Ben Thomas
Dragon Age: Inquisition is nothing short of astounding, from its immense world to the deep characters. The memorable adventure has flaws, but they pale in comparison to its numerous triumphs.
With open maps and confronting action, Battlefield 1 is a stable, balanced and exhilarating multiplayer shooter.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is another outstanding entry in the series containing many viable gameplay options, framed around a fascinating—if not thoroughly conclusive—narrative.
Night City is a place of splendor and possibilities. Its many interesting corners have remarkable visual detail and diverse tasks that allow players to be aggressive or stealthy. Appealing characters and their tangled stories elevate Cyberpunk 2077 and it is only the technical issues and a few missing features that keep it from reaching legendary status.
Starfield is a grand interstellar adventure with exciting pockets of exploration, detailed cities, interesting side quests, memorable characters, competent action, and fun ship building. Despite minor issues, it gracefully blends Bethesda's trademark gameplay with the wonders of space.
With thought-provoking philosophy and sharply varied puzzles, The Talos Principle 2 is a sublime sequel that seeks the knowledge of the gods but maintains its humanity.
Age of Wonders 3 is a magical turned-based sequel with many intricacies. It provides outstanding value and compelling reasons to keep growing your empire each turn.
Batman: Arkham Knight expands brilliantly on its predecessors with a massive city and a Batmobile that serves many roles.
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a great stealth experience featuring a diverse squad of deadly assassins ready to implement the perfect plan.
Dynamic empire management and deep tactical conquest forge the perfect alliance within the colorful sci-fi worlds of Age of Wonders: Planetfall. With nearly endless replay value, it is one of the most tantalizing turn-based games in years.
Stunning visuals and brilliant music is just the first course in Ori and the Will of the Wisps. With its large world, lavish combat, and a smooth implementation of the metroidvania design, this sequel is a must-play for fans of the original, and highly recommended for everybody else.
Desperados III is a great tactical stealth game with five diverse characters traversing through large open levels with alternate routes that enhance replay value. Picking off patrols and executing multiple actions works marvelously through both the swamps and the frontier towns. And with high quality presentation, this is one entry that fans of the genre shouldn't miss.
SOMA creates a tangible underwater facility with overpowering tension and a haunting atmosphere. It paces the horror carefully and will captivate minds with its narrative.
Far Cry Primal takes the franchise cleverly into the Stone Age era with a minor and important survival influence.
Subnautica links progression to dive depth and it pays dividends. It also provides useful tools and varied submersibles that facilitate the steady exploration of wondrous biomes far below the waves.
With its razor-sharp gunplay, slick movement, ping system, and great combat arena, Apex Legends takes the Battle Royale genre to the next rung on the ladder and challenges its competitors to do better.
Dead Space (2023) takes the original's stellar experience into the modern age with excellent atmosphere, additional narrative content, level-design tweaks, and a few surprises to keep the flayed flesh fresh.
Resident Evil 4's excellent variety, involving combat, and rollercoaster pacing makes it one of the best in the series and a faithful recreation, mired by a parasitic companion and a few weird franchise tropes.
The Witness is a challenging and eye-opening puzzle experience that has been designed with such precision that it can alter your thought process for a long time.
Life is Strange is an endearing adventure title where time folds naturally around two good friends trying to uncover a dark mystery.