Dawn of War 3 is a great next chapter in the Dawn of War franchise. The title pulls together the best parts of the last two games into an extremely worthwhile strategy experience, with a well-balanced single player and suitably frantic multiplayer. The title could do with a few tweaks here and there to perfect the experience, but this is one for strategy fans to look to for their next future war fix.

As it stands, though, Expeditions: Viking is simply a solid and at-times frustrating entry into tactical role-playing games, and should only be seriously considered by diehard strategy fans and history buffs – at least until it has been thoroughly rebuilt.

Almost everything about What Remains of Edith Finch is head and shoulders above its competition, though some may be disappointed by its ending and some of the graphical issues. The game’s short length (it can be fully completed in just a few hours) and lack of replayability may also be a turn off for some, but anyone looking for innovative gameplay and some of the best storytelling in gaming should seriously consider picking up Giant Sparrow’s latest effort.

Long load screens and a very cookie cutter narrative hold SGW3 back from greatness, but there’s no denying that this installment in the shooter franchise has brought the series forward quite a few steps.

With a compelling story, strong graphics, and some genuine scares, Outlast 2 is one of the better horror games to come around in recent years. Some aspects of its gameplay may fall short and the first half of the game is a bit of a bore, but overall, it’s an experience worth having, especially for fans of the genre.

SkyKeepers is very much a flawed game, with a few pockets of gameplay that struggle to make up for the title’s shortcomings. Although there are signs of a good game underneath the surface, the lack of finesse on the graphical front and the level of frustration found within large chunks of gameplay makes it a tricky game to recommend.

Ultimately, Little Nightmares strikes a fine chord between charming and creepy in a way that perhaps only a former LittleBigPlanet developer could do.

This isn’t just the definitive version of Mario Kart 8, it’s the the measuring stick that all future franchise installments will be compared to.

Above the Law is a decent continuation of The Walking Dead: A New Frontier‘s story, but still a bit of a come-down from Episode 1 and 2. It does succeed in setting the stage for Episode 4, and with a few characters’ fates hanging in the balance and questions left unanswered, chances are most players who have come this far will see the rest of the season through.

Yooka-Laylee is built on a foundation of tried-and-tested gameplay, and it’s packed with content, considering it’s priced at $40 rather than $60. Anyone that’s eager to revisit the 3D platformer genre will be well served by this game. However, those that don’t enjoy a sense of nostalgia for jump-and-runs of days gone by might not find much to enjoy among its rough edges and throwback atmosphere.

The Crow’s Eye is at its best when remaining somewhat static, allowing the user to play out the conflict between the rational solution to puzzles and the irrational fears that the game so cleverly hints at with a breadcrumb trail. It’s full of great ideas, and more than does enough to separate itself out from the crowd. The game’s clunkier moments may put off some users, but those willing to persevere and put atmosphere and plot above pure gameplay could find themselves with an enjoyable game – albeit one that could cause a few sleepless nights.

A high quality collection that will enthral new players and offer those who haven’t picked up the series in a long time an excellent reason to revisit it. Minor technical issues and dated gameplay aside, it is hard to find a compilation with this much value built-in, and Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX is the best excuse Square has given players to brush up on Kingdom Hearts yet.

Those looking for definitive Mario sport experiences are best to stick to dedicated games.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is far from a perfect game, but it is an absolute must-play for fans of science-fiction or BioWare RPGs. The storytelling is at an all-time high once things get underway and players who make it through the adventure will be unlikely to regret their time spent in this new corner of the Mass Effect universe.

More of the same from Spike-Chunsoft, which is not a bad thing at all. The games are still engaging, fun, and in the case of Virtue’s Last Reward, have some of the most challenging puzzles in the visual novel genre. Zero Escape: The Nonary Games is an above-average compilation that offers just enough changes to make it a good purchase for both newcomers to the series and franchise veterans, although, as always with this genre, those looking for action had best look elsewhere.

The finished product is an absolute gem that only helps to highlight one of the major benefits of the platform by allowing for stop-and-drop multiplayer at a moment’s notice. Indeed, this downloadable game is well worth the paper.

The presentation, innovation, and unabashed love of the strange all coalesce into something that looks like what would happen if Hideo Kojima attempted to design a Final Fantasy, and as it turns out, it is something that needed to happen.

As expected, Wildlands is at its best when players are on voice chat with a group of friends and the team is coming up with creative ways to take down cartel bosses by crashing planes into their mansions or picking off their guards with the help of drone intel. Although the game does stand-up in solo mode with fairly reliable AI partners, the massive world to explore becomes a little lonely and boring without some actual friends along for the ride.

Maybe if Nintendo opted to include it as a pack-in, it would have allowed users to appreciate the half-hearted nature of its lackluster design.

Unfortunately for WayForward, there’s no rescuing this PC remake of LIT from becoming another faceless title in an ever-growing pile of cheap Steam games, and no reason for gamers not to simply download the free mobile version of the game instead of this seemingly pointless PC port.

Breath of the Wild isn’t just for longstanding Zelda fans, it’s the pinnacle of an open-world experience that will appeal to anyone looking for a great game. An overall lack of voiced dialogue and an initially tricky menu layout are easy to come to terms with and overlook when compared to the sheer scale and fun found in Breath of the Wild. Anyone wondering how it stacks up, it’s important to note that this could very well be the best Zelda has ever been, and it provides gamers of all walks with a Hyrule that’s more than worth saving.

For Honor is great fun, but like any fighting game, it’ll only reach its true potential if players stick around for the long haul. It takes time for experts to develop high-level strategies, and for that knowledge to trickle down to the rest of the community, and as such it’ll be a few months before it’s clear whether or not the game can stand among the current titans of the genre.

Technical issues and the lack of content in Blitz aside, Halo Wars 2 is a fun game that is the best bet for RTS fans looking for something to play on Xbox One. The campaign is engrossing from start to finish, the multiplayer matches are consistently exciting, and thanks to its status as an Xbox Play Anywhere game, Halo Wars 2 offers fans plenty of bang for the buck. If 343 and Creative Assembly are able to patch the game’s technical issues and add more areas to Blitz mode soon, then Halo Wars 2 will be a no-brainer for fans of the real-time strategy genre and the Halo franchise in general.

Dark Souls, Far Cry Primal (or any open world Ubisoft game), Uncharted – these are just a few of the games players will cite when finding points of comparison for Horizon: Zero Dawn. But the Guerrilla Games developers have made sure that its game still feels unique by comparison, thanks to a vibrant world bursting with stunning detail, challenging robotic enemies, and a story that explores an uncivilized world in an inventive way. Some weak AI, awkward dialogue sections, and a prototypical open world framework are the game’s bigger faults, but they don’t weigh the game down to much or ruin the experience. When all is said and done, Horizon: Zero Dawn could easily be Sony’s next great franchise, but even as a one-off it’s very impressive.

Sniper Elite 4 may lack the bells and whistles of other World War 2-based shooters, but its top tier shooting mechanics and open maps make it a fun experience for the creative sniper.

The level layouts are excellent, the sugary aesthetic is unique, and the protagonists are easily liked. While the lack of co-op and additional Poochy Dash levels are noticeable, Nintendo has still put together a wonderful handheld edition of one of its best side-scrollers in recent years. It’s accessible, expertly crafted, and simply enjoyable – all of which is an incredibly hard line to tow.

Good-nature intentions aside, however, We Are Chicago stumbles when it comes to presenting a polished and ultimately memorable gameplay experience, failing to capitalize on the depth of its poignant subject material.

Nioh may borrow Onimusha‘s art style, Dark Souls‘ challenging combat, and Diablo‘s loot-farming, but it combine these elements in a way that makes it feel like a unique experience. Everything comes together to create a wholly engrossing action-RPG that’s hard to put down, with Nioh standing as an impressive return to form for Team Ninja after spending a decade in development hell. In short, Nioh is Team Ninja’s best game in years, and should leave fans plenty excited for the next Ninja Gaiden.