‘Baba Is You’
The brilliance of this puzzle game from Finnish indie developer Hempuli lies in the simplicity at the heart of its complexity. Players are required to manipulate onscreen “rules” laid out on tiles — for example, “Key is open” — to allow the titular character to progress. This basic concept, however, allows for a wealth of interpretations and actions. If you can “rewrite” the rules to read, say, “Wall is win,” then you just have to touch one of the walls on that level to progress. It’s not a flashy game, but its incredibly engrossing, and a real delight when you beat the more-difficult levels.
‘Super Mario Maker 2’
Nintendo’s beloved plumber (and brother Luigi) return in this utterly absorbing platform game and game-creation system, which allows players to create custom levels using parts of various games from the “Super Mario” franchise, then share them with other players online. The interface is intuitive and accessible even for the noobiest of noobs, and this is a charming and inventive addition to one of gaming’s great series.
‘Death Stranding’
The critical acclaim for Hideo Kijima’s long-awaited new game wasn’t entirely unanimous; some felt the visionary director had pushed his desire to create something entirely new too far, leaving players spending too long wandering across the — undeniably stunning — world he’s created with little to do but keep moving. But “Death Stranding” was the year’s most original videogame, eschewing the combat-based nature of action games in favor of making connections as you navigate a post-apocalyptic United States controlling courier Sam Porter Bridges as he transports supplies between isolated colonies and fixes their wireless communication networks.
‘Control’
Remedy Entertainment’s action-adventure encourages players to embrace the weird. The game’s title is a total misnomer — there are maybe a couple of minutes at the start when things feel normal as you guide Jesse Faden into the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) in New York, but things quickly get strange (floating corpses might be your first clue that something is very wrong) and then just get stranger as Jesse develops her powers and attempts to set things straight. Our only complaint? It’s too short.
‘Untitled Goose Game’
For pure fun, there was little this year to beat this hugely entertaining stealth-puzzler from Australian indie developers House House. You play a white goose — surely destined to become one of gaming’s great anti-heroes — and your main aim is to infuriate the long-suffering inhabitants of an English village. Honk, sprint, flap and steal your way through levels, or trick non-player characters into doing your bidding, and experience the sheer joy of being a total pain in the ass.
‘Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’
FromSoftware’s beautifully crafted and thoughtful action-adventure pits the lone shinobi (ninja) Wolf against a samurai clan who kidnapped Wolf’s lord. Stealth is the wisest tactic in “Sekiro,” as you’re often outnumbered, and there’s great satisfaction in creeping through the picturesque villages and picking your enemies off one-by-one. But sometimes there’s no option but to launch into a full-on assault (usually in the demanding boss battles). “Sekiro” covers both combat styles brilliantly and fully deserves its universal high ratings on review sites.
‘The Outer Worlds’
Obsidian’s action role-player may have failed to live up to the pre-release hype, but it is still a hugely entertaining — if sometimes frustrating — game. “The Outer Worlds” is set in an alternate future in which megacorporations have begun to colonize and reshape alien planets — often with negative results. When your colony ship breaks down, you must navigate to the nearest colony. From there, your choices are numerous — and each one will seemingly provide different results. It’s an extremely ambitious sci-fi adventure — one that allows players to tinker with time and physics — that has both depth and humor in droves.
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