The action-heavy moments are really polished and a pleasure to participate in, the story is interesting when it feels like divulging itself to the player, and the entire theme of the thing is just downright cool (there’s a sect of robots that live at an amusement park and literally exist to throw confetti in the air at all times); but when you boot up this Square Enix title hoping for some RPG character building mechanics to fill the gaps in between the barrage of action that’s presented, it can be difficult to maintain your zest for an otherwise mesmerizing experience. There’s a reason straight-up action games aren’t 40 hours long, and unfortunately, Automata is worse for it.

Loot Rascals may have missed an obvious opportunity on the Vita and Nintendo Switch, but it's still worth playing on either PlayStation 4 or PC. It's a great deal of fun, it's charming, and it's highly addictive.

It’s actually a little hard to believe that Ubisoft plans to expand Ghost Recon Wildlands further via post-launch content updates which will add in things like new story content and even a PvP mode since the base game is already quite massive. Shooter fans who want a game they can sink many hours into while honing their tactical shooting skills (either alone or with some friends) should be immensely satisfied with the experience Ghost Recon Wildlands provides them.

Dystoria is one of those games that you just know may go on to achieve cult status. It's certainly not without merit, but it stumbles a bit in its execution of an otherwise promising concept. If we ever get a sequel — and I hope we do — that game could be something truly special.

The experience is so phenomenal, it deserves to be in the conversation about the best Zelda game of all-time, if not the best games of all-time. When I say Breath of the Wild is a must-play title, it’s not hyperbole, you simply must play this game.

Horizon Zero Dawn is one of the most entertaining open world games I have played in a while. It’s a truly creative take in an otherwise saturated genre.

Halo Wars 2 is a fun and enjoyable real-time strategy game that showcases the biggest reasons we don’t see many RTS styled games on consoles. The lack of precise controls make for a clumsy and ineffective experience. The game’s spectacular sound design helps bring the world to life, and the Ark and the various units of each faction are well-designed and placed within the world. Halo Wars 2 isn’t the best RTS game out there, but as far as things go, it’s not a bad place to start, and could easily soak up your evenings if given the chance.

Tides feels like a complete, if strangely assembled, game. You'll find surprising depth in some areas while other aspects aren't developed quite as much as it feels like they should be, but the total package is a huge success. Commit to learning the game's vocabulary and don't let yourself get overwhelmed by lore at the game's beginning, and you'll be richly rewarded.

With a ton of content, Ride 2 has some great ambitions. But at the end of the day, the game looks great but plays horribly.

For Honor is a fantastically innovative game that deserves to be played by everyone at least once, but whether or not it ends up being a multiplayer classic is still yet to be seen.

Much like From Software’s Souls games and Team Ninja’s previous Ninja Gaiden efforts, Nioh was clearly designed with a very specific sort of gamer in mind, namely a very patient one who doesn’t mind having to constantly learn from their mistakes. If you find enjoyment in the punishing difficulty of such games and you want to delve into a title which could easily suck up hours upon hours of your gaming time, Nioh will certainly not disappoint.

There’s a decent amount of content in Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue, but it doesn’t explain much for newcomers playing their first Kingdom Hearts game on the PS4. In addition, Back Cover will feel like a waste of time to some, and Birth by Sleep will feel too short. Dream Drop Distance translates fairly well, but alone it’s not worth the price of admission. As a bundle, the entire package offers a decent value and a great lead-in to Kingdom Hearts III.

Tales of Berseria isn’t perfect by any means, but it is a marked improvement over other recent Tales titles. With a couple friends along for the ride, you can squeeze quite a bit of enjoyment out of this game, despite its flaws.

There’s a lot to do in Yakuza 0, but it may take you some time to get through the game. While the story is very compelling, there are so many side activities that are equally entertaining, it may be difficult to pull yourself away to continue with the main story. If you have a history with the Yakuza series, there are even moments when you see where these characters began that will make you feel even closer to the grouping of polygons on your TV screen. Almost everything about Yakuza 0 is well-done and exceeds expectations.

Resident Evil 7 is a highly effective horror title fans of the genre will enjoy, as long as they can tolerate its short length. It's different than the past few Resident Evil titles, but it's different in the right ways.

The first great game of 2017. It takes what made the original a cult classic and builds upon that foundation in meaningful ways across all areas of the experience. Few games will make your heart race and palms sweat with excitement from moment-to-moment like Kat’s physics-defying journey through the skies.

The good news about Siegecraft Commander’s current state is that it has plenty of room (and clear directions) in which to grow, but unless there’s a pretty substantial day-one patch I’m not aware of, you should steer clear until Blowfish corrects the game’s many issues.

Rise & Shine feels like a game that tries too hard to be too much, ultimately coming together in a fun package that could have been great. The action is tight and rewarding, the gameplay is varied, and the difficulty is satisfying, if a bit frustrating in some parts. Fans of old-school arcade shooters will find plenty to love here, even if the jokes don’t always hit home.

The Walking Dead: A New Frontier continues to prove that Telltale Games are masters of storytelling. They know exactly how to craft a narrative that gets you attached to the characters you are controlling, invested in their choices, and devastated by the tragic consequences of those choices.

Final Fantasy XV is a tremendous return to the franchise and includes a lot things we love about the series. I experienced a few missteps here and there, but it didn’t deter from an overall great experience.

Steep definitely has its flaws and downsides, but I enjoyed most of the time I spent with it. I still find myself picking up the controller to enjoy the view and get a little competitive frustration out.

As far as Dead Rising games go, Dead Rising 4 may be dumbed down, but it’s still dumb fun.

Despite the overwhelming quality of its emotional storytelling and the fantastic characterization of the game's protagonists, every frustrating puzzle, every quirk of the controls, and every graphical hitch will leave you wondering why, after such a painfully long wait, this was all The Last Guardian could shape up to be.

Duke Nukem 3D: 20th Anniversary World Tour doesn't enhance the titular protagonist's classic FPS ride in any massive ways. That said, it's a whole lot of fun, and it's perfect for people who want to revisit the game and for those who are fans of old school shooters.

Pokémon Sun and Moon is full of welcome innovations that make the Pokémon formula feel new and fresh. It’s a perfect way to celebrate Pokémon’s 20th anniversary.

Pokémon Sun and Moon is full of welcome innovations that make the Pokémon formula feel new and fresh. It’s a perfect way to celebrate Pokémon’s 20th anniversary.

What started as a fantastic idea ended up as a pile of wasted potential.

Watch Dogs 2 is definitely an improvement over the original. The entire vibe of the series has changed for the better, with likable characters, tongue-in-cheek scenarios, and a new hacks and gadgets that will keep you busy for quite a while.