Will Borger
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 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.
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.
Frantics isn't the killer app PlayLink needs, but a charming art style, fun characters, good use of the phone-based controls, and a diverse selection of quality mini-games good make it a good party game.
Hyrule Warriors marries the best aspects of the musuo genre with a love for Zelda and visual and performance improvements for a solid, if simple, romp through Hyrule.
Battle for Azeroth is off to a solid start, but Blizzard has a lot to improve if they want to win the war.
A number of small flaws keep Strange Brigade from greatness, but its style, humor, and core gameplay make for a satisfying romp solo or with friends.
The World Ends With You: Final Remix is a solid port of a classic, but it's far from the definitive edition we were promised.
An interesting story and smart game design help The Council work despite an occasionally iffy script, questionable production values, and some pacing issues.
Imperator: Rome's audience is inherently limited, and it's shoddy tutorial and lack of game modes won't attract new players, but if you dig managing ancient empires through a series of menus, you'll probably have a good time.
Remnant: From The Ashes is a game with a terrible title and extremely derivative design, but good gunplay, solid co-op play, and smart randomization means it's still fun, if not original, solo or with friends.
Blair Witch brings the horror, but several gameplay and visual bugs drag down an otherwise scary walk through the woods.
It could use some more content and a little polish, but Hunt: Showdown is an intense and unique game with incredible sound design, a fantastic premise, and compelling gameplay.
It doesn't continue the story, but Darksiders Genesis is a strong prequel buoyed by fantastic co-op and a fun new character in Strife. Fans of the series, and dungeon crawlers in general, should check this one out.
Deliver Us The Moon mirrors humanity's history of space travel: the successes are incredible, but it's failures can't be overlooked.
Its stiff and wonky animations don't match up to the impressive choreography of the films, but John Wick Hex is a good game that captures the feel of the films while adding a tactical edge.
The Persistence may not fully escape its VR origins, but it's a good game that's worth your time without it, provided you can endure the slog of the last areas.
Valorant's an excellent shooter with a lot of depth brought down by an intrusive anti-cheat program, limited game modes and characters, and mediocre art design.
When it's allowed to be itself, this is an excellent port of a very good, highly ambitious game. Too often, however, Horizon is too derivative for its own good.