Uncharted: The Lost Legacy proves that Naughty Dog doesn't need Drake to keep this series going. It's familiar in just about every respect, but given how much refinement has slowly crept up since 2007, it's cemented itself as one of the most reliable action-adventure franchises in recent years.
Sonic Mania is short but sweet. It even functions as a proper Sonic 4 if you don't count the episodic Sonic 4 (remember that one?). As long as the same team is in charge I can easily deal with one of these every few years or so while Sega tries to strike Sonic Adventure gold again and again with their 3D iterations.
Housemarque could have gone a bit farther with Matterfall, because while the general theme is on point, several elements, the protagonist design included, failed to make their mark on me. While it remains stylish throughout there were a few sections where I felt like I was just going through the motions, doing things I had done many times before, just with a nice HDR sheen to it. It's not quite Outland (which Housemarque also created), but it'll do.
Boss Key's philosophy allows for a more old-school arena shooter approach where skill-based twitch reaction is more important than team composition. That's not a knock on any other game, it's just a different feel that Boss Key was going for with LawBreakers, and succeeded. It might not have the flair of a few other games on the market, but it has strong bones that can grow over time.
Mega Man Legacy Collection 2 is worth it for 9 alone, but you'll also get to experience several legacy games that were passed by. I'm still holding water for 8 all these years later, and due to some amazingly camp artwork and stellar animations, it's one of the most "showable" Mega Man games to date. I think a lot of people are going to be pleasantly surprised by it, as well as the near flawlessness of 9 -- even if 7 and 10 are just as wart-filled as they always were.
Slowly but surely Ninja Theory has moved into film territory, but they can't let go of their need to shove action mechanics into everything they do. With the increased focus and acceptance of so-called "walking simulators" there's a huge market they can tap into, and I hope they end up doing that in the future. I enjoyed pretty much every facet of Hellblade that didn't involve combat, which unfortunately pops up a little too often on top of the aforementioned technical problems -- just enough to grate.
Hey! Pikmin is a little too simplistic for its own good, especially early on, but Arzest does a fantastic job of distilling what makes this series so special into bite-sized chunks. The transition cutscenes that play out like physical comedy shorts and the adorable little noises really sell it.
It's fascinating how Team Ninja is mostly catering to the hardcore crowd with this string of add-ons up through Nioh: Defiant Honor. You can't really just jump into these levels without having mastered everything up through the campaign, and although that mentality might feel a little unwelcoming for some, I feel like Koei Tecmo gets it, and knows their audience.
If you're the type of person who tried Splatoon for a little while and gave up, Nintendo hasn't done a whole lot to change your mind outside of adding a horde mode. But with more concessions for higher-level play and a deeper meta, veterans will be jumping ship from Wii U to Switch in an instant. Here's hoping that Splatoon 2 gets even more long-term support and Salmon Run is free of the shackles of a "once in a while" event for those of you who don't have multiple Switches at your disposal.
A flawed far future racing game that can't keep up with recent entries.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age, despite my misgivings, is a triumph that still holds up all these years later. Modern conveniences like upping the tempo of combat are far more valuable than the new coat of paint, and despite a slow-going narrative it's a blast to just roam the open countryside, mess around with Gambits, and go on hunts. Slowly but surely XII has wormed its way into my heart -- it only took 11 years.
One of the oddest VR experiences on the market that blends platforming with bouncy castle aesthetics.
A re-inventive MOBA that isn't perfect, especially with its free-to-play scheme, but still rises above the pack.
A charming board game-esque strategy game that doesn't go quite as far as it should have.
An artistic platformer of sorts that's best played in a relaxed state.
Blowout Blast is another game I'll stuff in the "Kirby" folder on my 3DS, occasionally going back to it when I have a few moments to spare.
Infinite Warfare has had an uneven Season Pass but it's far from a disaster. While its first pack is easily the strongest, even the average maps in Continuum and Absolution are worth occasionally cycling through. Just err on the side of zombies and you won't regret picking it up -- otherwise, Game of the Year it is.
Trials is a hodgepodge of stuff that should have been patched in and stuff worthy of extra development time, but since there's still another chapter that promises a new narrative and a dungeon -- the Season Pass might be worth the full price yet. Until then just ask yourself how much you play Breath of the Wild, read some trusted opinions, and go from there.
It's a shame what happened to Crash Although Naughty Dog moved on to bigger things, I wouldn't necessarily call all of them better. The Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy serves as a time capsule of sorts before the series was ran into the ground, and my only major regret is that I wish it had CTR as the cherry on top.
But that level of sensibility doesn't come front and center enough. Valkyria Revolution is constantly at odds with itself. It tries to be an action game, but at the behest of fans, more strategic elements were shoved in. You'll go into an action-packed warzone full of enemies to slice up, then you'll be rewarded with a seemingly endless amount of cutscenes lacking sound and fury and signifying nothing. Sega shifted its direction many times during its development due to feedback, and I'm not convinced it was the right move. Maybe if they had just stuck to their guns and made it a full action romp it would have turned out better.