The latest games aren’t necessarily those that were the best of the year. However, they’re the ones that stood out the most. They’re the ones you’ll be discussing and playing long after they’ve hit the shelves regardless of their compelling stories, enveloping atmospheres, or just their utterly unrelenting gameplay.
While most sequels are iterative improvements on the same formula, XCOM 2 rises above its predecessors thanks to an original perspective and revamped combat system that provides an endless number of possibilities for players with experience. It’s among the few titles that is both child-friendly as well as mature, with a jolly factor that doesn’t compromise its intelligence.
Brutal Legend, the very first non-Squaresoft game that uses Unreal Engine 4, proves that old school action can still be powerful. The game is a riot of nostalgia, combining the stark beauty and majestical qualities found in PS1 classics with modern action games.
Despite some of the most tedious grinding in the genre Spec Ops: The Line is a fantastic shooter that’s more focused on the story than ever before. It’s the most engaging installment in the series, with an sci-fi setting that’s familiar yet difficult to connect with and a character that’s accessible but also difficult to empathise with.
Final Fantasy XIV is back in the good books of fans despite a absence of content. It follows a period of lows in Warlords Of Draenor. The game’s revival can be the result of a renewed focus on storytelling, and the constant dedication of the development team to keep improving the basic experience with a variety of extensions that make it one of the few subscriptions to an MMO you’ll be able to keep.