Northgard is a surprising, elegant RTS that's laden with a very dull story.
A fitting end to a hilarious trilogy. Frog Detective, you will be missed.
Company of Heroes 3 is a spectacular RTS that manages to shine even when the main campaign doesn't.
A brilliant stealth sandbox and unconventional RPG in one very ambitious but buggy package.
Gathering Storm is an ambitious expansion full of welcome additions, even if it does falter at the end.
Tooth and Tail is an elegantly simple RTS that's perfect for newcomers or anyone wanting to play on the couch.
Rise and Fall is a great addition to Civilization 6 that doesn't quite go far enough to be essential.
Surviving Mars is a lot of hard work, but managing a burgeoning colony never stops being compelling.
A smart, hypnotic city builder that won't leave you tearing out your hair.
Great monsters, stunning locations and a quality mystery makes this one of Supermassive's best.
An island full of riveting mysteries, stuck with some truly awful and jarring combat.
Two Point Campus is a school I'd be proud to call my alma mater.
Despite some shallow ancillary systems, Bannerlord is the master of medieval warfare
Wasteland 2 is huge. It's not just the massive map, but the number of stories and the myriad ways they can play out. Though some moments left me disappointed, I always left the game eager to return. Inventive solutions to tricky standoffs, my failure to save a life, a silly line of text spotted in the corner of my eye - those are the things that stuck with me every time I pressed "quit".
I never expected Smite to worm its way into my roster of games I keep playing after review. It's a small number because there isn't enough time in the day for more, but Smite's going in there. It will likely be my go-to MOBA, at least until Heroes of the Storm. There are still almost 40 characters I've barely played, many not at all, and I confess that I might even chuck in a bit of money so I can grab some of the ridiculous god skins. Catwoman Bastet, Sith Lord Sun Wukong: they are absurd and I must own them.
The renown mechanic was a huge misstep and the Dredge become a bit dull after 15 hours of slaughtering them, but Stoic has still managed to weave a compelling tapestry of epic conflicts with emotionally engaging characters. When I found myself with a dagger in my back courtesy of characters I trusted, I was enraged. When I saw my warriors survive against the impossible odds, I was elated. It's a rollercoaster of agonising decisions and hard-won battles, and as filled with sadness as it is, I was just as sad to step off the ride.
It's hard to recommend a game that makes you feel disgusted or upset, but I'm doing it anyway. This War of Mine is great, it just asks a lot from its players.
As Clem, we survived from one day to the next, fighting against the futility of it all, trying to find our own way absent a clear objective. Where Season One was the story of a man becoming an adoptive father, learning that he would do anything to keep his ward safe, Season Two is more personal. It's about growing up, deciding who Clem is. But no matter who that turns out to be, one thing is consistent: she's still a survivor.
It is, across the board, an improvement on Rome II, despite some issues that have been carried over. And not just Rome II at launch, but even when comparing Attila with the Emperor Edition, the new kid puts on the best show. It's a confident marriage of setting and mechanics, with a historical and environmental narrative influencing each faction, pushing them into engaging situations. And you can burn the world, which is fun.
New or returning player - it doesn't really matter. This is Company of Heroes 2 at its best, a standalone that focuses on the series' core: man and machine duking it out across Europe. Those seeking a narrative will find plenty of stories in the tense battles amid crumbling towns and dark forests, so the campaign isn't missed at all. There's no fluff, and while there are lots of maps and loadouts to consider, one can still jump into an entertaining, dramatic battle right off the bat.