Get Even's use of layered sound and even more layered story is unsettling and great, but other awkward mechanics make this psychological thriller a bit less than the sum of some very fine parts.
An imaginative horror game, Perception is coming at a well trodden genre from a new angle, but despite its good ideas, it doesn't quite live up to its own potential.
Listen, as dystopian and mostly monochrome platform puzzlers go, Black the Fall isn't bad. But I can't tell you it's great either.
A fun take on both stealth games and genre films, Serial Cleaner will be way more enjoyable if it can fix a bad lighting bug that made it almost unplayable.
Despite imperfections, Splatoon 2 improves on the original, and is a colourful, joyous addition to the Switch.
Yonder is obviously a fantastic game for adults to play with their children, and for slightly older children to be allowed to play unsupervised. Even for adults it's surprisingly beautiful, and a soothing breath of anxiety-calming non-violence. But the older you get, the less mileage you might receive from Gemea.
A tabletop-esque strategy game with surprisingly variable routes to success, Antihero is stylish, fresh, and beautifully designed.
Tacoma is a quiet, lovely, yet slightly melancholy exploration of humanity struggling in a corporate vacuum, and one that proves Fullbright still has an eye for detail.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is beautiful, discomforting, and compelling. It might challenge what you like about games, but challenge is good. You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't try it.
Despite fun combat and characters, Agents of Mayhem becomes repetitive and grinding. In trying to chase the popularity of Saints Row, it misses having an identity of its own.
The Lost Legacy is proof that there's still life in Uncharted, though it'll need to break out of it's own formula a bit in the future. Chloe and Nadine could do that for the series. You just have to let them
A smart series of puzzling occult cases, The Darkside Detective has a very distinct sense of humour that you'll either love or hate.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is off to a not unpromising start, but it feels like Chloe and the game are both still finding their feet.
The Last Day of June is an emotional, gentle puzzle, where you must live one sunny afternoon over and over again to try and avert tragedy. It doesn't feel especially new, but it'll still probably make you a bit teary.
Knack 2 doesn't have exactly the same problems as Knack, it's just moved things into different places and ended up mostly the same. Which is at least emblematic of Knack himself, I suppose.
Marked improvements in style and story, coupled with Bungie's always excellent shooting, make this continued space epic a winner. But that never ending grind, though...
I might not have enjoyed it quite as perfectly as Dishonored 2, but Death of the Outsider is a fittingly melancholy way to wrap up a story arc I've loved. The Empire of the Isles is a strange and exquisitely horrible world, and this entry is no different.
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is, like football, a game of two halves. The actual fighting half, which is arguably the more critical 50% anyway, is fun and exciting. The other half is a bit confusing.
A well put together action puzzler, Figment has truly outstanding musical work. It'd be a great game to discover with children, but you'd probably need one to get the most out of it.
It's a shame the story is so strangely paced, but you hardly need it. Fortress Assaults are great set pieces, and there's a lot of fun to be had with the upgraded Nemesis System alone.