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By now it’s hard to escape the phenomenon that is the Dark Souls series. Despite being fairly well-known among just about anyone that has played a video game, it is still seen as something of an obscure game. This may be due to its seemingly impossible difficulty, the incredibly vague narrative and sense of direction, or even its admittedly abrasive fanbase. Whatever the reason might be, Dark Souls is the game everyone has heard of but hardly anyone has really played. Whether you’ve played these games or not, one thing is hard to dispute: the Souls series has a level of aesthetic that is unmatched. From Software takes the typical, and at this point almost generic fantasy theme, and puts its own spin on it. The result is a unique and dark fantasy world, an oppressive atmosphere rivaling that of Game of Thrones, but more of an emphasis on fantastic and horrific creatures.

2016 is fixing up to be an amazing year for player vs player team-intensive titles. Major publishers abound are taking to this model that's almost MOBA-ish (like Defense of the Ancients or League of Legends) and infusing it with a much more action-intensive feel, such as being set in the skeleton of a first-person shooter. Some seem to be going the direct route of a 3rd person MOBA, not unlike Smite while others have a feel that reminds of the chaotic fun of Team Fortress 2, but each of them is bringing their own flavor and flair to the table in attempts to set themselves apart from the things that have been done before.

The past few years have seen a ton of Metroidvania games pop up on nearly every console available so it’s only natural to wonder which are the best. These are the 10 Best Metroidvania Games.

Is the world of Pokémon really all about Pokémon? Certainly to an extent it is, but there’s another aspect of each game that’s arguably as important as the pocket monsters themselves. They’re the gates that test your skill at every major turn in a Pokémon game. They’re the focal point of every city and the checkpoints on the way to becoming a true Pokémon master. It’s not just about raising every available critter you like. It’s about building a balanced team that will meet these challenges head-on. Of course, we’re talking about Pokémon gym leaders. Maybe they’re on this list because they were just too ridiculous to forget. Maybe they’re here because they brought something to the table that the other trainers didn’t. Or maybe they’re here because their ridiculously difficult challenge was the stuff of nightmares. Either way, these gym leaders are the boss battles that have made 20 years of Pokémon a worthwhile series of journeys. These are the 20 Best Pokémon Gym Leaders.

Diablo III's latest update has arrived, bringing with it new loot to wear and new monsters to slay. This nearly twenty-year-old franchise has a long history of sprawling dungeons and epic battles between sharply-dressed heroes and unfathomably-evil villains, so before you return to Sanctuary to vanquish the darkness once more, come with us on a guided tour of the 10 Best Diablo Bosses.

With the proliferation of open-world games comes hordes of new side activities like bowling, insurance fraud, and goat combat. No matter how much side content gets packed into an open-world game, though, there's no escaping those main story missions. Most story missions are designed to be the best things a game has to offer; maybe you get to fly an assault helicopter and blow things up, maybe your superpowers are maxed out for five blissful minutes, or maybe you get to relax and listen to some funny NPCs bicker with each other.

Super Mario Maker’s debut has proven to be so much bigger than anyone could have anticipated, and it’s sparked the creator in all of us. Not only that, but the level of creativity that has emerged outside of just increasingly difficult levels is what keeps the community surrounding this game thriving. Themed levels, gimmick levels, even recreations of other games in Mario Maker all how off the tremendous level of depth the seemingly simple level editor has to offer. Recreations of levels and areas from other games or focusing on one mechanic to create an entirely new experience are just the tip of the iceberg in Mario Maker.

Everyone has their personal favorites when it comes to Metal Gear characters, and the debates between friends and fans could rage for hours over which was the best. But why get into a tiff with your besties when you can just let us do all the heavy lifting?

Kick back, crack open an E-tank, and revel in your past victories and defeats as we check out the 10 Greatest Mega Man Bosses.

As games have evolved over the years, they've become more intricate. In addition to offering the core experience, some have even added in smaller scaled games within the game to provide players with a distraction from... well... the original game. From simple and easy, to intricate and complex, these are the 11 Best Mini-Games Inside Games.