Sea of Thieves' excellent gameplay loop and compelling world make up for some minor issues. Rare still has work to do here, but this is a great start.
It's not Age of Empires II, but Age of Empires: Definitive Edition has a lot to offer for newcomers and veterans alike, provided you can put up with some dated design.
Secret of Mana's remake doesn't fix everything wrong with the original game, but it's still a charming adventure that's worth your time.
In an era of standout fighting games, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT's lack of content and character customization and mediocre gameplay mark a step down from previous games in the series and an unacceptable lack of effort from Square Enix. Fans of Dissidia should stick with the PSP games. They're better.
Strong characters and a compelling narrative overcome some lackluster design decisions in a game that should appeal to fans of both Telltale and Mojang's work.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an well-written, well-acted, and moving game that works both as a standalone game and a prequel.
Dead Rising 4 is a good game, but a poor Dead Rising game. Fans will likely bemoan many of the changes, but underneath that, there's a very good, very meaty game, albeit one that's far more generic than previous entries in the series.
Strong writing, great performances, an engaging story with choices that matter, and a fantastic soundtrack make Telltale's Guardians of the Galaxy an intergalactic ride worth taking. Just don't forget your Walkman.
A derivative, middling campaign, good multiplayer, and a ton of content means that Call of Duty: WWII is more Call of Duty - for better and worse.
Super Lucky's Tale is a funny, joyous game with excellent mechanics and great characters. Microsoft has finally found their platformer.
Hidden Agenda is a fun co-op or competitive title with a good production values and a gripping story. The PlayLink system can cause issues and an unforgiving save system means that you may have to start over, but this is a well-made game that's extensively replayable and a killer with friends.
Strong writing, excellent performances, good gameplay, and a surprising relevance to current events combine to make Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus an old school, Nazi-killin' good time.
Gran Turismo Sport isn't perfect, but it is a focused sim with a genuine love of driving. Excellent driving, beautiful cars, a strong online component, and tons of features help it overcome a stringent online requirement, a smaller number of cars and tracks, and weak crashes and damage modeling.
Excellent mechanics, lots of options, stunning visuals, top-flight sound design and a emphasis on accessibility make Project Cars 2 a worthwhile sequel that will appeal to anyone who loves cars and isn't afraid of a challenge.
Death of the Outsider's story never lives up to its promise, but strong mechanics, good gameplay, and a fascinating world pull it through.
NHL 18 impresses with new teaching tools, sublime skating, updated dekes and defensive moves, new modes, and a lot of improvements. It isn't a perfect hockey game, but when it skates this well and looks this sharp, who cares?
Unfortunately, Matterfall never quite comes together, despite its short runtime
Incredible levels, beautiful art, a fantastic soundtrack and classic gameplay make Sonic Mania the best Sonic game in years.
Despite its variety and the occasional innovation, Aven's lack of threat and mediocre story make the game feel undercooked. It's a sold city builder that doesn't do enough with its premise to stand out.
Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles' focus on exploration, crafting, and farming, and decision to eschew combat, is a relaxing change of pace in an industry often focused on violence. How much you get from a game like this is up to you: its lack of direction will inevitably bore some people, but it will captivate others. If you open your mind, the world of Gemea has many beautiful things to show you.