A good RPG with some unique ideas, but one that ultimately plays it too safe to really stand out from the crowd.

An empty galaxy and endless grinding mar clever writing and engaging combat.

An old-fashioned game in a shiny new package, The Bard's Tale 4: Barrows Deep is a worthy addition to a classic series.

Unless you're looking for a hardcore sim, Forza Horizon is still the best racing series around.

Combines robust storytelling with consistently inventive, surprising missions. Not just a return to form, but a new series peak.

I'm coming up on 100 hours logged in the expansion and I don't even feel close to done, nor have I slowed down a bit. My friends and I have been burning the midnight oil and playing almost every night, which would've been unthinkable before. After a precarious first year, I'm finally enjoying Destiny 2 again. It feels good to have it back.

Frozen Synapse 2 has plenty to offer with its campaign, but again, this sequel is at its best when playing against other fallible humans.

A charming watery theme park management game where fish are friends, not food. Until they eat each other or you forget to feed them.

A JRPG for people who haven’t played one in a while, basically. Well-made, but disappointingly safe.

A greater focus on raiding tombs, and massively improved stealth combat, make this one of Lara Croft's best modern adventures.

A mostly fun, realistic football sim with wonky AI.

A bare-bones basic shooter that's good for some fun with friends, but there are other, better co-op adventures out there.

Despite an attractive veneer, Planet Alpha offers rote and shallow platforming. Try Playdead’s Inside instead.

Two Point Hospital is a brilliant management game, regardless of nostalgia.

Social commentary delivered with baseball bat subtlety, Not Tonight owes a huge debt to Papers, Please, but finds its own voice in the bit-parts of post-Brexit Britain.

Donut County is a short, entertaining tale of a trash panda who just wants a sweet quadcopter.

The freedom, and the constant sense that I’d be surprised when I turned the next corner, somewhat smoothed over the frustrations of Death’s Gambit, but it’d be a stretch to say I enjoyed it as a whole. Figuring out the best strategy for each boss fight is satisfying, but actually beating them isn’t fun enough to justify the pain of battling the stingy stamina system. Throwing myself at the same boss 29 times in a row just wasn’t quite worth the hassle.

Even if its new loot system is a bust, Battle for Azeroth is a vibrant expansion full of wondrous new locales to explore, characters to meet, and stories to tell.

A weird, beautiful, melancholy martial arts adventure. Flawed, but an unforgettable, singular experience.

Following a series high last year, F1 2018’s welcome additions don’t add up to a meaningfully fresh experience.

A promising setting and clever systems are let down by simple enemies, simpler characters, and strange balancing.

A jog-fest with sluggish combat and inconsistent stealth, but a story that will pull you toward the end anyway.

An atmospheric, well-designed adventure elevated by borrowing elements from role-playing games.

Monster Hunter: World’s thrilling fights with fantastic beasts never get old, even if they require tiresome item management during downtime.

Busy friends list but short of local pals? This safe but solid sequel was made for you.

Beautiful combat livens up Overload's tedious levels.

A stellar action platformer with gorgeous presentation and excellent combat. Punishing but worth it.

Madden 19 offers a fascinating single-player story, but the rest of the game largely falls into the same tropes you experienced a decade ago.