These Are the Top 10 Best Games of 2026 So Far

2026 has already delivered plenty of high-quality new video games representing a variety of genres, and now that we’re halfway through the year, some may be curious about which titles have managed to crack the top 10. It’s a comparatively slow year when it comes to games hitting that 90+ threshold, but there have been all kinds of games in the 80-90 range.

In fact, since the start of the year, only two games have managed to earn a 90 or above rating, according to review aggregate site Metacritic. However, the sheer number of games that have still managed to earn high enough review scores to land themselves in the 80-90 range means it has still been a strong year for brand-new video game releases.

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10 Highest-Rated Games of 2026 So Far

Forza Horizon 6 – 90
Mina the Hollower – 90
Pokemon Pokopia – 89
Resident Evil Requiem – 89
Mewgenics – 88
007 First Light – 87
Saros – 87
Nioh 3 – 86
Mixtape – 86
OPUS: Prism Peak – 86

This list is the top 10 highest-rated games of 2026 so far, based on data compiled by review aggregate site Metacritic. However, games that haven’t earned at least 15 reviews have been excluded, as have re-releases, DLC, and remastered editions of older games. In essence, these are the 10 highest-rated games of 2026 to date that are truly completely brand-new game releases.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

The two games that have managed to reach 90 or above are Forza Horizon 6 and Mina the Hollower. Forza Horizon 6 is the latest in a long line of open world racing games developed by Playground Games and published by Xbox Game Studios. Forza Horizon 6 earned glowing reviews, as is the norm for the franchise, with a great deal of praise for its incredible graphics, addicting gameplay, and impressive world. Anyone interested in playing Forza Horizon 6 for themselves should note that the game is readily available to play on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass, so you can check it out in its entirety without paying full price.

Mina the Hollower is quite a different beast. Developed by Shovel Knight studio Yacht Club Games, Mina the Hollower is a Zelda-style adventure with an art style that is highly reminiscent of Link’s Awakening DX on the Game Boy Color. Mina the Hollower features tricky platforming, rewarding exploration, tough-as-nails boss fights, and various mechanics inspired by Dark Souls games. It’s also packed with replay value, so it’s definitely worth its relatively cheap $20 asking price.

The games in the 80 range in the top 10 all have their merits as well. Resident Evil Requiem is a critically-acclaimed return for fan-favorite RE character Leon S. Kennedy, while Pokemon Pokopia is a wildly successful life sim. Mewgenics is a beloved strategy game from earlier this year, while 007 First Light successfully introduced a new James Bond video game universe. If you are someone looking for something new to play, all of these games come highly recommended, from Forza Horizon 6 and its 90+ rating down to OPUS: Prism Peak and its 86 rating.