The latest games may not be the most exciting games of the year but they’re those that stand out the most. They’re the ones that you’ll be talking about and playing for a long time after they’ve hit the shelves whether for their captivating stories, the enveloping environments, or simply their utterly unrelenting gameplay.
While many sequels are iterative enhancements of an existing formula, XCOM 2 rises above its predecessor due to an entirely new perspective and a reworked combat system that offers an endless number of possibilities for experienced players. It’s one of the few games to feel both child-friendly and mature in the same time, with a sophisticated gameplay that doesn’t compromise the fun factor that is inherent to it.
Brutal Legend, the first game not developed by Squaresoft to utilize Unreal Engine 4, proves that old school action can still be extremely powerful. The game is awash with nostalgia from every pore, and features an aesthetic that blends the dark beauty of PS1 classics with the stunning beauty of contemporary action games.
Despite some of the most tedious grinding in the genre, Spec Ops: The Line is a superb shooter more focused on the story than ever before. It’s also by far the most engaging installment in the series to date, with an intriguing sci-fi setting and an antagonist that is both relatable but difficult to relate to.
Despite the absence or lack of new content, Final Fantasy XIV has come back to the favor of fans after a downer with Warlords of Draenor. The reason for this is due to a new focus on storytelling and an ongoing commitment from the development team to improve the base experience through a variety expansions that make it one of the few subscription MMOs that you’ll want to stay with.