Eric Hall
There's some small-town charm to be found in Twin Mirror, but an undercooked mystery and lack of interesting characters make the trip to Basswood a rather boring one.
When The Past Was Around may be brief, but its splendid artwork, beautiful music and memorable story will stick with you long after you wrap it up.
Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a satisfying musou hack and slasher, but that style of gameplay can only stay fresh for so long. The carry-over from Breath of the Wild, specifically the strong art design and rich lore, should keep the hardcore crowd invested until the end, though.
Tetris Effect: Connected is the best version of one of the top releases of 2018. The multiplayer additions are all excellently designed, with Connected Mode being one of the best co-operative experiences out there.
The blistering fast-paced action of Ghostrunner will almost certainly appeal to gamers looking for a fresh take on the first person platformer. However, the brutal difficulty can make sticking with it after dozens of deaths a tough pill to swallow.
Pikmin 3 Deluxe is another excellent entry in Nintendo's charming and under-appreciated franchise. The main campaign is enjoyable enough on its own, but the numerous additions and improvements are just icing on the cake.
Amnesia: Rebirth is a solid enough adventure for fans of the genre. That being said, although it's better than its predecessors in different ways, the fact that it can't quite match the narrative highs of SOMA or the scares of The Dark Descent makes it a bit of a forgettable journey.
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is just as well crafted as the original beloved trilogy. It'll challenge even the most seasoned of gamers, but thanks to precise platforming and top-notch visual design, the pain is always worth it.
Although WWE 2K Battlegrounds is a way more pleasant experience then last year's wrestling debacle, the franchise still has a ways to go. The title sets out what it wanted to do, which was a provide a light, arcade-like take on the WWE. However, between the lack of depth and intrusive microtransactions, I'm not sure how much staying power it has.
PGA Tour 2K21 is a fun, enjoyable golf game that has made me into a begrudging fan. It still could use some work on the presentation front, but with underlying mechanics this good already, I'm excited for the future of the franchise.