Mazen Abdallah
Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition is the definitive version of the award-winning 2016 game, and its additional content, the inclusion of Season Pass and free updates makes it a great buy for those that didn't get the chance to play it on console or PC.
Diablo III: Eternal Collection on Switch introduces gamers to perhaps the most refined version of the game, and it offers an immersive dungeon-crawling experience that you can play on the go. It runs very smoothly and looks great, but expect to sink a ton of time in if you want to get good.
Forza Horizon 4 is an excellent blend of arcade racing and racing sims, and it’s probably the best installment of the Horizon series thus far. It offers a breathtaking open world to drive through and some very accessible racing for mainstream fans, along with a bit of tinkering for people that like their racers a bit more technical.
Into the Breach is a simple yet engaging strategy title that pushes you to carefully consider every move, and makes victory seem that much more rewarding as a result. It’s quite an addictive title, and expect to spend quite a bit of time mastering it and feeling like you might be able to eke out a victory in the great war between man and insect.
Call of Duty WWII manages to bring the series back to its roots and inject classic Call of Duty gameplay with slick new visuals and intense, atmospheric set pieces. Its new war mode gives the action a much more powerful feeling, and the campaign creates some truly memorable moments. Fans of the classic will be proud.
With a new world to discover, Assassin's Creed Odyssey continues on the path set by Origins, giving more choice to the players, with a bigger focus on RPG and the comeback of naval warfare. A definitive evolution of the series, and shouldn't be missed.
After waiting for more than 6 years for a sequel, you'd expect Tekken 7 to come back with the might of an iron fist, and Bandai Namco absolutely nailed that. A bit more serious than its predecessor, Tekken 7 is also more technical, precise and demanding without being less entertaining, thanks to its varied roster of characters. While it might not be the prettiest fighting game around in comparison to the current competitions, the rest works perfectly, especially the online modes which are for me the best in the genre so far. In short, Tekken 7 is a great competitive game for friends and rivals!
The Division ultimately is a real success for Ubisoft. An old but effective gameplay, is faultless visually at painting every street and every building interior of New York. Too bad some screen clipping and framedrops are cursing us console players, but that's not enough to truly spoil the experience. The game is a must-have for those of you who love the richness of a true MMORPG, with a hint of Third-Person tactical Shooter gameplay, like a Diablo III and Ghost Recon: Future Soldiers merged into one game. After over 70 hours of gameplay, I'm still nowhere near finish, and enjoying this game, its choices, its gameplay and experience. See you in New York, fellow agents
A must-have for any fan of the series, Fractured But Whole builds on the concept of Stick of Truth and provides an RPG experience that will please even the pickiest of South Park addict. It’s a licensed game that truly understands the source material and brings it into the game world. While the underlying RPG mechanics are solid, this is still something that will probably appeal to folks with Cartman t-shirts more than other gamers, so if you don’t like the show’s crude yet incisive humor, this may not be for you. But if you hum ‘Whamola’ in your idle moments, this is a must-have.
Probably the best anime-style fighter out there and one of the greats in the fighting game genre, Guilty Gear XRD Rev 2 delivers a robust fighter that takes some time to master but rewards that patience with some remarkably fluid fighting action and a diverse cast with a unique range of moves and special attacks. It’s not quite like anything else out there right now, and I definitely recommend it for fans of the genre
Supergiant Games delivers another unique, memorable title with Pyre. It manages to work on two totally separate levels, presenting a beautifully drawn fantasy virtual novel and a surprisingly complex twist on the classic game of football. Its story can be a little slow and a little bizarre, but it ends up having a lot of charm, and its core game is likely to become a local multiplayer classic
With Attack on Titan 2, Koei Tecmo and Omega Force manages to upgrade the game experience from the original, adding more content and modes to make it worth your while. No fan of the franchise, anime or manga should miss this title.
Battlefield V delivers yet another epic, chaotic warfare experience while managing to bring the theatres of the Second World War to life. Its intense firefights and pitched battles will result in many a hurrah, but you’ll also have to brave some balance issues and a couple of bugs that haven’t been ironed out. At the end of the day though, there’s no better way to experience all-out war.
Ubisoft’s For Honor is an enjoyable, visually stunning and gritty experience that might be a bit too original for its own good. Being such a niche genre might push away your normal players, and the singleplayer part might not be enough for someone to cough up $60. Nevertheless, with the right community management, a steady flow of updates, balancing and a ranked mode coming, it could become something great, like what happened with Rainbow Six Siege, 6 month after its launch. Who knows? But for now, give this title a chance as it’s a good one.
A great intro to the series for newcomers and another solid installment for fans, Yakuza 0 offers a hard-hitting pulp story about rising to power in the glamour of 80’s Tokyo. Whether you’re street brawling with some drunken thugs or managing your business like a boss, Yakuza will make you feel like a tatted up Japanese gangster.
Assassin’s Creed is back in fantastic form, and Origins it’s a title that any fan of open-world adventure titles shouldn’t miss. Assassin’s Creed: Origins brings a lot of new ideas to a tried and tested formula, and while it downplays classic elements like stealth, it refines most of the core gameplay with expertise, creating a memorable experience.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 manages to take the series forward while still holding on to what made it great in the first place. There are lots of changes here, but they all feel like changes for the better. It’s still comfortable in its old spot, but it knows what the fans want and it delivers.
A cross between a history book and a hack-and-slash RPG, Kingdom Come: Deliverance sets out to make a medieval themed game that is as historically accurate as humanly possible. It commits to the RPG system by offering roleplaying and not just combat with bits of dialogue sprinkled in, and it really immerses you in its setting. It has some rough edges but these shouldn’t distract from what is fundamentally a great game experience.
Stardew Valley is a simple game at first, but you’ll find it’ll quickly suck you into a world of farming, bonding, and adventuring. It’s got a real simplicity about it which, along with its charm, makes it a really fun title that is now available on console.
While it’s tough to mix complex tactics with mainstream shooter mechanics, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands manages to offer up a tactical shooter that can appeal to a broad audience and still have something for the tactics aficionados. There’s a ton to see and do in their dystopian version of Bolivia, and it’s probably a good idea to bring a friend if you want to enjoy the game’s terrific online co-op.