Sam Spyrison
Forza Horizon 4 is an outstanding evolution of not only the Forza franchise, but the open world racing genre as a whole.
Nearly one year later, Night in the Woods remains one of the most quotable and passion-fueled indie titles in recent years.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy embraces what the series has become so renowned for: placing real, relatable people in impossible situations that force them to come out better and stronger on the other side or not come out at all.
From the Gallows wraps up the season on a high note, with a truly customized chapter that forces players to make intense selections regarding the characters they have grown to love, hate or otherwise care about. Telltale has continued to prove that whatever faults may have arisen in the past can be easily set aside when the final consequences end up amounting to more than just life or death.
NBA 2K18 is once again king of the court, proving why the series has managed to remain so superior in recent years.
FIFA continues to show no signs of slowing down its dominance, as this year's title further enhances the consistently enjoyable gameplay thanks to improvements to the on-field animations and varied, but realistic presentation.
Despite a slightly forgettable middle and a few characters being given a rushed ending, Same Stitch is a fantastic finale for Batman: The Enemy Within, as Bruce Wayne and John Doe's uneasy alliance comes to an explosive and constantly surprising conclusion.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider's prioritization of exploration and stealth coupled with a more reflective plot ends Lara's origin story on a more human note, which is strengthened by the remarkable presentation.
NBA 2K19 continues the series' legacy for offering the best basketball simulator on the market thanks to refined gameplay and a truly immersive presentation.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is one of the best Star Wars games to date, thanks to intense combat and satisfying exploration and traversal.
On paper, it’s easy to pick apart Resident Evil 7 for its inconsistencies; the game struggles to find a balance between being purely horror or a title more reminiscent of Resident Evil’s past, and the poor presentation and writing don’t help.
Four Circle Interactive’s 10 Second Ninja X offers plenty of intensely difficult challenges for players willing to bash their head against it.
Considering the efforts passionate fans went through to see this franchise have another entry, it comes off as surprising and unfortunate that Wayforward did not decide to take more risks by adding new characters and mechanics.
Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 represents another strong, well-produced arcade title for this classic character, cementing his continued relevance multiple decades later in a way only a few non-Nintendo franchises have been able to.
Despite numerous success stories from Telltale over the past few years, the studio seems rather content with sticking with The Walking Dead’s roots in its newest season, with no new gameplay mechanics or story themes being introduced.
Perhaps Batman: The Telltale Series’ greatest flaw is inconsistency; playing each episode separately can make some of the weaknesses of the lesser episodes, like technical issues and poor pacing, more apparent in a way that most other Telltale series do not suffer from.
Full Clip Edition represents the most complete and enhanced way to experience Bulletstorm, as some smart additions and an improved presentation help breathe new life into the 2011 FPS. Many of the game’s issues from the past still remain, as some questionable one-liners and depth-lacking modes are still present for this 2017 remaster.
Despite a lack of traversable areas and series-renowned stressful choices, “Above the Law” represents a solid and polished episode of the latest The Walking Dead season, thanks to some intriguing conflicts and character moment. While the season still doesn’t feel like it quite knows where it’s headed next, the intermediate episode gives players plenty of reasons to continue following the drama of the Garcia brothers.
Tangled Up in Blue is a promising start for the Guardians of the Galaxy series, as Telltale applies its usual focus upon the contrasting relationships of the flawed but endearing squad. With some fresh tweaks to the gameplay and a solid soundtrack to rock out to, Telltale's latest is one to keep an eye on for both Guardians fans and newcomers alike.
Under Pressure keeps the story flowing and the jams pumping as Telltale provides a rare look at one of the Guardians' upbringings. The hit-or-miss humor and standard technical malfunctions are still on full display, but the strong storytelling helps keep the season moving forward as the dysfunctional space crew keep searching for answers.