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.