Back 4 Blood still comes out as the best Left 4 Dead-inspired game in recent memory, taking the core design and innovating on it just enough to keep everything fresh and fun. Where Back 4 Blood gets things right, it does them really well, but where it doesn’t is often quite obvious.
Extra bugginess aside, The Jackbox Party Pack 8 is otherwise another solid addition to the franchise and is well worth the investment for anyone looking for a new party game to play. Poll Mine, Job Job, and Wheel of Enormous Proportions are the standout games, though Drawful Animate and Weapons Drawn will likely have their fans as well.
Those that have been waiting to try Disco Elysium have no reason to hold out any longer. The game is available on pretty much every platform out there now, and it’s well worth playing. It’s unlike just about anything else, and it begs the question of what developer ZA/UM will manage to craft next.
If Before the Storm was the beginning of Steph's story and Life is Strange: True Colors is the end, Wavelengths bridges the gap between the two.
Lemnis Gate's incredibly innovative turn-based FPS concept makes it something truly unique and the potential sleeper hit of the year.
These issues are unfortunate because Sable is a remarkable game that would normally warrant a higher rating. But the problems, although minor for the most part, were encountered with such regularity that they can’t be overlooked. Hopefully, Raw Fury will fix these hiccups quickly because, without those flaws, Sable truly is a beautiful and minimalist journey through an open world that is a joy to explore.
Blizzard attempts to breathe fresh life into an iconic classic with a fresh coat of paint and minor quality of life upgrades in Diablo 2: Resurrected.
Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous provides an impressively deep CRPG experience, but tosses in some frustration and bugs to go with it.
Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a short but sweet action-adventure game with a heartwarming story and great graphics that make it feel like a Disney movie.
And hopefully, the Judgement series will get to act as a continuation of that formula for a long time to come, as Lost Judgment proves time and time again that it's worthy of carrying the traditional, action-heavy direction of the series. Its detective elements may be lacking and its third act is slow, but it more than makes up for it, offering spectacle-heavy set pieces, an engrossing mystery, and a bounty of fantastic side missions. Whether a diehard fan of the Yakuza franchise or a newcomer looking to see what all the fuss is about, Lost Judgment is a thrilling adventure that shouldn't be missed.