[Editor’s Note: Authors were told to approach their game of the year lists however they wanted, including listing their favorite games they personally played this year regardless of release year.]
Diablo 4
I have spent a lot of time playing Diablo 4. While it is just another Diablo game, I really like Diablo. They made some quality-of-life improvements from other games, and I really like the season events. I am upset that I couldn’t side with Lillith, though. It really should have been an option. The ending was frustrating. 6/10 CHAOS
Final Fantasy XVI
For me, a major aspect of Final Fantasy games is being turn-based. Which has made the past five numbered installments seem lackluster to me. There were some great games, but they weren’t Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy XVI is a fantastic game, but I am viewing it as a different franchise now. Also, a game that has a side quest that made me cry deserves accolades. 7/10 CHAOS
Connections
This game is a great way to jumpstart my brain. It makes me think of things in ways that aren’t necessarily evident at first. While I still fail fairly regularly, I really feel accomplished when I win one. 8/10 CHAOS
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
This is such a beautiful and amazing game. I haven’t played most of the new Super Mario games, but this one is fantastic. I would have liked to have seen more powerups. And I still haven’t 100% cleared it because of the timed, moving, speed changing, wall jump level. 8/10 CHAOS
Slay the Spire
I just started playing this game recently, and I am enjoying it. The characters all play differently enough that it feels like a different game with each one. The strategy changes, and each character has multiple builds. I realize that some games I have played since it came out were based on this system. 9/10 CHAOS
Super Mario RPG Remake
This remake was fabulous. They stayed true to the original, and any additions only served to make the game better. I loved every second of playing it. Unfortunately, the game and post-game content was very short. I would have loved to see a new area or two, rather than just updated boss fights. Also, I am very frustrated with my lack of ability to get the 100 Super Jump challenge. 9/10 CHAOS
Sea of Stars
This game made my heart sing. It was a love letter to 90s RPGs, and it honored them like they deserved. It was wild to see a game that looked 16/32-bit have improved features. Songshroom Marsh was a masterclass in how to make an amazing stage. The battle system merged elements of many fantastic games. 10/10 CHAOS
Super Snail
I started playing this at the beginning of the year, and I really enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and the easter egg after easter egg. There are so many references in this game that I find myself having to look some things up to see if it’s a reference that I don’t get. It’s a great idle game, and after initial set up only needs a little bit of time per day to keep up and grow. 10/10 CHAOS
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
I really loved playing this game. It took the best parts of Breath of the Wild, and replaced the worst parts. It felt more like a Zelda game than Breath of the Wild. The concept of being able to build machines was such a great idea, and it was executed well. 10/10 CHAOS
