#30 - The Messenger (NS)
Speaking of great Metroidvania games, say hello to The Messenger, a brilliant back-tracking action-adventure that essentially swaps genres (and art styles) halfway through.
#29 - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (NS)
Talk about being in the right place at the right time. New Horizons, which launched just as COVID reared its ugly head, proved to be a restorative balm in an upside down world. It also proved to be a tremendous life simulation game with hundreds of hours of joyful collecting, gardening, socializing, and celebrating.
#28 - Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux (3DS)
Strange Journey Redux is a masterful remake that retains the best parts of the original -- rewarding first-person dungeon diving, habit-forming demon recruitment mechanics -- and upgrades them with extra content, new quality-of-life features, and modern graphics.
#27 - Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights (NS)
A grimdark Metroidvania (yes, another one), Ender Lilies impresses on all fronts: music, art direction, narrative, and, most importantly, gameplay. It benefits from a nifty "Spirit" system whereby players deploy the specters of defeated enemies to fight for them.
#26 - Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (XOne)
The Dragon's Trap takes what was already a great game -- one of the very best on the Master System, in fact -- and elevates it with modern conveniences and a complete audiovisual overhaul. The result is a terrific retro remake.
#25 - Spiritfarer (NS)
If you can finish Spiritfarer with dry eyes, you are surely made of stone. One of the most moving, emotionally-powerful indie games ever made, it's the best thing Thunder Lotus Games has done (at least for now). It's also an excellent management sim.
#24 - Mortal Kombat X (PS4)
Mortal Kombat has been a somewhat uneven series since it started in the early 1990s, but it delivered the goods in a big way with Mortal Kombat X. Thanks to deep, involving mechanics and an extraordinary story mode, it's arguably the best in the entire franchise.
#23 - Severed (PSV)
DrinkBox is one of the very best indie studios active right now, and Severed is its finest game. An unlikely combination of first-person dungeon-diving and Fruit Ninja-esque touchscreen swiping, it boasts a beautiful story, lovely visuals, engaging exploration, and thrilling combat.
#22 - Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (NS)
One of the finest modern Metroidvanias, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom channels the spirit of the Wonder Boy series with creative animal transformations and open-ended levels dotted with treasure. It also sports winsome hand-drawn art and several memorable set-pieces.
#21 - Resident Evil 2 (PS4)
An exemplary remake and a riveting, unnerving survival-horror game, Resident Evil 2 delivers plenty of thrills and chills in a content-rich, luxurious package.
