Leif Johnson's Reviews
Divinity: Original Sin 2 will be remembered as one of the greats.
Stormblood doesn't do much to shake up the general design Final Fantasy XIV has followed since its relaunch, but never before have its familiar elements worked quite so well. You'll find some boring sidequests, yes, but it makes up for that flaw with an unforgettable story filled with moving cutscenes and acting, great new primal fights and dungeons, two wonderful new combat classes, and new lands that reward the explorer in us all.
After months of missteps, Legion shows World of Warcraft finding its footing again and asserting its relevance after more than a decade. Many elements make this an expansion worth enjoying, including class halls, gigantic zones filled with memorable stories, better socialization, the actiony new Demon Hunter class, and world quests. The one big question mark is whether Blizzard can maintain that energy after launch, but so far the outlook seems promising.
Obsidian (and its Kickstarter backers) have done it: Pillars of Eternity is one of the best RPGs since Baldur's Gate.
Warlords of Draenor is a triumphant return to form for World of Warcraft
Outstanding tactical combat and engaging quests make Divinity: Original Sin one of the most rewarding RPGs in years.
Blood and Wine ends the saga of Geralt of Rivia in style, bringing with it a tale of charming vampires and troublesome friendship set in a stunning new landscape that departs from the bleakness we've known until now. The expansion also brings some welcome gameplay enhancements, including mutations, the ability to dye armor, and a vineyard for growing herbs. Most of all, it leaves Geralt in a good place.
Final Fantasy XIV's Endwalker expansion brings its longest story arc to a satisfying close and cements its place as one of the best Final Fantasy stories ever told.
Full of emotion and high adventure, Final Fantasy XIV's Shadowbringers expansion brings MMORPG storytelling out of the shadows. Two great new combat classes, two cool new races, and a nifty system for running dungeons solo round out the experience of FFXIV's best expansion to date.
The Banner Saga 2 doesn't change much of the experience that made the original such a well-loved surprise two years ago, and that's a good thing. The improvements may be small, but they're also substantial: the new combat units, the introduction of a second caravan story to follow, and the obstacles in the battlefield add up nicely. While beautifully written and populated with memorable characters and twists, the story does slightly suffer from a case of the "middle episodes" that may leave you eager for more. On the bright side, we know that more is on the way in a third and final installment.
The turn-based combat may be a little disappointing, but Torment: Tides of Numenera manages to live up to the legacy of Planescape: Torment by offering a fascinatingly weird and well-written tale. Thanks to a wide variety of options in conversations and the influences of its tidal system, it offers decent opportunities for replay value and a memorable tale each time. This is the rare game that leans almost entirely on its setting and writing for its appeal, and the miraculous thing is that it usually succeeds.
The story is lacking, but great environments, a new class, and more freedom—partially from the free patch—make for a better Diablo III.
Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn has launched with a great class system and amazing promise
FFXIV: Heavensward is light on new features, but its story and wealth of content make it an expansion to remember.
The Legend of Grimrock 2 is an RPG that's as much Myst as D&D, and benefits from the strengths of both.
The Banner Saga is a beautiful, brutal tactical RPG.
Galactic Civilizations 3 doesn't re-invent the wheel, but it delivers a top-notch, highly customizable 4X experience.
You could call Salt and Sanctuary a 2D mashup of Dark Souls and Castlevania, and you'd be right. But such a simple pronouncement would be a disservice to the tremendous amount of thought that's gone into Salt and Sanctuary, whether it's in the graphic style that evokes horror through the style of comic strips or in the intricate web of dungeons and castles serves as it map.
Wang's stupid wisecracks kept me smiling from start to finish, and the variety of melee and ranged combat and the loot that dropped from it was satisfying enough that I came back with friends for more. It's great fun in solo or in co-op, and its small degree of randomization is enough to keep the action fresh for at least a few runs.
Lone Survivor's indie survival horror tale finds its most powerful expression on Sony's handheld.