Housemarque and Eugene Jarvis have created something very special, and I suspect, enduring.
I'm conflicted. Conceptually, The Crimson Court is very much my cup of blood, but the execution, particularly when it comes to the first mission and the curse, sometimes feels off. That said, Red Hook has clearly been taking feedback seriously, and changes have already been made to make things a little less punishing.
Despite the concessions made in the name of ambition, it's an impressive dungeon romp.
Disappointing campaign aside, Steel Division: Normandy 44 is a compelling and challenging real-time wargame.
From the interface to economics, it sports some of the best systems I've seen in a 4X game, and like Endless Legend, it's simultaneously confident and experimental, finding new ways to spice up a genre that can too often be bland.
An expansion that makes arguably the best game in the series, even if it was a tad conservative, better and more exciting. But the real coup is how it makes every turn feel important.
Some solid puzzles can't rescue what is an otherwise terrible adventure game.
While decent RTS campaigns increasingly feel like my white whale, I can usually depend on Relic for something better.
These enhancements are great, sometimes even game-changing, but Paradox are offering so much for free that it makes the actual premium DLC less vital.
Halo Wars 2 is simultaneously conservative and inventive. It's definitely trying to evoke traditional RTS games – which is not entirely a bad thing given the recent dearth of them – especially when it comes to the campaign, but elements like base construction and Blitz mode make it stand out enough that it doesn't feel like you're just going through the motions for the hundredth time.
Sanctus Reach’s unit and faction design and flexible mechanics deserve a much better campaign and fewer constantly recycled objectives.
Shadow Tactics’ impressive missions, laden toy box and likeable cast make it one of the greatest stealth games of the last decade.
Together for Victory doesn’t simply buff the Commonwealth nations to make them more viable however – it gives them more options and more nation-defining decisions, especially in regards to creating an alternate history. It’s an entirely different focus, and a welcome one. There’s more room now to carve your own path, as Hearts of Iron IV takes another step toward being more than just a World War 2 game, instead becoming a 20th Century sandbox.
The Wood Elves are a worthy addition to Total War: Warhammer’s burgeoning list of fantastical armies. Distinct and terribly tricky, they make the game feel new again, while forcing half-arsed commanders like myself to up our game.
Is it currently fun? Undeniably. It’s gross, silly, and more than a little thrilling, and while the matchmaking system is a bit rubbish, there are always plenty of active servers to choose from manually, ensuring that you won’t have to spend much time looking for a game. But for that single mode to remain fresh, a frequent injection of new stuff is going to be necessary. Thankfully, Tripwire have already confirmed a mace and shield weapon combo that’s on its way, which should be great for tanks, and some new monsters are in the works too.
Like Cities: Skylines, Planet Coaster gives new life to the management genre, and even if the launch version does little to improve what I've played during the beta, this would still be essential for anyone who dreams of packing in their old job and running a theme park.
Inconsistent performance aside, Dishonored 2 is a marvel. It’s a magnet for positive adjectives, setting a new and extremely lofty bar for future stealth games.
Verdict: The dangers of the abyss are well worth facing for Zubmariner’s bounty of fantastic stories and strange adventures.
It’s strange to be slightly disappointed with Leviathans despite spending entire days completely immersed in Stellaris, yet again. It’s not bad DLC, it’s just mostly invisible for large portions of the game.
An intriguing but often incoherent mystery that’s bogged down by long-winded dialogue and terrible puzzles.