Travis Northup's Reviews
Asgard’s Wrath 2 is an open-world action RPG that sets a new gold standard for VR – and competes with the best anywhere.
Halo 5: Guardians is a masterpiece, and quite possibly the best Halo game so far. The campaign is top-notch, even as Master Chief shares the spotlight, and the multiplayer is largely a return to everything that has made the franchise so beloved to begin with.
Forza Horizon 4 is one of the best games I've ever played. Incredible driving mechanics, cutting-edge seasonal changes in a shared-world, and addictive RPG mechanics make exploring Great Britain an absolute blast.
Ori and the Blind Forest sets a new standard for the platform/adventure genre, by managing to handily surpass the games that inspired it in terms of storytelling, gameplay, and presentation.
Super Time Force blew me away. This is a must-own for Xbox One owners, so don't waste any…TIME…buying it.
Destiny: The Taken King made me a believer. It is an enormous step in the right direction for Destiny, and improves upon Destiny in almost every regard.
Gears of War 4 is the Gears revival that fans have been waiting for, and proof that the franchise is in the right hands.
The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine is a nearly flawless sendoff for Geralt of Rivia, and the world of The Witcher.
Furi kicked my ass, and I loved it. There was laughter, there were tears, but most of all, there was a goddamned great game. The combat is extremely taxing, but fair, and the narrative is surprisingly rewarding. If you’re a masochist, Furi is the game you’ve been waiting for.
In 2014 MachineGames made a statement with Wolfenstein: The New Order. Now, with Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, they've written their manifesto. It's easily one of the best games you'll play all year.
DMC 5 is probably the best hack-and-slash game you'll play all year, and definitely the most stylish.
The transition from portable devices to consoles hasn't hurt the quality of the Ace Attorney Trilogy, which remain some of my favorite games of all time. Phoenix Wright and company are deserving of the big screen, and this game is well worth your time if you haven't gotten around to playing it elsewhere.
The Surge 2 is a must-play for fans of the soulslike genre. With incredibly well-designed areas, excellent combat featuring a wider variety of enemies, and a story that proves itself worth being invested in by the end, it improves upon its predecessor in almost every area and is absolutely worth your time.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps improves upon its predecessor in almost every way, from its drastically improved combat system to its use of NPCs and side quests. Like Ori and the Blind Forest before it, Will of the Wisps is held back by intermittent technical hitches that can result in some frustrating moments, but it hardly keeps this incredible sequel from shining through.
An incredible open-world and addictive exploration make Genshin Impact anime-zing adventure.
Grounded is a fantastic survival game with a killer premise, rewarding progression, and boundless creativity that even a host of bugs can’t spoil.
In almost every way, Hogwarts Legacy is the Harry Potter RPG I’ve always wanted to play.
Diablo 4 is a stunning sequel with near perfect endgame and progression design that makes it absolutely excruciating to put down.
Dave The Diver is an aquatic adventure RPG that’s wholesome, wonderfully complex, and delightfully hard to put down.
Where Remnant: From The Ashes was a strong first draft, Remnant 2 is a revolutionary sequel and a sterling manifesto for the looter-shooter soulslike.