Tom Clancy's The Division 2 raises the bar for the looter shooter genre. Put simply, it is the complete package.
Death End re;Quest struggles to do anything to entice players from outside the JRPG space, but for fans of the genre, there's plenty on offer here. The story is compelling, the characters are diverse, the combat is fantastic, and it is one of the freshest JRPGs I've played in years.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a solid experience for fighter plane enthusiasts, but it plays things too safe. Sticking to a tried-and-tested formula that has ensured the series' success and continuation for nearly 25 years is a sound strategy, but it lacks in innovation and any new exciting creative direction.
Just Cause 4 is a fantastic playground of chaos, giving players the tools and creative options to sow seeds of complete mayhem. It's only when you step away from that mayhem, following the path of the campaign put ahead of you, that you'll find repetition, lack of character, and a disappointing open world.
The Walking Dead is a franchise with such massive potential in the video game space, and Overkill's The Walking Dead shares much of that potential. Blasting through the higher difficulty levels with friends is great fun, and the initial few hours are a pleasure, but once you get into the meat of the game and its myriad of glaring issues, it quickly becomes apparent that this game is not living up to its own potential.
WWE 2K19 struggles to meet expectations. It's a mid-card talent with potential, but is too set in its ways to leave any lasting impact.
While Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise does have a number of glaring issues, the variety and quality of side content, thrilling combat, and protagonist with an attitude that can rival Kiryu's make it a worthwhile experience.
You'll struggle to find a more immersive and rewarding setting in which to forge your own odyssey. A detailed environment combining both the realistic and mythical aspects of Ancient Greece, everything comes together to deliver a narrative-driven, open-world RPG that rivals the biggest names in the genre. Put simply, Assassin's Creed Odyssey is the complete package.
NBA 2K19's on-court disappointments are somewhat remedied by the hugely entertaining off-the-court shenanigans, but a steep learning curve may leave less experienced players a little overwhelmed.
Marvel's Spider-Man is a complete package that near-flawlessly combines elements of the RPG world with the thrilling combat of an action-driven experience. Whether you're a hardcore spidey fan or just like to dabble in spandex, Marvel's Spider-Man is, in a word, amazing.
Two Point Hospital is a colorful clown car of character, warmth, and comedy. Spend some time under the hood, however, and you'll find a deep, rewarding, and challenging simulation experience.
If you can see past the casually designed mechanics and truly immerse yourself in the environment and narrative aspects of We Happy Few, there's plenty to see here. Unfortunately for those probing a more wholesome experience, We Happy Few falls short.
Shining Resonance Refrain displays all the qualities one would expect in a JRPG game, albeit in a dated and unimaginative fashion. Fans of the genre will find plenty to sing about but for those not sold on Japan's ideals of an RPG, there's little more here than a solid story and some good dungeon grinding.
The Crew 2 is a vast improvement on the original in every aspect. The environments offer a vast, exciting, and expansive world to explore. The huge variety of racing events, alongside a near endless progression system, promises hours of play time, and the car customization is the best we have seen this generation.
However, Jurassic Park Evolution could have been an amazing game if the developers had just used some of the staple elements of park simulation games from the past. You know, like that Theme Park game that launched in 1994?.
Vampyr is a collection of wonderful ideas held back by a limited budget and a dated engine. The lack of expression and emotion on the faces of London's many characters, and often disjointed lines of dialogue, plague any hope of being fully immersed in this dark re-imagining of London. A fluid and well designed combat system, alongside the infinitely appealing aspect of battling with morality as a creature of the night, offer plenty for those looking for a new angle on the vampire story, but for those wanting a more complete experience, it may not make the mark.
Detroit: Become Human is a stellar example of storytelling in the video game space. What initially seems like a futuristic science-fiction story quickly steers into a very real struggle of freedom vs. oppression which has been endured throughout history. With just one single playthrough, Detroit: Become Human will warm your heart, provoke your thoughts, and light a fire in your stomach.
Space Hulk: Death Wing Enhanced Edition is a very basic shooter. While the single player campaign felt lacking throughout, the rewarding progressive components added to the multiplayer aspect of the game delivers a worthwhile experience – if you have Brothers willing to follow you into battle.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is not for everyone. The web of intertwining features and mechanics are as deep as they are complicated, but for those looking for more from their RPGs – more character, more wonder, more life – Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a fantastic homage to the true roots of the RPG genre.
Every facet of God of War has been created as a labor of love. Seldom do we see such a complete, whole experience in modern gaming. God of War is nothing short of a modern day masterpiece.