The inelegant blend of serious themes and wacky comedy, and the use of what I feel are dated strategy game aiming mechanics prevent Mutant Year Zero from being truly perfect, but it's still an incredible experience that you can't miss.

Everything is absolutely fantastic, and while in-game performance isn't perfect, it's hardly enough of a downside to affect my view of the game overall. Avalanche has truly brought the thunder.

If you enjoy multiplayer games of this type and are willing to overlook the engine anomalies, you may find yourself rapidly addicted to the game's exploration density and loot systems. If you're easily frustrated by bugs and issues, you may want to sit tight a bit to see what Bethesda does to polish things up, cus oh boy, it could use a bit right now. If you're a fan of the single player, branching narrative the series is known for, you'll want to wait for Fallout 5.

Despite the issues that drag down Darksiders III, it's still an excellent hack-and-slash action RPG that is more than worth the $60 purchase. Combat is challenging and fun, the game world is richly detailed and full of secrets, and the artistic presentation is nothing short of phenomenal. Darksiders III is definitely a game that you should pick up, and the Darksiders franchise is definitely here to stay.

Project Highrise is an excellent skyscraper-management game that challenges the player with deep strategy and rewards them with gigantic, gorgeous looking buildings. Additionally, since the game caters to casual players as well, Project Highrise can be fun for everyone, not just strategy fans.

While GRIP is very enjoyable and plays wonderfully in singleplayer, it falls apart the second you try to access the multiplayer. This effectively strips you of half of what the game has to offer, and it's hard to recommend buying while the game is in this state.

The lack of polish in some of the systems will get improved with patches, but the missed opportunities with the campaign content frustrate the full package. But ultimately, this is one of the best multiplayer shooters you will play this year, and maybe the best until the next Battlefield. So if you love competitive FPS games, yes, you have to buy this.

If you're someone who doesn't need a huge community to play with — and if you can come to grips with the intricacies of realistic riding — Steep will feed your lust for extreme winter sports just fine.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy is an excellent remake of the originals. It's a lot of fun to play and looks stunning. Unfortunately, the lack of a 60 FPS option, even on the Xbox One X, and the awkward camera controls in some levels detract from the experience. Despite these issues, the remake pays homage to some of the best platformers ever created, and it's evident that developer Toys for Bob spent many years crafting this package. It's a labor of love and that shines above all else.

IO Interactive set out to perfect the assassination sandbox with Hitman 2. Though the studio fell short, Hitman 2 is a commendable stealth experience that fans of the series shouldn't miss out on. Its future now rests in whether or not its Ghost Mode and celebrity elusive targets can hold people's attention.

Despite some minor issues like stuttering in interiors, awkward camera angles in smaller houses, or the relatively slow start to story the campaign — Red Dead Redemption 2 simply overrides its small perceptible flaws with what is nothing short of a truly spectacular experience. Simply put, it is one of the best games ever made, setting a new standard for open world titles going forward.

An impressive experience. It's a shame that the story and limited exploration options hold the title back. The game could've rivaled some of the best space exploration games out there, but its need to appeal to a younger crowd undoubtedly takes away from the package.

Sacrifices had to be made, but the gamble of chopping off a short single player campaign to focus on multiplayer modes that will offer many more hours of fun has paid off. Multiplayer and Zombies are much better off because of it, and newcomer Blackout sets Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 up as the most well-rounded multiplayer shooter of the year.

Space Hulk: Tactics falls over a little when it comes to its campaign and progression system, but over all it earns a recommendation from us for fans of the genre. For more detail, read on.

The game looks gorgeous and runs like a dream on Xbox One X at 4K 60 FPS.

If you enjoyed Assassin's Creed IV's naval combat and Assassin Creed Origins' shift to an RPG-like progression system, Odyssey is a match made in Elysium. Odyssey does not revolutionize the franchise, but it's a capable entry that will satisfy fans for dozens and dozens of hours.

Ultimately, I think it would be best to pass on Wenjia. While the visuals are great, it's too short and there's too little depth in the gameplay to justify the price. When you consider that the game's levels also break and that there are some performance problems as well, you would be better off spending the extra $4.99 to get Ori and the Blind Forest.

Forza Horizon 4 can be summed up with a single word: Masterpiece.

Despite the unimpressive graphics, Fishing Sim World is definitely a game you should get if you like simulators and want to see what a simulated fishing experience is like.

If you enjoy space games, exploring the unknown, establishing communications with potential allies and enemies, as well as shooting stuff out of space, you'll enjoy Star Control: Origins.

Despite how grand Forsaken is, exemplary storytelling is a must nowadays. That's where Forsaken truly fails. Even though the expansion features the most diverse content, the poor storytelling brings down the score.

If you're looking for a (mostly) peaceful gameplay experience that relaxes you and immerses you into an artificial world, Planet Alpha is definitely for you.

F1 2018, just as with last year's game, is a game worthy of your attention and something fans of the franchise will love. It's stunning to look at, excellent fun to drive in, and the single-player mode has more than enough depth to keep keener players entertained.

With heightened stakes and tension, Shadow of the Tomb Raider will keep you engaged throughout its hours of gameplay. Its limited advancements over previous games should be noted, but the final package is still an unmissable Tomb Raider adventure.

If you're looking for something easy and simple to pick up and play with your friends, Strange Brigade is definitely worth considering...However, if you're interested in something more challenging and intense, or simply want something with better presentation, Strange Brigade isn't the title for you.

Two Point Hospital is the sequel fans of Theme Hospital have wanted for 2018. It brings the health tycoon game up-to-date with better graphics, enhanced gameplay, and new features.

Where Brawlout excels is its accessible—if shallow—combat, its tight controls, and its vibrant characters with appealing visuals to boot. But balanced gameplay is everything in a game like this, and Brawlout falls short in that regard.

If you don't mind doing extensive web research in order to understand the ins and outs of Graveyard Keeper's gameplay progression, you'll be able to enjoy the best of what the game has to offer. However, if you would rather not deal with the hassle, I recommend passing on this one and checking out Stardew Valley instead.

If you're able to look past the lack of a strong central story, though, you'll be left with a gorgeous game built on some excellent (albeit underutilized) narrative foundations.

Despite the performance issues, We Happy Few is a must-own title for any gamer who loves survival open world titles and quality world building.

If you enjoy fast-paced strategy games, than Overcooked 2 is guaranteed to give you a good time, though I think anyone can have fun with this game due to how simple the basics are, how lighthearted the tone is, and the fact that the game doesn't really get hard until later on. People who can't multitask well will admittedly struggle, but in general, I still think Overcooked 2 is definitely a title you should pick up.

While the gameplay and story of The Long Reach are lacking in a lot of ways, its look, sounds, and feel encapsulate the best of the horror genre. Therefore, I think it's a good game you shouldn't miss, despite the problems it has.

Between the excellent gameplay and the solid presentation, Mega Man X's return to the market is a strong one.

Between the intuitive crafting and strong gameplay design, Mothergunship's successes heavily outweigh its problems. It's definitely worth checking out.

While there's not much in Pribyslavitz that's worth returning to, rebuilding it and reaping the monetary benefits is a great experience.

Aside from average voice acting, Earthfall is a gorgeous, innovative masterpiece that innovates on the Left 4 Dead formula. And it is well worth a look.

With its near-flawless design, Insane Robots is one of the best indie titles of this generation without a doubt.

While this remaster succeeds in bringing the positive aspects of Guerilla's gameplay to a modern-looking experience, it also brought the negative ones as well. When you factor in the unacceptable performance flaws, it's disappointing. The game is decent... but it could have been so much better.

Ubisoft should be rewarded for its ambition, but ultimately ambition has translated into an overly busy experience that's got a little too much going on.

Despite some buggy unit pathfinding and poor voice acting, Sudden Strike 4's tactical depth, excellent controls, and gorgeous overall presentation make it the best console RTS since Halo Wars 2.

While both the difficulty and frame-rate issues hold Lichtspeer back from a perfect score, it's still a fantastic title that all indie players should play at least once.

While Jurassic World Evolution has a great concept, it fails to achieve anything close to greatness once you get past the first day of gameplay. Excellent graphics and nostalgic euphoria can only carry a product so far.

While rough around the edges in some ways, Unravel Two is ultimately a fantastic game that puzzle or platformer gamers will enjoy without a doubt.

Though Moonlighter has several problems that prevent the game from truly achieving greatness, the excellent art and music and the fun gameplay experience make it worth a try if you enjoy roguelikes and want a new title to play.

Between the perfect gameplay, great story, and flawless presentation, Aragami is a stealth masterpiece. It's that simple.

There are things that could be improved, like the excruciating respawn times, as well as some things that feel too difficult just for the sake of it. Pre-release is also never a time to get a proper feel for online multiplayer, so hopefully it doesn't fall apart there. None of this takes away from the enjoyment of playing ONRUSH as a single player. I hope it remains supported with additional content because it's a game I'd love to keep playing.

Though there are some glaring flaws in the gameplay systems, it's still a fun title, and the enjoyable visuals and music help make it worth your time.

Despite some visual issues during gameplay, Laser league is nevertheless one of the most intense competitive multiplayer games Xbox has seen in quite a while.

State of Decay 2 is by no means a perfect game. It retains the quirks of its predecessor, complete with mixed production values and a litany of smaller problems. That said, the game has never crashed on me, and is wonderfully atmospheric, with great music, sound, and masterful use of lighting to create fear and tension.

Through excellent gameplay mechanics, phenomenal presentation, and a touching atmosphere, FAR: Lone Sails is the best indie game of 2018 thus far.

Warmind offers a lot of new content with some fantastic weapons, but the unbearable grind and Heroic Strike problems heavily detract from the game. The fact that the new campaign is lackluster and it's still hard to find Exotic Engrams doesn't help either. Additionally, Bungie failed to deliver on Masterwork Exotics because only a handful of items can be upgraded at this time.

Aside from the disappointing sound design, Super Mega Baseball 2 is the baseball experience that Xbox sports fans have been waiting for. It's easily the best Xbox One baseball game available.

Though things can often get a little too crazy, Hyper Sentinel's mostly satisfying gameplay and excellent presentation make it a fantastic choice for retro gaming fans.

Conan Exiles is a good game which seems like a much more substantial experience than when it first appeared on Xbox One. If Funcom can perfect the console frame rate and eliminate the stuttering, then there's a chance that the title might be one of the most popular survival games on the system. However, even in its current state, Conan Exiles is addictive and will keep you coming back for more. The structured milestone system eases you in.

Aside from the disappointing lack of playable characters, Raging Justice is an impressive blast from the past that puts a forgotten style of fighting game on center stage and shows why it's still fun all these years later. It's a fighting game you'll love.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is an amazing game. Obsidian has gifted the already cluttered RPG genre with an excellent title that offers hundreds of hours worth of gameplay. Puzzles, ship combat, side quests, exploration, and other activities keep you occupied along the way.

Though the gameplay does suffer from feeling too easy at many points, the depth of the game mechanics and excellence of the visuals help carry Thrones of Britannia to greatness.

City of Brass is a great game that's mostly elevated by its setting and visuals. Once you get into the rhythm and understand how each enemy reacts, it becomes rather enjoyable, even addictive. It's a shame that the controls aren't optimized and there aren't other visual options. It's easy to overlook these drawbacks though.

BattleTech's actual content is superb, but it's impossible to ignore the fact that trying to make it play well on my high-end PC was an absolute chore. If the game was more polished, I would give BattleTech a full point higher in my score. You may want to wait for some patches to come out before picking it up.

The fighting can occasionally feel unfair and the plot is average, but the engaging combat as well as the humorous tone of the narrative combine together to create a solid and entertaining JRPG experience.

Despite an average story, Ys Origin solidifies itself as an excellent classic thanks to the fantastic gameplay and superb visuals and music.

Though it's fun for the first few hours, Extinction ultimately offers a dull and repetitive experience that fails to compare to the game it was inspired by.

Darkest Dungeon is a tremendous game that offers something quite unique on Xbox One. Few games follow the Lovecraftian tradition so well, with relentlessly ghastly dungeons and terrifying eldritch horrors.

Traditional hack-and-slash mechanics, real-time strategy elements, serviceable writing and excellent visuals and music all come together to create one of 2018's best indie RPGs thus far.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice is a great game which lives up to Ninja Theory's strong history of producing excellent action titles like DmC: Devil May Cry, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, and Heavenly Sword. Its approach to presenting mental illness in a way many people can understand is also remarkable. The use of stellar voice acting enhances the experience and gives it a "AAA" feel despite the fact that it costs a fraction of that.

Satisfying gameplay, a great mysterious narrative and amazing presentation come together to create one of Xbox One's best puzzle experiences yet.

Despite a nice variety of game modes, decent graphics, and a clever roster system, R.B.I. Baseball 18 continues the franchise's tradition of not making the cut.

Aside from a few voice acting mishaps, A Way Out is one of the best cooperative experiences on the Xbox One and anyone who is looking for a game to play with a friend should immediately check this one out for themselves.

While Sea of Thieves offers some unmissable fun you won't find elsewhere, the game currently struggles to justify its $59.99 price point at launch.

Far Cry 5 is a relentlessly fun, aggressively varied open world shooter that will keep you hooked for dozens and dozens of hours. The game's world has never felt more alive, brimming with animal ecosystems, serene lakes, and verdant forests, with spectacular scenery just begging to be screenshotted.

Though it fails to satisfyingly remaster the game's visuals, Assassin's Creed Rogue Remastered nevertheless brings the original game to the Xbox One with perfect performance and every feature that made it great in the first place.

Though very aggravating to learn at first because of the terrible tutorial, Pure Farming 2018 is nevertheless an excellent farming simulator that brings new content and ideas to the table.

Though the game lacks enough enemy variety that would help it stay interesting for long periods, VALA is a fantastic game to play if you want some mindless fun. Gamers should definitely have this on their radar.

Train Sim World Founders Edition is an impressively deep and detailed train simulator that is as fun to master as it is beautiful to look at and listen to. Though it faces some performance hiccups, the excellent gameplay ultimately makes it more than worth your time.

If you're a fan of city-building gameplay Surviving Mars is a must-buy title. Even if you prefer a more creative experience you can tailor the difficulty to that end, or ramp up the scarcity for a true survival experience, where battling the elements almost feels more like a real-time strategy. I leave this review excited to get back to watching my swarms of drones scurrying around, and look forward to see how Haemimont will evolve the experience in the coming months.

While the campaign is rather short, the addictive nature of pulling off stylish moves to sever body parts keeps you coming back for more.

Though rough around the edges overall due to some performance issues, the first episode of The Council has laid a strong foundation for this intriguing story and fun gameplay to continue down the line.

Though the game can get boring after long periods, and the abundance of crude jokes can be annoying, Pit People is nevertheless a great strategy game that's at its best when played with others, but a lot of fun when played solo, too.

Gravel is a lot of fun, offering an enjoyable arcade-racing experience with oodles of sideways flare. It's well presented and has plenty of appeal for fans of single-player games that just want something they can pick up and play without much of a learning curve...The lack of HDR is disappointing, but at least the Xbox One X has been considered, though personally I'd trade 4K support for 60 FPS every day.

Though the story itself and the characters are relatively well written, the game's shortness and poor voice acting take a lot away from the experience. Good visuals and sound can only do so much.

Though a few aspects of the Turok series' design haven't aged well since original release, these two games nevertheless deliver on an incredibly fun and satisfying experience that all fans of casual shooters should try out.

Though a few aspects of the Turok series' design haven't aged well since original release, these two games nevertheless deliver on an incredibly fun and satisfying experience that all fans of casual shooters should try out.

Immortal Redneck does a great job of blending dungeon crawling with a first-person shooter, but the game's lack of enemy variation and presentation issues make enjoying it difficult after awhile.

Nine Parchments is a good game that needs more open environments and a stronger story. Nowadays, the plot is what distinguishes one experience over the other because there aren't many truly original gameplay ideas out there. Unfortunately, Nine Parchments fails here because it takes place in the Trine universe but does not provide a compelling narrative like Trine and Trine 2.

Mulaka is a good game which stands out more for its setting than gameplay. Had the combat and movement been more precise, it would've been a truly exceptional title.

It's easy to see what games inspired All Walls Must Fall — think Superhot and X-Com — but developer inbetweengames managed to craft a unique setting and story that invites the player on a time-bending adventure through the Berlin nightlife in 2089. Implementing a time-sensitive system that forces you to make quick decisions and consider future actions on the spot, it's easy to pick up but difficult to master without a lot of practice.

While the gameplay can feel rushed sometimes, Steel Division nevertheless is a great game that authentically recreates the World War II conflict and brings some new ideas to the RTS genre.

The performance was solid throughout my testing, I had no issues with gameplay improvements and the graphics looked great. There were some pathfinding issues and units did enjoy clashing with one another, which made battle rather hectic, but the clunky controls and movement were among the things I loved most about the original.

While Wartile is a gorgeous and beautifully sounding game, the lack of challenge or depth in its gameplay and the risk of severe crashing problems holds it back from being something greater.

A good game which should appeal to newcomers more than seasoned veterans of the genre.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance's large open world is packed full of things to do in a setting many can relate to. It's by no means perfect, which is unfortunately down to the sheer scope of the project for such a small team of developers. Still, you're going to get many hours of entertainment from this game. It's available now for around $60.

Aside from the annoying lack of matchmaking, Full Metal Furies' excellent co-op gameplay, charming visuals, and kickass score make it more than worth your time.

It's great to see that the franchise makes a triumphant debut on Microsoft's machine because many gamers expressed concerns about optimization and other issues before launch. If you like challenging experiences along the lines of Dark Souls, be sure to give Monster Hunter: World a go. The game will keep you engaged for dozens of hours because it takes patience more than anything to become a legendary hunter.

Subnautica is an exceptional game of exploration, crash-landing the player on an unknown planet with unfamiliar terrain, unexplored depths, and strange wildlife. While some smaller creatures will appear more afraid of you, it's the larger predators that will make your oxygen levels quickly drop with the increased heart rate. It's a game that captivates you as soon as you step out of the lifeboat with the gorgeous water effects and stunning environment.

The photorealistic visuals stand the test of time and even in 2018 it looks absolutely breathtaking. It's definitely one of the best looking games on console with an equally moving story.

Though the combat is unoriginal and a bit confusing, every other aspect of Nantucket shines brightly and all of it comes together to form a great indie experience unlike any other.

Road Redemption, despite having a few flaws, nonetheless impresses with its sound gameplay mechanics, strong customization system, and great performance.

Bridge Constructor Portal will not blow you away, but it's a fun puzzle title that makes good use of portals and puts a new twist on a classic formula. For Portal fans, it's an excellent opportunity to revisit the classic world of Portal with a slightly different approach.