Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is an enjoyable look at two and a half great games, but not in their best forms. It has much of the DLC and extra bits thrown in, but nothing new that makes this collection worthwhile, except to new fans.

The greatest enemy in God Eater 3 may not be the Aragami, but a stagnated system and potential fatigue instead.

A gorgeous comic book aesthetic and unique premise helps to alleviate Deep Sky Derelicts’ rudimentary and uneven card-based RPG tactics.

Woolley Mountain is a touching homage to 80s and 90s gaming, but modern audiences may struggle to get along with it.

Undeniably entertaining and often thrilling, The Hong Kong Massacre's chances of matching its inspirations are seriously undermined by a lack of care, variety, and an utterly lifeless story.

Marvel's Avengers is held up by a surprisingly excellent single-player campaign and let down by its stagnant gameplay loop and widespread technical issues. We definitely can't do this all day.

King of Seas looks great and has some fun ship-to-ship combat but is let down by its underwhelming exploration and basic story.

Shock connoisseurs may enjoy Martha Is Dead’s body horror and gore, but there is a lot of muck to wade through in the game's short playtime.

id Software's magic touch with the old ultra-violence isn't quite enough to completely save Rage 2 from the rest of its sloppy and seemingly rushed trimmings, but if you want to play as a superhero who isn't fussy about killing, you're well set here.

Aragami 2’s persistent bugs, technical issues, and a lackluster presentation bog down what can otherwise be a fun and intricate stealth action game.

While charming in its use of gothic horror themes and tropes, Rogue Lords barely does enough to stand out from previous turn-based dungeon crawlers.

Genesis Alpha One could become a good game, but at the moment, it’s limited, slow and very boring indeed.

Regiments may give you the opportunity to try yourself out as a combined arms commander, but it doesn’t go the extra mile to flesh out the experience to the fullest.

Terrible balancing, repetitive gameplay, and a scarcity of content make Vicious Circle feel like a game that wasn't ready to be hatched.

The marvel of evolution gives way to a gameplay loop that quickly irritates without enough variety to spice it up, which, when combined with poor combat, fiddly controls, and repetitive crafting, all add up to an experience that might drive you bananas.

There’s a sad irony in the fact that The New Order was so refreshing as it didn’t rely on tired modern FPS conventions like cover shooting and regenerating health, yet here’s Youngblood trying to get a slice of the homogenised live service pie with systems and mechanics that feel completely alien for the franchise.

Blair Witch on the Switch remains an unnerving and creepy experience that has plenty of interesting gameplay concepts, but it‘s also severely lacking compared to other versions.

Line War introduces awesome and innovative ideas for real-time strategy gaming, though it’s bogged down by technical issues and not quite enough ambition.

An interesting game that makes mashing together different songs almost effortless, Fuser lacks a gameplay hook to keep you coming back.

Terminator: Resistance doesn't do much new, and it doesn't do much well, either. It's lagging in almost every department, yet when you put it all together, it's a charming relic that may just surprise you.

Even with all that said, though, Pepper Grinder’s core gameplay is still ridiculous fun, and raising the flag at the end of each platforming level still feels triumphant, if only for short-term pleasure. Pepper Grinder is a short game, only four to six hours, so the lack of other compelling aspects feels disappointingly underwhelming. Still, the thrill of the precision-heavy chase is an oh-so-tempting one, even if you won’t remember the chase very well afterward.

In trying to subvert expectations, The Last of Us Part II discards the best aspects of its predecessor to provide a rote revenge tale that is ill-considered, ending on a note that makes everything — all the violence, all the loss, all the struggle — feel utterly, hopelessly pointless.

Monster Harvest is a simple but engaging farming sim with an interesting twist that makes a good first impression, but ultimately suffers from bugs and the weight of its own ambition.

Monster Truck Championship offers decent and enjoyable gameplay, but some overarching flaws muddy the overall experience.

While the game has interesting concepts and ideas, some odd design choices and an atrocious tutorial hamper Old World’s ambition.

Nuts had the potential to be something really special, but can’t quite see the forest for the trees.

I can’t help but wish Byking and Bandai Namco added something more, something fresh to really help One’s Justice 2 stand out and truly be ‘Plus Ultra’.

Fans of the series might get a kick out of it, but there’s not enough decent meat on the game’s bones to warrant any long-term attention.

Taxi Chaos is a pretty faithful and enjoyable recreation of a fondly remembered gaming franchise, but its new ideas introduce lots of new problems.

Super Crush KO’s issues are prevalent enough to dampen the overall package.

The Stillness of the Wind is not the easiest game to recommend, really being more of a curiosity piece than anything else, but if you are prepared to look beyond its limitations, there is a melancholic story here to be discovered.

Radio Commander is brought down heavily by an identity crisis in its core game design and inherent tedium and repetition.

If you enjoyed the first two games, there is some fun to be had in House of Ashes, but glitches, a predictable story structure and some boring jump scares holds it back from being a truly worthy sequel.

The endless runner genre has seen a lot of potential contenders try and be the best, and while Tanuki Sunset isn’t quite the best of the best, it’s enjoyable enough to leave a positive impression.

While Lumote’s puzzles can be head-scratchingly good, the two-tone color palette, repeated environments, and, at times, frustrating user interface hampers any satisfaction.

Battlesector may attempt to give Space Marines a human face, but the game ends up being an incomplete suit of power armor.

Daemon X Machina tends to merely check the boxes for what is required of a mech combat game.

The Textorcist offers a unique twist on bullet hell gameplay that’s bogged down by annoying design and bad dialogue. Impressive but disappointingly few boss fights provide some hours of entertainment, but the game has little else to offer.

Hyperbrawl Tournament’s core gameplay is a lot of fun, even if the bots are a bit annoying. It’s just a shame there’s not enough people playing.

Exoprimal has good ideas, and feels like a genuinely novel and fun concept, but the asking price is simply way too steep, leaving the player to feel like extinction might be inevitable.

After three years of development, Hiveswap: Act 2 is just fine. Hopefully the next instalment is stronger and will come earlier than 2023, but we’ll have to wait and see.

The Switch version offers little to make this port worth shelling out for.

For what it is, Dead or Alive 6 offers an enjoyable experience for new players and veterans alike, but the full package currently fails to deliver in a lot of key areas.

Though the foundation is laid for a great game with excellent presentation, style, and robust gameplay systems, the horrid user interface and vast number of bugs and glitches keep Empire of Sin from being a great game.

While Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix is a much improved and enjoyable sequel, the lack of voice acting stops the game from feeling like an authentic Nickelodeon experience.

While the sound design is gripping, the platforming is solid, and the puzzle solving is unique, Unto The End unfortunately suffers from a bloated combat system and harsh checkpoints.

Table Manners is designed to give you indigestion with its OTT gameplay bound to provide a few frustrated laughs, though its lack of polish and longevity mean it's a bit of an empty snack.

While the voice acting, storytelling and platforming in Skully is top class, the visual issues might cause you to lose your head.

The Saints Row reboot wants to tell a new, modern story, but the gameplay framework surrounding it is starting to show a bit of rust.

The issue is that it is trying to nail something that started to feel stale almost 20 years ago when a little game called Half-Life came out and changed everything.

A lack of focus, vague combat, and some truly befuddling performance issues hamper the still competent, and often enjoyable, detective sim that the best parts of Cyberpunk 2077 want to be.

Stronghold: Warlords’ innovative potential in its fun gameplay loop and interesting concepts is stifled by an archaic engine and design philosophy.

Redeemer is a deeply flawed game that manages to provide moments of fun but too often feels frustrating and under-developed.

Though technically not a bad game by any stretch thanks to great art direction, solid gameplay, and several potentially fantastic ideas for the future, A Total War Saga: TROY is still an uneven and disappointingly stagnant entry in the Total War franchise.

While it has some novel ideas, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora's extremely repetitive quest design, underwhelming progression, and wholly monotonous gear system make it one of the most forgettable open world games of 2023.

Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed brings the original title into the modern age, and while the gameplay is massively improved, some bad ideas, dated jokes, and an abundance of glitches mar the overall experience.

While its narrative aspirations and desire for immersive role-playing seem to aim at the Hollywood tradition of the Western, Weird West ends up feeling more like a disposable dime novel.

Fimbul offers a compelling narrative and a beautiful world, but it is hindered by poor controls and a loosely weighted multiple choice system.

Though this Souls-like wears its heart on its sleeve in its love for the genre, Lies of P misses the mark on what makes these kinds of games tick. All the same, hardcore denizens seeking a challenge may find something to appreciate here.

Fun combat and great co-op do their best to mitigate the shortcomings Chaosbane has with its serious lack of variety.

While the game’s problems are fairly obvious, Liberated is an ambitious effort from Atomic Wolf and one that has plenty of merit.

Though innovative in concept and boasting a great setting and aesthetic, a lack of content and glaring balance issues keep Hero Among Us from taking to the sky.

Indivisible initially impresses with a tight package that visually stuns but after hours of repetition and ease, I’d rather take some time apart.

Though there are moments here that’ll bring a smile to your face, Crackdown 3 is crammed with ideas and game design choices that were done better over a decade ago. Just play the original game and wash your hands of this version.

Jump Force, ultimately, is a title that doesn't do much to sway non-anime fans and will leave its faithful needing more, with its slow story pacing, uninspired combat and plenty of technical issues meaning its true potential may never be realised.

There’s charm and appeal to be found in WrestleQuest, but this old school RPG doesn’t have enough to stay in the main event.

Someday You'll Return threatens to become a horror favourite before getting completely lost in the woods.

While the multiplayer is where Red Solstice 2: Survivors shines, fundamental design clashes, lack of single-player focus, and poor information presentation make the game a highly inconsistent experience.

Though filled with interesting ideas and mechanics, Outward is let down by poor combat, dated visuals, and performance issues.

Gungrave G.O.R.E is resurrecting a franchise, but it’s mindless bullet-slinging fun that has its problems and may not hold everyone’s attention.

Grand Tactician: Civil War 1861-65 is a solid historical wargame in its own right, but players will need to slog through a lot of mud and frustration to get to the meaty heart of the game.

Despite featuring an interesting gimmick, Spellbreak is hindered by a weak setting and repetitive combat that feels too standard for such a crowded genre.

PES 2021: Season Update is a great football game if you’re new to the series, but veterans should just update their existing copies of PES 2020 with this season’s squads and kits.

Doraemon Story of Seasons is a competent farming sim with an enticing look that’s unfortunately hampered by snail-paced narrative elements and the wrong kind of tedium overwhelming its gameplay.

JETT: The Far Shore has admirable ambition in its narrative that its mechanics can’t match. This planet might be a nice place for a visit, but you likely won’t want to live there.

Forever Forest has a mysterious atmosphere and wonderful design, but the gameplay is not compelling enough to snare you in for long.

John Wick Hex's early pretence of fulfilling strategy gives way to a maddening trial and error experience that simply doesn't do the license justice.

Bus Simulator is a perfectly adequate way to live out your dreams of being a bus driver, but it all feels a tad samey.

I understand that The Long Journey Home is designed to be a challenge, which is fine. I just wish that most of the experience didn’t feel like it was always piling on more and more despair.

Awkwardly straddling the line between unnerving war drama and vapid teen adventure, Long Gone Days is embroiled in an uncomfortable identity crisis.

Thanks for keeping an IP I love alive, but please try a little harder next time.

Kosmokrats’ Soviets-in-space setting and the story hit some good notes, but it’s all let down by the gameplay. I really wish I could recommend Kosmokrats, but this is one to avoid as it stands, comrades.

Those who enjoy this type of mystery game may like it, but I can’t see many going back, or bringing in new blood with this one, especially when Bloodlines is still around.

Instead of ushering in a revolution for the strategy genre, Carrier Command 2 ends up feeling more like a prototype that needed extra time in development.

Chinatown Detective Agency poses an interesting premise for a point and click adventure but ultimately falls flat on the execution of its core ideas.

Soulstice is a game with some great aesthetic choices, but is completely marred by poor gameplay design that takes control away from the player during the times they'll need it the most.

Resort Boss: Golf tees off well, but by the time it gets to the green it’s a little under-par.

Competent but uninspired match-three gameplay and a surface level story leave The World Next Door with little to offer unless you’re looking for a simple, relaxing experience.

Hunting Simulator 2 focuses on realism over gameplay, creating a frustratingly slow experience that you’ll want to forget.

The Cosmic Shake can be a fun collectathon with some charming moments, but the lack of original ideas and finesse make it feel more like an expansion than a brand new game.

Biomutant has a lot of issues that more lenient players might be willing to look past for its fantastic strengths, but the overall package is a tough sell.

The ideas are sound and the visuals look good, but Generation Zero doesn’t have too much to offer. Looking past the glitches may offer some fun co-op play, though.

On the track, there’s a decent little racer in Hot Wheels Unleashed. Everything else feels like a bit of a letdown.

Summer Catchers is a game that I want to love, but it actively works against itself to keep me from fully enjoying the world around the action. With such wonderful art and style, this was a game built upon lofty dreams that just couldn’t quite reach expectations. RNG as a mechanic can be fun, but when it’s the core loop of your gameplay, every moment is just a gamble.

Summer in Mara is a beautiful game for the eyes and the ears, but spends too much time on fetch quests and not enough on story.

While there’s an audience out there for Wanted: Dead’s schtick, the myriad of issues with the whole game make it a tough sell.

Iron Harvest is definitely not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. It’s just an average real-time tactics game with neat visuals and very little originality in its design.

Adults picking this up expecting something akin to Goat Simulator or Untitled Goose Game are going to be bitterly disappointed.