Darryn Bonthuys's Reviews
Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is Lord of the Rings turned up to 11. Improving on nearly every idea from the original Shadow of Mordor game, it's a gargantuan sequel in both size and scope.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a rock ‘n roll rebellion that manages to blend thrilling shoot ‘em up action with heavy subject matter and a narrative that begs players to rage against the machine with as many bullets as possible.
The definitive Dragon Ball fighting game, bar none. Arc System Works have created a game which walks across many a fine line, blending style with substance and accessibility with reverence for the source material. It's wild, it rocks my dragon and it sets a benchmark for the series that proudly enters the domain of fight game gods.
Telltale's second Batman season goes out with a bang, as it boldly reinvents the familiar in grand fashion while ensuring that players have an emotional and personal investment in the crazy twists dealt to them when the Joker runs wild.
If you were ever hesitant about jumping into Injustice 2 due to the fragmented nature of fighting games in the new age of content delivery, then rest assured: Injustice 2 is 2017's best fighting game made even better in 2018.
Marvel's Spider-Man is charming and energetic, action-packed and surprisingly capable of tugging on your heart strings to deliver a one-two punch to the emotional gut. If you had to sum up Marvel's Spider-Man in one word, nothing would be more apt than…amazing.
Hitman 2 feels like a macabre collection of dominos falling and eventually toppling one final piece in a gloriously “accidental” death that can best be summed up as an act of god when the dust has settled. A game that's more about the journey than the destination, Hitman 2 is lengthy, gruesomely charming and still hiding plenty of secrets up its immaculately dressed sleeves.
A chimera of genres, Dead Cells succeeds in forging its own path with incredibly polished combat, retrotastic art design and drawing the right amount of influence from the past.
Devil May Cry 5 is a masterpiece in action. It has heart and charm in its epic story that comes full circle on the series. It looks sexier than the sun setting over a billionaire's collection of cars that are parked on a Santa Monica strip in California. It plays phenomenally well and will leave you drenched in sweat and satisfaction when the end credits roll, while wishing for more of its sassy attitude.
As a first step towards a future of more live service content, The Division 2 already feels amazingly complete. It works from day one, its various systems are staggeringly deep and its combat is in a class of its own. Everything else that's still to come over the next couple of years? That's a satisfying cherry on top of an already massive sundae of excellence.
A bone-breaking blast of bloody fun, Mortal Kombat 11 is a celebration of ultra-violence that pushes the franchise forward to gloriously gory new heights.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses doesn't change how it plays on the battlefield, but its greatest advancements lie in the moments between the horror of war. The bonds forged between comrades in arms, the drive to really get to know the cast who you spill blood with and the opportunity to truly learn about the finality of death all combine across a vast and sweeping fantasy epic that'll leave you breathless by the time the credits finally roll.
What more could you ask for from a themed pinball experience? Zen's love for the most entertaining sport and its source media is unquestioned at this point, and with their latest foray onto the Nintendo Switch they've more than proven their passion. They've created the ultimate Star Wars pinball experience for fans old and new alike, a collection of nostalgia that has unlimited pinball power.
Without skipping a beat from the original PC game, Frostpunk's console port is a slick and efficient strategy game of misery and compromise in the coldest apocalypse. You could say it's the cold standard in console strategy.
Pokémon Sword and Shield is everything that you love about pocket monsters and then some. With an emphasis on sharpening what works and ditching more bloated elements aside to create the best region yet for the franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield is pocket monster catch 'em all mania at its very best.
Gears Tactics isn't just one of the biggest surprises of the year, it's a vulgar display of power starring everyone's favourite beefy boys in a bloody new direction that'll test your trigger fingers with pure heavy mental action.
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is the gold standard for what a blast from the past should and can be, as Petroglyph's efforts have resulted in a handsome and hefty package of classic strategy, passion and modern-day improvements.
Desperados III is an absolute hoot. The best strategy game of the year, cowboys and chaos never felt this good and this revival is one for the ages. It may be lethally challenging, but its gung-ho strategy is a masterpiece of design that's accentuated by lovable rogues, lively levels and a dedication to its genre that can easily outdraw any challengers to its throne.
A melancholic tale of war and a fitting epilogue to a current-gen era, Sucker Punch's latest effort is a slick showcase for the PlayStation 4 that draws you into a world that never fails to impress. Ghost of Tsushima is a masterpiece of precise gameplay, emotional turmoil and powerful world design.
A saga for the ages, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a breathtaking journey of discovery that has a cold charm to it. It is both serious and ludicrous in equal measure, an RPG that has added more than it has removed from its core experience while delivering a game that feels familiar and completely new at the same time. Skal!