Matt Bertz
The World War I setting is a refreshing change of pace to the space shooters currently dominating the landscape
Wonderful environmental storytelling and smart level design that invites players to think outside the box combine to overcome the poorly executed narrative
A game best experienced with friends, Wildlands is a surprisingly long adventure that gives players a lot of tools for tactical experimentation. Solo play is viable as well, but with by-the-books companion A.I., your strategic options are more limited
I love the style and humor of this throwback title, but technical and design problems keep the game from reaching its potential
The occult story and haunting hospital keeps the adventure interesting, but the fixed rules for engagement undermine both puzzles and combat
Considering legacy brands like NBA Jam and NBA Street are nowhere to be found this generation, NBA Playgrounds is a welcome hoops diversion for sports game fans
Farpoint may not move the needle as a shooter, but it's a sound VR experience if you can deal with the slight simulation sickness caused by the locomotion
Whether you want to play on the couch with buddies, grind for cards in Hockey Ultimate Team, compete online, or build a new dynasty in Franchise mode, NHL 18 mostly delivers
With a robust offering in the franchise, single-player, multiplayer, and collectible card modes, NBA 2K18 delivers hundreds of hours of fun
Still lacks the depth of its rival, but The One mode gives Live a destination mode worth building upon
The franchise, single-player, multiplayer, and collectible card modes deliver hundreds of hours of fun, but expect a fair share of glitches to pervade the experience
The missions are designed with replayability in mind, but the game needs a serious overhaul in A.I. and controls to justify spending more time with it
A bawdy arcade experience good for couch competitions, but MFL lacks the depth needed to keep players coming back
One year after release, Doom's campaign is still one of the generation's best
Improved interrogation options help these cold cases hold up six years after they originally released. However, the fantastic open-world setting is still underutilized
Don't come to Frostpunk if you want sunshine, unicorns, and happy outcomes. This is a bleak game about making difficult decisions to survive inhospitable conditions
Live does its best work away from the NBA license, when it delves in to fantasy hoops scenarios. The NBA-focused modes still need a lot more work
The most well-rounded sports game on the market once again
Welcome improvements to the general gameplay and franchise mode make this the best NHL in years, but the team still has a lot of work to do with modernizing its career mode and cleaning up legacy issues
Rockstar has once again created a game that redefines the open-world experience. Red Dead Redemption II is a triumph that every gamer should experience for themselves