Baldur's Gate 3 is the new reigning RPG monarch, demanding your homage with its insane level of depth and detail. Even if its gameplay might move too slowly for some, it's hard not to be astounded by the sheer scope of this adventure. An epic in the true sense of the word, Larian's latest is a game that can utterly consume your life for days, weeks, months, even years, should you embrace its brilliance.
I can see myself playing for years to come, and I can’t wait to see where the series goes next.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous Enhanced Edition was already one of the best RPGs on PC, and on PS4, there's virtually nothing else like it. With an enthralling narrative, evocative world, and nearly endless build variety and replay value, Wrath of the Righteous is a glorious game to get lost in for whole weeks at a time.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is an excellent action RPG that offers an even more hardcore take on the increasingly popular Soulslike formula. It's fast, frenetic, and hits like a truck, with one of the most mesmeric combat systems we've ever had the pleasure to master. It might scare off more casual players, but those looking for a challenge, well - you can stop looking.
Diablo 4 is the true successor to the bad old days of action RPGs and oozes quality in its frenetic combat and deep, engaging character development. It tells a complex, gritty narrative set in the darkly beautiful world of Sanctuary. Even better, it provides a solid foundation for years of Diablo content to come.
Mandate of Heaven is an essential part of the Three Kingdoms package, and takes what was already the best grand strategy game on the market, and takes it to loftier heights.
Total War: Three Kingdoms – A World Betrayed doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but its focus on a geographically unique but underused portion of the map makes it feel like a fresh experience.
It’s beautiful animations and art style, deep and engaging combat, and meta-commentary on the way we play games combine to make CrossCode a modern classic in its own right, and a fantastic throwback to one of gaming golden ages.
As a first foray, it is an incredibly impressive effort from Creative Asselby Sofia, a team that has done incredible justice to one of the most important tales of the ancient world.
Suffice it to say though, Warhammer 40k: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters is a fantastic video game, a game of the year contender, that demands attention in a genre that is now synonymous with XCOM. Daemonhunters’ twist on the formula is unique, and the 40k setting is the perfect backdrop for this kind of game. I look forward to further entries in what I hope is a burgeoning new series, and whatever it is Complex Games works on next.
As it stands, Sunbreak represents the very best of Monster Hunter Rise, recontextualizing the base game through its clever integration of the old and the new. It won’t convert die-hard fans that bounced off of Rise, but for those that loved the changes to the Monster Hunter formula, Sunbreak represents a new high water mark for the series and is an absolute no-brainer for anyone looking to dive back in.
The strategy RPG genre owes a lot to the Tactics Ogre franchise, which is filled with lesser titles trying to recreate even a fraction of its winning formula. The experience that lies at the heart of Tactics Ogre: Reborn has stood the test of time admirably and, thanks to the swathe of intelligent tweaks and quality-of-life improvements introduced, will likely remain at the head of the pack for years to come.
Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord combines RPG mechanics with grand strategy and features battles so epic they can be overwhelming at times. It has some rough edges, and the interface can be unwieldy, but at its core lies a roleplaying experience that is virtually unrivalled in scope - especially on console.
Anno 1800 Console Edition is an excellent translation of a deep, satisfying PC strategy experience to console. With engaging mechanics and an insane amount of replay value (not to mention multiplayer), anyone looking for a more arcade-kind of management sim will find a happy home here.
Aliens: Dark Descent is easily one of the best video game adaptations of the legendary franchise to which it belongs, somehow managing to be an excellent tactical strategy game and genuinely terrifying at the same time. Tense, engaging, and extremely faithful, it stumbles only in technical execution, and even then, not enough to spoil the experience.
Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless continues the Disgaea series' inexorable march forward, adding new mechanics and further complexity. It features a story campaign that goes down smoothly, if a little forgettable, but it's full of clever encounters that require more input than previous outings. It won't convert unbelievers, but for those already on the hook, it's as good as the series gets.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is the true spiritual successor to the Suikoden series, capturing what made those games magical and expanding on the premise a hundred-fold. It tells a well-written and verbose tale of courage and endurance, but adherence to some fairly brutal old-school design precepts means it won't appeal to everyone.
Trails of Cold Steel II is a fantastic continuation of the series that improves upon the foundations of its predecessor that leads to a narrative crescendo. With the third iteration set to come west at the end of 2019, we won’t have much longer to wait to see how this epic trilogy ends.
Darkwood is a fantastic exploration of the horror genre and had me checking my cupboards for monsters whenever I’d finish a late-night play session.
What Imperator: Rome does, it does impeccably well. Like Paradox games have been doing for years now, it will devour hours and whole days of your life, and you will give them willingly.