Hello Neighbor is the worst game I've reviewed all year. Skip it with prejudice.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 makes up in manic energy what it lacks in elegance. Its mountain of ideas don't always work, but the core of the game justifies its experiments. Buy it.
This is a step backward for the series—and not just chronologically. Skip it.
$20 isn't much to spend for a night's entertainment, but there are much better games of this type for about the same price. Skip it.
The Evil Within 2 is a mechanical step up from the first game in nearly every way, even if the narrative is just as disposable as ever. Buy it if that balance doesn't bother you.
Total War: Warhammer 2 shakes up the wonderful strategy of its predecessor with new factions and locales. Although the DLC X-factor could shake up the campaigns even further. Buy it.
Ruiner has a lot in common with other top-down action games, but blends bits of all of them into a uniquely demanding, satisfying shooter. Buy it.
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider frees itself from the franchise's usual restrictions, while putting its usual tools to satisfying use. Buy it.
War of the Chosen is the definitive way to play XCOM 2. Even if you weren't impressed with the original package, this feels like a whole new game. Buy it.
There are plenty of better games to spend your time and money on right now. If you absolutely, specifically need an inoffensive couch co-op brawler right now, try it.
Before the Storm is at its best when it focuses on the untold elements of Life Is Strange. So far, those moments capture the spirit of the original, but I'm anxious to see if it can hold up as the timelines converge. Buy it.
Absolver trades in tutorials for mystique, but if you think you can climb the learning curve, you should try it.
Buy it if you're still on the Brood War bandwagon. Try the free, old-school version if you're just curious how deep your nostalgia is for the game.
Agents of Mayhem has spirit, but not as much as its Saints Row predecessors and not enough to completely outshine the paint-by-numbers design. Try it.
FFXII: The Zodiac Age offers some fundamental changes to make a great game even better—even if it could have used one or two more minor improvements. Buy it.
Rise of the Necromancer offers a new angle of attack on a great, well-supported game, but it's only worth the investment for dedicated players. Try it.
Randomness keeps Darkest Dungeon's signature grind in a holding pattern, but new content breathes life into the whole experience. Buy it.
There's a good game to be built on the bones of Valkyria Revolution, but the game itself is too one-note and ill-considered to get anywhere near it. Skip it.
Fire Emblem Echoes is a sparkling remake without much variety or strategy to scratch beneath the surface. Try it.
Injustice 2 continues NetherRealm's tradition of best-in-class story modes with solid, complex fighting to back it up. Learning the ropes could just be a little more convenient. Buy it.