Nick Plessas
Gears of War: Ultimate Edition does a fine job of remastering the original, but a new coat of paint and some minor upgrades can't disguise the fact that the gameplay experience hasn't aged particularly well.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is an exercise in reestablishing familiarity with one of Sony's most recognizable faces. Almost everything new in the game is ancillary, but what makes this retrospective collection worth consideration is the the quality of design the original games brought to the table.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 5 does a disservice to returning fans and newcomers alike by removing most of what gave the original games flare while being simultaneously riddled with glitches.
The Star Wars Battlefront name is holding strong, but if this is set to reboot the franchise, they could have packed a little more meat on its bones.
Just Cause 3 lives up to the series' standard of high quality explosiveness by exhibiting just how a sandbox game should operate, with chaos and variety.
Cleverly designed combat may make up for the general content deficiency and lackluster story, but those interested should definitely do their research before diving in.
XCOM 2 is a generally solid experience, but it is definitely one of those titles that may not be for everyone due to its punishing game style and occasional unpredictably of success.
New franchises are always risky business, but Tom Clancy's The Division delivered on everything it promised and more, with only the occasional hiccup.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End is a true work of art, and the only time the slightest apprehension may surface is when one compares it to the titanic installments that came before.
There was potential here, but it is lost in a sea of technical issues that are nearly impossible to look past.
Almost as bad as a viral outbreak
In a game that needs to balance so much, it finds a way so nearly every feature meets a high-quality standard in this action-RPG
Battlefield 1 does a service to the series’ core fanbase with a unique, yet strangely familiar take on World War I.
Titanfall 2 is to be respected for accomplishing all its objectives. Quantity in games is nice, but Titanfall 2 proves that quality is often preferable.
A competent and fun stealth experience brought down by some technical issues and the inexplicable lack of new game plus.
Yakuza 0 takes it back to where it all began, but a mildly interesting setting and story don’t quite make up for the game’s more tedious elements.
Sniper Elite 4 isn't the most sophisticated experience, but it puts all of its strengths front and center and delivers a very polished shooter.
Bugs and clunky controls can often stop an experience in its tracks. Fortunately, the beautiful world and strategic stealth of Ghost Recon Wildlands manages to overcome its hiccups usually and still deliver an adventure that is both fresh and familiar.
Prey is mildly limited in scope and replay value, but everything that is there will hook players almost immediately. In terms of quality over quantity, Prey made the right trade off.
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.