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.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is a gloriously loud, bolter-filled RTS that offers a small but awesome taste of that unique flavour of grimdark. Space Marines shout, Chaos cackles, everyone distrusts everyone, and war (as well as badass battle attire) is the only constant. Its story is serviceable but still tasty (and clearly made for fans), while combat delivers constant, satisfying spectacle, keeping the whole thing engaging decades later. Sadly, while the Anniversary Edition offers the base game along with all three expansions, it brings few if any modern comforts to the table, once again leaving you in the hands of modders.

Technical foibles aside, Darksiders Genesis provides yet another fresh take on everyone's favourite Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The isometric viewpoint is an interesting new direction and one that isn't quite justified by the familiar hack 'n' slash action, but this is nevertheless a fun and well-designed experience that stays true to its roots despite its diminished scale. Fans of Darksiders will surely find a lot to enjoy here.

For players experiencing Doctor Who: The Edge of Reality, an enjoyable adventure with a real 'Who' feel is likely to satisfy all. Maze Theory is doing some fantastic work across the board with all the titles it has released around the franchise. For players who picked up the original, however, this is a bit of a harder sell. Having a fully fleshed out Tennant, and a satisfying conclusion, are probably the biggest draws but there is always that underlying feeling of some things being drawn out for the sake of it. Think of a dangling plot thread hanging for seasons at a time. Not that Doctor Who would ever do that of course. *Cough*Fugitive Doctor*Cough*

Despite some balance issues, and problems of the game running away from the player very easily, there's actually some good, basic fun here. Playing different factions, trying different weapons, and ultimately, simply trying to be the last person in the solar system is fun. With a friend or two, multiplayer can be a fun romp, and the campaign was oddly alluring despite its ultimately simple premise.

Fans of the golden age of beat 'em ups (yup, that’s the '90s, alright!) are advised to try out Maiden Cops - the more than decent indie homage to the genre. It doesn’t really have enough to convince those who aren’t into brawlers and its “waifu” aesthetic might even deter those who are. If you don’t mind playing as a cute and curvy anime girl (and one not entirely human), Maiden Cops can actually offer plenty of fun.

Masters of Anima is a great indie title that could have been incredible had it had some more work put in the story to break it away from cliché fantasy stories seen so often. The interest regarding cut-scenes and voice acting wane quickly; the constant grading of performance and time taken to complete fights and missions also break overall immersion at times, making the game as a whole feel more stage-based rather than one grand adventure. What is here, though, is impressively polished and easy to learn. The uniqueness of the gameplay makes it worthwhile for most people to try out.

The cheesy story and over-the-top characters are as funny and entertaining in the last chapter as they are in the first - but without dedication, experimentation, grinding, and probably some help from other sources, this can be a tough game to get through. With great strategic gameplay full of crazily exaggerated moves and all sorts of options and content to unlock, though, there is plenty of reason to stick with it and spend countless hours in the Netherworld. Aside from some major crash bugs and a couple of other niggling faults, portable Disgaea is right at home on Switch.

Ride 4 offers a tonne of content for those who itching for a deep dive into an expansive career mode. Race all across the world by winning licenses to open up access into better and more advanced events. Gain affinity with various bikes and manufacturers on the way to becoming the greatest rider. However, a weak online mode, a lack of other real features outside of the career mode and having a steep learning curve for beginners prevents Ride 4 from being the complete package. With plenty of bikes on offer, and upgrades on both the 'stock' and 'racing' side of things to allow for vast improvements over the troublesome AI, this is one of the better digital biking experiences out there.

The words 'creepy' and 'moody' don't often come to mind when thinking about jigsaw puzzles, but that's the beauty of Glass Masquerade 2: Illusions. Puzzles often result in surreal imagery, and Nikita Sevalnev's soundtrack adds a chilling layer to the already ethereal atmosphere. With difficulty modes suited for both beginners and veterans of the jigsaw puzzle, Glass Masquerade 2 is a must play for anyone looking for more flavour in their puzzle games.

Rainbow Six Extraction stealthily moves down a well-trodden path, carrying a fairly uninspired narrative that could be described as hackneyed at best. OK, as pithy summations go maybe that's a little bit harsh. Sure, this won't be winning any awards for its high concept themes or originality, but does that really matter when it's so much fun to play? While Ubisoft hasn't reinvented the wheel here, it has at least implemented enough innovative ideas in its core gameplay loop to keep potential React operators engaged in the Archaean struggle. As with any title reliant on repeated playthroughs, there's maybe a slight concern on its longevity, however the promise of regular, free content drops, should be reason enough to warrant regular revisits. It's also worth noting that it's available on Xbox Game Pass from day one, courtesy of Uncle Phil's deep pockets.

Cyanide Studio has done certainly delivered quite an impressive PC-to-DS port, managing to keep all of the video sequences intact and amending the control set-up to better suit the touch-screen input of Nintendo's portable.

Those gagging for Tennis action, or something that offers a little more than Wii Sports, should consider Nintendo / Camelot's effort as one of the better sports titles out there.

Challenge Me: Brain Puzzles never pretends to be anything more than a bare-bones package offering up a wealth of Picross and Sudoku puzzles, which definitely works in its favour, as gamers know exactly what they are getting - 1,000 brain-taxing teasers to help wile the time away, whilst flexing that oh-so-important muscle, the brain.

99Seconds takes the qualities of successful Smartphone titles and applies them to DSiWare; cheap, unique, easy-but-challenging and addictive experiences outside of a game cartridge or disc.

Presentation wise, the Switch remaster both looks and sounds great, improving upon the original mobile remaster wherever it can, but the gameplay is severely neutered when compared to the original Nintendo DS release. Combat will never be as smooth with the Joy-Con setup as it is with touch controls, and the modifications made to the partner system in order to make gameplay work on one single screen remove a great deal of the original battle system's charm. Final Remix is a good game as it is still, at its core, The World Ends with You, but it is a deeply flawed, deeply disappointing reimagining of the DS classic.

Not quite the Angry Birds clone that some may believe at first glance, and it isn't without issues, but for the asking price Bird Mania 3D fundamentally holds true to what cheaper quick-burst games need to be to succeed; fun, inimitable, and packing in that 'one more go' factor.

Pacer is a delightful racer, filled with plenty of action-packed moments. It also has some of the more glorious drifting mechanics that are hard to find in most car-racing games. For those looking for the spiritual successor to the WipeOut series, look no further. While the vehicles are quite limited, and some of the tracks don't truly compliment the high-speed racing that this wants to be known for, when the right ingredients are in play, then the experience becomes quite memorable. If only the online community had more going for it, or at least if the offline modes had the option to increase the difficulty of the AI. Despite some of the setbacks, overall this is a very good racer that is worth jumping into and getting lost in.

Light input lag and lengthy load times aside, Aces of the Luftwaffe: Squadron is an excellent party style shmup the likes of which are very rarely seen. In fact, no other shmup quite like it, in how multiplayer-centric it is, comes to mind. It may look rather simplistic, but it proves to be top notch in its game design, apart from the fact that the game is not quite as enjoyable in solo as it is in multiplayer.

The uDraw Studio software is generally excellent, accessible for new or casual artists, and has the potential for highly detailed art. The main drawback is the GameTablet's lack of true sensitivity - when you venture into more complicated work it becomes far trickier and more of a hassle to use, with constant switching of options required to get the strokes just right.

Whilst LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game has some fantastic ideas included that help make it appeal to all audiences, at the same time there is far too much retreading of old ground during the adventure and the overall challenge is considerably lacking, thus relegating this to a 'rent first' type of game.

The Pathless is a worthy addition to the minimal release list this early in the PlayStation 5 lifespan. It delivers engaging gameplay, as well as frankly beautiful visuals. The issue is that feeling of familiarity *cough*Zelda*cough* coupled with a lack of activities to indulge in. Too often does this feel like a template of greater things to come, and it's a massive hope that this will spawn a sequel. So many great ideas needing to be expanded upon, mainly the excellent movement, as no game this year has given a greater feeling of speed in its unique traversal system, and along with the excellent boss battles, this comes recommended. Here's to The Pathless 2: Less Travelled.

Sheepo never gets boring throughout its three-hour run time. It was correctly paced and had some delightful moments, both in narrative and tone as well as platforming puzzles. While it does try to change some things up from its competitors, nothing it does is better than other games in the genre. This isn't bad though and fans of 'Metroidvanias' are in for an enjoyable time as it manages to scratch the itch for a 2D open-world platformer, even if it's only for a couple of hours.

There are several high points of Code Vein II, ranging from graphics, different environments, and the character creator. The major complaints that detract from higher praise are bad pacing issues and a story that often takes a back seat. Combat is faster and more fun than the first game, and the much more open world is a needed change from the endless alleys of before. Despite a lot of positive points, though, there is a sense that the entire thing doesn't mesh together to make a better experience.

Although Episode 4: Thicker Than Water once again deprives players of all agency, it's actually handled relatively well in-universe, making for a second-to-last episode that actively marches towards the finale. Characters are finally reaching a point where they feel fully developed, the story has found a suitable emotional centre, and the stakes have been raised high enough where Javi and Clem will naturally find themselves challenged in Episode 5. It isn't as strong as it could have been - in large part due to A New Frontier's overall structure - but Thicker Than Water stands out as the strongest chapter in season three thus far.

Looks can be deceiving, and while In Other Waters does look too simple for its own good, it's a title overflowing with depth. Between a well written script, intensely atmospheric sound design that begs for headphone use, and methodically slow pacing, it's hard not to think of Ellery Vas' expedition through the depths of Gliese 677Cc long after all is said and done. Moody and sombre, In Other Waters is a must read… and must play.

While it's mostly a by-the-numbers tower defence game, and a dated one at that, it's also surprisingly enjoyable. The comedic tone and writing, while not laugh-out-loud funny, has some pretty amusing moments. It's just a little too short, but fans of this one can look forward to the sequel reaching Switch soon.

Scribble definitely carves its own niche as a solid, out of the box party game for the Wii U. Since it doesn't require anyone to mess around with additional Wii Remotes or other accessories, it's really easy to set up and play anytime. It's hard not to wish there was slightly more to the game, and despite the simple controls, it would have been nice if there were a couple of options for alternative control setups. It won't turn any heads, but it's a solid Pictionary clone, and one that's sure to please party-goers of all ages.