The narrative genre often takes a closer look at human emotions, something we don't often see in other genres. Blackwood Crossing takes a bold leap into examining emotions and family dynamics, tackling subjects such as love and grief, separation and moving on. It's a topic that lends itself well to the genre, as the minimalistic gameplay places a magnifying glass over the narrative the game competently weaves.

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.

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.

Despite a few downsides, I thoroughly enjoyed my time playing Another Crab's Treasure. The game's humor was a standout feature that had me laughing out loud on several occasions. As a fan of soulslike experiences, I can confidently say that it's one of the few AA games that's truly worth playing through. What's more, it's incredibly accessible to play, making it a great entry point for newcomers to the genre.

Ashen could have done more to make itself stand out, and also could have been optimized better for the Xbox One, but at the end of the day, it's still a great game.

Green Planet is an awesome addition to Surviving Mars, but it puts a spotlight on some vanilla features that could use some love.

WWE 2K22 adds some big improvements to core functions like gameplay and combat, while also introducing new modes like MyGM that make the game feel much fresher. Add to that a big graphical overhaul, and WWE 2K22 is a major step forward for this franchise.

The marriage of historical context, politics, intrigue, and tight adventure mechanics make The Pillars of the Earth an easy recommendation for fans of narrative-based games. It might even make you want to read the book.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is a fun RPG with stellar writing that truly captures the dark future of eternal war. Choices and options aplenty never detract from or feel ill-suited to the setting, and a clever layout makes this a solid entry point for any Warhammer newcomers. There are a number of bugs to be wary of, with progression issues popping up from time to time.

Kunai bears the classic signs of a metroidvania with a ninja, retro-futuristic flair. Find upgrades and secret treasure stashes, fight robots, and well-designed bosses, all while having a ton of fun doing so.

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

This version received a bump up to 1080p resolution, just as you'd expect from a remastered classic. It also sports an improved frame rate, increased environmental detail, and refined creature movement. That's not to say it looks perfect; some of the textures are noticeably low resolution. But all told, this is the best that Revelations has ever looked, and series fans won't be disappointed.

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.

The multiple-reality puzzle mechanic keeps fetch quests from getting stale, and you will certainly have to do some thinking to get to the end. There's a ton of detail, the artwork is beautiful, and the narrator does a perfect job of setting the tone.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I went into Tropico 6, but I came out in love. It's truly one of the best city building games of all time, and it has an excellent amount of polish, depth, and satire that all help it feel like a unique experience. The cluttered interface is a downside, but it's hardly one that impacts the overall gameplay much.

Trials of Mana gives modern features to a lesser-known classic. Combat tends to be overly simple, and the story is really basic, but it's still a fun, colorful adventure for JRPG fans to experience.

A game that will leave you feeling furiously stupid and a genius of brobdingagian proportions simultaneously. Hue very much reminds me of Limbo, only far less sinister and almost no spider leg removal at all. Hue is a heart-warming and an enjoyable experience.

Some minor glitches aside, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is a fun 2D beat 'em up with stellar presentation that still rocks — just not as hard as it did over 10 years ago.

While it may not be incredibly in-depth, PGA Tour 2K21 is a great first attempt for 2K as they get into the golf game, and the future looks incredibly bright.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is the perfect way to keep the Call of Duty franchise fresh. This series can't just stick with modern warfare and past wars every single year. Moving to the far future allows for the introduction of new mechanics, equipment, and especially environments that couldn't be done in other time periods. Not only do series followers get something new here, but science fiction fans who've never touched a Call of Duty will find much to like as well.

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.

There are some flaws to it, but EA Sports FC 24 is one of the best soccer titles EA Sports has released in many years. The addition of HyperMotionV makes for some great gameplay changes, even if some modes like Career Mode and Ultimate Team remain quite stale.

The final DLC for Doom Eternal was worth the wait, providing some gorgeous new locations and challenging fights worthy of concluding the Slayer's saga. However, they won't let you pilot the big mechs, and that's disappointing.

Though it often showcases excellent characters that go through well-written development, The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series Collection is held back by some narrative flaws and dull quick-time events. The world is filled with secrets to find and places to explore, and the presentation of it through art, music and great cinematography is a positive. Despite this, the issues with the story and gameplay prevent it from truly achieving its maximum potential.

While the strategy side of things hasn't really improved with this DLC, everything else that it adds is awesome. It builds on the things that made the base game great, building on that foundation with some new ideas and the great new Anomaly site mechanic.

Everything you remember and love about Job Simulator and Rick and Morty: Virtual Rickality with a massive host of new puzzles and experiences.

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

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.