The Outer Worlds, as per this very review, will be compared to Fallout by many who play it. And really, it’s the sort of comparison that will probably benefit Obsidian’s latest RPG in the long run. Because in the end, Halcyon and its many denizens, corporations, and quirks feel like an original creation worthy of this style of RPG. And much like with the original Fallout, a place well worth visiting again in a larger and more expansive experience. Like, say, in The Outer Worlds 2.

The superb design and incredible visuals provide more than enough reason to continue to return to a game that's the best reason so far to own a Kinect.

When it comes to what Telltale does best – forcing you to make difficult choices – A Game of Thrones is already excelling. The ending of the episode is a real knockout, but also a reminder that the real value of your choices is what you feel in the moment you make them.

Life is Strange 2 features a story that packs real emotional weight, and one that surprisingly deals with real-world issues in a way that feels like a milestone achievement in interactive storytelling. But, by that same token it is indeed more of an interactive piece of cinema than traditional game. Here’s hoping that the next few episodes provide real tangible ways to interact with the world, from puzzles, to traversal, to even some form of action.

By design the game portion comes first, providing an evocative experience where discovery feels earned and the pacing is spot on. The meaning comes later, at the very end in fact, but in a way that enhances everything that has comes before it. And in the process, leaves both a lasting impression and a cathartic sense of closure once you solve the biggest puzzle in the game -- its meaning.

The combat too is a little easy on the normal setting, where the danger seems to lessen the more you play. The small-ish levels also become repetitive after a while, and need a bit more variety. Even as the world around you becomes more unstable, Chernobylite’s awe does wane a little. But setting aside all of that, Chernobylite presents a memorable story set in an endlessly fascinating locale. One that is as ambitious as it is immersive. The choices you get to make and unmake stick with you and, well, it all makes for an unforgettable journey into the Exclusion Zone.

To say that an experience was ‘surprisingly good’ or ‘surprisingly fun’ has a somewhat negative connotation. In that there’s the assumption that heading in expectations were set to ‘low’. To call Gears Tactics surprising is not that at all, it’s all about coming to terms with the realisation that at its core, Gears of War combat is tactical, deep, and full of its own style and flavour. And that all of that, when given enough time to develop and flesh out and expand upon, makes up the perfect list of ingredients to create a great turn-based tactics game.

Genesis Alpha One, once it grabs you, is a hard one to put down. Dripping in atmosphere, exploring and building your own space-ship and then visiting strange new planets has all the wonder you could hope for. The added tension of wondering if your crew has been infected by some sort of alien parasite – and then watching as your ship slowly becomes a scene from sci-fi horror film, is exhilarating.

With arguably more gameplay content than the original, expanded diplomatic and battle strategies, and moving the series forward to the industrial age, developer Creative Assembly have released another stellar entry into this long-running series.

It’s this level of polish and accessibility that Blizzard have infused into Hearthstone that make it a great success, no matter how you feel about card games.

It's certainly one of the most difficult games I have ever played, but it's clear that every single element of it has been designed meticulously to reward the cautious and clever participant.

Majora’s Mask is a bold game from a series known for its tight gameplay and expected occurrences.

Being stalked by a seemingly invincible solitary foe whose cunning is unlike anything experienced before is absolutely satisfying.

One hell of a wild ride. The vehicular combat is refreshing, it looks a treat, and handles like a dream. Whether you’re a looking to leave your mark as a maverick speed demon with a legion of fans or skirting the thin blue line desperate to shut entitled street trash down, each campaign is a blast to work your way through, even if the plot surrounding them isn’t.

Ultimately this is a solid, although quick, flight down memory lane. If you're new, then welcome to the world of Lylat Wars 64 (Sorry, Star Fox 64), and if you're an Arwing veteran, it's time to relive the experience again. Definitely well worth the purchase.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 was excellent, and although Call of Duty: Modern Warfare doesn’t quite reach those same heights, it’s still a very enjoyable game. Its biggest downfall is the broken state of Special Ops in its current iteration, and the move back to kill streaks in multiplayer is a strange change of direction. The return of a campaign is welcomed for players like me who look forward to playing them every year. It’s brilliantly executed and is by far the one of the best in a very long time. Overall Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is another terrific multiplayer experience with a fresh take on the campaign that is greatly satisfying.

For such a lovingly put together package of classic 2D Street Fighters it’s hard not to be consistently impressed by developer Digital Eclipse and publisher Capcom’s effort. The fact that the arcade monitor filter, which gives each game a vintage arcade cabinet look, is pulled off at all – let alone is as impressive as it is – speaks volumes to the quality of this collection. An essential release for Street Fighter fans.

Still, as far as challenge goes on the battlefield, Engage is right up there, and the game’s titular hook isn’t a be all, end all part of proceedings, serving as a functioning tool for combo experimentation as well as another source for that all-important nostalgia. All of which grabbed me far more than any other features of the game. And it’s something I happily engaged in for the roughly 45 hours or so I played and slaved and rewound. And as has become customary for this series, it comes highly recommended for die hard fans, while newcomers, in particular here, will get a lot from the game’s heady tie-in to Fire Emblems past. A great way to kick off Switch gaming in 2023.

If you've been waiting for a true challenge, a sense of adventure, genuine progression and a world that is filled with complex actions, real people and real threats, than you could do worse than entering The Secret World.

Even after all this time, DOOM is still a blast to play through. Making the Switch release my third time I got my ass to Mars in order to send a whole lot of demons back to hell. And Cohagen, if he's around. Being able to take it anywhere, at work, on a train, pop it in your bag, and resume later - is great. Awesome even. Portable DOOM single-player and Arcade Mode alone make it worth it for any Switch owner.

It’s the best Call of Duty since Modern Warfare and may in fact be better, but saying that isn’t because it’s changed the series’ formula the way that game did, rather that it’s refined it.

Greedfall is pure role-playing. With some of the best quest design and storytelling this side of The Witcher.

Wonderful presentation overflowing with character and humour.

Playing the game is not an entirely nostalgic experience. It conjures up a genuine need for this style of RPG -- isometric, hand-drawn, party-driven, stat-heavy, and a whole lot of fun.

Toads might not be for everyone, but if you can stomach even half of popular culture and gaming as it stands, like, being a space knight fighting against alien races, a ‘Spartan’ fighting against alien races, an agent of an old house with a gun that transforms while suspended humans are ‘Hissed’, a paper plumber still saving a tripped-out world with red, green and purple mushies, a covert operative infiltrating an ex-Soviet base entirely on kayak, or a growing shark that subsists on a steady diet of humies… a couple of wise-cracking toads is the least of your woes. Just, you know, go with the flow… dude.

As a slice of classic top-down action-RPG goodness, Nobody Saves the World is the first surprise gem of the year. The fact that it’s available on Xbox Game Pass on PC and Xbox makes it something of a must-play if it's the style of game you dig. Then again there’s enough uniqueness and charm with the class-based Form system to warrant a go for even the most casual of RPG players. Fun, funny, and just all-around great.

Of the ‘all-time classic’ variety. Before the release of 2011’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution, a lot of fans of the 2000 original were left wondering if it would be a watered down Deus Ex-lite. It wasn’t, with many of the core tenants of the original, from being able to choose how and when to engage in a combat situation, through to deciding which skills you should develop, carrying over to Eidos Montreal’s surprise hit.

Dredge is a low-poly, low-fi experience that punches so far above its weight it feels like eldritch magic at times is behind it all. The game’s painted representations of its many characters is charming to a fault, and some of the best we’ve ever seen, while its score throughout, as well as the overall audio design, is perfection. It is a joy to move through, and its discovery and exploration elements are a cut above. It just suffers some gameplay balance issues and perhaps dries up in the activities department a tad too early. Otherwise this is an incredible debut for Black Salt Games and we can’t wait to see what the studio does next.

Fussin' and a feudin' aside, if you possess the requisite patience levels and a methodical mind, Desperadoes III can quickly go from being an O.K. Corral to a great one. This is especially true if you're replaying it for those bonus objectives and you actually know how the West was won.

The time-period, focused campaign, new migration aspects, fleshed out political intrigue, and consistently grand battles make this feel like a Total War game aimed squarely at fans of the series.

What you should be preparing yourself for is a game with massive dialogue and very little in the way of ‘gaming’. It’s not a detriment, as it helps the experience standout, and I couldn’t stop once I was fully invested in all the characters. Plus, it’s a quirky Indie and fringe developers need all the help we can give them. So pull up a stool and order something warm, this might just become your new favourite cafe.

In the end Age of Calamity is more Breath of the Wild than Dynasty Warriors, and I’ve been purposely vague when it comes to the storyline and specific quests for good reason. Although they were far and few-between in Breath of the Wild, when you did get the ol’ cinematic it was pretty special. In Age of Calamity you have more of these, both in quantity and in terms of high quality production values. To the point where you can’t wait to see what happens next. Going one step further, Age of Calamity doesn’t feel like just another spinoff. It feels like a third piece in the Breath of the Wild story, one that sits alongside the original and the inevitable sequel. A TriForce if you will.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is deadset the most Australian game you’re ever going to play.

These missions don’t quite reach the same heights as the main campaign’s best moments, and we miss Corvo’s abilities more than we appreciate Daud’s (the constant companionship of that creepy heart Corvo carried around meant more to us than we realised), but there’s more effort, imagination and fun across these levels than plenty of big releases manage across their entire lengths.

Future Soldier may not be the sexiest game in the world with some graphical inconsistencies particularly in the cut-scenes and backgrounds, but she handles like a goddamned dream. Friendly AI has totally got your back making it an engaging experience in any mode. The multiplayer offers a solid balance of familiar game modes and a few tasty new treats and Guerilla mode is packed to the hilt with over-the-top frenzied action.

If you've been searching for a Gears of War fix, this DLC has got you covered, taking you back to before E-Day when humanity still had a chance and giving you a look through your enemy's eyes.

An unconventional and layered RPG with a steep learning curve that is not for the uninitiated or faint of heart. Baring a few faltering steps it is a well rounded and thought provoking tale offering far more than its linear progression should allow.

Back under the creative control of Toys For Bob, Trap Team delivers an experience with enough depth and variation to warrant a fourth buy-in to new toys and a new gimmick.

Headlander may be a mixed-bag, tonally speaking, but in terms of everything else there’s a clear sense of purpose and intuitiveness to it. From the level design, to the combat, to the puzzle solving, to the secrets, to the progression system and power-ups you can unlock. It’s probably be the best severed astronaut head game you’ll ever play.

Hypnospace Outlaw successfully captures the spirit of late ‘90s internet by creating its own robust and varied and equally strange version of it. One part late ‘90s internet simulator, one part engaging detective story, Hypnospace Outlaw’s hit counter is strong. Zane rocks.

Little Nightmares II is wonderful, captivating, creepy, and unsettling in equal measure - tapping into childhood fear and horror in a way that feels both deeply personal and like a distant, unknown memory.

Even with its faults, from the weird two-halves of the story to the often poorly designed and uninteresting side-quests, Final Fantasy XV feels like a triumph. Discovering a new location or seeing a giant monster for the first time, Final Fantasy XV constantly surprises. And thanks to its likeable cast of heroes, provides as memorable an animated adventure of a boy band in a world filled with monsters could possibly be.

The action is tremendously addictive and will keep you coming back for more. The most pleasant surprise was the mature plot and gruesome execution both literally and figuratively. It deals with the nature of war, the heavy toll it inflicts and those callous opportunists who see it as a business and humans as merely a commodity.

This Holiday season you honestly couldn’t get a better family-fun game to play, and there’s a lot to sink into here. There’s no flash-in-the-pan design around this; it’s full of longevity, replayability and life -- everything you want in a game for everyone. Highly recommended.

While the initial training section leaves a lot to be desired, with early maps throwing you in the deep end, once you get the hang of the controls it's one hell of a wild ride with multiplayer sure to keep you coming back for more time and time again.

There’s a different kind of emergent gameplay that surrounds Steep, and it’s the game’s strongest component, and it falls back into that freedom gameplay pillar I mentioned earlier. You couldn’t possibly have this playspace with linear, game-directed objectives. And while Challenges offer you pathways to complete them, and obviously have finish lines, the freedom you have to just do all of the things, as you please, is the game’s number one strength.

A no brainer for fans of the series, and a great way for newcomers to see what all the fuss is about.

It's over the top mindless fun and god help me, I couldn't get enough of the gameplay. The story… hmmm, not so much. Turn off your brain and have a blast.

On the whole, the biggest difference here to other LEGO games comes in the sheer size of Gotham, though its secrets aren't open to you until you get through the game.

The first episode touched on it but this one really hammers the idea home and despite the bad taste buying three separate episodes for the same DLC may leave in some people’s mouths, this episode works well.

Despite some of the zannyness of the overall experience, the meaty “gritty and grounded” story content is top shelf, and it’s difficult to not just want more and more of Esposito’s Castillo. And you’ll definitely be playing awhile, especially if you choose to go all-in on the game’s many treasure hunts and other game-world challenges.

Street Fighter X Tekken manages what I had previously thought unthinkable: merging the personalities, rosters and history of two stalwart franchises into one enjoyable package.

The biggest praise that All 4 One garners is the constant diversity of the level design and, even more impressively, the gameplay. The beautiful environments are a visual treat that tend to distract from the task at hand, while the little additions to gameplay throughout the campaign -- mini-games, water skiing, jet packing, rail grinding, and the list goes on-stop All 4 One from avoiding the pitfall of losing appeal after a few hours.

When I reviewed Sniper Elite 3, I voiced concerns that the formula might be wearing thin — I don't think so any more. Sniper Elite 4 exists as a palate cleanser experience, mindless comedy I use to reset after playing other games. It's unashamedly silly, and brilliant as a result.

May be a little short in length at about 3-4 hours to complete the story and grab all collectibles and trophies, but the pacing and story feels just right.

Stunning to look at, dripping in era-specific atmosphere, from the cars to the fashion to the buildings, the signs, the advertisements, to the way kitchens are arranged or how alleys and roadways intersect in a way where you can still see remnants of that transition from horse and carriage to automobile.

World of Warships: Legends is impressive, thanks to it excelling where it matters – brilliant performance, excellent controls, and streamlining that doesn’t noticeably cut into what made the game so much fun to begin with. Out on the water, in command of a large sea beast – reveling in a style of warfare we don’t often get to see. A simple premise that moves beyond the shallows, and into deep waters.

Beyond mere roster updates, Madden 12 features better tackling animations and visual effects, and gone are any new gimmicky additions; developer EA Tiburon instead focused on improved AI and crafting a more involved franchise mode.

The new Attitude Era Mode is enough of a reason to play WWE '13, especially if you were a fan during that time period.

It's hard to recommend Most Wanted to those who prefer to race offline, as the sterile event structure isn't enough to keep players driving after the thrill of exploring the city wears off. It's a much more enjoyable game online though, provided you don't mind getting rammed every 30 seconds.

In the end Saints Row The Third Remastered is a reminder that the style of action seen in Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown can find a cartoonish and juvenile middle-ground. A place where the concept of gangs and friendship is both comic and grounded. A place where player freedom lets you make your mark on the world with style and a distinct lack of grace. With the fourth Saints Row leaning ever more into the absurd, thanks to a plot that deals with alien invasions and virtual realities, Saints Row The Third Remastered is arguably the series at its best.

And that is Brink in a nutshell: the potential to traverse the digital battlefield in an entirely new way that affords the player more combat options. Couple this with the well-balanced classes (including the higher-level abilities) and the distinct lack of camping equipment (there's really only one sniper rifle in the game), and this is a different breed of first-person shooter: faster, sexier and made for online play.

If only it had banished even more of the claustrophobic corridor gameplay and had just a little more effort taken with the storytelling, it could have been a truly classic launch title. As it is, it’s still a sterling shooter that shows off the potential of the PS4’s powerful hardware, and an easy recommendation for PS4 owners looking for their futuristic shooter fix.

In the end though, perhaps what sets apart Project Warlock from the very recent old-school shooter renaissance we’ve been seeing is that outside of inspiration and certain elements it doesn’t look any one thing from the ‘90s. Which in the end makes it special, and something well worth checking out.

Do yourself a favour this Friday and grab a couple of mates, invest in four controllers, knock back a case of brewskies and work that arse groove on your couch as PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is going to keep your interest for a quite some time.

In the end there’s a reason They Are Billions has received a groundswell of support and appreciation over the past year, and that comes down to it excelling as a defensive RTS experience you’ll come back to time and again. That mission to build up a little town and hold a position on the back of incoming waves of attackers, where unpredictability plays a role and you’re somewhat in charge of the pacing. Because when the horde arrives – they’ll be running.

The Walking Dead's first episode, 'A New Day', succeeds where some of their past adventures have failed not by fixing the issues that often hold their games back, but by placing a greater importance on the presentation and character work that the team handles best.

The vampiric tone is enough of a departure to reinvigorate interest in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and tempt gamers back for another round but the same frame-rate issues and glitches abound taking a little bit of the shine off it. It's well worth a look, just know what you're in for.

With a solid roster of characters (and more yet to come), a robust online Tournament mode alongside Swing mode, the game is already pretty fun. The addition of a silly Adventure mode and extra trimmings and unlockables makes this a standout in the series and another great addition to the Switch’s growing library of Nintendo exclusives.

While not as immediately memorable as Gears 1, Gears of War 4 does a similar job to J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens -- it takes positive and familiar themes from the first game and dresses them up in modernity and pretends it’s an entirely new, and fresh start. So it’s not bad, but it’s not groundbreaking either.

Despite the neat ending afforded by the epilogue, here’s to hoping Sucker Punch will give Delsin a sequel that addresses some of the detractors of Second Son and builds on the awesome foundation it’s laid down for the future of the series.

When the story enters the picture, Ghost of Tsushima’s world goes from problematic to picturesque to beautiful, violent, haunting, melancholic, and even divine.

A mixed bag of mythological tricks. The single-player wasn’t as strong as I’d hoped it would be with an anger neutered Kratos a little bland. It was all just a little bit off. The revamped combat wasn’t anywhere as smooth as I’d have liked and the difficulty spikes felt incredibly cheap, even for a franchise veteran such as myself. On the flipside, graphically it was astounding, the boss battles were epic and the multiplayer is something I’ll definitely go back to for sh.ts and giggles.

As a fan of all-things zombie, I went in with high expectations and found that the game ticked a lot of the right boxes. Throw seamless drop-in/drop-out co-op into the mix so all of this can be enjoyed with friends or randoms and the appeal is a whole lot stronger, particularly considering the clever variations between quests.

Whilst not being one of the coveted Ninty iconic characters in a launch title that fanboys are hungry for, it looks like this will satiate the hordes with its gritty realism (as much as it possibly can be in a title about fictional zombies), tense environments and an immersive control set-up thanks to Wii U's GamePad.

While the story may still leave something to be desired, the overall graphics, drool-worthy cut-scenes and improvements to the Active Time Battle system are necessary changes to a franchise that is still showing its age and struggling to embrace modern RPG conventions. It hasn't reached breaking point yet, but let's hope future iterations take a few more chances to breathe new life into the series before it's too late.

Ashes Cricket isn’t perfect, but that’s unfortunately to be expected from Big Ant cricket games at launch. But the stacks of little bugs aren’t enough to detract from the overall accomplishments of a fully featured cricket game, which is as appealing to cricket aficionados as it is to those looking to have a quick bash. If Big Ant follows the trend of its previous games, the subsequent patches will help to convert the game into a game with an even louder appeal.

From the animation to the visual effects, this is the best-looking Anno game to date. Something of a no-brainer when it comes to advances in technology. But with the expanded focus on trade, production, naval combat, and colonisation it’s also one of the most engaging entries to date – again, once understood. A city builder well worth visiting.

Delayed a bunch and certainly long-in-the-tooth in terms of its heritage, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp is still worth signing up and serving for.

Gears of War: Judgment is far from perfect and falls disappointingly short on the single-player front. But almost everything else about the game is well worth a look and goes a long way to showing that the Gears of War franchise still has the kind of allure that’s worthy of its reputation.

This episode is the beginning of this all-fictional spin on the main antagonist’s actions, and if it keeps up the pace is sure to offer a lot of diverse, exciting gameplay never before seen in the series.

In the end Tooth and Tail is a must for anyone that has enjoyed playing through any of Nintendo’s Advance Wars titles. Even though it doesn’t feature turn-based combat and instead opts for quick and simple build and attack mechanics. Where the two titles find common ground though is in the fantastical and comic setting they both apply to rather grim circumstances. Tooth and Tail may be a game with cute squirrels and mini-gun wielding badgers, but underneath that lies a great story about fighting for freedom. With equally impressive and inventive strategy too.

Even though it has its flaws, with progression tied to many upon many upgrades, the experience unfortunately becomes less about the bosses and cool new areas as it is the repetition. But, you’ll keep coming back. Restarting after dying mid-battle, picking up the pieces and heading back out. Doing the same thing again and again. But, somehow different this time. Slightly more health, a new skill, more damage output, a better understanding of enemy patterns. Sundered, from Thunder Lotus Games, is a Rogue Legacy meets Super Metroid experience that is well worth checking out.

It is strange to talk about pacing and bloat and a slow-moving plot when the turn-based battles are built on a foundation of ‘taking your time to make the right move’. But in adding so much and painting on such a large canvas, it’s hard not to eventually feel a little lost or stuck in Fire Emblem: Three Houses. Like a student sitting at the back of classroom, watching the clock, wondering just why this hour-long lecture is beginning to feel like an eternity.

The tension and intensity can be felt throughout both the open-world sections, where you can choose where to go, as well as those where you’re simply walking down a hallway filled with framed pictures highlighting truly chilling acts of violence. It’s a thrill ride quite unlike any other, and as a survival horror release it will leave you shaking or at the very least on the verge of needing a nice long vacation.

The problem with PES is in the movement of the players, as it feels quite stiff and somewhat robotic.

The online career and Sport mode may signify a new direction for the series, but shows promise. With time, no doubt GT Sport will evolve with new modes, vehicles, tracks, and even additional weather effects. And when the day comes that we can witness all the wonderful detail and beauty of Polyphony Digital’s creation, via watching a replay of a crash-free online race set at night along the rain-soaked roads of Tokyo, this could become something truly special.

A true Multimedia Age pioneer the Command & Conquer Remastered Collection might feature a dated and creaky core, but the package is ultimately triumphant. And that’s the truth. From God, to Kane, to Seth, to you.

If there’s one gripe to be had, which could be said of the original Yooka-Laylee from 2017 is that some of the stages feel overly large to traverse – which can adversely affect the pacing. That said, that’s only a minor gripe as Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair succeeds in delivering a fun, challenging, and rewarding old-school romp. By incorporating some of the classic 2D design of previous generations this once N64 throwback has matured and grown into its own slice of platforming gold.

In any case Valiant Hearts does something genuinely different, and it does so well. There has been a large contingency of people asking for a war game in which you don’t pick up and fire a gun, so it’s great that, when it actually happened, we were given a game with this much charm and emotion packed into it.

Grounded is an impressive entry in the survival game genre and one where the setting of being tiny in a suburban backyard amplifies its strengths as well as the stuff that we’ve all seen before in other titles. There’s just something fulfilling about hacking away at a thistle stem and using the falling debris to craft arrows - and then using said arrows to take out fireflies at night and then using those materials to create a makeshift mining helmet equipped with a torch. Even though the default settings feel overly punishing, and grind-y in terms of crafting, Obsidian does let you make your own rules - which for any time spent playing games in a backyard setting, is a definite plus.

Make no mistake Dirt Rally 2.0 is a hardcore rally simulator, and as such, may not appeal to all racing fans. Most racing games I usually drive without any assists (well, not the original Project Cars), but for some of the cars (looking at you Porsche) throughout their Rally events, I found it necessary to dial the stability and traction control to max in order to simply finish, never mind placing first. Thankfully the Rallycross events, while fairly long due to the extensive qualifying rounds, offer an almost separate game to those of us who prefer to fling their rally-spec cars around a tight track, lap after lap after lap.

When the last punch gets thrown, Street Fighter V Champion Edition isn't a perfect KO. What's here really should have been the baseline launch quality way back in 2016. That said, if you've been standing back on the sidelines of this fight up until now (possibly as you awkwardly punch the air in a looped animation), know that you can confidently leap in and experience a damned good street fight.

Expanded and refined, the addition of real-time ray-tracing adds a warmth and life to the experience in ways that only light can. And sure it’s making the little bits of plastic in the little plastic world look real, but it’s doing so much more. Like sunlight pouring through a window onto countless pieces of Lego on a floor, it gives vision to a world of endless creativity. At its best LEGO Builder’s Journey is very much that, all wrapped up in a short, sweet, and charming tale befitting of the source material.

What you get in the end with Sparks of Hope is a lengthy Switch outing full of challenge and the ability to craft a game style that suits you. There’s lots of room to experiment with all of the micro on offer, but it’s conversely not a requirement you do. It does take itself a bit too seriously (to wit: Edge, the emo Rabbid once bad now turned good), but you can skip a lot of this and just get on with business, which is fun, engaging, modular and deep when you want it to be, and stunningly presented. If you’re a Nintendo Switch owner, this is a no-brainer and will hold you in good stead for the rest of the year, and then some. For everyone else, this isn’t quite go out and grab a Switch for, though if you were to package it up with the first two games, the recommendation quickly switches. Either way this is a fun romp in the Mario universe with Rabbids again, I just wish they never learned to talk.

When Sony released the PSVR with the PlayStation Worlds teaser experience, every gamer worth their salt gravitated to the London Heist mini-game. Blood & Truth takes that short yet fantastic proof of concept and fleshes it right out into a showcase that's well worth a buy for any PSVR adopter. While I don't think this dethrones Resident Evil VII as the king of PSVR experiences, Blood & Truth is very much like one of my loved ones when I have the headset on – within striking distance.

The world is full of activities and things to do, but they’re super-checklist heavy, and don’t flesh the world out enough. You can knock the experience over in about half the time of the original and while you unlock requisite NG+s and the like, you’re kind of left hanging. Upside down. Like a spider, man.

An experience filled with interesting characters, great writing, and genuine love for the source material and themes.