Titanfall 2 builds on the promises of the first game in every way imaginable. Rewarding gameplay innovations remain intact, providing consistent thrills in both multiplayer matches and the campaign. Fans of the genre will find themselves blown away by the unique level design, even if the narrative fails to stand tall.

Where the previous game is an over-the-top whirlwind, Rise of the Tomb Raider is better as a savored experience.

It serves up exactly what the series is known for with a new twist, and it does so with awe-inspiring ease. One of my biggest takeaways was how completely I was transported to a space of childlike joy while I played it.

This adventure marks a maturation in the formula that fans have come to love. Everything new in Sekiro is achieved with graceful triumph, demonstrating how willing From Software is to experiment with new ideas and proving it to be one of the greatest modern developers.

While not as challenging as some of the JRPGs of the past (no Emerald Weapon here, sorry), I Am Setsuna makes it clear that someone is listening to all of those grumbly veteran gamers who miss the adventures that made them fans for life. They long for a story to care about, and that's what this game provides.

It’s not quite the equivalent of getting three Fire Emblem Awakenings in a single release, but it’s nonetheless an impressive follow-up. Fates fine tunes Awakening’s best combat and relationship aspects while carving its own identity with the My Castle home base, creating a rare Fire Emblem that delivers immense value outside the arenas of war.

It may sound trite, but there actually was something primal about Far Cry Primal in terms of how it handled genre identity. It dispenses with any notions of gritty realism, noir storytelling, or military heroism, and boils things down to brutal violence and plain-old silliness. I found this refreshing.

Just as the countless reviews for this cowboy simulator will pontificate on how Rockstar may have just created the most “alive” world of this generation, none of it should ignore that an actual team of human beings reportedly sacrificed and struggled to breathe life into it.

This feels like the most authentic Spider-Man game that’s ever been made. It captures every aspect of the hero and his secret identity that fans have come to love, all while delivering a lengthy experience that feels like a childhood dream of defying gravity finally come to fruition.

There’s no denying the palpable triumph of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. An ambitious, far-reaching project, it feels like years and years of dreams come true. A game with this number of characters, songs, stages, bosses, and callbacks simply feels like it shouldn’t exist. It’s hard to imagine a better Super Smash Bros. game, but with more content already on the way, Ultimate will continue to top itself for the foreseeable future. For now, it’s impossible not to love what has been so carefully crafted as Nintendo’s finest multiplayer game ever.

The game’s neo-noir, Blade Runner-esque setting perfectly marries with its gritty but heartfelt tone. Despite the slightly off-putting differences in the character design, the aesthetic of the game is superb. Match the exquisite level design with seamless mechanics, addicting gameplay and rousing battles, and you have a recipe for perhaps one of the best games of the year.

If you are a first-person shooter fan generally, and if you enjoy team-based FPS play specifically, not at least trying Overwatch feels criminal. Blizzard always imparts a deep sense of holistic quality into its games, and Overwatch is no exception.

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate represents a welcomed return to form, the likes of which hasn’t been experienced since Revelations. If attaining this level of excellence meant removing all the complexities and ambition of multiplayer, so be it.

Tales from the Borderlands may also be the best-looking game Telltale has ever produced.

The only caution about Yoshi’s Wooly World is that it is only composed of five Worlds, rather than the usual eight Worlds of a Super Mario Bros. game. A skilled platformer player who is able to grab all the collectibles in each course on a first run might find the game too short.

For existing Rock Band fans, the only reason not to purchase Rock Band 4 is that you’re perfectly happy with all the instruments and music you have available to you already, and don’t foresee interest in the bevy of inevitable new tracks that Harmonix will be releasing for the PS4 and Xbox One...And if you’re deciding whether or not to buy Rock Band for the very first time, I wish I could convey just how much I wish the instruments had been this high-quality and the song library this deep when I first started playing Rock Band eight years ago.

If you are seeking a challenge, look elsewhere, but for anyone after a fun and simple jaunt into a classic that lives up to its predecessors, this game is the perfect fit.

Pokémon has a long and storied history, with plenty of exciting developments, and plenty of missteps. Let’s Go is more the former. These games imagine a beautiful, friendly future for Pokémon, and they’re more than worth any interested player’s time.

Pokémon has a long and storied history, with plenty of exciting developments, and plenty of missteps. Let’s Go is more the former. These games imagine a beautiful, friendly future for Pokémon, and they’re more than worth any interested player’s time.

The slinking sensation of the fascinating control scheme makes it easy to recommend Snake Pass to casual fans and hardcore gamers alike. The soundtrack from Rare alum David Wise adds a soothing atmosphere to quiet moments and ramps up steel drums and pounding rhythm as the player tests their snaking skills. As the grass sways and the cartoony characters start chattering, it becomes hard to resist the charm and obvious love that went into this unique take on the genre.

I'm not upset about how inaccessible so much of The Witness felt for me. I feel sad, because I think The Witness is an experience a lot of people are going to enjoy figuring out, whereas I'm going to need more hints to get through it.

At no point did I truly dislike Plague Tale. Quite the contrary. It almost never fails to give you something new to think about or look at, even if you tend to be doing the same three or four things while doing so. The art and environment design is on par with or exceeds some of 2019’s biggest budget titles, and while its core gameplay wears thin by the end, Plague Tale never seems to run out of unique scenarios to throw you into.

For fans of frantic, intense shooters with a layer of customization and random elements, it would be hard not to recommend Mothergunship.

Suffice it to say, if all the stabbing, choking, and hippo-mauling is your kind of fun, Hitman 2 is the most Hitman there ever were, for better or worse. Its story, while plain, serves its purpose without getting in the way, and you’ll be able to stretch the murdering on for weeks to come, despite what few innovations there are being minor. There’s just nothing quite like Hitman, a series that defies everything we’ve learned about modern game business.

Donut County won’t solve or illuminate that massive, multifaceted societal issue, but it will give you a chance to lay back, relax, and throw it down a hole.

The team wanted to make it more than just a cute face and pretty graphics. Even if puzzles can seem obtuse, seldom do they ever feel impossible. The few faults in Unravel can be excused, because it’s so well executed. With the emotions it stirs and the warmth it makes you feel, it’s obvious that a lot of heart was poured into this game.

Destiny has always been better when played with friends, but this time doesn’t feel like it actively punishes solo players.

Pikuniku has so much personality bubbling out of every moment that I couldn’t put it down.