Over the past year the Fextalife community continues to grow and thrive. We’ve expanded our gaming network to over 60 unique Wikis and the number of wiki editors on the site has tripled. Our YouTube channel has nearly doubled in size from 25,000 to 45,000 and of course we’ve done more reviews then ever! In this article we’re going to take a look at all of the games we’ve Reviewed in the past year and how they measured up to our expectations.

Fextralife 2017: A Year in Reviews

Fextralife is truly a community by Gamers for Gamers, as you will see from the forthcoming list of games covered. At Fextralife we encourage people to write about subjects they are passionate about, whether they have previous writing experience or not. We have a full time editor that can help your thoughts and ideas turn to tangible sentences and paragraphs that will convey exactly how what you think and how you feel about the game you are covering. There is simply no reason to not join in and speak your mind. We might even put your thoughts on YouTube so you can share it in video form with the community there as well!

Seven: The Days Long Gone

Overall, Seven: The Days Long Gone is a satisfying stealth experience. The game has flaws, but depending on your tolerance to them you could very much enjoy the post-apocalyptic world of Peh. However, if you are looking for the thrill of combat, or want an engaging story, this game may not meet your expectations. If the Seven team can fix the bugs and improve the AI and combat system this game will certainly be a piece of art, even with its linear narrative.

Genre: Isometric RPG

Author: Deadpixel

Score: 7

(You can check out the full review here.)

The Evil Within 2

You’d expect them to put some more work into it. But instead, they ship out this hot flaming lazy mess, slap a full US$60 price tag on it, and actually get some very nice reviews from some major video game news outlets. At the time of writing this article, I still don’t know how sales went, but we can’t keep rewarding this kind of behavior. This is not the only example out there and if we keep buying them at full price, they’ll just keep making them.

Genre: Action,  Horror

Author: BobTheHollow

Score:  “Lazy horror: don’t buy it until it’s half price also, if the DLC really is in Beacon, just don’t buy it at all.”

(You can check out the full review here.)

Battle Chasers: Nightwar

Despite the drawback of potentially becoming a grindfest, Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a fun and challenging old-school RPG with an engaging combat mechanic. In addition to being a feast for your eyes and ears. And regardless on how you view grinding, it’s still worth a play when you get the chance.

Genre: RPG, Turn-based, Dungeon-crawler

Author: Deadpixel

Score: 8.1

(You can check out the full review here.)

Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Is this an instant classic? No, I can’t go that far. There are issues with the story, with some of the level design, and with the balancing of some of the big fights. None of these are critical, game crippling issues, but they did detract from my enjoyment. However, overall I had a blast with this game. Now that I’ve finished the game, I plan on going through all of the Übercommander side missions, and definitely plan on coming back when the DLC content is released. It may not be classic, but it’s a darn fine game and a must-buy if you’re a fan of FPS games. Even if you’re not a fan, I’d still say pick this up (but play through on the lower difficulty settings) because there is a lot to enjoy here. Now if you’ll excuse me, I still need to introduce my rifles to some Nazis.

Genre: First-person Shooter

Author: Languard

Score: 8.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

At the end of the day, the big question is: Did I have fun? Yes, yes I did. I had fun killing the orcs, I loved the interactions with the story orcs, and when the combat behaves itself I enjoy the siege battles. The frustration isn’t enough to make me glad it’s over, and I’m looking forward to the additional story content coming in later. So with that, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find that corpse-loving orc again and kill it. With fire. And poison. And curse.

Genre: Action-RPG, Open-World

Author: Languard

Score: 7

(You can check out the full review here.)

Slime Rancher

Fundamentally, it is a bullshit free game. I didn’t like Harvest Moon or Minecraft. Frankly, I’m not even a huge fan of of this new Frankengenre niche Slime Rancher has carved out for itself. Despite this handicap, I loved the game. Slime Rancher proves to me that a group of talented people making a game that they’d like to play will make something that is the perfect game for a small group of people. More than that though, there is an obvious passion, a lack of nonsense, and an awareness that a game should be one thing at its core: Fun. These traits have resulted in not only the perfect game for a small group of people, but a truly lovely game that many will play and enjoy.

Genre: Life Simulation, Adventure

Author: Simonsignal

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is by far, the best entry in the series. The tried and true gameplay is engaging, and its varied activities help keep things interesting. Your charismatic party members and endearing towns people make what you’re doing matter, adding to the immersion. And as always, the music is just down right awesome! A highly recommended title to any action or RPG fan, or to anyone looking for something to play. This installment is a good introduction for newcomers to the YS franchise.

Genre: Action-RPG

Author: Deadpixel

Score: 9.1

(You can check out the full review here.)

Destiny 2

I have no doubt most Destiny 2 players are simply fans of the gameplay, raids, and social platform (not to mention loot grind). But anyone who is curious whether Bungie made a stronger effort to build a narrative, the answer is yes, with the understanding that it has been structured in a way which runs askew to most narrative traditions. I’m inclined to give them leeway on this, since game stories must sometimes follow their own path in order to synchronize with a particular gameplay framework. Promises of rich, cinematic storytelling still seem unfulfilled, but the developer has made strides in at least providing a narrative foundation for everything you are tasked with doing in-game (and there are many). Much of the Destiny 2 story brought me back to Halo, both in theme and tone. And while the plot devices are overworn, and more than a bit over-the-top, they do create a sense of consistency and encourage more exploration in the post-game. This, at least, provides the potential to tie disparate story threads together with details found as rewards for immersing yourself in the game world as a whole. While this may solidify the existing player base, many who felt disappointed with the first game will probably feel that way again, just to a lesser degree.

Genre: Online-only First-Person Shooter – Action Role-Playing Game

Author: Chris Graham

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Divinity: Original Sin 2 takes the already high bar set by its predecessor and somehow dead lifts it to even greater heights. Larian has proven that it knows exactly how to make THE GAME that everyone wants, because they are the GAMER everyone else is. Divinity: Original Sin 2 doesn’t do anything complicated or confusing, it simply delivers what players want in a game: challenge, creativity, freedom and of course the ability to share all that with your BFFs. As it stands now Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the front runner for RPG of the Year. For 44.99$ this game is vastly under priced and is perhaps one of the few games out there that actually justifies a 59.99$ price tag.

Genre: CRPG

Author: Castielle

Score: 9.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Ark Survival Evolved

Ark Survival Evolved is a unique open world survivor game pitting players to overcome a harsh ecosystem. They may choose to do so solo or with friends; in addition to playing against other gamers in a showmanship of the most advance hunters. Level opposing villages or work with them in an exchange of services. Ark gives you the opportunity to grow a garden, tame mystical and ancient beasts, and much more; the power of this lies in your forearm and your ambitions.

Genre: Survival MMO

Author: Primeraespada91

Score: 7.6

(You can check out the full review here.)

Absolver

Absolver seems to be a conflict of two games. In one corner you have the “Souls-like” world to explore cooperatively or competitively with other players, that seems to be the original idea of the developers. And in the other you have a hardcore fighting game that doesn’t need a rich open world at all in order to be successful, which seems to be what Absolver evolved into. Many players will feel short-changed that the former was sacrificed to make way for the latter, and I anticipate that this game will have an extremely niche player-base. For 29.99 USD Absolver is slightly overpriced, but if you really enjoy a good fighting game, then this one is right on the mark.

Genre: Action RPG/Fighting Game

Author: Castielle

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

If you have played Ninja Theory’s Devil May Cry and you were hoping to have a similar experience, then Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice may not meet your expectations. However, if you love a hand-crafted, intriguing and meaningful story and well-developed characters, then you will definitely not regret buying this game. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice features one of the most immersive experiences in modern video game history, complemented by breath taking visuals and audio effects. Although not perfect, it is a unique and interesting take on the typical third person action RPG and frankly we could use more of that…a lot more.

Genre: Action

Author: Strategygameplayer

Score: 8.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Citadel: Forged With Fire (Early Access)

Citadel Forged With Fire is a game that I could lose hours in and not even realize.  The gameplay is fun and varied, and the different layers to the game give it enough meat to appease a variety of players. The mash up of one of the best adventure games of all time and elements of one of the most beloved movie franchises of all time was either going to be a horrible mess or a smashing success.  So far it’s definitely leaning towards the latter.  At the current price of $19.99, you’re getting a game worth every penny, and even if the game releases fully polished and at a higher price point I feel it would still be worth it.  With some reworking of lacking aspects, and further improvement upon the things they’ve done right, Blue Isle Studios might have a sleeping giant on their hands here.  It’s a huge departure from the studios other big title Slender: The Arrival.  There is a ton of potential in Citadel Forged With Fire and it’s our hope that once the game releases it’s everything that it could be.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Ex2049

Score: 8

(You can check out the full review here.)

Wolcen Lords of Mayhem (Early Access)

Wolcen Lords of Mayhem is a game that has come from basically a proof of concept mod to a game that has a ton of potential.  WOLCEN Studio has been changing the game for the better since it was offered for early access last year.  They still have a long way to go but have a good base of a game that could flourish into something big.  The developers have a good rapport with the community and even offer a roadmap that shows what they have planned for gameplay, features, new abilities and even multiplayer coming to the game.  The game itself needs a little more content and polish if it wants to take on the big boys but it’s in a position to make some waves if it shores up the ship. Note that this review score reflects its early access state and current price and is subject to change upon full release.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Ex2049

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Dark and Light (Early Access)

Overall, Dark and Light has a ton of gameplay possibilties but right now in its early access state it is incredibly raw and unpolished. The bugs and crashes are incredibly problematic and sometimes make the game unplayable, which is unfortunate because it has a solid core of magical, survival gameplay. If you are interested in survival games or you like RPG games in general, keep an eye on this game and think about picking up a copy when it has achieved some more stability.

Genre: Survival/RPG

Author: Emergence

Score: 6.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Immortal Planet

Those looking for a narrative focused experience or breathtaking visuals will probably come away disappointed. However, Immortal Planet translates the SoulsBorne world into a small isometric package and runs with it. For every Souls feature it misses the mark on, it makes up for it with an innovative twist on the formula with marked improvements in some ways. Immortal Planet manages to capture the strategic adrenaline rush of the Soulslike, while forging its own identity along the way.

Genre: Action/RPG – Isometric

Author: Skarekrow13

Score: 8.2

(You can check out the full review here.)

Albion Online

Albion Online is fun sandbox adventure game with complexity but some UI issues.  If you can make your own story and don’t need a quest line to follow, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this if you’re into MMORPGs where you chart your own destiny.  While there are a few interesting ideas here, there’s nothing that will shatter your expectations, but that doesn’t stop it from being a pretty good game overall.

Genre: MMORPG

Author: Languard

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Sundered

Sundered is an overall excellent entry into the Metroidvania genre and should be a strong consideration for fans of this style. The cycle of exploration devolving into button mashing (then death) could be frustrating for some, and stands as the largest blemish in the title. However, outstanding presentation and a compelling world highlight Thunder Lotus’ vision. Memorable bosses and a narrative embedded in the deepest corners of the game create a very satisfying experience.

Genre: Metroidvania/RPG

Author: Skarekrow13

Score: 8.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Fortnite (Early Access)

Right now it’s tricky to say if it’s worth it to buy in to Fortnite early access. The game is undeniably fun, and if it was set to release as a 50 dollar title, buying into early access would be a no brainer. The value you get from supporting early access right now is being able to play it months before everyone else. It’s a game where a dedicated player could easily spend hundreds of hours on even in early access giving it clear value even if you were to buy in. And that’s the determining factor. If the gameplay looks like something right in your wheelhouse, then early access is not a bad investment at all. Note that this review score reflects its early access state and current price and is subject to change upon full release.

Genre: Survival/Tower Defense/RPG

Author: Emergence

Score: 8.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Drifting Lands

Should you buy this game?  If you are a fan of the shmup genre, then yes you should.  Drifting Lands is a solid shmup that belongs in the collection of any fan of the genre. A few odd design choices and a distractingly bad story hold it back from being excellent, but it is a fun game in spite of it. Just be aware that if you’re looking for a danmaku, you might be left a little wanting.  If you’ve never tried a shmup before, this is still a good purchase, though you might want to start on Easy to make the game ease up on the perma-loss aspect.  The game does have a demo, so if you’re sitting on the fence, download that and see for yourself. Now if you’ll parden me, I need to get back to looking for a straight laser drop.

Genre: Shoot’em Up (Shmup)/RPG

Author: Languard

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Stories: Path of Destinies

Stories sets a very high bar for writing and story in a video game. Similarly, while many games tout that player decisions matter, Stories truly delivers. Visual design would rate well alone, and audio/narration is nearly perfect. The price of admission is a good deal, with gameplay developing new wrinkles through about a dozen stories to keep it fresh, which would land you about 6-10 hours of gameplay. Some players will get tired of combat sooner, some will persist for the stories. Completionists looking for platinum will likely get tired of killing ravens. Replayability’s only blemish is that the game is so fast to “complete” that you pretty much need to go through a few times just to start grasping the true nature of the game. This is a small nitpick to be sure, and players will likely stick with this game for a bit to see what Reynardo will do next.

Genre: Action (Top Down)

Author: Skarekrow13

Score: 8.6

(You can check out the full review here.)

Dead by Daylight (Special Edition)

Overall, Dead By Daylight Special Edition is a fun and challenging asymmetrical horror game pitting a killer and four survivors in an enclosed area. There’s plenty of customization players can undertake in terms of powers, perks and attire, so break out your fashion ideas. Included in this special edition are several DLCs that were released on the PC version. Given the already low price of the game and how it compares to similar games within the genre, Dead by Daylight is a hands down win.

Genre: Survival Horror

Author: Primeraespada91

Score: 8.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Abzu

Ultimately I’m torn over how to rate Abzu.  I cried at the end of the game, but not out of sadness. This game made me cry not simply because of the emotional rollarcoaster I’d just been on, but also from the pure joy of life, beauty of perseverance, and importance of friendship Abzu so effectively conveys over its brief two and a half hour story. If Journey had never existed I’d immediately give Abzu a nine out of ten and call it a groundbreaking masterpiece. But alas, everything is judged in context, and Abzu must stand next to a giant. Abzu does change the formula in important ways, but these fun and exciting additions are not enough to move it out of Journey’s shadow. Considering just how much of the emotional journey is taken from the first game, Abzu is not groundbreaking, but it is a masterpiece that deserves to be remembered.

Genre: Adventure

Author: Simonsignal

Score: 8.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Steel Division: Normandy 44

This is a great game for either hardcore RTS or war gaming fans.  Given the challenge level and complexity of the systems (and the lack of difficulty settings in the campaign) this could be a harder sell to a casual player.  However if you are looking for a challenging WW2 game that is very historically accurate, then I can whole heartedly recommend Steel Division: Normandy 44.  Just be prepared to work to gain mastery, as there are a lot of systems to understand to reach high levels of play.

Genre: Real Time Strategy (RTS)

Author: Languard

Score: 8.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Illusoria

Overall Illusoria is a game that can conjure up old memories of a genre that is underappreciated and often overlooked in today’s modern video game landscape. Platform games can be tons of fun and can offer up a challenge that isn’t as prevalent in more popular genres. Illusoria tries its best to capture the essence of platform games from the golden age and bring it today’s audience with a contemporary flare, subtle storytelling and humor and wit where you least expect it to be. Sadly however the game falls short in some of the main places where it should shine. A good platformer needs good, reliable and responsive controls to make sure the user experience is as good as it can be. It is absolutely necessary. Having to navigate difficult obstacles, perilous surroundings and enemies that inflict one hit kills on you every time you misstep or over jump is frustrating, but can result in a rewarding and redeeming feeling when you prevail. Adding clunky movement and controls to the mix can wipe away any hope of that feeling of accomplishment. The aesthetics, nostalgia, visuals, music and background audio only go so far in covering Illusoria’s shortcomings. At a price of $9.99 ($7.99 at time of review with the Steam sale) it should be reserved for fans of the genre who need a filler between games.

Genre: 2D Action Platformer

Author: Ex2409

Score: 6.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Embers of Mirrim

Gameplay and visuals shine brightly in this hidden gem. The story is minimal but effectively executed. Value gets a bit of a ding for a shorter length, lack of replayability and an anticipation of frustration for some players. Excellent production and a few gambles that set it apart from your typical 2D platformer keep it from sliding too far however. A run of the mill game in this style that’s this short isn’t something I’d recommend at this price point. Embers is hardly run of the mill and for players intrigued by the challenge of running two characters at once, it’s worth the sticker price.

Genre: 2D Action Platformer

Author: Skarekrow13

Score: 8.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Dawn of War III

For a game whose namesake implies a certain standard of tactics and strategy in an RTS, Dawn of War III is a bit of a bait and switch. While Dawn of War III on its own is a good game, you have to be completely objective in order to see that and many long time fans of the series won’t. It remains to be seen if this iconic branch of the Warhammer 40,000 franchise is heading in a new direction entirely or if this was just a bad judgment call, but I believe many players will be skeptical of a future release and Relic may not be able to rely on their brand alone to sell their next installment, should one ever be developed. For 59.99 this game is a bit overpriced and I would wait for the next Steam sale to pick it up for around 39.99 or less.

Genre: Tactical Strategy

Author: Castielle

Score: 7.4

(You can check out the full review here.)

The Surge

Between Lords of the Fallen and now The Surge, it has become increasingly clear that Deck 13 has both the talent and know-how to make a fantastic RPG, but for some reason keeps falling just short of a homerun. While The Surge is a good game, and definitely one of the best currently available in it’s genre, things like lack of character creation, no multiplayer or any multiplayer interaction of any kind, and very little in terms of unique elements that only their game possesses are holding them back from being at the top of their class. The gaming industry has raised the standard of Action RPGs since Lords of the Fallen, and although Deck 13 has raised theirs as well, The Surge is likely to struggle in a market with games like: Nioh, Nier: Automata, Bloodborne, Horizon Zero Dawn and Witcher 3. If you don’t already own those games, it will be harder to justify the 59.99 price tag for this game, especially when you can get any of those above for much less. If, however, you have already played those games, then The Surge is the next step in your RPG journey.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Castielle

Score: 7.7

(You can check out the full review here.)

Dead Cells (Early Access)

Dead Cells is a smart, extremely well developed game. It’s rare to find a game that stays on your mind when you’re not playing but Dead Cells has done that to me, and the game is only half complete. It’s cornucopia of gameplay mechanics are so delectably done, that the entire package is a delight. Let this be a model to those who would mash up genres: If you want to avoid gimmick status, make sure you can do each of your elements as well as their inspirations. Dead Cells could be a singular rogue, Metroidvania, or Soulslike if they chose to focus on one of those genres, that’s how good they’ve developed those elements. Put together, this game is already one of my favorite in recent memory and it has a super low entry price of 16.99. It’s exactly the kind of experience to redeem people’s waning faith in early access development. Overwhelmingly recommended even in its unfinished state, and expect this score to notch up a tick or so once the game is out in full. Note that this review score reflects its early access state and current price and is subject to change upon full release.

Genre: Roguevania

Author: Emergence

Score: 9.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Moonfall

Moonfall, Overall, is a hack ‘n’ Slash game with basic combat and exploration, and simplistic RPG elements. While its hand drawn art style is gorgeous to look at and it’s, every other aspect is just….average. Not bad, just, average and plain. And considering that there are other games like this that exist online, in some cases for free, for its price point, Moonfall’s only worthy selling point above other games of its kind is its artwork. Besides that though, if a 2D hack ‘n’ slash or beat em’ up is what you’re after, there are plenty of other games out there. You can do worse, but you can also do better.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: EldritchImagination

Score: 6.7

(You can check out the full review here.)

Little Nightmares

Little Nightmares is an evocative and very creative game. It’s clear that developer Tarsier was invested in making this not only a game but an experience. It explores themes of childhood and some of our deeper fears, although it’s lack of story context does leave it a bit more abstract than it needs to be. The gameplay of the puzzles are well designed and escaping to the next is a harrowing and rewarding experience. Although it’s short, the experience is tense and meaningful. There is enough to ponder here philosophically to merit a look. If unsettling yourself for a few hours is your thing, there are much worse ways to spend $20.

Genre: Adventure

Author: Emergence

Score: 8.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Persona 5

Half visual novel, half dungeon crawl, all awesome. 100 hours of actually meaningful content, a unique (and sometimes uniquely brutal) combat system, excellent writing, and extremely unsubtle social commentary, all wrapped up in a very stylish package. Definitely not for everybody, but if you’ve spend the last 10 years wishing they still made JRPGs like they did in 2006, and you’re willing to put in a lot of time, then this is probably the game for you.

Genre: JRPG

Author: Forum Pirate

Score: 9.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect games usually have decent gameplay and focus on an exceptionally written story with very engaging characters. This one feels completely reversed as the gameplay is loads of fun, with a lot of experimentation, and is also well executed. The story on the other hand suffers from major problems along with most of the characters being bland and boring. Multiplayer may be fun to play, but very little has been added to the mode to keep you engaged for long unless you’re a hardcore fan of the mode. Overall the game doesn’t really innovate much from the past and there is some work to be done to make the sequel a success that equals or surpasses the original games. However, there is a lot of potential to explore in this brand new galaxy, here’s hoping they find a path to it.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Rubhen925

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City

Plentiful, engaging and beautifully designed content adds many hours of playtime and reasons to return to the base game one year after release, be it to enjoy fashion souls or your powerful new arsenal, or simply explore what humanity may have meant all along. A fitting end to a fantastic game, worth full price.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Castielle

Score: 9.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Zpeciation: Tough Days

It has a good core idea, but the bugs and lack of polish kill the concept and suck out any fun that might be hiding in it. Probably not worth your time until some of the issues are addressed, even at a low price.

Genre: Indie Strategy

Author: TSMP

Score: 4.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Torment: Tides of Numenera

Be prepared to take a voyage in time and space, not only to the Ninth World countless years into the future, but also 20 years into the past, into your bedroom as a young gamer just finding your way. If you still know how to read the Numenera known as a “book”, Torment: Tides of Numenera will take you places no other game has in a decade. Although the game is not overly long (about 30 hours), it is easily justified for the modest price of 44.99$.

Genre: CRPG

Author: Castielle

Score: 8.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Ghost Recon: Wildlands

With no competitive multiplayer in the game, Ghost Recon Wildlands focuses on giving a massive open world for you and your buddies to explore. With a disjointed narrative experience, great visual and audio design, solid shooting and stealth mechanics, Ghost Recon Wildlands offers a perfectly functional and fun co-op experience that is fun to play in short bursts. Ultimately though, the game becomes boring and repetitive due to it massive world, which is devoid of fun activities to engage the player with. It does not feel like a Ghost Recon game and could have been a new franchise on its own. Just like The Division last year, this is a game that had a lot of promise, and although it has its fun moments, feels like a missed opportunity.

Genre: Tactical Shooter

Author: Rubhen925

Score: 7.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Nier: Automata

An engaging, action-packed and even relaxing exploration of existentialism. Nier: Automata merges action and RPG as seamlessly as it switches cameras angles from player-controlled to fixed scroller. Have your pick of reading a visual novel and threading the plot together, or hack and slash through waves of enemies in a gorgeous dance – I did them all, and I loved every minute. Worth full price.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Fexelea

Score: 8.7

(You can check out the full review here.)

Horizon: Zero Dawn

With no multiplayer to support the game’s replayability, Horizon Zero Dawn focuses on providing an exceptional single player campaign, robust and flexible combat mechanics, creative and unique enemy designs (both aesthetically and in combat), a vast and fully realized world to explore, engaging side mission stories, and most importantly a compelling and likable main character. Horizon Zero Dawn does not drastically invent anything new in the open world genre, but rather makes it enjoyable to explore in. And isn’t that all we want as gamers: to enjoy the game we are playing?

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Rubhen925

Score: 9.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

For Honor

For Honor is fun game to play, and a gorgeous game to look at.  If you have an interest in medieval sword fights or fighting games, you definitely should pick this one up.  For everyone else, I’d still say you can’t go wrong with it, though perhaps wait until the first DLC is out which will add in some more play modes.

Genre: Fighter

Author: Languard

Score: 7.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Hidden: On the Trail of the Ancients

High quality writing and good voiceover talent helps create a real sense of space and the puzzles are logical and appropriate. There’s a great deal of potential here which is probably deserving of an 8. However, as the developer has only given us half a game at this time, only half that is due. Worth revisiting when the second half is released, depending on what financial outlay is expected.

Genre: Point and Click Adventure

Author: Lanzen

Score: 4.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

Nioh

Nioh is brilliant. It takes some of the best elements of old school gaming such as level design, customization and layout and mixes it perfectly with modern action combat and online components. In the middle is a timeless loot and upgrade system that adds hours of tinkering. Team Ninja has packed a ton of content into this game, almost to a fault. The amount of things you can do and engage in is almost overwhelming, and that is not including the subtle stats, stances, and the upcoming DLC and PvP. 2017 is just getting underway, but Nioh has already made its case for Game of the Year.

Genre: Action RPG

Author: Fexelea

Score: 9.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Brut@l

In case it hasn’t become clear, Brut@l is a simple experience. That simplicity isn’t necessarily bad, as it allows the game to be very focused on the intended experience. I enjoy the game, and for others your enjoyment of the game will hinge entirely on how much you enjoy the core gameplay: kill/break stuff to get materials for more and better stuff, try to conserve resources, repeat until boss or death. The simplistic combat leaves a little to be desired, but it’s an entertaining and mostly gratifying way to unplug and spend a few hours causing a little mayhem.

Genre: Dungeon Combat

Author: Forum Pirate

Score: 6.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Imprint X

Overall, imprint-x is a puzzle game you play while in a light trance. The puzzles range from simplistic to cruelly complex, the game maintains a quick pace once it gets past the hour-long introduction stage, and the gameplay constantly morphs as new mechanics are added at a rapid pace. If it weren’t for that one issue with movement and input lag, I’d almost consider it worth the five dollar asking price.

Genre: Puzzle

Author: TSMP

Score: 6.5

(You can check out the full review here.)

Outbreak

Surprisingly well-designed with a balance between inventory management, level-wide planning and on-the-fly judgement calls. You don’t buy this for the story. For an indie title over USD 10.00 there’s enough here to keep you playing longer than you think. Multiplayer was not tested at time of review.

Genre: Survival Horror

Author: Lanzen

Score: 7.0

(You can check out the full review here.)

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