WWE 2K22 makes a surprising recovery and puts the long-running series back on track.
Excellent combat and an engaging endgame are undercut by Lost Ark's archaic MMO quest design and emphasis on microtransactions.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One stumbles at times, but solving its fantastic cases scratches that investigative itch like few others try.
Back 4 Blood recaptures the spirit of Left 4 Dead while introducing some engaging modern trappings.
Detective Yagami returns for another scintillating mystery that suffers from the same problems as before.
With meaningful additions on and off the field, Madden NFL 22 marks a recent high point for the series, but technical issues get in the way.
Axiom Verge 2 is a daring sequel that shares very few similarities with its predecessor, but it's held back by one-dimensional combat.
MLB The Show 21 maintains the series' continued excellence on the diamond, but missing features and uneven additions hold it back.
Dirt 5 adopts the arcade sensibilities of the series' past, but its frenetic action is dampened somewhat by an uninspired handling model.
Journey to the Savage Planet is a charming and upbeat adventure about exploring an uncharted planet in service of your corporate overlords.
Need for Speed Heat puts the series back on track with a renewed focus on simple racing and customizing cars.
Sea of Solitude tells a poignant story about loneliness that's only let down by its tedious gameplay.
While not much has changed between the ropes, WWE 2K19 gives you more reasons to play by featuring a plethora of new modes and content.
Project Cars 2 builds on its predecessor with improved handling and impressive scope, but it still suffers from unruly AI and a slew of bugs.
Football Manager 2017 is not a game of revolution, but one of refinement. Transfers are smarter and more involved, and the faster player development and the aforementioned streamlining of information are welcome. The perennial strengths of Football Manager are stronger than ever, yet it’s the furtive improvements to the match engine that really set Football Manager 2017 apart from its immediate predecessor.
Hard-hitting and visually arresting, EA Sports UFC 2 refines its brutal action while still retaining some notable flaws.
Children of the Sun's gritty and surreal world is home to an innovative puzzle game that mixes long-range sniping with macabre brain teasers, culminating in your enemy's brains painting the walls.
The Finals mixes solid shooting with dynamic destruction and game-show-infused presentation to create a thrillingly chaotic concoction
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 bundles some of the most influential video games of all time in one comprehensive package, providing an extensive history of stealth-action.
For the most part, however, Lies of P is content to adorn existing mechanics and ideas with its own story and aesthetic. This may be a derivative approach, but it nails the core Souls-like experience, with each of its various mechanics seamlessly coalescing to create a thrilling action game that's challenging, varied, and dripping with atmosphere. It's easy to be reductive when a game wears its influences on its sleeve as boldly as Lies of P does, but plenty of other games have tried and failed to recreate the same magic. It's not an easy endeavor, and while it doesn't shake up the formula or reinvent the wheel, Lies of P is still one of the genre's most accomplished and enjoyable entries--and that's the truth.