10. Divinity: Original Sin (PS3/X360/PC)
Divinity: Original Sin's propensity for the old isn't a simple case of wistful nostalgia. It's a conscious decision on Larian's part to resurrect tried-and-true threads that run deep into the bones of the CRPG genre. It's a culmination of those efforts and an unapologetic celebration of battle-tested concepts backed by solid co-op. Most of all, it comes together as a grand adventure that hearkens back to sleepless nights buoyed by the roll of a die and a pad of grid paper shared between fellow dungeon crawlers.
9. South Park: The Stick of Truth (PS3/X360/PC)
It's easy to like a game that so gleefully takes the tone of its inspiration and runs with it, and South Park: The Stick of Truth delivers on its horribly hilarious inspiration. The South Park-meets-Paper Mario RPG style manages to entice. After its storied development process, the game raises the bar for translating licensed properties into video games. This is the South Park game that we've all been waiting for.
Shovel Knight pulls off the trick of looking and sounding like a classic game (with a few embellishments here and there) and playing like a mash-up of the best game mechanics of the time. It embraces the old-school mentality wholeheartedly but leaves some room to pick up modern trappings for wider accessibility. Even though it sports the perfect length for a title in this genre, the large number of extras makes it a title with more than enough staying power for all gamers. Unless you absolutely must have your games made of polygons or completely hate the indie movement, you need Shovel Knight in your video game library.
Fast-paced, exciting and a visual spectacle to boot, the original Bayonetta was one of the finest character-action games ever made. Despite that, Bayonetta 2 manages to one-up the original in every way with smoother gameplay, faster combat, and some of the best bosses to ever appear in a video game. Bayonetta 2 never has a dull moment. The inclusion of a online multiplayer mode is icing on the cake that adds hours of gameplay to the already-lengthy package. Toss in an improved port of the original Bayonetta, complete with Nintendo-themed costumes and items, and you have one of the best gaming experiences of the year.
6. Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS4/PS3/XOne/X360/PC)
Dragon Age: Inquisition is the biggest and best Dragon Age to date. Packed to the brim with content and carefully refined mechanics, it's sure to please any Dragon Age fan. Strong dialogue and fun combat make up for a weak main story and repetitive world design, and the multiplayer adds extra value to the package. It's been a long time since there has been an RPG this big and fully featured, and anyone interested in some classic swords-and-sorcery adventuring will have a hard time finding a better example than Dragon Age: Inquisition.
5. Wolfenstein: The New Order (PS4/PS3/XOne/X360/PC)
Wolfenstein: The New Order is an excellent entry in the series. The gameplay is varied, with a combination of decent stealth and very solid gunplay. The variety in location and inclusion of secrets in the level design make up for the drab colors in the levels. The story works well in a series that's not really known for telling a good narrative, and the dual pathways mean that an already long campaign is made longer for almost all the right reasons. If you gravitate toward a strong single-player experience in your shooters, The New Order should be high on your list of games to play.
4. Super Smash Bros. (3DS/WiiU)
The true appeal of the Smash Brothers series has always been about evenings on the couch passing off the controllers, drinking cheap vodka and swearing at each other. With new fighters, new arenas and new gameplay modes, there's an absurd amount to do in Super Smash Bros. The same exciting and fun core gameplay remains, and the all-star cast of classic video game characters ranging from Mario to Mega Man certainly doesn't hurt, either. Super Smash Bros. has something for everyone.
3. Far Cry 4 (PS4/PS3/XOne/X360/PC)
Far Cry 4 excels because it provides the depth that so many other shooters lack. It is not revolutionary, and it doesn't push the boundaries of the genre, but you know what? Far Cry 4 knows that in the end, all players want to do is "shoot some goddamn guns" and have fun doing it. Far Cry 4 delivers that in spades.
2. Alien: Isolation (PS4/PS3/XOne/X360/PC)
Alien: Isolation is more than just a commendable entry as a game of the franchise. It has clearly been developed from the ground up by fans of the original "Alien" movie, and it stands on its own as a fantastic survival-horror game. Though it's not flawless, Alien: Isolation is certainly one of the best games in the franchise, and I'm impressed with what The Creative Assembly has managed to pull off.
1. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4/PS3/XOne/X360/PC)
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is the rare Arkham clone that transcends its status. It borrows heavily from Batman: Arkham Asylum but does enough new, interesting and distinctive things that it doesn't feel derivative. The core gameplay mechanics are some of the most enjoyable this year, and the game is unadulterated fun from start to finish.