Dragon Quest has been a very reliant JRPG series with each subsequent sequel and Echoes of an Elusive Age is no different. Where many JRPG’s have reinvented themselves and drastically changed their identity with each iteration, Dragon Quest XI feels old and dated in all the right ways, firmly sticking with what has worked for years.

With The Outer Worlds and Activision’s reboot of Modern Warfare just around the corner, I had some time to dip into Ghost Recon: Breakpoint, a title that has been receiving a ton of criticism from fans and reviewers alike. Being called a jack of all trades, yet master of none, I can see much of the issues and criticisms that have turned people off, yet I also had a fairly enjoyable time here among its vast problems.

Children of Morta is a title I’ve been excited for ever since it was shown off at the Microsoft 2018 E3 press conference, and when given the chance to review it, I installed the game immediately. While I wasn’t initially expecting a rogue-like adventure with members of an adventuring family, it’s those very things that give the game its own unique charm.

With Bungie recently going on their own, breaking away from Activision, I was curious about what the studio would do next. With making Destiny 2 largely free to play, and returning to the moon, I jumped back in to soak up the nostalgia and see what the game had in store for me.

Developed by the same studios that brought us the God Eater trilogy, this anime aesthetic vampire romp through a post-apocalyptic world is fairly enjoyable but suffers from a drab story that attempts to add emotional weight through a series of drawn-out memories that move at a snail’s pace.

The Surge 2 is a stellar follow up that satisfies on a combat level that I’ve wanted in games like this forever. The dismantling aspects to its raw and destructive encounters ensure I am always gaining new weapons and armor to make the road ahead possible. With intense boss encounters and an impressive intricate world to explore, The Surge 2 is one of the best games I’ve played this year.

With a metric ton of locations and secrets to discover and some very enjoyable endgame activities, Borderlands 3 is a tremendous success despite some questionable technical hiccups that just shouldn’t have existed. While Borderlands 3 is still more of the same, it is still downright amazing and you can consider me addicted all over again.

Going into Astral Chain, and being a fan of Platinum games, largely because Bayonetta 2 is one of my favorite games of all time and Nier: Automata is very impressive as well, I had a fundamental idea of what to expect here. Helmed by Takahisa Taura, the man behind Nier: Automata, Astral Chain started life due to the cancellation of Scalebound, a title originally set for release on the Xbox One platform.

French developer, Spiders, is a studio I’ve kept my eyes on ever since 2014’s Bound by Flame. I adored the game as I also did with their 2016 follow-up, The Technomancer. Flying under the banner of being one of those “Euro Jank” studios, their releases have always shown passion and creativity over their more technical and visual elements.

Gears of War has been an incredibly beloved Microsoft franchise since its debut some 13 years ago. While the series is now developed by The Coalition, under the leadership of Ron Ferguson, a man who has been with the franchise since its conception, the series continues to remain popular and relevant due to what I feel is its greatest strength; its heart.

If you’re familiar with 2015’s PS4 exclusive, Until Dawn, then going into Man of Medan is going to make you feel right at home. The first in the developer’s biannual Dark Pictures Anthology, Man of Medan is another performance capture choose-your-own-adventure told through the faces of little to well known actors as they avoid death’s cold hand with a button prompt here and a bad choice there.

While the game certainly has some interesting ideas and genuinely creepy atmosphere, it can come off a bit weak in its overall gameplay variety. That said, Blair Witch still offers a fun and enthralling experience for its average 5-6 hour length. Those looking for a solid horror experience can certainly have a very good time here.

Control, the developer’s latest, feels like a combination of their past works, using the DNA from what has come before to create a truly engaging release that is hurt only by a few poor design choices and some severe technical problems. By wielding a mass array of powers and an ever-shifting gun, Control can, at times, be something truly special.

Bugbear Entertainment, the developer behind Flatout, is back with Wreckfest, a return to the glory days of Destruction Derby while also feeling like a successor to Flatout itself. While the title can certainly offer a trip down memory lane, its technical problems and last gen visuals hold it back from standing alongside the greats.

Crafted by the development team behind Darksiders 3, comes a Dark Souls flavored co-op shooter that is wildly satisfying, albeit wholly unoriginal at every turn. Its inspirations are apparent everywhere, but developer Gunfire Games has created a very enjoyable and thrilling co-op shooter that rewards you constantly with a solid progression system and collection of fun and engaging weaponry. 

When Three Houses was announced for the Nintendo Switch, I was more hyped for this than any game currently available on the platform. While its story doesn’t quite live up to the previous entries I’ve enjoyed, mostly due to some poorly handled reveals and its failure to offer us up a compelling villain, Three Houses succeeds greatly due to its vast replayability, and yet another memorable cast to add to the franchise.

Taking place several years after The New Colossus, starring the daughters of series lead, BJ Blazkowicz, the game certainly has its own unique flavor due to the dorky and often hilarious duo. By the time the credits rolled, I was pleased with Wolfenstein: Youngblood, but its journey is not entirely and wholly satisfying.

When it was announced that this long-awaited next entry would be a Nintendo Switch exclusive, many were disappointed. This exclusivity was due to Nintendo being the publisher on the title, being responsible for bringing the series back. That said, while the portable nature of taking the game on the go is very appealing, the overall experience is decent at best.

When Darksiders 3 released, I was beyond eager to jump in and see where the series would go next. Unfortunately, it was a fairly forgettable title that just didn’t satisfy the expectations I had for it. The game, for the most part, was enjoyable, but it’s camera and several gameplay issues just painted an overally average experience.

Going into Peach Ball, I half expected another game on the level of Peach Beach Splash; a fun cheeky narrative that utilized the cast in fun and interesting ways. Peach Ball is sadly not that game. While there is certain fun to be had here, the game just doesn’t justify it’s semi-high price tag with how hollow the experience can be.