Lewis White
Above everything else, Sunless Skies is a unique experience. It may be similar to its predecessor, Sunless Seas, but it is wholly a game of its own. It feels remarkably smooth to control and it reads like a more adult Pratchett novel albeit roided up to beefcake levels of literary strength.
There are glimmers of hope that make Genesis Alpha One feel like something that has the potential to be great. With better AI, more variation in its roguelike elements and less of a reliance on the player doing every single thing, I can see a spark hidden deep inside this game.
Kingdom Hearts 3 is finally here, but it ever-so-slightly misses the mark. However, after all's said and done, after worlds have been explored, friends have been made, and keyblades have been wielded – I'm so, so glad it's here.
Metro Exodus may be bigger than previous Metro games, but it’s a larger shell that begs to be filled with something polished, interesting and unique.
Jump Force isn’t a game worth playing unless it meets two criteria: you’re really into all of its anime representations and you can find it quite cheap. At $60, Jump Force is a horrid interpretation of the anime industry’s signature publisher.
Trials Rising still feels like an extension of Trials Evolution. It may not feel like the true big-budget sequel that many still crave for, but then Trials is an iterative series. Instead, Rising is more of the same just slightly more polished than what we’ve experienced before. It’s not going to break minds, it’s just a great motorsport puzzler.
For those looking for a hardcore hack-and-slash with inventive new weapons, amazing bosses, and fantastic characters this is the game you need. While it’s disappointing it took so long to get back here, DMC V is more than worth the wait.
The Division 2 feels like a full package. It isn't always as polished as we've come to expect from a AAA experience, but then it does have the expected Ubisoftisms about it. It's buggy, but never intrusive. It has some questionable microtransactions, but they don't ever really affect you. It's repetitive and utterly meaningless, but it can be an incredibly satisfying experience.
That’s pretty much the entire problem with Treasure Stack—it’s anemic. There’s certainly effort put into the game and it can be a little bit of fun from time to time. It’s definitely not a great game, though. And with so many different puzzle games available, including the almighty Tetris, there’s just not enough to make Treasure Stack worth a recommendation.
Sekiro is a game that somehow exceeds the already lofty expectations set by Dark Souls and Bloodborne before it.
This is the zombie co-op shooter of the generation.
If it wasn’t for Towers of Time’s reliance on grinding, Mortal Kombat 11 probably would have been my favourite fighter of the generation
Duck Game is a standout multiplayer title on Switch. While it isn't going to be as extensive as its modifiable PC counterpart, it's a solid port to a fantastic portable. With split Joy-Con support, Duck Game is a perfect game to chuck on with a friend for a short game of animal cruelty. So put on a silly hat, pick up a chainsaw and slide at Mach speed towards your opponent.
VBlank Entertainment's second GTA parody isn't the close-to-perfect sequel we expected, but it's still a decent game. Despite all of its numerous shortcomings, there's still some fun to be had when you're not toiling through menus, but it's hard not be disappointed when you consider VBlank's previous work; hopefully, like Retro City Rampage, we'll see a better DX version in the future. As it stands, Shakedown: Hawaii is full of potential, but it's overshadowed by monotony.
A gorgeous and macabre tale that doesn’t shy away from its more fantastical underlying narrative. It’s not a perfect game, it definitely feels rather last-gen in some of its moment-to-moment gameplay, but an unforgettable story and unique mechanics hold it up high.
Sniper Elite has only evolved since this game’s original version, but the foundations here are still strong.
Straight out of a time portal, Super Magic Cane Zero feels like an XBLA game that never was.
Crystal Crisis isn't going to dethrone the kings of the falling block genre anytime soon. It's a solid puzzler with a heart of gold, but it doesn't have the decades of improvements that its peers have. With a solid amount of content, an amazing cast of characters and fantastic presentation, though, we recommend this as a fun alternative if you tire of Tetris 99.
Void Bastards is full of personality—it’s also exploding with uniqueness. If you’re looking for a gorgeous survival title with unique gameplay, stellar visuals, a grand sense of humour and actually wants you to beat it; there isn’t much better than Void Bastards.
Hue is an interesting title. It's unique and striking, but it always feels just a hair's breadth away from true brilliance. The few moments of exasperation after finding your way out of a confusing situation are some of the best a game of this type could possibly have, but they happen so rarely throughout the four-or-so hour running time that their impact is dulled. Hue could have been something more, but what's here is engaging enough if you're gasping for an inventive indie puzzler.