‘Hitman 2’ review
IO Interactive and Warner Bros introduce us to ‘Hitman 2’, a sequel that embraces what made the series so unique and takes it to another level.
‘Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’ review
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a loving tribute to Nintendo and gaming history. A terrific multiplayer fighter in its own right, even single-player fans have plenty to love this time. Extra DLC characters will flesh out the already enormous roster of famous fighters and will keep Switch owners occupied for a long time.
Anthem review
Anthem is an online shooter from BioWare that’s been compared to games such as Warframe, Destiny, and even Borderlands 2. It’s already proven to have a stunning open-world with action-packed combat that distinguishes itself with its story, characters, and lore. But will it continue to invest in those things as we get closer to the end game?
Pokémon: Let’s Go review
Pokémon Let’s Go takes players back to Kanto for a jubilant journey through Pokémon history. Though battling with wild Pokémon has been removed, Let’s Go’s lack of random battles feels like an overall improvement. Kanto is more charming than you even remembered, making Let’s Go a relaxing and inviting entry in the series.
Metro Exodus review
Metro Exodus moves the action out of the Moscow subway system and across a devastated Russia, but 4A Games’ latest shooter didn’t forget what made the series so beloved in the first place. Only occasional technical and structural issues hamper what is the best Metro game to date.
Rage 2 Review
Bethesda Studios puts Avalanche Studios in the driver's seat in the second attempt at the world of Rage. Rage 2 sticks the landing when turning you into a postapocalyptic superhero, but doesn’t inspire much confidence in the things Avalanche is known for.
The Division 2 review
After spending 55 hours with The Division 2, it’s clear that Ubisoft has improved on the original in almost every way. The world is richly detailed, the story missions are wonderful, gunplay and enemy design are great, and the endgame content is worth sticking around for when the story wraps.
‘Forza Horizon 4’ review
Forza Horizon 4 adds a new twist to the popular franchise – seasons. These change the huge map, demanding new ways to approach the same old challenges. This promises almost endless racing, but will you want to keep playing? Our Forza Horizon 4 review reaches a definitive verdict.
‘Assassin’s Creed Odyssey’ review
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey features an impressive and lavish open world that far exceeds the size of its predecessors. Unfortunately, the compelling family story is hindered by repetition and needless level grinding.
‘Dreams’ hands-on preview
Media Molecule's game-, movie-, music- and artwork-creation tool "Dreams" is going to make it ridiculously simple for anyone to make, share and play video games, and a lot of other things, with their PlayStation 4s. It really is as easy as it looks.
‘Kingdom Hearts III’ review
Kingdom Hearts 3 features seven dazzling Disney and Pixar worlds to explore. This time around, the wondrous combat matches the magic of the scenery and characters. The overall plot is predictably convoluted, but hanging out with Sora, Donald, and Goofy once again is a near constant joy.
‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’ review
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’s omission of a campaign could have been a deal breaker, but multiplayer, Zombies, and the new Blackout mode make it one of the best shooters of the year. In abandoning campaign mode, Treyarch may have also set a new standard for battle royale.
State of Decay 2 Review
State of Decay 2 struggles with technical issues, despite its inventive take on the zombie survival genre. Cooperative multiplayer and flexible play may appeal to some, but most should steer clear due to pacing issues and a barrage of bugs, some of which can bring your adventure to a halt.
‘Destiny 2: Warmind’ review
The improvements to Destiny 2 that come with its second expansion, Warmind, are welcome, and it's a big step up from the last outing, Curse of Osiris. A lot of repetition means this still doesn’t feel like the top of Bungie’s game, though.
‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’ review
‘Shadow of the Tomb Raider’ understands what made the previous games adrenaline-pumping fun. Its world is filled with secrets, tombs, treasure, and hidden areas just waiting to be discovered. With wonderful performances from its cast and a tremendous final act, it’s a must-play.
‘God of War’ review
God of War offers complex gameplay and mature, nuanced storytelling that far exceeds the games that came before it.
Fortnite: Battle Royale review
Fortnite’s building mechanic is still its shining feature almost two years later. The constant changes to the map, weapons, and gameplay modes make for a consistently intriguing experience — at the expense of the development team.
‘Into the Breach’ Review
‘FTL’ developer Subset Games took its sweet time making its second game, but mechs-versus-kaiju strategy game Into the Breach is well worth the wait.
‘Sea of Thieves’ review
‘Sea of Thieves’ is a unique hybrid of pirate MMO and playful sandbox, and one of the most thoughtful visions of multiplayer we’ve ever seen.
‘Dragon Ball FighterZ’ review
Thanks to a distinguished new developer and incredible art design, ‘Dragon Ball FighterZ’ is the first title based on the anime franchise that everyone should play. The game's fast-paced combat is easy to pick up, too, which should appeal to both newcomers and long-time fans of the beloved franchise.
‘Monster Hunter: World’ review
Fit for both longtime fans and newcomers alike, Monster Hunter: World places its emphasis on the best aspect of the series — the thrill of the hunt.
‘SOS’ hands-on preview
Multiplayer survival game "SOS" throws you into a "Survivor"-like island competition and pushes you to ham it up for an audience.
‘Civilization VI: Rise & Fall’ review
‘Rise & Fall,’ the first major expansion for ‘Civilization VI’ improves the game’s flow and fills out its systems, but does not produce any new drama.
‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ on Xbox One: Hands-on preview
‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ is not as technically sound on Xbox One as it is on PC. It’s still a great game, but not as polished as anyone would like.
‘Dauntless’ hands-on preview
‘Dauntless,’ an indie PC spin on Capcom’s popular Monster Hunter series made by former ‘League of Legends’ developers, takes the pain out stalking big game.
‘Guacamelee! 2’ hands-on preview
Everything fans liked about 'Guacamelee!' is back in ‘Guacamelee! 2’
‘Super Meat Boy Forever’ hands-on preview
"Super Meat Boy" sequel "Super Meat Boy Forever" was worth the wait, marrying easy controls with challenging, high-skill gameplay.
‘The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim’ review
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has changed little since its 2011 release, warts and all. Some game elements have aged, but Skyrim remains a modern classic.
‘UFC 3’ hands-on preview
Significant changes to both offense and defense make UFC 3 more comparable to the real octagon experience.
‘Need for Speed Payback’ Review
Need for Speed returns with a Fast and Furious-inspired street racing romp. In our Need for Speed Payback Review, we find out if it was worth the wait.
‘Shadow of the Colossus’ Remake review
A ton of exacting detail has been added to Sony's ‘Shadow of the Colossus’ remake, and revisiting it is a worthy endeavor. Just don't expect new content if you've played the original before.
‘Assassin’s Creed Origins’ review
Assassin’s Creed Origins doesn’t rely on the series strengths, and fails to create new ones. Read why in our review.
‘Doom’ for Switch hands-on preview
Bethesda didn’t have to make huge compromises on ‘Doom’ for Switch to make its beloved playable on the go.
‘Dishonored: Death of the Outsider’ review
Our 'Dishonored: Death of the Outsider' review reveals both a delayed sequel to The Knife of Dunwall and a satisfying coda to the entire series so far.
’NBA 2K18’ review
NBA 2K18 is the most nuanced entry in the series to date, and the social emphasis puts it at the forefront of sports sim innovation.
‘NHL 18’ review
In our NHL 18 review we explore the most feature-packed entry in the series yet, but that doesn’t keep it from feeling dated.
‘Destiny 2’ review
Destiny 2 benefits from the years Bungie spent refining Destiny, making for a deep and varied shooter experience that’s the best place to enter its worlds.
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen Review
‘XCOM 2: War of the Chosen’ fulfills the promise of the fantastic base game, adding enough variety and depth to keep us hooked for the foreseeable future.
Senior Gaming Editor
As a veteran of the industry who first began writing about games professionally as a teenager, Giovanni brings a wealth of knowledge and historical context gaming coverage. He brings that expertise to everything he writes, from interview features to reviews. His specialty is criticism and he’s committed to raising the bar for video game reviews. Just read his ambitious UFO 50 review as proof!
Giovanni majored in Film and Photography at Ithaca College, and that skill set had intersected with his games writing through his career. He previously worked as a Segment Producer on Polygon’s daily gaming show, Speedrun, and has contributed video content for sites like Prima Games and Hard Drive. He’s always willing to experiment with new media, whether that be via podcasts or creating videos for Digital Trends’ YouTube channel. He has previously written for Inverse, Fanbyte, The Inventory, and more. He began working with Digital Trends in 2019 as a Destiny 2 guides contributor before moving into his current role as Senior Editor.
His love of gaming dates back decades. Giovanni grew up in Massachusetts with his mother’s hand-me-down Atari 2600. He was hooked from that point on, spending his childhood obsessively playing Sega Genesis or Super Smash Bros. Melee with his friends. He carried that passion into college, where he hosted and produced Ithaca College’s own studio format video game news show. Since then, he has been committed to giving back to the video game industry that raised him by providing honest criticism, sharp analysis, and thorough coverage.
Giovanni is currently based in Brooklyn, New York where he works alongside his cat, Mirah. On weekends, you can find him birdwatching in local parks or watching professional wrestling, his second love behind gaming.