Batora: Lost Haven is a mix of a lot of different ideas, some of which work well, others which don’t. The grand scope of its planet-hopping setting is impressive, but the moral choice aspects and supporting cast feel underdeveloped and shallow. The Nature-switching combat and puzzles also show promise. However, the limited combat options, and puzzles that make use of only a small number of your abilities, cause the experience to become repetitive before its brisk playtime is through. Despite these issues, Batora: Lost Haven is a unique and decent enough experience for sci-fi and action-RPG fans to consider checking it out.

The Invisible Hand is oftentimes more frustrating and confusing than it is fun. It’s definitely made for people who are more knowledgeable or interested in the subject matter of trading stocks. Though, even from the point of view of someone who knows nothing about stock markets, I can see its value to those who do. It’s satirical and well crafted for what it is. Even I could have some fun while playing the game. Ultimately though, this game is not made for everyone, and that’s okay. Those who find themselves in The Invisible Hand’s niche corner will no doubt find some nefarious fun to be had.

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed succeeds when it suits you up as a Ghostbuster for the first time. You relish the thrill of capturing your first ghost and learning how to hunt them down. Playing as a ghost is equally fun, learning how to haunt and scare everyone out of the building. Unfortunately, playing this game by yourself will quickly become boring, as the single-player experience grows dull quickly. With friends or other players, the true fun of the game comes out. But even that will be short-lived if played too often, as a lack of variety and objectives to achieve will dull the fun.

Overall, Shuten Order’s real selling point is its sense of style. Each screen of the game is a feast for the eyes full of colour and interesting designs. While its main story is solid, the individual routes vary in quality and their gameplay often feels a little lacklustre. Even still, there is a lot to love in this strange world and it’s hard not to enjoy the time spent there. Praised be the Shuten Order.

Kao the Kangaroo is a nice 3D platformer for getting your feet wet. The gameplay from previous entries is the same and it is easy for beginners to pick up. The graphics look good and keeping it simple fits with the game’s theme. Unfortunately, the game feels too short, ending just as it picks up momentum. Collectibles feel like unnecessary game padding, the story feels like an excuse plot, and the voice acting leaves a lot to be desired. This may satisfy fans who were looking forward to Kao the Kangaroo’s return, but there isn’t much for players who were hoping for a great, modern 3D platformer.

Thymesia is unlikely to blow anyone’s socks off, especially if they are a Souls veteran. A snappy, fluid, and visually striking experience doesn’t quite make up for the lack of character and purpose the game unfortunately suffers from. You’ll likely enjoy your time playing the game and fighting through the different locations and bosses, but Thymesia still fails somewhat to leave a lasting impression.

Little Nightmares 3 presents gameplay and location design that mimics the style of its predecessors, while maintaining none of the depth or exploration that the horror genre champions so effectively. Till now, Tarsier Studios has steered the Little Nightmares games through caricatural horror to plumb the depths of those life-sized fears. But now Supermassive Games has taken the wheel, and the proverbial ship has veered frighteningly off-course into shallow waters.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a valiant third-person shooter in the titular universe, yet still falls somewhat short. As a bite-sized, mindless action game on the surface, blasting away hordes upon hordes of xenomorphs with the M41A Pulse Rifle is excellent. Trying different classes, abilities, and unlockable weapons help keep gameplay refreshing during your first run. However, Fireteam Elite wants to be replayable and what’s on offer simply isn’t that fun to return to. Formulaic level design and often buggy AI make finishing missions a chore rather than a triumph. Series fans will enjoy the package, but Aliens: Fireteam Elite may struggle to survive against other co-op shooters. “Another glorious day in the Corps…” but not much longer than that.

Despite not completely lacking in fun, MADO MONOGATARI: Fia and the Wondrous Academy stops short of doing anything interesting with its academy life sim elements or its dungeon crawling. Try-hard ‘funny’ dialogue waffles for too long, academy activities is largely messing around in menus, and dungeons are one-note and house the same enemies and traps that don’t offer a true challenge. If this is your very first dungeon crawler and you’re under the age of twelve, you might find enough fun to get you to the end, but for everyone else, this one will likely lie unfinished on the shelf after the first five hours.

I’m an optimistic person. I try to view games as more than the sum of their parts, flaws and all. I’m struggling to maintain that train of thought as I reflect on my time with Daemon X Machina: Titanic Scion. An odd release here or there from a studio is forgivable. They can be viewed as an off-game, one where they weren’t at their best. Two uneven titles down into the mech series, and it’s clear there are problems with this series down to the core. If this is an IP that is to be continued, something fundamentally needs to change. Fans who see that diamond in the rough here deserve better.

Miasma Chronicles takes the turn-based strategy formula and throws on additional layers of stealth to enforce guerilla-warfare strategies. It largely succeeds in this goal, ensuring players take in their surroundings while taking out as many enemies as they can. When combat starts, you use various abilities and character strengths to survive. This gameplay immerses you well, making you want to plan out your next strategy as soon as possible. There are some flaws in the gameplay, such as abilities and environmental objects not working as intended. It’s also too easy to accidentally commit to a mistake while looking over the battlefield. But there are more strengths than weaknesses that allow Miasma Chronicles to deliver a fun strategic experience.

In its 10-15 hour runtime, Deliver At All Costs delivers (haha) a short and sweet package of iconic video game driving nonsense. The driving mechanics handle well enough to feel satisfying to play, while also being unwieldy enough to turn you into the worst road menace of the 1950s. Focused on feeding you laughs every chapter through its gameplay and juxtaposed seriously dramatic storyline, reckless endangerment has never been so much fun.

New Tales from the Borderlands could have played it safe by using characters from the well-established universe that people know and love. However, Gearbox Quebec’s decision to create a whole new bunch of ragtag characters that connect so clearly with Borderland’s existing humour, art style, and lore has really paid off. New Tales from the Borderlands isn’t a gameplay-heavy game, but the visuals, narrative, and the way the character’s personalities are so well-developed kept me riveted and surprised. With what Gearbox has created here, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see even Newer Tales From The Borderlands in the future.

I feel it is perfect for newcomers to the genre presenting a fun and cartoony experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Bye Sweet Carole features a magnetic, magical and also horrific 2D world to explore that takes the conventions of 2D animation and turns them on their head to create a memorable story filled with narrative themes and puzzles that are nailed with pinpoint precision. Without a shadow of a doubt, Lana’s story is one worth experiencing, and it’s a unique horror adventure. However, it’s marred by the sheer scale of a few of its faults, including significant bugs and scarce, unnecessary sequences that take away from the gem that’s there. There’s a magical time to be had here, and I wholly want people to have that… it just hasn’t quite fully found its voice yet.

Rune Factory 5 is more of the familiar, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It makes enough small improvements that it does feel newer, but if you are looking for something leaps and bounds different from the last game, you will be disappointed. The game has a lot of charm and love put into it, but the abysmal frame rate does make it hard to recommend, even though I thoroughly enjoyed it. With some future patches addressing the game’s framerate issues and input delay, Rune Factory 5 could easily turn into a wonderful game.

WILL: Follow the Light offers a few glimmers of promise amidst its fog of missed potential, but they are too few and far between to recommend. Stiff delivery, rough writing and uneven puzzles all would have been better served by being thrown overboard so WILL could focus on its atmospheric sailing strengths. Instead, WILL is better left adrift at sea with only its lost promise to keep it company.

The main problem with Chains of Freedom is that it never stakes its own claim. It doesn’t carve out territory that feels unique and often feels more like an imitator of other games than something with its own personality. While the core mechanics are largely serviceable, without a unique angle, there are far greater entries in the turn-based tactics genre to spend your time with. Ultimately, the predictable narrative delivered by dull characters and the repetitive combat make this a difficult recommendation for all but the most die-hard fans of the genre.

SWORD ART ONLINE Fractured Daydream is a love letter to the Sword Art Online franchise. You get to play your favourite characters from both Sword Art Online and Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online, in a story that unites both worlds. It’s compelling and it adds shock value, especially if you follow the anime or light novel. In addition, the multiplayer campaign is well-built as it encourages teamwork and knowledge of your chosen character. Lastly, there is an incentive to play the game over and over as the in-game achievements challenge you to achieve the highest score and learn what happens to your favourite characters.

No two basketball games play out the same, and the same can be said for NBA 2K24‘s variety of modes and features. ProPlay was a welcome addition to the overall feel of the gameplay, adding an extra level of realism. Some modes work extremely well, like The W, and others like the career mode fizzle out, but overall the gameplay itself is great. Unfortunately, having microtransactions at what feels like every corner is a real letdown for something that otherwise has real potential.

Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse is a good remake. It paints an engaging and delightfully horrific world to delve into, with shocking twists and secrets to uncover at every turn. While players will very likely be left picking up the pieces of its narrative largely told through readables, it’s rewarding when it all clicks into place, painting a harrowing picture set in Southern Japan. It may be a remake that is still very of its era, with finicky camera movement and some questionable female character skins that can only come from that of gaming in the 2000s. However, in every other aspect, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse revels in its origins. On offer is wicked, tense and tight combat performed creatively through the Camera Obscura. It’s environmental design and scares are begging to be picked apart in true throwback fashion. Well worth the resurfacing indeed.

Serial Cleaners has taken the monotonous act of cleaning and spun it on its head by placing it in a gritty criminal world with characters that are eccentric and passionate about getting the job done. Though the gameplay can be repetitive and the dialogue may make you wince, the location art and the special abilities of each character makes up for the lack of “action” in this “action crime” game. Instead, the elements of dead bodies, shining pools of blood, and the game’s dark colour palette brings the excitement as you clean up the carnage other games would usually have you create.

Demon Turf is a good game begging the eyes of those invested in the collectathon niche. Plenty of fun hours are on offer to watch those numbers tick up and pull off some tight and joyful platforming. It may waver in some of its later combat and ability design, also proving unfriendly for younger audiences. Though just as much forgiveness is issued when you consider how devoted the game is to tackling its genre. If you’re looking for a more modest and fun game to wind down the year, this is it.

Firmament is an immersive experience that facilitates a beautiful, albeit lonely world to explore. This is brought down by lacklustre storytelling and bland narration. With little to show outside of admittedly great audio and sound design, Firmament fails to hold its own amongst great puzzle games. The beautifully quiet and immersive atmosphere of a world abandoned will keep players immersed, unsettled and intrigued. Unfortunately, its tedious gameplay and puzzle-solving present a tired and uninspired experience that will have you looking towards Cyan World’s more notable titles.

I really, really enjoyed my time with The Gunk; a fleetingly brief experience that left me feeling tranquil and at peace. It is rare a game can have an effect like that on me – what with the smorgasbord of violent games and intensity on offer around every corner. Do not let the quirky name put you off, The Gunk is more than deserving of a play during a lazy summer (or winter for you northern hemisphere dwelling folk) afternoon. Bugs and minor flaws do prove to be an inconvenience, although Image & Form Games have still managed to deliver a solid 3D platformer that’s worth a look.

NARUTO X BORUTO Ultimate Ninja STORM CONNECTIONS is quite the disappointment. Presenting as a step back for the series in many ways, there are simply better adaptations to spend your time with. The game comes with a middling story combined with a lack of spectacle that serves as a mediocre attempt at celebrating the IP. Whilst some fun can be had with the stacked roster and it’s easy to jump into, you’ll often be reminded that there are greener pastures elsewhere.

The Chant storms out of the gates with a kooky but intriguing concept of cosmic-horror, but simply isn’t able to live up to its own ambitions. It has some good ideas if you look hard enough, but the clunky combat, milquetoast puzzle solving and forgettable story firmly plant this one in the category of B-Grade horror, which, to be fair, is definitely the vibe the developers seem to have gone for. Even with a few good foundational ideas with the use of prisms and a couple of cool boss fights helping The Chant slightly redeem itself, the biggest misfire is that it’s just not that scary, and without that, this cosmic-horror is just a cosmic-snooze.

Though far from perfect, Eternights has a lot of good ideas that heavier hitters in the action dating sim genre should follow. Despite being a small team, Studio Sai provides a fun and enjoyable experience in the scene, offering charming and equally viable dating options to get to know, even adding a queer romance option. There’s an engaging mystery to uncover in-game too, every so often taking the time to showcase this in gorgeous 2D animation. Though polish could’ve been greater in distracting HUD and menus, combat checkpoints and the like, what the studio has done for the genre is create an earnest and wholehearted positive step forward.

Dead Reset is a confined, blood-stained, interactive movie with some appealing practical effects and a unique atmosphere. What’s there is a very solid FMV game carried by a story that greatly benefits from its leading characters, as well as its superb sound design. But it suffers from frequent freezes and crashes that drastically ruin its pacing, a lack of weight in player decisions and variations in the story responding to them, and an ensemble cast where half the characters are forgettable, and even worse, forgotten within their own narrative.

Winter Burrow is positively blanketed in charm and whimsy, but looking below the surface reveals survival gameplay at its most basic. Interesting characters and the aesthetic appeal can’t fully compensate for the repetitive gameplay and oddly lacking mechanics. Dressing up mice in little outfits is fun, but ultimately can’t save a game so torn between two core concepts.

While Waiting is a wonderful game about time wasting, and all the fun and creative ways in which you can do that. Sometimes all you can do is sit and wait, and sometimes that gives the most rewarding outcome. Sometimes the most important thing you can do with your time is nothing, as long as it’s with people you care about. Living life, being with the people you love and doing the things that make you happy is never a waste of time.

There are some fundamentally great things about Atlas Fallen, like its gorgeous desert landscapes and its super-satisfying sand sliding, plus combat that has a tonne of options and flows well. But its open world of interesting enemies suffers from a rinse-and-repeat approach, where what was exciting in hour two becomes boring and repetitive by hour eight. It’s not that it’s poorly made, but its mission structure and by-the-numbers narrative delivered in a boring way make for an adventure that is more generic than unique. Atlas Fallen is much like a mirage in its sandy desert setting; enticing at first, but a bit disappointing once you look closer and realise it’s not what you’d hoped.

Despite some the JRPG royalty involved, Astria Ascending just isn’t able to live up to the high expectations. The good news is that Artisan Studio seem committed to updating the game over time, so ideally the rough edges present will get smoothed out. But at the moment, Astria Ascending’s innovative combat, gorgeous art, and esoteric story are overshadowed by frustrating cutscenes, painful pacing, and many half-baked mechanics. Hitoshi Sakimoto’s soundtrack sets a high bar, but in its current state, the rest of Astria Ascending has trouble rising to meet it.

Disgaea 6 Complete is, overall, a stronger entry in the series than the original Disgaea 6: Defiance of Destiny, yet still leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to game balance, quality of life, and ease of use. The many game mechanics are simply too varied and plentiful, and while the game’s cast and plot are a fun ride, the best of them are left as afterthoughts as part of the pack-in DLC. The performance and stability fixes will be welcomed by those who struggled with the Switch port, as the powerful PS5 and PCs run the game with ease. I would say fans of SRPGs should definitely give Disgaea 6 Complete a spin, but expect a devilishly cheeky time that does not conform to the genre’s traditional values.

Overall, Kiln is a fun little party brawler offering all the tools to make your own unique, custom pots to do battle in. It also features surprisingly deep and well-thought-out battle mechanics, mixing pros and cons of pottery size and class with unique maps to do battle in. Players who stick with it and form their own squads will do well in future, but I do wonder if there is enough here to keep players hooked long term.

Warriors: Abyss wastes no time giving players a tangible story and also appears to lack depth in its opening moments, but that also doesn’t matter. Instead, it focuses on translating the Musou experience into a tactile and fast-paced roguelike adventure and it excels at doing just that, rewarding players the more they put into it. Providing a thrilling and refreshing take on the Warriors series, it is not to be missed.

Soulstice is a truly great action game, which despite taking many cues from stylish action titles of the past, carves out enough of an identity to stand out on its own. The system of controlling both sisters and maintaining auras while slashing through foes is intuitive and simple to master. Although the plot leaves many threads hanging, the development of the central sibling relationship and setting were enough to draw me into Soulstice’s world and want to see more. If you’re a fan of challenging action games and can forgive a slightly annoying camera, Soulstice is definitely worth checking out.

The biggest and boldest Battlefield to date, 2042 combines trademark action with impressive innovations. Experimentation with loadout and attachment changes drive the enormous spectacle of 128 player warzones and dynamic weather events. Hazard Zone provides the grounds for extremely tactical gameplay but needs refinement to make it a lasting experience. The shining star without question is Portal, allowing series veterans to jump back into their favourite legacy maps and muck around with creative modes and features – it's basically four games in one package. If it wasn't for a few poorly designed 2042 maps, combat balancing issues, and performance concerns, Battlefield 2042 might be the best in the franchise.

JDM: Japanese Drift Master shines in places like the graphics and the cars themselves. Gaming Factory has put a lot of love into this, and it shows. Especially using Polish musicians to fill up their radio stations. There are some issues, though; the story itself doesn’t leave an impact, the difficulty of the AI is inconsistent, and there are some bugs. But it’s all about the drifting, and that’s where it makes up for it. The driving is fluid, and the NPCs can be quite challenging. However, the cars sound amazing, it really sounds like you’re driving a Miata! Fans of Tokyo Drift, Initial D and general drift racing sim fans will have a ball with JDM.

Biomutant is full of creative ideas and unique thoughts that, when combined with such a gorgeous and compelling environment to explore, could have made for a top-tier experience that is easy to recommend. However, the fact that it has so many ideas crammed in that it almost feels like too much, and an open world that can feel very by-the-numbers, makes Biomutant a solid game that misses the mark almost as much as it hits the nail on the head.

Where The Heart Leads is a terrific narrative game that has you make hard, fascinating life choices on behalf of its characters to create a story that feels your own. It utilises its surreal elements sparingly, instead opting to focus on the realistic personal lives of its many richly nuanced characters. Despite some slight issues with dialogue, menus, and the camera, Where The Heart Leads is a great experience, and a fascinating exploration of issues rarely covered in games.

Featuring a cute lizard protagonist and an imaginative archipelago of puzzles, Gecko Gods is just too rough around the edges to earn its stripes. At its best, it emulates the same wonderful feeling of free exploration you get from the Zelda series, but these moments struggle to shine through frustrating controls and low graphical fidelity.

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is good for a short time, not a long time. What could have been a glorious game full of compelling contracts and challenging assassinations gets muddied by boring regions that are just begging to be filled with objectives to make them seem worthwhile. Instead, you’ll spend more time walking around than actually sniping the baddies. Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 feels unsure of whether it can truly be a strong sniper simulator so instead it tries to outgun other FPS and assassination games – unfortunately, despite it’s fun sniping gunplay, it misses the mark on both.

Moros Protocol is a decent roguelike FPS with a cool visual aesthetic, but it could have been better, especially as a solo experience. The moment-to-moment combat is enjoyably fast-paced, with a good variety of weapons and upgrades to customise your loadout. However, the sluggish meta-progression and repetition of taking the experience from the top after each death wear down the experience over time. If you’re looking for a fun roguelike co-op shooter, you can certainly do worse than Moros Protocol, as long as you bring a friend.

The Last Alchemist has some good puzzle-solving which immerses you in the life of an alchemist. Experimenting and treating every resource with respect is part of the charm. But it feels like the game relies on padding to extend its length. There aren’t many activities to do in-game and the game length is short. The puzzles are certainly interesting, but there isn’t much to do outside of running around and finding essence ingredients.

Shattered – Tale of the Forgotten King has so many things going for it. It looks absolutely stunning with its protagonist filled with jagged edges, its melancholic soundtrack with its twangy acoustic guitars, and the story behind its creation is super sweet and inspiring. However, this is a game that has been in early access for nearly two years. Steam is full of players offering suggestions in their reviews of what needs improving, but a lot of these repeated suggestions have not been taken on. Shattered needed to be worked on a bit more before it was smashed into pieces and served up to its audience.

Tunche combines familiar mechanics with a setting that is rarely represented in video games. This keeps the game’s visual design fresh, but the combat is more than familiar and not up to the standard set by other games in these genres. Tunche can’t scratch the side-scrolling beat-em-up action of River City Girls or the honed roguelike structure of Hades. Unfortunately, this means the game’s charming art and characters are at battle with lackluster gameplay.

Impaler is a good time for shooter fans looking for an instant nostalgia fix. The gameplay, music, and visuals achieve the ideal 90s aesthetic with a gothic twist. While it is limited in content, short, and a little too easy for the genre, the cheap price tag is appropriate if you want to give the game a stab.

Blanc is a great game to play if you’re looking for another co-op game to share with someone close to you. There are some noticeable issues including a lack of visual cues and a camera that’s just not as effective as it should be. Though the journey the game takes you on is fun, and the beautiful art style is clearly evident. It’s a short enough game and there’s definitely room for improvement. But it’s also clear that the passion is there. Another good and wholesome game for anyone to play.

SOULVARS may have been a hit when it came out on mobile in 2022, but its PC version has not made enough changes for it to feel like it is meant to be played on other gaming devices. The game had an opportunity to increase its interactivity by including more explicit instructions, adding many more narrative elements and by spicing up the game’s landscape. However, as it stands, I’d be sticking to the mobile version of SOULVARS as the ported version lacks a lot of soul.

Life Eater is a game I’m a little sad I can’t rate on concept and premise alone. Snooping through timelines of activities of potential targets and investigating tidbits to try and correctly take down those requested is good on paper, offering the same highs of franchises such as Hitman. However, its execution is a little underbaked. The qualifiers for targets are equally too vague and too simple with little variety, leading to friction and distrust about whether or not you’re on the right track. There is quality design in the way you’re managing meters to avoid suspicion and maximising your time, along with some stellar returning performances from the likes of Xalavier Nelson Jr. However, Life Eater needed a little more time bunkering down, taking notes, and just getting every little thing right. The perfect hunt it is not.

Exoprimal makes a fantastic first impression as you enter the world of futuristic dinosaur combat. You have an intriguing mystery, cool exosuits, and several varieties of dinosaurs to fight. Unfortunately, the gameplay quickly becomes stale as you realise its repetitive nature. If you want to enjoy the mystery, you must play a large number of games. Only the most hardcore PvP players will want to continue, as others may tire of the lack of variety. As interesting as the concept is, Exoprimal doesn’t take full advantage of the premise, instead providing a decent multiplayer experience for a few hours.

It must be said, I was absolutely blindsided by JETT: The Far Shore. The marketing was vague enough that I could envision this game working. The aesthetic that I found so dazzling is still there, but everything else falls by the wayside. At best, the gameplay teased me with what could have been. At its worst, it was a frustrating and laborious mess. Storywise, there were few sparks of interest to be found. Should something catch alight, it would be quickly smothered by boring office chatter. It’s the purest form of a game that presents itself as a well-designed art piece. JETT: The Far Shore is something to ogle at, to mull over, to discuss. It has no desire to lower itself to the medium of video games, and the mechanical tedium bears that out.

Destroy All Humans! 2 Reprobed is like a younger, more immature sibling of the original. Gameplay wise, it is bolder and more logically put together, but overall it lacks the comedic intelligence that the original presented. Sure, Destroy All Humans! wasn’t exactly an intellectual experience, but it did offer discussions on social commentary that had a lot to say about society as a whole and problems with 1950s America. It seems as though the developers spent more time on improving gameplay than they did on developing a script and story that would offer the same elements of satire and intellect as the first. Although the original was released in 2006, a very different time socially and politically, this remaster could have ironed out a number of the narrative problematic edges. Unfortunately, by sticking with the “nature and soul” of the original release, the world of Destroy All Humans! 2 Reprobed doesn’t quite feel right in this more progressive world of 2022.

It becomes harder and harder as we get older to be astonished by the simple things in life. The way that Miniatures asks the player to slow down and explore four different memories, each so beautifully drawn, made me feel that sense of curiosity and awe in the worlds the game has created, a feeling that doesn’t occur as naturally as it once did. Though the narrative missed an opportunity to discuss deeper themes and make each tale offer some deeper meaning to the audience, there is still a lot for players to get from this short, yet sweet, point-and-click narrative experience.

If you’re reading this and thinking ‘Gee, that sure doesn’t sound like a particularly great game’, well, you’re right, it’s kind of not. The Thing: Remastered so gloriously channels the vibe of something you’d rent from the video store on a Friday night and binge across the weekend that I can’t help but love it anyway. Level layouts are often uninspiring, what few puzzles there are tend to be mildly annoying in their design, companion and enemy A.I. alike are completely wretched, and from start to finish it filled me with childlike delight in a way that no new game has in years. I’ve always had a soft spot for earnest B games, and The Thing: Remastered is the most earnest B one I’ve played in a long time.

Open Roads is a very well-executed story about the relationship between a grieving mother and daughter. Both characters are incredibly likable and there is so much chemistry between the voice actors that it’s easy to relate to and care about both of them. While it’s a short experience and one that could benefit from further expansion and animation, Open Roads still has a lot to offer. It’s just a shame it finishes a little earlier than expected because the narrative is strong enough to carry beyond its credits.

Enjoyable enough to play for an hour or so, but Grit & Valor – 1949 quickly gave me the feeling of wishing I had the tools I needed to make responsive tactical decisions, and left me wanting to be offered choices that would lead me to different battleplans than the ones I started my runs with. In the end, providing giant robots just wasn’t enough to win the day.

Quarantine Zone: The Last Check is a more-than-competent zombie border security game. It invites players to focus on the small details, providing enough strategic options and management systems to feel rewarding for the player. The game stumbles, or perhaps shambles, in its implementation of certain systems, not always feeling like a cohesive or perfectly thought-out experience. With more depth added to the character interactions and less focus on perfecting security checks, Quarantine Zone: The Last Check could have risen to new heights.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons does a reasonable job of bringing back a classic series, but it’s unfortuantely hit and miss. Some imaginative stage design, a fantastic soundtrack, and stages changing dependent on the order you pick are all satisfying additions. But a focus on making money to earn tokens, some nasty difficulty spikes, and what feels like forced replayability detracts from the experience. This is close enough to a classic Double Dragon title that it’ll likely attract some fans of the originals. However, it’s also an example of a game that could have gone a little further and perhaps should have considered taking some inspiration from other successful recent revivals in the genre.

There is a general paucity of Lovecraftian thrills in this puzzle adventure, and as much as I try not to resent a game for the crime of simply being bad, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is a frustratingly fragile waste of time and energy that I will never get back. There are far too many kinks for Big Bad Wolf to iron out here, be it a generational misunderstanding of H.P. Lovecraft as a whole, or the dreadful technical state in which I had the displeasure of playing it. Or possibly it is the muddled storytelling and stilted writing, unimaginative and repetitive puzzle design, and about everything this game attempts but fails to execute. At the end of the day, it is a game hinging on the hope that its audience has never played far better and more polished Lovecraftian titles.

Visually, this is a cosmic horror fan’s fantasy. Nameless creatures and an accursed world are all procedurally generated for a unique experience in each run. The downside is the incredibly disappointing gameplay often layered with grinding, camera and control issues, underwhelming combat, terrible UI, and repetition beyond the norm for a roguelite. Accompanied with a few haunting bugs here and there, Source of Madness is merely a shadow of more enjoyable games.

Crash Team Rumble is a solid foundation to work off of, taking what Toys for Bob built with Crash 4 and creating a new experience that can be a great deal of fun in short bursts, especially with friends, but currently lacks staying power due to a dearth of gameplay content beyond cosmetics that won’t be enough to bring everyone back for more. If the game can expand in the near future and break through the live-service curse, it could very well stand as another classic Crash title, but for now it may well be another piece of lost potential waiting to happen.

There are just too many amazing Soulslike efforts to justify spending a lot of time with AI Limit, but that doesn’t make it a bad game. It has some unique ideas that switch up combat just enough to be interesting, and its anime art style initially impresses. But for seasoned veterans of the genre, it doesn’t provide much of a challenge and mostly feels like a retread. I’m sure there are people out there who have been scarred by Dark Souls and are looking for an entry-level Soulslike to ease them back in, and that’s the kind of individual I’d recommend AI Limit to. They’ll have fun, but it’s a stepping stone to something far more riveting elsewhere.

Bright Memory: Infinite will go down as a largely impressive game held back by glaring shortfalls. The frenetic and uniquely compelling shooter/hack ‘n’ slash combat as well as the breathtakingly realistic visuals make for a worthy experience alone. Unfortunately, that narrative is told in a less than elegant way and the quick sprint to roll credits hold Infinite back from reaching its true potential.

I had a good time with High on Life, but I can’t promise that everyone else will. Although the basic first-person shooter gameplay is hardly a revolution in game design, its certainly more than competent and accomplishes what it needs to, even with its significant lack of variety in the game’s second half. Where High on Life is likely to be polarising is its dialogue and humour, which are prevalent enough that they are hard to ignore. If you’re looking for a decent FPS that doesn’t overstay its welcome and can accept that not every joke is likely to land, then High on Life is certainly worth checking out.

As I write this review a couple of weeks after Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm of Ruin’s launch I can’t help but feel sad. It’s a very good game despite its issues and an incredibly strong first RTS from a studio known for their management sims. A sequel that addresses its handful of shortcomings could absolutely be top-tier. Depressingly the writing already appears to be on the wall however, with the studio already announcing that they’re returning to the genre that made them famous after the game’s launch sales were so poor it tanked their stock price. Oh well.

Alone in the Dark has fumbled once again, with this reimagining circling the drain to a pit of mediocrity. Though the game itself and the environments can be beautiful, it doesn't take advantage of its star-studded cast nor does it tell a story that is remotely sensical or engaging. Always offering just the bare minimum of staples for the survival horror genre and nothing more, it's sad to see the grand daddy of the genre be a shell of its former self. Maybe Alone in the Dark should remain exactly like its namesake.

A game whose only real sin is having been beaten to the punch by Mario and Sonic. Each event plays well and is backed up with solid presentation, tight controls and AI that offers a proper challenge when against you, while having your back when on your team. Add to that a soundtrack that feels properly encouraging and some solid reasons to keep trudging at the elusive medals and you have a solid title that clearly wasn’t rushed by any stretch. That said, if you prefer your sports to be on the realistic side, or you want things even wackier with a touch of spiky hedgehog, this probably isn’t the game for you. For everyone else – go for gold.

Killing Floor 3 delivers the punch and the thrill that you’d expect from this well-renowned franchise. Upgraded with modern audiences in mind, the title could have easily been the next big release from a talented development studio. However, with too little focus on content and polish and too much focus on replicating games-as-a-service design philosophies, Killing Floor 3 falls short of its potential.

Chinatown Detective Agency’s main draw, the real-world investigation, is a great idea that worked very well for the most part. It will be interesting to see if it can survive the internet’s aggressive SEO algorithm, but I still think it’ll be a fun time for any mystery game fan. Unfortunately, multiple bugs and glitches that should have been caught before launch ruined a lot of my experience, along with a truly annoying inability to save mid-mission. The good news is, the developers have already been very active in fixing many issues with the game, so the grievances I have with the game may very well be temporary.

The Precinct is a campy love letter to ’80s cop dramas, blending street-level patrols with high-speed chases in an open world. While it nails the tone with stylish set-pieces, exciting car chases, and a synthy soundtrack, the clunky implementation of mechanics and shallow upgrades hold back its more simulated gameplay. The Precinct may not always follow protocol, but it sure knows how to throw a siren-blaring good time.

Toads of the Bayou has so many awesome concepts that I thought it may just be one of my games of 2024. The character and world design are both well-developed and adorable, and the gameplay was fun… before I started dying over and over again. To really let more players appreciate this world they have created, La Grange either needs to put in difficulty settings or provide players with more support, instead making gameplay harder by punishing them with ‘cursed’ cards when they are struggling. Because the way it stands, I won’t be jumpin’ to head back to the bayou anytime soon.

While Shredders is definitely a great homage to snowboarding, it feels restrained and I can’t decide if it’s the budget, the developers, or the lack of length in missions that are what’s holding it back from entering into truly great territory. The incredibly beautiful snowfields help this world come to life. And while the characters can look a little generic, the voice work from professional snowboarders does help make up for this (sometimes). The developers at FoamPunch have delivered an open world with intuitive controls and a killer soundtrack that will make you want to keep coming back. Shredders is undoubtedly a solid snowboarding simulation. Hopefully the next attempt can clean up the pain points to deliver the whole package.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is polished enough to function, familiar enough to feel safe, and dull enough to be skippable. There are a few nice surprises in here with fan-favourite returning maps and an interesting direction the co-op campaign goes into if you’re already invested, but little reason for anyone else to jump in.

Impressively, this superhero action game isn’t just a cash-grab, shovelware release for kids. Batgirl, Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and friends are charming representations of their cartoon and comic-book counterparts with heaps of flair. The slice of life elements are decent, with humorous stories and meaningful drama peppered throughout, but not without superficial parts. Exploring the handful of open-world levels invites plenty of picture-taking and collect-a-thon fun, even if the rewards aren’t much more than levelling up, shopping for lacking clothing options, and a poorly implemented city-building mechanic. On the other hand, combat is addictive with notable scalability and satisfying skills to decimate an array of pesky robots and possessed toys across varied missions. Altogether, DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power is a surprisingly entertaining action and social game for the whole family.

Copycat shoots for the stars with its narrative ambitions, delivering an emotional, introspective experience that will have you reflecting on your relationship to the animals and people in your life. It goes to some truly unexpected places, some of which are questionable, but all of which are compelling. Despite the pieces not quite coming together in perfect harmony, this is an experience that will stick with you for a long time.

Park Beyond delivers a captivating theme park adventure with innovative concepts and stunning visual design. The engaging campaign, featuring pitch meetings and diverse themes, will keep you invested and motivated. The impossification mechanic adds a unique twist, allowing you to create mind-bending roller coasters. However, the game is marred by technical issues, including game-crashing bugs and a lack of support for set pieces and decorations. Despite these shortcomings, Park Beyond’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity is commendable. With updates and improvements, it has the potential to become a standout title in the genre, offering an immersive and imaginative experience.

As the Entity looms overhead, The Casting Of Frank Stone is a cinematic run at an IP begging for further exploration. But with a strong set-up, the film reel birth of a killer lacks the flesh of a real rampage let alone multiverse caper. Thankfully though, this is still a decent game that is able to stand on its own. The Cutting Room Floor is a welcome addition to the Supermassive cinematic horror formula that needs to return in their other games. This is a love letter to Dead By Daylight fans but those outside the game’s grasp might be a little bit harder to hook. I strongly believe we’ll be seeing more from this partnership in due time.

Blasting through unbelievable tracks at sonic speeds, Redout 2 is one of the fastest racing games around. It shows off beautiful science-fiction races across an alternate Earth and galaxy. Yet, the track design is impractical, making it a challenge to play and that difficulty extends into the beastly AI, tiresome overheating mechanic, and time trials demanding precision and perfection. Multiplayer doesn’t hold up either, with network and matchmaking problems galore and a handful of bugs breaking races and visuals. However, there is still a fantastic amount of single-player content for the adrenaline junkie looking for extreme fun.

PAYDAY 3 offers a cooperative gameplay experience with an array of heists and a progression system that has its merits. However, it’s not without its share of issues. AI inconsistencies, unremarkable objectives, and underwhelming audio-visual elements tarnish the experience. While it’s an imperfect addition to the series, it still offers a taste of the criminal underworld. Like any complex caper, it has its moments of brilliance, but also a few unexpected hiccups along the way.

Detective Pikachu Returns offers an interesting look into the world of Pokémon. While the actual crime-solving lacks depth, and dialogue cutscenes feature a bit of repetition, fans of the original 3DS game will surely find something to love in Detective Pikachu Returns. There are some witty scenes, and at times the game isn’t afraid to poke fun at real-world aspects, like the Detective Pikachu movie. In addition to this, the simple deducting feature makes the game a good fit for younger players, or for parents wanting to play together with their kids.

Monark has all of the dot points needed to be a great game, but it just doesn’t go far enough to stand out in any one area. It has a few great nuggets of ideas that would have been great to see expanded upon, but it barely scratches the surface. There are too many areas that were lacking either visual flare or gameplay substance for it to be memorable among titans like Persona and Megami Tensei. Despite that, it still might be worth playing for fans of the genre. It’s like popcorn — it’s not a masterpiece, but it’s easily consumable and will scratch that JRPG itch.

Echoes of the End has strong puzzle foundations and a good grasp on difficulty, making it the type of challenge that is just right. That said, these puzzles dominate gameplay with action getting less of the spotlight, making for a lack of balance. This is a fantastic pick if you prefer brain-teasers over fisticuffs. But if you were looking for a thrilling escapade, you may be disappointed, as the action in this adventure mostly takes a backseat.

Star Overdrive rides with so much damn heart and style that it’s hard not to appreciate its charm. While the combat definitely feels like more than a speed bump, and the camera can be road rage inducing, the exhilarating thrill of movement, unique storytelling and killer retro vibe keeps the somewhat bumpy ride going. Everything is nicely wrapped up in a compelling mystery, and if you’re down to drift through the world of Cebet to solve it, Star Overdrive definitely earns a place in your indie collection.

Based on the impressive visuals and soundtrack, I wish I had a better time with Atomic Owl. I love a good roguelike platformer as much as the next person, but without carefully executed roguelike random elements, Atomic Owl is just a platformer where you start from the beginning after every game over. This tested my patience as I powered through the same levels, again and again, after every failure. Atomic Owl also currently has too many issues with frequent crashes, buggy boss fights, and poor design to merit a recommendation to anyone but the most tolerant of platformer fans.

The Lightbringer definitely brings some platforming joy to the surface but stumbles with uneven boss encounters. The game is easy to pick up with a gradual increase in platforming difficulty, though the lack of a checkpoint system may be a drawback for those less tried and tested to the ways of platformers. There is depth here if you’re after a challenge but The Lightbringer may end up leaving you a bit wanting.

I ended up enjoying Greedfall: The Dying World quite a lot; however, I recognise that it won’t be for everyone. The Real Time with Pause combat was more manageable than I expected, but I still think I’d have preferred either a straightforward action combat system like the first game or a proper turn-based combat system if the developers wanted to go in a more tactical direction. The large and diverse cast of companions is deep and interesting, and it’s just as well, as the main plot isn’t quite as compelling. If you’re looking for a return to the highs of Real Time with Pause RPGs, like the old Dragon Age or Baldur’s Gate games, Greedfall: The Dying World doesn’t quite get there, but it comes damned close. There’s a fascinating world out there to explore, just be aware that the journey won’t be free of storms.

Saints Row successfully reboots the much-loved franchise, although things don’t feel as wild or chaotic as I was expecting or hoping. The main campaign is a short but enjoyable romp with some decent creativity, but the open world template doesn’t innovate beyond the trappings of the genre. Side missions and distractions are amusing yet repetitive, and the adventure is lacking in polish overall. Still, being able to play the entire experience with a mate by your side makes for a lot of laughs, and if you can forgive the cringe dialogue, there are some fun moments between all the meandering that still makes it worthwhile. I can’t say that the Saints are “back and better than ever”, but gearing up for a modest romp with a lot of explosions and strong personalisation will certainly set them up for a roaring sequel if given the chance.

Empyreal has a great combat system with lots of opportunities to try something new. Hunting for better equipment is exciting, and developing your character is a rewarding feeling. But there’s not much else to do, and the shine wears off quickly. This is also a game that demands a good PC, or you might run into problems. It’s a great game for fans of varied combat and boss rushes, but not much else.

Best Month Ever! does indeed live up to its title… except with a few pitstops. While there is some clunky dialogue and awkward animations, the game still shines through with its story and themes. Best Month Ever! tells a good story about a dying mother’s wish, with mature themes that are treated with the utmost care, and a beautiful art style. The game is lacking with some accessibility issues and subtitles not always matching up with spoken dialogue. However, with an action-packed adventure, fans of point-and-click games should pick this one up when they can. Overall, it’s a touching story that almost anyone can connect with.

A few odd design decisions prevent Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield from growing into the action-packed blockbuster it yearns to be. While the title finds its footing once you’ve unlocked its speedier and more difficult game modes, it’s a bit of a slog to get there. For those willing to put in the effort to get to that endless runner’s high, there’s a slick experience to be found here. Although less patient parkourists might want to look elsewhere.

GRAVEN’s shortcomings will hold you back from really enjoying it. Although the design and atmosphere are great, it’s not enough to overcome the frustrating gameplay loop. Fans of the genre will find plenty to enjoy, but for most, the overall experience is likely to tip more into the frustrating than the exciting.

As a debut title, Violet Saint has done an impressive job of building a world that feels both dark and dismal, but also alive and full of character. Moroi is so much more than just a hack-and-slash, with both mystery and puzzles to solve throughout. The cast of absurd characters and humour keeps things light, even with all the gore, and the action packed combat sequences are bolstered by the pumping soundtrack. Even if you aren’t familiar with Romanian folklore, anyone who enjoys a good grimdark fantasy will enjoy Moroi.

Fans of the series were excited when Valkyrie Elysium was revealed, and a modern take on the loved franchise could have done it wonders. Unfortunately, the archaic level design and grubby visuals make the adventure feel like it would be more at home back on the PS3. Combat is its saving grace, dancing between combos and activating magic abilities on elemental foes in satisfying fashion. The Einherjar who fight alongside you add a nice touch, enhancing combat and adding some much-needed levity to the boring narrative. Mindless, enjoyable combat is here in spades, but it’s not enough to make Valkyrie Elysium a reboot that I’d strongly recommend to anybody.

A niche but mostly well-presented experience, Red Solstice 2 attempts to create something entirely new by blending established genres. While its mishmash of strategy mechanics into an action game doesn’t quite hit the mark, it does provide a swathe of tense, tactical moment-to-moment gameplay and absolutely nails its occasional moments of creeping alien horror. It’s far from a strategy game at heart, and struggles to strike a balance between its complex real-time strategy mechanics and action-oriented gameplay – but for sci-fi fans who are prepared to overcome the game’s learning curve and just want to squad up and rip apart some eldritch abominations, there’ll eventually be plenty of gooey green blood to sink your grenades into.

Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters has some stumbles on the Switch. The frame rate can drop, multiple endings are hard to find, and the intricacies of combat pass you by. But if you give the game a chance, you will find a story that occasionally moves you while entertaining you with light-hearted humour. It’s not a story that stands out because it’s special, but because it’s easily accessible and funny. The game is inviting even if you haven’t played other games in the franchise. You might have to work harder to understand and spend more time on the mechanics, but it’s an adventure well worth the investment.

Remakes of true classics are usually cause for some concern, particularly a game that’s almost 35 years old, but this is so much more than just an old game with a new skin. Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX balances perfectly the updates an old game needs whilst still staying true to what made the original such a landmark title. The quirks of the gameplay are all still there, controlling just like the original, although with little tweaks that make the experience even better. The new levels fit so well, it’s pretty, and it sounds good to boot. If the developers could take on Alex Kidd in Shinobi World next that would be great, please and thank you.