Jon Hueber
Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star manages to bring a fully-featured Musou game to the Nintendo Switch, and the intense combat and eye-popping visuals make it one of the better games in the growing Switch library.
Despite the rough visuals and occasional storytelling misstep, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana delivers some of the best music and combat of any RPG out there.
Destiny 2 rights most of the wrongs of the first release, solidifying itself as the must-play shooter of the year, one which will be enjoyed by fans for years to come
Monster Hunter Stories may look and sound like a traditional Monster Hunter title, but underneath that veneer is a deep monster collecting game that surprises in its breadth, with cartoonish graphics and a kid-friendly story to boot.
Pokken Tournament DX brings the popular Pokemon/Tekken mashup to the Switch with new fighters and support characters, making this a true deluxe version of the hit fighting game.
With some new features and advancements, WWE 2K18 shoots for the title of best wrestling game ever - it just falls a little short where it counts.
Fire Emblem Warriors is the near-perfect mix of two beloved franchises, taking the best of each to create one solid gaming experience on Nintendo's newest hardware.
Assassin's Creed Origins is a triumph, taking the series back to the beginning and allowing players to partake in the genesis of the war between the Templars and the Brotherhood of Assassins.
With Star Wars Battlefront II, DICE and EA have righted most of the wrongs from the first game, and have created one of the best Star Wars games ever.
With Xenoblade Chronicles 2, the Nintendo Switch wraps up its first year with one of the biggest games in recent memory; JRPG fans have yet another epic game to enjoy before we head into 2018.
In Dissidia Final Fantasy NT, the characters of Final Fantasy are once again brought together in the ultimate fight between good and evil, but an overly complicated play scheme and other decisions make for a game that you fight against, not a fighting game.
Unfortunately, everything is wrong with this remake of the classic SNES game. From shoddy voice work and pedestrian graphics to janky combat, the experience is nearly ruined, and a classic game's reputation is forever soiled.
It's great that the first three entries of the series are now available on current gen systems, but it's hard to ignore that the Devil May Cry HD Collection is essentially a re-release of a port of decade old games.
Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered gives players a chance to play an important game in the series' ongoing narrative, and this re-release looks (and plays) better than ever.
MLB: The Show 18 delivers the best video game baseball experience ever, and new additions and tweaks to old game modes make this a baseball lovers dream, from first pitch to last out.
Gal*Gun 2 is a subversive on-rails shooter that toes the line of decency with every step. Even if you can look past its questionable content, you're still left with a rather boring game.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux gives players another chance to play a wonderfully-crafted RPG. Even if you took the plunge nearly a decade ago, there's still reason to jump back in.
Jurassic World Evolution takes the true theme of the film franchise and recreates it in a splendid park sim that gives players the power to create their own theme parks full of dangerous dinosaurs. What could go wrong?
The classic Lumines Remastered is now on current gen systems, but excels wonderfully as a handheld game on the Nintendo Switch.
Octopath Traveler is a throwback to a simpler time, one that reintroduces a new generation to a beloved genre that is all but forgotten.