Garri Bagdasarov
It's a shame that Seven Deadly Sins first forte into videogames couldn't have been better. As a big fan I enjoyed the Knights of Britannia for what it is but most will find it mediocre at best.
The third entry in the Dissidia franchise is a good one and fans of the franchise shouldn't miss out on this entry. With a massive roster of characters and entertaining combat, the core Dissidia mechanics are safe and sound. It's just a shame that this entry feels so bare bones, not only with its lack of game modes but in its story execution.
I had a blast playing through Slayaway Camp. A simple puzzle game that lets me play through some of my favorite horror movies and franchises. The blocky graphics have a great charm to them even though it sometimes gets in the way of the kill animations.
.hack//G.U. Last Recode is a great attempt to modernize an older franchise. All the improvements made by CyberConnect 2 were not only needed but welcomed. Sure it still suffers from designs of its time but that shouldn't deter you from a good overall experience.
Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon improves heavily on the original but it also stubbles by introducing unnecessary mechanics that hinders your ability to enjoy the game at your own pace.
The Evil Within 2 is a great addition to the survival horror genre. It improves in a lot of aspects from its predecessor, but also makes some sacrifices that made the original so memorable from a horror standpoint. The Evil Within 2 is a damn good game and any fan of the genre should give it a shot.
ELEX is bad in almost every way. It's a poor attempt and impossible to enjoy anything outside of its interesting setting and backstory.
Another great achievement from Image & Form. SteamWorld Dig 2 takes everything that made the first game good and ups the ante in every way. Easily a must-buy game.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a grand achievement from a small studio that needed a big win. It's not everyday you get to play a game that tends to reward you for everything you do. Great combat, fantastic dungeon exploration, incredible visuals and a great soundtrack. Battle Chasers: Nightwar hits all the marks
Blue Reflection tries to take the social aspects of Persona and make them more streamlined and simplified but fails to make them interesting in any way. The combat and beautiful locations and character models add some light to the title, it's not enough to make it stand out or memorable in any way.
Absolver delivers on its promise of a compelling and unique combat system, but falls flat in almost every other way. Some baffling design decisions hold it back, so it's hard to recommend the game simply based on its combat.
Hellblade is one of my favorite titles this year. Its incredible use of sound and visual manipulation to completely immerse you in its experience is a credit to Ninja Theory. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a prime example that you don't need a massive budget to create something extraordinary.
A great new use of the PSVR. The Monkey King is a great example of taking advantage of PlayStation VR to do something other than play games. Digital Domains first incursion could use some improvements but it's a great first attempt.
One of the most satisfying and fulfilling games i've played this year. Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a great game that makes you think three steps ahead. I was hooked from the very first kill to the very last.
Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire is a unique experience that presents a fun yet challenging combat system with great animations and a world where every decision you make affects the kingdom around you. It's not perfect by any means but it succeeds more than it fails.
Children of Zodiarcs is a great example of passion and innovation. A kickstarter that succeeded in funding and rewarded everyone in the process. A great example of what a studio can achieve when the right people behind it.
Episode Prompto is a better experience than Episode Gladio but not by much.
The Surge started off great. The combat was fun, the story seemed interesting, and the crafting was enjoyable that is until I got a dozen or so hours into it where everything went from being doable to insanely hard, grindy, and uninspiring.
Dragon of the North could have been a great DLC, but at the end it fails to live up to the expectations. Dragon of the North is good, but it doesn't add enough content to make it an absolute necessity and only the most hardcore players will find the difficulty spike to their liking, others will probably cry in a corner.
I've never played a game that made me cringe and squirm as much as Outlast 2. Outlast 2 builds the type of tension and fear that I haven't experienced in a game for a very long time. If you enjoy horror, Outlast 2 will definitely leave an impression on you. Outlast 2 doesn't necessarily change the formula established in the first game but improves on the formula as best it can.