The multiplayer and replay ideas that Ubisoft implemented in Steep were great, and the game looks terrific. It’s held back as a whole, though, by listless controls, a directionless world, and an always-online requirement that brings everything crashing down like an avalanche when the servers decide to act up.

Final Fantasy XV is nowhere close to the game that we should have received after 10 years of waiting—but it also isn’t anywhere close to the trainwreck that it easily could have been. While the storytelling is a mess and the game feels incomplete far too often, there’s enough to love here—from combat, to exploration, to the four Japanese pretty boys that make up your main party—to make FFXV a road trip worth going on.

Much like the “Roaring Thunder” weapon, Dead Rising 4 banks on nostalgia and humor. While not much new exists in the beat ‘em up genre, this title has a lot of fun moments, delivering an enjoyable return to a zombie-infested Willamette.

A heartwarming story, a mysterious world, and a slowly-growing bond between two unlikely companions ensure that fans of Team Ico’s past work won’t be disappointed. Clunky controls and a handful of graphical issues, however, mean that The Last Guardian may not be an enjoyable game for everyone—though, either way, Trico is adorable.

A competent and fun stealth experience brought down by some technical issues and the inexplicable lack of new game plus.

No matter their preferred playstyle, gamers can expect an exciting journey through the Bay Area. With new devices and an entertaining ensemble of characters, this is an impressive evolution of the Watch Dogs franchise.

A couple technical issues aside, Sun/Moon might be the best Pokémon game yet. It freshens up a formula some of us PokéManics might not have realized was growing stale until now. Trials and Grand Trials provide variations on familiar gameplay, and the removal of HMs and telling players how effective their moves are rejuvenates battling.

A couple technical issues aside, Sun/Moon might be the best Pokémon game yet. It freshens up a formula some of us PokéManics might not have realized was growing stale until now. Trials and Grand Trials provide variations on familiar gameplay, and the removal of HMs and telling players how effective their moves are rejuvenates battling.

If you played it as each episode came out, or binge-played it all at once, something is lost each way from Hitman – Season 1, but not enough to detract from what is as a whole one of the most enjoyable and entertaining Hitman experiences we’ve ever had.

nfinite Warfare is one step forward; two steps back for Call of Duty. The multiplayer is still fun, but suspect microtransactions have left me wary. The campaign also gets more wrong than right with shoddy storytelling overshadowing the usually tight FPS gameplay. At the very least, we got a Zombies experience comparable to what we’ve seen in the past—and Modern Warfare Remastered was a fun stroll down memory lane.

I don’t know exactly how the idea to create World of Final Fantasy came about in the halls of Square Enix, but it’s a game that could have been so much better had it been given different focus. As it is, it’s a relatively enjoyable RPG that offers up some legitimately enjoyable moments while simultaneously causing you to sit in bewilderment at what you’re experiencing.

Titanfall 2 is to be respected for accomplishing all its objectives. Quantity in games is nice, but Titanfall 2 proves that quality is often preferable.

A weird, niche, visually out-of-date little game from a Japanese team you’ve probably never heard of became one of the best horror games to be released in America in years back in 2013. Now, it’s being given new life on the 3DS, and the changes it’s received make for a better experience—mostly.

RIGS is the first great PlayStation VR game. It can be a bit shallow with a lack of match types and game modes, but I cannot deny how great it feels to pilot my own mech into competition—and to do so with a natural-feeling control scheme that immerses players in the experience.

Playing WWE 2K17 is as frustrating as being a fan of Dolph Ziggler: There’s a lot of potential there, but those in charge of the game just won’t let it shine.

Battlefield 1 does a service to the series’ core fanbase with a unique, yet strangely familiar take on World War I.

Mafia III’s main plot is one of the better-written stories I’ve played in recent game history. The problem is the gameplay is bloated with a lot of busy work and weak side content that detracts from this great tale.

Sadly, Dragon Quest Builders isn’t quite the Dragon Quest meets Minecraft mash-up that I was really hoping for. What it does, however, is offer an engrossing adventure that proves giving a world-building engine some storyline, characters, and proper combat goes a long way.

Forza Horizon 3 pulls out all the stops to provide one of most fluid and enjoyable racing experiences out there. A must have for casual car fans and hardcore gearheads alike, Forza Horizon 3 may even surpass the mainline series in terms of fun with this effort.

Gears of War 4 looked at the series’ core formula and figured that if it wasn’t broken, don’t fix it. Most of the additions The Coalition put onto that core simply helped enhance and refine something that was already great. A couple of missteps were made, but this is still a great overall entry in the franchise.

Color Splash presents a beautifully crafted paper and cardboard world, populated by witty paper Toads and existential minions. Though it’s got its share of backtracking and battle system quirks, the new painting mechanics are satisfying, and the mini-story arcs are almost creative and clever enough to make you forget that your princess is (yet again) in another castle.

While new armor and weapons are sprinkled throughout Destiny: Rise of Iron, we can’t escape the feeling that we’ve seen this all before.

A solid sequel to the original, Yo-Kai Watch 2 opens up to the wild world outside of Springdale. With even more wild and wacky Yo-Kai to befriend and the added benefits of Internet connectivity, Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls stretch out to a wider breadth than ever before—though perhaps a slightly shallower depth.

A solid sequel to the original, Yo-Kai Watch 2 opens up to the wild world outside of Springdale. With even more wild and wacky Yo-Kai to befriend and the added benefits of Internet connectivity, Bony Spirits and Fleshy Souls stretch out to a wider breadth than ever before—though perhaps a slightly shallower depth.

Pro Evolution Soccer has never looked better, and with great controls to match, Pro Evo 2017’s core gameplay is incredible. However, a lack of licenses and repetitive commentary keep the title from shining as brightly as it could have.

Graphically, the game is hit or miss, littered with glitches and inconsistent quality seen in the player models. Throw in a lack of overall improvement year over year, and we’re left with a game that is good, but definitely not at the level we’re used to.

While Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse could easily have been a lazy reuse of content from its predecessor slapped together to make a quick buck, a different perspective on the story, a host of improvements, and the return of Shin Megami Tensei IV’s quality gameplay come together for a pseudo-sequel that’s a worthy experience.

FIFA’s commitment to an authentic soccer experience shines with a new story mode, improvements to graphics, an approachable learning curve, and a kick-ass soundtrack.