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.