While the game is still beautiful and has some redeeming qualities to it, it’s hard to explicitly recommend Deadlight: Director’s Cut to anyone except the most dedicated fans of the original or of Limbo-style games.

For a game that only exists because a die-hard group of fans demanded it, Mirror’s Edge Catalyst should have been better. Unfortunately, it’s a mediocre follow-up at best.

Total War: Warhammer manages to keep fans of both the Total War and Warhammer franchises happy, delivering excellent strategy gameplay and the best Warhammer video game to date.

One Piece: Burning Blood is an unremarkable adaptation of one of the franchise’s most popular story arcs, and may not even appeal to diehard One Piece fans.

Despite only a handful of maps, no story, and no ranking system upon release, Overwatch more than makes up for all of that with its masterful focus on teamwork. The game is clearly designed with teamwork at its heart, which is a major strength, but can also lead to frustrations for any lone wolf gamers.

We’re comfortable recommending this title to gamers looking for a quick fix of solid, 2D beat-’em-up action without many frills.

A tremendous return to form from Paradox. The title manages to mix complex strategy mechanics with a more lenient attitude towards newcomers to great success, granting a level of flexibility of play rarely seen in the genre.

This slog of a game fails to innovate or entertain for long on any level. Truly, this is one of the biggest wastes of potential in gaming.

Publisher Rising Star Games clearly saw something special with Lumo, and while it has its flaws, it’s probably as good as an isometric throwback can be. Gamers that grew up with the genre will enjoy Lumo for its nostalgic kick, but those that have never played an isometric adventure title like this may not be able to derive as much enjoyment from the game.

Fallout 4’s Far Harbor DLC offers a new zone with over 15 hours of engaging content that improves on the core game’s storytelling, but introduces a new puzzle mechanic that may scare away the purists.

The Banner Saga 2 is a must-have for fans of Stoic’s acclaimed original RPG, continuing the series with an equally strong narrative, beautiful visuals, and addictive combat.

Combat may become a little tedious after long stretches of play, the load times are a little lengthy, multiplayer is a smudge unbalanced, and SnapMap is a so-so addition, but the adrenaline-fueled gameplay and the ample replayability featured within the campaign makes this a standout entry in the FPS genre – let alone a worthwhile resurrection of DOOM.

Homefront: The Revolution is a mediocre FPS that squanders an intriguing concept, but worst of all the game is not fun to play and overwrought with repetition.

The latest Art Academy title arrives, throwing in the ability to draw iconic Disney characters. It’s a solid and soothing way to kill time, but is a little basic in its delivery.

Duelyst combines addictive, turn-based gameplay with a collect-them-all card game mentality to great effect, all wrapped up in solid visuals and free-to-play mechanics.

Battleborn has a strong cast of characters and exciting action, but suffers from a lack of content, frustrating server issues, and some questionable design choices.

From the tremendous environments to the incredible character work to the globetrotting story, the design of the game is second to none, setting a new bar for interactive experiences. It’s true that Naughty Dog puts a lot more stock into story and character, but even then Uncharted 4 is pure, unadulterated fun.

Back in 1995 is a game that aims to make gamers feel like it was 1995 again, and while it succeeds in garnering a retro aesthetic, it falls far short everywhere else.

There are some things to like about Party Hard, but overall, the game feels like a half-baked experience that doesn’t evolve beyond its basic premise.

Drinkbox Studios’ Severed is a touch-based, action RPG with an interesting premise, incredible visuals, and fun gameplay that simply overstays its welcome a little.

The season finale of The Walking Dead: Michonne is easily the best episode of the entire miniseries, and Telltale Games has once again delivered a compelling narrative with fully realized characters.

Ratchet and Clank makes the rest of the current-gen remasters looks lazy, by rebuilding the original game from the ground up and delivering a hilarious adventure full of enormous guns.

Feels like a return to form for the long-dormant series. The new control scheme courtesy of the Wii U GamePad makes it standout, alternate vehicles like the Arwing’s Walker form change up gameplay from existing predecessors, and the pure challenge present throughout every new area makes this a game that players will come back and jump into at a moment’s notice.

Enter the Gungeon is a charming bullet hell/roguelike hybrid that manages to balance the best elements of both its genre influences while carving out an identity of its own.

Bravely Second: End Layer isn’t quite the innovative powerhouse its predecessor was, but offers a more refined experience that learns from Bravely Default‘s mistakes.

Dark Souls 3 offers a unique experience that blends subtle storytelling, dark settings, and painfully difficult encounters to stand out from the crowd of other action games. The challenge is well worth the countless deaths and hours of practice for players who have the patience, but is likely one that should be skipped by gamers who prefer to get things right on the first try.

Quantum Break pushes the third-person genre through a star-studded cast and time-bending gameplay, although it lacks the replay value that many may have hoped for.

The second episode of The Walking Dead: Michonne continues where the first episode left off, but delivers less of a consistent experience than the season premiere.

Fallout 4’s first DLC, Automatron, is robot centric and although it doesn’t pack quite as many new quests as consumers may have hoped, it more than makes up for it with the robot workbench.

Into The Stars offers up a slow-paced but atmospheric space-themed survival sim, combining the gameplay elements of The Oregon Trail and Civilization with roguelike mechanics.

Hyrule Warriors Legends is a worthy port of the original The Legend of Zelda spin-off, allowing fans to take the game with them on the go – with a few noteworthy additions.

Ska Studios’ Salt and Sanctuary is obvious about trying to emulate Dark Souls, but offers enough deep gameplay and beautiful aesthetic to stand tall on its own.

With attractive new graphics and sensible tweaks to the game’s interaction interface, Day of the Tentacle Remastered is the definitive version of a classic.

Gamers who love stealth gameplay and freedom of choice should definitely give the new-and-improved Agent 47 a chance.

Horror-themed FPS Chasing Dead suffers from a lack of all-round polish, resulting in sluggish and sometimes confusing gameplay and awkward graphical issues.

Pokken Tournament is the first Pokemon-focused fighting game ever released, but the final product feels more like a barebones offering rather than a fleshed out product.

The Division delivers on its promise to provide an open-world shooter that scales well enough to play like a single-player campaign or a challenging four player co-op MMO.

Suppressive Fire Games releases Blood Alloy: Reborn after a failed Kickstarter campaign, but problems with basic gameplay elements severely hinder a title that had potential.

Pearl Abyss’ Black Desert Online is an incredibly detailed, visually gorgeous MMORPG that succeeds at nearly everything but having a beating heart and soul.

The extra coat of paint may not dry properly on all facets of the project, thanks to the amiibo-based paywall that will block some users from the new dungeon, but it’s a nice stop-gap that will easily tide fans over amidst the wait for the brand new The Legend of Zelda game arriving for Wii U later this year.

The Flame in the Flood offers up a sometimes overly-difficult survival adventure, but the fantastic visuals and tense gameplay provide plenty of reasons to keep going.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2‘s solo quests, hub world, and robust split-screen options make it a significant improvement over its predecessor.

The premiere episode of The Walking Dead: Michonne has all the qualities of a stellar TellTale Games series: the combat is enjoyable, the narrative is engaging, the choice system presents difficult options, and the episode is entertaining from start to finish.

It’s a refreshing take on a tried and true layout that manages to set up a solid structure within its sandbox environment. This is one of the good ones.

There’s little doubt that Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest delivers on every front that it promised fans, serving up an interesting narrative and tough-as-nails gameplay.

The engrossing story, the dune buggy, and the well-designed Harran countryside make The Following worth the pricier Dying Light season pass.

Layers of Fear delivers on its promise of a unique vision of gothic horror, but the game leans heavily on creepy dolls and other cliche genre gimmicks to jump scare players as they explore its shifting corridors.

Firaxis continues its excellent work on the XCOM franchise with XCOM 2, a game that improves upon all the elements of its predecessor and delivers a phenomenal strategic experience from start to finish.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: Russia is the third and final installment in the Assassin’s Creed 2.5D spin-off series, and it also happens to be the weakest entry yet.

A moving puzzle platformer bolstered by strong level design, a creative mechanic, and an unbelievably endearing main character

Even without much motivation to replay the short campaign, Firewatch is still well worth the $19.99 price tag for the beautiful landscape, compelling mystery, and amazing character development. Firewatch isn’t a game for everyone, but if you love a good mystery, this is a must play.

A fun – if challenging – addition to a Roguelike fan’s roster. It may not have all the bells and whistles of some of the more well-known titles on the market, and the gameplay may feel a little too old-school for some, but overall the game is a sharp, relentless strategy game with plenty of punch. Even without any text, Hieroglyphika proves to be a highly engaging experience.

Fortified may not be a sprawling, epic experience — but it’s a well-made game with mechanics that stand up to extended play. With great art design to boot, it’s a solid purchase for anyone looking for a mix of action and strategy, or their next co-op staple.

The finished product is just as arresting and enthralling as anyone could have expected.

Gravity Rush Remastered brings one of the PS Vita’s most significant exclusives to the TV screen, and it is by far the best way to experience the game.

Crashlands may not be as in-depth as some players may want, but the game is an entertaining action RPG romp that uses crafting mechanics without becoming tiresome. What’s more, the game is a laugh riot, and the wonderful tone of the title easily makes up for any technical shortcomings.

Darkest Dungeon is one of the best roguelike games to be had, and anyone who enjoys a challenging dungeon crawler will find themselves playing adventure after adventure with rotating rosters of forlorn heroes. At its heart, Darkest Dungeon is Lovecraftian horror of the finest caliber – it’s unforgiving, brutal, and filled with misfortune.

Since the first time through Dinocide can be fairly boring with only a couple of boss battles to break up the repetition, it makes replaying the game an undesirable prospect.

Stoic’s tactical RPG The Banner Saga makes its way to consoles, and still manages to deliver a fantastic, captivating story alongside a fun and challenging battle system.

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is just as wacky and enjoyable as any other past iteration of the series, but it fails to change things up in a meaningful way for longtime fans.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India makes some vast improvements over its predecessor in terms of style and gameplay while providing challenging 2D puzzles, but still lacks an engaging narrative.

Resident Evil 0 still stands as a classic, and gamers who loved it back in the day will likely enjoy the new additions and polished appearance. Newcomers to the series, however, will miss out on some references if they play this first instead of the original Resident Evil, but it’s still a decent place to start.

Pacing is a problem, but the experience can be a memorable one if you buy into Night School Studio’s concept.

Tharsis is a game for those who love tabletop gaming and a challenging experience. At its heart Tharsis is as unforgiving as it is entertaining, but it offers very little variety in terms of the overall game.

The game’s lack of engaging narrative and experimental soundtrack are likely to alienate some of the more casual gamers who would give Amplitude a shot.

Gamers who’ve never experienced the old-school variety of first person shooters may also still enjoy Turok – though it’s a bit more punishing than modern first person shooters, the availability of cheat codes and a wide arsenal of weapons and enemies should still make an entertaining adventure for gamers who don’t mind older, jagged-looking graphics.

Players will never be tested by the game’s combat, but instead by the awkward camera and just how long their patience proves to last. Although there are moments of quality, the title does little to prove its worth against other games of the same ilk.

The game is very rough around the edges, and the gameplay may not offer the level of depth many strategy fans may yearn for, but Immortal Empire is a fun title for those with a bit of time to spare.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing likely won’t be dragging too many players away from releases like Fallout 4. However, when the release schedule slows down in a few months time, there’s likely to be plenty of players who are pleasantly surprised by a trip to Borgovia.

Overall, Divinity: Original Sin Enhanced Edition shows that PC role-playing games can transfer over to the most recent console generation with relative ease.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege has the polish of a big budget release, but the amount of content that one expects to see from a low budget free-to-play game.

The sound of every gun and explosion are incredible and make it very difficult to not play this one with the surround sound on and the volume turned up way too loud.

Xenoblade Chronicles X is one of the prettier games on Nintendo’s Wii U console, and it’s a standout addition to the platform’s library. Setting aside the learning curve for newcomers and an astute lack of immediate aid from the game itself, the title offers fans a massive world that they’ll easily get lost in.

The brief enjoyment comes to a head after just a handful of play sessions, as there’s just not much else to do within the game afterwards. What is present seems like a good base for what could have been a really solid Mario outing, but it appears that Nintendo wasn’t willing to leave Camelot‘s latest in the oven quite long enough.

As far as season finales go, The Ice Dragon brings no shortage of excitement to the table, but fans looking for confirmation that their choices really mattered will be left disappointed.

Hard West may not reinvent the wheel, but it’s a visually imposing title that brings tactical combat to a new and intriguing setting. Gamers are unlikely to be playing Hard West for the long haul, but it’s a good blast whilst it lasts.

Star Wars Battlefront may not offer unlimited entertainment for years to come or the best environment for fiercely competitive gamers, but there’s no denying that it does a brilliant job of giving Star Wars fans a chance to walk around and live in the iconic universe.

Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash has all of the basics that can can make a platformer good, but unfortunately, the experience is marred by its basic gameplay and mechanics.

Darksiders 2: Deathinitve Edition may not offer much for those that have already had their fill of Death’s adventure on last-generation consoles, but newcomers will find a quality game that offers plenty of entertainment and playtime – frame rate issues, glitches, and the weak story notwithstanding.

When the player has truly got to grips with the ‘easy to learn, difficult to master’ parallax layer mechanics, together with additional skills Poncho acquires, the player will find themselves with a pretty, interesting, and fun platformer.

The insane amount, and variety, of content available in this game is going to make it an experience that players don’t want to walk away from for at least the next year. The graphics may hold it back from being the game that defines this console generation, but the unforgettable narrative and open-world experience are more than enough to make up for the slightly dated aesthetic.

Crystal Dynamics has put together one of the most riveting action/adventure titles of this generation. Even then, Rise of the Tomb Raider is a game that people will play, love, and be done with, and that’s okay. It’s said to take dedicated completionists over 30 hours of playing to gather all of the hidden treasures, survival caches, golden coins, and weapon parts, which makes for a solid bang for consumers’ hard-earned bucks. Plus, who doesn’t want to fight a bear?

Yo-Kai Watch is filled with charm, monsters to befriend, unique battle mechanics, and gameplay that keeps players engaged. Still, the title is filled with redundancies.

Cibele is much more of an interactive movie than it is a game, but neither the plot nor gameplay engage on enough of a level to make the short title – which we finished in an hour – worth the $7 price it comes with.

It’s a solid driving game, but it’s non-essential. Anyone thirsting for a brisk trip around the block in some souped-up motors will likely come away satisfied, but for the unconvinced, there’s little here that contradicts waiting for a bigger, better installment next year.

Dragon Quest Heroes demonstrates that the Dynasty Warriors combat system can work in other universes and even manages to make some exciting improvements to the usual formula. The game’s story is likely to leave new players a little bored, but longtime fans of the franchise will have plenty of run-ins with old characters to trigger those nostalgic feels. Either way, there is a lot of fun to be had with this one.

However, there’s still plenty to the game that make it worth recommending to anyone who’s ever enjoyed holding a plastic instrument in their hands. Make no mistake, Guitar Hero is back — and, thanks to the smart changes made to gameplay and presentation, it’s more satisfying than ever before.

Halo 5: Guardians may stumble in regards to split-screen multiplayer, but it’s still a game that’ll grow in the months proceeding its launch.

Syndicate feels very much like an Assassin’s Creed game in all the good ways and only a few of the bad.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water is a disappointing Wii U exclusive horror story that is more likely to put players to sleep than it is to scare them.

It’s a rewarding experience for anyone who can get into the groove, but the combat and the franchise are the game’s two biggest selling points. If neither appeals, there won’t be all that much to enjoy here.

A brand new take on the series that manages to make moving furniture fun, but fails to innovate in a meaningful way.

The Talos Principle is a fun puzzle game that also makes some strong philosophical points. The puzzles can sometimes be frustrating and the heavy amount of text to read in the files can bog down the pace, but it’s still a memorable adventure that players will undoubtedly want to discuss and dissect with their friends.

Truthfully, Rock Band 4’s biggest selling point is that it’s Rock Band on the new consoles with new instruments. And if that sounds appealing, then you’re bound to be very happy with Harmonix’s sequel.

Fans of previous games will likely see it as a slap in the face.

It comes quietly – the new features are nice additions to the gameplay, but this flavor pack doesn’t dramatically change how players will interact with Cities: Skylines.

Frictional Games has a psychological thriller on their hands with SOMA, a game which prompts questions about humanity amidst the chaos that lurks within PATHOS-II.

A joy to play, and those after a frenetic indie fix with plenty of action should get themselves hooked up with Extreme Exorcism pronto.