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.

Adore is a rather good game that has a refreshing spin on the creature collection genre. The action-based isometric combat presents a unique take regarding controlling a team of creatures, and mastering when to summon them and customising a team made for a compelling experience. The gorgeous and charming art and soundtrack are also a pleasant inclusion. While the very limited variety in quest objectives starts to become an issue long before the credits roll, you can definitely still have a fun time with Adore’s new interpretation of isometric dungeon crawling and creature collecting.

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.

Venba is a love letter to many things, not just food. It beautifully depicts the story of two immigrants and their struggle to keep their culture alive in a Western society that does not seem to understand or appreciate it. Venba brings together incredible art, sound, narrative, and gameplay that is magnificently entrenched in Tamil customs, leaving the player with not only a deeper understanding but also a deeper respect for this underrepresented culture.

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

Disney Illusion Island may be striving to be a flashy and exciting 2D Metroidvania experience, but its depth remains one-dimensional. It starts at a snail’s pace with its drip-feeding of basic and essential abilities and from there it never really picks up. This is unfortunately thanks to floaty platforming that will disinterest most along with the most uninspired Metroidvania-level design I’ve seen in some time. Though there are classic and picturesque Disney flourishes aplenty, it’s not enough to make the game an enjoyable experience to investigate every nook and cranny for secrets. Be warned, this is an island voyage not all that worth taking.

Homeseek is a colony simulator that frequently puts you in uncomfortable situations. Just as you think everything is going well, it pulls the rug out from under you and forces you to react. You must balance short-term survival with long-term exploration to find new livable areas. Instead of building a self-sustaining civilization, you must move to greener pastures while surviving against the odds. The learning curve is steep as you are expected to make several mistakes. Not everything is explained to you either, forcing you to learn as you go. But if you are willing to stay with the game and adapt, you will find a great challenge that forces you to really think.

If you’re a turn-based strategy fan, the combat in Jagged Alliance 3 is not to be missed. Thanks to the game’s varied mercenary stats, it’s easy to put together a team that aligns well with your preferred personal play style and the game’s combat mechanics are accessible yet suspenseful, thanks to the absence of a precise percentage-to-hit chance. While the game’s dialogue feels naff in places and could’ve been executed better overall, it’s a small price to pay for the high level of entertaining battles. And if that’s your thing, Jagged Alliance 3 is sure to deliver.

A curious world of delightful wonder, Pikmin will never fail to be a series that invites warmth and joy with its vibrant world and colourful companions. New gameplay ideas are plentiful with Pikmin 4, many of which work towards expanding the game in interesting new directions. Not every new mechanic lands as elegantly as others, with Night Expeditions and co-op mode being two notable disappointments. Though overall, Pikmin 4 still finds a way to bring about that same glee that has lasted within this series since its inception.

Viewfinder is an incredibly interesting game with a mechanic that is very easy to pick up and highly enjoyable throughout the entire runtime. If you are looking for something truly difficult, you aren’t likely to find that here, but if you are interested in a short and comfy puzzle game, then Viewfinder will surely deliver.

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

Amnesia: The Bunker packs in all the scares of its lineage and leans into modern survival game tropes. I would’ve liked to see this one rely more on controls and interactive moments that allow the player to feel like they have more agency over the game, including its story. At the end of the day, if you’re here to be spooked, you’ll have fun, but don’t expect to be replaying this one until the next series installment.

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.

Master Detective Archives: Rain Code is an easy recommendation for fans of the Danganronpa series. It’s got the same dark humor and an unapologetically weird premise, and it features a slightly different take on the contradiction-smashing gameplay that made the former series stand out. There’s some room for improvement in what’s been added, but if you can stand some stale anime tropes and imperfect graphics, Rain Code is a crazy enjoyable ride full of twists and turns.

AEW had the right idea in wanting to focus on the nostalgia of the wrestling games we played when we were kids, but at the end of the day, the seemingly low budget and lack of polish is something that should be left in the past. AEW: Fight Forever has some fine ideas and its execution of moment-to-moment gameplay and animations isn’t terrible, but matches can be won with minimal effort or drama, presentation is missing key things that make wrestling special, and the story mode is repetitive, boring and self-masturbatory. Fight forever? In this game? No, thank you.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective now being playable on modern platforms is an incredibly exciting occasion worth celebrating. Its involved puzzle mechanics are as satisfying to unfold as ever as you glide between interaction points, moving that last piece to create a thrilling domino effect of a solution. Complimentary to this are the quirky character design and animations, along with the involved storyline that wraps up without any loose threads. Tying this all in a neat bow is the return of a fantastic soundtrack now with incredible rearrangements to further immerse you in the noir setting. Ghost Trick is back and the gaming world couldn’t be any better for it.

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.

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.

Aliens: Dark Descent is an excellent addition to the Aliens canon. The Darkest Dungeon-style stress mechanics end up fitting the setting like a glove, and the RTS combat and disposable marines definitely suit the tone and style of Aliens perfectly. Although the reliance on infrequent autosaves can often prove frustrating, the game is overall easy to recommend for fans of strategy games, survival horror games, or Aliens fans hungry for something which strongly evokes James Cameron’s 1986 classic while adding its own new elements.

Final Fantasy XVI is a weirdo black-sheep entry for the series. It won't be for all nor what all fans necessarily want for the franchise, but I also love it for that boldness. It's a gripping and harrowing page-turner of an epic high-fantasy story with plenty of heart the series is known for. Complex too are the characters, even if not all see their justice by the end. Valisthea is an eerily gorgeous setting, providing some of the most memorable vistas you'll have seen in a Final Fantasy game yet. Accessibility might not be at the forefront of the combat in-game but on offer is some of the most stylistic, and satisfying gameplay we've ever seen in an Action RPG. Even if you take further umbrage with its small flaws, there's no denying that Final Fantasy XVI is a special and memorable event. Through thick and thin, that franchise magic is captured once again. Frankly, you can't ask for anything better than that.

Whilst Diablo IV could have done more to advance the genre or perfect its writing and tone across the entire experience, there’s no denying just how impactful this release is, especially for those of us who grew up alongside the series. The game is demonically big and beautiful, allowing players to get lost in Sanctuary and constantly engaged by the looting and upgrading loop that continues to fire endorphins from the moment you boot it up until you finally and begrudgingly turn it off.

For both newcomers and long-time players, The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom is a chapter that stands on its own. While previous knowledge of the game is not necessary to enjoy the self-contained story, it adds depth to the ongoing Shadow Over Morrowind narrative that unfolds throughout 2023 and beyond. The new environments may be a little “samey” and there might be a lack of extra content afterwards, but with the captivating storyline, the introduction of the Arcanist class, and a plethora of content to explore, Necrom is a recommended addition to the MMO.

Layers of Fear is a great finale to a frightful series, tying together all loose ends and scaring you at every turn. The staggered story structure is confusing at first, but pays off when the game finally ends. Unexpected jump scares and a dark environment terrify even the most experienced horror veterans. Learning the backstories of each character and choosing different endings gives you control of the narrative. It’s also easy to replay stories if you want to see different endings. The note-based storytelling and navigation difficulty can turn away players looking for a simpler experience. But for a psychological game that chills you to the bone, it’s hard to find something as good as this.

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.

Although Tiny Thor may seem like a pretty simple platformer when you first encounter it, is actually quite complex. You will need to become a master of Thor’s hammer and find the most effective ways to use it in order to progress throughout Asgard. The game never feels stale as each level brings some new gameplay element to continue to challenge the player and offer opportunities to use Thor’s hammer in creative ways. Whilst the level of difficulty and the lack of health is a bit frustrating, fans of fast-paced, ever-changing, cute platformers will find a lot to love in Tiny Thor.

A compelling, nuanced story told beautifully and with many diverging paths, Harmony: The Fall of Reverie is a stunning example of how powerful the visual novel format can be. It uses the desires, pains, and histories of its characters to paint a rich emotional landscape against the context of a changing world, with the player’s decisions shaping both the intricacies and the broad strokes of this world’s future. With striking art design, immersive writing, and massive variety of story possibilities, this is a must-play for narrative adventure fans.

With a truly unique concept that’s different from any other horror game out there, Killer Frequency mixes just the right amount of campy thrills to keep its serial killer narrative moving along swiftly. As you’re saving civilians using clues around the radio station while cracking jokes and enjoying some retro-inspired tracks, it’s hard not to get invested in the story and setting, especially as it features such strong performances from its wacky cast. The pace can be slow at times, but the twists and turns kept me eager to speak with every new caller. You can trust me as a seasoned producer and presenter: this is one radio program worth tuning in for.

The Tartarus Key is a good experimental indie horror venture. It never outstays its welcome and creates a thrilling, brooding experience that never cheapens itself with jump scares. Feeling a little existential in its atmosphere, this too is bolstered by the low poly PS1 era art style the game is going for. Though not every puzzle is the most fun to work through, they are at least all well thought out with plenty of fun quirks that work well with the escape room vibes. I enjoyed being in the heat of the moment, feeling something in my brain click when I solved a brain teaser and it resulted in rescuing another character’s life. Rounding it out is a fun cast I’m needing to see more of, with Alex as a force of nature of a horror protagonist. Rest assured, The Tartarus Key is a secret little gem that should be high on indie horror fans’ lists.