While the core gameplay loop of Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo feels dated, there’s a lot to enjoy in the retro-inspired experience that Pocket Trap have crafted. The level design and puzzles, badge and upgrade system, and art design make it worth a look if you’re craving an old-school adventure. There’s a great game in here, but it’s sometimes held back from shining through.

Bionic Bay is an enticing adventure with responsive controls that encourage players to zip energetically through these gorgeously obliterated environments. A fast and exciting gameplay experience remains rewarding throughout its campaign. Yet the reality-bending powers and smartest level design feel too sparsely used and lack depth. Players will likely enjoy the speedy platforming of Bionic Bay, but may wish the game fully realised the potential of its solid building blocks.

Nioh 3 has thrilling combat, character specialisation and spectacle that are the tried and true staples for both a Team Ninja game and a Nioh game in and of itself. Boss fights are grandiose, and you’ve got plenty of neat kit to feel like a ninja/samurai hybrid badass. You’re not going to be utterly disappointed with the series’ return, but thanks to its open world-ish trappings and overabundance of systems and loot that stops you from getting attached to any one thing, you’re likely not going to be over the moon about it either. It’s Soulslike junk food. It goes down well while you’re in it, but it’s not going to sit or stay well with you for long.

A love letter to all our favourite mystery series of the past, Detective Instinct: Farewell My Beloved is easy to get engrossed in. With expressive characters and a gorgeously rendered environment, fans of mystery games will love letting the tale unravel with intuitive ‘talk and search’ gameplay. It tackles tricky societal themes with moderate success, only falling short in the later chapters with some missing emotional stakes, but otherwise wraps up its bite-sized revelation with thoughtful grace.

With inspirations like Ultima, Dungeons and Dragons, and other deckbuilding and roguelike titles, Gordian Quest will feel familiar to any card game fan. However, if you’re a seasoned deckbuilder looking for a hardcore strategic gameplay experience, be warned: the in-game difficulty can vary wildly from battle to battle, and at times combat feels a tad too easy. On top of this, Gordian Quest’s extra features make the overall gameplay experience a little unwieldy. With that said, if you enjoy a casual card game and are keen for some variety, Gordian Quest will likely keep you entertained with a range of enemies to defeat and story maps to explore.

A short, sweet romp through a world of dreams, Lost in Play is a joyful celebration of imagination and play. Its gorgeously familiar cartoonish visuals and focus on endearingly absurd scenarios win over the frostiest of hearts. While some of its trickier puzzles may leave younger gamers stumped and even frustrate their parents, it’s impossible not to grin at the wacky antics Lost in Play loves to throw at you. Recommended as a little cosy treat for the young at heart.

On offer is an absolutely wonderful amount of world, lore and story to digest and fully absorb yourself in. It’s undoubtedly a magical game also, though it’s hard to picture this venture breaking the original out of its niche. NieR is a wonderful, intriguing franchise that a select number are dearly devoted to, and rightly so. The game’s not entirely for me, especially considering all the backtracking, but it’s a weird and wonderful ride nevertheless.

Beacon Pines effectively creates an uneasy atmosphere through contrast. The branching story helps build the exposition as you peer into the lives of the other townspeople. It’s a simple game that is on the shorter side with a few seemingly unnecessary features, but all loose ends are wrapped up by the end, leaving an enjoyable story that doesn’t overstay its welcome.

Look Outside is a moody horror RPG that is greater than the sum of its parts. Despite having a frustrating level design at times, a lack of map and being a little too breezy, what’s forefront and centre is the vibes and setting. Francis Coulombe nails this, providing richly detailed pixel art that depicts grotesque beasties and monsters. Amalgams are made of teeth and limbs. Guys with eye clusters poring out of their torso. The designs are the whole nine yards. It’s also a quality little bite-sized RPG with lots of charming systems and tidbits to flesh out the experience. Just, whatever you do, do not think too hard about the flesh monster that is knocking at your door. I promise all is OK.

The Hundred Line – Last Defense Academy is interesting; it does a surprisingly good job of meshing together the visual novel and strategy game elements in a satisfying way, but it just falls so incredibly short on the pacing that it makes it hard to properly enjoy these elements. There are some very cool developments in here, but it just takes so long to get to them that it almost feels like they are never coming. I have my complaints with it, certainly, but there is some truly great design in there, and I wish it got a chance to shine. For what it’s worth, Kodaka-san, I hope you don’t go bankrupt and quit making games forever.

Lost Judgment is a hell of a game, mess and all. Passing its predecessor in some regards and lagging behind in others, it at least has solid bang for your buck and brings the franchise goods that have been built upon over recent years. However, I'm disappointed by some of the shortfalls. Female character treatment remains a problem in-game and the mystery or detective gameplay don't feel as solid as the one prior. Still, if you're after a living breathing world with plenty to do and some of the best combat the series has seen yet, then this is a mystery adventure that still manages to hit hard.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 brings new ways to view the dinosaurs you bring to life. Crafting your own island and building your park on top of it is an immersive experience that’s hard to match. That said, the constant worry about something going wrong got old after a while. If taking pictures of dinosaurs and creating the perfect exhibits is something you enjoy, this is the game for you. But like every Jurassic movie tells us, something can go wrong when you least expect it.

Subnautica: Below Zero is another masterclass in survival gaming, setting itself apart from the overabundance of survival games on the market with its tranquil ocean setting, addicting exploration, and unique wildlife. If you are a fan of the previous title or survival games in general, this really ticks all the boxes that you are looking for, providing an enthralling world to explore and get lost in, all with gorgeous graphics and sound design. It can at times feel like a retread of the previous game with a few tweaks and additions, but Subnautica was by no means a bad game, so this is still a very well-crafted follow-up in the series. It is a hard title to put down as you are always on the cusp of something new and evolutionary, so players in search of something more fast-paced will need to search elsewhere. In saying that, I still think this is a title that everyone should check out or at least give a go, as it really does represent something unique and captivating that is hard to not recommend.

Mega City Police is a great throwback to the retro top-down shooters of the past. There’s no great story but lots of weapons and combat. You will be spending lots of time learning about each character’s playstyle and what weapons work. The game isn’t perfectly balanced though, as some weapons are clearly better than others. Melee playstyles are unintentionally discouraged and high rarity weapons are must-haves. But if you are willing to spend the time to learn, there’s a good challenge to be had with this game.

Raccoin is the newest addition to the ever-growing list of gambling-themed, roguelike, combo-building games, made popular by Balatro’s success. While unique in its use of a coin pusher as its base theme, its other core mechanics feel like a cutesy new coat of paint on top of the same systems the genre has been pumping out for months. Fundamentally sound and with nothing truly wrong with it, Raccoin is a strong contender for one of the better titles in the genre, but it doesn’t provide anything truly new or exciting to help it stand apart from the rest.

A cosy, brief, beautifully crafted narrative experience, Leila tells its story in a uniquely interactive way. It leverages its gorgeous hand-drawn artwork in its environmental puzzles, which tend to satisfy despite some occasional frustrating pixel hunting. Its short length does mean that you’re left with more of an aesthetic wash rather than an impactful narrative journey, but for the right player, Leila’s bite-sized story will be just enough of a cosy treat to satisfy.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is still a good game, like the original was all those years ago. The excitement of wandering the open world of Cyrodil is still there, getting into shenanigans with goblins in caves, doing away with the undead coming through Oblivion Gates, and getting into thievery and tomfoolery across the great unknown. There are meaningful changes to how skills work and how to read the world, making it the cleanest and smoothest run through Bethesda’s great RPG yet. However, it is bogged down by the change in art style, where fidelity disappointingly removes any colour or substance that was once found. A blemish on one of the greats. Much like an old car that’s been plodding along a little too long, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered mostly still runs, and a new coat of paint helps some, but don’t be surprised by the sensation of feeling like things are going to fall apart at any moment.

Marathon is a technically brilliant and satisfying shooter that nails the fundamentals but struggles to build beyond them. It delivers incredible moment-to-moment gameplay, yet lacks the depth and long-term pull to match its ambition. Right now, it feels less like a fully realised experience and more like the start of something new waiting to be expanded, a game that will live or die by how Bungie supports it from here.

As a huge fan of the Tales series, Tales of Graces f Remastered is the ultimate way to experience one of the more thought-provoking and emotionally intriguing stories in the franchise. The quality of life improvements of this remaster not only serve to keep the series relevant, and greatly make up for some of the game’s bigger shortcomings, such as its slow opening act, and a padded-out end-game, but it is also an exciting study into what the franchise’s next remastered project might look like.

Near four years since its original release and Doki Doki Literature Club has still stood the test of time thanks to this ‘Plus!’ edition. Where there are some shortcomings in the fact that it takes a little while to get the ball rolling and will be even harder to enter unspoiled, it’s worth it when you consider what’s on offer. Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! is a delight. It’s horrific. It’s heartbreaking. But most of all, it’s a wonderful model of how to take the visual novel formula and absolutely turn it on its head. Just be aware, there’s some sadness behind those anime characters’ eyes.

It’s great to see a game about a culture that often doesn’t see a lot of focus. A Highland Song has a lot of great concepts, but they just don’t all come together cohesively. Even so, it has a story worth telling and some pretty fantastic music to boot.

Boomerang X is truly a spiral of interlocking gameplay loops stacked on top of each other. After a slow start, Boomerang X whips up an absolute whirlwind of bullet-time style combat that can be an absolute sight to behold. So much love and care have clearly permeated the gameplay of this title. The problem is that beyond the loop, there isn’t a lot going on. Some frustrating design elements and a feeling of repetition is present, although it doesn’t fully dampen what is undoubtedly some fantastic moment-to-moment gameplay.

Series fans will enjoy this game no matter what. But if you are a series fan, I’m assuming you’ve already played it on PS4. If you’re looking to buy it on another platform, the evidence stacks up in favour of the PC version because of the Switch’s downgraded graphics and lack of achievements unless you really want that handheld portability. If you’re not a series fan yet, then go back to page 1 and start at the beginning. This game will not make a lick of sense to you.

Sifu is a game that could have been something amazing, with its fascinating premise and superbly crafted and fluid combat mechanics and animations. However, the game’s frustrating need to make the gameplay ridiculously hard just left me tired and annoyed. Sloclap really needs to think about how they can make this game more accessible, possibly by including more shortcuts, an adjustable difficulty setting, or just lowering the impact of health lost from fighting your average foe. Hopefully they will bring in some patches that will address these issues, but as it stands, I’d wait before investing time in the world of Sifu.

Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is somewhat imperfect, but the flaws don’t quite eclipse its strengths. Despite the annoying party AI and grind, the combat has the right level of tactical depth I would expect from a turn-based Monster Hunter game. With its adorable Monsties and a wide-open world to explore, gamers looking for a new JRPG to dive into can certainly do a lot worse. As long as you are prepared for some irritating supporting cast members and a somewhat repetitive gameplay loop, fans of the monster-collecting genre will get a lot out of this game.

Great God Grove brims with charm and originality, offering a fresh take on word puzzles and gods among people. Its offbeat humour and playful design will draw you in, but clunky mechanics and a fairly straightforward narrative may leave you wanting more cohesion and polish. With a little more divine intervention, Great God Grove’s quirky moments might have ascended to a truly special adventure.

Overall, Tiny Bookshop is a fun, cozy game for book lovers where you live that dream of running a bookstore, while also forming friendships with the locals. The use of real books makes it feel personal, especially if you’re someone who reads often, plus it makes recommending titles to others a breeze. While the story isn’t perfect due to its lack of execution, it’s not too big of a deal unless you’re someone who’s invested in the narrative. Regardless, it’s still enjoyable and could introduce you to your next book.

Fire Emblem Engage is an okay addition to the Fire Emblem series, with fun and varied maps and enough changes to the tactical mechanics to make it probably worth playing for any FE fan, though not all of its changes are winners. Its spectacular graphics are something to behold; it’s just a shame that it is accompanied by a story that falls completely flat and emblem heroes that are shadows of their former selves. It’s just sadly underwhelming in the face of what its predecessor, Three Houses, achieved better. 

Slender Threads is an easily digestible adventure narrative, featuring great voice acting and a dramatic, spooky story. The sinister dream motivating Harvey’s actions adds some good tension to the unsettling town of Villa Ventana, but the big reveal at the end fails to impress. Seasoned veterans of adventure games may miss the lack of creative, out-of-the-box thinking, though the game’s simple puzzles will probably work for a casual playthrough, or for genre beginners.

Card Shark’s story, art design, and soundtrack alone make the game a worthwhile experience. What begins as a classic rags-to-riches story quickly evolves into something far more interesting, full of intrigue and betrayal. Progressing the story by cheating the pants off a bunch of pre-revolutionary French dandies in cards is a truly unique and satisfying premise, and it’s largely pulled off well apart from a few imprecise controls. Otherwise, the gameplay might be a little too one-note to hold your engagement for the entire runtime of the game.

While PGA Tour 2K25 is definitely a competent golf game, it’s the little touches that elevate a game from good to great. In a genre as established as golf games, it’s surprising that this title doesn’t quite hit the mark. However, for those eager for the latest golfing experience or who haven’t played a new golf game in years, PGA Tour 2K25 is still a good choice.

Much like the characters themselves, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a really funny mish-mash of ideas and concepts with some working better than others. At its best, the campaign is strong with well-produced cinematic cutscenes, likable characters, gorgeous environments and an action romp that excites when everything is in sync. On the flipside, the pacing of combat stops things from getting into a solid rhythm until later in the game, and I much preferred my time solving puzzles or platforming while enjoying the epic story. When so much of your journey will be spent in combat, that’s a bit of a shame. Despite some quirks, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a super-fun superhero adventure that hits more than it misses, with a banging soundtrack and a lot of personality that more than makes up for its shortcomings.

Teardown does a great job in delivering on its premise, offering players the ability to pull off professional heists any way they want by manipulating the environment to their advantage. You will always have something to do if you get bored of the campaign, such as the sandbox mode where you can experiment and play to your liking, or the challenge mode where you put your skills to the test. Unfortunately, the game’s freedom is tied to your progression in the campaign, forcing you to work within certain constraints. Unless you are a big fan of creating your own experiences, you can quickly become bored of the game if you don’t give yourself time to take a break. Despite this, Teardown is still a solid sandbox experience that can provide hours of entertainment and goals to work towards. For players looking for a good sandbox experience that makes you think and promotes your creativity, you can’t go wrong with Teardown.

Out of Sight is a short and simple experience that captures the horror of being a child in an unfamiliar and frightening situation. While its well-crafted audio design and second-person perspective distinguish it from other games of the genre, I was never excited by its flat and predictable story, nor its highly repetitive and bland gameplay.

War never changes; trains are always going to be running late, though. Last Train Home lets players experience the trials of band of soldiers on a 9000km journey home. This management game is no walk in the park and considering the subject matter this is for the best. If you’re familiar with RTS games then this is going to hit that sweet spot just fine. If you aren’t familiar with the genre but find the narrative compelling then be ready to play stealthy and fiddle with the difficulty settings. Last Train Home requires time but if you’re willing to persist and jump on the train, then this ride might find space within your real-time strategy game library.

With deep strategy elements found both inside and outside of combat, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story makes for an undeniably engaging and challenging adventure. Fans of League of Legends get to see the world of Ruenterra from a new lens and will be hooked by the endearing character moments found within the game’s story. Ruined King may not find the wide appeal that other League properties have managed, and some of the interactions found outside of combat are admittedly cumbersome, but it’s hard to deny the excitement and depth of content found within the turn-based battles of Ruined King.

Amerzone – The Explorer’s Legacy revamps a classic adventure that’s great fun for puzzle fans who enjoy scouring the environment for clues. It’s easy to get lost in the wonder of Amerzone without feeling too frustrated. However, the experience also brings some flaws from the past that haven’t translated well to the modern gaming environment. This makes the game great for a blast from the past, but a tough recommendation for modern puzzle players.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is, if anything, a faithful remaster of the original game. The visual overhaul and fantastic cinematics maintain the dark tone of Sanctuary’s horrifying demons and tales. Unfortunately, that alone doesn’t hold up after 20 years of innovation. Annoying gameplay mechanics, constant selling and buying, restrictive controls, regressive character art, and finicky UI poorly date this adventure. More quality of life changes should be here to truly bring the classic back to life. Diablo fans may love this remaster; others will likely not.

Blood West takes inspiration from Deus Ex, Thief and Dishonored, yet falls disappointingly short. The level design and some particular mechanics didn’t aid the stealth gameplay very much, though the game’s large arsenal of weapons and tools and helpful UI do give it a decent stealth foundation which fans of the genre can get a lot out of. Unfortunately, the game’s gruelling death mechanics, unclear quest objectives and simple plot create an experience that’s simply exhausting after a while. Fans of stealth-focused immersive sims might enjoy Blood West well enough, but only if they are prepared for many frustrating mechanics holding the experience back.

Mario Party Superstars is exactly what you'd expect: it's a nostalgia-fest that brings back some of the most beloved boards and minigames from past titles and touches them up for the Nintendo Switch. Each game board has been delightfully updated, and the nostalgic minigame selection is generally pretty good. But beyond that nostalgia factor, Superstars hasn't added anything new to the series. The minigame modes aren't very exciting, and the visuals, while nice, aren't different from any other Mario game from the past few years. It's definitely a great way to experience those classic N64 boards, as long as you don't expect anything more.

As an overall package, Stronghold Crusader: Definitive Edition just doesn’t tickle me like the first game does. A less captivating band of characters and an unwillingness to lean as firmly into history as its rivals did both back in the day and at present just make for a tonally too strange entity for me to have truly vibed with. It’s a very fine game, but one that disappointed me. Maybe 20 years of anticipation was just bound to do that.

Ys X: Nordics may not have been the flourishing and vibrant first venture in the series I was after, but I’m also far from turned off by the franchise. Its fast-paced action combat with a plethora of strategies and abilities to employ never ceased to satisfy my brain’s often insatiable need for flashy fighting. Backing it is kickass battle music with a heavy emphasis on electric guitar riffs that never get old. Though I wish the story, world and lore found within were more captivating, pretty and memorable, I can’t fault how fun and solid the gameplay loop of perusing both the vast seas and involved islands is. There are plenty of secrets, fun gameplay moments and goodies that await. Having considered all that, I’d call Ys X: Nordics a damn fine seaworthy ride indeed. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Lovish is a cute and sweet 8-Bit retro-inspired action game that parodies the hero-saves-the-princess trope. Each puzzle room is filled with challenging obstacles and enemies that are constantly changing and evolving throughout your playthrough. Though there are some issues, such as the game’s stores stocking useless items, there being no way to pause the game and boring boss fights, Lovish makes up for this by including a lot of secret levels to find and explore, meaning that there is a lot for players to discover and experience after the base game is beaten.

Escape Simulator 2 doesn’t carry over the visual charm of its predecessor, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. As a stand-alone game, removed from the first, it’s a solid experience. Each room feels like it was designed with a lot of care, and all of the puzzles are unique. Unfortunately, Escape Simulator 2 doesn’t feel like it was designed with co-op in mind, despite boasting the ability to play with up to 8 players. With a lack of content at launch, all the puzzle rooms can be completed in around 10 hours, though player-designed rooms and DLC are sure to come with time. Hopefully, future content will be geared more towards a more refined multiplayer experience.

Conscript is a good survival horror game but not the fantastic one it should have been destined to be. Its fierce and very apparent survival horror devotion is incredibly admirable, shining best when depicting war in quite simply the best way I’ve seen it in games to date. The sound design, art style and general mood make the vibes palpable like you’re there on the ground in the thick of it. This loyalty to the genre is also a double-edged sword though, not quite having enough quality-of-life additions and progression slowing to a halt when you’re hunting through a labyrinth for that one key to unlock that one door. For better or worse, Conscript is a homage to classic Resident Evil, through and through. Isn’t that enough?

Hozy, while a short experience that can be completed in one sitting, is an enjoyable title. With beautiful, realistic graphics, lighting that feels luxurious to bask in and a smooth jazzy soundtrack that helps tie it all together. The attention to detail in the weight of an object, the way the wind blows through an open window, and the ambience that layers when you turn on a fan or a radio, all help build an aesthetically impressive game. Though it lacks in replayability and doesn’t push much farther than a room decorator in its mechanics, Hozy will likely be a hit for fans of titles like Unpacking or any decorative cozy game.

Gears of War: Reloaded is the definitive version of Gears 1, but only by default. A faithful remaster of a remaster that keeps the series alive and opens the door to PlayStation players, but doesn’t do enough to feel essential. It’s both dated and timeless, clunky and exhilarating, simple and unforgettable. A solid nostalgia trip, but a missed opportunity to make the original shine for modern audiences.

Compared to the original, House Flipper 2 is a more than decent renovation and sale. Built from the ground up it features crisp, clean, better graphics. It features more attention to detail for the little things such as cleaning up, taking out trash and so on. It also features no less than three different environments with houses to match. The client jobs are time well spent, interesting and with decent rewards. After doing my first few ‘flips’ I felt like I did not want to let my creations go. But on the flip side, I miss the assembly and the features added to the original game over time like proper gardening and pets in particular. Those should have been implemented here as standard, but House Flipper 2 still manages to scratch the same satisfying itch as its predecessor.

The Quarry proves to be a worthy successor and a notable release within Supermassive's lineup of branching-path slasher games. A frightful narrative full of tense moments creates a satisfying experience for horror fans, made even better when played alongside others. An ambitious amount of choice proves to be a double-edged sword as the game teeters on the edge of quality and quantity, with one particularly egregious mechanic dampening the experience for those who don't like to replay large chunks of a game. Though, despite its obvious shortcomings, there's a level of campy fun that's undeniable as the game engages from one freaky sequence to the next.

Black Book is a bewitching combo of deck-building RPG and D&D-esque storytelling, with a bucket load of ideas where some work better than others. With some refinement and editing, Black Book could have been a must-play release. Without it, it’s still an intriguing mix of gameplay systems that is bolstered by its striking visual style and incredible attention to detail with its Northern Slavic mythology and well-thought-out story-telling. It’s definitely like nothing else I’ve played this year, which is worth celebrating. Despite its shortcomings, I couldn’t help but be under Black Book’s unique spell.

While sometimes feeling like a pastiche of better things, Dead Pets still offers some fun jams about the challenges of the contemporary life of a punk and female artist. Its management systems accentuate its otherwise tropey storytelling, its minigames are eclectic and varied, and its music is nicely interwoven into its narrative. It might have been a bit more punk to break some new ground, but as adult slice-of-life videogames go, Dead Pets is still one to chuck on the record player if you’re so inclined.

Road 96 is an emotional character-driven game that is unfortunately marred by heavy-handed attempts to evoke real-world politics. It is still very much an enjoyable experience with fun mini-games, a beautiful visual style and soundtrack, along with the interesting mechanic of having to make the trip to the border multiple times. It’s upsetting that the game loses itself when it tries to tackle politics when it really should have focused more on the relationships between the characters and their journeys on the road. Despite this, it was still great fun to play the whole way through.

Golf Club: Wasteland is a rather standard golf game bolstered by an experimental narrative approach. This iteration is, have no doubt, an improvement on the niche ideas therein, and for that, I applaud the developers. However, good as these ideas are, they suffer from feeling incompatible with each other. Everything is OK, with the distinct sting of feeling like they could have been great, given the right conditions.

Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a collection of games that is a hell of a lot of fun and really is an important moment in video game history. For a while there, it was the benchmark for graphics in games, and it’s important that games like this are preserved and released in their remastered form not just on PC but for modern consoles as well. It’s a bundle for those who love their games to look gorgeous, have the autonomy to blow up stuff in a number of different and creative ways, and love FPS vibes. With all three games remastered and in one collection, Crysis Remastered Trilogy is a lot of big bangs for your buck, despite some shortfalls.

Anger Foot is a good shooter but it’s not always a compelling shooter nor the best it should be. I feel it important to give flowers to the unique use of hardstyle music and the fun implementations of new abilities granted by the different pairs of shoes you unlock. Though the polish and sheen are undeniably present with its gorgeous presentation and frenetic and fun gameplay that sees a symphony of flying kicks, bullets and grenades, it’s let up by ways the game could’ve been better refined. The humour found within gets old after a while and it has some of the most dull and uninspired boss designs I’ve seen in a shooter for quite some time. Yes, the minute-to-minute is good but the pitfalls feel like a square, hard kick in the head. Ouch.

Bears in Space has the potential to be a great game, at least for a younger audience. It’s entertaining yet provides a sense of challenge. The story will hook you in and many of the activities will keep you satisfied. For a game that was developed by a small team, Bears in Space provides so much content that will entertain and keep you bear-ry busy. Despite some unfortunate glitches, exploring a vast galaxy with Maxwell and Beartana was definitely a fun adventure.

Grow: Song of the Evertree is close to excellence with its gorgeous aesthetic and charming writing, but it struggles under the number of gameplay elements packed into it. There’s a lot here that might work together in theory, but the end result is less than the sum of its parts. When exploring Alaria and interacting with the characters, it’s easy to get swept up in this quirky and beautiful world. Unfortunately, the bits you enjoy will be intercut with stuff that might feel more like a chore. Grow is a game with too many irons in the fire, but its obvious heart and character still presents a lot to love.

Nightdive’s System Shock remake is a strange game, and whether it will appeal to you may largely depend on your nostalgia for the era of gaming from which it came. This remake still shows its age, despite the considerable and impressive paint job, lighting, and updated controls. If you don’t mind the sometimes murderous level of difficulty, tons of backtracking, and minimal handholding, System Shock may be a compelling piece of gaming history that is worth checking out.

Drova – Forsaken Kin is an action CPRG that keeps you on your toes. The action is exhilarating, your decisions have no judgment, and your playstyle is your own. But this is tempered by a difficult beginning, a lack of decent maps, and combat that’s not in your favour. While the game still promises a good time for CRPG fans, it may not be the easiest entry for others. Stay the course and fight through the difficulties to find a game that delivers on its premise.

Dune: Awakening builds on the solid foundation of Survival gameplay mechanics from Funcom’s prior entry in the genre, Conan Exiles. While aspects of the game, such as combat and questing, are less than great, these flaws don’t prevent players from enjoying the well-executed gathering, crafting and research-advancing progression loop, as well as simply existing in and exploring the world of Arrakis. Those who love survival games OR the Dune franchise will likely have a great time here, though others may have less reason to stick around to the endgame. The solo and group gameplay is distinct from one another, but either approach will allow you plenty of fun time in the sun, the sand, and (if you’re unlucky) the belly of a sandworm.

Sonic Origins is a bit of a disappointment. As a massive Sonic fan, it kills me to say it but it’s true. Sure, the games collected here are undeniably great titles in their own right. But they are no better than the originals which can be found for little or no cost elsewhere already. Sonic 3 and Knuckles is considerably worse both in gameplay as well as its new soundtrack and most of the unlockable content in the Museum can be found easily via other means. For gamers that have never played Sonic and are averse to obtaining these titles on other platforms, you likely will not be as disappointed as I was, but I think SEGA and Sonic Team could have gone a little further and given these titles the proper Sonic Mania treatment. In fact, if you are new to Sonic go for the Mania instead.

The last of LCB Game Studio’s Pixel Pulps is here! Bahnsen Knights is a short, choose-your-own-adventure about a cult of the same name. Despite focussing on the wrong areas of the plot, the game does have some lovely characterisation where one sentence paints a big picture. The nostalgic feel along with the gorgeous and sometimes downright terrifying pixel art means that Bahnsen Knights offers a lot, despite some rough edges.

Extra Coin is a heartfelt little tale set over a gorgeously colourful video gamey backdrop, and offers an addicting duelling game system that you can play continuously without getting bored. The art direction is beautifully detailed and the potential of the virtual reality of the Arcade is immense, but it seems to have held back on exploring its concept past the surface level. Its small scope doesn’t quite do justice to what the story and world could have been, but it’s still an easy recommendation.

Rain on Your Parade does what it sets out to do. It’s chaotic, ridiculous and allows you to ruin the day. The lack of cohesion between target market and style does make this slightly confusing to recommend. However, players of all ages will enjoy the simplistic but enjoyable gameplay. It’s a cute indie game with a great visual style but in many ways it also misses the mark just slightly. It lacks immersion with the jarring and seemingly pointless cutscenes and the jumping in and out of load screens. With a few design changes, Rain on Your Parade has the potential to gain better continuity and appeal to a wider audience. There’s something special and engaging here, but in its current state, it leaves me a little frustrated, confused and expecting more.

Blue Reflection: Second Light is a fresh and emotionally engaging entry into the JRPG genre that shows a lot of promise but doesn’t quite manage to deliver. Gust proves that a game can juggle action, emotion, and story, but that’s not necessarily what Second Light manages to achieve. There are flashes of hope and excitement, and the game does manage to feel distinct in its genre, but it will take a little more polish for it to stand out from the rest.

Pepper Grinder is a good video game but it doesn’t feel like a complete video game. The mechanic of burrowing away through different biomes is always satisfying as you make platforming leaps of faith between different bodies of ground. What exploration, world and mechanical growth is there is really strong, it’s just limited and brief. Fun throughout but over before you know it, Pepper Grinder is a charming title that is just missing that extra little spice.

After my time with Pokémon Legends Z-A, the overall impression I am left with is “good, but with room for improvement.” It achieves that addictive urge to explore and catch ’em all, but the world map is small and doesn’t do enough to make up for it. Real-time battle mechanics are a fresh twist and are the game’s stand-out achievement, but it is a little chaotic and cluttered in its current form. The game looks better than previous Pokémon titles, but continued half-hearted attempts to give itself a high-definition look seem to come at the expense of deeper, more complex content. It’s easy to ignore these cracks, complete the satisfying gameplay loop and vibe through Z-A’s Pokémon adventure, but I know Pokémon is capable of more than this.

Sunblaze earns its place as a brutal but mostly fair challenge. It is exciting and fresh in its gameplay in a lot of ways that people should pay attention to. The difficulty will be satisfying for some but frustrating for others. Whilst a lacking story holds it back, clever design mechanics propel it forward. With all that said, when you’re dying every seven seconds, it’s easy for any shining praise to start to dull.

Orcs Must Die! 3 is definitely a case of “another verse, same as the first”, but fortunately the formula still holds up. The changes to gameplay balance mostly work, as does the implementation of the new Scramble game mode. However, the War mode shows that throwing more orcs into a stage doesn’t necessarily make it more fun, and the level design generally doesn’t feel quite as fresh as it once did. All that said, the visceral pleasure of slicing through a group of orcs with a buzzsaw launcher is as present as ever, and ultimately the experience is still a fun time. For tower defence fans, Orcs Must Die! 3 is worth checking out, particularly if you’re planning on playing co-op.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is undeniably endearing, learning from other media forms to present an uplifting adventure with lovable protagonists. With too much dialogue and backtracking implemented within the game’s design, it can run at a pace that feels slow, ballooning what should be a fun jaunt into an overly long adventure. There’s room for further fine-tuning of ideas, meaning Brothership isn’t the flawless seafaring journey we wanted. Though it’s also far from a shipwreck with incredible charm and gameplay offerings carrying this title across picturesque waters.

For game preservation reasons, it’s important that Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is available to play on current-gen hardware. However, this remake does little to address the original title’s core gameplay issues, which have only grown more egregious with time. Its janky controls, lackluster visual updates, and frustratingly repetitive busywork detract from an otherwise charming Halloween adventure. There’s a quirky, silly little game somewhere in here that has unfortunately not been given the attention it needs to be very much fun. Ever the forgotten brother, Luigi isn’t likely to win any fans with this spooky escapade.

Sucker for Love: First Date is a really clever melding of both horror and romance that takes a totally different route from other popular genre mashes like Doki Doki Literature Club. A wonderful dash of comedy imbues the game with an extra layer of goodness. The game managed to make me scared and laugh at the same time, so it’s such a shame that glitches are still ever-present because they really drag the experience down. I hope that Sucker for Love: Second Date may come out someday, expanding on the very solid foundation to make something even better. Oh, and to give me more unknowable horrors to kiss, of course.

Humankind is immediately accessible to anybody familiar with the 4X genre, especially the Civilization series. It strays a little too close to Civilization at times, but its unique take on the advancement of culture and ideology prevents it from feeling like a copycat. The way your culture changes between eras means that no two games will ever be the same, no matter how much you try. It’s not quite as masterful as it could be and needs some fine-tuning in some areas, but it remains a solid addition to Amplitude’s library of strategy games.

Gloomy Eyes is a cute game about forbidden companions on a quest to find the sun. The visual aesthetic is clear from the jump, with creative character models and some smart accessibility options. However, a lack of camera controls, unskippable cutscenes, and an underdeveloped story leave quite a bit to be desired. With plenty of passion driving the game’s design and narration, you’ll no doubt have a decent time with Gloomy Eyes, but perhaps consider checking out the VR movie first.

EA Sports FC 26 is another confident entry in the long-running series, delivering the essentials with polish and scale. With a staggering amount of licensed teams, players, and global competitions — including women’s leagues — the game remains the definitive virtual football experience. That said, FC26 doesn’t take many risks. Career modes return almost untouched, with some elements even feeling recycled from last year’s release. The absence of a story-driven mode like VOLTA leaves a noticeable gap for players craving something beyond the standard match grind. Still, what FC 26 does, it does very well — and while it may not be a revolution, it’s a finely tuned evolution.

Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER has a lot to like for fans of 2064: Read Only Memories, but falls far short of the scope and impact of its predecessor. The gorgeous design, intriguing world, and charming characters create a huge amount of promise, but the lack of freedom, extremely simplistic puzzle design, and unsatisfying conclusion make for an experience that feels underwhelming and disappointing. If you’re looking for a short, queer narrative with a cool futuristic setting then there’s still enjoyment to be had, but temper your expectations going in.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is a fun, nostalgic hit of fast-paced racing goodness that offers players a number of ways to have a good time. However, if you look a little closer, you can see that some of the game’s paint is peeling due to the janky nature of its gameplay elements and its over-reliance on player speed rather than quality tracks. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is full of charm but fans of racing games may feel that this isn’t enough for them to stick around and get turbocharged with Hot Wheels cars.

At the end of the day, Foretales offers a broad and delightful journey all within a digital tabletop setting. Its card art and party are diverse. Clever and varied card mechanics, along with party members’ abilities, make for a fun suite of solution tools to use against some tough and fantastical narrative-based obstacles. However, with a lack of checkpoints, players may at times feel like they have bitten off more than they can chew in a run. Still, this remains a funky, unique little indie worth checking out for ambition and coziness alone. Carry on.

Dogpile is a casual and secretly addictive roguelike deckbuilder that draws you in with dogs and keeps you with its gameplay. You can easily spend hours figuring out the best strategies that help you achieve the highest scores. Some major flaws hold the game back as they significantly disrupt gameplay. Give the game a chance, and you can fall in love with it, but be aware that it’s not perfect.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind is probably the most ambitious title this franchise has ever received. It mixes classic side-scrolling beat-em-up action, with varied other retro-inspired styles of gameplay. It is hit-and-miss; playing by yourself feels brutal and at times unfair, and the non-beat-em-up sections, whilst initially exciting, can be tiresome. But with hand-drawn SNES-style graphics, a pumping soundtrack and nostalgia coming out of its ears, it still manages to be fun most of the time.

With realism being the focus of MotoGP 21, the enjoyment here comes from the mastery of racing at high speeds. Although unless you’re a returning player to the series or a natural on the virtual bike, you won’t be treated kindly by the game’s difficulty. New players could comfortably get away with trying MotoGP 20 instead as a way of easing themselves into the series with a smaller entry fee. Returning players, conversely, will no doubt feel at home with an updated game featuring stunningly detailed environments and racing options. As for me? The plethora of crashes I experienced in-game may now put me off real-world motorbikes altogether.

Game Builder Garage makes programming fun, with easy-to-follow tutorials and plenty of in-game resources to help you if you get lost. It’s easy on the eyes too, although a lack of visual customisation options was disappointing to see. With so many things it does right, it’s astounding that Nintendo would shoot themselves in their own foot so badly by not including any in-game search function. It may find an audience with some budding game designers, but it’s unlikely to become the phenomenon it could have been.

Invincible VS is a bloody, brutal, and bombastic tag fighting game that perfectly nails the vibe and violent visuals of the comic series and the animated television series. It reminded me why I love fighters, but it also reminded me why I sometimes hate them. There’s a level of depth here that gives Invincible VS the sauce players are always looking for, and made the fast-paced and action-stacked matches a delight despite cheesy strategies and wishing I had more agency in my playstyle. But this sauce still needs a little more time simmering in the pot, because its taste profile feels a little barebones and unfinished. While I can’t say how happy it will make the tag-fighting game community, I can say that it is a fun game that pays homage to its source material while serving as a love letter to the titles that inspired it.

The Berlin Apartment is certainly a nice tribute to the history of the titular city. With gorgeous scenery evolving through time that tells the tales of its residents, the apartment is a delight to explore. However, a more intriguing main narrative or engaging gameplay mechanics would’ve been a massive boon for the game. A gorgeous art style and heartwarming sentimentality make The Berlin Apartment an enjoyable experience, albeit one that struggles to stand against the genre’s best.

Mario Tennis Fever is yet another Mario sports game that gets by on being passingly entertaining, while failing to do anything particularly new or exciting. I think I like it a bit better than 2018’s Mario Tennis Aces, but the two games share so many similarities, both good and bad, that it’s hard to tell for sure. If you love the Mario Tennis series, you’ll probably like this. But for everyone else, I’m hard-pressed to tell you there’s anything special about Mario Tennis Fever.

Tchia provides a vibrant and enjoyable world to explore. Soul jumping into an animal or object to move about is an incredible mechanic that allows for creativity, experimentation, and improvisation. Sailing among the waves is mesmerising in colour and imagery, as is the thick jungle and wildlife that also awaits. What’s more refreshing is the open-world formula the game offers that doesn’t daunt you, only rewarding you for however much you choose to engage with it. Tchia may have the occasional bug on PC and a rocky and overly accelerated last quarter of a story, but remaining throughout is a narrative and world with heart, love, and a feeling of home. For that alone, this is a game well worth taking to the high seas for.

With a changing Daily Circuit mode and a Custom Circuit mode offering players different ways to structure their workouts, Fitness Circuit is a great fit for players with different exercise needs. The personal profile’s focus on weight and BMI may not be ideal, however, it is fortunately optional. If you’re keen on a Switch game that helps you fit a quick workout into a busy day, Fitness Circuit is worth checking out.

GRID Legends is a mismatched racing game with a surprising story mode and features. The gameplay is an awkward mix of simulator and arcade that doesn’t lend itself to either’s strengths, and with puzzling direction will likely alienate fans of both. Yet, Driven to Glory and the sensational crashes in races make for good fun. With Codemasters’ car expertise and implementation of hardware accessories, the experience is worth trying. Still, coming up against other big-name racing series, I don’t think GRID Legends will make the podium finish.

I had a great, albeit frustrating time with Eldest Souls and thoroughly enjoyed the short experience. It is a brutally difficult game, but the music, art style, and overall challenge had me coming back for “one last try” each and every time. I will say that if you are not a fan of boss-rush or challenging games, then this will not change that. But if you are after a title with an old-school appeal that does not hold you by the hand and presents a truly captivating time, then I think you will find a lot to enjoy here.

A lot of love for the survival horror genre has been put into Dead of Darkness, which shows in every aspect of the design. However, repetitive combat, constant inventory management, and frequent backtracking undercut the competent puzzle design and solid narrative. As a game so beholden to genre tropes and classic design, Dead of Darkness feels like it never quite knows how to play into its strengths. If you are a die-hard survival horror fan you might get some enjoyment over the throwback vibes—but otherwise, it may be better left in the dark.

REPLACED feels simultaneously over-scoped yet under-designed. An incredible visual style and rich world immediately catch the eye, but only the former holds up across the entire adventure. Likewise, the gameplay is initially rewarding, but fails to expand its simple foundations over a journey that’s far too bloated. REPLACED’s repetitive gameplay holds back the gorgeous aesthetics, but there’s still a charming core underneath the grime that may just win you over.

A simple but endearing experience, Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is a nostalgic adventure that does justice to the satisfying crafting mechanics that have represented the series’ identity for nearly a quarter of a century. While it might lack the complexity and depth of more recent entries, and some of its “classic” elements feel a little dated, it provides a solid core gameplay loop within a charming package. It’s a bite-sized nostalgic RPG romp that feels cosy as heck and never outstays its welcome.

Trolley Problem, Inc is a decent exploration of morality and philosophy, culminating in a provocative experience that will likely linger beyond its rather short playtime. It’s cleverly presented, even if it can verge on the side of overly simple. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t maintain the same level of intrigue generated by its opening questions, failing to include real-world politics in a satisfying way. It stumbles one too many times, with moments of brilliance being met in equal measure by disappointing shortcomings.

Party Animals is a fantastic game to get everyone in the mood. Not only is the art design enriching, but the sound design really makes an impact as well. Each match will have you in hysterics as you fight for the crown. There are some serious concerns surrounding the microtransaction economy found within as well as a lack of accessibility options for people who need them. However, at the very least, the game does prove to be a fun time with friends and an easy way to lose track of the hours.

SaGa Emerald Beyond provides an engaging RPG that takes you through five different stories and a complex battle system. By replaying stories and carrying over your experience, you can overcome previously insurmountable obstacles and view different endings. However, the emphasis on repetition and lack of information make this a hard game to master. You’ll need to enjoy replaying stories multiple times and learning on the job to get real enjoyment out of the experience.

Revenge of the Savage Planet offers cooperative fun in an alien environment worth exploring. A varied gameplay experience propels you around a dynamic world of wonder, amplified by vibrant visuals and punchy audio. Let down somewhat by its comedic tone and unpolished approach, this title falls short of its full potential but still finds ways to surprise and delight along the way.

Hangar 13 did not try to fix TopSpin with this latest entry, but perhaps they should have. With less-than-desirable graphics, a lacking on-release pro player pool, and hard-to-tune difficulty settings which made picking up the game harder than it needed to be, the game is left with much to be desired. Despite that, the bones of TopSpin 2K25 are good, and hopefully, they will be built upon in future games.

Demon Slayer – The Hinokami Chronicles 2 gives you a strong fighting game that draws you into the story just like the original manga/anime. Prioritising teamwork and combos makes you utilise every moveset for maximum effectiveness. It’s not an easy game to master, and the story can be finished in a few hours. Fans will love what this game has to offer, but you may not enjoy the game if you’ve never heard of the Demon Slayer series.