We may be only a few months into the year, but we've already played more than enough to begin to assemble our best games of 2026. While some of them have been part of well-loved series, like Resident Evil Requiem, what's been great about the year so far is how many surprises it's brought. With loads of new games for 2026 to still get excited about, we're only just getting started
Below, we've got our ranked list, where we've collected together our favorites to highlight what's been sticking with us so far. That means that when we've scored them, they've received a 4-star ranking or above (you can find our criteria by taking a look at how we score on GamesRadar+). We've further fine-tuned the selection after some healthy debate on the team, including zero thrown coffee mugs. As the year progresses and more games release, this order may move around a bit.
Either way, these highly-rated games will be in the conversation when it comes to Game of the Year discussions. Unsure why something is missing? You can take a look at all our reviews to see which ones we gave a full verdict, but we also offer additional curated lists on a genre-by-genre basis, such as the best single-player games, best RPG games, best FPS games, and more! For now, join me as we rundown the best games of 2026 so far!
The best games of 2026, ranked
Developer: Pearl Abyss | Release date: March 19, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Crimson Desert is an open world action RPG stuffed to the brim of just about every game mechanic you can imagine for the genre. It doesn't make for the greatest gaming story ever told, but it does make for a massive open world sandbox that's easy to lose yourself in.
"Take time to leave the beaten path and you'll find a game that's far better as a sandbox than as a story," says Joel Franey, author of our Crimson Desert review.
The biggest inspirations seem to be from The Witcher 3 with its gritty world and bloody combat, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's approach to open world freedom and puzzling – and there's a touch of the Assassin's Creed's RPGs to it as well. You can tell developer Pearl Abyss are known for MMOs (they made the massive Black Desert Online), as this has a huge amount of side-content to explore that can feel rewarding to find. This adventure is best taken as your own, so set out into the world and explore.
Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio | Release date: February 12, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties is a remake of the iconic PS3 crime drama, centering on former yakuza with a heart-of-gold Kazuma Kiryu as he attempts to retire and run an orphanage in Okinawa. But won't you believe it, he gets dragged right back in as the land his orphanage is on becomes a valuable piece in a political conspiracy.
"The meatiest brawling this crime thriller's tackled in years combines with its warmest story," says Oscar Taylor-Kent, author of our Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties review.
In terms of narrative, this remains one of the best Yakuza storylines because of how much it really does grapple with Kiryu trying to leave his criminal life behind, and having to grab that by the horns rather than operate from the shadows. Crunchy real-time brawls return too, which is great to see after recent turn-based and floatier entries. While great side content from the original is missing, and replacement bonuses are a bit hit-and-miss – this is still a great adventure and a solid overhaul of one of the best Yakuza games.
Developer: Grasshopper Manufacture | Release date: February 11, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Romeo is a Dead Man is a bloodbath-generating time travel hack and slash adventure that isn't quite like anything else, with hyper-violent gunplay and melee. Romeo is plucked out of time just before his death to join the FBI Space-Time taskforce, coming down on aberrant fluctuations with extreme prejudice, all as he tries to find meaning in this new, strange existence.
"When this time-traveling hack and slash hits its groove, this is Suda51's bloodiest, sharpest spectacle since No More Heroes," says Joe Chivers, author of our Romeo is a Dead Man review.
The result is an electric experience like little else, with bloody, high-octane clashes, a talking jacket, a mysterious man inside a TV who helps you solve puzzles, and a hub area that shifts perspective from third-person to being in the style of a 16-bit RPG. Creator Suda 51 is known for a certain punk and irreverent style that permeates the likes of Killer7, No More Heroes, or Shadows of the Damned – and it feels like it all coalesces here. So off-kilter is Romeo is a Dead Man, it won't be for everyone, but that feels like a triumph of its own, and only ensures those who are into it will love it all the more.
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment | Release date: March 2, 2026 | Platform(s): PC
World of Warcraft's World Soul Saga continues to go from strength to strength, with World of Warcraft: Midnight being one of our favorite MMORPG expansions in a long time. It's not a complete reinvention of the genre wheel, but small improvements stack up to make this a great time to be invested as a fan.
"My devotion to this world has been renewed thanks to solid RPG storytelling," says Jen Allen, author of our World of Warcraft: Midnight review.
A great story rewards investment in the saga's characters, while also providing compelling hooks for newcomers, taking you through an RPG adventure that even recontextualizes some old favorite areas. There's a great sense of space to how the tale moves you through each environment, too (and even a few dialogue options). Mini-dungeon Delves are better than ever, and new race Haranir are a great addition alongside the new Demon Hunter Devoverer class. For a series now over two decades old, it's great to feel excited about its future again.
Developer: Outerloop Games | Release date: April 14, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch
Dosa Divas sees sisters Samara and Amani reuniting to take on their own third sister, Lina, who has let their family tradition of home-cooked food fester into a mass-produced business. With mech suit Goddess, the pair are able to use flavor profiles to battle enemies, and use its built-in kitchen to whip up street food on the fly.
"I came for the culinary mechs and Jet Set Radio vibes, I stayed for the emotional rollercoaster," says Luke Kemp, author of our Dosa Divas review.
It's an odd setup that's immediately charming, its fresh world of mech-based food vendors immediately providing a strong hook as you help out the residents of each town to remind them of the love that comes from food culture when it's properly respected. This is a short, snappy RPG (a bit less than ten hours), with lightweight, simple action. But, like the best of dishes, the ingredients all come together to make for something delicious that'll leave you wanting another bite just to taste it again.
Developer: Capcom | Release date: March 13, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
This Monster Hunter spin-off series isn't an open world action game, but a more traditional turn-based JRPG that leans into creature collecting instead. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is a big improvement on its predecessors, with refined combat and exploration, and an almost Game of Thrones-like weaving plot of political intrigue.
"This Pokemon-like creature-collecting JRPG evolves to almost match the highs of the main series' hunts," says Alan Wen, author of our Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection review.
In part, it's helped by giving you access to a special Rathalos 'monstie' pal at the beginning of your adventure, this strong and adaptable monster really helping you feel like you're coming into this RPG swinging. The rock-paper-scissors-style combat triangle has more depth than it first appears, and each map is loaded with reasons to poke around. Best of all, while its plot is approachable, it's not afraid to tackle big themes that feel right in-step with the rest of the Monster Hunter world, making you really think about this fantasy ecosystem.
Developer: Cyanide Studio | Release date: February 19, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Like if Metal Gear Solid 5 went goblin mode, Styx: Blades of Greed sees the return of the titular fantasy burglar for another quest to nab shiny goodies. This time around, though, the action goes open world, with each act of the story expanding a handful of big, dense maps with more thieving opportunities.
"Styx: Blades of Greed takes this dark fantasy stealther open world further with fantastic results, slotting together complex bases to create dense settings for sneaking that neatly expand in complexity," says Oscar Taylor-Kent, author of our Styx: Blades of Greed review.
Here, Styx is after magical Quartz on a world-saving mission that just so happens to also be beneficial to him. After all, if the world ended, there'd be nothing left to steal, right? Objectives are broad and available for Styx to tackle in mostly any order, each map connecting together different structures with multiple points of entry, with Styx having numerous fantasy skills to get the job done. From scrambling up chimneys, poisoning food with his vomit, or creating clone decoys, there are loads of ways to get creative with stealth. It's rare to get any big budget stealth games these days, and we didn't expect this one to impress us so much by genuinely evolving the genre like it does.
Developer: Fabraz | Release date: February 19, 2026 | Platform(s): PC
Demon Tides offers a whole archipelago of platforming levels, each with their own biome, theme, and set of jumping challenges for demon queen Beebz to master. Building on the tricky platforming in Demon Turf, this gorgeous step forward refines the action while adding in loads of customization options that make you feel like you're putting together your own platformer moveset.
"Super Mario Odyssey and Wind Waker collide in this expressive 3D platformer that's already one of my games of the year," says Oscar Taylor-Kent, author of our Demon Tides review.
Core actions draw from the genre's best, from long jumps to wall runs. Demon transformations add complexity, giving bonuses depending on how you swap between them with each jump, which can then be further customized with talismans. Want extra height on certain moves? More horizontal traversal at the cost of less verticality? Greater speed at the cost of exploding if you stand still? Just strapping on rollerblades? Playing how you want doesn't stop Demon Tides from offering fantastic challenges, even if it ends up a bit easier than Demon Turf. Few 3D platformers feel as joyous as this.
Developer: Capcom | Release date: April 17, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
Pragmata can feel like playing two different sci-fi games at the same time, the controller almost split in half between astronaut Hugh and android Diana as they fight through an AI-controlled space station together, the former blasting away like in an arcade shooter while the latter hacks robot enemies to make them vulnerable.
"Blasting and hacking in sync has me locked in – Capcom's sci-fi shooter stands strong alongside Resident Evil," says Jasmine Gould-Wilson, author of our Pragmata review.
The story is touching, but lightweight. Instead, Pragmata feels like a real celebration of arcade-style sci-fi action. Capcom is the perfect studio to blend that with modern sensibilities, each time you exit the Shelter safe room to plow through robot enemies almost feeling like an arcade run. It'd be easy to get anxious that this is all too much to balance, but somehow Pragmata manages to give you a lot to do without overwhelming, instead helping you feel locked in to playing it at all times. Just, you might struggle to also pay attention to Family Guy at the same time – Pragmata is almost like second-screening already by design.
Developer(s): Edmund McMillen, Tyler Glaiel | Release date: February 10, 2026 | Platform(s): PC
I never thought that a game centred around the tactical breeding of questionable-looking cats would be so good. But I'm happy that Mewgenics proved me wrong. Developed by Edmund McMillen and Tyler Glaiel, here we get the perfect mash-up of The Binding of Isaac, Into the Breach, and a touch of Dungeons and Dragons to give us a truly outstanding strategy roguelike. With each run, you'll need to pick a group of cats and assign them different classes that come with their own abilities and quirks.
"It's an excellent addition to its creator's already enviable canon, and a notable new pillar in the roguelike pantheon he helped to establish," says Ali Jones in our Mewgenics review.
On said runs, you'll need to win turn-based encounters and often stop by skill checks on your adventures. Basically (if you don't want to get exploded by a cocky rat, or worse), the game relies on your cats having good stats, and you'll want to breed the ultimate crew as you progress to different areas. The gameplay loop is massively fun, but the humor and frankly outstanding soundtrack really tip Mewgenics into being one of the best games you'll play this year.
Developer: Team Ninja | Release date: February 6, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5
Nioh 3 takes the masocore Soulslike series open world, and manages to make it feel like a huge improvement rather than a gimmick. Each large map is dense with activities, and the wideness means you can poke and prod as you please without feeling like you're stuck on a single challenge. Well, most of the time, that is. Nioh 3 still has more traditional levels you access throughout the map, which makes it feel like the best of both worlds.
"Brutal samurai and ninja clashes across wide maps avoid retreading Elden Ring – this Soulslike is all demon killer, no filler," says Luke Kemp, author of our Nioh 3 review.
Speaking of two worlds, the samurai action of the earlier games is joined by a ninja playstyle. Rather than pick one, you can swap between them with just the press of a button, even mid-combo, creating fluid multi-skill builds that allow you to strike back at even the biggest of yokai demons. Nioh 3 is as challenging as ever, but manages to feel fairly balanced so you have the tools to take on all-comers. This isn't just the most ambitious Nioh yet, but the easiest to get into as well – a great combination.
Developer: Bungie | Release date: March 5, 2026 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Marathon is the perfect distillation of everything FPS legend Bungie is great at, combining excellent gun feel with tense player-vs-player combat across truly gorgeous and well-realized sci-fi settings. An extraction shooter, Marathon definitely takes cues from genre titans, but, as ever for Bungie, uses sheer polish to reinvent its vibes almost from the ground up.
"My favorite multiplayer shooter in years", says Andrew Brown, author of our Marathon review.
With a cyberpunk setting, mixing garish bright colors with a touch of bleakness, you play as a Runner slipping into a Shell on Tau Ceti IV to hoover up goodies and get them out safely on behalf of your contract sponsors. Encouraging conflict, rival players are rarely friendly, but there's still the sense you're all in a mess together, whether that's forging quick alliances out of practicality or simply accepting you've all been thrown into the blender together. Securing gear readies you for big, limited-time events, like the truly brutal yet thrilling Cryo Archive raid. Marathon certainly isn't for everyone, but for those that feel the Shell's calling it's become an obsession for good reason.
Developer(s): Game Freak, Omega Force | Release date: March 5, 2026 | Platform(s): Nintendo Switch 2
Pokemon Pokopia isn't just one of the best Switch 2 games, but it's also (in our opinion anyway), a system seller that will have you saying "just one more hour" every time you play it. For years cozy gamers have wanted a relaxing Pokemon title in the genre, and Pokopia delivers a well-balanced and truly addictive answer to our prayers. Here you play as a Ditto that takes on the form of their old trainer after waking up in a post-human world.
"With Animal Crossing-esque chill beats as accompaniment, it's deliciously easy to get caught up in its Pokemon-themed take on the slow life sim," says Sam Loveridge in our Pokemon Pokopia review.
The world is truly in ruins, and it's up to you to restore areas, strategically place items to form Pokemon habitats, and make sure all the Pokemon friends you find are happy and thriving. As a completist, filling up my Pokedex and the new Habitat Dex, is beyond satisfying. That, paired with a surprisingly touching story and the absolutely massive amount of building and colossal maps to decorate, creates a winning formula.
Developer: Capcom | Release date: February 27, 2025 | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2
Resident Evil Requiem celebrates 30 years of survival horror, tying together plot threads stretching back into series history while also introducing some newer, scarier elements to push the genre forward.
"A soaring piece of survival horror theater that balances intense action with absolute terror across two heroes, and I can't pick a favorite," says Jasmine Gould-Wilson, author of our Resident Evil Requiem review.
Two heroes help those mesh, with veteran agent Leon Kennedy taking point on bombastic action horror, while newcomer FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft struggles to make it through more classic-themed survival horror. Both are split across one storyline, perspective shifting as the narrative progresses. The detailed environments early game in the Rhodes Hill Care Center really modernize the vibes of the iconic Spencer Mansion, while Raccoon City is the backdrop to cutting through legions of undead. It might not specialize in one form of horror, but this combination manages to feel fresh, making for one of the best Resident Evil games yet.
