All in all, Ring of Pain is a different enough take on the card game genre that it’s definitely going to be a good time. While not perfect, it has enough lurking in its depths to keep you thinking “Okay, well just one more run!”

Despite the dark undertones, one might assume a game with the title of I Am Dead has, I certainly felt anything but. The narrative pulls you in immediately. The heartwarming stories you’ll discover are just as great. I didn’t want it to end. Even though I didn’t rush through it, I wish I had spent more time taking in the gorgeous scenery and story. Lately, it seems as though the world is on fire, so why not take some time to pick this up and let Morris and Sparky’s delightful adventure take you for a ride?

Partisans 1941 takes some getting used to in terms of controlling a squad while moving the camera around. The artistic graphics play off the brilliant lighting of the Unreal Engine and the diverse voice acting is believable for the setting. Daedalic Entertainment and Alter Games have come together to bring a perfect blend of stealth and RTS with a twist on history full of rich lore to discover.

The NHL series hasn’t drastically changed the formula for fifteen years, so why would I expect NHL 21 to be any different? I certainly appreciate that Be a Pro has been fleshed out, but I’d trade it in a heartbeat for a game that looked and felt like an NHL broadcast. I stand by that it plays as well as it ever has. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a proper representation of the sport. And most of the changes that have been implemented haven’t translated in the way I hoped they would. The defense is still sporadic, your teammate AI is still clueless, and goalies still get beat by the same exploit goals. If EA Vancouver ever hopes to stand alongside the giants of the genre - NBA 2K and MLB The Show - they’ll need to rethink what simulation hockey really means.

Cake Bash delivers on both style and substance, the game is extremely cute and fun to play. The unique variety of mini-games keeps players engaged and allows Cake Bash to stand out from the crowd. The only downside is that the single-player experience may become a bit boring once you’ve mastered the gameplay. However, Cake Dash is a great party game to play locally or online, and is a refreshing take on these styles of games. If you are looking for a new way to connect with your friends or family, I think this would be an excellent choice. Cake Bash is as sweet as it looks.

The voice acting is quite good. Although there weren’t any standout characters, from the NPCs to the random voice recordings you find, I always felt involved with the world and its story. Additionally, there is a personal fort you can decorate and craft to your liking. There is quite a variety of options for decoration things purely cosmetic to useful things, like the Lucktree, which you could feed loot to grow larger, granting you better luck within dungeons. However, these little successes don’t fully make up for the game’s shallowness that probably will get you bored in a few hours. Torchlight 3 is not a bad game by any means, I just don’t see a point in playing it over the original or two.

While it seems strange at first, Phantom: Covert Ops has been one of my best experiences with VR to date. Despite playing the entire game from within a kayak and a formulaic narrative, the meat of the game comes from its impeccable mechanics and immersion. Phantom: Covert Ops uses realistic water physics for its locomotion in a way that lets the player avoid any feeling of nausea or discomfort. The layout of your gear is convenient and easy, and the control scheme takes minutes to master. It’s an exciting experience that puts you in the shoes of a special agent and you feel empowered while playing. For fans of stealth games who are just getting into VR this is an essential experience, and one that sets the bar for stealth in VR.

VR Broom Racing constantly gets in its own way, and the game is somehow right to do so. If you’re looking for a well-designed magical racing game, Little Witch Academia: VR Broom Racing is just what you’re looking for. I’m just not sure you’ll enjoy it.

I think The Walking Dead Onslaught might come off more positively if we hadn’t just experienced the greatness of Saints and Sinners just a few months ago. That game felt much more involved and immersive, with a great story that left an impact. By comparison, The Walking Dead Onslaught feels thin, and lacking in that atmosphere of desperation we’d expect from spending some time in the zombie apocalypse. If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead franchise and hunger for more zombie killing, the missions, gameplay and story in The Walking Dead Onslaught are not bad. But if you’re looking for something deeper to sink your teeth into, stick with Saints and Sinners.

Schell Games have forged a winner. The swordplay gameplay feels real and the physics make for a challenging and fairly physically demanding game too. Add in the power-ups and abilities that can be added to each weapon and there is a play style available to suit every player’s needs.

Being an ARPG on the shorter side, the different perspectives in Ys Origin offer excellent replayability and gives players a pleasant, rounded experience without bogging them down with too many details. Even though the repetitive grinding can be a mind-numbing task to gain experience points, at least the controls are fluid, making this an easy game to enjoy. As the prequel to an already successful franchise, Ys Origin is a highly recommended addition to the series that gamers new and old to the story should not ignore.

I’ve played Pendragon dozens of times. I’ve unlocked most of the characters (I still can’t see to get Branwen the archer to trust me) and I know there are stories I haven’t pursued to their conclusions (Excalibur is out there, and I will find it). So rather than a traditional RPG or strategy game, Pendragon plays like an impressionistic take on a classic Nintendo formula. You’ll tell your own stories and if you play them right, the dream of Camelot will live on.

FIFA 21 is a complete package that will keep football fans hooked for the entire season. Although there are only a few small improvements, the tactical possibilities that these unlock are vast. With Dual Entitlement, meaning you can transfer your progress to next-gen consoles and the fact that it's packed to the goalposts with content, FIFA 21 comfortably takes the golden boot for 2021.

If you were looking to find a perfect replica of the Netflix series complete with an original storyline you won’t find that here. Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is plenty good fun if viewed as a standalone title but it’s hard not to compare it to the Netflix series and find it underwhelming. Now as a pre-teen or teen, Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia is worth a playthrough for sure, especially with friends. As an adult, however, it’s probably not going to hold your attention very long; maybe just skip this one.

The dialogues between named characters and quest givers are equally dull. There was not a single moment of depth in any writing and all characters just spoke their mind and acted out their cliched character tropes. I definitely would not recommend this game for its storytelling. I would say, for most of our audience, to definitely hold off on purchasing Sands of Salzaar as it is still currently under heavy development. However, there is immense potential with the system they have developed! Keep an eye on this one.

The crux of Ride 4 clearly hangs in the gameplay. Veterans of the franchise and of motorsports will be engrossed with the latest entry in the series. Edging closer and closer to its real-life counterpart, the game is truly the finest rendition of the sport. Featuring a fleshed out career mode, which has choice at the forefront, will please fans who will be eager to do multiple playthroughs. However, the game neglects newcomers to the series and could have included a deep tutorial that would have allowed them to engage and further understand the layers within the mechanics. It is clear to see that Ride 4 has been designed to retain fans rather than gain new ones which is a major speedbump on its way to the finish line.

Let’s not forget that all of this great gameplay, all these beautiful visuals and music have been packed into the diminutive platform of the Nintendo Switch. It’s an amazing achievement, and the developers deserve credit for delivering a faithful rendering of this full game in handheld mode. In fact, in some ways, you even get a better version than was originally released on the Xbox One in March, because it’s had its lagging and other bugs ironed out. Sure, the visuals are not quite as crisp (especially in docked mode), but you’d have to be really looking to notice, or really care. No, this huge little game is a must-play on the Switch, and it is in every way a worthy successor to an iconic game classic.

Unrailed! is essential to absolutely anyone who loves arcade couch co-op games, and I will undoubtedly be playing this for years to come. All that’s left now is for you to grab a friend and go. How long can you hang on?

Crash is back, baby! Fans can rejoice as Toys for Bob and Activision have come together to create platforming perfection. Thanks to loads of collectibles and Tawna, levels remain fresh not only upon your first playthrough but during subsequent attempts as well. And once you’re ready to start speedrunning, it’s remarkably rewarding to master a stage. Plus, each one is gorgeous to boot. Deliciously nostalgic all the while new and teeming with life, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is going to be the best Bandicoot-based game you’ve ever played. I’ll bet my Wumpas on it.

Squadrons has a somewhat limited audience. I'm terrible at dogfights, but I'm motivated to get better. They're a ton of fun, but they're brutally tough. If that doesn't appeal to you, best you learn it now, rather than later. For those of you starving for a proper Star Wars flight combat game, this is exactly what you've been waiting for. Otherwise, you're in for a rough ride, albeit an exciting one, with Star Wars: Squadrons.

This is a rather cursory attempt at a remaster. The use of downgraded assets, missing content, no DLC, no multiplayer, and no ability to quick save are all big letdowns. One thing the remaster does carry on though is the legacy of the original game in being able to run in a smooth and consistent manner. Further patches may improve the game but in its current state, the only reaction possible with this release is disappointment.

Moero Crystal H is not the type of game you’d play without headphones on, but it also feels oddly liberating to play a game that welcomes nonsensical sexual themes with open arms. The fanservice is fantastic and the number of waifus you can pick are numerous. Everyone in this harem warms up to you and allows you to rub them, which truthfully makes it less uncomfortable to do. While it may not be a game for everyone, honestly if you are comfortable with a dungeon crawler mixed with lots of moe and sexual innuendos, this is 100% the game for you.

The Dungeon of Naheulbeuk is altogether an enjoyable romp that will land with you about as far as you can tolerate cringeworthy humor and a lite XCOM layer set in a Dungeons and Dragons setting. Also, do yourself a favor and mute the Elf. Permanently. The game has it as an available option; it’s like they knew how bad the humor might be. So do it and you’ll thank me later.

What’s funny is that having played it, Mafia still has its charms. I’m sure part of it is nostalgia, but this is a story that transcends its cliches. I did and do care for Tommy. His wife and family are criminally underwritten but when he says he is fighting for them, I believe him. That makes the Definitive Edition something akin to a shot-for-shot remake. It manages to capture the charm of the original, imbues it with modern technology, and freezes all of its flaws in a sepia toned amber.

Tennis World Tour 2 lacks focus and due to this, the game lingers in mediocrity. With inconsistent AI, a harsh timing mechanic paired with a stat-boosting card system, the game will turn away both hardcore and casual fans. Unfortunately, this is a double fault for the Tennis World Tour franchise.

The gameplay is fluid, the visuals are stunning (other than some motion blur) and the music and ambient noise make this Zen Studios experience quite relaxing outside of combat. It’s not quite an Epic Games Store platform seller but combined with all of the freebies they offer, RTS and tower defense fans should definitely consider jumping on board CastleStorm 2 for an experience that I’d expect from a modernized Warcraft game.

Lovers of city-building will be left unsatisfied because it plays a more minor (and less interesting) role in the game than one would hope, but I would recommend Port Royale 4 to fans who have played the series before or for those who love a mix between resource management and strategy. For anyone else who falls somewhere in between, I may recommend that you wait for a price-drop.

If you're in the market for a fun, first-person shooter, I wholeheartedly recommend Serious Sam 4. It has its flaws and might not be the shooter of the year, but it is still one-hundred percent well worth a playthrough.