Trevor Houston
Visually, Forza Motorsport 7 is an incredible looking game. Newcomers will be blown away while series veterans should feel right at home.
Grand Theft Auto V isn't exactly a next gen masterpiece but it is undeniably the undisputed king of open world games. If there is anyone out there that hasn't yet experienced GTA V you owe it to yourself to give it a spin. For those of you who have already taken the journey with Franklin, Michael and Trevor there is still plenty of reasons to head back to Los Santos all over again. Trust me, this GTA received far more than just a fresh coat of paint.
This visually remarkable game features memorable characters, a terrific soundtrack and frantically entertaining gameplay. Wolfenstein: The New Order is hard to put down and for good reason – it simply kicks ass.
Visually, Ori and The Blind Forest scores high marks. The level design is beautiful as the colours pop from the screen and art design is equally fantastic.
FIFA 14 for the Xbox One is quite simply an impressive launch game. The enhanced visuals make for a game that comes alive and for the first time in recent memory I truly felt like I was "in the game". There is some room for growth but there is no question this FIFA game is about the best we could have hoped for with an EA Sports launch title.
There is no question The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt delivers a superb 'Triple A' RPG experience. Featuring some of the best story telling we have seen so far this year and an unforgettable, dynamic and vast open world, Witcher 3 stands as a must own for not only fans of the franchise but those looking for rich experience they can soak 100+ hours into.
Guitar Hero Live stands as a gigantic leap forward in terms of immersion and realism, giving us a glimpse of some amazing things ahead for the franchise.
Overall, I am quite happy with this year's installment in the Madden NFL franchise. While the changes may not be as sweeping as we have seen in the past, Madden NFL 16 feels like the most complete Madden I have played in well over 10-years. I cannot recall a time where I wanted to play every single mode offered in the game over and over. That is the case this year.
Sony's undisputed king of virtual baseball games suffered a slight set-back last year but the franchise is back in fine form in 2016.
With so many skins, strong cast of characters (classic and new), stunning visuals, variety of modes and lively online community, Mortal Kombat XL delivers the ultimate Mortal Kombat game for fans to enjoy.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 removes whatever imaginary stench Modern Warfare III left behind by revitalizing the franchise with a standout campaign, engaging multiplayer, and a nostalgic yet innovative Zombies experience.
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood doesn't reinvent the franchise or really stray from what made The New Order a success but taking this abbreviated journey with B.J. Blazkowicz put a smile on my face from beginning to end.
FIFA 14 was an impressive launch game last fall for next generation consoles. With a little more time under their belt the development team have managed to up-the-ante with FIFA 15. While the changes may not be as robust as we have seen in previous installments in the franchise, there is no question FIFA 15 has firmly cemented itself as the best soccer game on the planet.
There remains room for improvement and I certainly experienced a few let-downs with Madden 15; however, this is hands down the best Madden game to date. And let's just say the future remains bright for the franchise.
With many multiplayer modes and 12 maps out of the box, Treyarch gave Black Ops 3's multiplayer game the time and attention it deserves.
One thing is for certain, Black Ops 4 is easily the best multiplayer experience we have seen from the franchise to date.
There is no question a big risk was taken with this year's game. Does this risk pay off? It sure does as Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is about the most fun I have had playing a Call of Duty game in several years. Granted it remains very familiar but the leaps are significant and in the end pay off.
I absolutely loved the vibrant energy about this 80’s setting. Zombies in Spaceland is also stacked with talent.
If you own Madden 25 on current generation systems, you could wait until next year but that could also be a mistake as Madden 25 on the Xbox One feels like a considerable leap over the current generation game. It may be the biggest leap we have seen in the franchise yet.
It remains as punishing as any other zombie game I have played to date.