Disco Elysium is perhaps one of the best role-playing games of all time, and I don't say that lightly. I haven't played a game that has been able to so masterfully flex to my actions as well as ZA/UM's freshman outing. The writing is sharp, the characters genuine, and the choices possess true stakes.
All future VR games will look to Half Life: Alyx as the gold standard hereon, and thanks to its absolute excellence in design and presentation we are all the better for it. Virtual reality will never be the same, nor will Half Life after Alyx's jaw-dropping conclusion.
The Surge 2 is an exceptional Soulslike, with top of it’s class combat, stellar level design and a crafting system that makes experimenting fun and simple.
If you have yet to play Frostpunk and enjoy city-builders you should absolutely give the console edition a look. It's a worthy port of a phenomenal game, and I hope to see more games brought over from PC given this sort of love and attention in the future.
When everything clicks, Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC is a solid port, just not a perfect one. Largely carried by the fantastic quality of the game itself, the port does at least provide prettier visuals, additional content, and a fantastic new Photo Mode.
Dauntless offers up a pleasant alternative experience in the monster hunting action genre that focuses on the battles without sacrificing the core appeal. If you've ever wanted to take down larger-than-life beasties to wear their hides and take down even nastier foes, but felt intimidated by Capcom's more deliberate design, then Dauntless will prove a great, enjoyable way to finally see what all the monster slaying fuss is about. The fact that it's a fair free-to-play game makes it all the easier to experience for yourself.
Black Mesa may show its age in some areas, but that doesn't detract from what is an otherwise stunning achievement. It's not only Half Life at its best - it's one of the finest shooters available today.
Swamps of Corsus is a must-buy for fans of Remnant, and a great excuse for curious outsiders to finally check the game out.
Deep Rock Galactic is proof enough that keeping focus and executing on a single idea can lead to excellence. Ghost Ship Games debut title is cooperative bliss, and a must-play for all fans of the genre. For Rock and Stone!
Command & Conquer Remastered isn't just the best way to replay these classic RTS', it's one of the best and most consumer-friendly remasters ever made. Welcome back, Commander.
Spiritfarer is an excellent game in its own right, yet its candid handling of death truly sets it apart from its peers. It's addicting gameplay loop is well complimented by its thoughtful story - anyone who likes their relaxation with a side of healthy contemplation will be hard pressed to find a more compelling game this year.
Crusader Kings III's near perfect marriage of robust grand strategy with compelling roleplaying means both fans of wargames and storytelling aficionados will find something to love in its medieval world of politics and intrigue, whether that's crunching numbers to efficiently conquer the known world, or rolling with the punches as they scheme their way into the annals of history.
Assassin's Creed: Valhalla takes all the previous systems introduced in Origins and Odyssey, and streamlines them into a more focused experience. The game may have some flaws, and it's a shame to see the combat remains mediocre after all these years, yet Valhalla is easily the best entry in the recent trilogy. Grab your axes and shields: it's time to go a-viking!
Post-launch support will ultimately determine Shadowlands' fate, but as it currently stands World of Warcraft: Shadowlands is a fantastic expansion that once again proves why Blizzard's 16 year old juggernaut remains the king of the MMORPG genre. While we may be touring Azeroth's afterlife ourselves, it's clear World of Warcraft won't be sauntered off into the great beyond any time soon.
In returning to form with this sequel, Frozenbyte has doubled down on what made the franchise great prior to the mishap that was the third entry.
If you don't care about portability and have Overwatch elsewhere then give the port a pass. Maybe once cross-save, cross-progression, and/or cross-play are added this port will be more compelling to existing fans, but for those that believe Overwatch isn't Overwatch when the competitive side isn't at its best then this port will only drive them mad. Overwatch is a great port for new fans and casual fans of the game, and no one else.
Respawn did nothing to reinvent the wheel, but instead married a bunch of popular gameplay genres together into a cohesive whole, wrapped up in well-crafted Star Wars story. It may not be KOTOR levels of greatness, but it’s good.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is an imperfect game. It makes a terrible first impression, but given time proves itself a belligerently fun experience.
Whether a Nintendo Switch purist or someone who uses it as their dedicated mobile device, Saints Row IV: Re-Elected for Nintendo Switch remains a stellar game worth playing if you can endure some minor performance quibbles.
Fans of whimsical, artful indie titles will find much to love about Shinsekai Into the Depths, and ardent Metroidvania purists will get a kick out of its aquatic take on the genre. It's not going to be everyone's favorite game for the Nintendo Switch, but I'll be damned if it doesn't top at least one person's list.