Shadow of Mordor is an excellent game that is elevated by the Nemesis System and its many other features working together. It's a great tale in Middle Earth that is faithful to the concepts of Tolkien's world and echoes the tragedy of the likes of Hamlet and Macbeth. I highly recommend this game on new-gen platforms and PC where you can truly appreciate the Nemesis System and open world in all its hi-def epic nature.
Gears of War 4 is an excellent game. Not only is it a fine looking title, but it plays smoothly and has a rock-solid frame-rate. The suite of multiplayer modes and the new Horde Mode are the icing on the Chainsaw Cake.
A worthy addition to the Left 4 Dead first person action adventure horde genre. Vermintide manages to keep close to what made L4D great, but strikes out on its own and delivers a solid game which has a lot of replay value.
Titfanfall 2 is a great package, solid shooting and an engaging singleplayer campaign combine with a solid multiplayer suite to deliver a great shooter.
A solid entry into the CoD franchise, a bit different (in a good way) than the previous CoD games like AW and Black Ops 3. Worth getting for the spectacle, pretty epic campaign and has a new take on zombies.
Dishonored 2 is great, it manages to keep to the style of the first game, improve on it no end and provides a superb playground for stealth or out and out bloodletting.
Watch_Dogs 2 improves on the first game in almost all areas, adds a ton of new content and delivers a satisfying open-world action adventure.
I haven't had this much fun in a Final Fantasy game for a long time. XV is the perfect blend of action and exploration that keeps you coming back in for more.
Stardew Valley is a brilliant game, fun, engaging and packed with things to see and do. The gameplay loop is satisfying and one hour and easily turn into six when you play it.
The atmosphere in this game is dialled up from the previous, the graphics and design are better and the music has a neat way of tracking the peril you're in. It changes based on the on screen action and provides subtle (or not so subtle) clues to the situation. The same can be said of the sound effects, though they sound mostly recycled from the first game.
This game has a ton of potential, perhaps not quite there yet, but there's always room for changes in a future patch. It feels like a remix of several Ubisoft games in one, not a bad thing per-se. A great game though, I've loved my time in the Wildlands.
Lego Worlds is super silly fun for anyone who picks it up. It's especially fun for fans of Lego and the TT approach to the Lego games. It's also fun for anyone who happens to like Minecraft-style games.
I'd have loved to say Must Buy on this, but the raft of bugs early on and the fact that it just doesn't quite hit the spot as one of those must-have games even for a fan like me meant that it missed out on our top result. Still, it is a fun game and you may want to grab it down the line.
The Surge is a refreshing take on the *Souls formula, it joins Nioh in that regard and forges its own path towards something quite unique and extremely interesting -- it's a definite must-own game for *Souls fans and could entice new players with its gritty sci-fi setting.
I've not had this much fun with any Minecraft style game for a while now, and the clever design of Portal Knights in terms of how it offers the adventure keeps me jumping back in. I take a break now and then to add a bit more to my home area, craft a few more bits of equipment when I have my resources and look to improving my storage at my home workshop. When a game can draw you in like this and the minutes turn into hours, you know you've got a good game with a solid foundation that the developers keep on building atop of. I've seen Portal Knights transform from the PC original build to where it is today, and honestly, I can't wait to see what they do next!
Whilst it doesn't have the same breadth and scope as Diablo 3, Victor Vran has some great gameplay, solid combat action and delivers a decent experience that's miles better than some Diablo clones out there. Worth checking out if you're looking for more action adventure monster slaying!
Prey is a great game, one of the classic science fiction games that combines thoughtful design with kick-ass exploration and player choice -- you don't want to miss this one, just watch out for the photocopier -- I thought I saw it move!
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a great game, one that has a ton of replay value and allows you to experiment with various ways to achieve your mission objectives. If you're a fan of Commandos from the old days, then this game will bring that back with a modern gameplay twist.
Rime is beautiful, it's simple in a lot of ways and has some nice ideas. It's worth grabbing and especially if you enjoyed games like Ico, Journey and so on.
Agents of Mayhem is a fun game, it might get a little repetitive now and then, but with solid controls and a great combat system it's a delight to play. If you're missing Saint's Row and Crackdown, this could be the game for you.