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Aragami: Shadow Edition is all you could ask for and more from a game that is built on the mythology of shinobi. It may still have a few rough corners, but for a first stab on console that emphasises stealth, patience and bloody retribution? It's a superb experience with plenty to say thanks to its included Nightfall expansion.
Space Hulk's latest iteration is potential squandered, regularly broken and guilty of a crime worse than the Horus Heresy…It's boring.
Yoku's Island Express is whimsical, charming and a joy to play. It's developed by people who have an obvious love and deep knowledge for both pinball and Metroidvania games, and frequently delights and surprises by taking established genre conventions and quite literally flipping them about.
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition has all of the quality of the 3DS version that built on the Wii U original (and some of the more recent Fire Emblem Warriors improvements added for good measure) and none of the drawbacks.
Frostpunk is an ingenious blend of city building systems and morally ambiguous decision making. Its mechanics are streamlined enough to be easy to grasp, but it's tension and demanding nature make it an apocalyptic experience you shouldn't skip.
Those hoping for an engaging, exciting Tennis game are bound to be disappointed. Tennis World Tennis World Tour is an unpolished, unfinished simulation that's impossible to recommend.
Detroit: Become Human manages to dial back Quantic Dream's usual style of storytelling and instead focus more on the characters and their personal journey resulting in one the most compelling adventure games in recent memory.
Trailblazers has plenty of charm and style with its gimmick of painting your way to victory, but it barely crosses the finish line thanks to its uneven AI, sloppy handling and lackluster multiplayer.
MLB: The Show 18 is an incredible game with as much depth as you are willing to handle. It has incredibly intuitive and nuanced controls, entertaining commentary and a swathe of freedom that allows you to traverse the immense depth of the game as you feel comfortable doing. This is a game you can enjoy whether you're a hardcore baseball fan or someone looking for something new in the sporting genre that isn't FIFA 2018.
If you enjoyed the first Pillars of Eternity, then there's a damn good chance you'll mine even more enjoyment out of the sequel. Quite a few of the smaller niggling issues that hampered the first game have been addressed, and you're certainly not as burdened to remember nearly as much history to understand character motivations. If you're new to the franchise, you'll be a bit under pressure to read up on characters and events from the first game, but it caters to new players (or those who have simply forgotten everything from the first game) well enough, is one of the best story-telling experiences I've had in recent memory, and is otherwise bloody fantastic isometric RPG.
It's quite simple. If you loved the first game, you'll appreciate the changes, like a more structured take on base building and community management. There are fantastic systems, hampered by repetitive and shallow gameplay that ultimately feels pointless. State of Decay 2's scale and lower price don't quite make up for its lack of polish.
Destiny 2 does have an identity once again, a solid bedrock upon which to build its future. But whatever Bungie has planned, it's going to need to be far sturdier than its latest collection of recycled content, uneven new events and a meagre amount of PVP content.
The Switch version of South Park: the Fractured But Whole is a straight port. It's a good game that will appeal to anyone who has a love of violently tolerant rednecks and children caught up in increasingly bizarre situations, but a few loading time issues stop it from being the best way to play.
The Dragon of Dojima returns for one more adventure, with the stakes higher and more personal than ever in this touching farewell to a Yakuza legend. With a tale that closes the book on a long-running saga, Kiryu's farewell results in a story that is as satisfying to watch as its gameplay is as underwhelming to consume.
The new funky Mode dials down the challenge, but Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze remains one of the most inventive and exciting 2D platformers. It may not be surprising, or as fresh as it once was, but it's varied and challenging gameplay cement it as one of modern gaming's best platformers.
Ni No Kuni 2 manages to showcase that even without Studio Ghibli, Level-5 can still create a truly wondrous and magical JRPG. Even though the new features and strategic elements feel undercut by its easy difficulty, this is still a fine example of what the genre has to offer.
God of War reinvigorates an ageing series with a Kratos you can care for, a host of new characters that are both exceptionally acted and wonderfully written with action and exploration that sets new standards for games of this ilk going forward. It's a triumph in storytelling and design, making it one of the most exceptional experiences gaming has ever seen.
It's Job Simulator with a coat of nihilistic, irreverent paint. It's fun, funny and indulgently self-aware. It's undoubtedly a must-have for fans, but like the character you play as, it's a disposable clone.
It's beautiful, it's fun to play and it's accompanied by some wonderful music, but it's the way that the narrative of loss and failure, of hope and redemption is inextricably woven into the game that makes it special.
Extinction is a fantastic idea buried in mediocrity. It's one trick is stunning for a short while, but quickly runs out of steam as repetition, flimsy combat and a glib story cuts it down to size.