Star Wars Battlefront II improves on the original with more maps and heroes, but there are fewer modes, and the online gameplay may waver over time for some. Regardless, the core gameplay is solid, and the new Galactic Assault is excellent. The single-player content is still slim, but the campaign is nonetheless a great inclusion that adds more than you’d think to the official canon. I’m not a huge fan of the Loot Crates, though I’d live with it for the promised free DLC, the first of which has content from The Last Jedi. Still, in a perfect world, Star Cards would be fairer to obtain and unlocking heroes wouldn’t be such a grind. EA plans to keep tweaking the game post launch and adding content through Live Service, and I’m intrigued to see how the game evolves over time. Overall, Star Wars Battlefront II isn’t a shooter for everybody, but it’s a must-have for fans. Indeed, the Force is strong with this one.

There's no denying that in the moment, the single-player campaign, the multiplayer modes, and Zombies mode are satisfying and create a well-tuned shooter experiences defined by super-high production values and polish. Take a longer view, however, and you're likely to feel more than a little ennui over the setting and a bit let down by a game that feels like a corporate decision rather than a passion project. World War II defined the course of nations and the fate of millions. Call of Duty: WWII misses the opportunity to find its own, unique or emotionally compelling journey through the conflict. It is a mechanically solid, visually impressive shooter bolted to a story we've seen too many times.

It may sound like I'm nitpicking a lot, but the issues I've highlighted are relatively minor when looking at The Evil Within 2 as a whole. This game is just plain fun. I don't remember the last time when I had completed a game's campaign and immediately wanted to start a new game and play it all over again. The Evil Within 2 had that effect on me. The constant shifting between the visceral gunplay and tense stealth sections provided hours of entertainment. The Evil Within 2 wears its inspirations unabashedly. The crafting and resource gathering feel like they were ripped straight out of The Last of Us. The gunplay and stealth feels similar to Resident Evil 4 or even Uncharted. The juxtaposition between open world areas and linear corridors has a Silent Hill: Downpour vibe. However, the folks over at Tango Gameworks have taken these inspirations and molded them into a mad scientist amalgamation of ideas that feel like its own beautiful, yet horrific, beast.

Doom is, at core, a classic first person shooter with satisfying weapons and lots of ways to kill and dismember a legion of demonic enemies from another dimension. The game's great level design and near-perfect pacing shine through on the Switch, and moment-to-moment gameplay is still a blast to play, though the framerate drop and somewhat gauzy visuals may irk players used to other versions. In the end, Doom on the Switch is a welcome bit of mature content and a fine shooter that transcends whatever compromises had to be made to port it to the system.

In the end, Nights of Azure 2 has a lot of things going for it. The game is easy to pick up and play and, for the most part, it's mindless fun accentuated by allies and pets helping you out on every step of the way. Graphics can be quite picturesque at times and the soundtrack is quite good on top of that. On the other hand, this game is just... so very repetitive, forcing you to revisit the same half-dozen areas over and over again without anything new to look forward to. This makes the game a mixed bag overall, but if you're looking for a solid hack-and-slash with plenty of T&A thrown in (and you don't mind the repetition), this may be just the game for you.

The New Colossus is a sometimes absurd, over-the-top single player action game that revels in stupidity but is also whip-crack smart about its themes and is happily willing to silence its guns for an extended series of emotionally honest and beautifully acted moments. Some of the character models aren't great (though the voice work uniformly is), there are some graphical issues here and there, and the testosterone-injected guitar riffs that underscore the firefights seem at grating odds with the setting and story. Very minor quibbles aside, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus -- like a few of the fanciful animals in the game -- bolts the head of serious political and social satire onto the body of a shooter and it all works amazingly well.

Super Mario Odyssey is a lovely experience from beginning to end. The sheer scope of the game can be a little overwhelming and there are some bumps you’ll encounter in your journey. If you’re searching for a solid experience on the Nintendo Switch beside The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, you should definitely take this odyssey with Mario.

In the end, Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds does what every good DLC should set out to do: give players more of what they love. Needless to say, if you enjoyed the base game, you will undoubtedly enjoy The Frozen Wilds as well. Given the game's success up to this point, I wouldn't be surprised if the Banuk isn't the last new tribe we'll encounter. For now though, just remember to dress in layers and stay warm!

A Hat in Time is that rare Kickstarted game that had a lofty goal and succeeded. Not only does the game live up to the 64-bit collectathon nostalgia that so many of us have been craving, but it also revamps the standard formula. Every level feels completely different from the last, and a diverse mission structure keeps the adventure from growing stale. It’s a wholly charming experience that made me smile silly. Hat Kid controls like a dream and is also a ridiculously cute mascot whom I’d like to see more of, along with more adorable hats. Anyone who has fond memories of the 3D platforming genre would do well to check out A Hat in Time.

Darkestville Castle is an admirable take on the point-and-click genre. It provides a unique perspective on the idea of morality in games in the form of a compelling protagonist. Cid immediately impresses thanks to some strong writing and voice acting. However, the game is bogged down by inconsistent storytelling, unintuitive puzzles and pacing issues throughout its runtime, making the merits much more difficult to appreciate. The genre veterans undeterred by Darkestville Castle’s rougher edges will find a charming story about demons and trickery worth experiencing. For everyone else, there are easier and more consistent adventure games deserving your time.

While the finale itself nearly falls apart in the beginning, it does manage to save itself in the end, much like the team it stars. I would love to see Telltale continue with the Guardians, but the series highlights some deeper flaws, like pacing and the ability to make emotional moments matter. These are issues that have reared their heads in other games, but seem to stick out here given the nature of the story and its structure. Overall. Guardians of the Galaxy is a fun, if slightly shallow ride, and I don’t mind having spent the time I did with this team of misfits. Saving the galaxy is one thing, but keeping it safe and staying together at the same time is another.

I really enjoyed Below the Bedrock and can’t wait to see how this season is going to close itself out. Telltale seems to have solved their pacing issue, and with the inclusion of the mystery element in finding Fred’s weapon, have added just enough outside of the general comedy to keep me invested. Will Jesse and crew be able to save Beacontown and defeat The Admin? We’ll find out with the next installment.

The Last Day of June is closer to a work of art than a game. It does more than just entertain. It imprints a lasting impression and a distinctive experience, like one special day you’d share with your loved ones, embolden with a compelling story, blissful music and exceptional art direction, and only slightly marred by the repetitive nature of the gameplay itself. I strongly recommend this title to anyone who’d like to enjoy an exclusive experience that only a work of art can offer.

As it is, PS4 version of Trulon: The Shadow Engine is sadly broken. It’s a crying shame because I really liked the game up to that point. With its spirited attitude, it even evoked vibes of old Final Fantasies, which is always a positive feeling. So, I’m calling out Kyy Games to patch the PS4 version. You owe it the customers who bought your game in a good will. When that happens, I’m happy to return to Trulon: The Shadow Engine and give it a score it would deserve based solely on its gameplay and presentation.

Despite some dubious gameplay design (failed mini-games can’t be replayed without restarting the whole sub-level) and problems with the fixed-camera position sometimes obscuring jumps, Super Lucky’s Tale is a solid platformer. It honors the tried and true genre clichés and for a mid-priced game, it doesn’t even need to present anything entirely new.

In a year packed to the brim with sprawling AAA blockbusters, the nearly claustrophobic hybrid that is Monolith still manages to leave a mark. It’s not revolutionary, but it deftly merges two genres that have largely been left separate. Most of all, it takes a lean but rock-solid framework and bolts just enough onto it to meet its goals. It accomplishes every one of them with ease, and it never attempts to do something it can’t excel at. It’s an example that more games should strive for.

Morphite definitely has its place on the PS4. While its shortage of depth discourages extended play sessions, the game fulfills its desired role as an escape - not just from the real world, but the explosiveness of other games. The things you're able to do are a collective excuse to soak in the experience, and that's precisely why I wanted there to be more of them. Regardless, it does enough to ease whatever tension you might be feeling and replace it with a serene brand of happiness, making it a solid stress-relief title.

The Solus Project kind of feels like No Man’s Sky without starships. The survival aspect is more robust and requires full attention to different health systems. The game could use a bit more polish in places, like better inventory management, more worthwhile exploration and more interesting caves. Overall, The Solus Project is a pretty solid adventure that left me feeling surprised with how it hooks into at certain moments. Although it ended up being one of those games I played to have something to do while catching up on podcasts, I caught myself getting more and more intrigued by the whole affair.

Sandwiched between the big-sellers of the season, Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection might just be the game you have been looking for - without even knowing it. There are so much going for it. The hero and the heroine are simply adorable, the world around them enchanting and the revised screenplay carefully crafted. Not to mention the accessible gameplay which doesn’t harass the players with incomprehensible rules or snobby attitude. You don’t even need to devote your whole life to the game. It takes about 30 hours to complete the adventure, give or take a few hours depending on your willingness to do the optional content (like treasure hunting and battling in G-Coliseum). As it stands, it would require quite a cold heart for not to fall in love with Zwei: The Ilvard Insurrection.

Standing tall above all else is a soundtrack that’s way better than I ever anticipated. It offers a collection of different genres, from light and breezy acoustic guitar tracks to boisterous and catchy as hell big band standards. The game’s boss encounters are a major detractor to the experience and I would have loved the option to skip them. The game would be much better for it, in my opinion. The VR nature of the game is pretty great, offering a control scheme that works perfectly for this style of platformer. By giving the player control over the environment instead of the player character, the amount of freedom you get from manipulating the world with two hands is substantial. Light Tracer wins you over with a sweet smile and cute demeanor but it hides a dark alter ego, one that has no qualms with putting you through a physical and emotional ringer.

Assassin’s Creed Origins is representative of Ubisoft Montreal taking a good, long look at the franchise and mixing things up. By moving the game away from its unique structure and into something within Grand Theft Auto and Horizon’s sphere of influence, it succeeds in upsetting the apple cart. The thing is, though, I found myself missing all the weird quirks that were indicative of an Assassin’s Creed adventure. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that I don’t have to wear out my controller’s R2 button anytime I wanted to run or climb (which is, like, 95% of the game). I suppose when you’ve stuck with something for so long, it is going to take some time to adjust. Assassin’s Creed Origins loses out on what made the series oddly charming however, I applaud the studio for trying something different and building an incredibly meaty and gorgeous action adventure title that’ll keep me busy through the rest of the year.

Hidden Dragon Legend’s cover art should appear in any search engine’s results for mixed bag. The combat it offers is challenging and genuinely fun, but the traversal that comes between it is far too often broken and unfair. As you run through Imperial China, you’ll be enchanted by the mood, only to be brought right back out by stiff cutscenes and terribly compressed weapon sounds. Upon reflection, I truly believe that MegaFun Games put real passion into this project, though; even the elements that don't work are laid out in a way where they'd be very enjoyable if they did. It's just a shame that the finished project is so deeply flawed.

Auto Age: Standoff is a tough one to recommend at $20. There's a great game wanting to claw its way out, but there’s hardly any content, and it doesn’t go far enough with its concept to leave any kind of lasting impact. I was ultimately left wanting more. There are upcoming content updates, but without a solid singleplayer mode or a strong playerbase, there's simply not much to enjoy here.

Graphically the game looks gorgeous. It evokes a hand drawn style that is lovely. I wish there was more interaction with the environments though. Usually you cannot interact with it at all, and there is a distinct lack of NPCs for the most part. Figment is one of the easier adventure style games, but I don't think that is a negative. However, if you are a big fan of the genre, or want more of a challenge, this really isn't for you. I am knocking points off for the uninspired combat and the lack of interactivity with the environment and NPCs, but overall it is a fun light adventure.

Danganronpa V3 is not without its flaws. Class trials don’t always pan out and pacing gets in the way at times, but this is still the same Danganronpa fans have grown to love over the years. The wonderful cast of characters and immersive plot coupled with a plethora of endgame options makes this a must-play game for fans and newcomers alike.

The game’s biggest strength is how it observes life through its characters and narrative design. Too bad some promising opportunities are missed. I can’t go into details without spoiling the story but as a long-time fan of Asian horror, I was disappointed by how Tokyo Dark eventually goes to obsessive lengths to explain its mystery. The excessive pile-up of endings only manages to undermine the room for interpretations, which seemed so open in the beginning. Some things should be better left as mysteries. In the end, I was most content with the first ending I got; a non-nonsense and weary recollection. Nonetheless, I found myself returning to the seedy streets of Tokyo, replaying the same events time and again.

With over 30 tracks, hundreds of impressively rendered cars, and a robust and option-rich single player campaign (not to mention endless single, one-off races), Forza 7 has to represent the current apex of the racing sim. While it isn't a decisive leap forward from Forza 6, neither is it a step back. The cars just get better looking, the handling more precise, and the overall experience more comprehensive and immersive. I can't wait to try it on the Xbox One X.

It's unfortunately easy to focus on what's lacking about Empyre, but the game's premise and setting are sufficiently original, and its combat is engaging enough to warrant a look. Perhaps given a larger team and a longer development process, some of the empty spaces could have been filled in. Some voice work, more attention to craft compelling characters, and a more nuanced and branching story in which the player could feel more important, would all help elevate the game to another level. If Empyre: Lords of the Sea was a novel, I'd say it was a promising first draft.