The atmosphere created here; a plot that pulls the player in with compellingly designed and voiced characters; an addictive and highly polished gameplay loop; and a fantastically realised visual world. These are some of the reasons why Death Stranding is such a joy to play. In many ways, this is more than a game. Gameplay here is built to service the atmosphere rather than the other way around and it makes sense that there are some who find this a step too far. It is also why the act of being a deliveryman and keeping BB safe is more of a focus than the passable combat or the, sometimes, fiddly controls. Running like a dream on PC and looking incredible, this was the way Hideo Kojima's vision was meant to be played.

Like with NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1, the second volume is a mixed bag in terms of games - in this case there are fewer gems, but fewer pieces of junk as well. The main issue remains the fact that this shouldn't be a two-part collection. In other words, if interested (and you should be), keep an eye on that price, and hit that 'Purchase' button when it gets reasonably low.

There are many, many ways that NAMCO MUSEUM ARCHIVES Vol 1 could be better, but as a whole, fans of retro gaming will definitely love this. Apart from the greedy idea of separating 20 super-old games between two collections, the only thing really holding this back right now is its price. So, put it on your wishlist… and wait.

Despite its simple appearance in how it looks and the game mechanics, Story of Seasons Friends of Mineral Town is a superb remake, filled with many tasks to do that help the farm grow in all areas. Farming games are much beloved for what they offer, the wide variety of crops and handful of animals mean there is rarely a dull moment, unless it's a season like Winter, due to the absence of crops. There is no doubt that this remake delivers an enjoyable farming experience that provides countless hours of game play. It is a joy to relax with and be immersed by a simpler life compared to reality, with various town events throughout the year providing extra entertainment, sometimes with a trophy to be won, and the addictive tasks necessary on a farm.

Burnout Paradise Remastered does not change the formula too much from what players will remember from the original, which is good news all around, despite missing the opportunity to insert a couple of quality of life improvements. Having Burnout Paradise Remastered on the Switch is highly refreshing and totally suited to handheld play, especially given the short mini bursts that this could be played in. Visuals do take a hit when compared to other platforms, but this is something that is quite the norm when opting for a Nintendo Switch port - and on the plus side the frame rate and overall performance is still highly reliable. Buyers are going to be more worried about the premium price tag, which is uncomfortably high at launch, and may unfortunately put off many players from ever taking this home.

Difficulty should always work in unison with the fun factor of game, and not overshadow it, which is exactly what happens in Jump King, where trying to "guess" how much power you need to apply to your jumps is combined with a level design that doesn't tolerate failure, with the end result being constant aggravation. The smoking hot babe at the top isn't worth the trouble.

At a cheaper price this could be recommended for a quick Sunday afternoon stroll, especially for anyone nostalgic of the original title. A nifty touch would have been to include the original game as an unlockable, which would at least help sweeten the fact that this can be completed within an hour or two. Despite its abundant and underwhelming flaws, Panzer Dragoon: Remake is still a piece of gaming history that deserves to be played, and shooting down waves of enemies does still prove to be satisfying.

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.

All three games available in Darius Cozmic Collection Arcade, in all of their included versions, are well worth playing for any fan of shoot 'em ups out there. Those are the best ports anyone could hope for, and there is nothing wrong with them in their own right. The fact that running them on a home arcade cabinet is practically impossible because of the multi-monitor nature of the first two games included, makes this collection very desirable indeed for the sake of preservation alone. The price of admission, however, is pretty steep if one considers that only three games are truly included - no matter how great they are, and that the first neither has aged particularly well, nor is comfortable to play on modern 16:9 displays.

The Outer Worlds's appearance on the Nintendo Switch is welcome due to the fact that it was one of 2019's best titles. However, while still fun to play, it doesn't leverage the Switch's hardware effectively and is subsequently unpleasant to look at. This has a big impact given that the game's charm on other home consoles and PC is due in large part to its visuals. For this reason it's difficult to celebrate it until it receives a substantial performance patch.

Truly exemplifying the maxim of 'too much of a good thing,' there is simply too much here that bogs itself down. The battle and strategic systems have some really cool and interesting ideas, but there is far too much... stuff that takes both of them down a notch. The strategic layer has way too many things to do with too much consequence, and the battle system takes too long, and is replete with a dizzying number of little things that must be taken into account, lest destruction result. It's really too bad as the core of the game is extremely solid, yet there is just too much in the way for it to shine.

Chaotic hack-and-slasher, Corporate Lifestyle Simulator, runs out of steam incredibly soon. There's just not enough here to justify a purchase, and, in all honesty, the game was never that fun to begin with. Repetitive, lacking finesse and depth, and not really as enjoyably silly as it thinks it is, this will give you about an hour of purposely mind-numbing fun, before it makes you fall asleep from boredom.

A competent port of a Nintendo 64 classic, Star Wars Episode I: Racer looks great with the added spit-shine, controls tightly, and performs excellently, with no slowdown in frame-rate. Loading screens have also been removed entirely, which was not really an issue in the original versions, but it is something that should be commended here. At a budget price, many will be pleased that this will help them re-live a piece of nostalgia, and for those on the fence, do not hesitate as this is a great quality port in both docked and handheld modes, yet it will leave others wondering what Aspyr could have done by adding in an online multiplayer and improved AI.

None of this is to say Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a bad game. In fact, it's a decent game for the younger audience, newcomers, and anyone that isn't expecting Shantae to evolve. Strictly from the perspective of someone that has played many games in the series and is eager for something different, though, this disappoints on many fronts. Uninspiring and rarely ever surprising, with little to make the player feel like they've earned anything, what is left is a generic Shantae game that is like any other before it, crying out for change and originality.

By no means a bad game, Project Warlock can definitely be fun, but its many rough edges mar the experience, and fun soon gives way to annoyance. While the ultra-retro style is neat, and the gunplay is great, in the end these alone can't help much with the repetitive and simplistic level design, or how often bullets tend to hit thin air, and how unnecessary a permadeath system feels for such a game. Here's hoping the developer team understands what made titles like Doom so darn enjoyable, and create a much better sequel.

FoxyLand is a must play for casual and more experienced platformer fans, with levels mostly being fairly easy to traverse, with fun puzzles to figure out involving switches and hidden items. High replayability comes from both individual competitiveness in completing a level without dying, and collecting coins to buy accessories, such as a hat or scarf to put on the fox.

While disappointing in terms of content, Samurai Shodown's fighting mechanics alone are enough to make this a solid recommendation. As long as you don't care about not having an actual story mode or tons of unlockables, and if you feel brave enough to enter the unforgiving online portion of SNK's niche fighter, be sure to check this out.

Tour de France 2020 is an improvement over its 2019 counterpart, thanks to the improved loading screen times, and reduced crashes that may take place. However, by and large it is still pretty much the same game otherwise, with minimal changes or quality-of-life features to make the experience more engaging. For those who love the sport of cycling, then this may fill in the time until the real-life racing starts up again - however for those with no interest in the sport, then it may be a tough task for Tour de France 2020 to latch newcomers into the title. The ingredients for a really engaging micro-managed cycling-simulator is here, but it is let down by the AI.

Everyone that is excited over the prospect of the upcoming Paper Mario: The Origami King needs to pick this up. While Sticker Star and Colour Splash took the series in quite unwelcomed directions, this fully embraces the original. The combat system keeps things constantly engaging, the world is inviting, and the trio of main characters utterly charming. This is a world that deserves to be further explored and returned to, and it will hopefully see future instalments. The Origami King has some genuine competition here.

The broad and generic story is the least offensive aspect of Daymare: 1998. The rotten gameplay and ugly presentation that support this roof of mediocrity won't shelter even the most desperate horror fan. There is nothing classic about the gameplay or story; it is every bit as derivative as most of the soulless schlock that modern studios excrete from their focus group testing. There is no attempt at having any guts at trying to make something that is a throw-back, and the best Daymare: 1998 can offer are a few Easter Eggs and obvious nods to the games that inspired it.

All three games present in Borderlands: Legendary Collection are well worth a play by themselves. Packed together, they represent an excellent deal on the Nintendo Switch. They play perfectly in both docked and handheld mode, and they look and run as great as anyone could hope on the hybrid system. These don't feel like compromised versions of the originals in any way, and this should be applauded. This is only held back by the lack of a proper physical release, because those are big games to download, and the heavily loot-based gameplay of the series, as well as the difficulty of the later two games, may not be to everyone's taste.

Twelve years later, and the dreary little world of Persona 4 Golden is as captivating as it's ever been. Having it on Steam is a wonderful boon to its accessibility, given the limited range the Vita and PSTV had, and this port more than does it justice. The elements unique to the expanded rerelease may not add much to the experience, but there's no doubt that this should be on everyone's list of must-play RPGs.

This adrenaline-pumping, tough as nails run-and-gunner, isn't retro-inspired, but pure retro! Besides that, it's also tons of fun. That being said, it has a couple of issues, like some annoying hit-boxes, a lack of balance in terms of difficulty and weaponry, and, finally, the fact that it doesn't add anything new to the genre. It's great, but it could be so much more.

La-Mulana is an exceptional metroidvania, but only to those who are capable of braving its meticulous ruins. Understanding the symbols and meaning behind so much of its cryptic messages is only half of the battle. Being able to meet it physically is another story, since the enemies are as insane as the ones in old-school Castlevania, and the traps are more methodically implemented. The adventure is epic with quite a few miles to it.

VR titles are meant to entice new audiences to experience gaming, for beginners to take delight in the interactivity offered and ensure that a new gamer is made for life. Even ignoring this demographic, seasoned gamers should find pleasure in even the simplest of VR activities. Spuds Unearthed ultimately fails in all respects. There is very little amount of fun to be had here, with overcomplicated tutorials which feel unjustified, and a difficulty spike that is so high and frustrating that there is little to no incentive to continue past the first few attempts. Real time strategy titles could really shine in a VR environment, with simple deployments and issuing of orders, until then, this attempt is best shelved and forgotten.

Some pretty cool ideas and fun battle set-ups are largely handicapped by bad controls, and the campaign needs some overhauling with its length and unlock structure. These small things get in the way of the simple fun of watching crazy battles unfold. Ultimately, there are only so many things to try before it starts to become boring. Largely the battles are its strength, and far too often the game trips up on itself, when it would be better served getting out of the way.

In spite of an ending that leaves much to be desired, Ys: Memories of Celceta is a great action-RPG that re-contextualizes a decades-old franchise for a modern audience. Adol's adventure mapping out the Great Forest of Celceta is an excellent introduction for newcomers, and a competent re-release for series veterans. Complete with dual audio and 60fps gameplay, the PS4 release is the definitive version. On a design level, the opening hours aren't as strong as they should be, but after the halfway point this finds its groove. An emphasis on exploration, layered dungeon design, excellent boss fights, and a generous amount of customisation, keep combat gripping throughout. The title might not be the series best, but Ys: Memories of Celceta is a love letter to one of the RPG genre's premiere franchises.

Considering how mindless and tailor-fit for mobile audiences the substanceless gameplay loop of Shop Titans is, one has to wonder why Kabam saw fit to pursue a PC release. Of course, the "why" is made painfully clear the moment players hit their first wall. Progression is very blatantly designed around micro-transactions. Anyone who doesn't want to spend a dime will need to contend with a very long grind. Even then, the game actively withholds items and content from players who don't want to spend real money. Worse yet is the monthly subscription service, which Kabam fully expects anyone who wants to play Shop Titans in earnest to purchase. Already aggressively mediocre experience by design, jumping from mobile to PC has done Kabam's shopkeeping "simulator" no favours. Shop Titans is worse than video game junk food; it's slop.