Josh Brown
Whether you've played past titles in the franchise or not, World of Final Fantasy is a seriously strong JRPG that any fan of the genre should get a kick out of. Emotional, hilarious and deep, it proves yet again that a good RPG is about more than just thwarting a world-ending menace - it's about the journey and everyone who makes it worthwhile.
Capcom perfected the combat formula over countless releases, but it wasn't until Monster Hunter: World that they stripped away what ultimately was never much fun to begin with. You spend less time spent preparing, and more time actually fighting. And sales figures suggest, as we all expected, that Capcom really had something special sitting under all that bloat.
Call of Duty: Warzone is the definitive battle royale experience right now.
Post-game updates will ultimately decide whether this is a sure-fire classic or simply a solid stepping stone to something greater, but even at launch, Monster Hunter has never felt better.
Against the Storm is a prime example of what can happen when a small team has clear inspiration, passion, and a willingness to collaborate with its players. It's a brilliant mix of roguelike, strategy, and small-scale city building that will hook you from the jump.
In an age where punishing difficulty is finally yearned for again, Cuphead is a worthy title to the list of the best ways to test your gaming mettle.
A marvel when it comes to its ability to shake you to your core, its clearly a love letter to both those who adored the claustrophobic nightmares of the original games and those introduced to horror with more recent Hollywood attempts like The Conjuring and Insidious. It’s hard to imagine the formula working in their favor in the long run, but if it’s a reason to trust that the series could still be in the right hands with Capcom after all, we’re interested to see how they’ll carry on torch into the future.
What is lacks in scale is made up for in its sense of style - and improving upon both next time around could result in something utterly remarkable.
I'll admit, it's taken me this long to feel the need to expand Cities: Skylines above it base offerings. Now I understand why. Each expansion brings heaps of free content to owners of even just the base game, so you might only pick up the full bag if it focuses on what you need. For me, Mass Transit feels unnecessary; whereas for others that may have been all they ever wanted. Green Cities is like sugar in this case. I don't need it, but I want it.
Running meaningful industries in your city is like playing a game within a game. Suddenly feeling like an entire county builder, it's safe to say that the unstoppable force of Cities: Skylines just got a whole lot bigger.
Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers is the strongest start to an expansion since Heavensward.
Gears Tactics doesn’t have to rival the latest main-series game to get across the franchise’s grand ambitions of worldwide conflict.
A fantastic show of force from the long-standing Team Ninja, but one that feels like it didn't truly understand the mass appeal of the genre. Spruced up with the group's signature style, Nioh only falters with its less captivating world. We can appreciate the heritage, but it won't grab everyone.
Life is Strange 2 isn't re-writing DONTNOD's rulebook when it comes to gameplay, but the tale being told this time around is a far bigger statement than their last. And it's only just begun.
The most genuine fun I’ve had with a story-driven game in ages, and one that’s a great entryway into a beloved franchise.
From a solid score to a rapturous cast of characters, Fire Emblem Engage refines the strategy format into a worthy successor to what kicked off the West’s obsession with the series. The story is barebones at best, but the Emblem system is bound to ignite a call for more remakes and releases. And we’ll take them.
Atelier Firis: The Alchemist And The Mysterious Journey PC Review
Classic's captivating community and world help it to withstand the test of time.
Given it technically only costs the price of a World of Warcraft subscription, absolutely. It’s incredibly rare to have the opportunity to go back in time with an ever-changing MMORPG. Experience history. You probably won’t get a third chance.
There’s no reason any new player to the Worms franchise wouldn’t get a quick kick out of this one, but it’s difficult to recommend the game to series veterans who can get a cleaner experience from the entries they currently own.