Tembo the Badass Elephant is a surprising new direction for Game Freak that pays off
In its best moments, Darkest Dungeon makes me feel crazy and hopeless. There's something I can't say for most games: The times when I most felt that I had irrevocably fucked up were also the times when the game was at its strongest. Though some of Darkest Dungeon's more annoying design concessions detract from the overall experience, I'd be foolish not to recommend such a singular experience.
The Surge successfully builds on its inspirations and finds its own voice
The balance that Dragon Quest Heroes walks between trivial fun and deeper strategizing is precarious. At any point in the 30-plus hours I played, I felt like it could have tipped over, leaving a boring, button-mashing shell of a game. Amazingly, it never did.
Rare Replay is an essential piece of gaming history
Ratchet & Clank is something worthwhile for fans new and old alike
Explorers is a strong start to a new take on Final Fantasy
Watch Dogs 2 improves on its predecessor but doesn't go as far as it could have
Dragon Quest 7 ties together a bunch of fun mini-adventures into a lengthy, nostalgic package
Ashes of Ariandel is the best Dark Souls 3 has ever been
Team Ninja has taken some big chances here. They don't all pay off, but the ones that do pull together for a game that justifies some of the pain required.
Chronicles: China is the smartest twist on the Assassin's Creed formula yet
Given issues like the poor loot system and the occasionally awful camera, it's amazing how quickly and thoroughly Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris turned me around from my initial lukewarm feelings.
Lords of the Fallen is a successful twist on an established formula
The Last Guardian bounces between highs and lows without ever fully living up to its legacy
Outlast 2 made me feel terrible, but that's by design
If you can get past the microtransactions, Shadow Wars seems set to provide a much meatier extended playtime than Shadow of Mordor ever offered. But more than anything, that's my biggest disappointment with Middle-earth: Shadow of War: Everything about it seems to come with a caveat, some small annoyance or two that you need to dig past to get to the still-very-fun game underneath. The Nemesis System is still a wonder that has yet to be replicated. The movement and combat are thrilling.
Conarium could have pushed deeper, but it stays true to the spirit of Lovecraft's work
Axiom Verge works moment to moment but feels less successful as a whole
Resident Evil is still a classic, but it's hard for some people to go back to