Not being content with being one of the most soulless products released under the Warner Bros. label, it is also extremely underwhelming from a technical point of view. Gotham Knights was originally developed as a multi-gen title, but PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions got cancelled. Despite this, the visuals underwhelm and fail to impress and manage to look worse than the last major Batman instalment released seven years prior. Capping at a mere 30fps might be excusable if this boasted the most cutting edge visuals on the market, but it manages to look cheap and dated. For a AAA production from Warner Bros., this should have been a visual tour de force, with top writing talent, and have evolved the gameplay to compete with its contemporaries. Maybe it can be salvaged over time with updates, but currently it's one of the most droll and sloppily designed triple-A products of 2022.

Considering Underground was developed originally as a simulator and will hopefully assist in the development of surgical skills, it's great to see it works well as a standalone game, too.

It certainly has some potential, but Rhapsody constantly disappoints.

Cities: Skylines is one of, if not the premier city building sim on the market. The amount of detail it is able to cram into every facet of the experience can feel intimidating at first, but getting to know all of the features at their disposal will be both crucial and satisfying in the player's pursuit of the greatest city on Earth. Some performance issues place a damper on the experience, as does the absence of content available in other versions of the game. Regardless, for Switch owners wanting to get their fix of constructing their very own megalopolis would be hard pressed to find a better resource than this.

As it stands it's a flawed but fun title, and if you want something a bit different in the third person adventure mould then it's a decent choice.

Far more complex and stressful than it lets on, Nuclien is a delightful tap 'em up that genuinely challenges players to focus like little else on Nintendo Switch. Unlike most games on the console, the gameplay actually takes advantage of the touch screen by removing the use of buttons during stages. Each world has its own tap-based gimmick to overcome, with plenty of twists and tension to endure. While the last few stages are especially hard, there's a build-up to the difficulty and players are given all the tools they need to succeed just by paying attention. It isn't particularly long, but Nuclien's reflex-based gameplay is a fantastic way of engaging the brain and the Switch's underused hardware.

Star Renegades is exceptionally fun to play and a great addition to any Switch library. With endless combinations of battles to fight and a ton of weapons and items to unlock, there is plenty of content here to deliver dozens of hours of fun. While the Switch version does suffer from some downgrades with load times and performance on occasion, the portability of this rogue-lite means it is ideal for playing on the move. Star Renegades has a lot of scope and ideas under the hood and the dynamic enemy promotions is just one that is incredibly impressive. Exceptionally tough, at times frustrating but always rewarding - this visual treat is definitely one to pick up - especially since the game is set to receive regular content updates over the months ahead.

Masquerada: Songs and Shadows is an incredibly disappointing RPG, not because it's outright bad, but because it has everything it needs to excel. Gorgeous visuals, a well directed voice cast, and the tutorial's promise of a political drama set in a city that's clearly on the verge of a coup, all make for a compelling experience. Unfortunately, the visuals are let down thanks to a painfully bland dungeon design, the script isn't anywhere near the voice cast's direction, and the actual story opts for a bafflingly generic approach following the intro. It certainly doesn't help matters that load times are abundant, dragging an already slow title to a crawl, and that the core combat is somehow both chaotic and uninteresting. Despite a relatively strong start, this simply isn't worth the time or effort.

Outward isn't so much bad as it is outwardly bland. Bolstered by its genuinely endearing premise, and an emphasis on a more "human" approach to the RPG genre, the title is simultaneously held back by lacklustre presentation, an underwhelming combat system, and a main game that goes on far too long to justify the onslaught of hostility thrown at the player. The survival elements do help to keep the experience engaging, but, more often than not, they hold back what would otherwise be a rather atmospheric and pleasant action-RPG. The hostility on offer is a genuine strength on a conceptual level, but it perhaps goes too far, resulting in an RPG that can't quite overcome its flaws despite its qualities.

The Thin Silence hits all the right notes when it comes to the puzzling situations faced, with extremely smart ways of working through the various stages faced, continuously crafting new objects to aid with progress. Sadly, it does hold itself back too much with a painfully slow walking pace for the lead character, and some weighty prose that misses the mark, too often proving to actually be boring and/or confusing.

This is the perfect example of "Games as a Service" done right. Marvel's Avengers offers up a superb campaign story to play through that is promised to be expanded on in the future. The gameplay may be repetitive, but it includes just enough to keep players interested and invested in the endgame content that is available now to keep this game going until the next step in its roadmap. The possibilities and potential in the future here are hugely exciting.

What is Shadow Man Remastered? It's a great remaster, of a not so great game. A tedious collect-a-thon wrapped in fancy horror-themed paper. It isn't really that fun, and not just because of its age, as, in all honesty, it wasn't that enjoyable to begin with. Despite being quite the sleeper hit of its era, it's an action-adventure whose overstretched length, and aggravatingly labyrinthine structure won't be appreciated by everyone, especially modern gamers. If still curious to try Shadow Man out, do purchase Nightdive's version, though, as it is undoubtedly the definite one.

The Longest Five Minutes is an interesting take on a nostalgia trip, but by splitting the game into the individual memories it does a huge disservice to its RPG nature. If only these memories had been fleshed out, giving the main characters a little depth, some side quests, some hidden quests… anything to make it feel like the games it is monkeying, instead of being such simple little, objective-based stages. There are moments that shine, but they are marred by the numerous issues and make this Nintendo Switch release somewhat of a disappointment.

For those who love adventure games with a splash of action and platforming, it is definitely worth checking out. Likewise, fans of the original will be pleased to know that, other than the visuals getting an upgrade, the game itself remains identical to that of the PS2 version.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood has great level design that squanders its puzzles, beautiful artwork that wastes its characters, and gameplay that ranges from boring to being a bit broken. Truth be told, though, it does manage to pull you back in just as you were getting ready to leave. Sadly, it's unlikely anyone will have the patience to see it all the way through, as so much of the game is spent fighting the bad puzzle design and the atrocious platforming.

Telltale's version of Guardians of the Galaxy may not have made the best first impression upon debut, but towards the end of the season the story had finally managed to get going in a positive way. While it may have been too little too late, the ramifications it has for a potential season two should be reason enough to get into this season. The decision-making was extremely one-sided and lacked any sense of moral urgency and quandaries. While it still suffers from the same clunky control scheme, the character development between each of the Guardians is a fascinating rollercoaster to experience. In addition, battling Thanos was a terrific way to open up the series. Moreover, the soundtrack greatly helps in setting the tone and furthering the adventure with its catchy tunes.

While the story is simple, it also fails to add new context to the greater story of the main game, and this seems more like an excuse to jump back into the action and sneak through stages. This is, of course, not a bad thing, as it plays quite well, with the animations providing such a beautiful overall look. For fans of the original looking to jump back in, this is a fun detour that adds new abilities and locations into the mix, without trying to redefine the original point.

Sky Force Anniversary is an endearing, if a bit repetitive, take on shoot 'em ups.

Transference is wasted on Xbox One, since it does not support VR. It is not only unbelievably short, it is lacking in content and substance. It is a perfect example of a one and done kind of game where you never look back after completing it, and then forget all about it. It might get brought up later in life, but even then, memories of playing it will be foggy at best. Half-remembered dreams are more memorable than Transference.

Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer Edition may not be for everyone. It is a grind-based dungeon crawler that relies on the ability to endlessly run through dungeons, earn better loot, and repeat against harder and stronger enemies. For those looking for an enriching story in the world of Warhammer Fantasy there isn't much to see, which is a shame, but the enjoyment here is based on buying into the gameplay loop. It may wear thin for some, while being a treasure for those who seek nothing but the menial grind of repetitive dungeon-crawling and looting for that never-ending quest of creating the optimal build. While this won't earn any accolades on the PlayStation 5, this is hardly a title to gloss over, and is worth checking out at the least.

Short yet engaging, Nevaeh creates quite the mystery by omitting any narration, which occasionally can be confusing when trying to work out what's going on, particularly when helping townspeople with their individual requests, and figuring out the finale. Shadows are a strong element here for both puzzle-solving and boss battles. There's a range of power-ups that can be chosen once enough of an item is collected, and these can extend how long the butterfly stays activated or improve the girl's defences. Replaying may help better understand the story, and there is a harder setting to use, but there is no obvious benefit or incentive to do so. That aside, overall Nevaeh is a sound game to test the mind and imagination.

It would not be fair to harp on a series for sticking to a formula that works; however Romance of Three Kingdoms XIV seems to eschew innovations in its own series for stagnant and cumbersome gameplay effectively for no reason other than to remain needlessly dated. While the improved focus on politics is certainly a positive which may elevate the title for some, it will likely hold little more than niche appeal for others who hold little interest in in the personal engagements of the Three Kingdoms period.

Cleaning up a large house, painting the walls, and fixing the plumping is dull work for most people. For some bizarre reason, in House Flipper all that is fun. Being a sim title it's not for everyone of course, but those who enjoy the idea of buying, renovating, and reselling houses will actually get addicted with playing this, especially since its title that's incredibly easy to pick up and play. Sadly, it suffers a lot in terms of replay value. By the time you hit 10 hours or so, you've practically done everything twice, and all that's left is to simply experiment with new colours of paint, or different sets of furniture.

Most Lovecraft fans, or those who are just on the lookout for a good occult mystery thriller, will enjoy Call of Cthulhu, but that doesn't mean that they won't be disappointed as well. Cyanide Studio has wrapped an interesting, and engrossing storyline, with a fittingly oppressive feel, but the actual gameplay part tastes like a half-fried, unsalted octopus *wink-wink-nudge-nudge*

This particular game is a joy and has a story that has a conclusion that is worth the time and effort. It might not please all fans of its prequels due to its obscure time-hopping scenes, but even they should love the final catch-all scene. It is an excellent entry to the universe and a fantastic addition to the PS4 catalogue, and will leave most hoping for another game in the future.

Building an evident framework for a "good ending" without detailing a clear path to find the requirements, Hotel Sowls struggles between being a true mystery, and holding the player's hand with clues. Replayability, rather than a compelling journey, seems to be the main through line for this title. That being said, the impossibly cute art direction and interesting visual language will keep audiences charmed and engrossed, even if they are not usually fans of the mystery and thriller genre.

Shenmue 3 is a tough recommendation for general audiences. It won't please the die-hard fans of the originals due the step backwards in terms of game design. Neophytes who are curious about it will be confused and bored by the sleep-inducing pace, plus the how the voice acting has not changed since the early '00s. The visuals may have improved, and the loading times are a thing of the past, but this is still has the soul of a Dreamcast title. It won't live up to the expectations that fans have, nor will it excite interest in the franchise. Nothing of substance gets solved by the conclusion, and there's a lack of a pay-off to playing such an intentionally slow experience. The highs in Shenmue 3 involve doing what amounts to nothing; that is just taking in the atmosphere and exploring.

Giraffe and Annika doesn't quite excel when it comes to its adventuring side - a pity considering how much time it ends up taking - but a charming, comic-esque presentation, and rhythm game boss fights at least make it interesting. That said, it's worth keeping in mind that the rhythm-adventurer's best qualities are the ones it indulges in the least. There are only around half a dozen bosses in the entire thing, leaving the exploration to carry a majority of the experience. Still, light puzzle-solving and a short campaign make it easy to stomach its rougher edges. This is absolutely a case of a concept being better than the execution, but this might still resonate well with a younger audience.

Repetitive, dry, and inexplicably uninteresting, Travis Strikes Again is a massive misstep for a series with an otherwise solid track record. It's not so much the near complete abandonment of what made No More Heroes so appealing that plagues the hack n' slash, but the all-around drop in quality from the original duology.

When everything comes together, when there is no lag, and when a team works in unison to annihilate their opponents, Dissidia Final Fantasy NT is at its greatest. Unfortunately, the netcode is too unreliable, and the distinct lack of modes for offline play just isn't good enough for a game that had plenty of time before it made the transition from arcade to console. There is scope to expand this into something much more, but whether the budget and will is there remains to be seen. For one of the most original fighting games on the market, though, this is well worth dedicating some time to if you're a Final Fantasy fan.

NBA 2K21 is still a wonderful digital simulation of basketball, with a wealth of modes to enjoy, but the MyCareer story has become stale and the microtransactions far too prevalent. This is not the step forwards that it needed to be to keep the series fresh and engaging. In other words, this title does not provide a compelling argument to upgrade from last year's version.

State of Mind offers a very good, "hard" sci-fi tale that deals with the theme of futurism, and, most importantly, consciousness. Some flaws do exist, like the many dull plot sections, and the simplistic, unimpressive puzzle-solving, but, as a whole, this will please most fans of narrative-driven adventure titles.

Forget the utterly nonsensical story, the unbalanced combat mechanics, the aggravating insta-deaths, the glitches, bugs, translation errors, and so on. Bright Memories: Infinite's biggest issue is that it's not a complete package. It's a two-hour tech demo, and not even an impressive one. The general idea behind it is great (one-woman army who is both a gunfighter, a ninja, and a high-tech wizard), but the execution is subpar to say the least.

Code of Princess plays like an old school game, but as a package manages to feel fresh due to its witty script, complete with sharp voice acting.

It perhaps guides players along more than necessary, and the lack of ability to save during the half hour-long levels on the first play-through is a misstep, but LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars continues the quality established by the series, with simplistic, satisfying gameplay that anybody can pick up easily whether they are fans of The Clone Wars animated series or not.

Besides a neat level editor to share stages with friends, there is nothing to be seen here that hasn't been seen countless times before - and more polished. While fun for half an hour, Urban Trial Freestyle 2 has no lasting appeal on its own, but is truly reliant on the level editor and user generated content. Other than that, there are better options out there if looking for a game like this.

It may not be for everyone, but for the more creative of players, Miitopia is a dream. It's genuinely funny, utterly engrossing, and worth the asking price just to see yourself striding valiantly through a forest with Professor Layton, Judge Dredd, and Lady Gaga in tow.

Picross S is a fully recommended title for anyone who doesn't own a Nintendo 3DS after some puzzling action to play on the go, which is the preferred way to play this type of game. Whilst lacking the superior touch controls of the 3DS versions, this one does add an array of great assist options and throws a multiplayer twist into the format. Compared to what the long-running Picross e games provide, though, offering just two modes and Mega Picross being slightly adjusted Picross puzzles is unfortunate. For the budget price, 300 puzzles is excellent value, especially if this is one of your first dabbles into the series, but there is no question that more could have been added here. If you have a 3DS, it would be better to stick to the Picross fun on that system.

At first glance, there was little promise here. A movie tie-in to a pretty bad movie, so long after it, and clearly taking more than inspiration from another existing popular franchise? Yet, what at first seems like just another shallow Left 4 Dead clone reveals itself to be so much more, it feels more a true successor to its inspiration, definitely one to pick up for groups of friends looking for a new game to enjoy together, even more so for the Left 4 Dead fans out there. If the stability issues can be resolved, this is going to superb and needs to be on more people's radar.

Rougelite attempts are divisive by nature, but if you are the kind of player who enjoys this absolutely fine, then you will have a blast here. It also showcases the best parts of Donkey Kong Bananza in small pick-up-and-play chunks. The itching feeling that the location should have been included in the base game rarely goes away, however, especially with very little to do outside of Emerald Rush mode and the rich price tag. One for completionists only.

This is a triumphant return to Oddworld. Soulstorm does fantastic things with Abe's story and shows some real advances with the developer's designs. Utterly excellent look, and a world that oozes with consumerist evils make this the definitive new Oddworld experience. There are absolutely no obstacles to heartily recommending this game to all players new and old. Can't wait to see what comes next!

Space Lift Danger Panic! is a solid port of the iOS original, capitalising on the touch-screen controls for the 3DS, with colourful retro graphics and a solid soundtrack to boot.

Proun+ is a very artistic and creative "racing" title.

It has a lot going for it with its gorgeous aesthetics and authentic presentation. It even has a couch co-op mode, and the few times the game does have things to do in it, there is some legitimate involvement. Too bad these moments are too far apart, and the more vulgar qualities of Never Alone are the most apparent, such as the buggy AI, barren level design and lacking gameplay.

What is Monster Energy Supercross - The Official Videogame? Well, the answer is that this is a solid, challenging, and authentic example of the Supercross racing genre that fans will definitely enjoy on their PlayStation 4 systems. However, in saying that, at the same time it also feels like Milestone has sort of left this release in a rather unfulfilled form.

The relatively short nature of the races within Kirby's Dream Buffet, the way everyone, even those who come last, gain points in a race, and the ease to join in multiplayer online or team up with friends makes this latest Kirby game a real treat to play on Nintendo Switch. The variety of race themes, costumes, and Kirby colours provide good reasons to replay it, and the solo adventure is as fun as teaming up with friends or random players. There is almost no downside, only disappointment when losing but on the easiest mode it is possible to win with very little experience.

EQQO is a really charming, interesting game that unfortunately all comes apart when you get around to actually playing it. The presentation is great, the story is wonderful, and it feels like this interesting little storybook is unfolding right in front of your eyes. It was a game that one will desperately try to like, but it keeps getting in its own way with awkward controls and boring gameplay. It is like sitting down and hearing a beautiful story that the storyteller keeps interrupting to burp every ten seconds, and it becomes harder and harder to focus on the story the longer things go on. It might be good enough for people that play video games primary for their story, or for those looking for a charming presentation, but those that actually want to play a solid game will have to look elsewhere.

Although this pays homage to industry legends like Dark Souls, as well as The Legend of Zelda series, don't come in Chronos: Before the Ashes looking a worthy successor to these - not even a game that plays like Remnant: From the Ashes, which is actually its sequel. Those who try it out with such expectations will be severely disappointed, especially if in need for something with 100+ hour replay value. You are advised to judge it by its own merits, and discover what is actually a great, immersive ARPG, with simple, yet very good combat, visuals, atmosphere, and story.

Frozenheim doesn't do enough to stand out; furthermore, it suffers from some severe problems. The camera controls, unit controls, and just its overall feel makes it seem far more like an alpha build than something ready for release. While there are some small interesting things like finding free resources on the map, the game is not one to recommend.

Certainly one of the Wii's most abstract and unusual offerings, marred by minor control issues, and a considerable amount of general repetition in tasks and exploration.

Although sometimes a little rough, Alone in the Dark is a fantastic remake/reimagining that brings the series back in line with its most interesting events and timeline. This is essential for players looking for a semi-old-school survival horror title that has excellent world design, acting and a host of interesting mysteries to solve. A really great return to form!

Freemium and PvP are two words that should never be together as the focus of a game, and South Park: Phone Destroyer proves why. The heavy focus of the PvP, mixed with extreme freemium mechanics that require multiples of legendaries to just scratch the surface, makes it feel extremely tedious to play past the point where PvP farming starts to become mandatory.

Sadly, there's the matter of performance with sluggish load times, especially before battles, and an inconsistent frame-rate rearing their ugly heads that make it hard to get sucked in by the, otherwise, interesting story and gameplay.

Interrogation: You will be deceived is a cops and robbers game where the action takes place inside a single room, with you having to skilfully manipulate suspects into spilling the beans… by any means necessary. It has its issues, like how annoyingly precise you have to be with your moves, or how it's sometimes hard to understand why you failed, leading to plenty of trial-and-error, and, yes, this is a niche title that won't appeal to just about anyone. Having said that, it's a very good interrogation sim, features a great noir art style, and is deeply immersive.

Nintendo Presents Crossword Collection is a fine product that will appeal to puzzle fans all over, throwing enough crosswords, wordsearches and anagrams at players to keep even the brainiest of DS owner occupied for quite some time. Sadly there are a few elements missing that prevent this from becoming a must-buy title.

As for Call of Duty: WWII - United Front: DLC Pack 3, it's hardly going to set the gaming world alight, but it does exactly what it sets out to do, with both Operation Supercharge and Monte Cassino being particularly strong highlights.

Continuing the startling violent theme coupled with many moments of raw emotion related to the utter awfulness of humanity, Death end re;Quest 2 certainly delivers for old and new fans alike. While aspects of the battle system could have been explained better, and elements of the voice overs be tweaked, overall it is a superb horror RPG on Nintendo Switch. Replayability will depend how much of a fan of the original players are, and completionists can happily use the skip event mode to make the second play through faster, along with the option of keeping weapons, attack skills, and character levels the same as the end of the first playthrough.

Giga Wrecker Alt. is a bit of a mixed bag, and it's hard to see just who would get the most out of it. There are some great elements in here. Some really great ideas. The sad truth is, it's a pretty poor execution of so many promising elements. The flawed controls, combined with the major issues on establishing how and where to progress makes ultimately for a pretty frustrating experience. Not the good type of frustrating, where a roar and a smile inspires a confidence to overcome. The sort of frustration to lead to just wanting to dump the game.

TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge is a good motorbike game for easy access for those who wish to jump in and begin driving without having such a steep learning curve. While mastering each of the bikes and learning their unique quirks takes more time, they are quite fun to figure out and sometimes frustrating, as well.

It's been an interesting adventure with some significant highs and lows but now that the dust has settled and Minecraft: Story Mode and Episode 8: A Journey's End? has finally finished, it is possible to finally look back on everything that has happened. Overall, it's been a relatively enjoyable adventure; however, recurring issues and lacklustre gameplay sour the final product. While it's nice that the series got a second season, and is clearly is going to run and run, it would have been better for it to be wrapped up a bit cleaner.

Clearly a budget title, even looking past some of the obvious flaws like the laughably bad voice acting or the older console generation looking characters, the core game itself - fighting - leaves a lot to be desired. Enemies largely are punching bags with annoyingly large HP pools, but the game is unforgiving with how long there is between being able to save. Ultra Age had some clear potential but it really needed its quality spread across all aspects, the bad parts drag the rest of it down making it largely passable.

The new story expansion is a great experience, remixing and reusing familiar environments from the main game in new ways. The third-person addition to the main game is a cool little extra that is worth at least one playthrough of the main campaign again. Playing as Lady D in the updated Mercenaries mode is great fun and the new challenges expand that mode into something that is fun all over again. Overall, it's a great package that not only rounds off Village before Resident Evil 9 hits the scene but it also offers players the chance to experience the main game again.

That said, Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games is still the party game to play with friends and family this Christmas.

The blue speedster, both past and present, delivers a solid first outing on Nintendo 3DS.

The charming Game Boy style sprites can only go so far until all that is left is a very mundane platformer.

The flaws of the free, mobile version have been carried over to the Nintendo Switch port, and as such, destroy what little fun could be had by this word-scramble title, the reason being that, rather than the ability to craft words, Spellspire is all about grinding.

Initially stepping into Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon, it feels even worse than the first outing. It's retreading the same ground with the story, but doing it with an inferior overall plot and some cringe-worthy writing for the dialogue. The gameplay is highly repetitive, both on exploring the world and on the generic mash-y gameplay, but, despite all the negatives, there's actually some fun to be had here. The large amount of side-quests and the varied mixture of support characters make revisiting areas to find all the little secrets enjoyable.

Nine Parchments can be enjoyable in small doses with others. Playing alone can feel depressing as the grind of pressing on feels strongly palpable. There really isn't anything wrong with the mechanics since it controls nicely and feedback is satisfying. The art direction is top-notch and fantasy atmosphere has a much more colourful Magic the Gathering vibe going on. It is the sheer unimaginative level design and pedestrian scenarios that will bore most people. There is very little variation from the first stages to the end game stages and there is desperately a need for something to mix up the action.

Fun, witty, and mad. This is how a Back to the Future game should be. The return of the cast make this game instantly memorable and further exploration into the universe is always welcome.

On the whole, it's fair to say that most spin-offs are doomed to live in the shadow of their more popular source materials. Even so, Happy Home Designer did have the potential to stand on its own two legs - the sole ingredient needed to confirm that fact being the element of fun, which it sadly lacks.

Oceanhorn is a competent, budget, bite-sized Zelda-like experience that is not without its flaws, both in terms of glitches and in terms of sheer game design. Those, however, are not inherent to the Nintendo Switch version itself but are found in all releases of the game and, despite those, it still manages to entertain, to provide a jolly good time and to even impress at times with the graphical effects it pulls off, although the graphical side of things has high and low points, notably in its draw distance at times. It is, however, priced fairly for what it offers and, due to its mobile lineage, it plays best on Switch in handheld mode due to the touch screen aiming for spells and touch menu features, making this effectively potentially the best home conversion, simply because it can be enjoyed on the big screen just as much as on the go, where it truly shines. It is just simply sad that despite being re-released multiple times, a lot of its elements are left as-is when they could have been improved, but there's hope at least that the upcoming sequel, Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm will not repeat any of these. Do not be mistaken, though: Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas is still a lot of fun to play.

For fans of Lovecraftian horror, The Sinking City is filled with... fishy details and lore that is used to enrich the world that Frogwares has created. Private Investigator Charles Reed must voyage through the deepest and most disturbing parts of his mind, as well as Oakmont itself, to find a way to rid the town residents of their visions. Doing what he does best, Reed must investigate and solve crimes while battling the horrors that jump out from the dark. While it lacks a bit of polish, The Sinking City is an otherwise weird and mind-bending journey, bundled with all the ingredients for a great experience.

A perfect example of nostalgia glasses. In short, this may be a hidden gem, but it is completely representative of its time. 2D Platformers have long moved on, and this deserved some overhaul to the core gameplay, instead of just a graphical improvement and a tacked-on multiplayer experience. The soundtrack is a perfect encapsulation of the game as a whole. Utterly charming for the first few moments, but then each track repeats again. And again. And again. One note. Those who enjoyed the first may find themselves questioning why they did, should they dive into the murky waters here.

Pokémon Champions, at launch, is a solid start to the new Pokémon battling experience on Nintendo Switch. Robust, flexible mechanics for newcomers to enter the battle scene and customisation for more seasoned players. As a free-to-play game, there is a surprising amount on offer - full battle modes and rental Pokémon, with paid content primarily reserved for cosmetics/time savers and storage. Pokémon Champions isn't without its choppy performance in areas and missing content, but it is a strong start that's bound to... evolve over time.

This is the Police 2 is presented well, featuring a great visual style, accompanied by an equally great score, but a poorly penned script, coupled with gameplay that is not engaging, keeps it from realising its full potential.

AiRace Xeno is rather short on content, but what little is here delivers a real punch.

Super Street: Racer for the Nintendo Switch caters towards that diehard audience who prefers to build up a car taken from the dump yard and turn it into a road-machine. Scrounge up the money by winning events to purchase new pieces to improve a vehicle is the aim, and despite that sounding challenging, it's an easy and quick thing to do. The fun is building the car and racing it on the track, but without an online component to it, it does lack in that final part of showing off a creation to others.

There are three problems with Crysis Remastered: first, the game was never really that good, second, this isn't a remaster, and third, it's actually a heavily downgraded, flawed port. Sure, it's still an enjoyable FPS to kill some time (and other beings) with, and it's kind of impressive that you can now carry a photorealistic jungle with you, but it's still hard to stomach the audacity of calling this a remaster; in other words, an upgraded version of the original.

The open-world aspect of Biomutant did more harm than good, with the gargantuan, post-apocalyptic realm this heroic, mutated rodent will explore being mostly an empty one, and with the rest of the experience being repetitive and unpolished. More of a disappointment rather than a bad game, try it out only if willing to spend around many fun, but not that fun hours.

A number of issues with Blue Reflection quickly present themselves, such as some screen-tearing witnessed in the visual stakes and a questionable focus on the level of fan service wedged into the adventure, yet underneath these opinion-splitting matters there is an extremely enjoyable, memorable, and rather uncommon Japanese RPG adventure that will certainly leave an impression for the duration of the journey, as well as for a while after playing it.

Darius Cozmic Collection Console is, like Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade; a great collection, no doubt. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with it as it is, since all games included are good and worth checking out - but the same issue of price is there. Different game versions aside, only four games are included this time, and if anyone already owns the arcade collection then only two of those are actually properly exclusive to it, since two are console ports of arcade games. This one is therefore, despite being just as good, even harder to recommend at its launching price. If the price ever goes down, or if it gets freely updated with the missing extra games, then that would be a different matter.

Once again, the DLC on offer is just another, very short side-quest that could easily be part of the core game, or at least part of a pack with more of those. The interaction with one of the most interesting characters of Kingdom Come: Deliverance is certainly a plus, but, in the end, that doesn't provide much incentive to try The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon out.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is elevated thanks to its cast and writers. This could have gone so wrong in so many ways but it ended up being one of the better movie tie-in games made in the seventh console generation. Some of the situations can get very hectic since there is so much destructible geometry, but don't expect too much variation when busting ghosts. It would have been interesting if the rookie and the guys were stuck in a centralized setting and had to explore and investigate like a Resident Evil style house but instead set-pieces are connected by moving forward and never looking back. Most importantly, this remaster preserves Ghostbusters: The Video Game from vanishing into obscurity like many movie tie-in games tend to do.

It looked promising, but The Crew 2 falls wide of the mark, in infuriating fashion. It tries to grab people's attention with its technically impressive map, its instant vehicle-switching, and with even flashier motors, yet all of this is just a deluded sales pitch for a seriously lacking package. It doesn't address any of the fundamental flaws of the original, such as repetitive races and too many bland open spaces.

Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II is basically the first Dark Alliance instalment all over again. A super-simple, but at the same time fun hack 'n' slash ride through a D&D realm. Not exactly a classic, but something that retro fans (and maybe only them) will appreciate. Unless it gets a really good discount, however, there's no point in trying this out, as there are far better alternatives available, both old and new.

Everybody’s Golf: Hot Shots is the best golfing game on Nintendo Switch, supported by fantastic gameplay that sticks to genre conventions, and a plethora of customisation options and content to experience. Unfortunately, the vast majority of this content is locked behind a poorly-paced single-player experience that forces players to repeat the same holes with the same characters over and over again, all presented with a passable but technically poor presentation.

Capcom is definitely onto a winner with Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers. Taking a Super Nintendo classic and sprucing it up just a touch retains enough nostalgia-factor so as to appeal to older gamers, yet has enough re-balancing, shiny new paint, and extras to ensure newcomers can enjoy the ride, as well. Hardcore or not, there is something for every level here in The Final Challengers. It may suffer when using Joy-Con, but crack out the Pro Controller and this feels as good as the series did in the past.

Ultimately DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power does exactly what it has set out to do, which is to create a fun, enjoyable experience for younger players. What is really surprising, however, is that adult players can also find so much enjoyment. All the basics are there, and are done to a good enough standard that if a DC fan, there are enough little nods and references to hold interest. If your children are just getting accustomed to the comic book/gaming genre, and as a parent struggle to find a suitable entrance point, this is the perfect start.

All this time on, and the House of the Dead games are still more than worth a play. However, if you have previous versions of them already, you may be best steering clear as this compilation offers practically the same experience only with a couple of extra modes.

Thanks to a mix of the accessibility of the 3DS and the small level lengths, Runbow Pocket manages to be a fun way to kill a few hours without feeling derivative of its Wii U and Steam counterparts. Unlockables don't hold much weight in the grand scheme of things, but they occur frequently enough to ensure that just about every success is a rewarding one. Stages are designed to be completed in under a minute, incentivising quick, satisfying bursts of gameplay over longer and more traditional platforming. The lack of elaborate set pieces and sophisticated design does hold back the overall experience, but the great use of colour at the core of each stage makes for a vibrant world worth jumping in and out of, even for just a few minutes at time.

Red's Kingdom strives to combine simple rolling puzzles with the exploration part of a Zelda game... and it just doesn't manage to make the mix actually any fun, mainly because players will have to go through the chore of solving the same puzzles all over again... and more than once.

What begins as an arduous system to control, in time becomes a pleasure upon first race win, and the hidden depth of VSR: Void Space Racing's frictionless competitive courses is fully revealed. Offering a unique take on the racing genre as a whole, the biggest stumbling block, aside from the steep learning curve, is how little of the game there actually is, track and vehicle-wise, even with the low price-tag in mind.

Imperfect controls and other minor annoyances aside, Vaporum is a very enjoyable dungeon-crawler. Its insistence on tile-based movement results in battles that are decided by a rather peculiar dance. Sometimes it takes quite a few steps just to create an opening in the enemy's defences. To add to this, every decision, no matter how slight, carries weight. An action as simple as turning around can leave the player in a difficult position. It's almost as if one has to adopt a sixth sense, just to keep track of where enemies are going. Provided you give your best effort, then you are sure to be rewarded. Altogether, this is a very impressive effort that's well worth anyone's time.

There are some really great ideas here, but weighed down by simple problems. As it is, it freezes, the menu hangs, and the absolute precision needed for nearly every move (and an oddly complex control scheme) makes the game get in the way of itself far more than it ever should. Far too often a string of precise moves is screwed up because of a wrong button or missing a ledge by minuscule amounts. There is clear heart and effort in here, and those with a high tolerance for difficulty will enjoy it immensely, but the average player will be put off by what is required of them. A revamp on the control system and some a bit more focus on the plot could easily launch OUTBUDDIES' points higher.

For cycling fans, this whole package is probably the ultimate dream of combining everything that is great about the sport into one extensive management sim. The level of detail in rider stats; the amount of control over races; the strategic plays during the heat of action. All of these things mean for fans it is absolutely a must own. That said, niche genres always have to be balanced to also allow for the introduction of complete outsiders to the field. For such people, the experience is still an overwhelming one, even with the addition of a rigorous tutorial. There is still a whole heap of gameplay mechanics that could do with just a bit more explanation. With all that said, the Pro Cyclist mode which streamlines many of the most complicated mechanics into a more traditional role-playing mode, helps in that regard significantly, and therefore pulls the overall experience for newbies up.

The price of Evoland Legendary Edition is worth it for the first game alone, which is legendary in its own right. Mileage on the second one may vary depending on a player's tolerance for frustration if they are not so good at platformers. With over eight hours spent completing the first game and six hours attempting the second there, is a lot of fun to be had in this special edition, which is the only way to get both titles on the Nintendo Switch.

Now that Marvel's Avengers is dirt cheap, it might be worth a play for the impressive action sequences and impressive visuals. Maybe with enough people picking it up at a much more agreeable price, it might inject the tedious co-op modes. It certainly did not deserve the utter disdain it received, and was at best just a corporate, tone-deaf project that nobody wanted. It is rotten with executive sleaze for sure, and the game can feel like work a lot of the time due to the grind, but there is an ok experience in this somewhere. It is buried beneath all the obnoxious writing, grinding, and generic design.

The original Front Mission games were hard to get into, and when the third game came around, it marked a shift to make them user friendly. Front Mission 3: Remake is very faithful to its source material and improves a few gameplay mechanics subtly, which makes it a smoother experience. It's not the best strategy RPG since the RNG and the small party size can seem restrictive, and it also isn't the best remake, but it is the best Front Mission game so far.