Mirage represents the past, present, and future of everything Assassin’s Creed stands for – and you can feel it in the game’s bones.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is an excellent action game, and a tightly-focused, well-executed example of why Team Ninja is often mentioned in the same breath as FromSoftware. Razor-sharp combat that wields the power of momentum with deft ease, supported by intricate and well-designed levels, against the backdrop of an over-the-top historical fantasy? It’s just a shame about the quality-of-life aberrations that constantly chip away at your morale.
This is a top-tier rhythm action game that’s pitched as a love letter to the Final Fantasy series, brimming with content and packed with love and care. But – like some of the more ambitious double-albums out there – it sometimes feels like quantity over quality, as you trudge through some of the less well thought-out note maps in order to get to the ones you know will inspire you. Some will have more patience for that than others. Given that I’ve already played through Blue Fields about 20 times, I’ll leave you to figure out where I land on that.
Metal: Hellsinger is a good time, if not a short time. Hard as nails, rewarding as they come, and fuelled by some of the best names in heavy music, The Outsider and Funcom have made a game that’s worth every second of your time it takes up – even if that’s only about the length of one of the more epic prog albums out there. A knowing and fun take on the rhythm shooter genre, plagued with some calibration and UI issues, this romp through Hell is as satisfying as it is frustrating – and not even hearing the dulcet tones and throaty growls of Trivium’s Matt Heafy can offset that.
I promise you, it’ll leave you charmed and hungry for more.
Horizon: Forbidden West does a great job of building on the foundation that Zero Dawn laid out
NieR: Automata is unlike anything else you can play on Xbox One - all the best bits of Devil May Cry or Bayonetta mixed into a narrative that tastes like what you'd get if Lewis Carroll wrote Ghost in the Shell. A thought-provoking, self-aware romp. Recommended.
There are a couple of ‘100% completion’ style things in the list, but for the most part the trophies and achievements are inventive and fun - generous rewards for progressing through the story, and smart little bonuses for taking part in the online and side ops. Hope you like boat racing!
Titanfall’s now-classic speed works so well in this game - Respawn has studied everything that made the original game so enjoyable in multiplayer and built a solid story experience around those elements. The multiplayer is evolving, and whilst some may argue it's getting top-heavy, we truly believe that every alteration Respawn has made to the core Titanfall experience has been for the better, resulting in a stronger, better and more robust sequel.
Resident Evil Village is an essential horror experience that shows off what Capcom is capable of when it doesn’t compromise its vision in any way. The developer uses subgenres like puzzle pieces, clicking them into place on a grid to reveal the bigger picture: a survival horror collage, realised with remarkable production values and a deep love for its extensive roots. Resident Evil Village will be held high by Lady Dimitrescu and her peers for years to come, to rest head and shoulders above its genre rivals.
Monster Hunter: Generations Ultimate has some of the best kineticism and game feel of any game you can play on handheld consoles right now. Its graduation from 3DS to Switch is nothing short of mind-blowing.
The Switch version of Okami HD – with its portability, its motion controls, its touchscreen paintbrush and its compact charm – is hands own the definitive version of Okami.
As an RPG, Final Fantasy XV has everything you'd expect: a compelling, emotional story; a tapestry of complimentary mechanics; a significant lifespan; a cast of relatable and well-written characters and a world that's dense enough to be a character in and of itself. As a Final Fantasy game, it lives up to all the tropes, despite the variations it's taken from the more 'classic' games. Final Fantasy XV is a title that's aimed super high, and although maybe it hasn't quite hit the targets it set for itself, it certainly doesn't disappoint, and is a strong enough RPG experience to stand aside The Witcher as one of the best open-world role-playing games of this generation.
After the canned PlayStation Vita version of the game, it's wonderful to finally be able to play Hyper Light Drifter on the go. The developer has pretty much stated that in its mind, the Switch version is the definitive version of the game – and you can tell. With elements that make it smoother for newcomers on top of everything that made the base game great, this is a port that truly feels at home on Switch, despite the occasional drop of frames.
Naughty Dog has done it again. The Last of Us Part 2 is a game that’s going to be talked about for a long time to come, and with good reason.
My Hero One’s Justice 2 is a treat for fans of the series. For non-fans, it’s a capable over-the-shoulder arena fighter, with a host of fun and very different characters to avail from.
id Software’s magnum opus, an epic of the video game world that’ll be talked about for years to come, Doom Eternal is a triumph.
Building on every aspect of Blind Forest – from art to music right the way through to level design and combat – this is a sequel worthy of celebration. In just two games, Moon Studios have proved itself to be one of the most creative, exciting and invaluable studios in Microsoft's wider roster – worthy of celebration alongside the masters and creators of the Metroidvania genre.
Indivisible is one of the best RPGs of the year. A masterclass in game design, Indivisible is funny, challenging and creative in equal measure.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan is a must-play for anyone that appreciates horror gaming at its finest, for anyone that enjoys picking away at how a game is put together, for anyone that's got even a passing interest in finding the best storytelling vidoegames have to offer.