While the load times are a pretty big bummer, it doesn't change the fact that Bloodborne's combat is sublime, its challenge is second to none, and its world is unforgettable.
95 percent of what makes up Titan Souls is boss battles, and fortunately, that's the 95 percent of the game that Acid Nerve nails. Its story is nearly non-existent, and its on the short side, but the quality of the battles against the many Titans mostly make up for Titan Souls shortcomings.
Transformers Devastation is a blast to play while it lasts, and expertly blends elements of Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising, but packages it in a way that makes it come off as completely unique.
Quiplash XL, Fibbage 2 and Ear Wax are must haves and are worth the price of admission alone, assuming you don't have Party Pack 1 and the standalone Quiplash.
The changes made to Guitar Hero: Live go a long way in giving the series its own unique identity, but at the cost of making the game less fun to play than its competitors. An innovative post release content delivery system of streaming music elevates what's otherwise an average and expensive rhythm game.
Halo 5 proves that 343 is a worthy team for taking over the Mantle of Responsibility for the Halo series from Bungie.
Rise of the Tomb Raider is a safe sequel that at times feels too familiar to its predecessor, but still provides one of the most exciting AAA adventures of 2015.
The Old Hunters is a worthwhile expansion to one of the best games of the year and a shining example of how DLC should be made.
The additions of the wingsuit, dual tethering grapple hook, unlimited C4 and regenerating health system are all fantastic additions that would've made Just Cause 3 a breakout game in the franchise, if not for the dull story, repetitive story missions and technical issues ranging from long load times, to poor framerate and to constant disconnections for a single player only game.
While some more star power in the soundtrack would have went a long way, and the way Harmonix artificially pads the game's length with its song unlock requirements is ridiculous, Amplitude remains an exciting blend of rhythm action and electronica that does well by its predecessors.
Great puzzles that are unfortunately marred by sub-par presentation with cringeworthy dialogue and voice over.
While it is incomplete by design, with the missing content being dolled out for free over the course of the year, Street Fighter 5 is the most accessible the franchise has ever been and remains mechanically brilliant.
With Garden Warfare 2, PopCap builds upon the success of the original Garden Warfare by adding much needed meat to its bare bones in the form a new solo campaign and 6 new character classes, but fails to evolve the actual gameplay in any meaningful way.
Superhot is a shining example of how to build a game around a single clever game mechanic. Its story mode is short, but the unlockable Endless and Challenge modes provide plenty of worthwhile reasons to go back for more.
Tom Clancy's The Division is a game that demands to be played with other people. It's biggest gameplay flaws are forgivable once you add a friend into the mix, but as a solo experience it can be an exhausting grind with little in the way of rewards or satisfaction.
Matterfall succeeds in adapting Housemarque's trademark style of fast, action-packed, arcadey action to the 2D platformer genre, but it feels like a puzzle half solved. There's virtually no content here after you finish its exceptionally short campaign, outside of some harder difficulty modes and a global leaderboard to climb, and its level design isn't well-suited for replay value. It's a ton of fun while it lasts, but once it's over it's hard to not be left with a feeling of “Is that it?”
Pokkén Tournament DX serves as a definitive edition of Nintendo's fighting game, and it fits well on the Switch aside from choppy split-screen multiplayer. Five new characters and a new three-on-three mode are noteworthy additions, though the new challenge mode doesn't live up to its name.
Under the better-than-ever graphics and great-as-ever core wrestling gameplay, WWE 2K18 is a largely disappointing iteration. It wastes too much of its ambition on the poorly written and dull MyCareer RPG mode, leaving its other promising modes to languish for another year. What few enhancements we get to the carry mechanics and eight-person matches are welcome, but not as much of a year-over-year refresh as would be needed to keep the excitement level as high as it's been in past years.
WWE 2K18 for the Switch wasn't ready to be released, plain and simple. The degree of slowdown in any match type with more than two people in the ring at the same time is simply unacceptable. Add onto that the weird audio glitches and an overall lack of polish, and the underwhelming single-player modes that impact all versions of WWE 2K18, and you have a Switch port that even the biggest of wrestling fans should stay far away from.
Street Fighter 5 Arcade Edition marks the completion of a transformation from bare-bones fighting game with a rock-solid core to a fully featured example of the genre at its best. The new V-Triggers are sure to shake up the competitive scene, while the nostalgic new modes breathe new life into the single-player fighting.