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407 game reviews
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    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    F1 2016
    If you're an F1 fan then it's probably a no-brainer. It has the latest tracks, includes all the latest rules, and the current line up of teams and drivers. If you're not an F1 fan but still like racing games it's still probably worth your time, thanks to an engaging career mode and enough granularity in the settings to make you work for that win.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition
    I don't mean to say Witcher 3 is unplayable or ruined by the effort spent getting it into Switch-compatible shape. However, completely new players should be warned that CDPR's cinematic vision for the game is compromised just enough to take this port out of my running for a clear-cut recommendation. If you've already played Witcher 3 and want an excuse to burn through it anew on the go, complete with convenient "fast forward to the expansions" shortcuts, then yes, this port is a great reason to return to Nilfgaard. If you don't have any other consoles or a decent gaming PC, then "Switcher 3" is absolutely playable.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Yakuza 0
    By now, the Yakuza series knows what butters its fans’ bread, and their spread of choice is theatrics. That means exaggerated comedy, tragedy, and more often, some uncommon blend of the two. The combat, while offbeat and satisfying in its own ways, is definitely a supporting role.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Destiny 2
    Until then, I have Destiny 2: a game that knows exactly what it is and isn't. D2 is bigger and better than its predecessor, and it keeps me coming back with mixed expectations of better loot—and clearer expectations of a good shooting time with friends. The former is fine, but the latter is what makes me recommend Destiny 2 right now for anybody eager for the next great chat-and-shoot gaming franchise.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Yakuza Kiwami 2
    Even a remake of perhaps the weakest Yakuza game in the series is hands-down a fantastic trip worth taking. Only skip it if you haven’t finished Yakuza 0 and Kiwami yet.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Ratchet & Clank
    By the end, Ratchet and Clank (2016) isn't just a better-playing copy of a now-classic action game; it packs in enough surprises to keep a decade-plus fan like myself surprised. For that matter, "better-playing" doesn't do this remake justice. This is the best blend of shooting, hopping, and humor the series has struck yet. Whether that's enough to overcome origin story fatigue—or general Ratchet and Clank fatigue—is an open question.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Valkyria Chronicles 4
    You don’t need to play the previous games to enjoy this side story of turn-based tactics in a fantastical WWII. You will need a lot of patience for character archetypes and massive difficulty spikes.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Kirby and the Forgotten Land
    Only near the end does the game crank up the difficulty substantially, mainly by rehashing old content with a few more enemies and fewer health items thrown in. At that point, though, you'll have upgraded Kirby's health and power, too. By the time I was refighting a bunch of old bosses, now with higher health bars, I felt like I was just going through the motions...But Kirby games have never been about mechanical challenge. Players come to these titles for a lighthearted romp where Kirby's ever-changing abilities provide a fun and dynamic diversion. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is more of the same, providing a smooth platforming experience that goes down so easy, you'll barely even notice you swallowed it.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Death Stranding: Director's Cut
    If you're on board with his insane premise, this is best version of Death Stranding to get.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Starcraft Remastered
    Buy it if you're still on the Brood War bandwagon. Try the free, old-school version if you're just curious how deep your nostalgia is for the game.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Pyre
    Pyre is a brilliant reinvention of the term “fantasy sports,” with story, visuals, and gameplay to die for. Go buy it.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    FIFA 17
    FIFA 17 is a typically slick offering from EA, but if you want the best football game PES 17 is the way to go.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    DOOM
    The best sign that Doom was doing something right came at the end of many of the game's firefights. Only when the driving music faded away and the "checkpoint reached" message appeared would I realize my entire body had been clenched up with the nonstop, adrenaline-soaked tension of it all for the last few minutes. I'll be damned if it didn't take me right back to playing Doom on that old 486 in my parents' living room decades ago. [Single-Player review]
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    DiRT 4
    Put off by DiRT Rally because it was too hard? This is the game for you. (Fans of DiRT Rally will also have fun.)
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
    It's hard to believe that throwing two disparate, popular franchises into a completely new genre works as well as it does. Believe it, though: Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is a fun and engaging introduction to the tactical RPG genre that can please neophytes and veterans alike.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Statik
    I will long remember Statik as an example of immaculate, interactive art. It's as valuable for its mechanics as its sheer experience. Statik is a must-buy game for any PSVR rig, right next to Resident Evil 7.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Project CARS 2
    Those who aren't huge fans of the genre may find Project CARS 2 a little too uncompromising, even if it is much more accessible than the first time around. If you just want to pick a fast car from the get-go and dive right in, you may find the learning curve too steep. But it looks good—especially in VR on the PC—and there are some cars and tracks that you simply won't find in any other current racing title. What's more, it's a significant step forward from the first Project CARS game. All told, CARS 2 should be catnip for the racing enthusiast.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    F1 2018
    Worth buying, even if you have last year's game. It's really good. [Ars Technica Approved]
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Rare Replay
    Buy it if you're an Xbox One owner who could use a deep dive into classic, super-hard games.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Pokemon Ultra Sun
    Anyone who skipped Sun and Moon has no excuse not to buy their Ultra successors. Returning players should know they're in for a slow start but should consider buying the new games anyway.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Horizon Zero Dawn: Complete Edition
    I'm a big fan of HZD, and on my most powerful PC, I can currently play a tolerable-if-blurry 4K version at a nearly locked 60fps (or a native 1440p version at around 68fps on a variable refresh rate monitor). And it's a great action game at 60fps and above, especially when you juggle hero Aloy's selection of weapons and traps to fake like a real robo-safari hunter. There's no modern action game quite like it.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Planet Coaster
    Deep tools and a strong community make Planet Coaster a thoroughly engrossing experience.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Destiny 2: Forsaken
    Destiny is fun again. Really fun. The end game is back, and there's a ton of stuff to do, with good reasons to do it. We can confidently say that Destiny 2 is now in a great spot, and it’s probably the best the franchise has ever been. If you can stomach dumping more money into the series and are in the mood for some grinding, it's a no-brainer purchase.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Gears of War 4
    If you own an Xbox One, you'll have a fine enough time thanks to smooth, 60-frames-per-second multiplayer combat. But the game's best performance—with higher settings and resolutions, still easily locked at 60fps—can only be yours if you have a moderately powerful Windows 10 PC.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Halo 5: Guardians
    Currently, there's still a lot of Halo 5 to love—and just about as much to raise our eyebrows at—but the multiplayer is the winner here. Even Warzone's card-collecting gimmick hasn't stopped us from loving the series' biggest battles yet, while our experiences in Arena have ranged from solid, standard Spartan blasting to some of the most eye-bulging fun we've had dueling on Xbox Live in years.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Gorogoa
    Even as a short-and-sweet game, it's hard to say goodbye to Gorogoa's story so soon.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Eliza
    I came out of Eliza with the sense that I'd been on a journey of juggling grief, hope, and joy through the existential dread that is living a modern, tech-filled life. And for that reason, I recommend this visual novel as a must-play experience. [Ars Technica Approved]
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
    DX:MD packs in more Deus Ex, mostly polished, with tons of plot that we don't want to spoil, a bazillion side quests and optional plot to sink your teeth into, a likable story, missions so good that I have described them to friends as "boss levels," and a free side game with a tolerable microtransaction system. I'm still shocked. August is usually the triple-A dumping ground of the game-industry calendar, but August hasn't seen a game this good in years.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Frostpunk
    Frostpunk might not be the open-ended city builder to revitalize that genre, but its linear focus on specific undertakings could be nearly perfect with a few tweaks. As it is, I’ll likely keep on coming back to the last city on Earth, convinced that this time I’ve got the perfect build order to keep its residents happy and fed. Tough choices be damned.
    • 84 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Streets of Rage 4
    I'm in love with my biggest gaming surprise so far in 2020. SoR4 is easy to share with friends and easy to get hooked on. Its levels are choreographed with tons of enemy types from across the series so that you don't land in the usual "ugh, same enemies again" fatigue that even the Genesis originals suffer from. And, heck, Lizardcube and Guard Crush were kind enough to bring back the cheesy two-player "battle" mode—and it's actually kind of legit, since it neatly implements the special attacks' new risk-and-reward proposition. If you're on board with the scant length and the game's urging that you replay it a few times for maximum value, I heartily encourage you to spend 10 satisfying hours with this beat-'em-up rebirth. [Ars Technica Approved]
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