Need for Speed Heat's driving is a step in the right direction for a franchise that's stuck at the back of the pack. However, its poor story, severe balance problems, and complete lack of an online presence stop it from ever reaching top speed.
Death Stranding's core gameplay mechanics will not appeal to everyone. What I found to be dull and monotonous at times, others will find relaxing and rewarding. It's rare for a game with such a big push, such a huge marketing presence, to be so niche in its design. However, if you have the patience to trudge through this long journey, you won't be disappointed.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is another fantastic shooter from Infinity Ward, but it's still just a Call of Duty game. If you're a fan of the heights of the franchise, you're sure to have a great time. However, for those hoping for a more daring and innovative leap, there's not much new to see here.
The Outer Worlds has quickly cemented it's place as one of the best RPGs of the current generation. Excellent combat, exploration that never gets stale, characters that never grow old, stories and events that hide endless secrets…The Outer Worlds is simply fantastic.
Stranded Sails: Explorers of the Cursed Islands is a solid entry into the farming and exploration space, and a perfect entry level title for younger gamers or those new to the genre. Its simplicity helps it stand out in the crowd, but not always for the best reasons.
Indivisible is a great game, but it could have been amazing. The lack of weapons, armor, or other collectible items to make exploration worthwhile really makes a lot of the adventure a bit dull, and the repetitive nature of its level design definitely leaves a sour taste. Many of these issues will be off-putting enough for potential players, but if you can look past its seemingly basic design mistakes, Indivisible's level of charm, passion, and character are rarely seen in the genre.
Code Vein is an exciting, rewarding, and tenebrous venture into the Souls-like space with a fantastic class system, explosive combat, and dark narrative – hindered only by its lack of visual prowess and odd UI design.
Borderlands 3 does very little to reinvent itself. It plays it safe, sticking to the tried and tested formula that made the original games such a success. A must-play for fans of the genre and past Borderlands games, but much of the same for anyone else.
Much like its iconic Lancer Assault Rifle, Gears 5 functions as perfectly as it was designed. The developers threw on a chainsaw of character, narrative, and content to make an over-the-top, thrilling experience from start to finish. Gears 5 is a badass game, and you'll come away feeling more badass than the legendary Marcus himself.
Blair Witch is a great entry into the genre. Fans of horror games, with a heavy focus on narrative and walking, will find plenty of scares and edge-of-your-seat moments. However, those looking to dive deeper into the narrative of Blair Witch may come away a little disappointed.
Control is a treasure trove of storytelling that is supported by great dialogue, intriguing characters, and stellar voice acting. When paired with its badass combat, it proves to be the complete package.
Brilliantly crafted boss encounters, challenging enemies, immersive environments – Remnant: From the Ashes has everything you could want from a Souls-inspired game and more.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a fantastic entry in the series, and has quickly become one of my favorite RPGs of the modern era.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is a thrilling and rewarding adventure into the MetroidVania genre. It is a fantastic entry level title for those yet to familiarize themselves with the genre, and a brilliant entry of quality and character for veterans.
Judgment is a must-play for fans of the Yakuza franchise and a fantastic entry level title for those a little put off by the time required to catch up with the Yakuza series. It offers a fun and challenging dive into a wonderfully crafted game world, whose only disappointment is the result of the quality of past works.
Conan Unconquered is an often fun and always brutal experience that will keep you returning for beatings time after time, if you can excuse the already questionable paywall content, economic issues, and lack of game mode variety.
Team Sonic Racing is an absolute blast as a local multiplayer game. The team based mechanics offer an injection of fresh and exciting ideas into an otherwise stagnating genre, making it a must-play for fans of the series. The online races can be a little chaotic at times, but with a bit of patience and a lot of luck, there's plenty of fun to be had here.
Rage 2 is a chaotic, fun, and rewarding adventure that combines a light but interesting narrative with explosive combat and a well-structured open world. It won't blow you off your feet, but you'll have plenty of fun blowing everyone else off theirs.
World War Z has some moments that are an utter blast – the special zombie types and impending doom of a zombie tower bring pure excitement. However, these moments are few and far between, leaving a shell of game with very little content, a lack of creativity, a near non-existent story, and a disappointingly shallow progression system.
Super Dragon Ball Heroes World Mission delivers on story, mechanics, replay value, depth, and combat. It's a near complete package that's sure to appeal to all fans of the Dragon Ball universe.