Chernobylite is a lovingly crafted example of what a post-apocalyptic game can and should be, offering players a rollercoaster of a story with plenty of choices that naturally lend to an overarching sense of freedom. Aside from a few technical issues, Chernobylite does everything right and wraps it all in a tense, and oftentimes uncomfortable, package that has you wanting to see what’s lurking around the next corner. If there has ever been a game that makes you want to pack your bags and take a trip to a dangerous part of the world, this is it.

Exodus is an overall excellent experience that succeeds at nearly everything it attempts to achieve.

For returning players, and those especially focused on Connected Franchise, there isn't enough here to welcome you back. Updated rosters and small on-field tweaks are the things we get every year but what really makes or breaks an installment of Madden are the big changes, which are up and down and ultimately make Madden 18 a solid starter but no Pro Bowler.

We can call it now — Ninja Gaiden 4 is the best action game of 2025. Brutal, rewarding, beautifully presented; it's a return Ninja Gaiden fans could once only dream of. While it disappoints in a few places (mainly with its level variety and story), you'll find few action games have ever delivered gameplay as refined and cathartic as Ninja Gaiden 4.

Bulletstorm is still as good as it ever was. It's fast, fluid, highly vulgar, and incredibly addictive. In a world of hyper-serious shooters, Bulletstorm stands out as an oasis of non-serious fun and is head-and-shoulders above its competition... Duke included. Fans of shooters who missed out in 2011 are highly encouraged to pick up this remaster as it is going to be the best way to play through the exploits of Grayson, Ishi, and Trishka. That being said, if you've already played the original and aren't aching to be knee deep in viscera and vulgarity, there's not a lot here to encourage a second go, especially at the current price point. We wanted more and the post-credits stinger does a nice job of setting up a potential sequel. Here's to hoping that we get another round of nom juice and some more taints to shoot.

While Tekken 7 has a few problems, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives. It's a series known not for its highly engaging story, but rather its vibrant and colourful, yet complex gameplay. With the addition of Rage Arts, fights look even better and feel fluid in the process. Witnessing this in all modes, especially the online tournaments, is a treat and hitting the Gallery for some nostalgic downtime stops the gameplay from becoming too stale. We may be missing a few of the series' beloved characters and load times may hinder it slightly, but one thing is certain — Tekken is still an addictive fighting franchise that definitely deserves its place in 2017.

If you play CoD for the campaign, Black Ops III is a low point featuring a confusing and uninteresting story, poor pacing, cheesy dialogue and over-the-top voice acting that results in a story that resembles what the outcome would be if you dropped the cast of Team America: World Police on the set of Inception or Source Code.

As a vessel to transport fans of the series back through its many stories, World of Final Fantasy Maxima is an unqualified success. The game is filled with old friends to meet and side content to play through with them, but it's also completely accessible as an entry point into the series for new players thanks to a forgiving combat system and a story with great humor and characters. The combat can be a bit easy, and there's not a ton of side content to keep you busy, but these drawbacks are far outweighed by the special experience of playing through the story and getting invested in the world. If you come into this with eyes wide open regarding the combat, there's plenty to find and enjoy in this world.

Lightsaber combat is fluid, providing just enough challenge to entertain while letting players feel like a Jedi. Perfect music composition and top-tier sound design bring the whole thing together in a way that makes us excited for a sequel. There's some significant problems, for sure – especially in level design and signposting – but we're confident that the developers could easily evolve beyond these hiccups in the future. The Star Wars gaming universe is in pretty safe hands with Respawn – provided EA keep giving the studio enough opportunities.

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is a fantastic sequel that confidently builds on its predecessor with smarter, more complex puzzles and expanded abilities for both Lana and Mui. Combined with the gorgeous Ghibli-like visuals of the first game, an enthralling story with a big mystery at its heart, and a phenomenal soundtrack, Planet of Lana II is a gem of a game that is a must-play for puzzle-platforming fans.

Episode 3 - Hell Is Empty brings Life Is Strange: Before The Storm to its conclusion, resolving the story of not just Chloe and Rachel but also that of many other characters. Unfortunately some of the story points seem rushed to conclusion, likely a result of trying to tell a story in three episodes instead of five, and Chloe's backtalk mechanic is still criminally underused. On the other hand, there are improvements to the puzzles in this episode. Along the way, players will make many decisions, some far easier than others, all of which have some effect on the story to truly make it a tale of your own creation. Some players may well prefer Max and her powers to the more grounded story of Chloe, but the prequel is still a worthwhile journey through Arcadia Bay and an appropriate telling of the events before Max returned to the area.

With a fantastic roster of stories to play through and characters to interact with, Weird West is sure to please any fan of the Old West. Its mix of fantasy and spaghetti western tropes blends beautifully to create a memorable experience that twists and turns around the believable and magical. While there are a few niggles here and there, the overall experience feels polished throughout and WolfEye's attention to detail is noticeable in all aspects. The Weird West is beautiful, deadly, and free from constraining gameplay choices.

The potential for too much chaos comes to fruition with this fourth episode as The Enemy Within finally succumbs to the Spider-Man 3 problem after a hard fought bout. That's not to say the season can't end with great spectacle. As always, Telltale has set up players for what should be an action-packed finale. It's also apparent that this won't be the final season of theirs with the hero, so part of the fun comes in watching the teases for next season begin to surface as they do in What Ails You. It's been a middling season thus far, but that's come to be a bit expected of Telltale since their 2012 heyday. They could still turn it around with a memorable finale. Maybe this episode's most vital maneuver is to have cleared some of Batman's — and Telltale's — path to success.

Watch_Dogs 2 definitely improves on its predecessor in almost every way.

On the field it's still a fun game as always, but for the first time in a long time, it feels like little more than a roster update.

Middle-earth: Shadow of War is the best Assassin's Creed-style game available. It's also a worthy successor to a game many called 2014's Game of the Year. The world is huge and full of tons of activities. The new fortress assault system creates awesome battles that feel truly epic. Then there's the return of the Nemesis system, which runs through every system the game has to offer. The system keeps combat fresh and it gives Shadow of War a much-needed splash of character and humor. Its faults are undoubtedly minor. One of the game's more prominent side activities, fight pits, are simply not very fun at all. Then there are the loot boxes, which aren't strictly necessary but will undoubtedly create a need to grind if you don't purchase them. Overall, Shadow of War is an excellent game that offers dozens of hours of enjoyable content. It's a game that's worthy of every minute you'll put into it.

Chivalry 2 is a game that thrusts you into the brutality of medieval warfare without remorse and allows you to fully experience the reality that soldiers faced in those bloody times. The rewards come from extended gameplay and mastering your class and weapon choices, ultimately learning how to effectively defend yourself and go on the offensive. This is a must-have for anyone that enjoys melee combat within video games and wants to put their skills to the test. Aside from a few minor issues, the game feels polished throughout, and I look forward to playing it for many, many more hours.

Blacktail is beautiful, from the sun-kissed rivers found in its summer-themed areas to its foreboding spider-infested caves, every inch of the world has been a pleasure to explore. While the morality system doesn't offer the impactful experience we had hoped, it's a lovely way to measure your interaction with the world, adding to the game's overarching enjoyability. Combat is fun and well-balanced but sits behind Blacktail's explorative elements as the most exciting feature on offer. It's stunning to look at, exciting to explore, and enjoyable to play... charming.

Lacking in both content and features in comparison to its PC counterpart, this version of Cities: Skylines is probably not for those who already own and enjoy the game there. However, thanks to a personal touch, it's a game that is very satisfying to progress through and a worthy city builder for genre fans on Xbox One. Just consider having a guide at hand, and perhaps something to keep you entertained in between projects.

Overall this is a very good indie game, despite a few rough spots, offering anything from 10-30+ hours of gameplay depending on one's thoroughness. The challenges available suit a wide range of abilities, and players are free to kill or not without being disadvantaged or affecting the story. People who find trial and error frustrating should be aware that they cannot save scum, and there are some pretty long checkpoints in the more complex levels.

It's not the most original of games, with its basis being literally one of the oldest in the book and its gameplay coming straight out of the Breath of the Wild playbook, but there's a degree of creativity displayed in the storytelling and the activities themselves that really does let Immortals stand apart from its inspirations.

Viewfinder's puzzles are both impressive and intuitive — a very hard balance to find! That said, I felt like the game failed to explore its many cool ideas to the fullest, and unfortunately its attempt at a story was a buzz-killing distraction. It's a fun puzzle game, but I expect a sequel would really blow people away.

Bucking the curse of the middle episode, Enigmatis 2: The Mists of Ravenwood offers another solid storyline with plenty of supernatural tendencies, setting the scene nicely for the final part of the trilogy.

The game is held back by poor balancing that renders the silenced pistol the most effective weapon, the truly awful AI that seems to actively try to not detect you even if you run in front of them, and a lack of worthwhile activities to play outside of the main campaign.

To this day Halo Wars remains the most accessible RTS game to have ever been released on a console, and while it may lack the depth of some of its PC brethren, as an introduction to the genre it is still at the top of its class.

Wargroove pays homage to Advance Wars in both style and substance, with an obvious nostalgic appeal to Game Boy Advance veterans. It's a well-rounded game that makes turn-based strategy accessible to anyone new to the genre. However, it can still challenge seasoned players via custom difficulty settings and custom content. The inclusion of straightforward content creation tools increases its scope and longevity and gives it the potential to develop a community centred on amateur game development. It may resemble a relic from the Game Boy era, but Wargroove is far more than just another retro game.

If you're into resource gathering, crafting and exploring, then Subnautica is simply a title that you have to play. The wonderfully colorful and diverse environments invite exploration. Using all of the technology available and being able to create your own habitats and vehicles just encourage you to voyage further.

Ninja Theory has created an outstanding sequel with Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2. An unforgettable narrative adventure that is brought to life through impeccable sound design, gorgeous visuals, and a story that will stick with you long after the final credits roll. Hellblade 2 is one of the best Xbox games out there and is absolutely worth your time if you enjoyed the original.