Rogue Lords is a fine lead-up to the spooky season, with a genuinely addictive gameplay loop and a satisfying combat system. The ability to mess with the game’s own mechanics as the Devil is an absolutely inspired idea, and the experience is only made less than perfect by a few glitches that need patching out. The game would feel a little more complete if there were more to do in each chapter’s overworld, but what is there is a delightfully challenging roguelike. The inability to lower the difficulty may turn some people away, but other people will relish the challenge.

Diablo 2: Resurrected is, if anything, a faithful remaster of the original game. The visual overhaul and fantastic cinematics maintain the dark tone of Sanctuary’s horrifying demons and tales. Unfortunately, that alone doesn’t hold up after 20 years of innovation. Annoying gameplay mechanics, constant selling and buying, restrictive controls, regressive character art, and finicky UI poorly date this adventure. More quality of life changes should be here to truly bring the classic back to life. Diablo fans may love this remaster; others will likely not.

Bar none, Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is my favourite arcade game on the Switch so far. The game’s short burst levels, no matter how challenging or luck-based they may be, lend themselves so well on a portable console. Rya Ga Gotoku Studios have done incredibly well in recreating and returning the niche love their arcade series has brought over the years. With plenty of playtime, cute characters to play around with, minigames to battle your friends in and challenging missions to overcome, Banana Mania can be everything you’ve ever needed in an arcade game on the Switch. It’s worth going ape over, folks.

There’s nothing quite like wiping sweat off the floorboards in your living room after a thorough workout, and Knockout Home Fitness manages to deliver high-octane thrills with its intense exercise routines. However, an unintuitive user interface with no customisation options, a lack of substantial unlockable content, and imprecision in its motion controls hamper the experience for players seriously committed to getting fit. Time-poor fitness enthusiasts will appreciate the ability to jump into a quick workout, while those looking to replace their regular routines while gyms are closed might be better off elsewhere.

Hot Wheels Unleashed delivers on what it promises, high octane toy car thrills, drifting and boosting around gravity defying tracks set in high definition great looking environments. It just lets itself down when it comes to the structure of the solo campaign and there aren’t enough unique hazards or variation in the tracks to keep you coming back for more. It would have been nice if they went a step further and thought outside of the box with the designs of the tracks themselves, but at least it delivers a boost of nostalgia for the kid inside all of us.

I felt enamored with Kena: Bridge of Spirits throughout the entirety of its gorgeous adventure, but its gameplay and exploration doesn’t fully match the high expectations set by its stunning visuals. It’s got some solid combat that has just the right amount of challenge, some clever puzzles itching to be solved and plenty of nooks and crannies to explore. But the rewards for curious exploration aren’t always that exciting, and I wish I’d had more time getting to know the likeable Kena herself before the credits rolled. Still, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a captivating and well-made affair with a big heart, and will surely scratch an itch for many gamers keen on taking part in a touching journey through one of the prettiest worlds ever created.

The genre of Cyberpunk has been the “in” thing for a while now and I’m not sure why but it seems to get it right. It may be that the world is so complex and filled with so much grey within the black and white that games struggle with adding in the tiny touches that make Cyberpunk worlds really come alive. Gamedec has the lore, but it doesn’t go that extra step further to really incorporate it into the world. Gamedec doesn’t seem to know the benefits of the phrase “less is more” and instead of trusting in the beauty of the world it created, stuck its fingers into too many narrative pies. What is left is a pie full of so many ingredients that it’s hard to tell what the flavour of it actually is; it’s tasty and looks good, but you may be too full to go back for seconds.

Sheltered 2 offers players an interesting mix of resourcing, crafting, and combat mechanics. With plenty of stats to keep an eye on throughout a playthrough, you’ll find yourself making complex decisions to keep your faction alive. Through the added feature of expedition parties and combat, Sheltered 2’s gameplay feels varied and engaging overall. While its user interface can be complex and overwhelming at times and its aspects of micromanagement might not be for everyone, if you’re a strategy aficionado who’s not deterred by numbers, there’s plenty to love in Sheltered 2.

I am a genuine fan of Hideo Kojima's work and Death Stranding as a whole, but the lack of substantial new content to justify the additional price of entry holds back Death Stranding Director's Cut from reaching the soaring heights it potentially could. There is maybe enough new content to keep a returning player engaged for a weekend or so, but there really isn't anything in this update that couldn't have been included in a PS5 patch. However, Death Stranding itself is a modern marvel of creativity and risk-taking that I consider a "must play" for anyone who has not yet experienced it, and the upgrades in the Director’s Cut make it the optimal way to tackle this unique journey.

The occasional bug and missing stamina upgrades are really the only negatives I can lodge at Sable. I can think of very few games that have presented such a beautiful harmony of its attributes. Everything supports everything else. The story implores you to go out into the world, to see all that there is to see. The gameplay ensures that the focus is always on the vistas that lay before you, and it's all stylised beautifully. The game creates a view of which I cannot tire. This is truly one of the most well-conceived and executed games that I have seen in a very long time. It's one of those games that truly is using everything to its maximum potential.

Lost Judgment is a hell of a game, mess and all. Passing its predecessor in some regards and lagging behind in others, it at least has solid bang for your buck and brings the franchise goods that have been built upon over recent years. However, I'm disappointed by some of the shortfalls. Female character treatment remains a problem in-game and the mystery or detective gameplay don't feel as solid as the one prior. Still, if you're after a living breathing world with plenty to do and some of the best combat the series has seen yet, then this is a mystery adventure that still manages to hit hard.

SkateBIRD is an adorable action sports game with a lot of charm and funky beats. Setting aside minor control and camera issues, the unique perspective of being a teeny bird helps bring a refreshing look to the skate game genre. From dirty cereal bowls to server cables, travelling across 5 different levels to help your human come home was enjoyable and engaging. Meeting several interesting and pun-filled birds who help you on your journey just added to the quirk and charm. Glass Bottom Games has done a commendable job making this accessible for all gamers, allowing for a unique player experience.

WarioWare: Get it Together! has some of the best microgames in the series, all of which carry on the zany heart of the WarioWare franchise. The multiplayer modes and weekly challenges add a lot of replayability, making it great for killing a few minutes with friends. But when it comes to adding its own twist to the series, Get it Together‘s constant switching out of characters just doesn’t mesh well with the WarioWare formula that we know and love. That, along with the disappointing lack of much of the comedic dialogue we’ve seen from previous games, hold it back from being Wario’s best. But it still promises a fun time whenever you have a few minutes to spare.

KeyWe is a charming and loveable two player experience that will have you coming back for more. If the small Kiwi bird protagonists don’t already have you sold, then the chaotic puzzle platforming levels will. It’s a postal post-office adventure worth taking along with a friend. You can also choose to play it alone, but two player is where it shines the most. With very little to complain about, KeyWe is a fun and joyful title worth your attention.

DEATHLOOP is a cathartic blend of stealth, gunplay and powers that culminate in a satisfying gameplay loop as you explore the eccentric island of Blackreef. Whilst the narrative payoffs don't always live up to the intriguing premise, there's an undeniable sense of style and substance that help carry the game into really favourable territory. Knowledge really is power in DEATHLOOP and there's a pleasurable novelty to much of the game's design that allows it to feel engaging even when the player's hand is held a little too tightly. Even within a year of time loop releases, DEATHLOOP stands out as its own unique beast worth experiencing.

Lost in Random depicts a stunningly unique and eccentric world filled to the brim with character and personality. The Tim-Burton visuals and the kooky cast of characters you’ll meet in each distinctively different region means there’s never a dull moment to this journey. Clever strategy card elements help to mask the game’s rather unremarkable real-time combat, with some control issues that hurt the overall experience. Yet despite its flaws, Lost in Random still brings the goods and had me engaged from unlucky start to triumphantly random end.

Dice Legacy brings a refreshing and challenging strategy format to the table. The dice mechanics will force you to think on your feet and adapt your strategy along the way, making Dice Legacy’s core gameplay more energetic and dynamic compared to other titles in the genre. While this gameplay format comes with a level of unpredictability which may not be for everyone, it dishes up classic strategy format with a unique twist. For newcomers, Dice Legacy may take a little while to crack, but for gamers with a soft spot for strategy, it’s worth every minute of your time.

There’s a lot of potential to Monster Harvest, but it falls short on delivering a farming sim game that comes close to rivalling others in the genre. Hopefully, with time, Monster Harvest continues to grow, but until then it feels like it’s missing what makes the hard work worthwhile. Honestly, this feels like an Early Access title that still needs more time before it’s ready for full release. It seems the phrase ‘third time’s the charm’ does not apply to game delays.

While the original game remains a touchstone for me, Life is Strange: True Colors is the best iteration the series has seen yet. The narrative adventure also betters the diversity the franchise is already beloved for, providing an exceptional hero in an authentic, badass Asian-American woman that can be LGBTQ+ (should they so choose it). Filled to the brim with narrative and character twists at every turn, this is a game that made me laugh, cry and fall in love. With moments that hit like a bullet train, Life is Strange: True Colors is a must-play. Jump on in and feel all the feelings, friends. You'll be glad you did.

The Artful Escape is a story about legacies, finding yourself, change and transition that presents itself in such an ingenious way that all can absolutely enjoy it. Gliding across the cosmos, playing electric guitar in unknown lands, and eventually vanquishing a divine complication with intricate audio design and superb music to accompany – it’s perplexing how captivating this interstellar adventure is. Inviting players on a musical journey through cosmic realms and challenging introspection, The Artful Escape is a masterpiece.

While Tales of Arise isn't perfect by any means, it is a meaty, colourful, and engaging game that I think should be on any self-respecting JRPG fans must-play list. Mastering the action combat is a thrilling and rewarding experience, as is the satisfaction of finding rare materials to craft with or taking down massive beasts for big rewards. The overarching plot is richly detailed, filled with twists and turns that will keep you interested, all while embarking on the journey with a party of well-realised characters. With some minor flaws found in the game's competing visual styles, graphical options, and side quest content, I think there are more than enough positives to be found that Tales of Arise could easily end up being one of the best RPGs released this year.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is certainly a worthy successor to Pathfinder: Kingmaker. With its highly varied moral choices, a tremendous number of race and class options, as well as the Mythic Path feature, players will have a ton to dig into. That said, the addition of turn-based crusade battles where you lead armies across the land doesn’t quite land as well, feeling sluggish and lacking many of the tactical nuances of the main combat mode. In all, however, despite the experience not being the most polished, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a deep, challenging and highly enjoyable title that is an easy recommend for fans of RPGs.

Golf Club: Wasteland is a rather standard golf game bolstered by an experimental narrative approach. This iteration is, have no doubt, an improvement on the niche ideas therein, and for that, I applaud the developers. However, good as these ideas are, they suffer from feeling incompatible with each other. Everything is OK, with the distinct sting of feeling like they could have been great, given the right conditions.

Sonic Colours Ultimate serves as a sad reminder that even the 3D Sonic games that are ‘one of the good ones’ don’t hold up very well. The updated visuals, soundtrack, and gameplay tweaks at least make it a better experience than the original, and some quality of life upgrades make the worst parts marginally less painful. Sonic fans nostalgic for this game will likely still value having this remaster in their collection, but the new customisable options and Rival Rush Mode are simply not enough to make up for what Sonic Colours lacks. It’s hardly what we were hoping to get from Sonic’s 30th anniversary.

Song of Iron is a short and sweet Nordic adventure that tells a simple story which ends up much deeper than it first seems. With a range of gorgeous environments to explore and relatively satisfying combat, it only occasionally frustrates with some tricky boss fights and clunky movement resulting in some platforming pitfalls. Still, these grievances don’t last long, as I found the world created by Resting Relic to be a stunning one to explore and very thoughtful in its style and presentation. Mostly, I’m just astonished with how great it is that a solo developer is capable of creating this wonderful little journey, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

Hoa is one of the only games I’ve recently played where my 70-year-old, non-gamer dad felt comfortable enough to play. It’s because of its simplicity and how approachable it is that makes Hoa the kind of game that anyone can enjoy and feel the calmness wash over them. The platforming can be a little clunky and the game may not challenge seasoned gamers. Although Hoa definitely brings the wholesome content we need right now – a simple story about a little fairy that just wants peace in this crazy world we live in.

I had a great time with No More Heroes III. The story, wacky characters, and stylish action all had me begging for more, but the open-world sections, graphical and performance issues and the constant on-screen effects do wear thin after lengthy play sessions and let the otherwise fantastic experience down. The game is an incredibly unique experience that is jam-packed with funny, strange moments that make it truly stand out from the crowd, and the solid combat and zany narrative elevates it to an adventure that is well worth playing. If you like your action games with a healthy dose of balls-to-the-wall weirdness, this one's for you.

King’s Bounty II has all the ingredients of a great strategy game but is held back by a counterintuitive UI and generic story elements. While the overworld offers a beautiful open environment to explore, often there’s not enough there to hold your attention as a player, and you’ll find yourself wandering around aimlessly. Added to this is that your character’s travel is particularly slow, the game has a sleepy pace at times that holds the overall experience back. While its strategy battles feature some interesting ideal mechanics that might appeal to die-hard fans of the franchise, if you’re looking for a broad roleplaying strategy experience, King’s Bounty II might not be the best fit for you.