In its own way, Antichamber serves as an antithesis to modern day video game design. Just to experience solving a puzzle by thinking outside of the box makes Antichamber a must play for anyone looking to be challenged.

There just isn’t much else EA can do to make this a better game. So it made great, incremental improvements everywhere.

Gehenna is an extremely interesting environment that’s brought to life by what amounts to being a message board filled with ornery, divisive, and Internet-fluent personalities.

Still, Tales from the Borderlands is off to a great start in its plot and personalities. If Telltale can focus more on our heroes’ banter and comical interactions in coming episodes, it will only get better.

In creating a scoundrel of our choosing, we might actually end up learning a little bit about ourselves.

In the end, it might not be what we do in Death Stranding so much as the ideas that underlie the experience that make it so engaging, and make us so willing to overlook the elements that don’t quite work. Its grand — and timely — vision of how to unify a broken country; its take on killing only as a last resort; even its commentary on our culture’s growing reliance on having the world delivered to our doors. Kojima has given us lots to chew on.

But if you’re looking for an insight or two into the sociopolitical troubles currently haunting the country in which Far Cry 5 is set, best not to get your hopes up.

The Enemy Within 2 oughtn’t to disappoint genre fans. It’s a challenge to survive, and there are some good moments of both physical and mental horror. I’m not sure Tango Gameworks’ largely backward-looking franchise will ever be a mainstream giant within its category, but sometimes the best horror experiences are those geared for a subset of fans – especially if you happen to be a member of said subset.

I was utterly flummoxed by the last boss, and there were lots of frustrating sequences through the game. On the other hand, those moments of victory made me feel ecstatic and invigorated for beating a challenge like I haven’t in a long, long time.

The Last Guardian is, in the end, a game of enormous ambition, unique vision, and substantial risk-taking. It was never going to be perfect. But it’s well worth enduring the problems. My year in gaming was enormously enriched for having experienced this one-of-a-kind adventure, which – like Ueda’s other works – stands as a beacon for other game designer who would dare to be bold. It’s far from flawless and its appeal will not be universal, but the medium of games is wealthier for its existence.

Nothing is so simply put in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter, but to put it simply, this game is absolutely worth the $20 price tag. It’s not long (about four hours), nor is it particularly challenging, but through and through, this is a beautiful game of strange, twisted, and sometimes sick puzzles.

A game which excels by making all of its moving pieces work together in unison. There are some rough patches, such as my beforementioned somewhat squiggy reaction to the storyline and the fact that the graphics sometimes seem to be pushing against the limitations of the current console generation, but it would be difficult for me to think of a more versatile or playable stealth game.

This could be that rare case in which a game inspires players to give their well worn controllers a break and pick up a paperback for a few nights instead. That alone makes Metro: Last Light worth putting on your wish list.

It’s not the easiest game to wrap your brain around. The dungeon crawling is kind of turn-based yet also not, and levels are kind of rogue-like (meaning randomized), but not completely. Instructions are rare.

Double Fine has produced a high-quality game of decent length with terrific audio and visual production and an engaging, twist-filled and idea-laden story read by an outstanding cast. Look no further for evidence of its compelling nature than the strength of your yearning for the concluding act to be delivered as quickly as possible.

The most interesting thing about Dragon Quest Builders isn’t what it takes from Minecraft but instead how it fills in some of the gaps that have existed since that game’s inception. Namely, storytelling, quests, and building guidance

In closing, single player is quaint, the online experience is a work in process, but once they get the bugs out of that delicious apple pie… it will be well worth the wait.

But overall, NHL 14 captures the spirit of that revolutionary 94 game. The gameplay is fast, the moves are sweet and the hits are thundering. It feels fun, like the very best wide-open hockey games, but it doesn’t sacrifice realism either.

Use your kid as an excuse to buy it, then start a fresh save file and play through it yourself once she’s fallen asleep.

Despite its shortcomings, Splatoon is one of the best Wii U titles and is exactly the kind of game Nintendo needs to release right – a game that’s different, unique and, most importantly, features the charm people have come to expect from the company’s titles.

It’s fascinating stuff.

It has an unrestrainedly upbeat vibe that just makes you feel happy all over, and it’s still bursting with imagination. There are few other games on PS4 – or, indeed, any console – to which it can properly be compared.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is undeniably distinctive within the Call of Duty family. But it might take a game or two for Sledgehammer to start delivering on the same scale as its sibling studios.

I can’t deny that I had plenty of fun taking in this authentic new Star Wars story, but I get the sense that an extra six or twelve months of development could have given us a more polished and less derivative experience.

The first act of Kentucky Route Zero will take you about an hour to complete. It’s well worth your time to do a second play through and a third and maybe even a fourth just to experience what it’s like to live a life on the road.

Skylanders SuperChargers has great toys and loads of fun stuff to do. Better still, it isn’t (necessarily) going to break the bank.

Don’t be tricked by Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker‘s relatively inexpensive $39.99 price tag; there’s a ton of game here.

Shadows of Valentia is, at its core, not really much different than most of its console-based predecessors. It’s all about smart strategy, memorable characters, and a good story.

Nintendo’s 3DS is suddenly brimming with great first-party games, and Mario & Luigi: Dream Team is a standout among them. Don’t miss it.

The Azran Legacy really just feels like more of the same.

As immersive and engaging as the second episode is, it still feels a bit like its setting the table for what’s to come in the remaining three episodes of this season...But it’s doing so in tantalizing fashion.

Had Sunset Overdrive come out late August, there’s a good chance it would have gotten a lot more time to embed itself into people’s consciousnesses. Now, I hope that some of the interesting things the game does are enough to get it noticed in the deluge of big fall games.

Firewatch establishes Campo Santo as a visionary studio with some interesting ideas on its mind. And while its first game doesn’t quite muster the authentic emotional resonance of a first-person narrative masterpiece like Gone Home, it still successfully draws us into its world and makes us care about its characters.

It may not be as deep or sophisticated as many other modern racers, but Dirt 5 is nonetheless an entertaining outlet for engine revving on Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5.

I ended up having a fantastic time with Final Fantasy XV. I’m not blind to its many problems and faults, but they didn’t keep me from eagerly playing through to its conclusion, and they won’t keep me from heading back in and maybe one day levelling up my crew to the point that it can take on that mountainous level 99 monster lurking in the desert outside the Crown City...All of which is to say that, at least from my perspective, Final Fantasy has finally returned. It has reinserted itself as a relevant topic in the modern video game conversation.

In the end, what I like most about Puyo Puyo Tetris is that it has a true all-ages appeal. I can see an eight-year-old playing an 80-year-old, both having a blast. And it’s especially fun with other people on the couch beside you. I’m sure some families will play it off and on together and with friends for as long as they own a Switch.

I’m not much of a fan of the Hitman games for PC and consoles, but Hitman Go hits all the right notes for a mobile platform.

Bravely Second: End Layer is probably the superior game. But sequels come with a different set of expectations. And from my perspective, those expectations haven’t been entirely satisfied.

It is certainly more polished than Civ 5 was when it was released, and feels much more like a finished game, where as the predecessor was merely alright until it was elevated by its expansions.

Deus Ex GO is still loads of fun. I had a hard time keeping myself from just sitting down and burning through the whole story in a single afternoon.

Terraria may be flawed and unapproachable by mainstream standards. However, it challenges you to become the master and director of your fate rather than a simple pawn moving along a preset path. Interactive entertainment would be better off if more games aspired to such grand ambitions.

I give this game 8.5/10 for being one of details and for so frequently surprising me. Were I a little older and had I played the original, I would likely give this title an 11/10, quit my job, and go LARPing in the desert for as long as the cities remain standing, or until I realize that I’ve taken every modern comfort for granted; whichever would happen to come first.

We couldn’t ask for a better tribute from the world of games on the Great War’s centennial.

Whether you think of Immortals Fenyx Rising as a Breath of the Wild set within Greek mythology, a kid-friendly Assassin’s Creed, or something all its own (likely because you haven’t played either of those other games), the plain fact is that it is eminently playable. There’s never a shortage of things to do, and doing these things is generally a lot of fun. And at the end of the day, that’s pretty much all most folks want out of an open world adventure.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III isn’t the best game in the series by any stretch, but it provides some safe and familiar shooting action and plenty of bang for your buck. So long as you aren’t a franchise hater, you’re probably not going to go wrong.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 is an emotionally gruelling game, an unrelenting assault on the senses filled with brutal depictions of psychological and physical suffering. It makes for gripping storytelling, but it also left me drained.

Gears Tactics has established itself as a serious presence in the turn-based strategy space. With a flavour very much its own, and the exceptional production quality for which the Gears games are known, it’s something close to an essential play for fans of tactical combat.

It’s bigger, better, and more robust than many would have expected while maintaining the series’ wonderfully silly spirit. Not quite essential, but definitely worth investigation.

Some of the cameras appear to be operated by drunks. The replay footage usually consists of extreme close ups of some player’s jersey, and it never offers any explanation as to what just happened.

Pac-Man 256 checks off all the key features of the original – short sessions, super accessible play, addictive mechanics – while adding just the right amount of modern conventions, including long-term goals, pretty presentation, and co-operative play.

Players swarm to new Fire Emblem games not to see the latest in graphics and mechanics innovations, but rather to enjoy a bit of classic Japanese RPG-style melodrama mixed with captivating tactical combat. And that’s exactly what they get here. The added bit of nostalgia that comes with revisiting past heroes is just the gravy on the side.

It’s not without quirks, but Watch Dogs can be fairly described as close to astonishing in both ambition and execution for the first game in a wholly new and original license.

I’m also a bit disappointed in how the open world elements in these games remain something less than fully formed.

TT Games, Warner Bros., and Lego have decided the price should be prohibitively steep.

Snipperclips is going to cause arguments, ruin friendships, and break up couples. It’s also as much fun as I’ve had with Nintendo’s new hybrid console outside of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

The Banner Saga is an example of a successfully Kickstarted video game that gives its backers everything they wanted, including a story that’s rich in character and detail.

lood Dragon is silly-fun. It’s the video-game equivalent of spilling all of your toys out in the sandbox and making a story up as you go along with He-Man and Optimus Prime teaming up to fight Cobra Commander...Nothing really makes sense, but it doesn’t make sense in just exactly the right way.

Mr. Meier has come up with a smart and innovative game of turn-based tactics for gamers on the go. Now it’s your job to be a smart consumer and show him what you’re willing to pay for – as well as what you’re not.

It’s unlikely Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE will attract much more than a niche audience outside its native Japan. Not only is it exclusive to Wii U – sadly, a poor selling system that now feels like it has one foot out the door – but it also seems as though little was done to prep it for Western audiences beyond translating dialogue.

My recommendation: Play the campaign, then wait a few days before diving into multiplayer. This might be the best way to avoid cross-contamination and get the most out of these two deeply incongruent gaming experiences.

While it might not be the perfect gateway drug to the series for players just getting to know Kratos, for die hard fans of the franchise, Ascension should provide an ample fix as they wait to see what the next generation of consoles holds for their favourite Spartan anti-hero.

A faithful replication of the old arcade series. Iron Galaxy Studios — known for developing online HD releases of arcade games — did their best to ensure the game’s aesthetic carried over to a larger screen.

For a game where no one utters a word, Dropsy can be powerful.

The game is good enough that I expect to see people throwing themselves against the crucible of a perfect STF run for years to come.

Worth keeping in mind for series n00bs: I’ve found Joe Danger games play a bit better on an iPhone or even an iPad Mini than an iPad.

Even though Tequila Works’ poetic adventure is fun to play, it’s real strength lies in its story and how it’s told.

The game is dirt cheap, easy on the eyes, and fun to pull out for 10 or 15 minutes at a time. At that pace, it’ll take weeks to play through the 50 or so puzzles initially available.

For people who have played the series backward and forward, the most interesting part of the package will likely be the time attack modes that task you with finishing a mix of challenges from each game within a set time frame. Perfect if you want compartmentalized challenges or just don’t have quite enough time to tackle a full game.

It’s hard to hate Need For Speed Rivals. But it’s also hard to love it. The game brings a solid, core competency in every aspect of its arcade racing base, while introducing interesting new online features. Unfortunately, these features never quite gel to their full potential.

Fantasian draws clear inspiration from mid-numbered Final Fantasy games. From its orthodox structure — players are put in control of a party of heroes who explore towns, dungeons, and an overworld map, with turn-based battle occurring at random intervals — to its sci-fi-cum-fantasy vibe, which includes grand airships, imaginative monsters, and even glowing save crystals, anyone who played a turn-of-the-century Japanese role-playing game is going to experience some welcome nostalgia here — especially when Uematsu’s signature battle music and themes kick in.

At some point — I can’t say exactly when — my interactions with the GamePad screen became natural and intuitive, an organic part of the game that I didn’t find myself consciously thinking about. It just felt normal and fun. This is a crucial step forward in changing players’ perception of the GamePad from novel gizmo to worthwhile, game-enhancing peripheral.

Second Son is a blast to play and offers a remarkable open world for a next generation platform...Sucker Punch can save the serious innovation for next time.

It’s a breath of fresh air. A true next-generation rhythm game...But it’s not going to be for everyone.

Like a good film, 1979 Revolution often makes you feel like you’re witnessing real events, or at least an accurate depiction of those events.

Needless to say, Paper Mario: The Origami King doesn’t have the general appeal of a traditional Mario game. It’s smart, creative, and rarely less than lovely to look at, but its combination of odd combat mechanics and sporadically subversive wit are bound to reinforce the franchise’s status as distinctively niche within the Marioverse.

The few hours I spent with Everything were far from wasted. It is a one-of-a-kind interactive experience that will lead most players to think long and hard about the universe and their place in it. Any game that can do that – and especially one that does it with such panache and fearless ambition – earns my stamp of approval.

Resident Evil: Revelations on living room consoles isn’t any better than it was on a Nintendo 3DS. It remains a reasonably fun retro-themed game that’s striving to be something more. But upgraded graphics and more robust controls aren’t moving it any close to that goal. Revelations is what it is, and that’s all it’ll ever be.

Call of Duty: WWII‘s campaign may not quite manage to fully satisfy players’ cravings for a terrific war story, but its online play is an addictive and multifaceted blast.

All you need do is have a taste for platformers and a love of good stories.

Like other great puzzles franchises – Tetris, Bejeweled, and Picross leap to mind – Pushmo doesn’t seem to be changing much between releases. Intelligent Systems has stumbled onto a winning design and they’re sticking with it.

If you like Tolkien fantasy and all you really care about is finely crafted and gratifying combat, then you’re bound to have a ton of fun. Buy with abandon. You’re in for dozens of hours of bloody and gruesome entertainment. If, however, you want a fantasy role-playing game with a little more story, a more thoughtfully designed world that’s a pleasure to explore, and a pace of play that allows for more time engaged in activities outside of battle, then keep shopping. Middle-earth: Shadow of War won’t be for you.

I came away wishing it had been something more. I was hoping for a racing simulation that didn’t just look next-generation, but also felt next-generation in the way it played. Which is to say I’d have preferred Turn 10 spent as much effort innovating the career mode as it did perfecting the way the game’s cars look and handle.

It’s also easily the prettiest Skylanders game yet – an early stage in a twilight world with glowing lights and waterfalls has an almost Trine-like beauty – but as with past entries the graphical upgrades are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

It’s an unexpectedly satisfying feat of writing – with some fine voice performances, to boot – for a series that hasn’t received much in the way of accolades for its storytelling in the past.

The Magic Circle’s appeal runs the gamut of the video game industry. While players might have one experience, someone who has actually worked in game development might get something entirely different from the game. And with a well-written script and some talented voice acting, it has a narrative that you’ll actually enjoy instead of merely coasting through to see the credits roll.

This is an add-on pack in the truest sense of the term, giving you a large heaping second-helping of what you experienced before.

If Harmonix continues to build upon what its laid down, Rock Band 4 could end up being a monumental interactive music experience.

Cart Life really is unlike anything else out there. I’ve never had a game that so pointedly puts you into a role and expects you to make its life work just like your own.

You will be mauled and eviscerated. You will be blown to tiny bloody bits. You will watch as your head is severed from your body by big men with chainsaws. Or stomped on by nurses with glowing eyes...But, strangely, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s all part and parcel to the classic survival horror experience.

I laughed loudly and frequently, and could hardly bring myself to stop playing. But I’m not sure I’ll be in the majority.

To be sure, much of what players encounter will be familiar, and usually pleasantly so. But there’s also a satisfying dribbling of concepts and ideas here that you won’t find anywhere else. If you’re a fan of any of the games I’ve referenced over the course of this little essay and you’ve enjoyed Arkane’s past work, then Prey is a pretty safe bet.

Ultimately, Until Dawn is a clever romp through horror movie tropes that is good for those who want fun interactive narratives. It’s cheesy, and there’s perhaps less to do with it once you’re done than I’d like, but it lacks the rough edges of many other narrative-first games...Personally, if we got a few more of these each year and a few less samey shooters, I wouldn’t mind one bit.

I don’t know how much longer this pandemic will go on, but I’m happy to have New Pokemon Snap as one more weapon in my arsenal to combat lockdown boredom, alleviate my creative listlessness, and encourage a little more socially distanced friendship and community.

I think there’s an amazing amount of fidelity and love shown here to the source, and it’s one of the few adaptations of the material that seems to specifically get what made the 1979 film special. It’s certainly better than the atrocity that was last year’s Aliens: Colonial Marines. It’s just that it overstays it’s welcome a bit. A lot.

I even occasionally found myself skipping through the all-important court dialogue without reading, then using hint coins to solve the case just so I could get back to Layton’s puzzles.

It doesn’t take a lot of risks. You’ll run around a little hub world choosing visiting shops and choosing levels filled with various running and jumping challenges, plus some signature Sackboy moves involving tugging, pushing and hanging onto stuff. But it’s well executed and wonderfully easy to just sit down and play for 20 minutes here or there. Plus, the action is set to a buoyant soundtrack filled with music that perfectly matches the family-friendly hijinks. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself humming these tunes long after you stop playing.

Trials Fusion, like its predecessors, is a super-charged, neck-breaking blast of a motorbike game, and solidifies the franchise’s status as the Excitebike of our time.

Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth – Rising Tide isn’t an entirely new game, but it’s not far off. It gives fans of the original game plenty of reason to dive back in for not just one, but hundreds or thousands more turns.