The versatility of wall-running and jumping with the agility of Spider-Man with machine guns is undeniably entertaining. Traversing the excellent dark and brutal world with these abilities makes it all that much more fun. However, it’s clear there are polish and refinements required if this bounty hunter wants to make bank. Necromunda: Hired Gun is messy and not the game Warhammer 40,000 fans or FPS lovers will be speaking about in years to come.

I have played many online multiplayer games in my time, but Knockout City has made a better first impression than most. With its easy-to-understand mechanics, along with the complex mind games involved in almost any interaction, it is very satisfying for quick play sessions. Despite some technical issues and a lack of single-player content and diverse game modes, what is there at launch is a lot of fun so far. Hopefully Velan Studios has more plans to expand the scope of Knockout City further with new maps and cosmetic options over time.

On a 3DS, Miitopia is a great and fun delightful integration. On the Switch, it’s only a decent adventure with some laughs and time-killing to be had. I wanted more.

If you haven’t played Mass Effect already and are looking for the best way to do so, the Legendary Edition will be the way to go. It has all of the games in one convenient package, along with all of the DLC. With the improvements to load times, it is absolutely the definitive way to play Mass Effect on console.

Shattered – Tale of the Forgotten King has so many things going for it. It looks absolutely stunning with its protagonist filled with jagged edges, its melancholic soundtrack with its twangy acoustic guitars, and the story behind its creation is super sweet and inspiring. However, this is a game that has been in early access for nearly two years. Steam is full of players offering suggestions in their reviews of what needs improving, but a lot of these repeated suggestions have not been taken on. Shattered needed to be worked on a bit more before it was smashed into pieces and served up to its audience.

This isn’t exactly a rhythm game. While its descriptor may not be accurate, it’s still a marvellous game. Already a cult hit with fans of Undertale and other games of the sort, Everhood is a bizarre and groovy adventure that can’t be missed.

When it comes to card games, Loop Hero brings a unique and refreshing take to the table. While initially its format may take some getting used to and its graphics may appear simple, the game’s mechanics pack a surprising punch. With cards generating complex enemies, resources, and terrains, no two playthroughs in Loop Hero will be the same. Through this impressive degree of variety and replayability, Loop Hero offers a unique challenge for card game newbies and veterans alike.

Maquette is a beautiful puzzle game with a catchy soundtrack that really sets the chill yet heart-breaking vibe of the game. The way it messes around with space and depth keeps things fresh throughout and the game looks damn fine, making it an overall positive experience. However, it had an opportunity to make much stronger links between its puzzle world and its narrative world and it saddens me that this didn’t occur.

If you’re sensible, please, for the love of God spend your time and money on literally anything else. Lust From Beyond will derive no joy, only misery and lethargy.

Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 almost gets there but it’s just not consistently fun enough to warrant ongoing play. The open worlds are large and some of them are well designed, but there just isn’t really anything to do other than drive around. The races themselves are too much of a mixed bag, mixing some exciting races with other tracks that would better suit a Rally Car rather than a Monster Truck. The arena challenges are fun for a while but they become too repetitive to keep going back to.

Despite my problems with some of the storytelling, I enjoyed Root Film a lot. The beautiful anime-style art and relatable characters are more than enough to make up for my temporary frustrations, and I was happy to just be along for the ride. As an avid mystery game fan, I’ll guzzle down as many of these as publishers translate, so the fact that it wasn’t a perfect 10/10 doesn’t bother me, as long as the ending is satisfying – which for Root Film, it is. It gets my recommendation.

Sizeable in the grand scheme of things is a very well-crafted game. There has been a lot of work and effort put in to ensure this small project is packed densely with great ideas. The core mechanic, whilst simple in execution, is used to achieve an impressive array of effects, which make for some entertaining puzzles. The length of the game may disappoint some, but with the game sitting at an equally bite-sized price, I would encourage those interested to absolutely check it out anyway.

Neurodeck offers up an interesting premise and beautiful visuals. Story-wise and gameplay-wise, however, the whole experience feels like an Early Access release; many areas of gameplay are repetitive, and it’s easy to encounter the same enemies multiple times in a single run. I’m convinced this could be a stunning game if given a bit more love by the developers, but it doesn’t match up to the giants currently dominating the card-game genre. If you’re looking for a deck-building challenge, it’s best to keep looking a little longer.

Gnosia is an eccentric blend of visual novel, Werewolf-style social deduction and RPG mechanics that somehow manages to pull it all together to make one of the most intriguing game releases this year. While some repetitive and frustrating moments mean that the game feels a little bit longer than it should, its cast of quirky, likable characters and quite frankly addictive gameplay loop will keep you just as much on the edge of your seat in Loop 1 as it will in Loop 100. There’s a wild ride to unravel, full of crazy twists and turns, and combined with the sharp writing and clever mashup of different genres, Gnosia truly stands out as a fascinating addition to your Switch library. Just be careful who you trust.

While I do have a few complaints with Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, overall I really enjoyed the time that I spent with the game. The actual meat of the gameplay is really satisfying with a lot of more modern gameplay ideas to freshen up the already well-loved franchise. The characters are very sweet and lovely and the cows are so round and adorable.

It’s fur real: Inspector Waffles is a paw-sitively claw-ssic point-and-click adventure with an atmosphere that’ll leave you feline fine. While its difficulty may be better suited to kittens and the inconsistent artstyle may cat-ch you off guard, there’s a purrfectly charming story to experience here. With hissterical puns and a visual and meowsical design that can only be described as the cat’s pyjamas, Inspector Waffles is far from a catastrophe: as essential as catnip for fans of the point-and-click adventure genre.

Rise has taken note of the franchise’s most successful elements, and refined them into the best Monster Hunter yet. By continuing the streamlining that Generations and World started, Rise has focused on making the actual hunting the most engaging it has ever been.

It Takes Two is a one-of-a-kind experience. There is a joy and whimsy to the entire game and so much variety it’ll keep players entertained and surprised from beginning to end. The world is so detailed and gorgeous and the cohesion between storytelling and gameplay is incredibly impressive. It’s the kind of game that proves there’s still plenty of room for innovation in games.

Clea 2 ended up being an enjoyable experience. Once you get used to the game’s mechanics, the less-than-perfect proximity sound is no longer such a big issue. After you’re past that point, the rest of the game becomes a fun challenge to complete. It’s definitely a game for those who love skill-based survival experiences. No matter your skill level though, Clea 2 has options to suit you.

I feel it is perfect for newcomers to the genre presenting a fun and cartoony experience that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination proves that exciting strategy games aren’t always super complex and difficult to learn.

Narita Boy is a surprisingly melancholic experience that puts forth a narrative exploring the power fantasy that video games provide people. Or rather more accurately, it gives the player power over their own journey as well as the skills necessary to overcome obstacles. It contrasts the beautiful and fantastical pixel world it’s created, with a very human story of hardship and grief.

It might be unfair of me to make so many comparisons between Ys VIII and IX, but like I said, I absolutely loved VIII. IX does a lot of things well, but many elements are subpar compared to how its predecessor handled them. Still, the Gift abilities make the city of Balduq a delight to explore, and the tried-and-true battle system is as exhilarating as it ever was. Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is not as polished or as fulfilling as Ys VIII, but second best is nothing to scoff at. This is a fantastic RPG, and an excellent entry in this long running, underappreciated series.

An example of storytelling that can only exist through the medium of games, and a testament to the artistry of play. Its powerful writing, eye-watering design, and incredibly truthful narrative are held up by simple intuitive gameplay that immerses you in its story. While it’s not a challenging experience, Lost Words pulls you into an emotional journey that will linger long after the ending credits. This is the kind of game that makes me excited to play games, even if they leave me in tears.

GoodbyeWorld Games have created something incredibly special with Before Your Eyes. It’s a truly great game that explores real human stories through mechanics I’ve never really seen before. It’s a wonderfully crafted indie game that demands to be up there in your must-play list for 2021.

Rain on Your Parade does what it sets out to do. It’s chaotic, ridiculous and allows you to ruin the day. The lack of cohesion between target market and style does make this slightly confusing to recommend. However, players of all ages will enjoy the simplistic but enjoyable gameplay. It’s a cute indie game with a great visual style but in many ways it also misses the mark just slightly. It lacks immersion with the jarring and seemingly pointless cutscenes and the jumping in and out of load screens. With a few design changes, Rain on Your Parade has the potential to gain better continuity and appeal to a wider audience. There’s something special and engaging here, but in its current state, it leaves me a little frustrated, confused and expecting more.

Godstrike is, at its crunchy centre, a boss rush game built around a somewhat interesting mechanic that, no matter how flawed, certainly gets the adrenaline pumping. Each of the encounters feels well designed but immovable to the average player. There are only so many times the player can try at an encounter before they feel disheartened at the difficulty. Not feeling like one can sacrifice time for abilities is disappointing too. The game also refuses to acknowledge that not allowing the player any way to recoup lost health disadvantages players unfairly. It’s a game that means well with a new challenge for high-skilled players of twin-stick shooters, but casual players won’t need much time to realise just how tedious learning these controls can be.

Series fans will enjoy this game no matter what. But if you are a series fan, I’m assuming you’ve already played it on PS4. If you’re looking to buy it on another platform, the evidence stacks up in favour of the PC version because of the Switch’s downgraded graphics and lack of achievements unless you really want that handheld portability. If you’re not a series fan yet, then go back to page 1 and start at the beginning. This game will not make a lick of sense to you.