Mankind Divided's cybernetic playground feels fresh, even if it doesn't go as far as expected
Dishonored's 'whalepunk' world remains stunning
Taken for what it is, and what it’s doing, Hitman is still pretty great, and it’s still offering something that no one else has done and still aren’t doing. And in establishing a strong, episodic offering for the series, Io has built a foundation to carry the Hitman series forward much sooner than they ever have before.
As a mystery, a deep-space haunted house with dozens of stories of tragedy and humanity to tell, Prey is a remarkably successful archaeological expedition — and it manages to compellingly ruminate on what it means to be .
It is frequently a game which occupies two opposite spaces simultaneously. It is the best game. It is also the worst game. No game has ever made me as miserable as Dota 2 has. But no game has made me feel so consistently rewarded for my time, and as consistently, wonderfully connected to the friends I play it with.
Evolve offers something different, even if it doesn't always succeed
Tallying its original content on its own, Dimensions offers a very replayable, highly varied take on a too-long dormant modern classic.
Peggle 2 is a burst of joy in a sea of brown and grey
WATCH DOGS OPEN WORLD IS TRUMPED BY ITS SMART, LAYERED MECHANICS
The Witcher 3 is a great game — with some major qualifications
ScreamRide is one of 2015's first great surprises
Luftrausers has a strong pull
Ultimate is the best possible demonstration of Gears of War's classic shooter bonafides
With the loss of some of its personality, Forza Motorsport 6 sometimes feels like a little less than the sum of many much improved parts, and there are certain quality-of-life changes that feel increasingly overdue. But these are only distractions, bumps in the road that make Forza feel "just" great when looked at from a distance.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst is a flawed, but often great breath of something different and exciting in an open-world landscape full of the same old thing.
If Garden Warfare was an attempt to make a multiplayer only shooter that just about anyone could enjoy, Garden Warfare 2 takes that a step farther by removing the original's budget-priced compromises. Making the original Popcap concept into a shooter isn't novel anymore, and I hope that the developers pay attention to the game's potential balance challenges over time to make sure that "asymmetric" doesn't become "lopsided." But Garden Warfare 2 stands strong on its own, and with friends.
Halo Wars 2 can't stick its landing, but it remains accessible without feeling dumbed down
Dead Rising 4 isn't always smart, but it's rarely boring
Headlander isn't Double Fine's funniest game, but it's one of its most consistently fun
Team Ninja has taken some big chances here. They don't all pay off, but the ones that do pull together for a game that justifies some of the pain required.