Blade & Soul has the PVP pedigree to stand at the top of the MMO heap, which is why the rather rote PVE stands out. You'll have to go through some soulless grinding before you get to the great PVP. If martial arts-laden PVP isn't your thing, there are better MMOs out there.
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a great followup to the amazing Fire Emblem: Awakening. The story is solid, the tactical combat is great, if simplistic in this version, and the characters are wonderfully endearing. The game excels in providing options, letting players tailor how they want to experience this world. If you care more or equally about the romance and social aspects of Fire Emblem, this is the version you should be playing.
Street Fighter V is a great core for the next generation of Street Fighter. The roster of 16 characters is varied, the game has been tuned to be easier for new players, and everything feels relatively balanced. Unfortunately, SFV is missing most of the bells-and-whistles we've come to expect from a retail fighting game. Capcom is updating the game, so it'll reach greatness eventually, but it's not quite there yet.
Dying Light: The Following adds a whole new countryside to the zombie infested Harran and a brand-new buggy to ride across it. It's a strong expansion to a great game, continuing the original game's survival aspects into a new, open arena. This is almost a different game hidden in DLC.
Like Dengeki Bunko Fighting Climax, Nitroplus Blasterz brings together various characters from Nitroplus properties. Unfortunately, fans may not know these characters, many of whom have never been published in the West. That leaves a solid, but rather basic fighting game to draw players in.
It's a bit lighter in content than some other Musou titles with more history, but Arslan: The Warriors of Legend improves the formula with a stronger, focused story based on the anime. Arslan anime fans and Dynasty Warriors fans should find a good time here. If you've ever wanted to take up a sword and slaughter hundreds of enemies, Arslan is your game.
Avalanche Studios returns with another sandbox of destruction. Just Cause 3 is a lot like Just Cause 2, but a host of additions including the wingsuit and gear mods make the game a joy to play. Add in some amazing graphics, stunning explosions, and a huge world and you have a nearly perfect title. One only brought low by online connection issues.
Anno 2205 is a satisfying city builder for those who may think that Cities: Skylines can be a bit complex. It looks great, building your cities is a breeze, and managing resources is easy. Unfortunately, once you've finished the campaign, there's not much left but more optimization and expansion. No mods or DLC make this a rather finite game.
After a solid start, Minecraft Story Mode Episode 2 is disappointingly short. Coming in at around an hour in playtime, the adventure is brisk and active, but it ends right when you're getting into it. A lot happens, but the impact is dulled due to the breakneck pacing.
Life is Strange comes to its ultimate conclusion by asking players what's more important: one person or an entire town? This is an emotionally strong episode that's unfortunately padded out by sequences that justify its overall running time and reinforce that you're playing a game. Life is Strange was great as a whole, but there are missteps in this episode.
While Syndicate isn't AC II, to Unity's AC, it's still an improvement over Ubisoft's 2014 offering. The pair of protagonists work well, some stealth options return, and there's more ways to get around. London is a worthy playground for the Frye twins... and for players.
The dungeons are boring, the open world is sparse, and the skill system is obtuse, but a great cast keeps Tales of Zestiria moving forward. Between the cast and the combo-heavy combat system, JRPG fans will find a good deal of fun here.
Minecraft: Story Mode is off to a solid start, sending our heroes on a quest that will take them across their blocky world. If you're used to Telltale's current output, this isn't as serious, instead focusing on telling a family-friendly tale. With that understanding, Telltale kicks off a brisk adventure in this episode's two-hour running time.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is probably one of the best remastered collections I've ever played. If you own the Uncharted games, they look much better in 1080p at a smooth 60 fps. If you've never played them, now is the time to get in on the action. Great games, great collection.
Lovers in a Dangerous Spacetime isn't meant to be played alone. The game wants you to experience its trials and tribulations with a friend or loved one. The key is finding the right friend or loved one, because enjoying this game requires the right partner. Choose wisely and you'll have a great experience. Choose poorly and it's an exercise in frustration.
Disgaea 5 is a Disgaea game for better or for worse. This means solid tactical combat, over-the-top attacks, and more game systems than you can shake a stick at. The cast isn't as good as Disgaea 4, but the game itself is undeniably bigger and more robust. Veterans will be happy and new players have a lot to digest. Prepare yourself.
Party Hard is good clean fun, but that fun tends to devolve into waiting and tedium towards the end of any level. The core gameplay is an idea that can be expanded upon though, and the developer is already adding new content to the game to resolve the issue.
Until Dawn is a horror movie where you control the plot. Think of it like a Telltale adventure with a much better presentation. If you're looking for a deeper, more interactive title, this isn't it, but it does its best to make your choices feel meaningful. And once you've played Until Dawn, comparing your story with your friends' is pretty satisfying.
Final Fantasy XIV evolves with Heavensward, an expansion that takes A Realm Reborn upwards on the wings of a Chocobo. In addition to flying, players get an all-new storyline, new Primals, a brand-new raid dungeon, and three new jobs to level up. FFXIV still retains a few annoying issues here and there, but Heavensward is one of the best MMO expansions I've played.
OlliOlli 2 will test you. The controls are simple and straightforward, but success requires precision. Across 50 levels and five worlds, you will trick, you will combo, you will fail, and finally... you will succeed. OlliOlli 2 is a wonderfully tight zen experience from beginning to end. It's worth the price of admission.