Super Mario Maker 2 scratches my creative itch better than any game I've played before. I find myself wishing at times that there were more tools available for level creation, but I can't be upset by what's on offer here.

Setting aside the visual beauty of AC Odyssey, or the visceral thrill of assassinating targets, what Ubisoft nailed with this game is the addictive RPG loop. Complete a quest, get rewarded with new abilities and gear, try out those new bonuses on the next quest. That cycle kept me hooked for more than 100 hours of play - and for better or worse, there's still much more of the game I haven't gotten to.

Hitman 2 consumed my thoughts in a way that few games ever have. It wasn't just that I played so much of it, but my time spent not playing was often spent turning about each level in my mind, trying to conjure up new routes or ideas for contracts. It shows the relative lack of resources IO had to work with at times, but still provides more than enough content to satisfy players.