In an industry where conflict tends to be approached mostly in heroic terms, with only limited attention paid to its effects on individuals who are not wielding power, This War of Mine is a solid surprise, and given its small price, as many gamers as possible should try it out and see what it has to offer.

For the most part, Tropico 6 is an almost perfect experience. It’s not too bold, but it’s not rehashing older concepts. It stands on its own and sets up for something expected from a new developer. Tropico 6 is a bridge between the glorious past of games like Caesar IV and Sim City and the future. I can’t wait to return to those beautiful islands, and that’s everything I want from a game.

Darkest Dungeon II is everything I expected and more. An evolution of the series that introduces so many new mechanics that I can hardly believe that this is a sequel to the original Darkest Dungeon. Less punishing and frustrating than the first game, Darkest Dungeon II offers fans of the series a myriad of options when it comes to creating the perfect party. The thing that didn’t change from the first game is the pain you feel when your most powerful hero fails a “death’s door” check because you thought it would survive one more hit. Darkest Dungeon II is a near-perfect roguelite that’s hard to surpass.

A Highland Song looks good and has plenty of impressive moments. Moira is a great character, able to take her love for her uncle and Scottish legends to imbue the world around her, harsh as it might be, with magic. The combination of mechanics means there’s variety but also leads to limited depth for each. It will probably take players two or three tries to get to the lighthouse and many more to find characters and secrets. A Highland Song is a good exploration-focused game that puts Moira’s spirit and Scottish charm front and center.

Lunchbreak Tactics is a smart and fast auto-battler that plays to the genre’s strengths. A complete winning 12-battle run can take under 20 minutes once gamers understand the mechanics and know the type of team they want to create. The fast speed, with its cool rock soundtrack, condenses a battle to under one minute. The game looks good, and developing a team during the shop phase involves a balance of long-term thinking and luck. The only issue I have with the mechanics is that the meta-progression feels a little slow. The world-building is a little limited, but it doesn’t matter much given the engrossing gameplay loop. Lunchbreak Tactics is easy to learn, quick to play, and gets more fun as players understand it more and unlock new heroes and clans.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is without any doubt the biggest game of the series published so far and arguably the most engaging one. Each and every part denotes the developer’s passion for their craft and the end result is one of the most atmospheric games I have had the chance to play lately. I cannot recommend the game highly enough, despite the controversial decision of putting NewGame+ behind an extra paywall. If you have never played Yakuza before, Infinite Wealth will open up your appetite in the best way possible.

Spyro's original adventures have been lovingly recreated in the Reignited Trilogy, so if you're ready to fire up the legends again and explore a vast and beautiful realm disguised as a fire-breathing dragon, then you simply can't miss this one.

As a whole, I found Crashlands 2 to deliver that quirky, beautiful and engaging isometric survival experience I always wanted. I enjoyed the first one quite a lot, but I can happily say this new one blows it out of the water. The plot is great, the game is easy to get into, and there’s plenty of replay value, along with some cool end-game activities you can do over and over. Knowing how the devs continually updated the first game, I am expecting great things to come for Crashlands 2 in the future as well. Even if it would remain in this state, this is the quintessential survival experience that everyone should try. I guarantee you’ll die laughing, while also feeling the need to explore this eye-catching alien world for at least 1 more hour.

Sins of a Solar Empire II is a great space-based real-time strategy game. It is designed to primarily appeal to those who liked the original, splitting factions into two, introducing variation to the star systems, and adding to the tactical complexity. The game does not offer a campaign, but each match generates its own unique stories. The multiplayer infrastructure is solid and there are plenty of options to work with. And the game offers quite the visual spectacle, as big fleets clash with energy beams and missiles striking targets everywhere. Sins of a Solar Empire II could have used an entirely new faction, like the threat the Vasari are running from, and a few more innovative ideas but I like its mechanics and every match feels unique.

Inkulinati is impressive in its ability to marry theme, mechanics, and presentation. The ink-driven combat is exciting and tense, rewarding experimentation and good use of gestures and abilities. The world, inspired by the marginalia of Medieval manuscripts, is beautiful and immersive. The campaign is strong but playing against another human, in local multiplayer, is even more fun, especially if both involved players have learned a few tricks while facing the computer. Inkulinati is incredibly inventive visually and features engaging combat mechanics.

Some of the physics could have been better, but overall, it’s going to probably be one of the most beautiful games in 2018. It would be interesting to see where the story goes from here. Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the highlight of the series, and topping it will be difficult.

The Knight Witch is a good game with well-executed familiar mechanics. Combat, especially in the bigger and more open areas, is a joy, even when it’s against a tough boss with some dirty tricks up his mechanical sleeve. The narrative is interesting enough, even if some of the fourth-wall-breaking might be hit or miss, and the game looks impressive. Play it in short sessions, with a clear goal in mind and a willingness to tweak approaches on failure (don’t forget about the cheat options). The Knight Witch offers a good mix of action and exploration, even for players who have little experience with the genre.

In a nutshell, this isn’t a revolution, but rather an evolution of the game in the same direction that Blizzard has been pushing the game for the last few years.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is a great new entry in the series. It offers plenty of things for all players, as the Adventure mode draws in new fans, the Classic mode appeals to veterans, and the leaderboards manage to fuel their competitive natures.

A worthy investment for any fan of the original game and a pretty good one for those who weren't exactly thrilled with the initial experience.

Expelled! might be built on the bones of Overboard! but it manages to improve on it both mechanically and in terms of story. Verity is a great protagonist, and the many mysteries linked to the characters and the school itself are a pleasure to unravel. A run can end in 15 minutes and in utter failure but still feel like progress. The idea that turning more towards evil opens up new options is a good one but simply choosing the red option to get results sometimes feels artificial. And the characters are strong enough that I wanted to interact with more of them. Expelled! doesn’t innovate mechanically but the narrative is engrossing and fun, with a great heroine at its core.

Despite some shortcomings, Octopath Traveler II is one of the best JRPGs of the year. It’s nice to know that developers have took all feedback to heart and addressed the main issues with the original game, while adding new mechanics and improvements across the board. The semi-open world is alive as long as you spend most of the time in cities, whereas the wilderness and dungeons feel rather empty. Also, even though the pacing is better than in the first game, Octopath Traveler II is still a little too slow by today’s standards. I wholeheartedly recommend Octopath Traveler II to anyone who is even just mildly interested in JRPGs. It’s very close to the masterpiece status and you don’t even have to play the original. In fact, I would strongly suggest you skip the first game and play this one instead.

The two new tables do not deliver any new narrative elements, but they manage to create a new level of excitement around the adventures of Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, and the rest of the cast by delivering interactivity, even if it is somewhat limited by the pinball mechanics.

Projected Dreams is a good puzzle game with a unique take on the genre. The shadow work starts off pretty easy, but the developers find ways to add variety and increase the challenge level. The rooms where shadows are projected are also fun to interact with, especially when hunting for a new cassette to play. The story and graphics are pleasant enough but don’t stand out. The shadow puzzles are the main reason to engage with Projected Dreams, especially for players who are interested in looking for multiple solutions for each album photo. The entire experience is even more interesting when playing with a kid who hasn’t yet had the experience of shadow play in the real world.

It's got good puzzles, some of which may be a bit too obtuse, and a very lighthearted overall tone, as well as a ton of wit and some loving pop culture references to enjoy, as well as an interesting storyline to follow.

An exquisite combination of deep storytelling and refined card game combat mechanics, Thronebreaker delivers an exceptional RPG experience that not many developers can achieve these days. It's a pity that Geralt's saga has ended after just three games, but Thronebreaker is definitely going to quench your thirst for anything The Witcher related, at least for a while.

Fresh Tracks is a great game with very good music designed to appeal to those who already know they love the rhythm genre. On the higher difficulties, it will challenge anyone to get past a level’s challenges but also makes accommodations for those who might not be as in sync with the rhythm. The rogue elements might help with the game’s longevity but feel somewhat like an afterthought. Play on the lowest difficulty level if the rhythm challenges seem too hard, and try to unlock as many of the songs as possible. Fresh Tracks works best played in sessions of around two runs, when players hit the right balance between enjoying the music and mastering the rhythm mechanics.

In a nutshell, it's a great table for newbies and pinball wizards alike, that can offer tons of fun even to those who are not particularly crazy about flipping metal balls around, but are into Portal.

DREDGE is both atmospheric and mechanically engaging. The story threads are very personal and, at times, heartbreaking. Even though I didn’t catch all the species featured in the encyclopedia, I had plenty of fun moving around the world, trying to identify the best spots for certain species and mastering mini-games. Narrative progression can sometimes feel slow, especially if players only approach fishing as a means to an end. Catching some fish feels needlessly complicated. But these are minor issues with a game that has a big dark heart and makes exploration and fishing very fun. DREDGE is a great experience that mixes genres and ideas while keeping the experience accessible to everyone.

Firewatch shows the way video games, without creating major conflicts or over-the-top conspiracies, can elicit strong emotional responses from their audience, and it should be applauded for that even by gamers who do not appreciate the first-person adventure mechanics.

MechWarrior 5: Clans brings the series’ mech combat formula closer to perfection. Players have access to a wide range of Smoke Jaguar mechs to customize and take into battle as they take on Inner Sphere tanks, complete lances, SOKOLs, and even a dropship. The action looks and sounds good and even the story, built around Jayden and his four comrades, is solid. Gamers who can find four friends can tackle the entire campaign in coop. MechWarrior 5: Clans could use some extra encounter variety but it nails the tension and excitement of pitting a Timber Wolf against an Atlas.

Overall, the folks at Complex Games have done a great job adapting one of the most popular tabletop games in the world and turning it into a video game. Ironically, Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters feels like the natural evolution of the XCOM franchise.

Field of Glory: Kingdoms is a grand strategy game designed for players who love both history and complexity. The grand campaign offers freedom to change the destiny of most featured nations but only for those who carefully craft plans, invest resources wisely, and pick the right moments to expand. Players can create impressive narratives that remain rooted in the reality of the early Middle Ages even as they diverge from it. The game asks gamers to invest time and energy to understand all its mechanics (the manual is well-written and informative) and, more importantly, all the complex ways they interact. Field of Glory: Kingdoms rewards those who do with plenty of variety and tens of hours of fun.