Garth Holden
This might be the darkest game in the series, but it is also, I feel, the best one so far. This is Final Fantasy, right down to the heart of it: four warriors of light looking for a crystal.
Moving away from the industrial sausage machine to a bespoke creation oozing with attention to detail, history, love and satisfying combat, Ubisoft is back in the ring, ready to take on other open world contenders.
Odyssey takes what Origins started and sharpens it to a fine edge. This is bigger, better, bolder and still has time to be intimate and grounded in the middle of a massive war and tale of intrigue.
This is a game that rewards and encourages the curious. This is a cool, sweet drink in a desert of games where story is only barely there because it is required. This is art.
Fans have been waiting a long, long time for Kingdom Hearts III and the wait was worth it. Smoother movement and combat, better graphics and large worlds for players to explore feel great, while the story finally ties up many many loose threads that the various prequels, sidequels, alsoquels and the like have added to this spiderweb.
Aztez mixes two very different genres in a way that will make you pay attention. Part board game, part fluid beat 'em up, get ready for fluid combat and intense combos as you try to beat every stage as quickly as possible for maximum reward.
Let’s just say that as it stands now, Legion is a high-point in the history of World of Warcraft and I don’t see the new-found energy of enthusiasm wearing off any time soon for the players.
Final Fantasy XII deserves to be a part of your JRPG journey. With a deep, twisting plot and a focus on how politics and war muddies up things for so many other people. This game rewards exploration, tenacity and plumbing the depths of its systems.
Far Cry 5 is the height of the series and gives new legs to exploration in open world games while keeping the freeform tools to take down places as you see fit. Welcome to Hope County, you will be here a while.
Death of the Outsider keeps enough of what makes you love Dishonored in the first place, while a new protagonist and power set keep things fresh and exciting to explore and discover.
Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 are enjoyable, slick romps through a crazy hack and slash world. If you like dodging at just the right moment before unleashing a spectacular combo and a fast-talking protagonist, you owe it to yourself to meet this witch.
While War of Thorns left a bad taste for many, the expansion proper has been a delight. Some quests have questionable writing and the tropes from previous expansions rear their heads in places, but the dungeon and levelling experience is great. Depending on where the story goes, this expansion could end up near the top.
What happens when you give players rules and powers that let them shape the world around them? Puzzles no longer need a key to solve as everything becomes a tool. Semblance is smart and satisfying and will squish its way into your heart.
Devil May Cry 5 feels like playing your favourite PS2 hack and slash, but with amazing current gen graphics. Get ready for a rollercoaster ride of style as you pummel, slash and blast your way through all the devils.
Diablo III on the Switch creates a whole new way to play the game that makes it work in tiny sessions all the way up to marathon runs. Great for newcomers and old salts, you will find yourself competing in the next season before you know it.
Clever, beautiful and more intricate and expansive than I expected a card game to be, you will scratch your noggin for some devilish puzzles, while following on a story of one of the biggest threats the Northern Kingdoms ever faced: the armies of Nilfgaard.
The Division 2 is a product of years of love, labour and listening, iterating and reiterating on what worked in the previous game, and adding and changing based on developer and community feedback. Everything feels polished and thought out, making you come back for some more.
Endless Space 2 improves on the Endless format to bring a solid, enjoyable 4X experience to people without forcing them to get a degree in reading the game's manuals. Prepare for a lot of reading and learning though!
To Davide Soliani and Ubisoft, I offer my apologies. This is one hell of a game and I can’t wait to squeeze every treasure and perfect rating out of the game. I honestly hope that this introduces the wonderful world of turn-based tactics to more people.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is a return to the heights of Xenoblade Chronicles after a dip with X. Get ready for a long adventure filled with amazing sights and revelations.