Darksiders Genesis is an incredibly solid adaptation of the IP that brings both War and Strife into a new genre without losing the heart of the franchise.
While Event{0} ends far too soon, the clever and emotive A.I. is a real treat to interact with. It’s far from a perfect implementation, but the unique and engaging story is one worth experiencing for fans of sci-fi exploration adventures that don’t mind a bit of reading.
If you grew up playing 3D platformer collect-a-thon games like Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, Donkey Kong 64, Jak & Daxter, Spyro, and others, then there is a good chance that you'll find a lot to love in Yooka-Laylee. It's a faithful recreation of the formula that made games of the late 90s and early 2000s both so special and so frustrating.
Rise & Shine feels like a game that tries too hard to be too much, ultimately coming together in a fun package that could have been great. The action is tight and rewarding, the gameplay is varied, and the difficulty is satisfying, if a bit frustrating in some parts. Fans of old-school arcade shooters will find plenty to love here, even if the jokes don’t always hit home.
Super Mario Party elevates the franchise to a new platform and gives you plenty of things to do with friends. The randomness is still a bit more frustrating than it should be, but the high points make up for the occasional frustrations.
Ultimately the toys-to-life aspect feels like it gets in the way a bit of an otherwise competent and fun space shooter that's packed to the brim with things to do. Flying ships feels great and the occasional difficulty spikes rarely take away from the excitement of tearing through the atmosphere onto a new planet's surface. But not all platforms are created equally, with the Switch's Star Fox content shining as a bright point.
Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts starts slow and tedious but picks up the pace as you unlock more gadgets and learn how to become a pro marksman with its intricate bullet physics system.
The Surge is a satisfying sci-fi RPG that pleasantly surprises in more ways than it disappoints. Fans of Dark Souls-style titles will find a lot to like here and the unique combat system keeps it from feeling like a rip-off. It's just a shame that the narrative and world building isn't stronger.
Okhlos is based on a simple concept with an even simpler gameplay mechanic that may very well be better suited for mobile devices, but that doesn’t stop it from being hilarious, dumb fun when it’s clicking.
There’s a decent amount of content in Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue, but it doesn’t explain much for newcomers playing their first Kingdom Hearts game on the PS4. In addition, Back Cover will feel like a waste of time to some, and Birth by Sleep will feel too short. Dream Drop Distance translates fairly well, but alone it’s not worth the price of admission. As a bundle, the entire package offers a decent value and a great lead-in to Kingdom Hearts III.
Rime is definitely not a game for everyone, but it does teach a lesson that everyone should be able to appreciate if given the chance. The literal act of playing the game is rife with minor frustrations and short bouts of boredom, but as a sum of its parts it's a memorable journey I won't soon forget.
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.
Close to the Sun is a harrowing and thoughtfully designed first-person exploration adventure that shows a twisted world in which Nikola Tesla's ideas came to life.
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.
Phantasy Star Online 2 is a great combat system wrapped up in a bloated and sometimes confusing MMO-lite package that uses its charming anime flair to stand out from the competition.
Taking clear inspiration from its contemporaries, Rogue Company is a solid team-based shooter with a great foundation and fair free-to-play model.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War's Zombies mode has some of the best moment-to-moment gameplay in the series but its single map and lack of split-screen multiplayer sap its endurance.
It may have an Early Access label on it, but Second Extinction's 3vDinos co-op action is already plenty of fun and full of intense moments.
Evil West is far from the most complex or innovative action game around, but it nails the most important parts of its old-school, monster-killing campaign.
Far Cry 6: Lost Between Worlds’ interdimensional structure is an inventive way to cap off Dani’s story despite playing it safe in most other ways.