The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game is another good entry in the LEGO series of games. The increased focus on combat pays off with a fleshed out system that makes each character feel unique, while the free-running provides enough safety nets to keep you from getting frustrated. Despite a couple of technical hiccups and a poorly thought out ending, LEGO NINJAGO has so much going for it that the overall experience isn't dampened.
NBA Playgrounds is a good modern take on the old-school arcade basketball game genre. It brings enough new ideas to the court to keep things feeling fresh, but at heart, it still retains the charm and accessibility that made NBA Jam such a beloved franchise. There are a few kicks with the shooting mechanics and rebounding is less than ideal, but the gameplay is strong enough in other areas to ensure it's still an overall slam dunk.
Super Rude Bear Resurrection is a fun and unique entry into a genre that is practically as old as gaming. The use of corpses to help make things easier is executed well, although less skilled players may find themselves fatigued by the constant death. The game actively shakes things up with the obstacles it throws at you, and with a great soundtrack it's easy to recommend this game.
Atelier Firis makes huge strides forward with its lively open world, but it also takes several steps backwards in other areas. Reintroducing the time limit forces you to play the game at breakneck speed, which means that much of the world is ignored until over 20 hours into the game. Once you break away from the time limit, however, you'll discover a brilliantly diverse world that you can get lost in for countless hours, where you'll be free to properly enjoy what is ultimately a solid, but neglected battle system.
Despite a couple of flaws, Super Bomberman R is a strong entry into a long-running franchise. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but offers enough variation to the gameplay to keep veterans of the series on their toes, while also helping newcomers ease into the format. It's a shame that online battles seem to be such a mess at the moment, because with that up and running to its full potential this would easily be the definitive Bomberman game.
Portal Knights brings some interesting new wrinkles to the crafting genre that has become so popular recently. The increased focus on combat works well, particularly with the boss battles and having a clearly defined end goal is a great way of keeping you invested. Unfortunately, some of the other additions like the poorly thought out stats system and the reliance on random drops for creating crucial portals keeps the game from ever fully achieving knighthood.
The LEGO Harry Potter Collection is just as good, if not better, than it was back on the PlayStation 3. Having both games bundled in a collection makes it feel like you're playing one lengthy game rather than two relatively short ones. There are still a few niggling mechanical issues present and the boss battles are disappointing, however fans of both Harry Potter and the LEGO games will find something to enjoy here.
Hue is a puzzle game rarity. It manages to be both fun and challenging, meaning it confidently accommodates the hardcore puzzle fans as well as those that are usually completely hopeless. The colour wheel mechanic gives the game a unique angle, while the level and puzzle design is incredibly clever with puzzles never becoming stale or repetitive. Fiddlesticks' charming puzzle platformer has coloured us impressed.
WWE 2K19 hasn't changed much at its core, but the smaller alterations to the overall package make it a vastly more enjoyable experience to previous instalments. Introducing a proper story to MyCareer gives players an actual reason to play it this year and it's a genuinely engaging experience. The increased depth of the player creation suite means each superstar feels different from the next, while quality of life improvements in Universe will be music to the ears of diehard fans. All of this adds up to make WWE 2K19 the best entry of this long-running series.
NBA 2K19 is once again the best simulation of basketball. When it comes to gameplay, presentation, and polish 2K's latest entry is undoubtedly unmatched. However, basic cosmetic options being held hostage behind microtransactions and an obtrusive story during MyCareer are huge unforced turnovers and prevent NBA 2K19 from cementing itself as the Greatest Of All Time.
One Piece: Unlimited World Red - Deluxe Edition is exactly what a licensed game should be. It captures the essence of the One Piece franchise through its story, writing, and characters, while also providing gameplay that could stand on its own without the name attached to it. Ganbarion has struck a delicate balance of creating a game that works for both hardcore One Piece fans and players who have never heard of the series before.
Ghost Blade HD is a brilliant entry into the shoot-'em-up genre for both newcomers and veterans alike. It strikes the tricky balance of offering a reasonable challenge to anybody who picks it up, but makes sure that the difficulty never gets out of hand. The deep gameplay and strategy allows for a variety of playstyles, and while the two-player co-op is a let down, the score attack mode will leave you coming back for more after you've bested the main game.
Jazzpunk: Director's Cut is a wild ride from start to finish. If you mesh with this style of humour, it's a barrel of laughs, and the game is just downright fun to play. Your experience will only last a few hours, but that just makes sure Jazzpunk never loses steam and is always hurtling forward at a million miles an hour.