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HomepageKatana ZERO proves that the Hotline Miami formula still works as a side-scroller, but mechanical missteps and narrative blunders hamper the game's otherwise excellent combat and enticing story.
Tropico 6 sees the long running strategy game series continue its leisurely Caribbean life and embodies the definition of not rocking the cruise boat. Newcomers should enjoy their visit to the sunny archipelago, while returning fans will be appeased by the various tweaks to the formula.
Operencia: The Stolen Sun proves ambitious for an indie project, and one that offers a wealth of satisfying content for the asking price. Its methodical, sluggish nature may not be for everyone, but those who accept it as a rough-around-the-edges retro dungeon crawler, should get a kick out of it.
Weedcraft Inc is a fairly typical management game at its core, but one that feels limited in scope and yet with too many busywork mechanics. It also offers little insight on the real world issues.
MLB The Show 19 isn't a standout, but it does offer another strong outing from the baseball franchise. If you bought last year's game, this isn't an essential pick-up, but if you've skipped a year or two, or are a newcomer to the series, it's a good pick-up.
Yoshi's Crafted World delights with indelible charm and endless collectibles. It doesn't effectively utilize its arts & crafts aesthetic that's brimming with potential, but collecting all the game's goodies provides an enjoyable romp which is more than worthy of the lovable dinosaur mascot.
Generation Zero is an amalgamation of ideas, some of them pretty decent, but none executed with any great level of confidence. Despite the surprisingly strong atmosphere, gameplay annoyances and serious technical issues prevent it from having a chance to survive.
Though Washington D.C. lacks the memorable atmosphere of snow-bound New York, and you probably won't care about the plot or characters, The Division 2 is a significantly more robust game at launch. It offers another incredibly detailed open world and a myriad of small tweaks and additions, with a promising future ahead.
With more interaction and better player choice, The Walking Dead: The Final Season might have transcended its predecessors. But as it stands, Clem's adequate goodbye is aided by strong characters, long episodes, and apt nostalgia.
Fantastic combat, stunning locales, and effortless traversal make Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice a thoroughly enjoyable change of pace for From Software. Though with some imperfections, it's still a uniquely bold statement from a studio that's proven their proficiency at establishing successful IP's.
Although Golf Peaks could have benefited from there being more content included, it's still a solid puzzler that is more than worth the cost of admission. Its delightful presentation, calming presence and pick-up appeal make it perfect to take on the go.
Devil May Cry 5 is an action title worth playing, filled with bombastic action, over-the-top character moments, and fun mechanics. It's a game that forgoes any sense of nuance and relies on simply overloading your senses, and often succeeds at doing just that.
Sci-Fi tropes aside, Hazardous Space runs with a unique blend of gameplay elements, which work to a degree, but feels shallow or unrealized in certain areas. Should provide short bursts of entertaining RPG gameplay, at least for the roguelike enthusiasts.
Freeform investigation with multiple outcomes is scarcely as good as it is in The Occupation, so it's disappointing to see it paired with clunky stealth and an unwillingness to give players enough time to find the game's best-kept secrets.
Dead or Alive 6 serves up great fighting mechanics, solid offline mode variety, and looks good while doing it. If you're a fan of the series, it's well worth checking out, even as this latest entry stumbles in the online arenas and the disappointing approach to customization.
Anthem manages to offer up moments of fun, with occasionally chaotic action, Javelin gameplay variety and freeform traversal. But an overly convoluted and forgettable story, underwhelming RPG elements and outdated design choices make for a rough introduction to this brave new world.
Trials Rising offers up a great set of tracks with a good difficulty curve and the most fleshed out multiplayer options the series has ever had, though forced grinding to unlock later tracks in the campaign and intermittent performance problems create the kind of barriers you didn't want to see.
Degrees of Separation is definitely not great, but it's not exactly bad either. Instead, it's something potentially worse: forgettable. An intriguing premise is wasted on dull gameplay that never rises above simply being serviceable.
Mashing up unique aesthetics and gameplay doesn't always yield a perfect result, and Ape Out tries to fit together two disparate ideas without successfully navigating the challenges of such an endeavor. Too many elements just don't work at a fundamental level, making it an uneven effort at best.
With excellent vehicle handling, DiRT Rally 2.0 finds itself in a strong position. It also has superb visuals and brutal simulation aspects. Apart from AI issues and track repetition, it should please most rally fans.