David Jagneaux
Antigraviator has a strong foundation for an fast-paced sci-fi racer, but lacks the content and unique footprint to really stand out. It's hard to recommend it over the likes of RedOut and WipEout, which offer highly similar experiences in much stronger overall packages.
Dream Alone tries so hard to capitalise on the inspiration from its formative peers that it forgets to carve out an identity of its own. The poor platforming engine, floaty controls, and frustrating level design leave far too much to be desired for this to be the game of anyone's dreams.
Call of Duty: WW2 - United Front is a bit all over the place. The three new multiplayer maps do very little to deliver anything fresh or new, and the new War mission is also mostly more of the same. But the changes to the Zombies formula in The Tortured Path really shake up the experience and deliver something that feels more nuanced and original from what we've seen out of that mode in years. As a package, it's mostly just okay, with only a couple of true high points.
Mario Tennis Aces doesn't quite excel in all of the ways that it could have, but the core mechanics and multiplayer action are so good, it's still worth diving in for some quality Mario Tennis action.
Pokémon Quest is, from top to bottom, a mobile game. I'm not sure why it released on Switch first, but it doesn't feel at home on the platform at all. With an odd art style, intrusive mobile game trappings, and boring gameplay, it's hard to recommend this watered down spin-off even to the most dedicated Pokémon fans.
Onrush is one of the most original driving games I've played in years, giving it a unique flavor. By forgetting about simply going faster than everyone else and mixing traditional racing mechanics with modes and subtle nuances typically found in other genres, Onrush managed to change the way I think about racing games. Its unorthodox online car-brawls and varied objectives go out of their way to feel different, and even when the maps become repetitive after a short while, its appeal remains for the simple fact that there's no other arcade driving game quite like this.
Agony proves that, like beauty, horror can be only skin deep. With gratuitous amounts of violence and masochistic overtones, this blood-soaked adventure is not for the faint of heart. But while its bold and detailed environments depict Hell in the most nightmarish ways possible, even the fantastically obscene sights and creepy sounds become mundane and dull by the end of its series of repetitious mazes, unimaginative item hunts, and weak stealth gameplay.
Extinction is a derivative and uninspired game not worth the $60 price tag.
Ni No Kuni II could have been genre-defining, but really, really good is just going to have to do instead. The way that the beautiful visuals meld together with Joe Hisaishi's breathtaking score is nothing short of remarkable and it all combines together for something that feels genuinely earnest and charming. While far from perfect, Ni No Kuni II is an easy recommendation for fans of JRPGs both old and new.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is an excellent evolution of the formula set out by its predecessor and offers up some of the most intense, gory, and fast-paced co-op action you can find in any genre.
H1Z1 checks all of the boxes needed to be a competent battle royale game, but in its main mode it lacks a distinctive sense of character. Without the realistic depth and modular weaponry of PUBG or the wacky base-building antics of Fortnite, its streamlined design rushes toward straightforward, fast-paced action instead and ends up being dull as often as it is exciting. The more interesting thing about H1Z1 is its innovative Auto Royale mode, which translates battle royale mechanics to vehicular combat in a way we haven't seen done better elsewhere.
Where the Water Tastes Like Wine is a narratively-driven adventure game in which you travel across Depression era USA collecting stories amid a beautiful backdrop of hand-drawn story vignettes. However, the experience is heavily bogged down by a clunky overworld and purely disruptive gamification of an otherwise pleasant collection of stories.
Unfortunately lacks the originality it so desperately needs to really stand out from the pack. Even though the art style is striking and bold, combined with an inventive cultural focus, the gameplay and overall design weigh it down to be little more than a passable action adventure title.
Owlboy tells a story of failure, redemption, and heroism with an excellent art style to prop up an addictive and creative platformer that continually throws new game mechanics at you to keep things fresh. It's hard to put down once you get started.
Whether you really wanted it this way or not, Age of Empires: Definitive Edition is about as pure of a remaster as you're ever going to find. The visuals and sound are all upgraded for a modern era without changing the heart of the game. However, with the vastly superior Age of Empires II HD already in existence with five years of community built up around it, there is little reason to recommend this game unless you're just dying to play extremely early era civilizations.
If you can look past the annoying bugs and obtuse mechanics, Kingdom Come: Deliverance's strong sense of believable, historical realism will undoubtedly cast a spell on anyone that gives the game a chance. This is a must-play for fans of lifestyle simulators and medieval RPGs.
After the resounding success of Dynasty Warriors 8, Dynasty Warriors 9 feels like a major step back. What's lost in the move towards an individually-centered story spread across a massive open world far outweighs the minor benefits that are gained. While the excellent button-mashing gameplay stays intact with great tweaks and additions, it wasn't enough. The lack of multiplayer, missing alternate game modes, and emptiness of ancient China left me far from satisfied.
Shadow of the Colossus is a veritable masterpiece from top to bottom and will surely be remembered as one of the greatest games ever made. The PS4 version is that, but with 4K HDR and a glorious photo mode. What else is there to say?
Monster Hunter: World is the type of game that will take over your life. The world is massively detailed with tons of things to do and it will undoubtedly end up yielding some of the very best gaming moments of the year -- guaranteed.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a fine example of how to iterate and improve upon a tried-and-true game genre wth its take on a modernized turn-based RPG. It's far from perfect, but the combat system alone is engaging enough to warrant a recommendation for any fan of old-school JRPG-style adventures.