There's scope for additions and improvements in future updates, of course, but right now Eldritch feels more like a game with a lot of potential than the next big thing in roguelike-inspired games -- a game worth playing, for sure, but one which could perhaps use a bit more time in the otherworldly oven.

Star Fox Zero falls short in a lot of ways; but for better or worse, it's still the best game the series has seen in years.

Gundam Extreme Vs. Maxi Boost On brings the venerable arcade series to PlayStation 4 with a huge roster mobile suits, an expanded single-player component, and plenty of cosmetic unlockables. It feels like an odd anachronism in this day and age, but its strengths as a multiplayer game are real, even if it suffers a bit from its poor camera. If you like Gundam even a little bit, you owe it to yourself to at least give this game a shot.

Practically oozing fan service from every pore, Burial at Sea is both as glorious and as imperfect as Rapture itself.

Mad Max offers a lot, but ends up feeling somewhat rote, with little in the way of truly new and novel things to do. You've ultimately played the sum of its parts before.

I missed Travis Touchdown. I missed Suda51's punk verve. Travis Strikes Again is stylish in all the right ways. It looks cool, the music sounds great, and the game consistently zigs when I fully expected it to zag. At the same time there's not a lot here for players who aren't already devoted to the world of No More Heroes or even the larger Grasshopper Manufacture universe. But if you're tired of hacky attempts at too cool for school meta commentary, Travis Touchdown is here to take gaming post-post-modern.

Beyond the jank and titillation, though, Azure offers an action experience that speaks to a different era of gaming and plays like nothing else I've seen in years — regressive, perhaps, but in a good way. And the characters are ultimately strong enough, and developed enough, to be both likable and substantial as they navigate a minefield of boilerplate anime clichés and malfunctioning wardrobes. Not a game for everyone, but one that's better than you'd probably think.

There's no denying that breaking down an arrogant witness, and ultimately winning a case in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney feel fantastic. Fitting in the right pieces of evidence to find contradictions is extremely satisfying, I just wish there was more depth, and a little more nuance, to both the witnesses you're breaking down, and the game at large.

The game stumbles when you add in the micro-transactions found in the online-only Campaign Mode and the $2 price tag for each of the 14 DLC characters. Hardcore JoJo fans also need to watch out for the dodgy name localizations of the music-themed cast.

If you pick up Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition, know that you're essentially getting a prettier version of a 2008 experience. That may sound extremely obvious, but, over the last seven years, character action games have changed greatly, making some of DMC4's choices feel absolutely dated.

It's a shame that Namco-Bandai didn't decide to pair Symphonia with a Tales game much more worthy of the re-release treatment, because Tales of the New World is disposable at best. But if you still want to play one of the best installments of the series, and don't feel like digging out old hardware, Chronicles could be an ideal opportunity to revisit Tales' finest hour.

Carrion is an energetic and taut game that flips the tables on The Thing, putting you in command of the alien creature and tasking you with simply going to town on the hapless humans surrounding you. The loose physics-based gameplay is satisfying to play, and the enigmatic creature's bloodlust is crucially never too powerful to render the armed humans that challenge you entirely helpless. Although Carrion's story falls largely flat, it's a very satisfying slaughterhouse of gnashing teeth and tentacles.

A good game somewhat overshadowed by all the irritating nonsense we've come to expect from mobile gaming over the past few years.

An entertaining and challenging sniping/stealth game that holds up for most of its eight expansive levels and supplemental campaigns. The action can get a little repetitive at times, but it's still a lot of fun, and its kill cam offers some great moments.

Crackdown 3 isn't an instant hit, but after a slow start it rapidly builds into an action-packed shooter with brilliant character control and movement. While orb collecting is the key for prolonged play, the campaign in Crackdown 3 is always entertaining and visually there's a lot to appreciate if you look at the bigger picture. Crackdown is back. Shame about the multiplayer Wrecking Zone, though.

It's not an amazing game. It's not particularly innovative. I'd hazard that Saints Row IV is a better game overall. But I enjoyed this attempt by Volition to punch a new hole into its dance card. The studio wanted to try something a bit new and while Agents of Mayhem doesn't quite stick the landing, there's still a lot here to enjoy.

The effort that DICE has put into the visuals pays off in one of the best-looking games of the year. But every facet of the game is hurt by the lack of variety in the environments, vehicles, weapons, and even enemies. It's a startlingly limited package made more disappointing by the fact that the actual gameplay is really fun. It may reach its potential in a year; but for now, it's one more potentially great game sabotaged by what appears to be a cynical marketing plan.

Light and breezy, Ever Oasis makes for a pleasant little snack while waiting for the next wave of 3DS RPGs. Some of its core concepts could have been taken further, but it's still a well-executed RPG from a long-standing veteran of the genre.

The Ultimate Alliance comes roaring back with this Nintendo Switch exclusive. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 pulls inspiration for Marvel comics, movies, TV, and more to create an homage to the brand's long history. Unfortunately, some camera issues and general readability mar the overall experience, and the alternate costumes fall short of the Ultimate Alliance standard. Despite that, this is a great couch co-op adventure with all your Marvel favorites.

This debut episode of the final season of Telltale’s The Walking Dead is impressive, if a little formulaic.

It's a fast-paced action puzzler, energetic and accessible; and while it does stumble in a few places, it manages to deliver the sort of lowbrow entertainment it promises — just the way a series borne of classic pulp serials should.

Detroit: Become Human is still marred by some of the issues that plague previous Quantic Dream games. Rough, ham-fisted writing and story pacing that's thrown off at times by the playable sections. I'm also pretty sure that most folks are going to get one of the more unsatisfying endings their first time around. But I like the characters, which more than I could say for the last two games. And when I finished the game, I wanted to jump back in and try out some other choices. Quantic Dream is getting better, even if Detroit: Become Human not on par with some of the better visual novels out there.

Despite the nagging feeling that something's missing, Pokémon X and Y make some huge leaps forward for both the competitive and casual crowds. I just wish these games felt as complete as their predecessors.

I can't begin to guess whether or not a few more months in the oven would've translated into a steady framerate, a longer list of new Pokémon, and a functional import option. But I do know that Pokémon X and Y are, by some of the series' own standards, incomplete in their current form. Given the choice between a delayed game and a disappointing one, there's no question which D word I'd pick.

Full Mojo Rampage is challenging, but entertaining. It might have some stiff competition in the form of similar games like Binding of Isaac, Enter the Gungeon, and Crypt of the Necrodancer, but its voodoo theme, four-player co-op, and twin stick chops help give it its own identity. Ultimately, it's a fun game that might occasionally be frustrating, but it looks good, sounds great, and plays well.

While Wooly World is mostly Yoshi's Island in a fuzzier package, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Its arts and crafts makeover may be mostly superficial, but by working with the parts of one of the world's greatest platformers, developer Good-Feel makes their recycling worthwhile.

I liked Tacoma though, even with its fumbles. I felt more engaged watching (and rewinding, pausing, fast-forwarding) how things played out than I had in a lot of games like it. That's likely because it's the rare game where the player is in direct control of what, when, and how they see everything.

EA Canada has worked diligently to bring back almost all of the features that were missing last year, with Be a Pro and EASHL being notably improved. The presentation has also received a really nice bump, and the gameplay on the ice is smoother and more exciting than ever.

Battlefield 4's below average campaign is once again disappoints, but the excellent Conquest mode and large-scale combat is enough to carry the series for another year. Pretty much status quo for EA's top multiplayer shooter.

With its beautifully tuned handling, great graphics, and surprisingly deep career mode, Mantis Burn Racing is an enjoyable and entertaining top-down racer. The only thing that really lets it down is its rather limited track selection, which results in the game becoming a little repetitive as you progress through later levels.

A great multiplayer racer, but quite dreary as a single-player game, DriveClub feels like it needed more time in development to polish out its dings and flaws.

Level difficulty is a bit uneven at times and DRP can get repetitive, but there's still a lot of fun to be had here.

I've consistently defended FIFA as the most well-rounded sports sim. But the series has felt like it's been standing still this generation, and that is felt more acutely than ever in FIFA 16. As always, it has its strengths, and the FUT Draft is a strong addition, but it's not enough to break the feeling of staleness that has descended upon the once undisputed king of sports games.

The Bureau isn’t nearly as good as Enemy Unknown. Muddle through that initial disappointment though, and you’ll discover a fun third-person shooter/strategy hybrid that, while flawed, refreshingly taxes the brain cells and trigger finger in equal measure.

Indie games in the Metroidvania genre are pretty common, but Kunai manages to stands out with exceptionally fluid combat, a wonderful Game Boy Color aesthetic, and swinging around on your kunai. The swinging mechanic is the star of the show here, even if the design of your limited arsenal shows some clear thought went into making every weapon meaningful. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to figure out where you're supposed to go at times, backtracking in Kunai is a bit of a pain, and the level design doesn't offer as many branching paths as its competition. But it's worth playing through the game's short runtime and this is a great foundation for a sequel.

Like its predecessor, Smoke and Mirrors enjoys great writing, excellent voice acting and a lead who is likeable in all the right ways. That said, the second chapter in The Wolf Among Us feels somewhat too short -- like a build-up, a segue to bigger things. There are also moments where the writing trips, leaving players to wonder if Bigby's been hit on the head one too many times.

The Surge gives a lousy first impression with it bland sci-fi setting and grab bag of obvious influences. Given time, though, there’s an unrefined gem in here for those willing to put up with its quirks. If this is Deck 13’s next step to building something truly great, it’s solid, if flawed one.

Sakura Wars features a loveable cast of characters and pleasantly easy mech hack-and-slash combat. However creepy and decidedly overbearing the romantic sections of Sakura Wars are, the cutesy characters make this game what it is: a simplistic but enjoyably stylish romp around Tokyo. It's not going to be a memorable tale, but this Sakura Wars is an enjoyable adventure while it lasts.

While not the best game in either series, Puyo Puyo Tetris is still a great combination of two puzzle classics. Sometimes going together like peanut butter and jelly, other times more like peanut butter, and uh, something that doesn't go with peanut butter. All in all, a worthwhile addition to the slowly growing Switch library (or PS4 library, if spontaneous on-the-go multiplayer is not your jam).

This spiritual successor to Tourist Trophy delivers exciting and challenging racing action that's thoroughly enjoyable. However, graphics that feel more last generation than this, rather weak sound, and very slow loading times take the edge off the overall experience.

There's nothing out there quite like Let It Die. This action game offers Souls-like combat, 40 floors to tackle, multiple paths to tackle, and a host of gear to make your own oddball fighter. The free-to-play mechanics are reasonable until you get to higher levels, where a death spiral may leave you looking for your credit card. It's not perfect, but Let It Die is damned fun.

A veritable education in the DC Universe, Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure doesn't quite live up to the potential presented. However, that doesn't stop it from being a saccharine, silly romp through licensed property, one that will occasionally pull a snicker of glee.

XCOM: Chimera Squad retains much of what makes XCOM such a special tactics series, in the process adding in some genuine improvements to its already excellent formula. But these improvements are undermined by some strange art choices, as well as a general reluctance to maximize some of its bolder changes. All in all, an interesting experiment, but one that still has a ways to go before reaching its full potential.

The new additions to Catherine: Full Body are mostly a win, with sharper graphics, more complex puzzles (and better hand-holding for players intimidated by them), and more background on Katherine in particular. Where it lacks though is in the new romance route, which is awkwardly shoehorned in and feels too separated from the rest of the story. Still, for Catherine fans, Full Body has enough nightmare-inducing goodness to make it worth another round 'til last call.

Pyre's strengths lie in a lot of things: it's beautiful visuals, amazing score, multi-branching tale, gameplay that somehow marries the best of sports games and tactical RPGs. But it's wrapped in an expansive story that doesn't quite earn its keep over its many hours, and fails to flesh out the endearing characters you meet and spend time with all along the way. In the end though, Pyre's a quest worth taking if ou're up for the challenge and the inevitble dread you'll feel when you lose sometimes.

I both love and hate this game. The bulk of the package is so good that it's tempting to forgive its unbalanced difficulty. But alas, the combat comprises the majority of the game, putting Shadows of Valentia's more obnoxious qualities front and center. It's worth checking out, but be ready to be immensely frustrated.

Episode One: Awake of Before the Storm is a surprisingly promising entry for the short three-episode series. There's the right amount of callbacks to the series that made so many fans fall in love with Chloe and Max in the first place. While I still wish the dialogue wasn't as teenager cringe-y in a not-realistic way, there's far more of it this time around that plain isn't. Hell, even Chloe's eventual over-usage of "hell" is explained in a tongue-in-cheek nod to the future. For everyone who was worried about Before the Storm's authenticity under the reigns of a new developer: don't be.

At its best, Dangerous Golf is an addictive and enjoyable game of wanton destruction. Its levels are challenging, and destroying the beautifully-rendered interiors is just plain fun. However, a few flaws are evident in the gameplay that take the edge off the enjoyment, making it just a good game, rather than a great one.

I get the feeling that we've only scratched the surface of this Minecraft universe, so I want to see more. I want to know about how this world came to be, I want to see all the place Telltale has crafted to fill the place out. I just hope future episodes retain a strong focus on the main journey.

The gameplay in particular holds up very nicely, and proves that the original was well ahead of its time. Unfortunately, it's held back a bit by its clumsy interface, and formations are currently quite broken, which will hurt its standing with long-time fans.

Othercide mixes a mid-2000s Hot Topic aesthetic with tightly-designed tactics that work very well, even if it largely runs out of new ideas after the first few hours. It's more a proof-of-concept than anything, but it's smart and entertaining while it lasts.

The story is nonsense, but it's just a vector to dump the art down your throat. Longest Day alone isn't worth the $40 asking price though, so if you're buying it, pick it up for the entire Short Peace package.

Advanced Warfare executes the formula competently while adding a handful of bells and whistles like mechs, laser cannons, and double jumps; but Sledgehammer Games seems reluctant to really cut loose and push the setting to its fullest potential, making Advanced Warfare a solid but ultimately unexciting entry in the series.

Madden 19 is a solid, if occasionally ragged, follow-up to last year's big transition to Frostbite. The improvements to the animation and franchise mode stand out, but Longshot: Homecoming feels like a step back from last year's ambitious introduction. The multitude of interesting but mostly subtle updates ultimately make this an entry that is primarily geared toward hardcore fans of the series.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake sets out to fully re-imagine a classic RPG with improved combat and an expanded story. Unfortunately, it's hurt by weak side quests and a surplus of padding, and its biggest change is bound to be controversial. It's one of the most coherent and enjoyable Final Fantasy releases in years, but it's also likely to be one of the most divisive.

Though it's extremely brief and perhaps a bit undercooked, Murasaki Baby is a thoughtful adventure with some clever mechanics. It's primarily buoyed by its superb art and sound direction, which expertly toe the line between creepy and cute. While some deeper puzzles would have been nice, Murasaki Baby is ultimately a nice addition to the Vita's library.

The single-player mode starts out promisingly, but bogs down into a rather weak stealth game whose action feels hit-and-miss. Multiplayer is where the game works best, especially on its smaller maps, which can deliver truly thrilling and intense action.

While its overly long story mode amounts to a tragic waste of resources, Persona 4: Dancing All Night's strongest qualities can be found in just how well the series' pop art aesthetic meshes with the rhythm game genre. This might not be the most complex or inspired take on rhythm games to date, but DAN certainly knows how to have a good time.

A bold experiment in marrying passive and interactive elements to create a narrative game, Quantum Break almost succeeds. It looks utterly stunning, and it's fun to play, but overall the game doesn't quite gel with its TV show-style episodes to elevate its experience into something new. What we're left with is an enjoyable game and a half-decent TV show that coexist together, but don't feel like they're fundamentally entwined.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 won't make those who haven't clicked with the series yet a believer, but for fans, it's well worth the journey if you don't mind retreading some familiar ground. While the slow middle and Majima side campaign are disappointing, Kiwami 2 is still another solid entry in the Yakuza canon.

Ground Zeroes is definitely fun while it lasts, and it offers an interesting taste of what is to come in Phantom Pain. As appetizers go, it's terrific. Just don't expect a full meal.



Think of it like a Telltale adventure with a much better presentation. If you're looking for a deeper, more interactive title, this isn't it, but it does its best to make your choices feel meaningful. And once you've played Until Dawn, comparing your story with your friends' is pretty satisfying.

While Unity shot for the stars and missed a bit, Rogue is content with keeping its feet on the ground. It's a game made from bits and pieces of Assassin's Creed games you've played before and the only thing that elevates it beyond that is the unique story focus. Despite that, Rogue is solid entry in the franchise and a fitting capstone on the Kenway Trilogy of games.

What you're left with is a game that many players will get around 10-15 hours out of before being shut out behind a vicious skill wall. Until that point, every player will run into some amazing moments that beg to be shared with friends. Heat Signature is a machine for watercooler talk. And if you're up to the challenge, there's a mountain waiting to be surpassed here. I just wish there were a few tweaks that would allow Heat Signature's fun to continue on for everyone, not just the highest skilled folks among us.

You might add a little to the score if you’ve got friends who are frequently ready and willing to play, but Mario Party: Island Tour ultimately feels par for the series’ course. It’s still good, but is mostly hurt by a higher barrier to entry for multiplayer, a lack of continuing the push towards truly "Mario" feeling mini-games, and the series’ ever-present dominance of luck over skill.

An engaging and quirky game that packs some intriguing puzzles... as well as some that are almost too easy to solve. The narration sometimes feels like it's trying just a little too hard for its own good, but the overall experience Pneuma: Breath of Life delivers is an enjoyable one.

Graphically, Resident Evil 4 Ultimate HD Edition stands as the best port of Capcom's 2005 hit. It brings together all of the content found in earlier versions with new textures, all presented in 1080p (or above) and 60 FPS if your PC is strong enough. Unfortunately, Resident Evil 4's controller or mouse/keyboard options are a step back from the superior Wii Edition controls.

Master x Master is a damned good time. It's not the best at any one thing, but it offers such a variety that you can't help but find something to enjoy.

Disgaea D2 is still a great Disgaea game, but it's a very safe one. It feels like Nippon Ichi software has retreated to a safe corner to heal up for a bit before heading back out to fight. Disgaea fans will slip right into it, but they may also tire of it a bit.

Ni No Kuni 2 is a sweet-tempered and attractive RPG with a strong castle-building mechanic, but it's dragged down by a jarringly ugly overworld, mandatory fetch quests, and a lot of padding. It's a pleasant throwback for fans of the genre, but it ultimately fails to meet the high bar set by other big-budget JRPGs.

Visually, Snake Pass recalls the Nintendo 64 era of Rare, with a bright and colorful presentation across its fifteen levels. When you dig into the game though, you find a unique set of controls that want to make the player really feel like a snake. If you spend time learning how Snake Pass controls, you'll find a rewarding, if sometimes uneven, experience.

Overall, the Evil Within is solid and it definitely has some great moments, but poorly-implemented mechanics and a bland story bring down the overall package. Survival horror fans should pick it up, but others may want to wait until the price drops a bit.

Capybara has designed a devastatingly complex game that manages to feel wholly intuitive and approachable in practice; I just wish it explored more of its potential. If ever a game begged for a sequel to fully realize a great concept, Super T.I.M.E. Force is it.

As heartfelt and emotionally painful as Episode Two of The Walking Dead: The Final Season may be, I can’t help but feel like we’ve seen this all before. The groundwork has been laid for a brutal war, and everything from now until then seems to be dwarfed in comparison. Friendships are still the beating heart of this Final Season though, and it’s the moment to moment interactions between characters, and the writing, where this second episode excels.

It's not about challenge or winning or competition, but rather about playing interior designer to a host of creatures. While it's mostly very good at what it does, the specifics of what it does won't appeal to most gamers, or even most Animal Crossing fans. Taken on its own terms, however, the only area in which Happy Home Designer falls short of its rather relaxed mission statement is in its social and sharing features, which feel rather anemic.

Heaven's Vault may have one of the most well-realized video game worlds ever, with your curiosity and personality molding your story through the Nebula. Whether you're fascinated by history or just by a personal sense of duty, there's a lot to love about Heaven's Vault, even if the clunky movement and frustrating sailing sour the overall experience.

I came away from Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite generally enjoying the game. I think most of the players that liked Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 will be right at home here. I just feel more needed to be done to differentiate the game from its predecessor, especially in the roster department, which is a fighter's bread-and-butter. In many ways, this is a sequel, but when it comes to the roster overall, MvC Infinite feels like disappointing retread of what came before. So it's recommended for fighting fans, but temper your expectations accordingly.

A good-looking, minimalist twin stick shooter that delivers intense, if somewhat repetitive action at a price that feels a little too steep.

A lovely game with a delightful story, this platform puzzler has very high audio-visual appeal. It's also really fun to play - although it does have areas where poor camera choices and slightly awkward controls can make the proceedings frustrating.

Looking and playing very similarly to the 2003 original, the new Amplitude packs a thumping good progressive electronica soundtrack which suits its slick and nicely polished gameplay perfectly. Where the game does fall a little flat is in its lasting appeal. It doesn't take long to beat the campaign and unlock almost all of its tracks, and once you've done that, the leaderboards are the only place where a long-term challenge can be found.

A weird hybrid of downward-scrolling shoot 'em up and platformer, Downwell is a challenging, but highly addictive arcade game that's a great test of your concentration and reflexes. Its gameplay does lack variety, but when played in short bursts, it's a lot of fun.

There's a lot to love in Mortal Kombat 11. It's a fantastic fighter with a roster of 25 varied characters, tons of customization options, beautiful graphics, and one of the best story modes in a fighting game. It's a shame that modes like the Krypt and Towers of Time inject annoyance and tedium into what was an excellent experience. The progression is complex and obtuse, when it should be easy and straightforward. MK 11 could been an all-time best, but it's just a contender.

Fenix Furia is a hardcore micro-platformer that somehow manages to be incredibly challenging, yet still enjoyable to play. Some of its levels will have you cursing out loud due to their high level of difficulty, but when you beat them, you'll whoop with joy. It's definitely not for everyone, but if you want to test your reflexes and coordination to their limits, Fenix Furia is a game that does just that.

It's worthwhile just to get the trap sim action on PS4, but the asking price is a bit high for double-dipping if you've already played Blood Ties.

The new "Play As Anyone" system is as impressive as it sounds on paper, creating a host of intriguing characters if you choose to dive into their backgrounds. Crafting your own version of DedSec is a ton of fun, especially early on. The problem is the gameplay of Watch Dogs Legion is mostly the same as its predecessors and the missions are quite repetitive overall. It's not a step back for the series, but the hacking and stealth core of the series does need an overhaul.

While the core game has changed very little since its original appearance on Wii U a little more than a year ago, Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World giveth, and it taketh away. If you don't mind the visual downgrade and the loss of cooperative play, you'll probably enjoy the new additions on tap here (most of which, unsurprisingly, revolve around Yoshi's canine companion Poochy). At its heart, this is the best follow-up to Yoshi's Island to date, so it's absolutely worth your time if you missed it on Wii U.

Arkham Origins isn't the next great Batman game but rather a competent rehash of Rocksteady's two entries. While it's filled with more flaws and familiarity than I'd like, it's still the third best Batman game the medium's ever seen.

While the environment isn't as impressive as Morrowind or Summerset, Zenimax Online's storytelling is still impressive and entertaining. Unfortunately, the combat mechanics need a little more punch and the addition of dragons ends up be less impactful than advertised. It's a good expansion, but feels like a step down from the previous few.

Outside of instant replays, Madden NFL 25 won't impress the average player on PlayStation 4, as the game's normal play mode doesn't always show off the next-generation graphics. Improved physics and player AI change how the game is played on a fundamental level, making it more realistic, so veteran players will need a period of adjustment.

If you can deal with a healthy dose of bugs, State of Decay 2 is an extremely satisfying and unpredictable management sim with a solid action-survival game laid on top. The sequel's improved UI, new multiplayer component, and additional maps help it stand out from its predecessor, even if the moment-to-moment is largely the same.

Soft Body is a very unusual release whose abstract gameplay starts out addictive and entertaining, but soon becomes fiendishly challenging. Its high level of difficulty means it's not for everyone, but if you have superb reflexes and coordination, and love action-puzzle games, it's worth a look.

Tell Me Why: Chapter One is certainly a promising start for Dontnod's new tale, as the developer looks for a slightly stunted but more mature take on difficult subject matters. Tyler Ronan is a surprisingly positive depiction of a transgender character, even if the bar is set incredibly low, and it's a relief that for once a Dontnod protagonist isn't put through drawn out, traumatic events as a rite of passage. I'm cautiously optimistic to see if Tell Me Why can build on this solid start.

Battlefield's traditional strengths remain firmly in place amid DICE's return to World War II: great graphics, audio, and a scope that few other games can equal. But it's a thinner package than usual, and the decision to hold important modes like Firestorm until 2019 feels like a crucial misstep. Battlefield 5 is a good shooter as it is, but we wouldn't blame you if you decided to wait until it's had some time to mature.

Deadlight: Director's Cut looks fantastic and has a very intriguing storyline. Its platforming puzzles are also generally really enjoyable to solve. However, a few annoying gameplay flaws, occasionally awkward controls, and very short running time really take the edge off the experience, and ultimately the game falls short of its considerable potential.

No Man's Sky's journey across a massive procedural universe is compelling in how seamless it feels, the way that it allows you to explore at your own pace, and its questioning of the drive toward completionism found in most games. Unfortunately, it's saddled with a terrible interface and a crushing sense of repetition, both of which come to overshadow its more interesting qualities. As such, while it feels incomprehensibly vast at times, No Man's Sky can also feel crushingly limiting. And it's the latter feeling, unfortunately, that keeps its from reaching its full potential.

Fun but flawed, Rogue Legacy falls somewhat short of its lofty aspirations. But you can't fault the developers for aiming high.

Hangar 13 tells a great story in Mafia 3, pitting Lincoln Clay against those who took his family from him. Great characters, solid dialog, and some top-notch motion capture flesh out the world. Unfortunately, the open-world nature of the game kills the story pacing with a repetitive mission loop. Mafia 3 could've been great, but it's just good.

A Way Out is a fun ride BECAUSE of its co-op shenanigans. While the story is nothing to marvel over, its characters blossom beyond their bare opening descriptions, making seeing their journey together through worthwhile. Plus, it's a good exercise in working together with someone, whether it's a loved one, a colleague, or a friend. You'll really hate (or love) them by the time the game is through. If nothing else, A Way Out will be remembered as a great excuse to test the strengths and weaknesses of all your relationships.