If someone like me could enjoy speedrunning and do pretty well, I believe this game is suitable for both casual speedrunners and veterans alike. Sure it can be frustrating to die so many times, but there are zero consequences because you literally have endless lives to lose.

It’s often thrilling, and there are so many good ideas under the hood, that enduring some of the frustration still leaves you with a unique action game experience. Take it as a cautionary tale. This is what happens when a game is too excited about style, and prides it over gameplay.

System Shock in 1994 was an innovative masterpiece. Anyone coming to the game via this remaster in 2023 might wonder what all the fuss was about. While its themes of unrestrained AI and corporate espionage still resonate, this version doesn’t go quite far enough to make System Shock feel modern. We’ve come to take for granted just about everything the original invented. While we wait for a genuine reboot, System Shock is worth playing as a reminder of how important great ideas were, and still are, to the hobby we love.

Break Arts II is a dream come true for any fans who have big ideas and want to create their own robotic units, as the customization has incredible possibilities. My hopes for this game are that the online community will become more active, the developers consider adding custom keybinding in the options, and possibly updating the in-game models of the enemy units to have them appear as they were built instead of racing little diamonds.

Call of Duty: Ghosts Invasion DLC maintains that momentum by keeping the CoD online community happy with yet another drop of four entertaining maps and a challenging Extinction level. If you have already downloaded the previous two map packs, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take the plunge all over again.

If you already have the Season Pass, I would say The Forge is worth checking out. If you’re thinking of just shelling out five dollars for the game, I wouldn’t recommend it without getting the whole kit and caboodle: it’s just not enough content for what you get, although it is fun if you’re already a fan of the game. In that spirit, I’m giving it the same score that we gave the main game when it came out, because Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s The Forge isn’t going to change anyone’s mind. If, like me, you loved the gameplay and are willing to sit through a bit of sloppy writing to get to the fun within, it’s worth it. If you thought Shadow of the Tomb Raider wasn’t worth the entry ticket, I’d sit this one out. It’s all about perspective.

Dustborn tells a touching tale brimming with personality and political messages with each character offering a unique perspective that enriches the narrative. While these diverse viewpoints occasionally lead to inconsistencies in tone, the game succeeds in delivering a strong, but potentially divisive, story. The musical elements provide a refreshing twist to the gameplay, standing out against the uninspiring combat. Overall, Dustborn adds various elements to the interactive drama genre, and while not all are equally successful, the game offers a compelling experience that will resonate with those seeking an ambitious tale.

Overall, Pokken Tournament is an exciting and fast-paced fighting game that successfully blends the gameplay basics of Tekken with the Pokemon characters to create a completely unique formula. With intricate yet accessible mechanics, it’ll please both veterans and newcomers to the fighting game genre.

From the originality of the story, to the illustrative comic book panel scenes and exceptional graphics, Turn On is a fantastic casual platformer guaranteed to help pass a few hours of your day with a smile on your face.

Football Manager 26 excels in many areas but stumbles in others. Match presentation is the best it’s ever been, helping to strengthen your connection with players as a manager, while new tactical options, including refined player roles and formations in and out of possession, add greater depth on the pitch. The user interface, though improved for controller use, buries too many menus, and overall performance still needs work, leaving the experience feeling slightly unfinished. Despite these issues, FM 26 remains the best management sim available, and it’s easy to lose hours to its deep, endlessly rewarding gameplay loop.

It’s entirely addicting and filled with more content than you could ever hope to play, so much so that I didn’t even really touch on the improved matchmaking and multiplayer options, the course creator, societies, etc. That mountain of content is wrapped up in a game that is overall pretty good. Much like golf, things that go wrong will frustrate you beyond belief, but they’ll make you feel like a million bucks when they go right. At least if you throw your controller in frustration at a bad shot it’ll be cheaper to replace than dumping your bag of clubs into a lake.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is a weird but strangely addictive title that continues to surprise each time you dip in. The level of customisation helps create a truly unique experience, where the Miis, clothing, and more are shaped entirely by your choices, letting you fine-tune every detail to reflect your own quirky vision. This leads to an array of wacky stories and situations that keep you coming back for more. Although there’s a lack of traditional gameplay and not much to keep you playing for longer than short bursts, it’s a successful evolution of its predecessor and a relaxing, cosy experience that’s easy to return to.

Despite the simplistic part-time job mini games and the randomization of being able to upgrade tools, Trio of Towns hits all of the main points to have a successful daily game loop.

Although eFootball Kick Off! isn’t the complete return to the glory days of Pro Evolution Soccer, it’s a strong and confident step in the right direction. On the pitch, it translates the beautiful game in a way that echoes its past, offering a worthy alternative to EA FC. While Konami clearly wants to make this accessible and welcoming to new players, this comes at the expense of challenge, meaning you’ll need to remove assists and raise the difficulty to experience the tension and struggle longtime fans expect. Releasing at a budget price, this is an easy recommendation for anyone curious about where the series goes next, especially those looking for an alternative experience without aggressive monetisation practices.

Aside from being an MMORPG and having the cooperative multiplayer element not always found in cozy life sims, Palia doesn’t really stray far from the formula. I can certainly understand gamers vibing with Palia’s gentle, appealing world. Thanks to playing with others, it can easily be a nice little alternate reality that’s almost entirely free of conflict and violence, and that sounds pretty inviting. Palia might not be incredibly original, but it’s definitely worth checking out for fans of the genre.

There are lots of ways in which Outcast: A New Beginning punches way, way up. The world is elaborate and thoroughly imagined. Characters are interesting. Some of the game’s mechanics and elements will seem familiar, but in this case Outcast: A New Beginning can claim it was there first. Unrewarding combat and some bland mission design aside, Outcast: A New Beginning reminds me of many AA games that I loved despite their flaws.

Arizona Sunshine 2 improves on every aspect of the original to make this one of the best zombie games on the PSVR 2. The weapons have never felt better and make mowing down enemies a thrill. Although the horde mode is a little basic and you’ll encounter the odd glitch, the fact you can play everything with a friend improves the entire experience. With its dark humor and well-designed world, you’ll have a sadistic time annihilating foes on your trek through a post-apocalyptic world.

In most ways, Gal Guardians Demon Purge sticks very close to the retro-Castlevania template. The best parts of the game are those ideas and mechanics which add something new, like the swappable sisters with unique strengths. For those gamers tired of uber-challenging action platformers, Gal Guardians Demon Purge’s streamlined gameplay and accessible difficulty might be a welcome change, if not a particularly revelatory experience.

Vampire: The Masquerade-Justice is a stealth-action RPG that’s a convincing fit for VR. The core gameplay is pretty standard, and character models are a bit disappointing, but its implementation in VR, coupled with excellent environmental design and lighting, help sell the experience. New Meta Quest 3 or PS VR2 owners with a taste for virtual blood will enjoy spending time in Venice’s virtual world of shadows.

Overall, Blair Witch VR is a solid horror experience with some super scares. The excellent audio and your dog, Bullet, elevate what would be a pretty standard experience. Dog lovers take note. Bullet is a great companion, and the game has some deft touches where you can reach out and pet him or scratch his ears. A little thing but one that really connects you to the world.

Titles like Transport Fever 2 are not made for the general gamer. Tutorial aside, it’s a game for lovers of detail, challenge, and lots of moving parts. For those folks, Transport Fever 2 delivers on consoles the same experience as on PC. It’s a daunting but rewarding good time.

Cat Quest 3’s style is its calling card, but the surprise comes from its addictive and unexpectedly deep gameplay systems and mechanics. It’s a full-fledged ARPG with cat and pirate trappings. Fans of felines and suckers for swashbucklers of any age should enjoy the adventure. Cat Quest 3 releases on August 8–International Cat Day.

Uniquely hand-drawn and detailed, Inked is a love story set in a beautiful world that feels minimalistic and simple, yet full of life and stories to tell. A comforting tale that touches on deeper life meanings while introducing creative puzzles to solve, this short and sweet game demands just the right amount of attention from the player. Unpredictable movements and controls make the experience feel less smooth, but the linear paths make it easy to know where our hero needs to go. It is a rewarding couple of hours well spent for those looking for a soothing and wholesome adventure.

Far Cry Primal takes players to an era rarely visited in modern gaming and does so convincingly. Any fan of the series would love it and many would likely argue it’s the best we’ve seen from Far Cry thus far.

Demagog Studio is on to something with Golf Club: Wasteland, and it’s absolutely something they should be proud of. This is a developer I’ll now be watching with a close eye, as I can’t wait to see what they come up with next. Whatever this small Serbian team has in the pot, rest assured I’ll be first in line. Check out Golf Club: Wasteland and the original soundtrack “Radio Nostalgia from Mars.” And bring some tissues.

Overall, Once Human’s blend of action, survival/crafting, and MMORPG-like mission design kept me entertained and happily occupied. While some of the more challenging enemies are designed around multiplayer teamwork, the majority of the game’s content is solo player-friendly. Once Human can be approached and enjoyed in lots of ways. It needs some further refinement, but Once Human’s hybrid genre approach pays off.

I had fun playing Redfall, both solo and with friends. There’s a definite Salem’s Lot vibe to a New England town oppressed by a vampire apocalypse. All the characters are interesting to play and the monsters are varied. Still, Redfall does not revolutionize the open-world shooter, or even really evolve Arkane Austin’s by-now familiar formula. Redfall feels like the product of a reliable game plan that’s due for an update.

SD Gundam Battle Alliance is not perfect, but there’s no denying the enjoyment one can get from it. Whether you enjoy playing solo or joining online with friends, there’s something suitable for everyone. Sure, it’s more fun if you know some main characters and villains, but it’s still entertaining if you’re new to the franchise. For myself, it was a pleasure to experience the modern nostalgia, and I’m positive other Gundam fans will feel the same.