Blake (Crazyguy73)

No playthroughs are ever the same in Dishonored 2. Developer Arkane Studios has made sure that the core of the original is still there, and very much improved. The ‘play your way style’ stealth/murder/ghost-em-up builds on what the original did so well, this time without judging you at all for any of your actions, but all the while making sure you’re aware that there are consequences to your actions. Good or bad, all your actions will have consequences, whether that’s leaving a door open, or meddling with time itself.

Left 4 Dead launched back in 2008 to huge success. Despite not being the prettiest game or having the most depth, its fun and replayable gameplay made it a big hit. Since then there have been a few games that have tried to imitate the fun and casual co-op based gameplay that captured the attention of the games industry. To that end, Warhammer: End Times Vermintide tries to replicate gameplay based on the idea of a fun romp through its levels with your mates, against a seemingly endless tide of enemies - and some specials thrown in there to mix things up. Vermintide does replicate some parts of the original formula that made Left 4 Dead so great, however it also falters in many respects.

XCOM 2 certainly knows how to instil fear, and it’s not from jump scares or something chasing you. Instead it’s the pure tension and terror you feel as an enemy closes the gap on your soldier, you know you’ve messed up and now they’re doomed. There’s never enough time in XCOM 2, with so much to do; an alien occupation to drive off and humanity to save, hopefully without losing too many of your soldiers that you’ve spent hours training up. You’re in a constant race to try and stay one step ahead of the enemy.

I’m not going to mince my words, Mount and Blade: Warband is no spring chicken. The original Mount and Blade released all the way back in 2007 (which feels eons ago) and Warband, the standalone expansion released in 2010 (these dates are making me feel a bit old now). Mount and Blade: Warband definitely shows its age; if it were a woman Mount and Blade: Warband would be an aged old shield maiden where years of turmoil have left her face wrinkled and she has trouble with stairs. But beneath the cracks and wrinkles beats the courageous heart of a warrior.