Even though its overarching story world could be fleshed out further, Dicefolk offers a refreshing take on the roguelike formula. Thanks to its combat mechanics, dice system, and variety of chimeras and equipment, gameplay is varied and complex while still being accessible to newcomers. Added to this, the feature of customising different dice allows players to tailor their dice according to their personal tastes and playstyle, making Dicefolk a good fit for both casual and more hard-core roguelike fans.

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.

FOAMSTARS knows what it’s doing following the Splatoon blueprint, but it’s an easy pop that values its in-game economy more than fostering a community during the teething period of its release. I worry for the future of this one in the live service vacuum. While there are aspects that feel fun, this game still needs to prove itself in the market which is no easy feat. Locally, this is a tall ask but with server numbers untenable it really may be the writing on the bathroom wall for such a new multiplayer game – bubbles not included.

Promenade is a cute 2D platformer with heavy inspiration from 3D platformers of yore. It dips into other genres like puzzle, Metroidvania and collectathons and eases players into its varied gameplay ideas. While the game could explain things better, such as what buttons to press for certain mechanics, what it does is create a great and vibrant experience for its players. Considering this is the debut game from the team at Holy Cap, it’s a fantastic achievement.

Solium Infernum finds itself perfectly situated to fill a multiplayer niche that other 4X games can’t, with its asynchronous multiplayer option allowing those without much time to play a game with their friends. That’s not to say the singleplayer is not just as good, however, with enough here for hours upon hours of fun just by yourself if you have the ambition to take it.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth defies all expectations and is the new benchmark for what a remake should be. Bold and unapologetic with something to say but also true to its roots. I've loved, I've laughed and I've cried while playing this game and if you fall into the right crowd, you very will too. Provided is an unforgettable journey, a magnetic cast, and a world that is magic and an experience that is transcending. From combat to graphics to music to side activities to writing to performances, Rebirth is one for the books and I can't wait to see where we go from here.

Considering the game’s notoriously troubled development, Skull and Bones is definitely not as bad as it could have been. With many of its tweaks to the naval combat pioneered in Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, the game is often fun, particularly with a friend. However, those moments of fun are sometimes hard to find, and are buried under boring travel, glacially-paced harvesting and looting, and a rather shallow world to explore. If you’re a fan of other multiplayer live-service titles and are looking for a new kind of game to check out with friends, Skull and Bones certainly brings something new to the table that Destiny 2 and The Division 2 do not, but it is not all smooth sailing.

Helldivers 2 proves a basic ideology: create something special and the players will come. Built on a foundation of cheeky satire and visceral gunplay, this cooperative shooter is engaging, charming, dynamic, and at no point feels greedy or unnecessary. It’s live service done right, with appropriate progression and a feeling of global connection as you fight toward a shared goal. Server issues still impact this game’s release and they aren’t insignificant, yet they are still a mere minor inconvenience when compared to Helldivers 2’s many triumphs.

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is an excellent game, a love letter to gamers obsessed with urban legends and regional gothic lore. Like its Japanese horror counterparts, Death Mark II offers players a unique audio-visual experience with remarkable sound and art designs. However, there appear to be some missteps in exploring the combat and gameplay mechanics in this release. While I wish that developers had retained these aspects from the previous game, I appreciate their ambition in not settling for merely reproducing the same game but instead exploring new avenues.

Overall, Hellcard offers an engaging deckbuilder with a unique perspective on the classic formula; its combat map and companion system keep things interesting, and the number of cards, artifacts and companions add hugely to its replayability value. While it may not be the best title for newcomers to the genre, considering the game’s UI can feel a little unwieldy and there’s a lot to keep track of, Hellcard is sure to reward persisting players who don’t shy away from a steep learning curve.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong has been remade nearly perfectly, and it’s certainly great for any forgotten title to get an update and a facelift. The platforming is still tight, but the simple truth is that puzzle games as a genre have moved on in the twenty years since the original. That means nothing about it really stands out, either as a puzzle game or a Mario game. Still, that doesn’t mean you won’t have fun with it as you wait for Nintendo’s next main-line Mario.

Persona 3 Reload feels simultaneously like it has been adequately modernised and yet also remains stuck in the past. While the updated combat and visuals make the game a lot more approachable for fans whose first game in the series was Persona 5, the monotonous procedurally generated dungeon that takes up half the game is hard to look past. Furthermore, for players who are existing fans of Persona 3, it is a definite shame that so much of the new content introduced in other versions of the game isn’t present here. Despite those shortcomings, Persona 3 Reload remains an excellent (if not necessarily definitive) version of a groundbreaking JRPG that is still a joy to play in 2024, and Persona and general JRPG fans are sure to have a great time.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden heavily leans into the premise of challenging decisions with dramatic consequences, and manages to pull off an emotional and haunting love story where those choices do feel like they truly matter. Red and Antea feel like fully-fleshed out, interesting characters, forever linked to one another but struggling to let go. New Eden is full of communities plagued by supernatural creatures and dark secrets that make each of them intriguing to explore. An over-reliance on combat and a little too much hand-holding when it comes to solving cases is disappointing, but Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden can still be chalked up as yet another storytelling triumph for DON’T NOD. Life for the living. Death for the dead.

Thanks to the way Suicide Squad – and every game following the live service model – is structured, this review will probably be obsolete a year from now. The current (base?) version of the game is pulling its punches for now, to dole them out seasonally over the coming months and years. Based on player retention, there’s no way to know if it’ll be worth your while in the long term to jump into Suicide Squad at launch. But there’s the kicker, you can get a lot out of it already, just not in the ways live service models are known for. A genuinely compelling narrative, a huge city to play in, and the prospect of playing with friends are a solid foundation to grow from, even if the repeatable mission design needs some work.

True to the tagline of its publisher, UDO is certainly a short yet sweet game. As far as roguelikes go, fans of UDO’s bigger-budget brethren may find the game a little insubstantial, and it is true that within a handful of hours you will have encountered all that the game has to offer. That said, I can’t deny that I had fun bouncing down a big hole and drilling through bugs and big rocks, and some of the unlockable abilities do a lot to mix up what is otherwise a fairly repetitive time. As long as you go in with the expectation of a short, arcade experience and not much more than that, UDO is worth digging into.

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.

Go Mecha Ball is great at delivering fast-paced action thanks to its collision combat. You constantly balance rolling into enemies and firing with your weapons while dodging attacks. The enemies you face constantly attack you and the boss battles are challenging. The game isn’t perfect, as it constantly forces the tutorial on you and you sometimes spend too much time chasing enemies. But for a game that gives you a quick action fix, it’s hard to dislike Go Mecha Ball’s frantic pace.

Taking the franchise to new heights and new locales, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is the pinnacle of the longstanding franchise. The game magnificently pulls off the difficult task of giving new and loyal players the best of both worlds with a new Ichiban-led story while also nailing emotional pay-off years in the making with Kiryu’s story portions. Providing quality side content that is addicting and seemingly endless, there isn’t a single drip of the game that is dry, dull, or not worth your time. Never have I played a title this rewarding and satisfying with its delightful humour found in substories and over-the-top turn-based combat. It may be largely set in a different country with the picturesque and gigantic Honolulu but this is the Like a Dragon series through and through. Infinite Wealth is like an ocean. Let it all sink in. I promise it’s well worth it.

TEKKEN 8 unleashes a storm of punches, blending chaotic Mishima drama with accessible combat changes. The short story, though dramatic, loses steam, but the Heat system and Special Style redefine the fight. Arcade Quest mode injects a needed charm, offering a nostalgic journey with opportunities to grow your fighting game skills. Visually stunning with a diverse soundtrack, the game achieves a balance between the familiar and the cutting-edge. Despite a stumble in the narrative, TEKKEN 8 delivers a knockout combo.

Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is another successful voyage for the root vegetable. Making the leap to the roguelite genre is form-fitting, providing really enjoyable jaunts through a mysterious bank full of many enticing environments, bosses, and enemies as you engage in frenetic gunplay and melee action. This is achieved via valuable upgrades and a creative arsenal at your disposal to experiment with. The game would benefit from endgame content and modifiers to give it more staying power, but it’s largely made up for by the weird, sometimes irreverent whims provided. Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is hilarious, weird, oh-so-fun, and a joy for every second of play. I can’t wait to see where our little hero goes next. A turnip-led Soulslike? A life simulator? The sky’s the limit.

Remaking an older series that never got much limelight is always a good thing, and Another Code: Recollection has gone above and beyond updating its look and feel for the modern day. The problem is that those updates have removed everything that made the original games unique, and have re-invented the story in a way that is not to its benefit. It might still be a nice time if you're in the mood for something simple and slow-paced, but it's certainly no replacement for the originals.

The Cub is a fascinating romp through post-apocalyptic Earth. Balancing dark themes with delightful levity, the game finds a way to showcase both the best and worst of humanity with biting wit, vivid visuals, and impeccably implemented audio. It’s all let down somewhat by gameplay sequences that can’t maintain the same quality as the game’s other elements. However, even with that rather big caveat, The Cub still manages to present a lovely package worth opening.

Atlas Wept does a great job at creating a 2D retro RPG that’s accessible to beginners. Unfortunately, some of its strengths aren’t enough to overshadow its weaknesses. The story can often be unclear with not enough explanation. It’s too easy to get bogged down by combat, which weakens the overall charm. But what Atlas Wept does well is think outside the box, giving you a decent RPG experience to jump into.

The Last of Us Part II Remastered brings not just extra content but extra heart to an already much-loved game. This is one for the fans, with a plethora of additional features that highlight the best aspects of the game’s design whilst giving further context and glimpses into its development. Bursting at the seams with things to do, see, and unlock—The Last of Us Part II Remastered is a celebration of one of gaming’s greats.

A witty, vicious, and charming-as-heck romp through a Victorian steampunk city, Sovereign Syndicate wraps its tight, character-driven story in layers of deliciously decadent prose. Delving through the seedy underbelly of this alternate-universe East London is compelling on its own, made all the more intriguing by the different perspectives of its trio of protagonists. Despite a few glitches at launch and some slightly rushed final moments, Sovereign Syndicate is a deeply satisfying narrative RPG and an absolute pleasure to play through.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is an incredibly pleasant surprise. Brilliant gameplay and gorgeous visuals make it utterly addictive to play, and in my time with it, I never wanted to put it down. The only fault the experience really has is the story, and while it is perfectly serviceable, it’s never sufficiently engaging, even if the gameplay itself is enough to keep you going. If you are looking for a new Metroidvania to sink your teeth into, this is one I can highly recommend, and a strong return to form for the previously long-resting franchise.

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.

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.