Critical Hit
Homepage
As a stopgap between Darksiders 3 and the eventual Darksiders 4, Genesis scratches an itch in an unconventional manner that deserves some appreciation for trying something new along the way. Darksiders Genesis is action and co-op play firing on all cylinders. Even if I do need to strap a pair of binoculars to my face to see what I'm doing.
There's no other game like Where The Water Tastes Like Wine, even if it does lose the plot when it celebrates the art of stories and the power that they possess.
The video game equivalent of a shot of espresso, award-winning Fractured Minds is a short, potent and tonally dark exploration of living with anxiety and other mental health issues. In some ways, it's obviously the effort of a teenage game developer. In others, well, a good many adult creators can learn from its perceptiveness and sophisticated implementation.
The Stretchers is a deceptively simple co-op game that manages to be fun for every second of it's brief run time, delivering interesting levels and hilarious chaos as your shout at your partner (or left hand) to just pick up the damn stretcher
Narcos: Rise of the Cartels was shaping up to be a fascinating advert for Netflix's hit series, but the overall quid pro quo bend of strategy ultimately makes it the shallowest of tie-ins. This is one Search Bloc party that you can count me out for.
CI Games has taken its lessons learned from the past and given Sniper Ghost Warrior a Hitman-inspired makeover. With improved sniping mechanics, and focus on replayable, open-ended sandboxes, Contracts is thrilling and tense - while nailing that perfect shot is endlessly rewarding.
There's a lot of potential still waiting to be tapped in Chikara Action Arcade Wrestling, and considering how the game is in a constant state of evolution, it won't be long before it makes the jump from the mid-card to the main event spotlight.
Pokémon Sword and Shield is everything that you love about pocket monsters and then some. With an emphasis on sharpening what works and ditching more bloated elements aside to create the best region yet for the franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield is pocket monster catch 'em all mania at its very best.
Horror-adventure Close to the Sun pairs an emotionally-engaging narrative with arguably one of the most stunning and memorable game worlds of 2019. Pity about the frustrating gameplay choices and story decisions that ramp up in the final third of the game. They cast a shadow over the accomplishments that preceded them.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is an ambitious exploration of the Star Wars universe that succeeds in delivering both compelling combat and characters, even if it suffers from tedious exploration mechanics and a lack of polish.