Ars Technica's Reviews
$20 isn't much to spend for a night's entertainment, but there are much better games of this type for about the same price. Skip it.
A shining example of what exploration-based games can be, dropping many of its franchise's worst traits even while being sometimes held back by the mundane. Buy it.
Fans of the predecessor should snap this up ASAP. More casual shooter fans should tread cautiously.
If you have a Switch, get this game. If you don't have a Switch, get one, then get this game.
Buy two copies; donate the second one to a school computer lab.
Further ReadingLogitech G29 and G920 racing wheels coming to PS4 and Xbox One [Updated]I played the game mostly with a Logitech G29, which might be the optimum way to experience it. Be warned—the game only supports a handful of wheels, although there are a number of adapters you can find online for $50-$60 that should let you use an unapproved one. (We make no promises about the ease of use with any of those, however.) Additionally, you have many fewer settings to tweak compared to Forza or Project CARS, but the flip-side of that is that setting up a wheel is easy, and I had no complaints with feel or force-feedback.
Watch it—or, better yet, wait for someone to edit a full run into something even more watchable.
The Evil Within 2 is a mechanical step up from the first game in nearly every way, even if the narrative is just as disposable as ever. Buy it if that balance doesn't bother you.
Total War: Warhammer 2 shakes up the wonderful strategy of its predecessor with new factions and locales. Although the DLC X-factor could shake up the campaigns even further. Buy it.
Those with a high tolerance for repeating difficult 2D shooting challenges should buy it. Everyone else should try it in Simple mode or just by watching on YouTube.
Forza might be a little artificial at times—some bleed in from the Horizon games perhaps—and its engine might be biased toward flair and fun. But games are meant to be enjoyed, and this one is most certainly enjoyable.
Ruiner has a lot in common with other top-down action games, but blends bits of all of them into a uniquely demanding, satisfying shooter. Buy it.
Try it, unless you're a hardcore racer, in which case you need this game.
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider frees itself from the franchise's usual restrictions, while putting its usual tools to satisfying use. Buy it.
Enjoy this with a willing friend (or three) if you like the idea of RTS games but suck at them. Jump right into online matchmaking if you're a pro. Test it out if you're RTS-shy.
Online co-op fans should buy. First-person combat fans have to try.
War of the Chosen is the definitive way to play XCOM 2. Even if you weren't impressed with the original package, this feels like a whole new game. Buy it.
There are plenty of better games to spend your time and money on right now. If you absolutely, specifically need an inoffensive couch co-op brawler right now, try it.
Before the Storm is at its best when it focuses on the untold elements of Life Is Strange. So far, those moments capture the spirit of the original, but I'm anxious to see if it can hold up as the timelines converge. Buy it.
For the gamer who's not quite as passionate about Formula 1 or racing in general, it might be worth trying out before coughing up your hard-earned cash. But even then, I think you'll find it engaging.