In the end though, by not committing to either the sim-style of TIE Fighter or the arcade-action of Rogue Squadron – the middle-ground falls a short of brilliance. Most campaign missions follow a similar flow, rarely delving into sheer cinematic spectacle or pure sim-like protracted and intense battles. But there’s no denying that when played in VR Squadrons often feels like a dream come true - and when it stays on target, it’s a force to be reckoned with.

Above all else, and despite its similarities and homages to several films and other properties A Way Out surprises with little touches and moments of joy. Stopping to play Connect Four in a hospital waiting room or picking up a banjo for a strum in a farmer’s house after washing his dishes and stealing his clothes. A Way Out understands that co-op can be fun and spontaneous in addition to providing another tense moment requiring coordination.

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.

Where BioShock Infinite aggressively tugged on heartstrings, The Evil Within tears them from your chest and crucifies you. It strangles you with your own tendrils and feeds you your own beating heart, mouth locked shut and tied with entrails, forcing you to chew and swallow. But when the last sliver slides down the back of your throat, you’ll look up and smile a sadistic smile before asking “more, please”.

As a newly unique offering from Ubisoft, Immortals Fenyx Rising is something to savour. Yeah, it’s the publisher's third massive open-world release in the space of three months but what you get here is charming and refreshing to a fault. A wonderfully realised journey into myth and legend where everything fits as neatly as a chest-plate forged in the fires of Hephaistos’s Great Forge. The story, the combat, the puzzles, the exploration, the challenge, the Creed, the Zelda. The Fenyx.

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.

All I know is that the world would probably be a better place if we all treated words with the same reverence Quarrel does.

The core gameplay remains solid with flashes of excellence and the game not only creates interest in the whole escape from Cybertron story, but creates excitement and a foundation for the inevitable sequel.

When things go right and you’re walking out the vault with half a million in unmarked currency, not a cop in sight, Payday 2 is one of the most satisfying co-op games of all time. Yet even when your plans explode in a mess of buckshot and tear gas, it delivers a level of co-op excitement that is hard to find.

No matter the task at hand, outside of aiming down sights to take out enemies, the campaign switches gears and tone and perspective and objective so often that you’d be hard-pressed to become bored with what will happen next on account of the where and how. [Campaign Review = 78]

Until Dawn proves to be both visually and narratively compelling.

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.

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.

Death Road to Canada attempts to offset the normally dark themes of the zombie genre with zany characters, a charming pixel art style, and poppy music, but the lack of depth to its combat and randomly generated content will quickly leave you feeling frustrated and unsatisfied. There is some fun to be had here for sure, which is definitely best experienced with friends, but that doesn't make up for its issues and overall lacklustre action.

The Unfinished Swan is entirely satisfied with being extremely interesting and lovely, rather than being the sort of larger, more crucial experience it occasionally seems like it might turn into. Its greatest ambitions are met with just enough enthusiasm and creativity to assure a fantastic experience, though, one worth pondering on just as much as it's worth playing.

There are memorable flashes of brilliance when playing the multiplayer modes, and you come up against another player. And through sheer skill and understanding of the combat, you’re able to gain the upper hand in a heated and intense exchange of metal.

There aren’t any fundamental problems per se with Ace Combat 7, and for fans of the series it most certainly is worth looking into. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but then again there isn’t a great need for wheels when you’re dancing between clouds.

One of the best shooters to come out in recent years.

It's certainly not a huge expansion over the previous game, despite the addition of 12 new characters (who could have been delivered via DLC), but it makes sense to rebalance the original roster in the face of the new playable options, so fighting game fans needn't worry too much about justification.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is beautiful and the added power of the PlayStation 5 hardware has led to the materials found throughout the arts-and-craft world to look and often behave like the real thing. The blend of fantasy with everyday objects gels wonderfully with the soundtrack too, giving the experience a feel that is more than a simple riff on classic 3D platforming.

What we’re left with is a product that relies more on promises and potential than what is actually playable. The tracks are boring, the tricks not worth bothering with, the attempt at storytelling laughable and far too much expectation rests in the audience to shape Fusion’s potential.

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.

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.

For fans of Life is Strange it’s no doubt worth your time, and the way in which Chloe and Rachel’s relationship evolves over the course of the first episode is a pleasure to watch. No so well done though, is all the supernatural stuff. Which fails to reach the same heights of the original, and feels a little forced.

Crash Bandicoot can still be fun – but is far from essential. A visually impressive remake full of detail and polish for what is for the most part a painfully average platformer.

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.

The Quarry delivers on its interactive horror movie premise, the characters are all wonderfully realised, the violence, terror and scares are all here. Meaningful choices, multiple endings and memorial set-pieces sit alongside stellar performances, excellent cinematography and cutting-edge visuals. A summer camp experience you won’t soon forget.

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.

Even though your arms will tire of using pickaxes and rope thingies to climb up some truly imposing cliffsides and mountains, Horizon Call of the Mountain never loses its sense of scale, wonder, and sheer beauty.

Tacoma shines where it counts, and that is with the story it tells and the feeling that each character within it feels real. Including the on-board AI called Odin. As an interactive story, getting to pause, rewind, and check out the movements and activities of different people in a digital recreation of past events works flawlessly. And it’s the sort of mechanic that feels fresh, whilst also being something that could only really exist in this form. Lasting roughly two hours or so, Tacoma also never feels laboured or padded with extraneous content. But, as it also doesn't present a story focusing on one character as the lead there’s a feeling that something is missing. Which, robs the ending of some of its emotional weight.

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.

Like with the original Halo Wars, what we have is an experience that can appeal to fans of both the Halo franchise and those who would enjoy your typical RTS experience. But, appealing to everyone can have its detriments, with some of the RTS elements in Halo Wars 2 feeling like they could have been fleshed out just a bit more, and some of the more action-oriented scenes feeling like they would have benefited from a perspective that wasn’t so far removed from the ground. But even so, it’s still an often-thrilling experience, and a great entry in the Halo franchise. And, a friendly reminder that there’s always room in the market for a good RTS game.

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.

While it’s currently available on the other two super-systems, we reviewed the game on Switch and, if you own one, suggest you look to the little console that could for your L.A. Noire experience. It’s a wonderful fit on Switch and shows there’s a mature lifeline on the horizon for Nintendo, and the Nintendo loyal above the age of 15, ahead.

In the end, Observation resonates primarily because of how it uses its interactivity and presentation. Playing a role and being there as a part of it all even elevates even some of the weaker narrative moments. From the visual effects to the detailed space station to the ambient music and even the animation of Emma herself, Observation is a triumph in both design and calculated execution.

On both the surface and deep within, Wildfire is a success, and we definitely see this as a franchise in-waiting. Hopefully all the fanfare and positive critical reception the game has received so far continues, and we see it go beyond even Sneaky Bastards’ own expectations. There’s room for it to land on consoles down the track too, where it would fit nicely. Especially having played it on PC using a controller (which I found more rewarding than the initial mouse and keyboard approach). But all of that will depend on how it’s openly received by punters now that it’s out in the wild.

I'm rather enamoured by the unique flavour of online combat presented by Chivalry. It's fresh and fun, and like the very best games is easy to get into yet incredibly hard to master. I've honestly not had this much competitive online joy since Battlefield 3, and to think a $25 indie title can provide a level of enjoyment up there with a $100 million game like Battlefield is testimony to the skill of the developer.

It’s a testament to the game’s quality that a second play-through less than a year after the original release still felt fun, fresh, and exciting. Even without the DLC packs, it’s great that we get to play Wolfenstein II on the Switch - and just like with DOOM this is a wonderful addition to the Switch family.

For me, the game does all the right things. It might not be the return of Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear, and it might have more than a few bugs to iron out before it's competition ready, but it's exactly what I expected -- competitive SWAT 4 -- and Ubisoft keep saying the right things about their post-release plans. Only time will tell though.

When it comes to Civilization, there’s so much going on and so many variables in play that it could never be perfect. Instead, what you can hope for is a complex but easy to follow game of Civ that you’d gladly playthrough again. One that doesn’t feel broken or at odds with what it’s trying to do. Civilization VI: Rise and Fall hits that sweet spot, with deep and rewarding new features that provide a more cohesive and memorable experience than the base game. Where no path feels too detrimental, whilst highlighting self-evident things like the power of religion and a well-stocked army. From the new Golden Ages through to the Governors and expanded Districts, if you’ve ever been a fan of the series – now’s the time to jump back in.

If you've been playing Rift since launch, whether to purchase this expansion or not doesn't even require thought. It's the content/feature pack you were promised and on that note it delivers in spades. New players, however, may find what's on offer to be woefully dated alongside a player population significantly diminished next (and due to) to the more recent competition in the market.

Yes, it’s another Call of Duty, but it’s a Call of Duty by a rock-solid team who care about quality and stamping themselves as a premier Triple-A developer in a very crowded space. Another great Holiday release to add to your (likely) growing pile.

Wayward Strand is a delicate piece of work, as its title might imply. Despite the flight of fancy proposed by the very idea of an airship hospital, it's a remarkably unassuming game–not literally down-to-earth, but certainly grounded in its portrayal of lives nearing their end and one just beginning, and the common hopes, dreams and fears that connect all those lives together.

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.

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.

We won’t know for sure just how effective the set-up here was until the full season is complete sometime next year, but as it stands right now, we’re totally on board.

BattleTech’s ambitions may exceed its grasp, but there is a lot to love about the entire package. From the tactical combat to the great story and characterisation. Marred by mostly technical issues, it’s a title that should theoretically improve over time. In the meantime, even in a scrappy state, the MechWarrior meets XCOM promise mostly delivers.

In the end, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a confident and very welcome step forward for the Borderlands series. It embraces its action-RPG roots in ways that feel fresh and familiar, and does so without being a detriment to the core concept of being an experience with a bazillion crazy guns to equip and have fun with. But in keeping a lot of the core of the series, in terms of mechanics and UI, and even the number of gun types (sniper-rifles could have been removed entirely), there’s just enough holding it back in a place where it, well, borders on brilliance.

There’s value in narrative, if you don’t mind sloppy exposition, telegraphed characters and incentives as well as explosive quick time events that sit at odds with arbitrary quick time events, that sit even further at odds with ‘page-turner’ quick time events. When you get towards the game’s crescendo, which admittedly is handled excellently between the three main robot characters, and deal with ‘action’ sequences that take you out of your nanna or grandpa QTE slumber, the game feels interesting, but it’s smoke and mirrors. Acting, visuals and a relatively well-conceived future Detroit are the carrots on string here. The problem is our robot horse needs QTEs as well to get going and without enough blue blood, bled by actual gamers, it’s a hard task and road to Maple Syrup ahead.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

The second season of The Walking Dead has had highpoints, but in the end it can’t match up against the first season.

Without delving into spoilers, the final episode of Telltale’s The Walking Dead is definitely an emotional roller-coaster with dramatic twists and turns – some of which land, whilst others feel rushed to get things to some form of conclusion. Above all though, it’s understanding of the series long history and Clementine’s journey make these final moments pack one hell of a bite.

Interesting combat aside, what resonates and exhilarates about Lost in Random is its story first and foremost. The adventure that Even embarks on is one to savour and one that lives up to the wonderful art direction and visual design. The characters, the dialogue, the discoveries, the animation, the voice acting, the music, the presentation -- it all comes together wonderfully. A game well worth taking a chance and rolling the dice on.

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.

In the end Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus is enjoyable, but it’s also a bit of a let down when it comes to the actual combat. Truth be told I was expecting more of an XCOM-style experience with unit management and perhaps even some base management. The simplicity of individual encounters means that Mechanicus can be frustrating, where simple mistakes can cost you the entire mission. Again, these painful lessons in failure help you learn what works and doesn't. Like, say, bottlenecking your units when the enemy has a powerful AoE weapon.

Although it has its shortcomings, I’ve been really impressed with FIFA 22. EA has delivered one of the most in-depth career modes to date, and the new additions across the game’s other modes are most welcome. I do hope to see more iteration across the board, but the gameplay this year feels top notch. It’s a huge step forward for the series, and a proper showcase of what the new consoles are capable of.

On the cynical side of things. NBA 2K is a billion dollar enterprise, it doesn't do things by accident. It chose to put MyCareer front and centre, to put MyTeam right below it, to bury the ability to simply play a game of basketball in layers of menus. The shame of it is that I genuinely think it's the best representation of basketball ever. But they make you work so hard to see that, and I just don't know if it's worth the effort.

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.

In the end, if the balance of exploration, character progression, combat, and story felt more cohesive or in harmony then Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden could have easily been great. This is not to say that it simply needs an ‘easy mode’. No, the hardcore challenge tips the scale too far away from the sense of adventure and story and the RPG-like opening moments. Those first impressions. Whether or not this stance is too critical of the deep and well-executed combat, well, who the duck knows? If the idea of a hardcore XCOM-like experience in a post-apocalyptic mutant world sounds enticing, then, hey, this is essential.

There’s challenge here in both combat and your patience with the game’s economy system (and in its slow movement), but mastering both and even jumping in with a buddy means you’re in for a gorgeous treat. Our eyes are firmly locked on what A44 does next, especially if they stick to this wonderful new IP and build on it as a franchise-in-waiting. Well worth your time and Dollerydoos in our humble, Aussie opinion.

Don’t Starve’s singular focus, wrapped up in a deadly dance between threat and empowerment, is also its biggest flaw. There is no horizon to strive for. The attrition-based gameplay is initially interesting and temporarily engaging, but lacks any lasting impact on the world.

Genuinely a fun game to play, and includes some nice features like the Active AI and Off the Ball controls. Most importantly, it is a step forward from last year's game, but is still not up to the standard that the FIFA games have set.

When you realise there are dozens of addictive hours to enjoy, State of Decay proves itself a tempting purchase for zombie lovers and fans of survival-horror alike.

Even though there are several weapons to unlock and find along the way, a lot of them feel undercooked. Plus, some of the boss mechanics lean a little too heavily on the side of increasingly more difficult patterns to learn. That being said, it’s still worth checking out. Immortal Redneck is the sort of game that seemingly comes out of nowhere, where initial curiosity leads to hours of fun. For fans of old school shooters and the rouge-lite setup of games like Rogue Legacy then it’s well worth equipping Grandpa’s Blunderbuss and venturing into a pyramid filled with adorable but dangerous snakes and flying skulls.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is a mess of a game. That’s not to say that it’s nonfunctional or bad to play, rather, it loses sight of its core principles and eschews an amazing opportunity with the advent of our transition to next-gen, as well as being the first true IW CoD sans Zampella and West, through poorly constructed (and utilised) tech, half-assed delivery of modes and a single-player campaign that sets the series back more than a few years.

Amid The Ruins is another quality Telltale episode, but it’s not the most memorable that they’ve ever done. It ends on a huge cliffhanger, as they all seem to now, but it’s not necessarily one that sets up an exciting final conflict.

Wonderful presentation overflowing with character and humour.

It remains to be seen how well 400 Days ties into Season 2, although it’s certainly implied at the end that your actions here will have some impact. As the epilogue messily ties everything off, it’s hard to say for sure whether 400 Days is an absolutely essential part of the Walking Dead experience, or whether it’s mostly a fantastic reminder that Telltale knows exactly what they’re doing.

The first Mario game I've ever played that frequently bored me, and as much as it manages to nail the central mechanics and tick many of the right boxes, it also serves as worrying proof that, in the world of gaming, no series is truly sacred.

From a technical standpoint, Dead Rising 3 is not the pinnacle of how a next-gen game should look (or perform), but from an expanded gameplay perspective, and one of pure fun, it’s my favourite launch title among the lot.

Shortcomings found in the sometimes-clunky writing and overly scripted emotional moments can feel unearned or sloppy. But the spirit and charm found in the surprise-hit Life is Strange is certainly here in The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit.

What we have here in Samurai Shodown is an updated version of a game that takes itself seriously where it needs to, but has fun with what it has in front of it. Well worth your fisticuffs.

An incredibly deep and expanding story and much of the Dead Space feel returning, albeit turned down a little, as well as all the new systems and elements will definitely divide fans, but may be more accessible to newcomers, which is always welcomed with such a rich franchise. Even with the familiarity this delivers a monstrous amount of satisfaction.

The lack of depth, a good story, and stuff like voice acting makes it all feel a little average. Pulling on your Zelda nostalgia heartstrings to drive motivation, even though the battles are all pretty much the same.

This is a minor episode, as second episodes in episodic game series often tend to be, but there’s nothing here that hints that the rest of the season won’t be strong.

For the most part, Outlast lives up to its reputation. Although a little too quick to link gore with horror for my liking, it rests upon wide foundations of creepiness and builds on them with a good amount of tension and urgency.

It's banal and tedious and if your narrative focused do-nothing game wouldn't work as a halfway interesting short story, then it won't be better just because you force people to walk slowly around a wholly un-interactive game space while you drip-feed them unconnected plot points.

An addictive, not-too-shallow bite of strategic game play for fans of fifteen minute sessions. It could have easily been a DSi game sans 3D, but that 3D screen certainly looks a treat during the action.

Its nuances are deep, the layered gameplay is incredibly satisfying and there really is nothing quite like it out there. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got another 350 or so hours to knock out.

Which brings us to the key point: is it worth the price of admission? Absolutely. As previously mentioned, it’s a complete, standalone experience and breaks the mold enough that, despite having many familiar gameplay traits, is still a new adventure.

A classic survival-horror effort. For the last few years fans of the genre have more or less had to take what they can get, and while many seasoned players will have already experienced the game in its earlier form, it's still one of the better straight-up horror efforts available right now.

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.

When set against other titles offering vehicular combat such as Carmageddon, Interstate '76, or even Twisted Metal, Onrush pales in variety, longevity, and simple car crushing fun.

A game that plays and looks great, it ticks all the boxes that a MotorStorm game should, but unfortunately the storyline featured in the Festival mode is really weak. However, the most important area of the game – racing - is wild, chaotic and most importantly fun to play.

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.

The X off-shoot of the Mega Man franchise improved on the formula laid out in the 8-bit era to create some of the best 2D action games of the ‘90s, where art and animation grew in leaps and bounds alongside mechanics and wonderful level design. In many ways this is Mega Man at its finest, and outside of the fact that most of the eight games play the same, this Legacy Collection is a fine reminder of why the X series is held in such high regard.

11-11: Memories Retold, however, is still a game worth more than a look-in, and at roughly five-to-six hours, you’ll gain a deep and respectful look at one of the world’s most jarring global conflicts, from the perspectives of the individual.

We’re excited to see where the story goes. And perhaps even more so, we’re excited to say that Season Two of Telltale’s Batman finally delivers a great take on the long-running and iconic character. In its very first episode.

The overall experience, however, is excellent and the delivery of the game and show is handled with aplomb. I just wanted more of it. Combat is truly rewarding when you start playing with the game’s systems and stacking them to craft your own gameplay flair and style, it’s all just a bit easy (and I’m not even just giving myself bigups for being an awesome player). More TV, a little more game, a longer and more carefully handled ending and a challenge boost would have forced my hand to 10/10, easily. But it’s just not all there. Still an amazing experience though, if time travel is your bag.

Daytona USA sits in the unique position where it suffers not from its faults, but from the perfection of its original design. There was nothing better than being enveloped in those speaker laden seats, inches away from a ridiculously bright CRT screen, friends or strangers seated either side of you.

Ultimately, it's the combination of accessible gameplay with riveting depth that makes World of Tanks so engrossing.

An enjoyable little slice of action. There's certainly room for improvement, and a Hard mode that doesn't remove all the checkpoints would have been appreciated for those who mastered the harder original and will breeze through this one, but it provides enough moments of pure fun to warrant a look.

Darksiders Genesis is a fantastic new direction for the series, and while I love the third-person 3D entries, I’d be fine with the Genesis blueprint running the show moving forwards. This is one of my favourite games I’ve played this year. Put it on your Festivus wishlist, if you haven’t picked it up yet.

The price is beyond right and The Hidden Ones ties up its own short narrative with excellent writing and another standout performance from Abubakar Salim as Bayek. That we’re griping most here about wanting more suggests what they gave us was pretty much on-point anyway -- we just want seconds. (Please, Ubisoft, can we have some more?)