Resident Evil 7 biohazard grabs the crown of best survival horror back for the series that started the genre. It hearkens back well to the old games in great ways. At times it feels too streamlined for more casual players, but hopefully, this installment will serve as proof that there’s an audience for more games like it. By moving away from the action-oriented gameplay of the last few games, Capcom has brought us one of the best Resident Evil games ever made.
Dungeon Souls provides ample fun for those who enjoy roguelikes. It borrows a lot from other games (Rogue Legacy, Spelunky, Nuclear Throne, to name a few), and while it doesn’t do much to differentiate itself, it’s still a fun dungeon-crawling hack ‘n slash adventure for quite a few hours.
While a good number of the missions are fine when they work, the linearity and widespread bugs prevalent throughout the game ruins Ships 2017. Bad controls, underwhelming visuals, and plenty of other issues make this a generally unenjoyable game.
Both a spectacular jump-on point for newcomers and a strong entry for series veterans, Pokémon Sun and Moon is everything you’d expect, and maybe even a little more. I’m happy to say that, even 20 years after it’s inception, Pokémon remains one of the best RPG series’ out there.
Planet Coaster isn't innovative. It doesn't change up the gameplay from Roller Coaster Tycoon, and it definitely doesn't shy away from sticking close to its roots. What it is, is a modern take on the theme park management genre, and a spectacular one at that. Planet Coaster feels like RCT, even if it isn't. Frontier has delivered an incredible followup to their past games. Unfortunately, it's a little light on content at the moment. Despite this, I'm confident in saying that Planet Coaster has a great core game, and even though it doesn't have as much in it as it should, it's the best theme park game out there.
Civilization VI is most definitely the best base-game installment of the franchise yet. There are so many gameplay mechanics included here that it feels like it’s already had a large expansion. I can’t wait to see what Firaxis could possibly add to improve on an already spectacular and complete game. But as much as I hate to say it, with so much to learn this is one of the least accessible games in the series for newcomers. Still, with beautiful visuals,step-up in AI competence, and so much to do, for returning players this is the best Civilization game in history.
Inklings really is a great modern puzzle game. Whether you’ve been itching for more Lemmings, or just a new puzzle game that’ll make you think, this is definitely something you should check out. While it may look like a rip-off of a classic series, it adds its own flair to both the gameplay and look, and deserves a spot in any puzzle-aficionado's library.
Earthlock: Festival of Magic shows that the JRPGs aren’t games of a bygone era. It’s got it’s issues, but it’s still a fun game if you’re a fan of the genre. Hopefully, the developers will have the funds and resources in the future to deliver a more fleshed out experience, but for now, this game is just fine.
Clustertruck is exactly what it’s aiming to be. It’s fun, fast, and fluid, letting you lose hours trying and trying to jump just right, to move just fast enough. The custom maps that the community has already made and sent out into the world are sure to provide plenty of replayability, complementing the great levels that come with the game.
The Final Station is a compelling game, being just short enough to not overstay it’s welcome. It feels a lot like Cloverfield, never truly showing you what exactly has happened to make the world like it is, but hinting at plenty of possible explanations. Bits of story gleaned from conversations and notes kept me intrigued, and the simple combat was enough to lend some excitement and action to the experience. I was able to finish the game in a single sitting without ever feeling particularly bored. The biggest negative aspect of the game is that it doesn't bring anything new to the table gameplay-wise.