Baz Macdonald's Reviews
The Bayonetta titles remain two of the most fun action games ever made, and so the chance to revisit them is a treat – especially as you can now play them anywhere and in their most technically reliable form.
The Station tackles with some of life's biggest questions with finesse, and will have you pondering it all long after the credits roll.
The Frozen Wilds introduces many poorly-designed elements which make it a lesser experience than its brilliant base-game.
Super Mario Odyssey is an innovative masterpiece that takes an already creative series to the next level, demonstrating that there is no limit to the adventures that can be had in games or the ways they can be played.
That a crossover as bonkers as "Mario plus Rabbids by way of XCOM" even exists is to be celebrated, and fortunately it's an absorbing title that's only slightly diminished by some simplistic cover mechanics.
Tacoma's augmented reality cast allow it to tell its engaging story in a unique way. It's a slow burn of a game that deftly interrogates interpersonal relationships in an engaging sci-fi setting.
Farpoint is a generic shooter with a cool aim-down-sights mechanic that's elevated by its great story and affecting cutscenes.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe takes the franchise to a new level, and makes further argument that the Switch is a fantastic portable console.
Halo Wars 2 both illustrates the problems traditional RTS titles have on console, and demonstrates how to overcome them with its excellent Blitz mode.
FFXV's ambition is laudable, but it's flaws are too big to fully cast aside. The result is an interesting and spectacular-looking title likely hampered by a protracted and unfocussed development.
World of Final Fantasy could be an ongoing offshoot of the FF franchise, and has all the baggage to prove it.
Mafia 3 is a great step forward for storytelling in games that is dragged down by its consistently unpolished and poorly executed mechanics.
If you aren't entranced by mechanically shallow games like Journey, don't bother. But if you find exploration titles even marginally interesting, Abzu is an absolute must-play – it's the most majestic one yet.
Old school JRPG throwback I Am Setsuna tells an interesting story with a fittingly sombre tone, but features none of the combat oomph of its predecessors.
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is a cult classic for good reason. It's a strange title, but an engrossing one that's only let down by some one-note characters.
We'll never know what Titan was like, but thanks to Overwatch we won't care. A first-rate team-based FPS, it has seen Blizzard rise to the top of yet another genre.
Battleborn has plenty of ambition, but it just isn't particularly satisfying to play. It isn't broken, it's just the whole experience feels lightweight and derivative.
Vita owners thirsty for new titles will rightly give an arm and a leg for this one, but they should know ahead of time that it can be hard on the ol' swipin' appendages.
The Banner Saga 2 isn't mechanically distinct from the first game and its story suffers second act syndrome, but it's nonetheless a cracking title that will both satisfy and leave players in desperate need of the trilogy's closing act.
Quantum Break is magnificent, pushing the boundaries of what's possible both technically and from a narrative perspective.