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.