This year's WWE game has a lot to love, from the huge roster to the revamped MyCareer mode. But it also suffers from the same old issues, such as the lack of a proper comprehensive tutorial, stiff and unintuitive controls, rough character models, and a general lack of polish.
Jackbox Party Pack 4 is a very solid collection of party games. In fact, it's probably the best entry in the series. Only one game is a real dud, with the other four games offering plenty of chances for hilarity. And Fibbage About You is a clever spin on the already great game of Fibbage.
Raid is terrific fun in co-op, with interesting objectives and fine leveling and upgrade systems. If you're looking for a cooperative multiplayer-focused alternative to this fall's other big World War II game, you can't go wrong with RAID.
The Evil Within 2 is a frightening game, though perhaps not as pants-wettingly scary as the early portions of Resident Evil 7.
Deadbeat Heroes is a good first effort from the small team at Deadbeat Productions. The combat is fast, fluid, and easy to learn – even if it lacks the depth of a good combo system. Enemies are well-varied, as are the environments.
Dragon's Dogma is a role-playing game that deserves to be appreciated. With so much content and depth, Dark Arisen is just as impressive as ever in the gameplay department. Few would've expected a Japanese developer like Capcom to release a "Western-style" action-RPG that could hold its own against the Elder Scrolls and Witcher series, but that's exactly what happened.
Fans of the genre (and Sega platformers of old) will find Belle and her world bewitching.
Surprisingly, The Coma still manages a strong sense of dread thanks to its dark atmosphere and unstoppable killers.
With so many twin-stick shooters on the market, they often tend to blend together. Ruiner stands at the top of the field, thanks in large part to its ultra-cool presentation.
Total War: Warhammer II is a great game for both novices and experts alike. The fantasy races provide a great diversity of units and exciting animations to keep battles lively, and the extensive tutorials and streamlined UI of this installment make it less confusing and faster to play. Multiple ways to win campaigns, cooperative and competitive multiplayer, and a big arsenal of separate quest battles all add tons of replay value as well.
If you really dig level-based twin-stick shooters like this, Time Recoil is a solid purchase – after you've finished Neon Chrome, that is.
Good online options and genuinely fun gameplay mean that series fans will have plenty of incentive to keep fighting each other in the months to come.
Although the first Project Cars didn't quite capture the hearts of mainstream gamers, the sequel has a much better shot thanks to its polished career mode, wealth of motorsport types, and unparalleled track selection. The difficulty is still on the unapproachable side, but racing sim fans will likely stick it out anyway.
With a good variety of races, great track design, and both local and online multiplayer, this is the start of a series that deserves to continue long into the future.
With tons of classes to level and weapons to wield, Killing Floor 2 has some serious staying power. Tripwire has announced Xbox One X enhancements, too, which will keep the game going even longer.
All told, this is the best that Revelations has ever looked, and series fans won't be disappointed.
Metronomicon stands tall as one of the best and most creative rhythm games of this generation. If you like a musical focus in your games, put on your clubbing clothes and head out to the Metronomicon.
The marriage of historical context, politics, intrigue, and tight adventure mechanics make The Pillars of the Earth an easy recommendation for fans of narrative-based games. It might even make you want to read the book!
Considering this is essentially a different brand and hopefully the first game of many, it certainly stands on its own as a quality open-world game. Just don't be surprised if it gets a stronger sequel down the line.
Sonic Mania is still a long, wonderful return to form for the series that fans and newcomers alike should enjoy. Hopefully the upcoming Sonic Forces can maintain this level of quality, like Sonic deserves.