Richard Wakeling
With robust combat, improved traversal, and a return to the series' surreal art style and fascinating world-building, Blasphemous 2 is a triumphant sequel.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is an excellent sequel that builds upon the first game's core concepts to create a thrilling open-world adventure.
Animal Well delights with its non-traditional approach to Metroidvanias, combining unique items with a reactive and surreal world that's full of surprises.
Dirt Rally's arrival on consoles lets more people join in Codemasters' celebration of this brutal motorsport. [OpenCritic note: Richard Wakeling separately reviewed the PC and PS4 versions.]
The grisly ballistics are still second to none, but it's the improvements made beyond the sniper scope that make Sniper Elite 4 a series standout.
Sony's long-running baseball sim returns, with better action on the field, and more options off it.
Absolver's methodical combat would be superlative on its own, but the unique customisation of its Combat Deck takes this melee brawler to thrilling new heights.
UFC 3's overhauled striking is wince-inducingly brilliant, but its cumbersome grappling continues to lag behind.
Football Manager 2019 redesigns its tactical interface to give you the tools to create a playstyle you'll spend the next 200 hours obsessing over.
Bury Me, My Love tells a heartbreaking tale of Syrian refugees via the familiar confines of a messaging app that's both harrowing and deeply affecting.
The long-dormant series returns in a superhero caper that excels because of its diversity and synergized action.
MLB The Show 20 opts for refinement over sweeping changes, maintaining the series' high bar for quality with some smart additions.
FIFA 21 offers a comprehensive package with new features that encourage creativity and attacking dynamism.
FIFA 22 excels on the pitch with a patient and more methodical style, but additions elsewhere are only incremental and microtransactions still leave a bad taste.
House of Ashes offers cinematic horror and surprising character moments amidst the conflict of the Iraq War.
Riders Republic is a varied extreme sports playground that's both thrilling and approachable.
Ghostwire: Tokyo's unique supernatural combat and eerily beautiful open-world paper over the cracks of its subpar story and inconsistent side missions.
Sniper Elite 5 emphasizes player agency with another thrilling sandbox that excels when you're looking down the scope.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge is a love letter to Turtles in Time that modernizes the classic beat-'em-up while retaining its 16-bit essence
Sunbreak lacks fresh ideas and withholds its new monsters for far too long, but small changes improve upon Rise's spectacular monster hunting.