Empire Divided picks an engaging, strife-filled period of Roman history and gives the game new administrative layers and narrative trimmings, with a degree of success. But, ultimately, all roads lead back to the Rome 2 of 2013.
Jade Dragon is a touch pricey, and benefits from ownership of prior regional DLC, but its off-stage empire is a compelling enough reason to revisit the eastern portions of the CK2 map.
Rating Football Manager is a two-pronged affair. As the premier management simulator, it's (literally) unchallenged. As an iterative installment, FM2018 is broadly desirable, but with some feature and UI missteps.
Reward EA for improving defending and the overall ‘feel' of FIFA 18, or scold them for going extremely easy on any major innovation? Both, I think. It's a pretty good release this year; just expect the odd resigned sigh at familiar woes.
Some lingering series quirks persist, but other smart lessons from the first game have been applied to Total War: Warhammer 2. Another four mechanically diverse factions, each pursuing a singular campaign goal on a richly detailed map, make this a powerful sequel.
The quests (both self-contained and the companion extras) are up to Tyranny's written standards, but in terms of combat and broader consequences Bastard's Wound doesn't make a massive impression. It's comfortably familiar, just not essential.
Compelling tactical fleet combat and a middling strategic campaign layer combine with some carefully applied Galactica aesthetics. That extra attention to detail earns Deadlock a little more than a hard six.
Unique hunting mechanics and a roster that delves deep into Warhammer history make the Norsca a distinct addition to the game.
A faithful genre piece, Aven Colony takes the socio-economic juggling of settlement building games like Tropico and Banished, transports it to space, and establishes a pretty successful outpost.
A pleasant experience from start to finish. But that conclusion comes rapidly, and the post-game crafting and farming activities are too light to be truly compelling.
So-so combat and dubious PC performance can't overshadow a genre-defying game of narrative manipulation and polymathic mechanical trickery.
Endless Space 2 bolsters Amplitude's reputation for superb, unique 4X faction design. The interwoven narrative and management mechanics produce a universe within which its easy to lose yourself, but some lingering bugs suggest the game may have launched prematurely.
Until such time that System Shock 3 may challenge it, Prey is the follow up to System Shock 2 in everything but name. Arkane reaffirm their commitment to ‘immersive sims' in impressive fashion.
Relic reinvent Dawn of War once again, retaining many RTS staples and borrowing a little from their MOBA genre-cousins. It's not a flawless mix, and the multiplayer contents are a bit lean; but distinctive factions, a solid campaign, and largely compatible mechanics give Dawn of War 3 a strong base of operations.
It takes a while to find its voice and stretches a three song soundtrack to near breaking point, but this first episode demonstrates a willingness to take a stand-alone Guardians of the Galaxy plot in intriguing directions. Most importantly: it pulls off just enough jokes.
In tandem, the (free) Banks 1.5 update and Utopia contribute a splendid set of features and mechanical changes to Stellaris. Taken alone, Utopia is more the luxury trimmings to Banks’ essentials, but it’s a fine package of unique species specialisation and mega-engineering all the same.
Familiar strengths and themes combine with FromSoftware’s apparently endless capacity for creative fantasy design in a finale of suitable grandeur and pathos.
A meditative game of player-driven exploration, Future Unfolding has a rare and valuable commitment to letting people unfurl its discoveries at their own rate. The near total lack of guidance brings great reward.
This hopefully isn't the last we'll see of Eidos Montreal's Deus Ex, but if it is then A Criminal Past at least serves as a compact summary of their tenure at the helm. Nothing too radical here, just a well constructed prison level for Adam Jensen to be let loose upon.
Sometimes exceptional, always ambitious, but periodically falling short of its aims, Torment: Tides of Numenera is testament to the tribulations of following a universally established creative triumph. Well worth playing, nonetheless.