Travis Huinker
SOMA is a suspenseful and frightening journey to a mysterious underwater research facility that keeps players engrossed till the credits roll. While it might not be as scary as its marketed, its science fiction setting and compelling narrative make for one of the more memorable gaming experiences this year.
Lego Dimensions is a worthwhile gameplay experience and investment for both fans of Lego and the included franchises ranging from Ghostbusters and Wizard of Oz to Scooby-Doo and Doctor Who.
Victor Vran is a great addition to the action role-playing genre with its entertaining gameplay elements. Bold design concepts, such as the inclusion of WASD keys for movement and combat, work perfectly with the genre type. The wealth of content and addictive nature of collecting loot and replaying levels with increased challenge make Victor Vran highly recommended for action RPG fans.
Deathtrap's unique take on the tower defense genre by expanding player interaction with action and role-playing gameplay elements results in an entertaining and worthwhile experience. Both fans of tower defense and role-playing games are recommended to take a journey into the world of Deathtrap.
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is both a worthwhile expansion for series fans and standalone game for those new to the series. With a non-linear campaign structure and thrilling missions, Ardennes Assault earns a high recommendation.
The Old City: Leviathan is a bold game for its complete focus on the narrative that translates into a gameplay experience that is both atmospheric and haunting. While the game's story can sometimes become too obscure for its own good, the majority of the narrative experience shouldn't be missed by adventurous gamers.
The Sims 4 is undoubtedly a major step forward for the series that improves on many aspects that plagued past titles. However, with the improvements also comes an unusual disappearance of features from past games which result in less control and customization. Even with the missing content, The Sims 4 delivers a gameplay experience that is highly-entertaining and addictive for both series veterans and newcomers.
The Sims 4 Get to Work does a lot of right things for being its first expansion pack that only stumbles in a few places. The manageable retail businesses and photography skill are great additions to the base game, while the new career venues suffer from repetitive gameplay and frequent load screens. Sims fans shouldn't hesitate in picking up the Get to Work expansion pack as the new gameplay features and added content are well worth the purchase.
ArcheAge is one of the best free-to-play games to be released this year, with a near endless amount of content awaiting eager adventurers. While ArcheAge could strongly benefit from further guidance on more advanced gameplay mechanics, the overall experience -- from completing numerous quests and crafting tasks to sailing a boat or flying a glider -- are simply too entertaining to miss with the game being free-to-play.
NeocoreGames delivers yet another satisfying and solid action role-playing game with The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing III. Being the conclusion to a trilogy, the third installment includes all of the series favorite elements while also introducing a wealth of improvements. It's a great time to adventure once again to Borgovia.
Neverwinter is one of the best free-to-play games this year, with its fluid combat, extensive amount of quests, and Foundry tool in which players can create their own adventures. Most importantly, premium points and items don't affect the game for those who choose to adventure on the free route. Role-playing fans owe themselves an extended journey to the world of Neverwinter.
Battlefield Hardline takes a fresh look at the traditional warfare gameplay with a focus on combat between criminals and cops. The single-player campaign makes for a compelling and innovative approach to the traditional Battlefield gameplay with an increased focus on multiple victory paths and stealth. A variety of new game modes and redesigned progression system make for some of the best online multiplayer gameplay found in a Battlefield series game. Battlefield Hardline is a worthwhile entry in the series that shouldn't be passed over by fans.
Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen is not only a great role-playing game, but also one of the best ports to PC I've seen in some time. From an unlocked frame rate to perfect performance, the game hits all the right marks. It also helps that the game itself is enthralling because of its many departures from genre norms by providing players with a true sense of danger around every corner. Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen truly feels at home on PC with its in-depth gameplay and beautiful world.
The Sims 4 Get Together follows Get to Work's trend of providing both worthwhile and entertaining content. Get Together goes a step further, however, by improving the core gameplay experience of gathering Sims together with the new clubs feature. In addition, the new dance and DJ traits and world of Windenburg round off a great package of content.
Company of Heroes 2: The British Forces is an excellent multiplayer expansion pack for veteran players, while it's also a great entry point for newcomers with its standalone design. The addition of British units and commanders offer one of the more diverse and entertaining armies to play as in the Company of Heroes 2 series. As well, the new maps provide compelling environments for fierce combat encounters. While it's disappointing that there isn't any single-player content included, The British Forces is still strongly recommended for both series veterans and newcomers.
The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut is an outstanding action role-playing game. It sets itself apart. The significant amount of content, and the entertainment value, makes for a game that will eat away hours. With a near-endless supply of quests to complete, monsters to slay, and loot to collect, the adventure to Borgovia shouldn't be missed.
Homeworld 1 and 2 were classic real-time strategy games in their original forms, with the exception of some of difficulty issues. The Homeworld Remastered Collection brings the series back in a thoughtful approach that keeps intact the original gameplay experience, while also masterfully recreating the visuals and sound. By utilizing original artists and voice actors, it's clear a great deal of work has gone into bringing the Homeworld series to the modern era of gaming. The epic scale of space battles and awe-inspiring backdrops they take place in make the Homeworld Remastered Collection a must own for real-time strategy fans.
WildStar is a fresh and bold MMORPG that succeeds in taking a risk by combining exaggerated science fiction and humor, ultimately being highly rewarding for players. The extensive amount of content and customization available to players makes WildStar one of the best MMORPG releases in years.
Move over, Command and Conquer, there's a new king of the genre. Act of Aggression is a perfect recreation of the elements that made '90s and early '00s real-time strategy games such a joy to play. Diverse factions and units, continually evolving gameplay, and authentic-feeling maps make for a must-own game for RTS enthusiasts and newcomers.
Anno 2205 earns a high recommendation for city-building and economy-management enthusiasts. The game builds upon previous series installments by refining the gameplay to further improve its best elements. In particular, the addition of the Arctic and Moon environments provide the series' best-yet sandboxes for building cities. City-building fans can rejoice: Anno 2205 is the next game they need to pick up.