A "launch" build with some features still in infancy, Elite: Dangerous nonetheless offers terrific space flight ambiance and trading progression befitting of the once-revolutionary series. In a few months time, this title could be outstanding.
Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes is a short, but mechanically very sound, sandbox stealth appetiser for The Phantom Pain. Just be aware that its value is in experimentation and replaying scenarios, rather than lasting narrative.
The unofficial NYPD Blue adventure game that Telltale never made. Aside from some pretty clear budgetary constraints, The Detail's hard edged cop narrative has a compelling opening.
Grim Fandango represents the pinnacle of 90s adventure games and is arguably the finest videogame noir created to date. This remastered edition stays largely faithful to the source material, preserving it in digital form with some worthwhile extras and tasteful improvements.
A combat-heavy, side-scrolling jaunt through the wonderfully unhinged realm of Ancient Greek mythology. Apotheon unites presentation and theme to tremendous effect through its stylised, Grecian pottery worlds.
Episode two of Telltale's Game of Thrones concerns itself with maneuvering pieces into position and foreshadowing greater conflict. It's a robust foundational episode, shoring up Forrester character development for future pay-offs (and inevitable tragedy.)
In sporadic bursts, Evolve can be outstanding. But its design depends upon uniting players of idealistically equivalent skill levels, and it struggles to consistently do so. The game's gated progression system is superfluous and, at times, actively harmful to positive team-play.
Assassin's Creed: Rogue is Black Flag with worse writing and (broadly) improved missions. Does very little to alter the formula, but is about as mechanically sound as Assassin's Creed gets and runs well on PC.
An episode where plenty goes on, but neither story nor characters are actually advanced a great deal. The Ironrath Forresters are still miserable hostages, Asher still needs an army, and Gared is still doing Nights Watch duties. A few revelations, plus Mira's dynamism, keep things from going stale.
Obsidian's Pillars of Eternity revisits the company's Black Isle roots, resulting in a High Fantasy, party-based RPG in the traditional style. Strong thematic hooks, well-written characters and reactive quest design, all resting on an original set of tabletop-inspired mechanics, make this a triumphant return.
Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China is a wonderful setting for a competent, but fairly unimaginative, 2.5D stealth title. Hopefully this won't be Shao Jun's final appearance.
An extremely promising beginning is squandered in a mess of awkward puzzle design, structural dialogue oversights, and a truncated conclusion which, sadly, suggests Perils of Man simply ran out of time and money.
Put aside any doubts you might have about hex-based wargames, Order of Battle: Pacific's combined arms operations are an approachable, and rewarding, strategic challenge.
A mid-season episode which keeps the narrative wheels turning, steps up the action in places, and (at last) gives the Ironrath Forresters some brief moments of triumph.
Swery does Telltale, by way of an obsessed, time-travelling detective and lots of references to Boston. D4 is as unique and strange as you'd hope; and (unlike Deadly Premonition,) a decent enough PC version.
Ronin has little plot to speak of, but is focused like it's own motorcycle helmeted avenger on a tight and tactical turn-ish-based combat mechanic. Looks a little like Gunpoint. Plays like Ronin.
A sturdy conversion of a robust set of board game rules. The top-down, corridor-heavy setting is reminiscent of Space Hulk, but Legions of Steel places more emphasis on equal fire-fights between the competing factions.
The penultimate episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones may be A Nest of Vipers, but, though it's consistently well-performed and presented throughout, this is looking like another series where the implied player agency lacks any real bite.
A must-have samurai sandbox title for those who treasure player agency and reactive narrative above high-level production values. WotS 4's absurdist videogame take on Yojimbo is surreal, funny and magnificent.
Syndicate's amoral corporate violence meets a more lenient version of Commandos' ability-centric squad tactics, in this on-point cyberpunk sandbox.