- Fluid gameplay with parkour movement abilities
Going up against a volatile & other zombies
6. Genshin Impact – Year Released September 20th, 2020 (PC, PS4/5, Switch, Android, iOS)
Genshin Impact Sumeru Gameplay TrailerGenshin Impact is a free-to-play open-world action role-playing game with a “gacha” as one of the ways to get new characters. The game is a hybrid between a mobile game and an open-world game with an optional co-op system if you choose to play with others.
Choose this game if you like:
- Anime-style character designs, beautiful landscapes with vastly different settings from Spring-like to Snowy mountains, from mystical forests to Sandy Desert
- Open-world adventure game like Zelda: Breath of the wild
- Gacha game where you accumulate characters, and resources to make them stronger in order to challenge harder content
The Traveler (Main Character) admiring the scenery
5. Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered - Year Released Nov 12th, 2020 (PC, PS5)
Marvel’s Spider-man Remastered PC Trailer
Marvel’s Spider-man Remastered is an open-world action game where you play as the web-slinging superhero. In this game, players are introduced to a more experienced and skilled Peter Parker who has mastered fighting crime in New York City. However, he faces challenges in balancing his personal life and superhero responsibilities, as the fate of New York depends on him.Choose this game if you like:
- Superhero games – this is probably the best one in the last 3 years!
- Spiderman IP – you really feel like Spiderman
- Action games – combat is extremely refined
Spiderman is getting ready to punch Rhino
4. Metro Exodus – Year Released February 15th, 2019 (PC, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S, Linux, macOS)
Metro Exodus PS5 Launch Trailer
In Metro Exodus, players take on the role of a survivor in a post-apocalyptic wasteland of the former Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan. The game combines elements of first-person shooter, survival horror, and stealth, and challenges players to cope with new hazards and engage in combat against mutated creatures and hostile humans. Players have access to a range of hand-made weapons that can be customized using scavenged materials and a crafting system. The game features a mix of linear levels and sandbox environments, as well as a dynamic weather system, a day-night cycle.
Choose this game if you like:- Post-apocalyptic setting
- First-person shooter in an open-world environment
- Metro setting – you get to revisit areas in part of the metro
Overview of one of the regions you explore – the game looks great!
3. The Last of Us Part II – Year Released June 19th, 2020 (PS4)
The Last of us II Official launch trailer
The Last of Us Part II is a third-person shooter action-adventure game. Set five years after the events of The Last of Us, the game follows two playable characters, Ellie and Abby, whose lives become intertwined in the post-apocalyptic United States. Ellie sets out on a mission of revenge while Abby becomes involved in a conflict between her militia and a religious cult. The game puts you in a struggle where the player has to fight human enemies and zombie-like creatures using firearms, improvised weapons, and stealthChoose this game if you like:
- Post-apocalyptic world
- Satisfying gunplay, and lots of intense moments
- Crafting & survival elements
Ellie playing guitar in a random room – really sets the mood of the game
2. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive – Year Released August 21st, 2012 (PC, MacOS, XONE, Linux)
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Trailer
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a first-person shooter where two teams, the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists, compete against each other in objective-based game modes. The most common modes involve the Terrorists planting a bomb while the Counter-Terrorists try to stop them, or the Counter-Terrorists attempting to rescue hostages held by the Terrorists. The game has nine official modes, each with unique characteristics. It also offers matchmaking support, allowing players to join dedicated servers run by Valve or community-hosted servers with custom maps and game modes.- Choose this game if you like:
- Team-Objective based game
- Classic FPS genre
- High skill ceiling gameplay – to master the game you need to spend time getting used to the mechanics
Terrorist is sneaking up behind a Counter-Terrorist
1. Resident Evil 2 Remake – Year Released January 25th, 2019 (PC, PS4/5, XONE, XSX/S, Switch)
Resident Evil 2 Remake Gameplay Trailer
Resident Evil 2 Remake is a remake of the 1998 PlayStation game with modernized third-person controls similar to Resident Evil 4 and the later games. There are difficulty options ranging from Assisted (which is easier) to Hardcore (which gives you fewer ammo pick-ups and limited saves). As you explore the police station, you will find upgrades and items such as herbs and gunpowder to craft healing items and ammunition.
Choose this game if you like:
- Zombie apocalypse games
- A classic remade with modern features to experience a re-telling of the story
- Resident evil fan
The game is one of the best remakes in recent times – the graphics and game engine were completely redone. The visuals are amazing and the atmosphere was extremely well made. The game keeps you tense with sneak attacks, and zombies are always after you outside of safe rooms so you never feel truly safe. If you enjoy zombie games, Resident Evil is definitely one of the best picks!
Leon is exploring the police station and stumbles upon a bunch of dead bodies
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