Michael Higham
The wild, exceptional combat of Rage 2 contends with some of the genre's greats, but it's disappointing that the game's world squanders its potential.
Despite its limitations, inventive use of the Switch and Joy-Cons pave the way for a novel VR experience that's more about creativity.
As Metro broadens its horizons, it loses some of the series' focus. But Exodus makes up for it with thrilling encounters and a crew you'll want to follow to the ends of the earth.
Travis Strikes Again succeeds as a simple hack-n-slash with seamless co-op, but doesn't do enough to avoid repetition or challenge you in meaningful ways.
Traversal and destruction highlight Just Cause 4 and new gadgets add a welcome layer to the formula, but missions rarely bring out the game's best features.
Even though the original RPG had a somber tone, the wonderful personalities and music of Persona 3 shine bright in this fun, heartfelt, and vibrant rhythm game.
By putting Persona 5's soundtrack at the forefront, Dancing In Starlight provides an exciting rhythmic twist to the bold style of the original RPG.
It's a fine execution of a familiar formula. There are rough spots, but Battlefield V incorporates small, effective tweaks and truly shines in the more focused objective-based modes.
There's fun to be had in 2K's arcade-style basketball game, but a lack of variety and flawed gameplay make for a missed opportunity.
This year's iteration of NBA 2K packs plenty of game modes and deep mechanics that occasionally falter. And unfortunately again, VC rules everything around it.
The PS4 version of H1Z1 Battle Royale provides a simple, streamlined experience with the thrills of the genre's high-stakes combat. Nothing more, nothing less. [OpenCritic note: Michael Higham separately reviewed the PC (6) and PS4 (7) versions. His scores have been averaged.]
The wonderful worlds of BlazBlue, Persona 4, Under Night, and RWBY collide for an accessible yet challenging fighting showcase.
Fortnite: Battle Royale offers lots of depth with a fun and unique take on the last-person-standing premise.
Despite glaring technical flaws, PUBG emerges as the most thrilling battle royal game to date.
Strafe doesn't do too much, but its exceptional execution and unique charm make for a truly intense, old-school FPS experience.
For a game that relies on character interaction and puzzles to tell its story, Syberia 3 falls well short of being enjoyable and fails to deliver a captivating or impactful experience.
Many of the pieces that make up Styx feel dated, but they still come together to make a competent stealth-action experience.