I’m extremely glad I played through to the end, as the narrative of RiME is fantastic, with a gut punch of an end reveal that belies the whimsical look and feel that reeled me in to begin with. This makes the poor technical execution all the more frustrating – had it been better, or had I played it on the PS4, I might have considered this one of the high points in an already stellar year of gaming. Instead, I am left grieving what could have –should have– been.

I had a ton of fun playing Star Wars Battlefront II. It executes on presenting the Star Wars universe near-perfectly. The sights and sounds of lightsabers and blaster fire encapsulate every child-like midichlorian in your body. The campaign, while disappointing, is a small part of the complete package. There is enough content to keep you busy for dozens of hours, but the progression system may need an overhaul if EA wants to keep a strong multiplayer audience engaged.

The Sims 4 Cats & Dogs was the expansion I was most looking forward to, and it did not let me down. With the robust creation tool, the numerous new items, and great ways to play and interact with your pets allows you to make new memories and adds a new layer of depth to the game. With the exception of the veterinary job, this expansion is full of items and great new gameplay potentials, and in my opinion is one of the greatest expansions for The Sims 4.

Mononoke Forest provides a surprisingly good time for a very small price tag. Bubble Bobble meets Animal Crossing, this delightfully quirky game is easy to pick up and shockingly hard to put down. While the story isn't anything revolutionary, it's entertaining, and the monster designs, particularly for the Hazard Mononoke, are stellar.

With some excellent improvements to car control, customization, and cinematic moments, Need for Speed Payback delivers on the promise of a better racing game. That said, it occasionally has a few engine knocks with chunky dialogue and invisible walls barring your path in the vast open world they’ve created. It’s a good step for the series, and it should provide a good foundation for Ghost’s next time behind the wheel.

Super Mario Odyssey is a treat that needs to be experienced by everyone who has a Switch. The attention to detail mixed with a host of expansive content and enjoyable gameplay will have you coming back for more.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds is a short, but substantial expansion for an already great game. It doesn’t reinvent the game in any major way, but offers a few excellent hours in a world that players have come to love.

Knowledge is Power is more than just another trivia game, it's a battle of wits and reflexes. The goofy characters and the ridiculous hazards will cause everyone to burst out laughing. Once you start a game, it might not be long before you realize you've played another five.

With a campaign that brings some of the most historical battles of the European Theater to life like never before, multiplayer that combines the best of the old and the new, and one of the most visceral Zombies games the series has had, Call of Duty WWII is a triumphant return to its roots, reminding us why those early games were so good in the first place.

Pinball FX 3 is a decent step forward for Zen Studios’ long appreciated pinball series. There are some fun new single player modes that provide multiple challenges, some competitive modes, and plenty of practice options. The game also provides some direct competition and tournament style online options, though they aren’t much different in practice that the single player games. Overall, this is a nice update for the game and makes it much more diverse and interesting to explore, and the backwards compatibility means you have no real reason not to update and enjoy.

Poi, gripping with nostalgia, delivers standard 3D platforming in a adorable and relaxing way, putting nothing between you and the thrill of exploration, but this resolve to keep the game simple and to the point leaves it lacking in content. It's a fantastic way to unwind, though not much else. The exclusive content to the Explorer Edition adds little to the experience, and you're better off purchasing the title on Steam or another console, unless you want to pay the premium to have the option of mobility. A charming presentation coupled with dull interaction leaves this specific product mediocre.

Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 is a competent port on the Nintendo Switch. While it has obvious stutter in the online lobby and the framerate doesn’t match that of its rivaling consoles, being able to play in handheld mode with little difference in quality is a plus and will help you tackle the game’s expansive list of content from anywhere.

Just Dance 2018 is a groovy addition to any party. A fun time to be had by all, the addition of Just Dance Unlimited and the ability to use two Joy-Con controllers for a few songs is a welcome treat for Switch owners.

In 2014 MachineGames made a statement with Wolfenstein: The New Order. Now, with Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, they’ve written their manifesto. It’s easily one of the best games you’ll play all year.

Hidden Agenda is like stepping into a crime drama and influencing how it plays out. The branching narrative is a welcoming aspect and makes me want to play it multiple times. It's fun to play alone, but taking it on with friends is a treat all on it's own.

Fire Emblem Warriors is a very fun game marred by a only few issues, some of which were probably unavoidable. The basic hack-and-slash gameplay is as solid and polished as any Warriors game, and the new innovations based on the Fire Emblem series add a lot. The game honestly feels like Fire Emblem almost as much as it feels like a Warriors game. If you’re a classic Fire Emblem fan like me, don’t let the roster keep you from buying the game. If you like Dynasty Warriors but don’t know Fire Emblem, there’s still plenty to enjoy here.

88 Heroes: 98 Heroes Edition is a humorous platformer that infuriates as much as it entertains. While the colorful cast of ragtag misfits is charming and unique, you might be turned off by the quirky mechanics and odd use of permadeath.

Assassin's Creed: Origins is as much a departure as it is a homecoming. Revamped combat mechanics defibrillate the series with much-needed challenge. The guided open-world design encourages and rewards exploration unlike any Assassin's Creed game before it, and takes place in one of the series’ most memorable settings. But at the end of the day, and despite some growing pains, Origins is a culmination of the best aspects of the series. And for that, some hiccups in the transition to full-fledged RPG are a fair trade.

Though it is held back by a severe lack of social options and PC-specific sandbox tuning, Destiny 2 on PC looks and feels like the best version of one of the best games of 2017.

Most of A Hat in Time feels like a modge podge of creative ideas only amateurly stitched together. The game teeters between delightful charm (like the time I encountered a Mafiosa who wanted to play patty-cake then deceptively punched me across Mafia Town) and blatant lack of polish (like a cutscene where certain characters’ limbs seemed paralyzed in a T position.) If a lighthearted, collect-a-thon platformer is your jam, A Hat in Time will constantly please you with its fun platforming and nuanced, cartoony world, but don’t go in expecting the finish and cohesion of the classic platformers it takes its inspiration from.

While Danger Zone provides some thrills and serves as an interesting revival of one of Burnout’s beloved game modes, it’s often too slow and lifeless to give fans the fix they were hoping for.

Sine Mora EX is a tough-as-nails but engrossing shoot ‘em up that has some innovative mechanics and a pretty interesting story. While it may not be for everyone, those who are interested in the genre will find something to love with the new improvements that the EX version provides.

The Evil Within 2 is a huge step forward for the series that emphasizes exploration, stealth, and conserving resources for the more challenging encounters. Though the compelling plot is weighed down by poor writing and poorer voice performances, the game offers a great horror experience with a ton of content.

The game doesn’t ultimately suffer from its technical issues. Instead I felt more like it was muddled by lack of creative cohesion or foresight. The game’s story was intriguing, but doesn’t really resolve in a manner which is coherent. The level of visual fidelity works, but doesn’t entirely seem premeditated. Yet it’s over very quickly, and in its broad strokes paints a captivating picture. Had it required me to spend more time to reach its pay off, I might have been bothered by this. To compare it to music, this works well as a free mix-tape, but I wouldn’t tolerate it as a full album. That said, I’m interested in what the artist’s point of view is. If they were to be signed, I’d likely want to check out what they could put out with the support of a record label.

Massive in scope and improving on its predecessor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War is a triumph in every way that matters. While certain aspects are underdeveloped, or simplified to embrace player choice, the Nemesis 2.0 system, combat improvements, and genuinely engaging combat system keep things fresh for the 40 hour adventure. If only they hadn’t followed the movies and extended the ending well past its welcome.

Real talk? I’ve tried for weeks to get into Empyre: Lords of the Sea Gates, but the clunky controls, obtuse UI, and incomplete concepts made it impossible for me to engage. The concept and setting for Empyre is top shelf, but the gameplay came out a little water logged.

After a long wait, Gran Turismo Sport is here, and it is racing perfection beyond measure. This is the best racing game that I have ever played, overflowing in beauty, grace, playability, and precision. Driving a go-kart, a fusion-engine concept race car, or a standard Ford Focus all provide a wealth of fun and unique challenges. Gran Turismo Sport is a triumph, and will be played voraciously by racing fans for years and years to come.

Oriental Empires is a solid, detailed first effort from Shining Pixel Studios that fans of the 4X strategy genre will enjoy. Unfortunately, newcomers and veterans alike might be disappointed by the unwieldy UI, unpredictable systems and lack of in-game tutorials or explanations.