Travis Northup's Reviews
Cooking Mama: Cookstar is a stale, undercooked simulator that needed a lot more time in the oven.
Bleeding Edge is a solid hero brawler that currently lacks content badly. While the foundations of this hack-and-slash arena brawler are strong and the roster of misfit circus rejects is absolutely stellar, there aren't enough reasons to play beyond the first few hours. Still, every match of Bleeding Edge I've played has been enjoyable and fiercely competitive, and if they can retain their player base I'll happily return to Ninja Theory's latest chaotic playground.
Guns, Love, and Tentacles is a solid, but safe, Borderlands 3 expansion with an awesome Lovecraftian aesthetic.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps improves upon its predecessor in almost every way, from its drastically improved combat system to its use of NPCs and side quests. Like Ori and the Blind Forest before it, Will of the Wisps is held back by intermittent technical hitches that can result in some frustrating moments, but it hardly keeps this incredible sequel from shining through.
MediEvil successfully brings Daniel Fortesque's tale back from the dead yet again, but not nearly enough was done to modernize the mechanics of this remake.
Destiny 2: Shadowkeep is a big step in the right direction for Destiny, even when it feels like the first chapter in a larger story and subjects you to a brutal grind.
The Surge 2 is a must-play for fans of the soulslike genre. With incredibly well-designed areas, excellent combat featuring a wider variety of enemies, and a story that proves itself worth being invested in by the end, it improves upon its predecessor in almost every area and is absolutely worth your time.
Gears 5 is an impressive evolution in the Gears of War series with a campaign that feels like a huge leap forward and a dizzying amount of excellent multiplayer modes. The story isn't without its issues, especially the final act which I'm sure will draw controversy, but that does little to hold back this awesome next chapter in the Gears saga.
Wolfenstein: Youngblood falls dramatically short of its predecessor in most ways and feels like a missed opportunity for a great focused, story-driven co-op game. That said, killing all of Hitler's best friends with a co-op partner at your side isn't without its enjoyable moments.
The Sinking City is held back by extreme technical issues, weak presentation, and monotonous combat, but the high quality investigation mechanics and incredible worldbuilding make it a one-of-a-kind ride.
The transition from portable devices to consoles hasn't hurt the quality of the Ace Attorney Trilogy, which remain some of my favorite games of all time. Phoenix Wright and company are deserving of the big screen, and this game is well worth your time if you haven't gotten around to playing it elsewhere.
Operencia is a great dungeon crawling experience that you shouldn't sleep on, especially if you're a fan of the genre. While some of the mechanics and presentation are a little hit-or-miss, that shouldn't scare you away from the unique world, memorable characters, and excellent combat that Operencia has to offer.
DMC 5 is probably the best hack-and-slash game you'll play all year, and definitely the most stylish.
DiRT Rally 2.0 is a simulator designed for the most hardcore off-road racing fans, and offers one of the most challenging rallying experiences I've ever played. Casual racing fans may shy away at this title, but if you want pure, uncut racing simulation straight into your veins, this is the game for you.
Metro Exodus is a masterpiece in survival horror, and a game that evolves beyond its roots to transform into something truly special.
Crackdown 3 makes no sense on paper. Its story is nonsense, you spend way too much time searching for hidden orbs and leveling up, and the presentation isn't anything spectacular. And yet, the over-the-top madness and hilarious, memorable moments it brought me made it impossible to put down. While the PvP multiplayer mode falls short of what it's trying to achieve, there's a lot to love about Crackdown's long overdue return.
Salt and Sanctuary isn't the most original game in the world, but Ska Studio's take on a 2D Souls game has enough going for it to stand on its own two legs. It's held back somewhat by occasionally cheap difficulty spikes, but that shouldn't deter you from picking the game up if you're looking for a game that will kick your ass.
Just Cause 4 is another solid entry in a franchise that continues to bring me hours of over-the-top, hilarious action. It doesn't do enough to evolve the franchise, and doesn't make enough use of the new weather effects, but the new tools available to Rico and the improvements in customization options is well-worth the price of entry.
Thronebreaker is a masterful RPG with a version of Gwent that is well-suited for a single-player experience. Even if you aren't into card games, this one is worth a try for the story and RPG mechanics alone. [OpenCritic note: Travis Northup separately reviewed the PC (85) and Xbox One (80) versions. Their scores have been averaged.]
It's a strange thing to find yourself smiling so much while playing a game that has you carrying out a series of grisly murders, but that's exactly what Hitman 2 does. Whether you're disguising yourself as a cupcake salesman to get close to a target, or spending an hour to make someone's death look like an accident, Hitman 2 is the best stealth action game of the year.