Like a bayonet charge to the face, Battlefield 1 packs a serious punch, and it looks damn good while doing it. With a revamped, emotionally charged campaign, the single-player experience is, without a doubt, the franchise’s best. The multiplayer combines solid classics and unbeatable mechanics with new modes that fit the WWI setting brilliantly. Could this be the Battlefield to end all Battlefields? It just might.

Eternal Crusade shows a whole lot of promise as an exciting team-based multiplayer shooter. But ‘promise’ is less than what’s demanded when we’re talking about a game which is released, rather buggy, and not always as intuitive as an action-heavy game should be. At $49.99, it’s hard to justify the investment until the price drops or the game is patched up respectably, but the potential and the fun it offers is real all the same.

There’s a lot to like in Mafia III, the presentation is very impressive and the discussion of race is brought up appropriately. The story unfolds well and doesn’t disappoint, but the mission structure brings about a host of disappointments. Missions rarely give the opportunity to let side characters develop, and the main story consists of doing the exact same objectives over and over until the credits roll. Unfortunately, Mafia III is as disappointing as it is impressive.

The ability to create your own Skylanders adds a great new twist to the series. The new sensei figures are nice additions, and using them in the gong battles pose a refreshing challenge. Aspects of the story can be a little underwhelming but the target age group probably won’t have any problem with it. While the Boss battles were repetitive and easy, the overall level design and experience is very enjoyable.

With quite a few twists on the traditional 4X formula, Sorcerer King: Rivals has a lot under the hood. The combat is a substantial improvement, offering a new way to engage the enemy, and the RPG elements expand gameplay even further. The editor is a cherry on top of an already full package. While it has a few balance issues in the endgame, Sorcerer King: Rivals shines brightly in a crowded genre.

A magnificent game that has taken me completely by surprise with its quality. A mix of 2D and 3D platforming, RPG, and adventure gaming blends with a gorgeous art style to form this hidden gem just waiting to be uncovered. All the while familiar and unique, Touhou: Scarlet Curiosity is a game that all should give a chance, enjoyable by the most hardened veteran gamer down the most green of newcomers.

A highly strange game, mixing graphic novel gameplay with a tactical RPG. The game is very fun, but not everything works as well as it should. The art style is wonderfully detailed and there are lots of quirky art details that add to the experience, but overall the game fails to really shine in either of its styles, and leaves much to be desired.

Gears of War 4 also has the most stunning presentation we’ve seen in any Gears game. For the first time in the series, characters look more photorealistic than they do cartoonish, and the environment is alive with insane weather, deep darkness, and particle effects that are truly stunning.

Bringing a whole lot of lore and content to a well-established favorite, Legion injects some new life and new fun into the World of Warcraft universe. A huge addition of content and a new take on advancement promises to give current players a lot of bang for their buck, while the included level-boost lets new players catch up with their friends quickly.

Console ports don’t exactly have a brilliant reputation. So, how does the Xbox One version of XCOM 2 stack up against its PC counterpart? The short answer is: pretty damn well.

The Journey is a smart addition, though it can be a little tedious at times, top-notch presentation and decent performances make the tedium tolerable. The actual gameplay is still enjoyable, but mostly unchanged from previous iterations.

Definitely a step up from the original iteration. It has more of its own style, and the gameplay mechanics rarely feel clunky. Though it hints at a meaningful narrative, ultimately it isn’t very substantial.

A fantastic game in practice, but has a terrible presentation elsewhere. At the end of the day, this makes NASCAR Heat Evolution a disappointing title rather than a full-fledged trip into victory lane. With some amazing features available, but near impossible to enjoy, NASCAR Heat Evolution is a game that will only please hardcore NASCAR or racing game fans.

A faster, more frantic, and fresh take on the old Pac-Man series, and this sequel does a great job of furthering what the original Championship Edition presented. The game is fun, and Pac-Man fans will enjoy the game while also getting a new set of challenges to face. In the end, the game is fairly simple and something you’ve seen before many times, but if you are craving a return to Pac World, this is a great place to look.

An unapologetic love letter to the beat-em-ups of yesteryear. While simplistically accessible and filled to the brim with nostalgia, it’s brought down by very limited options and some clunky controls.

Lichtspeer is nonsensical, bloody, and a joy to behold. It suffers from repetition, and stages that drag on a little too long, but is a worthy experience for those possessing the willpower to tackle this challenging title.

Clustertruck is an addictive, fast-paced parkour platformer with great controls and a ton of challenging levels to race through. While it lacks a polish in some crucial areas, it’s easy to recommend this game due to how simply fun it is.

While it’s not going to revolutionize the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Sonic Boom: Fire and Ice is a solid entry in the franchise. Its slick controls, fun boss battles, and entertaining speed sections are bound to put a smile on fans’ faces.

Rogue Wizards is a solid casual roguelike with unique monster designs, perpetually generated dungeons and 10-12 hours of story-mode gameplay. Dungeons themselves are challenging and fun, requiring a bit strategy to defeat monsters which utilize truly unique and interesting attacks. While the boss battles and AI are a little lackluster, the ability to teleport within floors, bonuses for defeating all enemies, and the replayability offered by the Gauntlet mode make Rogue Wizards a good investment for the small price tag of $15.

Tempest is available for just $15 and it scratches an itch few other games do. It’s a capable, if somewhat buggy, pirate adventure that offers up challenging combat and an open world to explore. Customization and late-game challenges courtesy of legendary ships and mythical monsters help round out the title, making it worthwhile if a little frayed around the edges.

Destiny: Rise of Iron is an excellent addition to Bungie’s open-world shooter, but is held back by a weak story, and a leveling meta that requires a bit of grinding. Overall, Destiny looks, sounds, and feels better than it ever has, and there has been no better time to be a Destiny player.

Neon Chrome makes good use of the cyberpunk setting, but remains light on story. While the grind is real, the game shows real promise in couch cooperative play. If twin-stick shooters are your thing, you could do much worse than Neon Chrome.

A beautifully animated walking simulator. I recommend that you give it a play, because it really is quite a different experience from most mainstream, fast driven, AAA games. It reminded me of a form of meditation because it was simply that immersive.

Safety First wants to be a strange puzzle game (emphasis on strange), and while it has an inkling of innovation here and there, the game is tarnished by poor graphics, tame humor, and terribly broken controls.

Forza Horizon 3 feels familiar with its already-polished gameplay, but the new setting, cars, and incredible customization options opens the throttle on an already-fantastic platform. The team has built on an already stable platform, bringing entirely new ways to play. I struggled to find a single thing I didn’t love about Forza Horizon 3, and that’s a fantastic problem to have.

If roguelikes are your cup of tea, you probably won’t find much gripe with Lost Castle. Seeing all the characters you could possibly be is enjoyable, and working through your skill tree feels rewarding, but the grind and repetition of much of the gameplay make you question whether it’s worth the hours.

The Bioshock series is awesome, and The Bioshock Collection modernizes that experience. Although there are a few technical shortcomings, and Bioshock 2 lacks its excellent multiplayer mode, The Bioshock Collection is a worthy investment for fans of the series, or newcomers who want to see what all the fuss is about.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is a hell of a mess. At moments, the complex and fun combat and progression systems break through the game’s ick presentation and sexist character designs, but what little fun exists gradually fades before you’re even halfway through the campaign. If you’re a fan of the series, there’s plenty to love here, but Apocalypse is unforgiving for any new players