Spider-Man: Miles Morales has a lot to say and it uses every available resource to communicate its messages and themes. Like Miles himself, it is earnest. Among other things, it depicts societal issues in an honest, digestible, and unabashed way. I said before that Spider-Man: Miles Morales establishes a new gold standard for superhero games but that’s not the only bar it’s moving. There are multiple bars set by Spider-Man: Miles Morales that developers should attempt to clear in future products.

A great entry into to Black Ops storyline. It gives an interesting view of the time, has a compelling storyline, and leaves you wanting more.

It is undeniable that the series is growing, and it’s admirable that the developers are willing to try new things. Overall, the experience works in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. It’s not a perfect fit, yet, but there’s promise in the series future if they continue to head in a direction that has more RPG elements, and options for a direct approach. It also feels like a proof of concept that they can continue to attempt virtually any setting with a decent chance of success.

It’s got a great story with a fun and inventive design. The “recruit anyone” mechanic is well designed and well implemented as are the ideas of what happens when characters are taken out of commission, regardless of whether you’re using the permadeath mode or not. The world is gorgeous, continually inviting you to dive back in and see what/who you can find.

I suppose that ultimately, what counts in a Soulsborne or Metroidvania or action-RPGs is combat, action, bosses and exploration and in all these areas, Vigil: The Longest Night makes a pretty strong case for itself. It’s a great looking game with a dark and lush visual style and melee combat against some challenging monsters and human type enemies. A tighter story and less labyrinthian levels might make a very good experience even more compelling, but Vigil: The Longest Night will probably please fans of Salt and Sanctuary and those looking for a solid 2D Dark Souls-like game.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit feels like a technology and toy that can work in the right conditions. If you have a home with a large living room or an office with some empty space, I could see you having a good time making a constrained course in a single room and racing around. The less space you have and more types of flooring, obstacles, and creativity you employ, the odds increase that you’ll be hit by constant and performance-hampering connection issues. Still, it seems like a step forward for remote control cars and like this could lead to something bigger and better down the road. For now, it’s a novelty that can sometimes feel like the best times come from using it to explore your home.

It’s hard not to imagine what could have been with better follow-through. It’s Star Wars, though, and cool ships and enormous spectacle are part of the fun. It’s alright that the story isn’t going to win any awards because it still does its job and doesn’t actively detract from the important parts of the game. Star Wars: Squadrons is the most accessible and potentially best way to experience one of the coolest parts of Star Wars.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is a solid platformer and a continuation of a series whose vibe and design still hasn’t been recreated in other titles. It’s a relief to see Crash’s legacy continue over 20 years later in a way that feels true to form.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds is striking for its simplicity. It is the game equivalent of a popcorn flick. This is something goofy, simple, affordable, and likely intended to be enjoyed in brief bursts. The Campaign and Battleground Challenge are each presented in bite-sized chunks. The various matches never tend to go over five minutes. Everything is quick and breezy, with systems that put everyone on equal footing. It’s not incredibly deep, the characters don’t always look great, and all the stuff with price-tags on it can be daunting, but it’s surprisingly entertaining. Especially if you’re jumping in for quick bursts and want a goofy wrestling game anyone can enjoy.

While there are issues, which are worst in MyCareer, it still is enjoyable. If you’re willing to play the long game and deal with the current difficulties, what you’re going to get is going to eventually be a good game with a solid experience. My guess is the issues will be fixed at least by the launch of the next gen systems so that every version of the game has a strong experience. The biggest issues might be fixed earlier. If you were dead set on getting the current-gen version, I’d say give it about a month. Things should be working better by then. And if you’re planning to play on console and upgrade to the next-gen consoles, get the Mamba edition. For $100, you got both the current and next-gen version as well as any fixes that had been put in.

It would be hard to recommend Marvel’s Avengers to anybody who is looking for a rich multiplayer experience. Despite being a live-service game, this is no Destiny. But Destiny was also pretty sparse when it first came out. There could be a lot of quality content in the game’s future, and it does seem that the developers want players to stick around for a while. There is a slew of post-launch content planned, after all. Spider-Man, who will be exclusive to PlayStation consoles, isn’t even due out until 2021. It is difficult to imagine what is meant to keep players grinding from now until then. The game is amazing for a weekend, but for several months? For the moment, it seems unlikely. Hopefully that will change.

Basically, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is a perfect remaster. It feels the way you expect the game to and has everything I loved about these two games. Everything looks more gorgeous than ever before. You have extra tasks in the original levels. There are incentives to keep going back into all of the levels to complete tasks, unlock new customization options, get stat points, and work toward getting over 700 Challenges done. There’s a great multiplayer option. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 isn’t just as good as you remembered, it’s better.

Madden NFL 21 is a game that is generally fine. It’s not extraordinarily exciting, sure. There are some minor additions that work well, like the Skill Stick, and major ones that could have promise after the growing pain patches are out, like The Yard. A lot of elements feel the same as they did last year, like Franchise and MUT, and Face of the Franchise shows there’s still a struggle to have a really good story mode. It’s okay, but people who have and are still enjoying Madden 20 might not feel a need to upgrade.

For a car or racing enthusiast, Project Cars 3 has a lot to offer. The depth of customizing, upgrading, and tuning up cars is impressive. The track-time experience is a lot of fun and generally feels realistic. When you pause it to enter “Photo Mode,” there’s also a variety of customization options to capture the drama of a race. The only question I have is how/if they will reoptimize for the next gen consoles. If you’re big on racing games, while it doesn’t really offer much that’s new to the equation, Project Cars 3 is a buy. See you on the track.

Because it is practically the only game in the genre, EA Sports UFC 4 is the uncontested champion. The fact that it singlehandedly fills a nice isn’t the only reason to play it, though. Once you grasp the basics, EA Sports UFC 4 is a deep game that lets you engage with it on your own terms. You can get by on easy mode, or you can rely on skills and abilities to compensate. You can simulate training if you just want to fight. If you want to develop a mastery over the game, the training menus offer a wealth of information and practice mode is very accommodating. If you want to learn about optimal builds and “hit boxes,” there are already a variety of communities online who excitedly welcome the opportunity to geek out about the game’s technical side. That’s where I’ll be going to improve my ground game. A week ago, I couldn’t imagine saying such a thing.

Ghost of Tsushima is a gorgeous game that has Sucker Punch taking its shot at telling its own samurai story. The combat feels great; and you have a lot of freedom when it comes to building up Jin. It’s simply a stunning way to say goodbye to the PS4.

There is fun to be had with Paper Mario: The Origami King. That much is certain. It is a beautiful game with delightful music and clever moments. Its boss fights especially do a good job of making you feel smart. But, while it looks like a Paper Mario game, it doesn’t feel like its predecessors and abandons more of the RPG elements that originally made this series so special.

The Last of Us Part II is difficult to play, and not because it is a poorly constructed game. Rather, it is a challenge because Naughty Dog forces people to take such a long, hard look at the terrible things people are capable of doing to one another. We can see people who we should hate and despise in situations where we pity them and can be appalled by what a character we like goes through and does to others. It is a bookend to its predecessor. People will be talking about The Last of Us Part II for years to come. They’ll be analyzing the story, if it needed to go to the lengths that it does, and considering the effect its world-building, gameplay mechanics, and accessibility options will have for years to come.

I suppose the best way to describe Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath is as a finishing move of its own. Though, it’d be a Friendship, rather than a Fatality. It’s in many ways a means of NetherRealm showing appreciation for the series’ history. The free additions pay tribute to the past by bringing back old moves in a gorgeous way. The paid elements give two more classic fighters a chance to return, Robocop a chance to dole out justice, and an even better capper to a story that gives returning fighters who showed up as DLC a place in the story. It’s all handled incredibly well and, to be honest, even people who just come back to the game for the massive free update and its balance updates and additions will be more than satisfied.

Minecraft Dungeons is a rare sort of game that’s probably only possible due to the Minecraft brand’s phenomenal success. RPGs are a relative niche, and historically you’re just supposed to happen upon them and sink or swim. Sure, there’s stuff like Pokemon, but there isn’t really an equivalent for the likes of Diablo. Mojang Studios has used Minecraft as a sort of vessel, with which they can teach that demographic the basic ins and outs of a new genre. And oldheads like myself who live and breathe this stuff can appreciate that mission, especially if they have kids to share it with. Minecraft Dungeons won’t do much for you if you’re looking for a new, true blue dungeon crawler. But if you have a little one to tag along on your expeditions, this is an accessible, cheerful, and polished romp perfect for extra bonding time.

Had it come before Resident Evil 2, perhaps I would have been fonder of it. But as is, it feels like it doesn’t do as much or go as far as its predecessor, an issue exacerbated by the removal of some of its challenging and unique elements. It is worth playing, but people should enter with tempered expectations.

From Cloud’s journey of self re-discovery and vulnerability to Mark Hammil hamming it up as Don Corneo, expansion of as much minutia as possible feels like the primary goal here. And that goal is met in glorious fashion. Final Fantasy VII Remake reveres its source material, but isn’t afraid to get sillier, weirder, and even more earnest and emotional. It’s a classic, old school JRPG from the 90s, reimagined as a bloated, contemporary triple-a video game. It’s also, in a way, a significant meta text, but you’ll have to dive into that aspect on your own. Final Fantasy VII Remake is going to be weird in so many different ways for so many different people, and for that reason alone I have to give it an enthusiastic recommendation.

Thanks to the simple combat, sterile environments, and weird balancing, playing Bleeding Edge feels more grindy and repetitive than any other game I’ve played in this space. The characters are all pretty cool and weird, but when everything is zoomed out and the gameplay loop repeats itself over and over, everything just, well, bleeds together and loses its edge.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons could end up being the most important game of 2020. It certainly will be one of its best. It will be the coping mechanism that helps people both recover from and overcome the dark things around them.

It’s weird to feel so disappointed by something so awesome. DOOM Eternal is a constant state of whiplash between being in absolute awe at the game’s mechanical brilliance, only to be snatched in the extreme opposite direction by stale storytelling and environmental padding. I miss the gore nests, the simple but well-presented story, and sardonic overtones that made 2016’s DOOM such a big hit for me. The air-dashing, grappling, and tons of unlockable stuff is cool, and Doomguy’s personal quarters in his weird spaceship/castle gimmick is pretty funny. But while there’s nothing outright bad or poorly crafted in DOOM Eternal, the direction id Software chose to head here just reeks of AAA homogeny. The last game had teeth; DOOM Eternal feels like it sold out a little.

Anyone looking for a challenge will be stoked to live in this world, although less seasoned folks might crash into walls within Yokai Realm sequences. Still, Nioh 2 is a great sequel, with tons of depth and secrets to explore alongside the masocore combat loop. Team Ninja has really changed its output style over the years, and it’s nailing this scene for sure.

Darksiders Genesis isn’t a bad game. It has a lot of potential to it and there are some things it does well. I especially liked the twists to its story. The problem is that it is pretty clear it didn’t get the same level of attention as its predecessors. Elements of its design makes it feel like corners were cut in an effort to get things done as efficiently as possible. This can mean some platforming segments are difficult to get past and a little perhaps the puzzles could have actually been challenging.

The action is solid and better than plenty of past Dragon Ball video game adventures, but the wholesome fan service is the real offering here. There isn’t enough of that, but what you do get is a great reminder of why Dragon Ball is still here.

I’m all for remasters of old games and keeping those same clunky mechanics with those old games, including the punishing difficulty. However, I want my sequels to old games to adapt and grow with the times. If Shenmue III had done that, it not only would have been a better game overall, it would have appealed to a bigger audience outside its cult following.

It isn’t perfect, with some characters who might look a little too familiar from past appearances, an incomplete Pokedex, but it is still has the same satisfying gameplay loop, array of characters to collect, and a series of gyms you’ll feel compelled to challenge. Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun and will get people thinking about things to come.

It isn’t perfect, with some characters who might look a little too familiar from past appearances, an incomplete Pokedex, but it is still has the same satisfying gameplay loop, array of characters to collect, and a series of gyms you’ll feel compelled to challenge. Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun and will get people thinking about things to come.

It isn’t perfect, with some characters who might look a little too familiar from past appearances, an incomplete Pokedex, but it is still has the same satisfying gameplay loop, array of characters to collect, and a series of gyms you’ll feel compelled to challenge. Pokemon Sword and Shield are a lot of fun and will get people thinking about things to come.

It’s almost comparable to the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed games, only with a new set of contemporary trends and a much larger budget. It’s janky, some of the set pieces are clumsy, and the storytelling is more of a miss than a hit. Still, the intergalactic exploration is seasoned with Metroidvania-lite gatekeeping and combat systems that successfully blend Star Wars flash with Soulslike danger and make the magic happen. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order has the spunk of a PS2 game, the game design of a PS3 game, and the scale of a PS4 game. That’s a win in my book.

While this installment isn’t the most innovative, that isn’t what Need for Speed needs right now. It needs to build up a solid foundation again, so it can get itself into a good position to ride the slipstream behind other titles, ready itself, then overtake it to possibly come out on top. There are some strong elements here, and the balance between day and night activities can provide a good loop. It handles well, not letting obstacles get in people’s way, and gives folks a lot of extras to shoot for. Yes, it could use a more lifelike world, a more interesting story, and a better soundtrack. But, what’s here is fun. That’s what matters most right now.

Death Stranding will not be for everybody. It seems meticulously engineered for a pretty specific kind of nerd. My wife, for example, loves this game, and when she loves a game, she dumps hundreds of hours into it. Me? I merely like this game, and probably wouldn’t invest a bunch of time into it were it not for work. Of course, there will be people who won’t like the game at all; it will feel like a chore to them. Fortunately, it doesn’t take long to determine whether or not Death Stranding is a game for you. I recommend experiencing it in some way, though, be it through a stream or a borrowed copy, because I think it will be talked about for years to come.

At its core, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is lovely. The campaign is clearly crafted with care and is filled with personality. Each ally and enemy is detailed and expressive. Its challenges are never too demanding and the floors of the Last Resort are fun to explore alone or with a friend. ScareScraper can also be enjoyable, if you can get enough people to join you in tackling a tower. Really, ScreamPark is the only blemish in an otherwise delightful game.

Ultimately, I came away from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare confused about how to feel about it. I’m always down for some Call of Duty campaign nonsense and was super looking forward to it after Black Ops 4 skipped it entirely. When I started this story, I was stoked. It felt great to play, looked better than any previous entry, and seemed to have some real dramatic ambition. But then the story got going, and it was less thematically coherent than a Tom Clancy game. Both the campaign and (currently divisive) multiplayer add a lot of new angles and depth to the usual Call of Duty experience. Unfortunately, that all comes at the cost of a good story, and the last Modern Warfare had a great story.

With its revamped controls and tighter focus on growing your custom wrestlers in MyCareer, WWE 2K20 has a lot of good ideas propping it up. Unfortunately, the game is propped up on top of an uncharacteristically weak foundation. WWE 2K20 is an ugly video game, with gross-looking noodle hair, weird character faces, and PS2-looking NPCs. Add to that a lengthy MyCareer story fueled by corny and sloppy writing, and you get a game only the dedicated parts of the fanbase will love. At its core, there is still a great deal of fun in playing WWE2K20, but the technical issues, poor visuals, and bad writing make this year an easy one to skip, especially if you’re still playing through WWE 2K19.

In the end, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Breakpoint never finds its groove. There are so many different things to do that you would think that there’s something in this game for everybody, but that’s not really the case. Instead, most things just feel pointless or function as a distraction from its core gameplay, which is already a composite of disparate elements. In a way, Ghost Recon: Breakpoint is like listening to rock, jazz, and reggae, only you’re doing all these things at the same time, none of the albums are that good to begin with, and the end result is a confusing cacophony of noise that is far less than the sum of its parts. You’d be better off participating in a more focused experience.

FIFA 20 feels like it might be a more divisive entry than usual. In altering the physics and game flow so dramatically, the team risks alienating just as many players as it hopes to bring in. That said, everything that makes FIFA what it is remains intact, with the usual attempts at streamlining and bug-wrangling. VOLTA is the big draw, with its community-driven structures and inclusive character creation. While plenty of fans will no doubt immediately jump to their favorite corners of FIFA, this year’s attempt at trying something new feels almost like its own game. EA Sports has been trying more and more lately to put a little something for everyone in each title, and FIFA 20 does exactly that.

Perhaps the best way to describe Borderlands 3 is to say it is exactly the game you would expect it to be. There are plenty of familiar faces, and it has the same sort of ambiance and atmosphere. People will still keep going into quest after quest for the same reasons (loot). While it might be difficult to accept the new villains after a great one like Handsome Jack, the twins are fine. Most importantly, the new Vault Hunters work well and the game is as fun to play alone as it is with friends. It looks, works, and plays well, and fans of the series will be more than happy to join the Crimson Raiders.

Gears 5 is a sequel that delivers on everything I was hoping Gears of War 4 would be. It’s the same tried and true gameplay loop, but with more console power juicing it up and a few new gadgets, weapons and tools to play around with. The open world stuff is sort of boring, but it’s at least nice to look at, and the co-op experience being so well integrated makes up for it (minus the dreadful, illegible UI). There’s much more ambition and creativity in its storytelling and more competent writing from a mechanical standpoint. Combined with a clean, user-friendly multiplayer suite that even finds time to add brand new ways to play, Gears 5 is a standout even among its own series. It’s rough around the edges, but in a good way.

It’s a shame that the surrounding structures don’t hold up, because the in-game experience of NBA 2K20 remains top-class. Another year of refinements has smoothed out some rough edges of the basketball gameplay that was already worth seeking out. The level of control you have over shot types is both useful and entertaining. Defensive assignments feel like they work more consistently. The commentary repeats itself less. They’re great moves forward. But if you engage with the modes 2K seems to want to push most, you’ll have to deal with baggage that weighs down the experience.

Wreckfest combines the exact right elements to create something amazing. It's big, ridiculous, loud, and chaotic. It's full of features to dig into, too, like a photo mode, a garage, a market of cars, and the ability to paint vehicles. Most importantly, you can drive a sofa, complete with coffee table, into the side of a school bus. Wreckfest is an absolute blast.

It has a great division of labor between its school and battlefield segments. The characters are all quite likeable. The three storylines are different enough to beg additional replays, as is the promise of knowing everyone has unseen potential to become the units you want them to be. It’s a fantastic game that will easily become one of the NIntendo Switch’s most memorable titles.

However it got here, it’s a distilled, slightly faster game that focuses on ironing out its rough spots rather than introducing anything that could cause new ones. And as much as we love the spectacle of an attempt at interactive story or the novelty of a quirky new side mode, enhancing the part people actually play could be of more long-term value.

In the end, I feel like I’ll continue to struggle with how I truly feel about Wolfenstein: Youngblood. Its strange and uncomfortable structure, or rather my reaction to it, clearly stems from my love for the “normal” games. It isn’t more of what I loved; therefore, it’s scary. At the same time, some of those scary things are legitimate frustrations that seem to compromise the game to make it more gimmicky. It’s still as charming as ever, and is full of fun characters and dialogue, which makes it harder to really be disappointed. Wolfenstein: Youngblood comes off as a big experiment, and attempts to take something people like and do something new with it. I’m glad MachineGames was afforded the creative leeway to make it.

There are a lot of things Super Mario Maker 2 gets right. The course creation tools are solid, and the tutorial lessons and story mode levels are good at helping people understand how things work and what they might want to do to create a fun level. It is disappointing the local multiplayer doesn’t work as well and the game seems to ignore that people already have friends lists with people who they may want to play with or whose work they may want to see. Still, it is a promising game, and one that only has the potential to get better. Especially since getting to play online with friends is a feature that will come eventually.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled feels a bit too derivative, obviously borrowing ideas from competitors. But it’s also the most distinctly challenging of the bunch, almost working best as a single-player endeavor rather than a fun, multiplayer party game. It’s hard to tell if there’s room for that, as Activision itself seemed to struggle with how to sell this one. Crash Bandicoot fans will certainly be happy, and are likely already on board. Those looking for a challenge will have a good time chasing trophies. Casual/Party players who like kart games probably will want to stick with Sonic and Mario.

With some patches and some polishing, Team Sonic Racing could be satisfactory. It has some interesting ideas. Getting to race with other people and help one another, in the name of everyone in your group doing better, has some merit. The campaign also is goofy in a good sort of way. There just needs to be some balancing, so people have a reason to pick people who aren’t Speed types, and the online races need to be fixed so people aren’t being booted or find themselves victimized by unbearable glitches.

Rage 2 is presented as a wild ride through a post-apocalyptic playground, with people invited to attend a festival of blood, guts, and spray paint. Wacky characters and bright colors adorn the box art and marketing materials, but the reality of the game is much less colorful. Were the outside trimmings more accurate, they would feature a grey supercop holding an assault rifle. The pizzazz and graffiti are merely background decoration for a collection of tropes and mechanics we’ve seen elsewhere, done better by the same developers to boot. It’s certainly fun to play, and shooter diehards who love open worlds will likely have a blast checking off objectives and discovering new powers, but anyone looking for more style or substance will be disappointed.

If the grind gets cut back and maybe the internet restrictions relaxed, it could end up becoming one of the most solid and beloved entries in the series.

There is a lot to Days Gone, and it is a larger game than people might expect.

It’s a game that asks you to succeed on your own and creates an intimate, engaging experience as a result. Oh, and you can pause the game to use items or take a breather this time around, because really, the game doesn’t need to be any more difficult than it already is. It has already found the perfect balance of risk and reward.

MLB the Show 19 has a lot to offer. If someone has a hankering for a new sports game, it is here with easy to understand controls and tips and enough modes to let you quickly get started. If you know what you're in for with the series, then the new March to October and Moments modes will give you chances to see what sports legends' lives were like or take a specific team to victory over the course of a season. If it is all new, you have plenty of quick play, simulation, and extended modes that will let you prove yourself, live the life of a player, manage a team, create a team, and generally succeed. It's a robust game that will keep people in the game throughout 2019 and beyond.

I never once thought I was experiencing something exciting, unique, or creative when I played this game, yet hours of my life seem to have vanished. Loot shooters are an increasingly crowded space, and The Division 2 is fighting a losing battle for my attention.

Aside from my story gripes with Lady and Trish and my couple of issues with the Devil Breaker, Devil May Cry 5 practically exceeded my expectations. As a fan of the series all the way back to day one, and especially a fan of Devil May Cry 4 and my man dude Nero, Devil May Cry 5 is not only an excellent character action game. It’s also a mostly satisfying end to the story. I’m sure there’s more Devil May Cry to be had from here, but the story that started all the way back 2001 finally feels like a complete work, and that’s a rare treat.

The PvE-only aspect is a nice touch, and it’s refreshing in a world where so many games like to focus on pitting player against player. The problem is that the enemies are rarely more than bullet fodder, and you don’t need to be much of a team in order to take them down. Still, Anthem is rife with potential and we’ve seen games transform into something amazing post-launch. I am hoping that will be the case for Anthem.

From a big picture perspective, Far Cry: New Dawn is fine. It hits a lot of checkboxes that have come to define what Far Cry is and manages to wring some newness and intrigue out of its reused map. While the storytelling is even more unfocused than the previous game (though much less disappointing, due to a noticeable walkback on pretense), new gameplay additions like breezy RPG progression and the Expedition missions make it a fun ride all the way through. Far Cry: New Dawn still has a lot of familiar snags, but the overall experience makes for a solid weekend or two of Hollywood-style gaming.

Terry Crews is here, but he isn't given a chance to really steal the show. (Which is what we know he does best.) It isn't well organized, when it comes to missions and following the story. What is available works well enough, but it doesn't do anything to really set itself apart in a way you would expect from a AAA, first-party game.

Metro Exodus is a departure from the cookie-cutter shooters, focusing on a gripping single-player narrative and a more cautious pace than the adrenaline fueled, multiplayer-focused titles bloating the genre. Every character is fully fleshed out, the stealth and survival mechanics are a delight for careful, completionist gamers, and the setting is as varied and detailed a post-apocalyptic playground as you’re going to find.

There is so much game here in Kingdom Hearts 3, and it’s all coming from the mind of an auteur with far too much power. But if you dare to take that plunge, as much of an investment as it is, there is a great adventure to be had here. So much adventure. Probably too much. After all, this isn’t really Kingdom Hearts 3. It’s more like, seven, or ten, or something.

This remake is, without a doubt, the best way to experience Resident Evil 2. Not only is it graphically and mechanically superior to the original, but it contains new content and better characterization. This is especially valuable, as the original hasn’t aged well and its control scheme is more of a novelty that’s worth checking out. I’ll also make this claim: it is no longer a given that the often exalted Resident Evil 4 is the best Resident Evil to date. I’ll gladly argue with anybody who is willing that Resident Evil 2 is better. It is my hope that this debate lasts until the next Resident Evil game that, if Capcom is smart, will use this nearly perfect game as a guideline.

While it’s not a very newcomer-friendly series, both in terms of gameplay and catching up with the story, it’s so well-constructed and compelling that I didn’t have much trouble being motivated to play and learn, even after dismal failures that sent me all the way to the beginning of some missions. Fans of Ace Combat will no doubt be all over this big return, and while anyone on the outside looking in won’t be able to just hit the ground running, there is enough substance here to make that daunting journey worthwhile.

I’ve been playing for hours and still don’t have all the characters, and I still feel like there are menu options I haven’t even touched yet. But at the same time, I feel like I’m deeply satisfied, as what I have chosen to do has scratched gaming itches for me I didn’t even know a Super Smash Bros. game was capable of. This is a massive game in both scale and cultural weight, one that wears its far-reaching subtitles as badges of pride.

Other than laughter and the occasional satisfaction of seeing a crazy plan come together, Just Cause 4 doesn’t illicit much of an emotional response. It’s ugly, monotone, and almost feels incomplete. Even some of the character animations look lazy, as though the characters themselves are saving their energy for something. The game isn’t without its charm, certainly, but that charm doesn’t amount to much when it is marred by a plethora of other issues. Just Cause 4 approaches its potential, but doesn’t quite seize it. Considering how well the game performs at its peak, that is a real shame.

Ultimately, while the setting, characters, and storytelling feel right at home, Darksiders III swings for the fences with its combat ambitions and only just barely manages to get on base. It gets points for trying something new, but the end result is a muddled set of ideas that clash with each other, with nothing in place to soften that collision.

Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee! and Pokemon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! are an amazing glimpse into what a console version of the “core” Pokemon games will look like. It does such a good job of revitalizing an old game that I almost have to wonder if the entire point is to channel the wave of Pokemon Go players into the rest of the franchise. That said, this game is deep enough that I wouldn’t mind seeing its elements carry over into other games.

Pokemon: Let’s Go, Eevee! is a powerful example of what Pokemon can and should be like on a console, and I’d love to see the best elements of this title get rolled into the next evolution of the series.

Bethesda claims that the Fallout 76 servers will last “forever” and, while it may not take that long to patch bugs and improve the experience, my foray with the launch version has left me with an abundance of bullet points that need attention. My biggest hope is that Bethesda will take our suggestions and criticisms as a call to action to tweak the faulty mechanics and build more features into a game that has a ton of potential.

2016’s Battlefield 1 was a refreshing revisit to the first World War that introduced new elements to the genre. Battlefield V refines some of those features, but doesn’t break any new innovative ground. It has enough content to keep you occupied, possesses a decent progression system that keeps you invested, and will receive free future DLC without a whiff of loot crates or microtransactions. However, it follows an expected blueprint that may quickly grow stale for players looking for a fresh FPS experience.

Hitman 2 is for people who liked the episodic Hitman and wanted to see maps that were more even and consistent, have access to additional equipment for Agent 47, and generally get more of what they wanted. It does have some issues where it can feel disjointed, but this is really most noticeable in the campaign and will not be an issue for folks who want to take on contracts, hunt down Elusive Targets, complete challenges, and learn everything they need to know about each of the locations in the game. The Ghost Mode has potential for those who feel like they are going to put upwards of 30 hours into it, but I feel like it could be a while before Sniper Assassin hits its peek. If you are an Agent 47 fan, it is time to grab your briefcase and put on your suit again.

There is a constant question as to whether or not games are art. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a game that is going to be used as evidence for that argument from here on out. It is quite likely everything people who played Red Dead Redemption would want or need it to be. This game is, at times, a power fantasy that allows people to give in to baser instincts and revel in chaos. It is also an examination of honor and morality in a man who is callous and hardened. There are even times when it explores and embraces downtime in the same way a Studio Ghibli does, practically begging players to savor the vistas, watch wildlife, and enjoy the ride.

This is a game that makes it easy for people of all skill levels to hop in and find a mode that suits them. You have over 20 possible fighters to choose from. If you like the feel, but not the look, of one, you can make your own using its playstyle and weapon. The various campaigns do a good job of telling a story while also giving people plenty of interactive fighting or exploration segments. The battling options offer shorter experiences against virtual and actual opponents to test you on what you have learned as you try to fight evil. There is so much to do here, which people willing to invest a lot of time will very likely appreciate.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 is a game that looks at the entire first-person shooter genre, past and present, takes all the best ideas, and assembles them into what feels like the easiest to recommend shooter I have ever played. The only caveat to that recommendation is that some gamers will find themselves absolutely ignoring two thirds of what the game has to offer, and that makes me wonder if a different model of monetization would have been better suited for what feels like a collection of three different games.

With new kinds of ways to play that give this entry its own distinct identity, lacking something to do is never a worry here. From the surprisingly varied and fun single player options to the customization suites that have come into their own and endless multiplayer, WWE 2K19 is a wrestling game that feels closer to how fans picture a wrestling game than the series has in several years. It isn’t without its issues, but the efforts to keep this ship sailing are tangible here in ways I wasn’t seeing in the recent past.

Mega Man 11 is mechanically impressive, visually appealing, and gives the series the boost it needs to stand out from modern challengers. If Mega Man is a stranger to you, but you like platformers, just know that you’re going to be in uncharted territory. Returning fan or not, there is a very real possibility that you just might fall in love with this game.

If you have the time and patience, Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey is worth a look, if not for the meandering plot and lore, than for the history porn, the earnest humor, and the massive, mystery-filled world.

The Forza family of games continues to excel in technical quality and content quantity, raising the bar each year and giving the series a strong shot at being the best racing series ever. Forza Horizon 4 reinforces that statement with new ways to experience the joy of driving, whether alone, with friends, or fellow enthusiasts you happen to cross paths with in this gorgeous shared piece of Great Britain.

Honestly, I love soccer. I played it obsessively in my youth. I watch it when I can. It is my favorite sport by far, so it is with a heavy heart that I would say that a better option for sports fans looking for a visceral experience that is sorta, kind of, somewhat similar to soccer might find solace in NHL 19. That, of course, doesn’t apply to people who just want to play soccer and don’t care much for other sports. That’s okay, because this is definitely a good soccer game. It’s just not as good as it could be. It should be immediately apparent, due to a lack of modes, if this game isn’t for you. For that reason, I might suggest renting the game before jumping in feet first.

NHL 19 can be shaped into the hockey game you want it to be, which is lucky, because EA’s hockey games don’t have any real competition. If you were put off by NHL 18, which felt lazy, then NHL 19 is the apology you deserve. If you skipped NHL 18, then this game will be an even bigger leap forward for you. If you’ve never played a hockey game before, you can feel assured that the ponds and stadiums of this game will be accommodating. EA’s NHL 19 is a sports simulation, a fantasy league, a social hub, and a comforting arcade game all at once, and that is quite a thing to accomplish.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a messy ending to a messy remake of a messy franchise. But it’s messy in a way I was compelled to see through to the end, shining in ways that were engaging and faltering in ways that fall far from ruining anything.This Tomb Raider trilogy has been full of ambition and missteps, but never failures, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, despite its problems, ends things on a high note that reminded me both why I loved the 2013 reintroduction so much and why Rise of the Tomb Raider left me wanting. It lies somewhere in-between, and I’m glad the Trinity story has concluded so we can move on to something new again.

This is a game that is in need of some patches and, hopefully in future installments, adjustments that make the online interactions more enjoyable for people who do not want to grind endlessly or pay extra cash.

I found myself pleasantly surprised by Forsaken. I hesitantly dipped into it, but found myself jonesing for more whenever I put it down. Between the fun new story, excellent new game mode, and the buckets of new loot and equipment, I can seeDestiny 2 fans having a lot less to complain about… for now.

The lore is spot on and the pacing makes it feel like someone is going through Spider-Man comics brought to life.

While the new foundational changes are awesome and it’s more fun than ever to play Madden, it almost feels like it isn’t enough in comparison. It especially stings that the Longshot sequel feels so unsure of itself, despite its high production values. It’s easy enough to recommend Madden 19 to sports fans, but if I’m trying to get someone new started, it feels like last year’s game is required reading to get the most out of this year’s entry.

I found myself struggling to “get” it, worried I was some degree of incompetent or something. But the more I thought about it, the more I feel like The Crew 2 doesn’t get itself, either. It wants so desperately to be an open world experience that can seamlessly become race-like events in a games as service-like multiplayer setting. But we just aren’t there yet, so the races exist in pocket universes where you and some friends can battle the computer or you can go it alone. Either way, you’re just grinding for the sake of it.

It is a more diverse game, both in terms of the kinds of characters displayed and the sorts of choices people can make. Quantic Dream’s formula is evolving, even if it does rely on some of the same crutches.

If you were hoping for groundbreaking changes to the horror survival formula and pristine technical accomplishments, you will be disappointed. Nevertheless, for a bargain retail price, and as a launch title for subscribers of the Xbox Game Pass, it’s definitely worth of a look while keeping some change in your pocket.

God of War feels ambitious in the best kind of way: the messy kind. It’s not afraid to get its hands dirty digging at something it thinks is interesting, while knowing it might not find it at that moment. It’s fine with not telling you everything, or with dialing back on the usual tropes of loud music, brutal violence, and hamfisted emotional manipulation.

Far Cry 5 suffers from quest overload, but will give players plenty to do even after story completion.

MLB: The Show 18 is a refined experience that stands tall as the best baseball game currently on the market. Of all the iterations of the title, this is, to my eye, the definitive best and, I imagine, exactly what fans of the genre are looking for.

Sea of Thieves plots a course in the opposite direction of most big budget, predictable affairs. Loot is not about gaining power, and the thrill is in the voyage, not the destination. This may alienate some gamers, but it is a breath of fresh air for those willing to embrace the change. However, Rare will soon find the community clamoring for more content and improved social options to keep players invested and using their freedom to create limitless and fascinating stories.

Kirby: Star Allies is an all-together pleasant game. Which is especially needed, both in the Nintendo Switch library and in the current climate of 2018. We need something simple and enjoyable that brings a smile to our faces. We need a game we can play with anyone we know, without worrying about possible barriers. It is a delight, and Switch owners will definitely appreciate adventuring with their buddy again.

Metal Gear Survive is just another middling survival game, with a name-drop that doesn’t do it any favors.

There are over 80 playable characters, but tedious missions, repetitive storylines, a world with large expanses of nothing and no multiplayer.

This is the Monster Hunter game for the world. There is no better entry point for beginners and no better magnum opus for the series.

All of the characters in Iconoclasts have a lot of personality, there are multiple difficulty levels, and I always felt like I had a reason to return to previously explored areas to use new skills to reach different places.