ActionTrip

Fugitive Games has created a unique twist for typical space strategy games, and what they have will appeal to many looking for something that isn’t Elite Dangerous or a typical real-time strategy game set in space. While it could use a bit of polish, Into the Stars could be the next massively popular title where your ineptitude can kill off your family. Or in this particular case, the remnants of the human race. No pressure at all; just be thankful you won’t die of dysentery.

Whale Rock Games has put together quite a doozy for hardcore RTS fans. It's definitely not fitting for a casual strategy gamer like me, or those who prefer fewer moving parts in their RTSes. But even with the ragequit difficulty, it's hard to deny that the game mechanics themselves are as solid and fair as the environments are gorgeous.

What the Superhot Team strived to bring us is something different and by almost all accounts they succeeded. This shooter feels unlike anything I've played before and I do wish more games will follow in this example.

Ubisoft most definitely rolled the dice when it came to Far Cry Primal. Stripping down the series to its raw base risked alienating their entire audience. Fortunately for them, the shift seems to have gone off without a hitch. However, the lack of mission variety and combat tools hold the game back from being something truly groundbreaking. Hopefully they intend to continue to transplant the franchise into other settings, because if Primal is any indication, they are at least on the right track.

If you are looking for "toddler's first shooter," then you have come to the right place. Plants vs.

This version is really perfect for tournaments, that is for sure. If that was their goal, mission accomplished (I think it was their goal. – Ed. Vader).

With so many massive role-playing games or padded action games, it's refreshing to play an old-school point-and-click adventure without the old-school frustration and without the padded content for length. It's short, sweet, to the point, and it helps that it's as fun as it is funny. I'm more than happy to take a break from the AAA scene with a game like this at any time.

The only fly in the ointment here are some technical issues to prevent you from fully enjoying the masochism: issues with the game failing to start for some users, quirks with aiming, soldiers warping to different locations when reloading and even some crashes to desktop are the stumbling blocks that have a number of gamers asking when can we expect a patch. In the meantime, I will live with these issues so I can continue having my head kicked in.

With both the beauty of Firewatch and its varied tones and exploration, this is one game that will resonate with players just as variously. As such, I wonder if, like Life is Strange or Beyond: Two Souls, there is a "set path" that the developers plotted out where everything lines up perfectly if these "set decisions" are made.

Sadly, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: Russia fell below the bar that ACC: China set. The game definitely had some great potential, especially with the new gadgets, sniping, and bringing in a second character, but the execution ultimately collapsed in the end, unless you're willing to master each and every skill. The push for perfection is perhaps a speedrunner's dream, but it's not something that will sit well with most players.

Coldwood Interactive has managed to generate a refreshing new take on the puzzle platformer, starring an endearing protagonist that will steal your heart. For those looking to scratch that puzzling itch without having to bite of something as overwhelming as The Witness, this will prove to be a more than adequate salve. As long as you are not a fan of scissors, that is…

Somehow Jonathan Blow has once again managed to prove that his elevated opinion of his own abilities is 1000% justified. Though I am admittedly well within his target demographic, it is hard to shake the feeling that The Witness was a game that was made specifically for me.

Game of Thrones will give you some pretty cool moments, especially when you start feeling the weight of your decisions. Overall, there's a good chance you'll be disappointed and frustrated with the game, rather than being mesmerized by an epic tale and great characters. You know, great characters really aren't THAT great, unless we have enough time to know them.

This is a gloriously mature adventure that is well worth liberating from retail captivity.

I'm not going to lie; it's incredibly overwhelming for a LEGO game to have this much to explore. LEGO Marvel's Avengers has its weird moments, but you can't deny there is plenty to do or that the gameplay is rather well polished. It doesn't even have those lovely glitches LEGO games infamously contain, and they have finally cleaned up the flying mechanics. Fans of the LEGO games and Marvel movies will enjoy it regardless of the minor issues.

In many respects, Homeworld: Deserts of Kharah had the potential to be a really tough sell to longstanding supporters of the Homeworld brand. Yet somehow it managed to not only meet expectations, but exceed them in a surprising number of ways. This is far from a reinvention of the RTS genre, but it is certainly a much needed rebirth for this series. At long last, the king has returned.

What is it about routine that is so comforting? Punch Club somehow manages to not only make this endless cycle of grinding fun and immensely rewarding, while still keeping a few surprises very close to the vest. Even though micromanagement style games have been a staple on PC for as long as the platform has existed, something about this game feels like it would be more at home on mobile, where the repetitiveness can be indulged in more approachable, bite-sized doses.

Oxenfree creates suspense and tension as the player experiences numerous unexpected events. This is Oxenfree's greatest strength. The slightly questionable dialogue mechanics and relatively short story are generally the only downsides here, but otherwise, you really might want to consider being part of this adventure, because you never know what might happen.

The absolute beauty of the painting-like art style also helped. There's one thing that India has that was just as amazing as it was in China.

And in case you were curious, Graham does indeed solve the mystery of the missing mattresses. He didn't even need the help of meddling kids.