Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap takes a now-established idea and gives it new life via a roguelike progression system. Whilst the foundation of the idea is still solid and provides many an hour of fun, the implementation is needlessly grindy and imperfectly scaled. Deathtrap is not the evolution of the series we wanted it to be. It’s still a good amount of fun but falls short of its ultimate potential.

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.

Dreams of Another is an admirable mess of a game. Its narrative is poorly executed through truly terrible dialogue and performances, it’s incapable of offering a creative alternative to its exploration beyond shooting, and its philosophical musings wouldn’t be out of place on r/im14andthisisdeep. But, for those players who decide to dream this particular dream, Dreams of Another offers an eclectic kaleidoscope of bizarre artistic motifs, a fascinatingly surreal mood and a (possibly entirely unintentional) thematic density that is still worth treasuring amidst the haze of its voxel world.

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.

Slime Heroes is a magical kids’ game with a hint of the Soulslike genre sprinkled onto it. While it’s not an exact replica of the genre, there are elements of it that make it a great way to introduce the genre to a younger audience. Even if you try to set the game to easy mode, it will still challenge you regardless of whether that would be the environment or the boss’ move sets. While there is not much to do in the overworld, it’s still such a colourful game with a great story to tell, and your skills will be tested if you’re willing to challenge yourself.

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.

SLEEP AWAKE is an experience that doesn’t allow itself enough time to become the piece of art it desperately wants to be. It features all the elements of a beautifully intense and unique audio and visual experience, and has a decent story it’s trying to tell, but feels diluted overall by its short runtime. It almost feels like a game that was playing it a bit too safe, even in its experimental style, and it would have benefited from heavier auditory exploration and more content to properly develop its intriguing narrative.

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.

Maliki: Poison of the Past builds upon a unique concept of the butterfly effect; how one small change can alter the future. The art direction and style of the game are gorgeous, and there’s clear inspiration from JRPGs of the 2000s. But there are a lot of bugs that can make the game frustrating to play, like some enemies being immune to all attacks. Some mechanics aren’t explained well, and the lack of a map could make players disoriented. However, there is clear passion from the team on their love for France (or hatred for Paris), and I enjoyed learning about the more unknown landmarks. Fans of the webcomic will get a greater kick out of this, but non-fans might have to watch a Let’s Play to see if it’s for them.

Warside is like an old family car (tank?). Familiar, sturdy, with a solid engine that will get you where you need to go, but with no frills and a rusty, barebones exterior. While its core tactical systems and pixel art aesthetics are entertaining and likely to satisfy subgenre fans, they remain underserved by a repetitive campaign, rough story and lack of supporting modes and features.

In spite of various problems found within Tenebris Pictura, the game still leaves a fairly positive impression by the end. Some of it doesn’t quite work, from its very downplayed narrative to its slightly-annoying combat, but it brings enough novel content to the table to be engaging. If you’re into atmospheric adventure games with clever puzzles and unique ideas, you’re likely to find something rewarding in Tenebris Pictura.

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is a fantastically paced game seemingly designed to be experienced in bite-sized chunks with challenging controls that could be mastered by those willing to put in the effort. With all the thought and care put into representing these beautiful creatures and their heartbreaking lives, the game’s issues appear to stem from a lack of resources, not passion. Despite the repetition and technical struggles, it’s a short, sweet experience whose positive elements are more memorable than its faults.

Blood Bar Tycoon is an overall enjoyable experience which is hindered from being great by small bugs that add up really fast. It’s got a clean and fun art style, and light humour that compliments the darker tone of the game. With the lack of an overall bigger story to pull you in and keep your interest, it falls victim to the ‘tycoon game turned idle game’ where you’re simply waiting for your machines to make stock. There’s not a lot to keep you coming back once you’ve achieved three stars in each bar; while it’s a relatively fun experience while you’re playing, the somewhat repetitive gameplay loop doesn’t offer much incentive for a repeat visit, even if the drinks are bloody delicious.

When the game commits fully to these funnelled environments, it does result in some spectacular set pieces. The mangroves are a charming calm down after a climactic battle, yet still tense thanks to Mangrove Jack. Another frantic escape from flames cemented itself as a highlight of the whole game for me. While I wish the open and linear levels learnt from each other, both still manage to deliver exciting snippets of gameplay.

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.

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.

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.

Tales of Symphonia Remastered is not the best version of the GameCube original, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad experience. The story still holds up, combat is still exciting, and the characters are some of the best in the series, but all these systems take getting used to compared to newer games. Worst of all is the Switch version, which brings several new technical issues to the game, includes short but repetitive loading screens after you do almost anything outside of menus. It may be a deal breaker for some, but for others it might be a small price to pay to play an RPG classic on modern consoles.

Sushi Ben is an unbelievably vibrant and charming game filled with a creative cast of characters and lovely vibes in the seaside city of Kotobuki Town. It’s got a real sense of place about it as you’re engaging in silly shenanigans and meeting its cast that are well-voiced in both English and Japanese. First and foremost, it is a strong ‘vibes’ game. Still, it’s between a rock and a hard place when it comes to its translation to a flatscreen. The tactility and interactivity aren’t there as much. It’s got a new set of bugs, and it still has a bit of an abrupt, dissatisfying ending. If all else, I’m glad I finally got to experience Sushi Ben and its weird cast of freaks. No one can ever take that away from me.

Blades of Fire offers some compelling and exciting ideas, particularly with its reverence for weaponcrafting and rewarding forge mechanics. But its love of steel and violence can only take it so far; its combat is enjoyable at first, but wears out its welcome across a lengthy campaign that is filled with too-chatty characters and a world that’s very frustrating to get lost in. Even with those caveats, its eye-catching fantasy world and weapons that pack a punch still have enough charm to see it through. Not every one of its big swings lands, but as they say, “you miss all the shots you don’t take”, and Blades of Fire at least gives the action RPG genre a solid crack with a unique point of view.

The Last Oricru is a fun storytelling experience told through the eyes of the Souls-like genre. It’s great to see everyone working for their own ends, and not being able to identify who is good and bad from the start. Focusing purely on what you think is most advantageous creates a story that fits your own personality well. But everything else is a regular Souls-like experience from top to bottom. There are attempts to stand out, but other than the story, they don’t have the impact that really leaves a positive impression in a player’s mind. The Last Oricru takes some risks, some of which pay off and some that don’t. It’s perfect for those who like their Souls-like games to have a good story, but if you’re not a fan of the genre, you’re better off staying away.

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.

Without a doubt, Born of Bread is a fun game. It is entertaining and charming in its own ways. Though the game mechanics are under the influence of its critically acclaimed senior, it still manages to leave memorable moments for its players with great aesthetics and a vivid world. While Born of Bread does provide a lovely experience for gamers who are seeking simple and casual pleasures, the game would need to polish its combat mechanics and storytelling to enable a more well-rounded experience for other gamers.

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet represents the power struggle between innovation and execution. There’s so much promise in the idea of a fully integrated, cooperative Pokémon game, yet the final product I experienced with Pokémon Violet falls short of those aspirations. There’s still a lovable structure found within the game, driven by a more immersive world design and a new generation of adorable mons. Though the polish is lacking, failing to completely realise the ideas put in place and falling short of expectations.

Pokémon Scarlet & Violet represents the power struggle between innovation and execution. There’s so much promise in the idea of a fully integrated, cooperative Pokémon game, yet the final product I experienced with Pokémon Violet falls short of those aspirations. There’s still a lovable structure found within the game, driven by a more immersive world design and a new generation of adorable mons. Though the polish is lacking, failing to completely realise the ideas put in place and falling short of expectations.

Akimbot does a successful job at emulating the PlayStation 2 action-platformer era of games. It’s incredibly flashy and movement feels fluid, frenetic and fun. Similarly, gunplay leads to explosive setpieces worth witnessing. Though being true to this era comes with its own faults in frustrating checkpoint systems and performance issues, it’s all made up for in charm. We don’t get games like these often these days and for that alone, it’s worth it. We are so back.

Farmagia is a very interesting concept with a lot of good ideas, great voice acting and an elaborate story. There is a lot to like, especially if you are a fan of tropey anime romps, but it has its fingers in too many pies, ending up feeling unfocused and not as polished as it could have been. There is definitely a very interesting game in Farmagia with lots of moving parts and a story that clearly had lots of effort put in, but it falls short in a few areas with disconnected farming mechanics and framerate issues. This is a shame because there is a lot of heart to be found within. Any big anime fans are likely to have a good time with the story and voice acting, but outside of that, there isn’t much to grab players.

Samba De Amigo: Party Central isn’t quite the revitalisation of the licensed music rhythm game, but it is a decent, weird and charming little title. It’s a big deal that the franchise is returning after fifteen years and to celebrate is a fun enough and grooving adventure that celebrates both a wide range of excellent songs across multiple genres and even the SEGA name as a whole. Playing in multiplayer, competitively or co-operatively makes for dastardly sabotage or harmonious pairing fun. While this lets up somewhat in motion control movements not being as responsive as they should, button prompt inputs make for a rhythmic good time as you work up a finger cramp or two gliding your fingers across the face buttons. The Streamigo campaign mode may offer a nice setting but will test players with its grindy nature and artificially bloated length. Still, for every shortfall, there’s enough whimsy in Party Central that it will be certainly worth picking up those maracas and shaking it all out to a moving, grooving time.