XCOM Chimera Squad has come from nowhere to be one of the most compelling games of the year
You know what? I adore it. I adore every second. Forza Horizon 4 is potentially the best racing game I've ever played in terms of the sheer amount of stuff and how much fun I've had. I'm not a devout racing game fan, so I'm not going to say it's the best racing game ever, but I can say absolutely that it's the racing game I'm going to be comparing the genre to in my head, moving forwards.
It's a testament to the quality of XCOM 2 that despite performance hiccups on a mid-range PC I have been unable to put it down. It's at once radically different and reassuringly familiar, improving what needed to be improved and refining what needed to be refined without losing the core appeal of the series. XCOM has once again proven itself to be the strategy king.
Dead Cells could be the most surprising success of the year. Coming into the crowded Metroidvania genre was a bold move, but one that seems to have paid off as Dead Cells has delivered the best example of the genre in years. The game is deep and rewards exploration, with exceptional combat and so much content it's honestly a little intimidating.
Iceborne is another generous layer of content for Monster Hunter World fans, but along the way it also makes a lot of welcome changes that existing players and newbies will enjoy.
Rainbow Six Siege is the finest shooter of the year. Its systems combine to create a game that's immediately tense and feels several steps beyond what we've come to expect from yearly Call of Duty iterations. AAA games aren't usually this bold, but in this case the gamble has paid off. Rainbow Six Siege is sublime.
Overwatch is a great package: fun, accessible and extremely well-made. It's a shooter as much for those pledge their lives to online play, as those chiefly interested in the occasional fun foray. It's an instant classic that, with the kind of good post-launch support Blizzard is known for, could prove the go-to shooter for an entire generation of gamers.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided doesn't reinvent the wheel, nor does it need to. Compelling, tightly paced and most importantly, fun to play, Mankind Divided has created an exquisitely detailed world and now it wants to turn you loose in it. A stronger contender for Game of the Year in a year already filled with great games, what are you waiting for?
Battlefield 1 is a bold reinvention of the Battlefield series, proving not only that DICE aren't afraid to move in brave new directions, but also that they have a genuine understanding of what makes a Battlefield game really tick. Series veterans will feel immediately at home in the multiplayer, while those scared by the online battlefields will find the campaign, while short, provides a great diversion and a good way to ease yourself into the chaotic world of Battlefield.
I was expecting Watch Dogs 2 to be more enjoyable than its predecessor, but I didn't expect it to be so well designed and full of heart. Watch Dogs 2 isn't reinventing the open-world game and fans of Ubisoft's special brand of go-places-and-pick-things-up gameplay will feel right at home, but it's one of the best examples the genre has to offer – as long as you don't want to shoot anything.
Hitman 2 is an iterative rework of the formula set up by 2016's bold Hitman reboot. It's the best Hitman game so far, and I'd absolutely recommend it wholeheartedly. It's just a bit of a shame that they didn't take some more chances, in favour of offering up a slice of the same excellent stealth gameplay.
Trials Rising isn't going to set the world on fire, but it achieves what it sets out to do with aplomb. It's a simple concept, executed with flair, and if that's not worth applauding then what is?
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night could be one of the biggest surprises this year. For Castlevania fans, this represents the best chance you'll ever have to experience that franchise's golden days. For everyone else, this game is a tightly paced and engaging explore-'em-up that will devour your attention span and reward you appropriately.
This is a stunning return to form for a franchise that many people were just about ready to write off. By being big and bold with the return of its most successful tentpole, Activision has given a new lease of life to the shooter.
Tight gunplay and a solid, ambitious crack at AAA VR mean that Half-Life: Alyx is one of the big hits of virtual reality. While the combat could be a little too mellow for some, the ambulatory opening is dripping with atmosphere and provides a nice way for players new to VR to get familiar.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been a long time coming. If you're a Final Fantasy 7 fan, you've likely already bought this, but if you're a fan of the Final Fantasy franchise or RPGs in general, this is likely to be the game by which all over RPGs in 2020 are judged. Fan service, charm and a killer aesthetic certainly don't hurt things, but some confusing combat choices and a story that's a little too busy stop it from being a true classic.
I wasn't expecting to like Gears Tactics this much, and the tactical layer is phenomenally enjoyable. If this is all you want, Gears Tactics is a must-buy. However, a lack of memorable moments and the lack of a grander strategy layer to dig your teeth into could leave some itches unscratched, despite the quality shown by Splash Damage and The Coalition.
If someone had told me that a career in insurance involves exploring intricately detailed worlds with a magic watch, I would probably be working in insurance right now.
Despite Broken Sword 5 feeling like a game made for Broken Sword fans, with tons of references, recurring characters and threads from previous games slipped in, it's hard not to appreciate what Revolution has achieved here. It isn't the best adventure game released in recent years, but it's charming, fun and a worthy update of a four-year-old title that you might have overlooked.
EVE Valkyrie is a simple game, but keeping the scope small has allowed CCP to achieve something special. This is the space dogfighting game, and I can't imagine playing another space combat game now I've experienced Valkyrie. The microtransactions are a particularly gross negative from CCP, but it's the only misstep in a near flawless dance.