It still has some of the technical issues we’ve seen from 4A Games before, but Metro Exodus stands as a terrific post-apocalyptic shooter that expands on the series’ customization options and environments without ignoring its survival roots. 4A Games remains committed to turning author Dmitry Glukhovsky’s stories into (barely) living and breathing worlds, offering brief glimpses of hope in an otherwise depressing and occasionally nihilistic tale. Exodus establishes Metro as one of the great narrative-focused shooters, and it proves that exciting action doesn’t have to come at detriment to story.

Kingdom Hearts III plays similarly to its PS2 predecessors while bringing new elements to the gameplay that make it feel incredibly modern. Each of the seven Disney worlds bring a truly magical experience, and the combat underlines this thanks to the addition of some new, truly spectacular moves. The convoluted overarching story sometimes gets in the way of the wonder and charm, but ultimately, KH3 has enough heart to keep you coming back for more.

Dead Cells is frenetism in its purest form, and one of the few games in the genre that can grant a sense of progression and skill in the first few minutes, without demanding a grind from the player or a slow-paced levelling system. It takes you in with a powerful soundtrack and a gorgeous visual style, but it’s the combat and how quick and responsive the controls are that make it stand out from the rest.

While Resident Evil 2 could have bettered its story structure for 2019, there’s no denying that Capcom has delivered an impressive remake fully worthy of its title. The scares, classic environments, and drama are all fully intact. With voice performances that aren’t laughable and an upgrade to the audio, it all feels way more believable and authentic. Resident Evil 7 may have showed us that the series could exist as a first-person franchise, but Resident Evil 2 proves Capcom has plenty more to offer in the future.

While Gear Club Unlimited 2’s offerings are considerably thin in comparison to its competitors, it’s approachable gameplay, customizable controls, and emphasis on group play make it a considerable choice for the Nintendo Switch.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a game so comprehensive and engaging that it’s difficult to see where Nintendo and Sakurai can take the series next. The sheer number of options and modes you have to choose from can keep you and your friends busy for hours or days at a time, and even those uninterested in fighting games will be impressed by the reverence and love that its developers showed to every included franchise. You can’t own a Switch without owning Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and for some, it might even be the only game you need on the system.

There’s explosive fun to be had in Just Cause 4, but it’s mostly a rehash of old ideas.

Fallout 76 is basically Fallout 4. That’s the reality. It shares many of the same strengths and many of the same flaws, but the addition of online play and a new map offers a fresh spin on the franchise. Players who regularly roll with a group of friends, or adore the Fallout franchise, are likely to find a place in this wasteland. We’re not sure everyone else will see the appeal, however — or if Fallout 76 will keep players coming back once the launch luster fades.

Darksiders III is a good action-adventure game that has the potential to become a great one if Gunfire Games can get it to run more smoothly. Fury is a delight to play and easily stands alongside War and Death. Some clever twists point to a very interesting fourth game, but that’s if Gunfire is given the chance. For fans of Zelda, Dark Souls, or Castlevania, there is plenty to enjoy here, and longtime Darksiders fans can be at ease knowing the series is in very capable hands.

Pokémon: Let’s Go is a streamlined, marvelous reimagining of Pokémon Yellow with mostly welcome improvements.

Pokémon: Let’s Go is a streamlined, marvelous reimagining of Pokémon Yellow with mostly welcome improvements.

Fallout games have long struggle with interface issues, but with the many other open-world games that offer a more streamlined experience, it’s hard to keep picking the one that bumbles something so essential...The problem is at its worst on PC. While aiming is easier due to the precision of a mouse, everything else feels designed with a controller in mind. The Pip-Boy is a real nuisance. You’ll find yourself constantly activating the wrong menu even after hours of play.

Right from the very first moments, Hitman 2 is a massive experience. Landscapes are gorgeous playgrounds for chasing objectives and the variety of tools and weapons at your disposal feels endless. Completing all the story missions is just scraping the surface of Hitman 2’s potential as it demands more finesse in your following visits, and shows promise for the future with its current roadmap. Hitman 2 takes everything we enjoyed from Hitman and improves on it, bringing forth the ultimate assassination game.

Battlefield V fails to impress the same way Battlefield 1 did. By all means, give it a try if you’re a fan of DICE’s previous work, but know that you’ll have to put up with some pretty glaring faults.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a magnificent open world game and one of the greatest games of all time. Its world offers unmatched attention to detail, the combat is excellent, and the story is among the best in a AAA game.

We wish Treyarch delivered a stellar campaign mode but it’s hard to deny that Black Ops 4 is still a success without it. The competitive multiplayer and Zombies modes are as engaging as they’ve ever been, and Blackout manages to deliver a battle royale experience we want to play way more than PUBG or Fortnite. The game certainly chased some trends this year, but its sheer polish is more than enough to make Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 the winner.

It’s the perfect racing game for the vast majority of gamers. Even for race sim fans, it’s going to be a delightful diversion for tired people who just can’t be bothered to focus hard and be very serious.

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey features a rich, lush world lessened by its repetitive activities. Though the main story is compelling, completing it requires you to participate in a massive amount of level grinding through less-than-stellar side quests. There’s plenty to do in this world, but a lot of it feels like busy work that fights to stay exciting or compelling. Odyssey is yet another open world game that misinterprets the meaning of more content.

Forsaken re-forges Destiny 2 with a dangerously addictive endgame.

Yes, FIFA 19 is largely the same game you got last year, especially if you don’t care about the campaign mode, The Journey. That said, it reliably delivers the excellent soccer simulation fans are looking for. While the new features don’t compliment what’s already there, they also don’t hinder an otherwise solid experience. Those who start playing FIFA 19 will find it very difficult to stop.

NBA2K’s latest installment proves to be an excellent basketball sim, bringing more refined, realistic gameplay, and balances to offense and defense. The MyCareer story is much improved, and the progression system feels more forgiving than previous iterations. While the rest of the package mostly mirrors what we’ve seen before, overall, these marked improvements to the series make it hard to hold it against 2K19.

Exciting from the title screen to the closing credits, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a tremendous thrill ride. It’s the definitive final chapter for story threads we’ve been following since 2013’s game, but also leaves the door open for more adventures in the future. We’ve got our fingers crossed that this isn’t Lara’s last hurrah. It doesn’t matter where she travels. Lara is going to be involved in some precarious predicaments, and we want to be there with her.

Whether a fan of Spider-Man himself, the open-world genre, or action games in general, Marvel’s Spider-Man is an excellent example of each.

Subset Games has delivered one of the tightest strategy games we’ve ever seen.

Dragon Quest XI is a hallmark of excellence for the genre, and while some may be put off by its adherence to classic tropes, it features a modern twist on combat, narrative elements, and character customization. It’s a hefty slice of throwback goodness without too much of the baggage that can come with old-school games.

Everyone insists the stakes are high, yet they never feel high, because nothing you care about is at risk.

F1 2018 nails the feeling of Formula 1 like few racing games ever have.

Madden NFL 19 offers an accessible Ultimate Team mode, a welcome player progression change, and minor gameplay tweaks that make the game ever so slightly more realistic. Longshot: Homecoming, however, is an unmitigated disaster.