Hollow Knight: Silksong

Silksong is a brilliant 2D action platformer full of white-knuckled boss fights and a sprawling map to explore. Beneath the polished, razor-sharp exterior, however, is a game that gets even more rewarding the longer you stick with it. No matter how much you’ve already given Silksong, it always has something more to give you back in return. It asks more than its predecessor and rewards you in kind, revealing as you go a grimly whimsical world layered with lore and fellow travelers worth meeting. Every unfair fight and obnoxious runback will break your spirit until it can be broken no more, at which point Silksong will wrap itself around you like an old, comfy quilt and let you know the true meaning of rest. — Ethan Gach

A good match for: People who want to methodically master a sprawling underground labyrinth.

Not a good match for: Anyone who hates frequently getting lost and dying.