Anthem is a beautiful car that is an absolute joy to drive, but so far, it only has enough gas to get you a couple miles. Also, the wheels will periodically fall off. Sold as a live-service game, fans of Anthem's exhilarating gameplay have to hold out hope that things will improve, but there's no denying the initial expedition was rough.
The journey of Metro Exodus is more rollercoaster than train ride, with peaks and troughs rather than a steady level of quality throughout. Its technical issues make the product feel rushed, but these are worth suffering for a series that's ultimately heading down the right track.
Just Cause 4 has so many good systems in place, but it seems to have lost sight of what to do with them. While it's a relatively decent game in its own right, it continues the series' decline.
Many of the issues Fallout 76 currently faces could eventually be fixed, which is why this mess is such a pity. The potential is clear, but a reluctance to commit to one direction or another leaves the game in an awkward and broken void.
Criticisms often come easier than compliments, but in the case of Red Dead Redemption 2, I am at a loss. This is one of the most gorgeous, seamless, rootinest, tootinest games ever made, and if you voluntarily miss out on it, you're either not a gamer or in a coma.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has made some bold changes to the series, and ultimately, they're for the better. The inclusion of a battle royale mode is a first, and even the more familiar multiplayer and Zombies survival mode are not what they once were. Changes are always risky, but in Black Ops 4's case, it worked out for the better.
As what may be the last hoorah for this particular story arc, Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a stereotypical stealth-action game, but one which manages to separate itself from the pack by excelling in everything that makes this genre what it is.
Firewall Zero Hour is one of the most precise and tactical VR shooters out there. Too bad the systems surrounding it are so wanting.
If you've been longing for a driving game with more destruction than you can keep up with, Onrush delivers. There are many things unique about this new arcade racer, the top being that the term “racer” is a misnomer.
A fascinating story, sublime mechanics, and a beautiful world come together in an experience that is about as confident of a step forward as the God of War series could make.
Far Cry 5 had much to live up to coming in under the shadow of previous games in the series. While it doesn't quite reach the same level, it stays true to enough of its series staples that fans and newcomers alike should expect a good time.
With a confusing and frustrating jumping-off point, it may be hard to break into Metal Gear Survive. Those that manage to stick around, however, should expect to find something worth surviving for.
Remakes can seem like the low-hanging fruit of game development, but Bluepoint does Shadow of the Colossus justice with an evolution of the classic game that improves the overall experience while maintaining its familiar spirit.
Star Wars Battlefront II still tips more toward the causal side of multiplayer competition, but that doesn't mean there isn't a fair amount fun to be had. That said, the game's potentially pay-to-win progression model doesn't do it any favors.
Call of Duty: WWII's changes to the core Call of Duty experience are few but distinct. This leads to a good balance between relishing everything Call of Duty used to be and still continuing to move the series forward.
Shadow of War is stellar in the moments the player focuses on the game's grander scope, but some of the mechanics that tie the rest together should have received a bit more attention. It may start off a bit slow, but the end payoff is more than worth it.
Absolver can be rewarding for those that dedicate the appropriate amount of time and attention it requires, but its complexities can be hard to break into. Even when Absolver is mastered, the resulting expertise seems to have little impact on the competitive side of the experience.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy honors its parentage with engaging characters and exotic landscapes, setting the stage for more of the best action gameplay out there. It's much of the same, but that's OK when “the same” is this good.
LawBreakers is a tight, comprehensive shooter experience that stakes its claim in the crowded class-based shooter genre with a fun anti-gravity gimmick, but occasionally frustrating gameplay and poor controls hold it back at times.
Zombies Chronicles aims for the nostalgia of Zombies fans, and for the most part serves it well. Some of the changes made for the sake of evolution may have been better left undone, but the most important elements of these classic maps are still intact.