PHIISON

If you would've asked me in 2013 what I'd rate GTA V I would've easily given a 10/10, but in 2026 I'd rate it an 8. It's still a great game with a lot to love such as the map of San Andreas, the three main characters, and the textbook GTA ridiculousness. On the other hand it is a game that's been rereleased twice (2015, 2022); so I think it's fair to judge it by modern standards that would hold it back from being a masterpiece in 2026.

Control was my first Remedy game and I picked a helluva game. The setting is one of the best in gaming, in my opinion, with a unique story and addicting combat that had me hooked enough to 100% the game twice (PS4/PS5).

2/2! That’s Housemarque’s record for this PS5 console generation since they’ve released two high-profile games that are bangers. Any criticism that was given to Returnal was addressed in Saros. The shorter runs, more permanent upgrades, gameplay modifiers, and a more understandable story make Saros a game that is more accessible for those who thought Returnal wasn’t for them. While the game is more accessible that doesn’t mean it’s easier since there’s more for you to balance during the gameplay compared to Returnal.

When a game is stuck in development hell they tend to be disappointing upon release but not Pragmata. Prior to release I was concerned about how the hacking would develop throughout the game and I can say that concern is unwarranted. The hacking keeps you engaged and stays fun while not getting boring as they switch up the combat encounters and throw more at you. But the best part of this game is the connection between Hugh and Diana and how Capcom excels in making you want to do everything you can to make sure the two of them succeed.

Anyone who has played and sunk enough time into Returnal will tell you it’s one of their favorite games on the PS5, and I’m one of them. The moment to moment gameplay is so addicting you don’t want to put it down. But I can acknowledge that losing your progress on death turns a lot of people off from this game but if you can give it a chance I think you’ll see what all the hype is about.

At launch this game was an EASY 9/10 for but overtime I've settled on an 8/10. Without my rose-tinted glasses I can see Reunion does some things worse than Double Exposure (DE) such as the technical performance. During my first playthrough I never ran into any issues but on my second I ran into a pretty bad visual glitch during one section. By now they’ve been fixed but Reunion still doesn’t have the level of polish DE had. Plus, I know by now whatever the original plan for DE’s sequel was had to be torn down and rebuilt into what we have now. Deck Nine had to hand-wave some story beats from the last game in order for Reunion’s story to work and I’m okay with that; since the broad strokes of this story work so well for me. If Reunion was given the same level of time and polish DE had I’m sure Reunion could’ve rivaled the original.

This game is deceiving because when you look up the developers (Shift Up) you’ll assume they’ve made games like Stellar Blade before. But you’d be wrong since prior to this game they had only made mobile games. So the fact they made a game this good is really cool. My favorite aspect of Stellar Blade is the combat and how challenging but rewarding it is and as someone who really enjoys “parry-everything” games I cannot recommend this game enough. The narrative does leave a lot to be desired but Shift Up even acknowledged this themselves so I expect the sequel to have a more engaging story.

It’s not a surprise that Red Dead Redemption 2 is considered one of the greatest games of all time. Rockstar created one of the most beautiful, detailed games I've ever seen along with a narrative that makes you care so much about the excellent cast of characters. And the brightest among them is Arthur Morgan, who a lot of people also argue is one of the best protagonists in gaming history. The gameplay is not the most fluid but it’s fun and does the job while not detracting from the experience and it sticks to Rockstar’s formula. The only thing keeping RDR2 from being a true masterpiece in my eyes is Rockstar’s obsession with not changing up their mission structure and not allowing you to even slightly deviate from their original vision for how a mission is supposed to be played.

I remember the days when A LOT of people were playing a choice-based game (Life is Strange, Detroit Become Human, Until Dawn, etc) and I wondered if another game could have the same impact with how gaming is in 2026. Dispatch showed me that is still possible. Adhoc could EASILY expand this universe with comics, novels, animated show, etc and that is a testament to them, the world, and the characters they created.

An addicting combat style mixed with a really engaging narrative that even does an amazing job making you care about the side characters. Easily one of the best games to come out on the PS4/PS5.

This game easily has one of my favorite open worlds of all time. It is so easy to get distracted from the main story to do the side content. While the story isn't as good as Tsushima's it makes up for it with a better open world and better combat.

I had never played a FromSoftware game prior to Elden Ring because the gameplay loop they had didn’t interest me too much. But eventually I gave it a shot and I’m glad I did. Elden Ring is a beautifully frustrating game that does deserve all of the praise it got. But it likely will be the only one I play because while I did have fun the gameplay loop didn’t connect for me like it does for others.

Expedition 33 is one of my favorite games to come out in the last few years. I’d be hard pressed to find something about the game I don’t like since I love practically everything about it. The narrative is special and thought-provoking, the music/atmosphere is top notch, and the gameplay is so unique it makes you wonder how nobody has thought of it before. E33 was my vote for Game of the Year and nothing else I played in 2025 came close to taking that spot.

An amazing game that you can tell was made with care and love for Star Wars while also having fun with the IP and bending the rules a little.

If I had to describe this game in one word I would say “potential”. It had the potential to be the best in the franchise since it hits on the setting, music, graphics, and the voice cast. But it really misses the mark on the most important aspect **** like this, the story. It starts out really good but towards the end it falls off a cliff quality-wise. I won’t mention anything specific but the best Life is Strange games, to me, have stayed small in scope with their narratives and Double Exposure does not.

CFB 25 does a really good job at bringing the franchise back and laying a groundwork for a series that has been dormant since 2013.

With how predatory modern gaming has been it is a breath of fresh air that a game like Astro Bot won all of the accolades it did and reminded everyone how timeless the 3D platformer genre is. And it didn’t get all of that praise for no reason, Astro Bot is simply fun. Its colorful and unique levels mixed with powerups that switch up gameplay so nothing ever feels stale will give anyone from an experienced gamer to somebody who has never picked up a controller a good time.

A fun, engaging and alebeit short game. In my opinion the second best game in the franchise behind Life is Strange 1.

The Last of Us is one of the greatest games of all time, bar none. While its story and gameplay are simple, the way Naughty Dog executes them to utter perfection is what helps make the game so special. But the truly special part of the game is the dynamic between Ellie and Joel and how it develops into one of the best father/daughter relationships gaming has seen.

A stupid, fun game in the best way possible. Doesn't do anything extraordinary but is still a good time.

One of my favorite games of all time let alone on the PS3. Everything about this game is a step above its predecessor.

If someone asked me what my biggest hidden gem PS4 game was I’d most likely say Days Gone. The game had really bad performance issues at launch and has been criticised for its slow start. But the performance issues have been mostly ironed out and if you can be patient you’ll see the hidden masterpiece this game is.

Despite the occasional clunkiness and performance dips this is still one of the best games on the PS3 and one of my favorites.

One of the greatest choice based games of all-time and I'd argue a true classic in the genre.

The combat was the only fun part of this game for me. If it only this game wasn't rushed to the degree it was because who knows what the real vision would've been like.

I’m not going to try and lie to you about Forspoken being some hidden masterpiece; because it is not. 70% of the story is bad to meh but that last 30% plus the DLC story is actually pretty good. But the combat on the other hand is fast and fluid while being fun to mess around with. Also while it makes sense for the world of Athia to be in the state it is in, the open-world did not need to be so empty and lifeless. If the devs had looked in the mirror WAY earlier into development I could see a smaller-scale and more refined version of Forspoken being an actually good game. I still would recommend this game if you can get it on a good sale though.