If you enjoy lootin’-and-shootin’, check out Borderlands 3. But go in knowing that you’re going to cringe at some of the jokes and feel fatigue every now and then
Almost all of my time with Dragon Quest Builders 2 has been pleasant, and I look forward to building more, either with my kids playing along or by myself, sipping a beer and relaxing after a long day.
Etrian Odyssey Nexus feels like the finale for the series. And it certainly is on the 3DS. I bet it’s the final game I play on that old Nintendo handheld. And for this dungeon-crawler’s swan-song, it’s a pretty good way to go out.
Pokémon: Let’s Go Pikachu is another good example of Nintendo doing what it both excels and fails at: pairing fun gameplay while introducing a new mechanic.
Starlink's fighters are fun, whether you're playing with them in game mode or just racing around the living room and dogfighting with your kids or friends.
Super Mario Party's new modes offer a welcome break from what some might consider the main attraction: the board game. They're faster, and they focus on two of the Nintendo Switch's strengths that make it such a special console in the first place — good Joy-Con motion controls and fun co-op play. For me, it makes this Super Mario Party the best in franchise history, even if I don't care for the staid board game.
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep delivers on the faith its Kickstarter backers put into the project. It weaves combat, exploration, music, and puzzles into a game that stands out in a crowded market. It's unlike any other RPG, and with other old-school RPGs finding success these days — Pillars of Eternity, Octopath Traveler, and Dragon Quest XI — I hope InXile is able to come back to this fantastical world, just like it's doing with Wasteland.
Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age moved me in ways a Japanese RPG hasn't done in years.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire puts the gods, warts and all, at the forefront of the story, and at this point, it shines when it focuses on your interactions with these powerful-but-flawed beings.
Civilization is at its best when it enables you to tell your own stories. But at release, Civ VI didn't do such a good job at that. Rise and Fall fixes this in many ways, giving your better ways to expand your civilization without resorting to combat. It adds a quest-like element with a significant penalty or reward, and most of its news leaders add variety to the game.