What I can tell you is that I have definitely enjoyed my time playing Lost Sphear and I'm already thinking if Square Enix is considering a sequel. Even though I feel that Tokyo RPG Factory focuses too much on trying to apply the Chrono Trigger formula to their new game, I still believe that Lost Sphear is a step in the right direction.
Ni no Kuni II is one of those games that delivers a positive vibe not just through gameplay, but deeper stories, solid characters, as well as outstanding visuals and soundtrack. Moreover, it comes with fresh ideas that make it more engaging and fun, something that we rarely get these days from major franchises.
Even though developers have removed most of the freemium aspects of the mobile version, World of Warriors remains a shallow experience that you'll want to replace as quickly as possible. While there are some positive like the cute art style, there isn't much else that's couldn't be classified as mediocre at best.
Despite these shortcomings, I believe the God of War series is in good hands, and I wouldn't want anyone else touching it but Santa Monica Studio. Here is hoping greater times are coming to Midgard in the not so distant future.
Obviously, Galactic Civilizations III: Intrigue is now without its flaws, but it appears that Stardock managed to considerably reduce the number to just a few. Although almost every aspect of the base game has been improved, I feel that some of the newly added features need a bit of balancing or tweaking.
As far as the single player content goes, I would say that Monster Hunt is even better than Dungeon Run. Its high replayability and the element of RNG make Monster Hunt the funniest single player experience ever created by the folks behind Hearthstone.
Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time may be a first decent title in the beloved anime series, but Bandai Namco takes into consideration a second game, the formula must be completely reworked.
Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is hands down one of the best RPGs launched in the last couple of years, but I'm more anxious to learn when we'll get PoE III since the ending of Deadfire is awesome in a painful way.
Last but not least, I have mixed feelings about the ending. I strongly believe that such a complex game that offers players meaningful choices that could directly influence major elements in the story should have multiple endings.
Ultimately, Vampyr is definitely a game worth playing, even if just for the moral choices and the fine character building Dontnod managed to achieve. Don't get this one if you're expecting a combat-heavy RPG with your favorite vampire character.
The only downside to the formula adopted by Interactive Stone is that they have clearly exaggerated with the religious iconography. Apart from that, and a few design issues, Gray Dawn is a short but deep immersion into the human subconscious, an exposition of the endless battle between good and evil.
Finishing The Banner Saga 3 gave me a sense of accomplishment. Even though I did not manage to save everyone, the world will live to see another day. Wounds heal, conflicts eventually wear off, life will ultimately prevail, and that's one of the many things The Banner Saga 3 is teaching us.
Having played most of Wadjet Eye's games, I'm convinced that Unavowed is the studio's best product hands down. The branching storyline, the moral choices, the characterization of the protagonists and the overall atmosphere make Unavowed a great candidate for the best adventure game of the year.
If you haven't yet picked up Dead Cells, even if you're not into roguelike platformers, I strongly recommend getting it since it's one of the best of its kind.
The Boomsday Project could be one of the most important Hearthstone expansions released in a while, but not because it bring very powerful cards and interesting gameplay mechanics. I believe The Boomsday Project is exceptionally well-balanced and very fun to play. It's got a little bit for every type of player, be it hardcore or casuals looking for pure entertainment.
I would put Sword Legacy: Omen in the “missed opportunity” type of games since there are many inconsistencies between various parts like visuals, story, and sound. While I loved the idea of going back in time to visit Britain in the early Middle Age, let alone experience the events happening before King Arthur's time, I felt that the journey was pretty dull and uninteresting till near the end.
I also think the game perfectly catches the Cold War atmosphere of the early 80s, and delivers it in the form of a tactical stealth turn-based formula. Phantom Doctrine tackles a sensible but fascinating subject, the Cold War, and does a damn good job at it.
And for those sitting on the fence about whether or not to jump into the action again, there's only one thing I can say: Battle for Azeroth is the perfect opportunity to come back to World of Warcraft. I have to give the folks at Blizzard credit for pouring their hearts and souls into the game once again, it definitely shows.
Star Control: Origins perfectly combines exceptional writing, total exploration freedom, satisfying space combat, excellent voice acting and hypnotizing music. Although I felt intimidated by the importance of the journey ahead, the well written, humorous dialogues gently transitioned me into a state of pure excitement. No words can better describe Star Control: Origins than actually playing it. It's a masterpiece.
Heretic Kingdoms remains a franchise with great potential, so I'm very curious to see where developers are going to go from here. Obviously, there's room to improve the formula, but I'd like to see something new as well.