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For 675 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 44% higher than the average critic
  • 5% same as the average critic
  • 51% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 0.8 points higher than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Game review score: 76
Highest review score: 100 Resident Evil 4
Lowest review score: 20 Black Clover: Quartet Knights
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 400 out of 675
  2. Mixed: 257 out of 675
  3. Negative: 18 out of 675
681 game reviews
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per page
    • 68 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Nintendo Labo: Toycon 02 Robot Kit
    Punching, stomping and walking my way through a Star Fox-esque metropolis and destroying everything in my path for the high score, I couldn’t help being massively underwhelmed by the game itself. It’s an incredibly simple smash-’em-up where you simply have to destroy every building to earn a multiplier and bigger score. Lifting your arms in the air will make your bot fly, crouching turns it into a tank, and lifting your legs up and down makes it walk, while punching, naturally, punches. It felt like a mini-game from the ill-fated Star Fox Zero, and once the level was over, I had no desire to play it again. I hope the full game offers more for buyers than what there is here. You do get Garage mode again in this kit, though.
    • 77 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    Nintendo Labo: Toycon 01 Variety Kit
    If the rest of the games in the Variety Pack, and the more expensive Robot Pack, can deliver the depth offered by the RC car and especially the Piano, Nintendo has created something that every child will love. And also something that every child will learn something from.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Overwatch (2016)
    Overwatch remains one of the most compelling and experimental shooters in the world right now. Blizzard Entertainment’s commitment to innovative new heroes, modes and responding to community feedback is unparalleled – and a treat to watch. Like World of Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo before it, Blizzard has crafted something that will undoubtedly be around for years to come.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Call of Duty: WWII - The War Machine
    War Machine is a serviceable DLC map pack and nothing more. There isn’t anything here that alters the dynamics of the gameplay, no new modes or ideas – just good, solid environments in which to do the same kind of battling you’ve been doing for years.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    World of Warriors
    Got a household of bored kids on a rainy weekend? World of Warriors has just enough charm and interest to keep them busy for a day or two. Yet while it has depth and a few good ideas, it’s not compelling enough or varied enough to hold their interest for any longer. It has a whole bunch of warriors, but not the heart or soul of a great fighting game.
    • 94 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    God of War
    God of War tells a wonderful tale through a beautiful spectrum speckled with more than a few drops of the blood of your enemies. It’s a shame, then, that boss fights have fallen by the wayside at every level to become terribly monotonous – but if that’s the cost of what Santa Monica has built, it’s certainly a price worth paying...The ending isn’t as grand I’d hoped for, but the setting up of a sequel makes up for this – and there’s still plenty left to do in the Lake of Nine. God of War is the best in the series.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Masters of Anima
    It isn’t exactly new or original, but Masters of Anima deserves to be a sleeper hit. It’s a fun, polished fantasy riff on Pikmin, with the sort of visual style that made the Torchlight games so charming. Well-paced, thrilling and full of heart, this little gem comes warmly recommended.
    • 52 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Extinction
    Some will relish the gruesome spectacle and challenge, but Execution manages to transform giant-slaying into something of a chore.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    MLB The Show 18
    Some fans may feel aggrieved at the removal of certain modes. Season mode is now completely absent, meaning you’ll have to battle through the entire 162 games if you want to complete a year in Franchise Mode, and some of the creation options have been stripped out of the game entirely. However, this is easily one of the strongest sports franchises out there.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Detective Pikachu
    Detective Pikachu ranks as one of the most interesting Pokémon spin-offs we’ve seen in years, and does an wonderful job of offering a fresh perspective on a world we’ve become almost uncomfortably familiar with in recent years. The lack of any real challenge is an issue – and one that seasoned gamers might find hard to stomach – but while it lasts, Detective Pikachu is quality entertainment that’s well written, brilliantly presented and sets the scene nicely for the upcoming Hollywood movie.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 5: Same Stitch
    Telltale’s final piece of content for The Enemy Within is as surprising as it is crazy. And because of that, it’s the studio’s best game for sometime. Expect the unexpected and just enjoy the ride.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Far Cry 5
    There’s still a sense that Far Cry needs to push things further, with too many mundane and repetitive tasks littering its map screen, and that more variety is needed in its core mission design. This is a phenomenal open-world shooter and an excellent Far Cry. With a little extra push, it could have been even more.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Sea of Thieves
    It’s packed with the studio’s trademark charm and humour, while providing endless opportunities for adventure. A touch more accessibility for solo players would be nice, as would more varied matchmaking for crews, but this is a game that’s set to evolve over time. A real treasure.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    A Way Out
    Mechanically, this is a very rewarding experience that deserves plenty of praise. There are some minor quibbles about some of its mechanics, but these stand in the shade of its achievements. Sadly, the same can’t be said for its narrative, which is poor and accompanied by sterile voice-acting of one-dimensional characters. It’s the most fun B-movie you’ll play this year.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered
    If you’re a more casual fan of the series then this is only the fourth-best Assassin’s Creed on current-gen hardware, and there are other, stronger open-world games around if you just want more of this kind of thing. It’s great to see Rogue return looking so good, but it seems destined to remain a side-story, not a classic chapter in the saga.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom
    Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is a JRPG delight that embraces the best of classic design and combines it with some new and exciting ideas. The lacklustre plot and underdeveloped characters are unfortunate, but don’t distract from what is an otherwise fantastic package. It doesn’t reach the exceptional heights of its predecessor but remains an essential part of any hardcore RPG fan’s catalogue.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Attack on Titan 2
    Attack On Titan 2 is by no means perfect, but the original approach mixed with a very satisfying combat mechanic makes this quite the March surprise. Just make sure you’re ready for something a little different. It’s not normal…
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Kirby Star Allies
    Kirby Star Allies is an entertaining multiplayer game that’s as Nintendo as they come. Played alone, it isn’t as fun, though.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Yakuza 6: The Song of Life
    A wonderful crime thriller that embraces everything that made the series great, refining it further with new technology – it blew me away. I’m not ashamed to say that the closing minutes of Kazuma Kiryu’s final chapter brought me to tears, acting as the culmination of a story in which I’ve lost myself for more than a decade.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Devil May Cry HD Collection
    I want to say these games are still great. Experience them yourself for the first time, or take Dante and his demon-slaughtering exploits out for another spin. But the HD remastering is so basic, and the rough edges so rough, that I can’t quite bring myself to recommend this new collection.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Burnout Paradise Remastered
    It may not be the ground-up remake that other modern classics have been treated to, but this is still a superb open-world racing game that feels like it’ll be loved by fans of the original as well as new players jumping in for the very first time. It may sound cliched, but they simply don’t make them like this any more.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    H1Z1
    With the advent of its final release, H1Z1 demonstrates a level of thoughtfulness in its design that reflects how closely its developers have listened to players. Whether it’s enough to draw those crowds back to Daybreak and the progenitor of battle royale games is a different story, but H1Z1 deserves a lot of credit for the strides it’s taken towards polishing an inherently rough and ready genre.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Final Fantasy XV: Windows Edition
    Featuring all the charms of the console version, plus the DLC, customisable graphics and improved frame rates, Final Fantasy 15 Windows Edition is the best version of Square Enix’s latest epic that money can buy.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Into the Breach
    Subset games has achieved a mastery of the microdrama, and as such, Into The Breach is about as essential as indie games get.
    • 45 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Bravo Team
    Got an Aim controller? You might want to look at Bravo Team. It’s a horribly flawed but fun lightgun blaster with some cool co-op cover shooter twists.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Gravel
    Gravel is fun enough as an arcade off-road racer, but it feels like it was designed to compete with the hits of five or six years ago, not the racers of today. While there’s something likeable about its no-nonsense, rough-and-tumble action, it lacks the poise, power and polish of a mud-flinging, tyre-spinning champ.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Metal Gear Survive
    Metal Gear Survive is a brave move for Konami and a decent survival game – it’s just not particularly fun. If you like the more abrasive side of the medium, give it a go. Everyone else should probably stay away.
    • 60 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Payday 2
    Payday 2 continues to maintain a very dedicated audience, but even fans of the game are unlikely to enjoy what’s being put forward for Nintendo Switch. Stripped-back visuals, poor performance and a lack of adaptation to the console results in a shoddy port at best...It’s ironic that a game about heists is trying to jump on a bandwagon and rob you of your hard-earned cash.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 Plus
    Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 may have a few additions for the sake of it, but it’s still one of the best score-attack games you could hope to play.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Kingdom Come: Deliverance
    Kingdom: Come Deliverance is a good RPG that ignores fantasy for a more realistic edge. That does make it wonderfully quaint, but also means it can be a little dull, too.
    • 69 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Age of Empires: Definitive Edition
    It’s equal parts frustration and exhilaration, awesome when you’re winning, aggravating when a moment’s lapse leads to ignominious defeat. Yet the forward-thinking mission design and the pace and balance of the gameplay means it’s still weirdly addictive and absorbing. It’s no longer the best of its kind, but this is one historical artefact that’s still worth playing here and now.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Secret of Mana
    On the one hand, it’s lost the look and feel of the original classic, so if you’re looking for a slice of RPG history, look elsewhere. On the other, the core, combat-heavy gameplay doesn’t really work for a modern audience; the fighting’s either aggravating or plain dull. Put it all together an you have a retro RPG that’s fun in places, but that wears away at your enthusiasm over the long haul.
    • 70 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Fe
    Fe definitely owes a conceptual debt to the likes of Ori and the Blind Forest, and in places feels as twee as earlier EA indie effort Unravel, but this is more than original enough to stand on its own merits. The mind-warping use of colour and its near-spectral environments sometimes work against Fe’s best interests, but persist and you’ll uncover a truly special world.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Bayonetta + Bayonetta 2
    Being able to play two of Platinum Games’ finest efforts whenever you like is hugely appealing, and the abundance of content on offer here only makes it even better. It’s somewhat disheartening that neither game has received any significant improvements beyond amiibo support and slightly better performance, especially since the Switch has proven it’s capable of far more.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Dynasty Warriors 9
    Featuring reworked combat and open-world story mechanics, Dynasty Warriors 9 is a definite step in the right direction. But even without the technical issues around its framerate, Dynasty Warriors 9 feels like a fundamentally compromised game that lacks depth.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dragon Quest Builders
    Dragon Quest meets Minecraft clone might sound like an odd couple, but Square-Enix has made the two mesh together in ways that bring the best out of both. Builders works as an accessible action RPG and as a more objective-driven take on the mining, crafting and survival sandbox genre, all wrapped up in Dragon Quest’s lovable, upbeat cartoon style.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dissidia: Final Fantasy NT
    Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is a Final Fantasy fan’s dream, with oodles of playable characters presented across a truly beautiful variety of stages. Its fast, frantic battle system makes it easy to pick up and play, but also difficult to master once you delve into the inner workings of each hero. Unfortunately, it’s held back by a distinct lack of modes and progression options beyond a ludicrous number of cosmetic goodies.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Shadow of the Colossus
    Still one of the finest games ever coded, and now fit to be seen on top line TVs. This is how remasters should be done, bringing the original content up to modern standards, without diluting what made it great in the first place. Bluepoint has effectively improved on perfection.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    EA Sports UFC 3
    EA Sports UFC 3 is a fine attempt at recreating one of the most complicated sports on earth; a dynamic, exciting and often thuddingly violent fighting game that makes marked improvements to its striking game, but just like poor old Francis NGannou, still needs a lot of work on the ground.
    • 90 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Monster Hunter: World
    Monster Hunter World is one of the finest JRPGs you'll ever play, and the most inviting the series has ever been. It's clear to see why the franchise has such a dedicated following, and now that fan base is set to grow ever larger thanks to the incredible steps the developer has taken to make this game more welcoming to new players...Foe those with a penchant for punishment, a soft spot for stats and a crush on brilliant combat - you simply have to buy this game.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Inpatient
    It’s immersive, absorbing and sometimes very creepy and effective, but it also feels like only half the game it could have been. With more real interaction and more for the player to see and do, we might have had a new highlight in the PSVR line-up. As it is, it’s another intriguing but short-lived experience, which hints at a richer, more ambitious tale of terror than the one it ultimately delivers.
    • 77 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 4: What Ails You
    Batman: The Enemy Within: What Ails You may hurl a lot at the wall, but in doing so it’s very exciting and, at times, will have you genuinely intrigued as to what’s next. As that’s the point, it’s hard to be overly negative about it.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Dragon Ball FighterZ
    For Arc System Works, Dragon Ball FighterZ is a chance at real mainstream success. The Guilty Gear games are universally excellent, and have a dedicated fanbase, but their hardcore nature meant they always lost to the Street Fighters and Tekkens of the world when it came to sales. The Dragon Ball license could be what gets the masses interested in the studio’s particular brand of air-dashing, spectacular combat.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
    Street Fighter 5 is a great game at its core, but now that core is surrounded by a healthy amount of content for every type of player. Now is the time to get involved with one of the best fighting games currently around, and put all that Hadoken muscle memory you’ve had since ’92 to the test.
    • 63 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    InnerSpace
    InnerSpace can’t quite reach the heights of a RiME or Journey, but it’s a meatier and more compelling game than ABZU or Oure. There’s something genuinely chilled-out about its alien vistas and lazy exploration. It’s no thrill ride, but a thoughtful, mysterious adventure with moments of real wonder. If you’re in the mood for something different, give it a go.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    The Escapists 2
    The Escapists 2 is a solid improvement over its predecessor, and a fun prison escapade in its own right. While all of its parts don’t come together in the most ideal manner, busting out of prison remains a blast when you finally manage to conquer the obstacles set against you. Combine that with a staggering amount of variety and replay value, and you have a package that’s well worth going under for.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Accounting+
    A unique, bizarre and funny VR experience that’s well worth playing, but not quite so well worth buying. It’s one of the most obnoxious and wilfully offensive games you’ll ever play, but it’s also short and insubstantial, leaving you wondering ‘is that really it?’. Get a mate with PSVR to cough up, have a quick go and you’re laughing, but you might want to think twice before splashing out yourself.
    • 85 Metascore
    • Critic Score
    PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
    We’re not going to dish out any final scores until the full release next year, but Bluehole and Microsoft have some serious work to do if they want to bring the Xbox One PUBG up to scratch. I hope they do it, because at its best this is still one of the most thrilling and tactical multiplayer games around – and it deserves to be as big on console as it is on PC.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    LocoRoco 2 Remastered
    LocoRoco 2 Remastered is a solid enhancement over the original release that fails to iron out all of the kinks I would have liked. The simplistic platforming and inventive level design are occasionally let down by imprecise controls, although this is far from a dealbreaker.
    • 92 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Okami HD
    One of the best, most beautiful games ever made.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A Hat in Time
    A Hat in Time is more than a lovingly crafted homage to the world of platformers; it’s a delightful adventure in its own right that brings creative innovation to the genre in an abundance of wonderful ways.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 40 Critic Score
    Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package
    Dead Rising 4: Frank’s Big Package is an exceptional port of the original package, with additional content that fans will have a blast with. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t still the worst entry in the series by quite a wide margin.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    DOOM VFR
    Doom VFR has a few control issues and won’t take you long to get through once, but if you’re a Doom fan with a compatible VR headset, it’s one of the best experiences around. iD has bought Doom to VR without compromising the action or the hellspawn-slaying, nerve-wracking pace that makes Doom Doom, and a tiny bit of nausea here and there is a small price to pay. Do yourself a favour: Bring it on.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Xenoblade Chronicles 2
    Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is an excellent JRPG with a truly extravagant open world begging to be explored. Its in-depth battle system and impressively paced narrative help to deliver a smooth experience, despite its massive run-time. The Nintendo Switch has yet another jewel in its exclusive library, cementing itself as a system never to be underestimated. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Alrest is calling.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Ashes Cricket
    Ashes Cricket is a very good cricket game, and very enjoyable once you eventually work out what everything does. It’s just a shame the game doesn’t do enough to explain its depth to the player from the get-go, which leads to a needless opening few hours of frustration and potential misinterpretation. Returning fans won’t have this problem, but considering Big Ant is capitalising on a huge licence, it should really have catered to a wider audience.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Hidden Agenda
    As a game for chilling out on the sofa with a handful of friends or the family, Hidden Agenda is pretty cool. Yet there’s a lot about the mechanics, the story, the situations and the characters that seems wilfully, crazily dumb. For £20 for a few hours of fun it’s well worth a try, but this feels like an interesting concept that needs some work before it all comes good.
    • 71 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 3: The Fractured Mask
    Batman’s third episode from season two does enough to keep the overall story ticking over, but a crowded narrative and confusing relationships mean this is the low point so far. Episode four will have to do much better.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2
    It doesn’t move far away from that classic Lego formula, but Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 is the series at its best; as accessible, fun and action-packed as ever, but absolutely crammed with Marvel goodness, exploring some of the strangest characters and settings in the legendary comic-books. There’s a richness and detail here beyond even previous Lego super hero games, so watch out if you have serious Lego fans at home: this one will keep you and them busy ‘til the new year comes, and probably for longer.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
    Skyrim has journeyed onto Nintendo Switch with great success, making only a few minor changes to original experience to make it playable on the move. Combine that with some nifty new additions, every expansion and you’ve got one hell of a ride to look forward to.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Sims 4
    There’s no question about it: if you want to play The Sims 4, the PC is still the best way to play it – and given that its PC system requirements are fairly low that’s what we’d recommend. Get used to the console controls and it’s still a fascinating town-building game/life sim/virtual soap, but one with a few too many bugs for comfort. If EA cleans those up we’ll raise the score another notch, but right now The Sims 4 console versions could still use a little work.
    • 64 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    RiME
    While it’s reminiscent of Journey, The Wind Waker and Ico, RiME is so much more than a grab-bag of borrowed ideas. Combining art, craftsmanship, enigmatic storytelling and engaging gameplay, it does what the likes of Bound and ABZU couldn’t: wrap a powerful experience inside a compelling game. I’m still working out whether RiME is a masterpiece and, if so, where it sits in the pantheon of greats – but one thing’s for sure: if you love the games it’s inspired by, you’re going to love RiME as well.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Star Wars Battlefront II
    Star Wars Battlefront 2 is a great game spoiled by a terrible business model. DICE and EA are going to be under a huge amount of pressure not just to tweak, but completely overhaul the metagame or face an even bigger fan backlash than they have already. Underneath the terrible progression system, cheap payouts and more-than-gentle hand in the back towards paying for loot crates is the same excellent core, now across so much more content with the promise of more free maps and heroes to come.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Football Manager 2018
    Football Manager 2018 is a great game, but that’s mostly down to the sheer depth of the series on offer from previous years. A few new features here are fun as ideas, but I’d like them to have a more meaningful impact in-game...Still, after putting nearly 50 hours into FM 2018, I can’t see myself stopping anytime soon. The sheer number of things that you can do make it ridiculously addictive – and one of the best value games around. Just make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into first.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    DOOM
    Bethesda has done a superb job of bringing Doom to the Switch. It plays excellently and while it may not look as visually stunning as it does elsewhere, it still retains that visual style from last year that we loved.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds
    The Frozen Wilds is more of Horizon Zero Dawn, and that is in no way a bad thing. The expansion offers some closure on certain story threads whilst telling a self-contained tale that’s perfect for this ruined world you find yourself in. There’s little in terms of mechanical upgrades to the game, but Horizon never needed that in the first place...If you’re craving 15-20 hours adventuring in a world crafted by artisan game designers, you can’t go wrong with The Frozen Wilds, which is easily one of the best DLC packages on offer this year.
    • 57 Metascore
    • 50 Critic Score
    Sonic Forces
    Like Sonic? Play Sonic Mania. Played Sonic Mania? Play it some more. While Sonic Forces looks fantastic, it’s one of the least engaging games in the entire series...True, it doesn’t have the broken controls or half-witted camera of the worst examples, but there’s very little here to actually play, enjoy or discover – bar a cool custom character designer and a whole bunch of costumes to unlock.
    • 61 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Need for Speed Payback
    When you’re racing, drifting, off-roading or being chased, Payback feels like a fine arcade racer in the classic Need for Speed mould. It doesn’t have the glamour or the handling of Forza: Horizon, but it’s scores big on variety, speed and thrills. Unfortunately, those simple pleasures keep getting spoilt by the amount of grinding and driving around that goes on in-between. Need for Speed was never the most-respected racing series, but it used to be one of the most fun. Payback has too much getting in the way.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Call of Duty: WWII
    Each recent Call of Duty has been a mixed package, with a good campaign let down by dubious multiplayer, or great multiplayer buoying up a dull campaign. World War II is the first CoD in years that doesn’t need to apologise about anything. The jewel in its crown is a fantastic single-player campaign that gives you the big set-pieces and heavily scripted action sequences you might take for granted, but with a scale and a vigour that you haven’t seen in years. And while the handling isn’t always deep or subtle, you get some smaller, more surprising moments where Sledgehammer reaches for something more.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    .hack//G.U. Last Recode
    Although Last Recode feels slightly dated, it still holds up in 2017. A touch more attention to detail on elements of the remastering would have helped on the visual front, and the overall pacing may frustrate anyone not accustomed to JRPGs of the era. But the sheer volume of content makes it worth fresh eyes – especially given it was never released in Europe to begin with. Adding in a whole new game and a tonne of bonus content makes it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Destiny 2
    Destiny 2 is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played this year, and tackles one of the biggest issues with the first game. Featuring a stellar, albeit easy, single-player campaign, excellent combat and class mechanics, and the most enjoyable cooperative multiplayer I’ve seen in a shooter since Gears of War 4, Destiny 2 is a must-buy.
    • 53 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Oure
    It’s often beautiful, graceful and intriguing, with more in the way of gameplay than ABZU or Bound, but it struggles to deliver moments that resonate with wonder, while the demands sometimes go beyond what the controls and camera can handle. It’s hard enough to make a game with the artistry of Rime or Journey, but Oure hasn’t got the polish, heart or soul.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
    A far deeper game than its B-movie stylings would imply at a glance, Wolfenstein II also delights with its fast-paced, creative first-person warfare. Its tongue-in-cheek social commentary is heavy-handed, but there are few other games where mowing down the bad guys feels so cathartic or warranted. The New Colossus also pulls off the rare trick of being a sequel that more than lives up to the standard set by its predecessor, making this a real treat for returning players. Not to be missed.
    • 97 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    Super Mario Odyssey
    It carried ginormous expectations, but somehow Nintendo has managed to leapfrog over the bar by a huge distance. Offering the most satisfying gameplay experience of any Mario game to date, Super Mario Odyssey is near-perfect.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Assassin's Creed Origins
    Assassin’s Creed Origins is the revitalisation I was desperately hoping for. My cautious optimism has been rewarded by an excellent open-world adventure that could lead to an exciting future for Ubisoft’s blockbuster franchise. While it lifts its finer ideas from other open-world titles, it executes them well enough to form a whole that entertained me for hours and hours. It’s a shame the narrative eventually jumps the shark, or this could have been something truly special.
    • 59 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Rogue Trooper Redux
    Rogue Trooper Redux is an impressive remaster of a shooter that doesn’t quite hold up when compared to its modern competition. That being said, it’s still a fun, atmospheric and wonderfully charming outing with a few neat tricks up its sleeve.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Fire Emblem Warriors
    Fire Emblem Warriors is superb. It successfully translates the beloved RPG series without sacrificing any elements for which I have adored the series. With countless characters, a robust upgrade system and plenty of modes on offer, you’ll sink hours into this stylish hack ‘n’ slasher without even knowing it.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The Evil Within 2
    If it’s possible to preserve a sense of tension and genuine horror in an open-world setting, The Evil Within 2 hasn’t discovered how. In an attempt to introduce a more contemporary gameplay style than that of Shinji Mikami’s classics, this game ends up diluting its best qualities by filling your time with tedious milling about and resource-gathering. With that said, its peculiar imagery and narrative, which is so far past ridiculous that it comes full-circle back to engaging, still shine brightly enough that The Evil Within 2 still gets under your skin.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Gran Turismo Sport
    Gran Turismo Sport is worthy of the name and a great driving simulator, but a lack of content compared to what the series usually offers makes it a curious beast. If you love Polyphony Digital’s approach and cars, however, it will still tick a lot of your desired boxes.
    • 66 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    WWE 2K18
    WWE 2K18 is a great wrestling game with a crazy amount of depth that feels a bit too similar to 2K17 to really hit new highs. If you love the franchise, however, this will rock your world.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    South Park: The Fractured But Whole
    It’s hard to put into words just how outrageous this game gets at times. It’s incredibly entertaining, just leave your morals at the door and prepare for unbelievable laughs.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Middle-earth: Shadow of War
    Its storylines run the gamut from deftly handled through to daft, and ludicrous liberties are taken with Tolkien’s characters and lore...All the same, none of this matters because Shadow of War doubles down on everything that was already brilliant in Shadow of Mordor for a good 30-40 hours of stupidly absorbing stealth, action and warfare.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
    Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is a unique RPG brought to life by its fantastic pawn system and enthralling fantasy world. Forming a ragtag clan of allies before taking on gargantuan monsters is always a blast, helping you feel like a true soldier among a land of unimaginable terrors.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Gundam Versus
    Gundam Versus is, without doubt, a unique fighting experience, one that actually proves to be a lot of fun. Naturally, fans of the series will get the most out of it, but anyone with a soft spot for the genre could find themselves pleasantly surprised.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions
    Mario & Luigi: Superstar Sage is genuinely one of my favourite remasters in years – I can’t remember a time that I’ve smiled as much while playing a game. Good humour combined with smart mechanics and that Nintendo absurdity make for an exceptionally good mix. The game is as good today as it was back in 2003, and new addition Bowser’s Minions is a very entertaining extra. This is truly one of the finest RPGs there ever was.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Forza Motorsport 7
    Turn 10 once again sets the bar for visual performance on the Xbox platform. Forza Motorsport 7 is a drop-dead-gorgeous game that brings sim racing to players of all skill levels. It may lack the absurd depth of the likes of Project Cars 2, but it makes up for it with accessibility and a beautiful presentation across the board.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Batman: The Enemy Within - Episode 2: The Pact
    Batman’s second episode in season two — known as The Pact — takes The Dark Knight and continues to refine him in a very unique way. If the whole series can pay off this story, it’ll be very good indeed.
    • 67 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game
    The Lego Ninjago Movie Videogame is a fun platformer that expands on the established formula with an enjoyable combat system. Unfortunately, performance issues and lacklustre level design hold it back from greatness.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Cuphead
    It’s almost needless to say that the visuals are incredible, creating a stunning run-and-gun boss battler that looks straight out of 1930s ‘toons. In fact, the presentation, the audio, the music and the general vibe are unbelievable. Cuphead will be too tough for some players, and you’d have to look to the likes of Nioh or Dark Souls to find something as brutal and unforgiving. It’s going to take some serious skill and experience to beat those bosses, but Cuphead keeps on bringing you back for more until you do.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Total War: WARHAMMER II
    Think of it less as a sequel to Total War: Warhammer, more a second chapter with a different pace and style. This one makes even more of the hybrid gameplay that made the original so exciting, with new races and additional mechanics that freshen up the campaign even for those who played through the first campaign with several different factions. Despite more work on accessibility, this is a dauntingly vast and complex strategy game, but it’s one with an equally huge sense of fun.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Dragon Ball: Xenoverse 2
    What you lack in performance, you make up for in portability however. Being able to take the game out and about with you suits the way you consistently chip away at battles and roll through the Story mode. It’s hard to recommend the Switch game to anyone that’s already bought it, but for anime fans looking for something on their Switch to play out their shouty, Ki-fuelled fantasies on, this is the perfect offering.
    • 83 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    FIFA 18
    FIFA 18 is simply magnificent. Streets ahead of what came before, and continuing its dominance over its rivals, EA has done a superb job. With huge improvements across the board, this is the game FIFA fans have waited five years for. While the offline offering may continue to lack the depth of NBA 2K18, but the continued improvements each year have culminated in a brilliant game this year.
    • 93 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Divinity: Original Sin II
    This is a great game for RPG fans to get their teeth into: over 20 hours in, you’ll notice the story only just starts gaining traction, and you may only just start getting familiar with the game’s myriad systems. The game is unforgiving, often mercilessly so, but if you have the patience to penetrate the density and crack open the core gameplay, there’s such a wealth of well-written RPG content, it’s impossible not to recommend.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
    Danganronpa is lunacy personified where games are concerned but does do a very good job in keeping the series going and make it accessible to newcomers, too. A crazy RPG experience.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Project CARS 2
    Project Cars 2 is one of the most hardcore racing sims in years and pulls off what it sets out to do wonderfully. Unforgiving and awesome.
    • 79 Metascore
    • 70 Critic Score
    Pokken Tournament DX
    Pokkén Tournament DX is an enjoyable fighter that provides plenty of fan-service for hardcore and casual fans of the beloved franchise. It’s also a surprisingly deep experience, now equipped with more fighters and stages than ever before on Nintendo Switch. While the solo campaign isn’t what it could have been, Pokkén Tournament DX makes up for this shortcoming with excellent local multiplayer and an impressive suite of online offerings.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    NBA 2K18
    NBA 2K18 is very likely the best basketball game ever made and a template in how to approach a sports sim on nearly every level.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
    It’s a shame that it doesn’t have the visual fidelity or single-player content of some of its competitors, because it knocks the shine off what is otherwise a really fun, deep and varied fighting game. At its core, Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite is a game that offers a fresh spin on the series’ tag-based combat and, provided the online works upon release, is another top-tier fighting game.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
    Death of the Outsider is a fantastic addition to the Dishonored universe that once again brings the broken city of Karnaca to life. Exploring Arkane Studios’ beautifully realised world feels fresh once again thanks to Billie Lurk, a morally ambiguous heroine with a flexible repertoire of skills that are a joy to experiment with. Death of the Outsider achieves more in terms of content and narrative than many games strive for, which is a fascinating achievement considering its meagre price tag.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    NHL 18
    Like most US-centric sports games NHL has a reputation as an acquired taste, but really it shouldn’t be. It’s a thrilling, accessible sim of a thrilling, accessible sport, with the varied online and offline modes you’d expect from an EA Sports game, plus a real slap shot to the back of the net in the form of Threes. Bring on the Frostbite engine and an equivalent to FIFA’s Journey mode, and EA might have a classic sports game on its hands. As it is, it’s still absorbing and a lot of fun.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 90 Critic Score
    Destiny 2
    Destiny 2 is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played this year, and it does well to tackle one of the biggest issues I had with the original. Featuring a stellar, albeit easy, single-player campaign, excellent combat and class mechanics, and the most enjoyable cooperative multiplayer I’ve seen in a shooter since Gears of War 4, Destiny 2 is a must-have game...My only concern is that, once again, it seems hell-bent on sucking every moment of free time you have to unlock its most interesting and entertaining features – which might prove a turn-off for more casual players.
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