What Remains of Edith Finch has raised the bar for interactive stories and visual storytelling. The impact of static objects, while the story is beautiful and heartbreaking. This, like the Finch family members, cannot be improved, merely built upon and remembered.
Hades is near perfect, offering exactly what you expect and yet somehow exceeding your wildest expectations. From the art design to the gameplay to the narrative, Hades is proof of the incredible creative power that SuperGiant Games have been honing for the last nine years.
Disco Elysium doesn't shy away from its problems, but each one just cements how interesting those flaws are. Minor technical issues can be fixed, but what the game does, how it does it, and how the player responds is something that no other medium, no other game has achieved.
This game is totally deserving of the hype its received since it first launched on PC two years ago. Although its not the prettiest, it is one of the most original.
Into The Breach blends turn-based strategy and puzzles games on such a tiny, yet perfect scale that it has raised the bar for both genres at the same time.
Life is Strange 2 strikes out on its own. In a amazing captivating first episode we meet the new central characters and begin an immensely interesting, and sad, tale.
Life is Strange 2 - Episode 3 continues to impress in terms of soundtrack, setting and character development. It's not as fast paced as the others in this series, but it works perfectly for the emotional narrative underpinning the overall journey.
It's impossible not to fall for Disco Elysium, from its intriguing murder detective work to the world it depicts, not to mention the voices inside your own head. It's an experience that could easily make the top of some Game of Year lists and for good reason.
This final episode of Life is Strange 2 showcases the powerful emotional storytelling that video games can harness. It is a fantastic example of the medium and the perfect end to a series that continues to deliver on its high expectations.
In Other Waters is engrossing, beautiful and perfectly balanced both in terms of immersive gameplay and intriguing narrative. Its relaxing without being boring, and thoughtful without treading the same tired sci-fi tropes.
In Spelunky 2 you never get the same game twice, not just because the layout changes but because all the systems interact with each other to kill you in new, imaginative, and hilarious ways. It's almost impossible to put down.
Life is Strange: True Colors is another success for Deck Nine, highlighting how well they understand the source material and its connection with the audience. The new characters, location, and power are an instant classic of the series and we can only hope they continue to develop this world alongside DONTNOD.
Arceus offers you a chance to play your childhood dream. It's not perfect but it offers something more engrossing and satisfying than anything else Pokémon has come up with.
As Dusk Falls is a fantastic game that puts your attention where it rightly deserves to be, on the winding choices and tough decisions of desperate people caught in a desperate situation.
Oxenfree is whole heartedly one of the best experiences you can have playing games. It is a cornerstone example of how stories can be told in an interactive media, and how to build a supernatural tone around 'average' characters without exaggerating everything.
This is a game everyone with interest in RPGs should have a look at. Inspired by P&P games with a really intelligent combat system and some truly engaging stories, hardly anyone who loves the genre won't enjoy this game, and the Enhanced Edition is even better than the original release.
This is a game everyone with interest in RPGs should have a look it. Inspired but pen and papers games with a really incredible, intelligent combat system and some really engaging stories, there isn't anyone who loves the genre that won't enjoy this game.
With gameplay that can shock, amuse and satisfy in the same slowed heartbeat, Sniper Elite 4 is the best game in the series. While it graphics, story and characters can feel a little flat, the gameplay has always been the focus, and is so perfectly tuned to make the rest seem inconsequential.
Moonlighter is a wonderful game that uses a delightful separation of tools to make you want to keep playing. It innovates the dungeon crawler genre in the most ingenious way possible.
Super Mario 3D World shows why Mario is an ageless franchise, with the seven-year-old game providing fresh fun and a delightful experience. Bowser's Fury is the exact opposite, showing just how exciting and experimental the series can be.