What stands out to me in this case, is that between how terrible the initial release was, and how the folks at Wolf Brew had to literally crawl out of the abyss to turn Slain into a competent title. Slain: Back From Hell is truly metal in very sense of the word.

As a spiritual successor, the game adopts many traits that are similar to Dead Space. The HUD is implemented within the design, the limbs of your opponent can be blown away and the tight camera obscures your view. While comparisons are expected, The Callisto Protocol does differ. The melee-focused combat cranks up the intensity of encounters but ultimately stumbles when facing numerous enemies. Some may not like the linearity but I felt that this helped with the pacing of the game and the effectiveness of scares. Although it never reaches the heights of its predecessor’s first two outings, it still offers a trembling trek through a terrifying detention center.

It’s has an interesting story, a plethora of puzzles that need to be solved (regardless of either being too easy or difficult at times), and is simply fun all the way to the closing credits.

If you are a fan of superheroes and/or a fan of the Lego franchise of games, Lego Batman 2 will attract you for sure, if you don't find yourself in this category though, feel free to take a look at this game anyhow, as you might just find yourself surprised at what is offered.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is a unique tale from the crypt of Supermassive Games. The intriguing premise and methodical pacing help to build an overwhelming sense of trepidation, making you question what lies in the myriad of breathing shadows. Although the final third lacks the ambition and ingenuity of its early segments, it’s another great example and celebration of the horror genre.

All in all, Atelier Marie Remake: The Alchemist of Salburg is still a classic worth taking a look at. This game is challenging, but it’s not unfair. And frankly, the challenge is half the appeal. The other half of the appeal is the crafting and the cute girls, of course.

They don’t come around as often anymore, but Mantis Burn Racing shows that the topdown racer is still alive and kicking. It excels in being a casual and accessible racer for newcomers with excellent and responsive controls while offering a robust and challenging career mode for the hardcore. While the load times can sometimes get annoying between races, the actual gameplay is fun whether you’re playing solo or with your buddies.

I had bigger hopes for this one. But still Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom is a fun VR adventure game that you’ll enjoy. You don’t have to be a fan of the TV series to enjoy the game, but it helps. Either way, there’s a solid narrative to experience, first-person. And the gameplay is fun and varied, even if the world feels like a beautiful animatronic amusement park ride at times. If you’re a bloke who fancies a good wallop and a bust up at the local boozer, give Peaky Blinders: The King’s Ransom a look.

While the gameplay might be repetitive and clunky at times, the game encourages players to return, and the town building aspects are quite addicting.

A quick thrill ride.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2019 seems to favour fixing most of what was there instead of changing the make-up of the game. While these smaller additions are all well and good, there is a feeling in the football sim community that both Pro Evo and FIFA are due for a generational leap in years to come. However, that starts with getting what’s already there right – and in that regard, PES 2019 passes with flying colors.

Despite my initial reactions, I finally start to enjoy Life is Feudal. After getting over the initial learning curve and skill grind. There is something liberating about being able to terraform any piece of land and cut down any tree I find.

While a few typos and grammar issues throughout hint that the game still needs a little polish, The Horror at Highrook is a great time for anyone who loves a little Lovecraft with their card games.

Zombie Army VR is a fun arcade shooter. Killing zombies never gets old, and the World War II setting is an entertaining mash with the undead genre. The game really gives off a Castle Wolfenstein vibe. However, some may find that the gameplay loop will wear out its welcome. The VR implementation is top-notch, with manual VR weapon loading mechanics that add to the challenge. If zombies are your thing, along with the X-Ray sniper rifle replays, Zombie Army VR will be right up your alley.

For best results, pick up Islanders: Console Edition for shorter sessions; calm yourself down and escape from the stress of life. Don’t look for it to satisfy your Napoleonic yearnings for military glory. And if you’ve been looking for the next “Civ-on-the-go,” keep looking. Islanders: Console Edition is a small game that knows what it is — and isn’t. And that’s just fine.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is a step in the right direction. Game Freak successfully reimagines the formula in an open-world format and improves on its previous experiments with this design. The ability to tackle any gym is refreshing and the three distinct story paths give more reason to explore. Unfortunately, the number of performance issues cannot be overlooked and these hinder what could have been a highlight of the series.

In the end, I think Harold Halibut ought to be experienced for its amazing technical achievement, if nothing else. While its gameplay doesn’t always engage, its narrative, characters, and themes are coherent in the manner of good speculative fiction. Both Harold the character and Harold Halibut the game are weird, wonderful, and quite unlike anything we’ve seen this year.

NBA 2K18 is a solid title but does little to improve overall, featuring relatively the same experience as years past.

Golf With Your Friends is easy to pick up but difficult to master, like all the best party games. As someone who struggles to find putters big enough for me at mini-golf courses and who has a nagging injury, Golf With Your Friends is an excellent alternative to the real thing. With the heavy focus of online multiplayer and the title being available day one on Game Pass, it’s a great way for Team17 and Blacklight Interactive to bring more people together during these pressing times.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is a step in the right direction. Game Freak successfully reimagines the formula in an open-world format and improves on its previous experiments with this design. The ability to tackle any gym is refreshing and the three distinct story paths give more reason to explore. Unfortunately, the number of performance issues cannot be overlooked and these hinder what could have been a highlight of the series.

Generally speaking, Styx: Blades of Greed’s move to a more open world is a good choice and plays to the title character’s strengths. Intricate level design and challenging stealth are matched by Styx’s new and returning toys. Apart from some technical misfires and my personal gripes with a few mechanics, Styx: Blades of Greed is not quite an open-armed introduction to the loveable green guy, but it should absolutely please fans of the series.

The original game charmed people with its characters and premise but fell through on delivering a satisfying story. This game feels like it’s been mapped out from beginning to end, and this strength carries me through its weaker moments so I can experience events like the climax of Wastelands. I have faith in Life is Strange 2 that it understands where it’s going and what it wants to do, and I’m here for the long haul.

This expansion is a great buy for players of either the Vampire or Empire factions. It is a more modest price then the last piece of DLC for almost the same amount of content. While the additions favor the Vampires, both sides get some cool new toys to play with. It’s a great expansion that is sure to tide players over until the next race is introduced.

Overall, if you’re looking for a more open world experience or a narrative that takes one of many paths based on your various choices, you might be a bit disappointed by Silence. It is a linear experience, a straight narrative path with puzzle-gates to go through to continue on — much like other point-and-click games like Deponia, Monkey Island or Broken Age. Having said that, the writing is very good and I enjoyed the narrative very much even if it did feel like a visual novel at times. Added to that are the gorgeous visuals, haunting musical score and solid puzzle elements and you have a fun and entertaining package that feels right at home on the Switch.

At the core of the game is your relationship with the ship’s AI – Kaizen. If you treat it with the proper respect and try to foster a friendly relationship, the game narrative will resonate with you more and by extension, make your journey through the game all that more engrossing.

Breached melds together a plethora of mechanics and systems to build a unique experience. The more I played it, that impressive effect was not as astounding as was first introduced but it’s still there.

Still, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town gets it right in all the important areas. The characters are definitely serviceable and are full of personality. I’m still absolutely in love with the aesthetic, and I can admit that I’ve definitely stayed up too long playing this game. It is missing any online functionality though, but if you are looking for a new solo farming game, definitely take a look at this one.

VR is obviously at its best when it creates an experience that is unique to the medium. By this definition, Bounce Arcade is a definite success. It has an original concept that’s well executed and lots of fun. Often in VR, novelty is a game’s only selling point. I don’t think that’s true with Bounce Arcade, and hopefully the game will continue to be supported by new tables and additional modes or incentives to keep playing.