With its emotional gut-punching story, memorable and wonderfully crafted characters, and a beautifully designed setting that immerses you deeply into its world, Life is Strange: True Colors is a superb entry into the Life is Strange series. While the game's conclusion does come just slightly too quickly, and some technical issues spoil the show, you won't regret experiencing Alex Chen's story. Simply put, Life is Strange: True Colors is a must-play.

It's stylish, it's funny — as in, don't-drink-that-now-or-it'll-come-out-your-nose-too-late-it's-everywhere funny — and it's just such a unique experience that it'd be hard for me to not recommend it.

The developer wanted to make a game for fans and newcomers alike and they made many changes to the typical Final Fantasy formula. The result is a game that is not like what you would expect, but for those who want to find something to love here, there's something to find.

FIFA 18 offers the best game of football that the series has seen in some time and provides the best overall package for fans of the sport. It might not be up there in terms of authenticity with PES on the pitch, but this year's release has made up some ground, excelling at providing those wow moments that gets fans of the real sport on their feet and punching the air. With an interesting return of Alex Hunter, new game modes to try, and a level of presentation and detail that can’t be found anywhere else, FIFA 18 is easy to recommend to long-running fans of the series and is a solid jumping in point for people who might have skipped a few years.

Overcooked! 2 is a Michelin Star game. As a co-op experience, there are few games better at bringing together players of different skill levels for some fun.

Those who already enjoy anime in both its art and its typical sensibilities will likely adore the game. Others who may have avoided anime to date but enjoy a story-driven adventure game should not overlook it either. Its premise is strange, but always charming and engrossing too. Issues with controls and platforming hinder the experience, but not enough to sour all the good that is present, like subtly branching storylines and a host of memorable characters. Anime fan or not, you won't easily forget it.

NBA 2K19 continues the series' decade-long trajectory of becoming the very best sports sim in the world. That's certainly still true on the court thanks to improved gameplay mechanics that fix trouble spots, a genuinely interesting and well-written story mode, and quality of life additions across the board. Sadly, the series still feels like something less than it should be thanks to predatory and invasive pay-to-win tactics that make their shameful return. Hopefully the day will come when this player base revolts and gets the game at least down to cosmetics-only buying options.

Achievement-wise, this game is clearly going to take some time, and that can only be a good thing considering that Starfield seems to have delivered what it promised: an almost endless adventure we’ll still be discovering new details about years down the line.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided provides an interesting and at times thought provoking story which is set in a detailed and immersive world that is begging to be explored. The lack of character development in some of the enemies, the occasional technical issues, and the ending which leaves too many questions unanswered are blemishes, no doubt, but for anyone looking for a rewarding single-player experience the variety of gameplay and replay value on offer makes Mankind Divided an easy recommendation.

Considering the combination of the two genres that make up the game, Crypt Of The NecroDancer will certainly not be for everyone. With a great and varied soundtrack, there's at least one choice to suit your tastes. The gratifying gameplay offers a real feeling that it is the player's skill that has persevered over all obstacles and there are plenty of modes to occupy your time. The punishing difficulty may put off newcomers to the genre, but those who enjoy rhythm games or roguelikes may well find a new obsession here... just be ready to die a lot.

The SUPERHOT Team managed to take what seems like a fairly simple mechanic and turn it into a game that is full of possibilities...The game is one of the most innovative shooters in years.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 lives up to the precedent set by the original Space Marine for the most part, offering a storyline and co-op experience filled with gore and action brought to life with excellent visuals. It's held back by irritating AI companions and a campaign optimized for co-op, leaving an un-balanced experience for solo players. However, if you're looking for a game to live out a Space Marine fantasy, and want some co-op fun, you'll be in for a real treat.

In terms of gameplay, there's little to be had in the way of new ideas within Little Nightmares but it seems the main appeal was always intended to be the art and atmosphere; in those respects the game is a massive success.

Most impressively, each of the dozens of levels has been thoughtfully recreated with impressive attention to visual and audio detail, bringing the magical feel of the series to life once more. Fans of the originals will find almost nothing to dislike, and I can see Spyro delighting a new generation of players with the quality of this collection.

The beautifully drawn and wonderfully composed Yoku's Island Express is another nice addition to the Xbox One's library of platformers. There is a ton to unlock and collect on the island's large map, which is rewarding and fun to explore, although the size of the world can sometimes lead to problems. But while the mashup of pinball and platforming is enjoyable to play, players aren't going to see anything in Yoku's they haven't already seen from either genre.

OlliOlli 2 takes everything that was found in its predecessor and builds on it to create a smoother and more addictive experience.

A romp through Owlboy's beautiful zones brings back wonderful memories of platformers of the past; however, make no mistake, the game is modern-day. But without its incredible presentation, stunning visuals and charming music, Owlboy would be devoid of anything special. When it comes down to the gameplay, Owlboy 's companion-heavy experience isn't horrible, but it's not groundbreaking either, and the sections that control badly are more memorable than those that don't

Though the score accompanying this review is lower than the score I gave the premiere, in some ways "Children of Arkham" is the superior episode. This game exists first and foremost because it wants to tell a story. While the first episode set the table and promised a lot to be excited about, this follow-up begins to deliver on those promises in ways that are fresh, riveting, and challenging to Bruce, Batman, and the player alike.

SOMA is so deserving of high praise even as it's difficult to do so with specifics and not spoil the excellent story. Simon's journey through PATHOS-II ask a lot of questions that it demands players answer in their own terms, both in-game and long after. Even as it's often dystopian, the central themes and questions surrounding SOMA are worth mapping onto today's world. They are questions that may always be relevant. Who are you? What is the self if not an illusion? SOMA is a good horror game that does most things well, but more than that, it is an exceptional science fiction tale that no genre fan should miss.

There is something special about The Sexy Brutale, something you don't come across often.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a sequel that does a lot well, although its biggest detriment is how safely the developers seemed to play it.

The Outer Worlds 2 is a glorious outing that provides some of the best RPG mechanics that I have experienced in a while. Its world, exploration, and combat are perfectly executed, providing a sequel fans will be overjoyed to sink their time into. While it has a few flaws in terms of story and companion depth, you'll find few RPGs that deliver such a robust and addictive experience.

Ubisoft has taken criticisms to heart, and made changes that capitalize on the series' potential in ways the first game never did. Their approach to this title should be considered a success on many fronts, with their main downgrade from the predecessor coming in the form of a lackluster main plot and forgettable characters. Technical issues and instances of poor AI shouldn’t be ignored either, but they’re outshined by the superb gameplay improvements that include meaningful optional content, a deeper well of skills and gear, and a more level playing field in PvP. The Division 2 has something here for fans, critics, and newcomers alike.

For fans of Prey, the idea of a roguelite DLC might have filled them with trepidation, but Mooncrash is an experience that shouldn't be missed. The basic gameplay remains the same but the roguelite style makes the expansion feel like a new experience rather than more of the same. The Survival Mode rules add tension and unpredictability to a new environment, and the increasing difficulty means that players can never become too complacent.

Ultimately, this is one of those rare games that really is exactly what it looks like. It's an indie platformer with plenty of heart and a challenge worth staying for.

While co-op is appreciated, it feels tacked on and the multiplayer modes are little more than a distraction, even if the map editor is one of the most comprehensive seen for a while. Despite this, Far Cry 5 is the best addition to the franchise for quite a while and it is well worth spending many hours visiting Montana.

The Evil Within 2 doesn't reinvent the survival-horror genre but makes it work in more of an open world. Blending it with the tightly directed sections we have come to expect from the genre creates a fantastic horror setting that cranks up the tension only when it's needed. Players are rewarded for exploring and the scarce resources are distributed in a way that you often feel like there is only enough to scrape by, yet it never leaves you feeling under-prepared. Unfortunately, Sebastian's movement and animation often feel disconnected and some animations do seem clumsy in general, while some visual assets noticeably pop into view. Thankfully, these minor issues don't detract too much from the overall package and The Evil Within 2 delivers an interesting and memorable horror experience that is challenging yet fair.

The graphical upgrade is impressive and you won't struggle to enjoy the view as you dive straight back into the game. A lot of the bugs and glitches that were experienced in the original are back, but with nothing game breaking here, can we forgive the expected problems from Bethesda? Possibly. Did Skyrim need a remaster? Probably not. Are we all going to buy it anyway? Probably.