Overall, GRIP Combat Racing is a fantastic spiritual successor to Rollcage racing that doesn't just pay tribute to the series, but also carves out its own nuances.

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.

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!

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.

The sheer density of content in the main quest means it will take a staggering amount of time to complete. Compounded with some entertaining and charmingly written side-quests, this journey breaks the 100 hour mark easily. There can be a few too many instances of catering to the lowest common denominator that even the hard mode modifiers can't fix, but if it means more people can enjoy this amazing game, then so be it. The only thing holding back what could be almost a masterpiece for the genre is its terrible soundtrack.

Bundling two of Konami's most beloved games should have been the easiest sale in the world. Instead, what is here is something that doesn't quite hit the mark. The ports are competent, but they could have been so much more. Instead, it seems like effort was spent on including meaningless features that don't really benefit anyone. Introducing force feedback to old games just seems like a bad idea in general. Still, Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood are classics. They deserve to be played, even if it is through Castlevania Requiem.

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.

Aside from the absence of proper pointer controls in docked mode, The Inner World: The Last Wind Monk takes everything that was good about the first game, improves on all the things that were not quite as good, and still delivers the same magical universe but expanded upon, then served in a more swift and reactive way than previously. What this means is that while the previous title was a point-and-click title with a charming universe well worth checking out, this one elevates itself above that by fixing what needed to be fixed and manages to offer quite an exquisite experience overall that keeps the player hooked thanks to the sum of all of its qualities.

Few single-player experiences excel simultaneously at telling a deep and poignant story, whilst also providing the player with such a huge extent of freedom and possibility. The universe is exceedingly broad, varied, and beautiful, not to mention overflowing with interesting characters, wildlife, and things to do. The sense of polish and finer details really bring things together, along with the excellent musical score, fantastic voice acting and the title's intense and visceral cinematic qualities. Fans of the original Red Dead Redemption will be enamoured by the sequel. It doesn't just accentuate the West, but animates it on a new level, with a greater sense of life, community, and narrative. It's epic.

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.

Tedious, meandering, and needlessly obtuse, Soulblight is far better conceptually than it is in execution. The prospect of uncovering the mysteries of a dying world is gripping enough, but the story is told in such a convoluted manner that forming any sort of narrative attachment is virtually impossible. Not helping matters are the title's poor technical performance on Nintendo Switch and the sheer insufferable nature of its combat. Coupled with a top-down aesthetic that frankly does the gameplay no favours, Soulblight offers little of value despite a relatively interesting premise.

Neither really a game, nor an experience, GNOG is like a child's quest for discovery, and incorporates the wonder and charm you would expect from such an offering all through simplistic, almost minimalistic, design. It's so very fleeting, taking a mere hour to complete, but it's something that will stick with you for its terrific presentation and concept.

Pillar of Eternity II: Deadfire - Seeker, Slayer, Survivor is a DLC that feels as if it doesn't understand the strengths of the main game. Focusing mainly in okay-ish battles, and throwing role-playing out of the window, it's a hard title to recommend.

Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption is an experiment that was inevitable. Somebody was going to eventually make a boss-rush anti-soulslike, and Darkstar Games did a great job realising the potential by perverting traditional RPG character building and betraying achievement conventions. It may wear the skin of a "soulslike," but in actuality there really is nothing quite like it. With an unbelievably high difficulty, and with a small pool of unique bosses, Sinner has cult gem written all over it, and only those who desire something totally different should even dare take this challenge.

It is so difficult to recommend Warriors Orochi 4 right now when the series has made a name for itself through re-released games with added story content, characters and modes. Why would this title be any different? The main story is an enjoyable enough ride for hack and slash fans, but that's really all there is to it (unless you have an online subscription and want to battle with friends). Just wait for the inevitable ultimate edition in a year's time.

The biggest thing holding Warden: Melody of the Undergrowth back is its reliance on old school sensibilities that might push away new players or frustrate people who didn't enjoy the likes of Zelda and Banjo-Kazooie, among many other titles. It does offer a lot of its own charms, though, and they are among some of the best reasons why this developer's first game should be in many peoples' Steam libraries. This is a thoroughly recommendable indie purchase for any and all Golden Era gamers.

The first few hours into this amateurish, loot-gathering dungeon crawler make it pretty clear that, while this is far from great game, it sure can be fun. After those, though, it soon becomes even more clear that Battlepaths simply doesn't have what it takes to last for more than an evening or two.

A massive improvement over the previous title, this ARPG doubles down on the strengths of its predecessor, namely story and setting. However, like the former, the action in Anima: Gate of Memories - The Nameless Chronicles is in many ways lacking due to its repetitive nature, bad platforming, and occasionally atrocious camera angles. Despite these harsh words, it is an overall solid dark RPG that should be played mostly for the story.

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.

Woodle Tree Adventures Deluxe is not one of those extremely broken, still-in-alpha kind of indie games, but it's definitely a surprisingly low effort one. Those looking for a very cheap 3D platformer should probably look elsewhere... and not wait on its sequel.

Onrush does well to fill that racing void as a non-serious arcade, destruction-derby type of vehicular mayhem experience. However, as enjoyable and heart-pounding as the matches can be, the novelty eventually begins to wear thin and, once that happens, there is little else that can reignite the flame in this racer. The foundations, though, have been laid for a bright and positive future, and who knows, a sequel with additional gameplay mechanics can allow for the series to grow into something bigger. Onrush, as it stands, is a great vehicular-destruction game that focuses less on winning races, and more on wrecking opponents, and that's really all that matters.

Other than the amusing boss battles, Nefarious is barely competent. Controlling bosses from various genres is a novel spin on the concept of the boss battle and if this was just a series of battles, like Cuphead, there could have been something worth playing here. Everything else, which is about 90% of the game, is just soul-crushing. It is the kind of title that feels like work, and continuing is just exhausting because of how poor the playbility is.

Sure, the lack of a campaign is a minor disappointment that will dissuade some from making that purchase but the addition of the addictive Blackout mode more than makes up for it in many ways and anybody with more than a passing interest in the Battle Royale genre would be foolish to pass up on the best 'last man standing' experience the current generation has to offer. Get to it, specialist!

After the rather lacklustre LEGO The Incredibles recently, Tt is back on top form with LEGO DC Super-Villains. This is a real joy for fans of DC Comics, absolutely stuffed with Easter Eggs and inside jokes that cater to every type of DC fan. From the DC films, the Arrowverse TV shows, to the classics, the cartoon series, and, of course, most of all, the comics. Along with containing some really great designed stages and areas, it also has the best story and cast in any LEGO title to date. It's this high quality across the board that will make this more than just another LEGO game.

Dark Souls remains a magnificently designed title with a strong visual and narrative sense of self. There was no reason to fix what wasn't broken, and Dark Souls Remastered on Switch understands that perfectly.

Although Yakuza fans are certain to notice its imperfections, Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise still exceeds expectations. The fighting system is so good that even the battles with the lowliest of lowlifes are entertaining. Every boss fight ranges from great to fantastic. They are exactly what long-time fans of the anime and manga franchise deserve. Then again, some gamers might just be happy to get a Fist of North Star game that's actually satisfying. It's been far too long since the last remotely decent one.

While there's one more chapter left to play, Episode 4: Burning Bridges puts the final nail in The Council's coffin by bringing along the same mistakes, plus some new ones, and with the quality of the storytelling taking a big, sad plunge.

Witch Thief understands the importance of working with 3D space in a difficult genre. Beyond that, however, it's hard to look at as anything more than an interesting curiosity. The randomness of something as essential as an extra life makes every attempt feel like it is being influenced by outside forces. It's also hard to get excited about fighting the same dolls over and over again. Then there are the bosses, which are either destroyed in seconds, or chased around the room for several minutes. There's no solidly enjoyable middle ground.