Days Gone offers a lot of excitement when facing off against its Freaker hordes as Deacon St. John, but some generic open world elements and gameplay hold it back.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is a staggeringly diverse open world video game that proves Rockstar Games is filled with skilled storytellers and engineering wizards.
Marvel's Spider-Man takes the best parts of the comic book superhero and brings them to life in interactive form courtesy of Ratchet and Clank developer Insomniac Games.
Sony Santa Monica has evolved Kratos in God of War and in the process delivered a technical and narrative showpiece that any PS4 fan should be proud of.
Horizon: Zero Dawn takes familiar open world elements and makes them its own, but it is the game's blend of nature and technology that help create a memorable PS4 exclusive.
The Last Guardian is a must-play for fans, but it struggles under the weight of years worth of anticipation, due in large part to troublesome AI and a finicky camera.
No Man's Sky is a game whose ambitious promises may have hurt it in the long run, but it's hard to deny the impressive framework and gameplay loop Hello Games created.
Batman: The Telltale Series offers up the true Dark Knight experience, letting players make tough choices and gather clues as both Batman and Bruce Wayne.
Inside builds on every strength of Playdead's Limbo, while also delivering a compelling yet haunting world filled with smart puzzles and inventive mechanics.
Trials of the Blood Dragon serves both properties well in its design and story, but the gameplay is overall inconsistent as the title tries to expand beyond basic Trials.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst has some exciting and refined free-running mechanics, but the missions and modes that support the gameplay are content-thin and generic.
Homefront: The Revolution is a mediocre FPS that squanders an intriguing concept, but worst of all the game is not fun to play and overwrought with repetition.
Uncharted 4 sees Naughty Dog push the bar for excellence to a new height, with stunning visuals, next-level character work, and one of the best games of this generation.
Coldwood Interactive's Unravel is a moving puzzle platformer bolstered by strong level design, a creative mechanic, and an unbelievably endearing main character.
Oxenfree is a mature look at growing up through the lens of a supernatural mystery, but awkward pacing and simplistic interactivity hold it back from excelling.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 a familiar experience dressed up in a way that it might feel slightly different at first, but getting into the nuts and bolts reveals not much has changed.
Rock Band 4 offers the same party-focused, addictive experience as its predecessors, but potential song limitations and price point will hold it back for some.
With a greater focus on receivers/cornerbacks and a fantastic new Draft Champions mode, Madden NFL 16 represents a vast improvement over last year's game in nearly every way.
Mega Man Legacy Collection is an easy buy for fans of Capcom's blue bomber, featuring a faithful recreation of the 6 mainline games and some truly clever challenges.
Until Dawn puts player choice above everything else, and for a horror game that's rather unique. But be warned that the game is more interactive movie than game.