Operencia: The Stolen Sun is an extremely solid dungeon-crawler. Each labyrinth runs the gamut of ferocious monsters and confounding puzzles that fans of the genre crave. Fights tend to be repetitious and suffer from rough pacing, but the battle system is clearly thought-out and enjoyable to master. The array of options, from party-building to difficulty customization, allows for someone to carve out their own identity. It's also nice that the cast is quirky and endearing. Even the avatar will commentate on the situation, rather than stew in silence like so many other blank slates. This makes for an adventure that's amusing in every respect.

F-Zero 99 scratches a very specific itch where gamers can get an intense and thrilling rush for a bit before moving on to something else. It will be very disappointing when Nintendo inevitably terminates the service for it because it is some of the best F-Zero content since F-Zero GX.

Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy is a fantastic adventure game and a great remake. What Microids has created here is a great tribute to Sokal's original work, producing something far more lavish and accomplished that manages to carry the charm and emotion that the storytelling deserves. A real good 'un!

Offering a refreshing, polished experience, Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise is an excellent DLC package to sit alongside the core Animal Crossing: New Horizons base game. Refined, flexible decorating options with a large catalogue of unlimited items mixes up the pace for creative freedom without the hording slog of the regular island. Happy Home Paradise is, quite simply, a playground of cosy fun.

The Division 2 may be making a mess on Tom Clancy's grave by betraying his highly conservative values, but what is here is a very competent and polished third-person open-world action game with a big emphasis on co-op. The value in this package is seemingly nigh on endless with the amount of things to do and see. Even the core gameplay loop, though simplistic, is satisfying enough to keep things stimulating, even when they feel monotonous at times. Just when things feel the most tedious, the end game content really mixes things up in a big way to reinvigorate the formula.

The original Hotline Miami was that watershed indie game that changed things and influenced others, beginning the trend of '80s nostalgia that has become so popular lately. It is hard not to see why because, this makes the '80s seem so cool, and reminds everyone of simpler age when it was possible to be cool and corny at the same time. Wrong Number has its issues, and most people in the future might even forget it ever existed, but anyone with the guts to make it all the way to the end will never forget it.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 delivers a slick fresh coat of paint onto this Japanese epic tale, while keeping the same engaging and complex story that fans know and love. A memorable narrative, and some excellent dialogue and delivery make this a story that is worth playing, even for new entrants to the franchise. Meanwhile, while there are a few blotches on the graphical presentation of this remake, Tokyo has never looked so authentic in a game before, and the atmosphere built is second to none. There are some niggles with the camera, and the slightly outdated UI, however, the combat and mini-games are of a high standard, and keep things incredibly enjoyable throughout this extensive adventure.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - Donkey Kong Adventure turns out to be much less focused on strategy this time around but more on the actual enjoyment of the story and universe with more laid back battles that are easier to approach than the rest of the full package, in no small part due to how powerful Donkey Kong and Rabbid Cranky are in battle. The base game had lots of charm with its colourful and humorous universe and this is all intact here, if not even more pleasant than ever before.

It is more of the same for Valkyria Chronicles 4 - and that's no bad thing. Going back to what SEGA did best with this series following the awful Revolution was really all that was necessary, even if it might feel too familiar if coming off of playing the first game recently. Comic book visuals, a story based on World War II, appealing anime-like characters, a mix of overhead and third-person strategic and real-time gameplay - there are so many crazy ideas melded together, and yet it all comes off so well. There still isn't a series much like it.

Tadpole Treble: Encore feels like a long-lost Nintendo IP from the SNES era. It takes a simple idea and runs (or swims) with it to the fullest extent, providing a large variety of music, locales, and mechanics within its relatively short runtime. There is much love and passion present in nearly every facet of the game, so much so that it's easy to overlook the few flaws that it has. Whether being a fan of rhythm games or not, Tadpole Treble: Encore is a joyful experience that's absolutely worth diving into.

Unexpectedly, Gears Tactics is quite a competent and enjoyable tactical strategy game. The roots of what make a good tactics game are embedded in the DNA, combat is fun and yet somewhat familiar. However, Gears Tactics falls into the trap of laying down a great foundation with awesome mechanics but it does feel that the few creative ideas showcased begin to feel repetitive after the thirty plus hour campaign. That isn't to say that Gears Tactics is devoid of ideas either, Gears fans will be impressed with how the title pushes forward the narrative and newcomers will also be left in awe at how good the characterisation and cutscenes are, which are just as good as Gears 5, from a graphical and presentation standpoint. This is a great foundation into what should become a great spin-off series, should it continue.

For an unknown studio they come out swinging pretty good with Dreamscaper, the core game is fairly engaging and interesting, but the core loop has some serious progression issues, as well as bad difficulty balance. Trying new moves and weapons is the highlight of the experience, but the very slow lack of progress and difficulty walls hold this back from being truly great.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 makes some great improvements to what came before and provides the same great gameplay experience. Where it bails is the nostalgia factor for fans of these in their original format. That nostalgia isn't here personally but it's still hard to ignore. A remaster should maintain all the things that made the original great and for not doing that, should probably have another point taken off. If looked at objectively, however, this is another excellent addition to pick up and play. Maybe just leave the rest before we have to buy another USB board.

Stray is an awesome looking game, with a neon-cyberpunk world that feels like it is alive. The run-time is short enough that the gameplay loop of solving puzzles via finding random items scattered throughout the world is well complemented from sequences that require running from area to area without getting caught by local mutated predators. While Stray is pretty to look at and is fun while it lasts the limitations of movement and rather simplistic puzzles hold this back from being greater than it could have been.

Atlus doesn't reinvent the Etrian Odyssey wheel with 2 Untold, but it does build on what made the first release so much fun, without making any readily apparent sacrifices.

The amount of content included in Disgaea DS is staggering. Not only are the game's core mechanics solid, innovative, and insanely addictive, but there's enough post-game content to consume hundreds of hours of your life if you so desire.

For an action-adventure title, inaccurate hit-boxes and level-design that's even slightly off can be a deal-breaker. Rather than get dragged down by its deficiencies, Blasphemous rises above to create a uniquely engaging experience. Exploring the dire realm of Cvstodia is a treat in itself. The lore is intriguing, and the few characters you meet weave compelling narratives. Still, there remains an unshakeable thought that this game is a beautiful painting, but with an askew frame. Then again, maybe it's because of the imperfections that players start to question everything around them. Whatever the case, you'll definitely want to give this a look.

It is sad to give a rating this low to a game with this much potential. The UI in Hero's Hour is often problematic, and the graphics are just too basic to understand what is happening. Furthermore, there is a very heavy 'rush' element to the game rather than the more plodding pace of older games. If the graphics were better, some balance problems ironed out, and the UI was fixed, this would be an easy game to recommend to strategy players by a wide margin.

Aether & Iron is a very promising title that tells a highly compelling story of power and class, and is crowned with one of the most clever SRPG battle systems on the market. However, it is full of disruptive glitches and bugs that rear their heads far too frequently, which prevent the mind from fully engaging with the wonderful story. Signs indicate that the developers are quick to fix issues as they arise, so there is reason to believe they will get fixed over time. However, at the moment of writing, the flaws are too numerous to overlook. This makes it difficult to fully recommend the game to a wider audience than hardcore SRPG and aetherpunk dystopia fans. For those that love these aspects, though, there are few titles on the market that will scratch that itch as well as Aether & Iron.

Quite simply, Metro Exodus is the perfect way to round off this trilogy, and a testament to the powerful evolution that a gaming franchise can make. The open world offers a whole new perspective from which to enjoy Artom's tale. Whilst there are some niggly issues with AI, and maybe an overuse of bespoke animations, the fact remains that it is hard to think of a better example of how to design a single-player survival adventure. Visually stunning and packed with audio detail, this is something that should be experienced by any PC gamer.

Grid Legends: Deluxe Edition arrives on Switch 2 as a well‑executed conversion of Codemasters’ racer, offering a broad set of visual presets, stable performance and a clear presentation that suits the hardware. Feral Interactive’s technical work results in smooth handling, faster loading and a flexible range of options that allow the game to run consistently in both docked and handheld play. The Deluxe Edition’s full suite of content, combined with cross‑platform online support and an accessible driving model, positions it as one of the strongest racing titles currently available on the system.

The problem with this isn't that it is a bad game (far from it), but the fact that it failed to reach its true potential… or maybe the expectations were simply too high, because there's nothing here that anyone can point to and say that it is terrible. Sadly, there's almost nothing that's great either, apart from the role-playing element and the quality of writing. The gunplay? Ok. The exploration? Decent. The plot? Fine. The dominant feeling here is of a game that is good enough so that you won't hate it, but also not as good for it to be the flawless classic that it could definitely be - but again, that's probably those darn high expectations speaking, because flaws or no flaws, The Outer Worlds shouldn't be missing from any RPG collection.

In many aspects, Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon 2 reiterates all the good things of the first instalment, and goes beyond just enough to justify its existence. All qualities of its predecessor are in place, with an extra dose of wackiness and originality on top. The classic Castlevania 3-inspired recipe works just as well now, and the retro-stiff but tight and satisfying controls are a joy to experience for any fans of the genre. Inti Creates did it again!

Children of Morta is an exceptionally well made ARPG, where the same amount of attention has been given to all its aspects, from the way it plays, to the way it's story is told, to the way it looks. Those in search for something with hundreds of hours of additional content should better look elsewhere, but the pleasure of combat (solo or co-op), and the addictive nature of rogue-likes, combined with the strong narrative, and the fantastic ultra-detailed pixel art style, gives a pretty good reason to put this on your wishlist - NOW!

Super Mario 3D All-Stars represents the pinnacle of platforming goodness and with perfect ports, as well as top notch optimisation for the console, it's a must-buy. For newcomers, they are getting the chance to experience the timeline of how Nintendo first experimented and mastered the 3D platformer, all the way up to it improving on the formula with each iteration. For stalwarts, it's a great excuse to dive back in and revisit a childhood hero in all his hat-wearing, moustache-twirling glory. Each inclusion has perfect character and level designs, as well as an ever-increasing level of innovation that simply cannot be matched by any other gaming company in the platforming genre. To sum up Super Mario 3D All-Stars in one word? Unmissable.

Shantae and the Pirate's Curse might put off a lot of its target audience with its bright and cartoony graphics, but devoted Metroidvania/platformer fans will not want to miss this excellently animated sprite game.

Each element of the adventure complements the other perfectly, leaving gamers with a true sense of satisfaction afterwards. Definitely not one to miss out on...

The Journey Down: Chapter Two offers more and better story content than Chapter One did, exactly like was hoped. Things bode well for the finale and this chapter elevates the overall feel of the trilogy so far from a status of good point-and-click adventure to something more special than the first chapter taken on its own merits may have led some to expect.