I also believe that completely removing the PvE rewards was a bad move. Even if all players were rewarded with six packs after the launch of the expansion, I still think the PvE content looks promising enough to warrant some incentives.
The solid combat system, interesting setting and great voice acting, merge into an appealing formula that the alchemists at The Bearded Ladies unexpectedly discovered while experimenting with various concoctions.
The high amount of customization, the appealing story and narrative, as well as the deep turn-based strategy elements make Mechanicus a must-play title for all Warhammer and TBS genre fans.
Because of the lack of story content, Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker feels like a game without soul, and that's by far its greatest weakness. Although somewhat captures the feel of the Naruto anime series when it comes to visuals and music, Naruto to Boruto: Shinobi Striker is a shallow game that shouldn't have been released.
An exquisite combination of deep storytelling and refined card game combat mechanics, Thronebreaker delivers an exceptional RPG experience that not many developers can achieve these days. It's a pity that Geralt's saga has ended after just three games, but Thronebreaker is definitely going to quench your thirst for anything The Witcher related, at least for a while.
Although some design decisions don't make sense, the positives completely outshine some of the awkward mechanics implemented. Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of those games that can redefine a genre, and it's not just through sheer size that it does that, but through a combination of writing, visuals, music, voice acting and gameplay mechanics. It's an outstanding piece of work that every other game developer should strive for.
Of course, fans of the Lovecraftian universe shouldn't skip Cyanide's take on the Cthulhu mythos, but don't go in with high expectations or you'll be terribly disappointed. The least Call of Cthulhu can do is quench your thirst for Lovecraftian fiction until The Sinking City releases in March, 2019.
I think the best way to describe Achtung! Cthulhu Tactics is to say that it's a game without soul. As it stands, I can't recommend it to neither Call of Cthulhu or turn-based strategy game fans.
If you're looking for a turn-based strategy game set in a dystopian world where you won't feel attached by your characters and don't need to pay attention to the story, Deep Sky Derelicts has a lot to offer. Keep in mind though that while it's easy to pick up, Snowhound Games' title is hard to master.
60 Parsecs! relies too much on the story and dark humor to keep players engaged, and that wouldn't have been a problem if the developer would have delivered. But the repetitive gameplay mechanics and the way the story bits are supplied to the player make 60 Parsecs! a hit-and-miss affair.
Heretic Kingdoms remains a franchise with great potential, so I'm very curious to see where developers are going to go from here. Obviously, there's room to improve the formula, but I'd like to see something new as well.
Star Control: Origins perfectly combines exceptional writing, total exploration freedom, satisfying space combat, excellent voice acting and hypnotizing music. Although I felt intimidated by the importance of the journey ahead, the well written, humorous dialogues gently transitioned me into a state of pure excitement. No words can better describe Star Control: Origins than actually playing it. It's a masterpiece.
And for those sitting on the fence about whether or not to jump into the action again, there's only one thing I can say: Battle for Azeroth is the perfect opportunity to come back to World of Warcraft. I have to give the folks at Blizzard credit for pouring their hearts and souls into the game once again, it definitely shows.
I also think the game perfectly catches the Cold War atmosphere of the early 80s, and delivers it in the form of a tactical stealth turn-based formula. Phantom Doctrine tackles a sensible but fascinating subject, the Cold War, and does a damn good job at it.
I would put Sword Legacy: Omen in the “missed opportunity” type of games since there are many inconsistencies between various parts like visuals, story, and sound. While I loved the idea of going back in time to visit Britain in the early Middle Age, let alone experience the events happening before King Arthur's time, I felt that the journey was pretty dull and uninteresting till near the end.
The Boomsday Project could be one of the most important Hearthstone expansions released in a while, but not because it bring very powerful cards and interesting gameplay mechanics. I believe The Boomsday Project is exceptionally well-balanced and very fun to play. It's got a little bit for every type of player, be it hardcore or casuals looking for pure entertainment.
If you haven't yet picked up Dead Cells, even if you're not into roguelike platformers, I strongly recommend getting it since it's one of the best of its kind.
Having played most of Wadjet Eye's games, I'm convinced that Unavowed is the studio's best product hands down. The branching storyline, the moral choices, the characterization of the protagonists and the overall atmosphere make Unavowed a great candidate for the best adventure game of the year.
Finishing The Banner Saga 3 gave me a sense of accomplishment. Even though I did not manage to save everyone, the world will live to see another day. Wounds heal, conflicts eventually wear off, life will ultimately prevail, and that's one of the many things The Banner Saga 3 is teaching us.
The only downside to the formula adopted by Interactive Stone is that they have clearly exaggerated with the religious iconography. Apart from that, and a few design issues, Gray Dawn is a short but deep immersion into the human subconscious, an exposition of the endless battle between good and evil.