This is a type of game that, while experimental for the studio, really represents missed opportunities. Ranging from the extremely limited move set of the characters, lack of any new skills/moves, and a bit too much repetition, it leaves a strong feeling of how much better it could be. A heavy reliance on multiplayer likely dooms this, as the online population is relatively small, and the match-making is atrocious. Sad, as the graphics are great, and it could have been really fun with even a little bit more depth.

The concept is definitely unique and it is the kind of title that is perfect for VR when it comes to encouraging manageable, time efficient sessions of strategic fun. The physics are great, with the act of throwing the grenades a real treat, albeit the animation quality of the NPCs is not the best ever seen. However, it is a shame that technical issues involving the performance and bugs mar what could be a really great experience. A bit of further development and tweaking, as well as adding some additional levels, would improve things immensely.

Katanaut delivers a stylish cosmic horror atmosphere and hints at an intriguing story inside a space station full of mutated horrors, but those elements never get enough room to grow thanks to the game’s relentless, fast-paced combat. While swordplay and gunfights are satisfying, the speed and constant action kill any sense of tension or dread that the setting tries to build. Players looking for scares or deeper lore may wish the game was slowed down to explore its world, but fans of quick, action-heavy roguelikes will find the mechanics solid and replayable. It’s a technically impressive indie with promise, though its horror gets overshadowed by non-stop adrenaline, making it a slightly above average experience in general.

Ask anyone who has played DiRT Rally 2.0, and they'll probably mention how great this is. They are right. This is one of the greatest rally games one can enjoy right now, with the Game of the Year edition being the best way to do so, as it includes every DLC that has been released. The problem with it, is that a great deal of the content on offer requires being online, yet this is plagued by some severe connectivity issues.

In the end, Mushroom Wars 2 is a beautiful, polished title that lacks balance or diversity—but doesn't necessarily lack fun.

In no way is NBA 2K18 a bad game, but it's certainly not worth its current price-tag, as the few improvements it offers are simply not enough, and, secondly, its sub-par single-player portion relies too much on micro-transactions.

Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams - Owltimate Edition combines charming visuals and a good level of performance on the Switch, in the service of a virtual world that enchants with its visuals and soundtrack. Controls and physics are tight enough, but the only thing that it lacks is that little spark that hooks the player in and motivates to keep plodding through to the end. It quickly becomes too repetitive for its own good, and fails to vary things up enough, or to entice a sustainable level of commitment on the player's part beyond a few hours. It may, however, be the most stable version of the game to date in terms of frame rate, if perhaps a bit slow to load from an SD card on the hybrid console.

Being given the ability to play some of the 'major minors' of World War II in Hearts of Iron IV: Death or Dishonor is a solid expansion of content for the original base game. It is not quite as good as it seems, though, as they all have to be played in the 1936 scenario to be viable at all. While not as entertaining as the main powers, it can offer replayability for those that in general that actually want to try a different path of history.

A fun game with plenty of reasons to replay but ultimately one that does little to make it feel different to the legions of tower defense already on the market. Frustratingly it's more fun playing this on the gamepad, and it feels like it would be much better on 3DS. Worth playing for the tower defense aficionados out there, but it would probably be better to play the PS Vita version.

LEGO Worlds is so close to being a fantastic idea that all the little hang-ups feel way more annoying than they should. The creation mode is fantastic, but extremely touchy controls-wise; and it's gated off by necessitating the player to complete the same missions dozens of times each if they want its best tools. The idea of a digital LEGO sandbox is the stuff that dreams are made of and, honestly, it just hasn't been done justice this time around.

The narrative choice made is going to be massively divisive in the fan base. It's a bold choice; it's an interesting choice; it's the wrong choice. Sometimes it can be about the destination and not the journey, especially if the driver suddenly swerves into a wall.

For the low cost of £7.99, this is a decent little addition to any Nintendo Switch owner's indie library, and perfect for a quick bash here and there. It captures the same simplistic addictiveness as Flappy Bird, but has the same flaws. It's repetitive and gets boring very quickly, so it's a real shame this new Nintendo Switch version of Star Ghost couldn't offer up new features.

Dragon Ball Fusions is such an original and fun idea, yet is plagued with so many flaws and annoyingly flawed aspects of the gameplay that the final product is reduced to something that ends up being a specialist game for hardcore fans that can ignore a 10-12-hour title tripling in lifespan due to so many repeating animations bloating out every combat sequence. There's still an enjoyable game here with some addictive aspects, but it could be so much better with just a few minor tweaks. Quite disappointing.

Front Mission 1st: Remake, like its predecessor, caters to a niche audience, and even dedicated strategy RPG enthusiasts may encounter the demanding intricacies in the gameplay. Every aspect of the Wanzers necessitates careful consideration, and resources can deplete rapidly, leading to extended grinding sessions to ensure readiness for impending battles. While Front Mission 1st: Remakeoffers a commendable alternative to the original, some may wonder if a snappier, HD-2D reimagining could have been a more fitting approach. The success of these efforts sets the stage for the reception of more ambitious upcoming entries in the Front Missionseries.

'Fun' remains the name of the game with Just Dance 2024 Edition. While this remains as enjoyable as it has ever been, for some that won't do. Ubisoft essentially offers something that is the same exact tasty burger, just with a few different spices, served on a slightly differently coloured plate. Oh, and if you want to get a taste of the rest of the menu, you need to give even more of your hard-earned cash on a subscription service.

For a first pack in the New Frontier Pass, Maya & Gran Columbia is not a bad start. It adds a bit more variety in the selection of factions to choose from, which is always ideal, and there are a few new units and mechanics to play with that will keep things a bit more fresh for any Civ VI fan. The real standout in the pack is obviously the Apocalypse difficulty mode, and it injects a reason to think, particularly in the endgame state, which can notoriously get bogged down. That said, as fun as it can be, it probably isn't the kind of game one would choose to experience with every play-through as it can certainly edge towards frustration at being crippled by the hazardous effects of climate change.

What's good about this game is it is genuinely good fun. Whilst it might be aimed at girly-girls who have pink a DSlite, we still enjoyed it in a strange sort of way. It might look a bit average and have music with absolutely no variation, but the tapping and stylus fun is more than enough to keep the target audience entertained for a few hours. Just don't expect anything ground-breaking or particularly toe-tapping.

Bob Help Them is essentially a simpler, single-player equivalent to Overcooked. The specific tasks one must do are extremely simple, but a harsh time limit creates an engaging challenge that requires genuine concentration and strategy. This title could really use a bit more polish and refinement when it comes to visuals, controls, and quality-of-life features, but those looking for a fun and frantic strategy puzzler will still have a good time with it nonetheless.

In many ways World Duel Carnival is a Yu-Gi-Oh! expert's dream title; very little locked away, an incredibly in-depth game system with a huge number of cards to try out, and the means to customise a main character's deck to their own liking.

For the right customer, Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party will be a lot of fun. For people who want a substantial videogame, though, save the money.

WRC 7 is, much like its predecessor, a step in the right direction but is still just falling short of the mark when compared to others in its class, such as DIRT 4 and Project CARS 2.

Overall, there really is nothing fundamentally wrong here, but with its reliance on deriving humour from treating RPG standards as dated and ripe for mockery, Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl - Gold pretty much shoots itself in the foot. Leaning into these tropes, and really investing the time into a combat system that is as much of a treat as the rest of the game could have really elevated this above a saturated market. Collecting 'Snacks' and using them as party members is fun, and a worthwhile curiosity, plus visually it has charming designs, reminiscent of Final Fantasy: My Life as a King, which both enthrals and delights. Sadly, though, without a sturdy and, more importantly, fun battle system driving this forward, this may leave a sour taste for those expecting something of the calibre of Level-5's past RPG efforts.

There are hundreds of worse tennis games than Super Tennis Ball, but why really choose this over the few better ones. The gameplay is generally enjoyable, but a lack of something that could set it apart from the competition, and the overall feeling of repetitiveness you'll have to endure, make it a hard recommendation - at least at its current price. In other words: wait for a generous discount.

Bloomtown: A Different Story wanted to be a lot of things. A relaxing summer vacation, an adventure filled with mysteries to solve, a real-life sim, and an RPG with neat combat mechanics plus a creature capture system. It's not bad (far from it), but by trying to juggle too many balls in the air, it fails at remaining engaging for more than a couple of hours, as it becomes obvious that there's not much depth underneath the beautiful pixel art wrapping.

It tries to set itself up for a grand adventure, but comes across as plodding and aggravating for the first several hours. While not an absolute deal breaker, it does make for a hard sell for those who aren't totally committed to the series.

Baroque is an odd one, even by roguelike standards. It has all the elements of the genre that will put off 'regular' players – random dungeons, deadly difficulty spikes, loss of items and experience on death – but it also suffers from technical shortcomings that even roguelike fans won't enjoy.

Though it is a full and immersive title, The Sims 3 does bear the hallmarks of being a port without much consideration for the increased capacity and capabilities of the 3DS, with some struggling controls and awkward presentation to boot.

It's hard to recommend Breath of Death VII: The Beginning: Reanimated to anyone but fans of the 2010 original and maybe to a few of those diehard aficionados of super old-school JRPGS. Bad? No. It's actually a pretty good game, but it leans too much on comedy to be immersive, and its short length makes it feel more like a taste of something more epic in scale and scope.

HyperBrawl Tournament plays like a big-studio freemium title, but without any of the big studio polish… and it isn't free. It might work well enough within its own context, but the player base is non-existent, plus the AI is too frustrating to make bot matches fun. There seems to be plenty of content to unlock through ranking up, but frustrating matches offer little incentive to do it. If the developer can build up a player base, this might offer a bit of fun, but as-is there's just not much to keep people coming back to this Switch version.

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.

Mortal Shell: Complete Edition is a competent soulslike with flashes of brilliance in its shell swapping and atmosphere. Its ambition is held back by shallow systems, inconsistent difficulty, and technical rough edges. It’s a worthy attempt for fans craving a grim challenge, but it falls short of the genre’s best. The technical performance was an utter disaster on the original Nintendo Switch, but fares much better on Nintendo Switch 2. It will still be a haggard-looking and rough game with subpar image detail, but at least it plays significantly smoother.

Puzzle Bobble Universe is still a fantastic puzzle effort at heart, yet due to it being a considerably cut down version of its older brother, sadly it is hard to recommend this - especially since the Nintendo 3DS is backwards compatible with the regular DS, meaning Puzzle Bobble Galaxy will play just fine on the 3D portable.

For what it is, AEW: Fight Forever is a simple, fun brawler. If you like simplicity and prefer your wrestling without the bells and whistles, pick this up. What lets it down is the lack of presentation and features. WWE does not own the monopoly on these things, and it’s a shame that after such a long wait, a lot is missing. The dedication to additions is commendable and bodes well for the future. Until then, this reviewer isn’t quite "All Out", but is definitely holding onto the turnbuckle.

Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 is an over-the-top playground for those who love all things monster trucks. In addition to the comical trucks that many will recognise from the real-life Monster Jam events, Rainbow Studio has also done a fabulous job of creating the worlds that are inspired by the various teams. There's the well-designed Mutt-map that best reflects the comical sights of the Mutt vehicles, to the haunted Graveyard that left a lot to be desired from a racing perspective. As is the case with monster trucks, there are a few bumps and hits that can often mar the experience and put a dampener on things - but for the most part, this title is a few hours of fun for the monster truck enthusiasts who just want to escape into this virtual playground of destructive carnage and mayhem!

Once it gets into gear, Assetto Corsa Competizione turns into an enjoyable enough driving experience, with some often frustrating quirks. Every move, pass, and failure made is analysed, scored, and presented back with a grade at such a granular level you'll be left scratching your head at how you ever passed your driving test in the first place. However, the unstable framerate, janky animations, erratic camera modes, and lack of other in-game tracks and vehicles without paying more for the DLC, means that this is one for racing sim aficionados only.

Episode 1: Roads sets Life is Strange 2 up for potentially great things, but the entertaining moments are extremely fleeting in what is clearly intended to be an emotionally-driven adventure that works to set the tone for what is to come, with particular value placed on the story of brotherhood. The supernatural element at play as the main plot device is interesting, but it again only works to serve as a teaser for what is lying further down the road for the brothers. Not as gripping as season one, but this short episode does its job.

As a movie tie-in it is a surprisingly well-polished title, but as a video game experience it lacks that spark and direction to take it further.

Crypto Beyond All Odds is actually fairly solid with its aesthetics, theme and some small memes. Those with no clue on cryptos are going to be in the dark big time about a lot of what is happening, the history, and the jokes. Ultimately the game starts to get repetitive where the waves feel too much the same, and the game devolves into chaos too quickly to allow much strategy beyond just slapping more crypto towers down and usually winning.

While Batman: The Telltale Series pulls off a novel retelling of the titular Bat's origin, it still falls into the same traps that plague much of Telltale's catalogue of games. Low stakes choices, inconsistent storytelling, and short episodes all culminate in a season that squanders all its potential by the finale. This is especially disappointing since there are genuine high points. The relationship between Bruce and Selina is handled excellently, and the concept behind Harvey Dent's downfall is arguably more iconic than ever thanks to the intimate nature of the game. Unfortunately, these moments aren't enough to save the story from unearned twists and a lacklustre conclusion. Batman: The Telltale Series is worthwhile enough for Batman fans looking for an original story sporting a fresh-faced Bruce Wayne, but this is one series that will struggle to win over any Telltale detractors.

The visual novel format, animations, and cultural references all end up creating something that feels incredibly Japanese. There's even an anime-style opening to boot. It's recommended for those that wish to learn about Japanese culture, or practice reading Japanese, but it may not be a game that appeals to the masses.

With The Cave, SEGA and Double Fine have brought the world a very intriguing character-switching puzzle adventure that glows thanks to its superb presentation values and dark humour. Unfortunately, though, there are some gameplay frustrations that mar the experience, which proves to be a crying shame given how potentially great it could have been.

Earth Defense Force: World Brothers starts off on a pretty high note, with various characters and Easter Eggs of the older entries thrown in. Getting new guys and weapons is fun, but fairly rapidly some of the annoyances really start to come through and slow the experience down. From the very slow movement, to the largely repetitious maps, it doesn't take that long before it feels like players have seen most of what there is too see, and begin to feel the need to move on.

Illusion: A Tale of the Mind is a marvel to look at and enjoy from a puzzle standpoint. However, it starts to bog itself down with a quirky storyline that carries the action along well enough to start with, but becomes increasingly convoluted and eventually downright boring, to the point where the ending will leave most sighing with relief, which is a massive shame as the core gameplay is very intriguing to start with, but is dragged down by an over-reliance on switch-hitting towards the end.

DISTRAINT certainly seems to understand that the things that go bump in the night are less scary than the deep-rooted horrors that you can inflict on yourselves. This surreal-meets-the-mundane short story about a man's descent to metaphorical - and maybe literal - hell will keep you invested in the two and a half hours that the journey will last. Just don't expect any decent gameplay.

Many of the few souls that played this attempt at a western JRPG back in the day will speak about a flawless, but unknown gem. That’s nostalgia speaking, however. Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator is undoubtedly deeply flawed. It’s not buggy or anything, just an unbalanced, repetitive, somewhat empty, and most of all, 50+ hour-long experience that’s aggravatingly slow, and which doesn’t ever realise its massive potential. In a weird way, this also has a very strong atmosphere, an intriguing world, and is strangely immersive. Thankfully it’s dirt cheap nowadays, so if interested you can check it out with just a handful of coins.

Sparkle Unleashed is a good enough puzzle title that delivers exactly what is expected. The mechanics work the way they should without any bugs or hiccups, and the five different power-ups do offer great help when the going gets tough in most cases. However, apart from that, 10tons colour-matching affair is no different to other hit titles, such as actionloop! or Zuma, and without any real point of difference to separate them, the temptation to try this out may not be there in favour of free versions available elsewhere. If these puzzle games sound ideal, though, many hours can quickly fly by.

Kirby Battle Royale on Nintendo 3DS is a somewhat fun mini-game collection, but one that doesn't have much life outside of its three-hour or so story, and a handful of hours afterwards. Kirby is once again relegated to a mediocre little release that few will play, and fewer will remember a year from now. The biggest grievance with this, though, isn't the mediocrity or the lack of innovation - it's the cost. This is certainly not worth the asking price and it would be far more appetising if it was a good 50% off the RRP.

Quiet, Please is a cute, smaller game, that nails the humorous aspects of point and click titles. However, the controls can be a bit too wonky, making actually playing the game harder than it needs to be. For fans of bite sized games, this one is definitely still worth a look.

Technically competent, and surprisingly well done, the simple lack of depth prevents this from doing any better. It can actually be completed in a few hours at max. Having a friend or playing online can extend the fun, yet the lack of content becomes obvious fairly quickly. The developer has promised more updates, which will hopefully come through, as the game has a good base to work with.

Ultimately, most players are probably still better off sticking to 'purer' roguelikes such as Shiren the Wanderer or standard RPGs such the core Pokemon titles.

Final Fantasy VII is a milestone in console RPGs in general, deserving to be played by all fans of the genre for its historic relevance. However, it has not aged quite as gracefully as others in some areas, which means it's not quite as timeless, like many games of its vintage, unfortunately. This is to do with the original game itself, of course, and not this release in particular, so anyone who already enjoyed it elsewhere won't enjoy it any less on Switch.

Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef is a game where an Ork does orkish stuff for three to four hours. This translates to shooting stuff with large dakka, and then buying more dakka to shoot some more, in order to acquire even more dakka… and you get the idea. It's simple, mindless action, and it will definitely satisfy those who love these fun green Boyz - just wait for a heavy price drop, because this is extremely light on content and replayability.

Picross S+ is yet another great title that holds up the quality of standard developer Jupiter is known for. It is a bit sad that the base game does not come with any Color Picross puzzles, but overall, these can be unlocked with DLC purchases and even the base game by itself provides hours of fun!

The Cities: Skylines - Mass Transit DLC is unfortunately not the most essential DLC for those who are wanting to add more to their city. The additional vehicles, hubs, and depth of control are not so much a welcome addition but just a pleasant distraction. However, what this DLC has done is prompted Colossal Order and Paradox Interactive to update the user interface on the PlayStation 4, now making Cities: Skylines a must have recommendation for any simulation fan, even more so than it was before.

A respectable first effort on WiiWare from The Code Monkeys, and certainly endued with some British spirit, but key issues of severely hindered online and one player modes hold the game back.

Sadly, the two career modes hardly feel different to each other, and the players don't develop during the season due to a lack of stats or attributes to differentiate players from each other. Playing against the AI shows that, despite the cast of 128+ characters, they are all different skins of the same athlete, with no varying strategies, which is a shame - but, there is online mode for the professionals who wish to take their snooker experience to the next level.

A good third-person shooter but a bad Tomb Raider game; that’s what Crystal Dynamics’ reboot for Lara Croft boils down to. When you ignore the inconsistencies between the story and gameplay, as well as the annoying characters and poor writing, Lara’s survival adventure on Yamatai is a worthwhile distraction that plays smoothly and has plenty to do. The great price that others could learn from means this is well within impulse-buy territory too.

A decent tie-in game, something many anime properties never receive, but ultimately My Hero One's Justice can't live up to the standards set by the likes of the Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm releases or even Dragon Ball Xenoverse titles. It's fun and filled with things to keep fans of the series happy, but those looking for a complex and challenging combat system won't find it here.

Little Big Workshop's biggest flaws are its generic character designs and a few control issues, but these are greatly overshadowed by how fun this is. It's perfect for people new to the sim genre, allowing players to tackle things at their own pace and make the experience as easy or as difficult as they choose. Veterans will also be able to jump right in and start making their factory to their liking, as well as taking on challenges to push their tiny little company to be the best it can be. Little Big Workshop doesn't reinvent the sim genre, but it fits perfectly into it and brings charm and flair one might not expected from a newer studio.

While the story in BattleTech takes some interesting turns, and the combat is slow if serviceable, the game chugs along as playable with occasional moments of greatness. The major issues come from how combat is both too slow at times and too random, plus there are too many numbers to sort through for anyone short of the very dedicated. The structural problems are too ingrained in the game to easily fix, which is unfortunate as there is actually a solid package underneath the problems.

Captain America: Super Soldier is a fairly decent game with very few flaws, though there's nothing spectacular about it and the environments are pretty much the same throughout.

There is a really good experience in here. The context of the world and the basis of the story have so much potential, exploring many ideas that are often too overlooked in gaming. The moments of passive storytelling that is discovered, just by reading the journals or newspapers, are magical and interesting. The disappointing thing is that this magic is buried under too many bland fetch quests and too many technical problems. There is a roadmap of future content being developed, so maybe this can change, however… hopefully!

While an enjoyable and relaxing title, Doraemon Story of Seasons: Friends of the Great Kingdom needs some major improvements when it comes to translation and some graphical and gameplay elements. Nevertheless, it is not unplayable, and those who enjoyed the first game will also have a good time with it.

There are few games with as much personality as Kitty Powers' Love Life, and that alone makes it a truly interesting game to play for an hour or two. The problem is that it does not take too long until the game starts to feel repetitive and like work, and if there is one thing games should avoid it is for them to feel like actual work, even when simulating a profession. In the end, Kitty Powers' Love Life has a lot of personality, but needs to work out some quirks for this relationship to work out.

Fate/Extella Link continues offering the same entertaining blend of musou action and RPG-like progression, in a package that is bigger and better. Still, unless a big fan of the franchise, it's not exactly a must-have, as it mostly feels like an improvement that generally keeps things annoyingly safe.

There is definitely a lot of potential here and a base to build on for future titles. Where it slips is simply a lack of content and imagination on the narrative front, with a lot of stereotypes employed within the setting. However, the gameplay fundamentals here are solid, with a fine shooting system and some impressive graphics. A bit more scale in terms of expanding from simply a linear on rails with only 180 degrees of movement stops Naked Sun from really excelling over some of the competition which have done this genre a bit better.

The acrobatic shoot-fest known as Severed Steel is, without any exaggeration, tons of fun. Sadly, while it could be one of the genre's classics, it is barebones in terms of content. There simply aren't many things to do here, and there's almost no incentive to go back to it. It needs a better campaign, more varied weaponry, enemies, as well as some extra stuff, be it power-ups, or alternative game modes. Or at least a better price-tag…

The standout features of Reynatis are its combat mechanics and soundtrack. Overcoming the initial disappointment caused by the subpar visuals and repetitive level design will be challenging for many players. However, those who persevere and allow the game's strengths to emerge will find themselves immersed in the intense action and captivating spectacle.

ChronoClock is a decently-written romantic visual novel, with a bit of decent comedy and drama thrown in for good measure, served along some decent audio-visuals. It's hard to recommend it to anyone but genre fans, though, as it doesn't really do anything to stand out from the crowd - despite the existence of a time-bending MacGuffin.

It is a really fun world the games put forward, and it is great to explore and figure out where to go and what to do next. At the same time, though, they don't necessarily play that well, and they show their age in a lot of unfortunate ways. This is definitely more of an acquired taste, and it is probably best to say that these are better experiences than they are video games. They're worth checking out, particularly for someone that has fond memories of them on the Dreamcast, but be warned that there are some warts that need to be looked past before you dive in headfirst.

Ion Fury blows the Build Engine's dust off, and manages to offer something that seems to hit all the right - nostalgic - notes, but it sort of misses the most crucial ones. Gunfights feel awesome, but the level design is anything but, leading to the many quitter moments being dull as hell. Plus, Voidpoint's creation lacks character, and plays its "comedic" card a bit too safe for something that's meant to be a return to the days of Duke Nukem's political incorrectness. As for the Switch port, while currently the only way to enjoy this on the go, this is definitely something that plays a lot better on the PC.

The original Beyond: Two Souls was an interactive drama with a severely inconsistent level of quality when it came to gameplay and storytelling, and completely consistent when it came to its stunning audio-visuals. This new version, is still an interactive drama with a severely inconsistent level of quality when it comes to gameplay and storytelling, and even better in regards to how it looks and sounds. Any reason to try it out now? Only if you haven't done so before, as the remaster is a bit of a poor one to warrant a second purchase.

The gameplay is very standard Little Nightmares fare, and it plays it very safe. Giving the duo weapons isn't as game changing as it seems and rarely comes into play. Returning fans will notice that this entry is only four chapters long; that's two fewer than the norm for these games. The promise of two additional chapters via a season pass is a mistake since the franchise is very story-based and tends to be condensed. The core experience is very short and most won't feel like they will get their money's worth with such a meagre offering and a vague promise that more content will come sometime next year, but without knowing what it will be. The base package is a little longer than the first game, but not as long or well-paced as the amazing sequel. Marketing material for the season pass promises that future additional chapters won't be necessary, but then, why even bother? It's a bad trap that makes Little Nightmares III feel incomplete.

Overall, MXGP 2019 is a fun experience during the thrill of the race. However, unless riders are long-time fans who are dedicated to continue playing this until the 2020 version comes out, anybody else may not find the patience to stick with this for the long-term.

I and Me looks like a beautifully hand-drawn game that controls quite well. Its fluid movement makes navigating the stages easy, with no mechanical drawbacks. However, the promise of a deep and meaningful story is hurt by the hard-to-read cursive font used to present all the narration, thus losing all the appeal of what is supposed to feel like a haunting tale. Beyond that, though, the stages are pretty easy to figure out and complete, though playing around with the four main mechanics introduced with each new season is fun in itself, and allowing for experimentation strengthens them. The hints that the game offers up actually overstep their mark, and instead they solve the puzzle entirely; however, they hardly need to be used, as I and Me rarely lifts the difficulty metre at all.

3, 2, 1... WordsUp! is ideal for those looking for a little puzzler to test the brain during those short periods of boredom we all find ourselves experiencing daily.

Mercenary Kings: Reloaded Edition adds two new characters and expands the weapon building but the missions are not balanced for an enjoyable single-player experience. The amazing sprite art and animation is the real star here, but sadly not so much the gameplay. The co-operative mode is definitely how Mercenary Kings was intended to be experienced. The visuals and characters just barely keep this engaging enough to keep people playing solo.

A good recommendation when starting Justice Chronicles is keeping your expectations to a cautious high, at most.

Find Pick My Heart Chapter 1 at about the same price as a coffee and it will offer you about two days of relaxing reading, involving some mild romance, some mild humour, and some mild mystery revolving around Greek Goddesses. It's not something special, though, so let it be said once more. Approach only if found really cheap…

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.

Spirit Hunter: Death Mark II is even less of a visual novel than its predecessors and leans in more heavily with the adventure game mechanics like inventory and key item collecting. It is also more streamlined than before and the story is not as compelling as it was the first time. The lack of urgency diminishes the stakes and the puzzles are far too easy to feel any sense of dread or mystery. At worst, Death Mark II can feel boring. Its best aspects lie in its audio and visual departments, whereas the story and gameplay are merely serviceable.

Bitlogic: A Cyberpunk Arcade Adventure is a gimmick or novelty of a video game that is meant for twitch streams or to dupe friends into playing it as a joke. It is not the most enjoyable adventure game but is also not designed to be the great either since it is trying to make a point. It is designed to be played by almost anyone and not counting the directional pad, it only uses one button. By that token it is almost impressive that it manages to be engaging at all.

A fairly enjoyable experience, coupled with an interesting take on the Wii-remote fighter experience.

This is a decent, entry-level horror adventure, one that will last for about an hour, and offer a nice mysterious story, and the general feeling that something is out to get you. Not exactly a gem in the world of lo-fi PS1-styled indies, but most are recommended to try it out if given the chance.

While a bit short on the replayability side, and with visuals that look good, but not as good as they would do so with the use of a VR headset, Battlezone: Gold Edition is a fun tank arena shooter, with a surprisingly strong strategic mindset. Just be sure to enjoy this with a bunch of other players, as solo play might get way too boring, way too soon.

Rose & Camellia Collection is a game that embraces its absurdity and delivers a unique experience to the Switch. It is definitely charming overall and enjoyable enough while it lasts. However, the creativity in concept doesn’t necessary translate to creativity in gameplay, and too many fights play out in pretty much the same way. Add in some imprecise controls and limited content and it winds up being a less enjoyable experience than it could have been. For players seeking a quirky, short-lived adventure filled with aristocratic slap battles, this collection may provide a few hours of entertainment. The $20 price tag does seem a bit steep for what it is, though, so it might be best to wait for these aristocrats to put on an estate sale.

Multiplayer is a really positive experience, and it becomes very easy to sink hours into just exploration and small side quests, with no attention being paid to the main story. Pick up and play is a feeling so rarely found in JRPG titles that it feels like a really positive step towards what should be seen as the new normal. What is baffling, then, is hiding such a great feature, along with all the other main parts of Sword Art Online: Alicization Lycoris behind 12+ hours of repetitive story. The honest truth is that players with a passing interest aren't going to put the hours in to get past the initial chapter, and in doing so, are going to miss out on an enjoyable experience with a lot to offer for both casual players and hardcore fans. Stick with it.

It's hard to rate something like Black Book. It's a mix and match of things that are generally fun and refreshingly new, but the whole thing carries with it a lack of polish and balance, which could make this dark tale of witchcraft and demonology shine much brighter. This is basically a high 6, or a low 7. A mediocre, repetitive CCG/RPG, with some neat moments that'll - barely - manage to keep you interested. If looking to experience something outside of generic medieval fantasy, though, do give it a try. Morteshka's creation is basically Slavic Pagan Mythology: The Game.

Neptune's glorious and fun-loving self is the main saving grace and rally point, so the verdict is fairly obvious: if you want to Nep out, Cyberdimension Neptunia: 4 Goddesses Online has got the Nep. Other people may want to play some of her mainline RPGs instead.

Even with the hidden scrolls dotted around levels that must be collected, and the odd awkard puzzle that takes longer than expected to solve, there is little to prevent Chronicles of Mystery from being completed within around two hours.

In terms of looks alone, One Piece: Burning Blood has great presentation, as it feels like it came right out of a manga. In terms of gameplay, though, it's just a decent, and relatively unpolished, fighter of no importance.

Observer could have been more. It has style and exceptional art direction, a creative premise but flaccid and unimaginative gameplay. Maybe this comes with the territory when it comes to walking-sims or first-person adventure games, but there really is no excuse for the lack of imagination because much older games have found ways to keep things fresh while adventuring. There is very little attention to detail when it comes to interaction and player-choice. Observer should have been like playing a pacifist run on the original Deus Ex.

It clearly has its flaws, and pretty standout ones at that, and the overall atmosphere of the game is a bit too far into the cliché area of the JRPG genre, and yet, it has its moments where it shines.

Globulos Party is a fun piece of software, especially when playing with a friend. Unfortunately the idea has not been expanded upon since its initial inception as a free Flash-based game, with the Internet match-up element actually being removed from the DSiWare version, severely reducing its replay value.

Playing against other players in Galactic Civilizations 3: Mercenaries offers far more bang for your buck as far as this DLC goes. The AI does not seem to utilise the expansion, whereas with humans it can indeed be a very intense rush for the good ships. It will feel slightly cheap to those just beating on computers, though.

Like this remake's newly-added horse character, Miitopia is a bit of a one-trick pony. Beyond a few rare format changes, what you experience in the first hour is basically what you'll be doing for the entire game. This will likely drive away some, particularly those looking for a more challenging experience, but for others, this pony's "one trick" isn't inherently bad. While much of the playthrough is spent fast-forwarding through repeated environments, there's still plenty of charming moments that are worth slowing down for. It isn't the most exciting title ever, but it does make you smile… and sometimes, that's all you really need.

Bomb Chicken isn't going to be breaking any molds. What it does, countless others have done before, and better. That doesn't mean it isn't a ton of fun, though, if a little brief. It is an ideal new title for speed-runners to stream, and all-in-all a fun, addictive, crazy, little arcade experience. Based on this, Nitrome is one to watch; it certainly has a promising future ahead.

Paradox Soul is a fine experience that retells a typical story centered around an empty facility, with dead scientists and killer robots. There's nothing original here, however the controls are tight and Dr. Rose plays well. For those looking to kill a few hours on a short metroidvania title, then Paradox Soul is one title worth checking out. While it's not as engaging as others in the genre, nor does it offer any new interesting innovations, it's still one worth adding to the list for short-lived titles to smash out over a weekend, or to knock out another easy platinum to add to the digital trophy cabinet.