But the new release is not all that many imagined it would be. Instead of gorgeous landscapes and towering landmarks, there is a relatively empty world with not much to explore.
Our picks for best new games run from the humorous to the horrific (sometimes, both at once!), from tight single-player stories to sprawling online sandboxes.
Our poll of NPR staff and contributors produced dozens dozens of favorite games. We've tagged ones that are appropriate for kids, and for those who may be new to the hobby.
It's the third shot at a mainline Halo game by video game developer 343 Industries, and it nailed both the single-player and multiplayer offerings that give the franchise its reverence.
The solo developer behind Stardew Valley says he's at work on a new game, all about "magical haunted ghost chocolate." Haunted Chocolatier is already getting fan excitement, but no release date yet.
Not a remaster or a reissue, NEO is a genuine sequel to the hit 2007 Japanese RPG that cast you and your friends as fashionable Tokyo kids battling for your lives in a strange alternate world.
Nintendo has released a newly remastered version of the classic Zelda game Skyward Sword — and while it's still a beautiful game, not all of the original's flaws have been addressed.
The video game Farming Simulator has found a loyal and niche audience in the gaming world. This isn't the cheesy Farmville game from years ago, but one emulating the real challenges of running a farm.
The Electronic Entertainment Expo isn't quite what it used to be, with several major game developers pulling out over the past few years — but this year's show still managed some pretty big news.
In this post-apocalyptic vision, you play as a furry little mutant battling and questing through a gorgeous open world. But boring combat and too much hand-holding keep the game from greatness.
The new speedrunning game from Detroit developer Aerial_Knight combines a Black cyberpunk aesthetic with clear, compelling mechanics for a game you'll want to play over and over again.
After years of begging by fans online, Nintendo has released a sequel to the classic N64 game Pokémon Snap — it's a peaceful playthrough that has you taking pictures of monsters, not capturing them.
In Disco Elysium, you play as an unnamed detective figuring out the story behind a dead body in a windswept, wintry city. The new Final Cut edition features extra quests and a fully-voiced script.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out a year ago and quickly became the game of the pandemic era, offering a candy-colored fantasy world where the occasional bug bite is the worst that can happen.