Roguelikes don't get much more bodacious than RAD. If you take a trip into the Fallow, good luck making it out. You're going to need it.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 retains much of the formula that made the original games the best of their genre.
Sea of Solitude also tells the story of learning to confront one's own flaws and use them to grow into a better person. It isn't a very long game and outside of some collectibles, there isn't much reason to navigate these waters again. But it's a boat ride worth taking at least once given the gravity of its narrative.
Samurai Shodown manages to present a superb alternative to quicker, more bombastic fighters. This comes across as more of the thinking man's fighter, testing a player's reaction time and rewarding those who are able to read their opponents over those who try and go for meaningless combos.
Mortal Kombat 11 isn't the ideal MK package and may not even be the best MK package to come along in this console generation. Still, it's a strong package and one that still proves fun to play alone or with friends. It's not a flawless victory, but it's still a victory, nonetheless.
Overall, Katana Zero is an inspired effort.
The Walking Dead: The Final Season is a testament to what great writing talent can accomplish. Even with the game's increasingly archaic engine and an art style that isn't quite as unique as it used to be, The Final Season offers a story that ranks up there with the original first season. It is a marvelous piece of work and acts as a bookend to one of the best gaming sagas of the decade.
Unfortunately, those looking for a deeper, more immersive baseball experience can do so much better than R.B.I. Baseball 19.
Right now, Anthem is not good. And given what's come out of BioWare in the past and the kinds of lasting, impactful experiences that the gaming world knows BioWare is capable of delivering, that's truly sad.
Kingdom Hearts III is an absolute triumph, conquering the darkness that plagued the series' past and standing firmly in the light. It's not just a great Kingdom Hearts game, it may very well be a game that gets revisited in December.
Smash packages don't come any better than this. It may not be perfect, but it sure feels Ultimate.
Dota 2 fans will find a lot to love about Artifact if it stays on this trajectory. Those who don't have any particular attachment to the Dota franchise and want something simpler might want to focus their attention elsewhere.
Floor Kids isn't a game that's going to eat up a lot of time. The novelty can wear out quickly, even with the game's dozens of fresh tracks. But the multiplayer is enough of a fun diversion that it's worth trotting out on occasion with your significant other, roommate, or close acquaintance. It's a solid effort, one bolstered by its unique art style and its desire to dare to be a little different.
It's a wildly entertaining package, with clever premises that can consume entire parties for hours at a time. And even if there isn't much for a solo partier to do here, it's easier than ever to fire up a Twitch stream and engage through the audience feature. There's something for every type of partygoer and there's enough to keep the party going all through the night.
This is on top of a one of the most robust single-player offerings I can think of in a fighting game, as well as more behind-the-scenes Museum content than one can shake a snake sword at. SoulCalibur VI is an incredible package, only bogged down by a few minor issues, and one that should be near the top of any fighting game fan's library.
Black Ops 4 feels like one of the strongest Call of Duty entries to come along in years. Despite not having a solo campaign or some of the past games' more bombastic mechanics, Treyarch has proved the adage that "less is more." And this game's "less" is good enough to keep me waiting around for "more."
With numerous maps, characters, and an engaging single-player mode, TowerFall is a deep experience and one that's worth having in the Switch library when company comes over. TowerFall started off its life as one of the sole shining stars of a doomed Ouya platform, but now it ends its life in front of a massive Nintendo Switch install base. And this star shines as brightly as ever.
But story aside, Old School Musical as a full package is an unexpected treat. The post-story challenges, along with the replayable Arcade Mode puts together the best of what this game can offer. It's a solid foundation to hopefully build something more solid in the future.
As a final blowoff to the Trinity saga, I couldn't help but walk away feeling that the resolution to the story and to Lara Croft's character could have been so much better. But in terms of a pure "Tomb Raider" game, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is everything a bold explorer could ask for, giving players a vast jungle to explore and daring them to master it.
Look at Guacamelee 2 as gaming's equivalent of NXT Takeovers or New Japan Pro Wrestling's annual G1 Climax tournaments. They may not feel overly different from each another, but there's no questioning their high quality and they'll leave you anxiously awaiting the next main event.