Ultimately, this makeshift Han Solo simulator isn’t as fun as it initially felt like. Graphics are superb, the music is just to die for and Juno is the kind of rough and raw heroine the gaming world really needs more – overall, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is a game I would like to love more. In the long run, though, the effort needed to pull off the revenge feels more tedious than it should.

Like many of the sports games I’ve reviewed this year, FIFA 21 is a very small step forward for the franchise. The on-pitch action has never been better and although I think career mode could use a lot more love and attention, the moment-to-moment gameplay is still as compelling as ever. It’s just a very difficult game to recommend if you have FIFA 20 and that’s really what it comes down to. If you have last year’s game, you really don’t need to go to FIFA 21 but if you missed it for whatever reason, then this is a great game to jump back into.

Insomnia: The Ark has an exceptionally cool premise and a very complex story to tell but the game that Mono Studio built to house its vision doesn’t always do a great job. It simply moves too slowly and lacks a central narrative drive. It’s burdened by combat that is both hardcore and limited, and by lots of smaller issues that add up to a bigger overall impression of messiness and missed opportunities.

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries offers a lot of content, but not all of it is interesting, accessible or fun and much feels like its in need of some streamlining in the cause of playability. There are moments of intense and impressive action to be found, but they are bundled with obtuse mechanics and bland storytelling. Playing Mercenaries can feel both like a chore and slow-mo thrill ride.

Although it wants to be like Wii Sports and be enjoyable by yourself or with others, it just doesn't get that far. However at the same token, EA Playground when played with others is a really strong experience and it's use of the motion technology comes together very nicely and makes for an enjoyable game to play through.

Think what you will about SOCOM's change from a straight shooter to a tactical shooter on the PSP, but Tactical Strike manages the transition quite nicely.

While the hack and slash gameplay of each individual character is somewhat simple, the variance between each of the six is substantial, keeping things fairly fresh throughout the many runs. Additionally, skill trees and constant stat improvements grant a sense of empowerment and progression. It may not upheave the mechanical norms of roguelikes, but Children of Morta does a good job of weaving storytelling into the well-worn tropes of the genre to create something that feels unique.

Crying Sun is stylish, fast-paced and simple to play but its content runs thin and it can also be often unfair because of its high reliance on random factor. It may be true that half of everything is luck but in the long run, it doesn’t always turn into meaningful gameplay. The game would also need broader grasp on content and allow more creativity. Still, it’s a perfect pick-up-and-play title for its speedy gameplay that keeps each session nicely bite-sized.

Colour Bind is a difficult game. If you like solid puzzles and gameplay, or simply like chasing a challenge, it's an easy game to recommend, especially with extras like co-op and a level editor built in. For those without the drive to continually push forward, this is probably not the game for you.

If you’re playing singleplayer - which, until the update, you most often will be - then that’s how to best enjoy Hammerwatch; short bursts. It’s nice to sit down every now and then and just relax with something charming and humble. Yes, it will take weeks to complete its two six-hour campaigns this way, but every time you come back, you’re a little stronger, maybe a little faster, and definitely richer. In singleplayer, it’s a good game. In multiplayer, it’s something more. Keeping in mind that the PC version already has online multiplayer, I am confident that Crackshell are being honest about the forthcoming update. So if you're on the fence, at least keep an eye on this one.

Because the romantic destinies of Half Past Fate’s characters are preordained, and the game is essentially an exercise in making them happen, there is little motivation to experience the story again, other than perhaps chasing the game’s achievements. Half Past Fate has a lot of style, interesting characters and a gentle tone that stands out from other retro-style RPGs. Romantic comedy is an underrepresented genre in games and Half Past Fate reminds us that it’s a niche worth exploring.

Expectations are high for this sequel to the highly acclaimed ultra-realistic simulation shooter. Sadly it doesn't quite deliver, focussing instead on tiny changes to the overall formula.

Fans of the movie will enjoy the very detailed storyline invested into the game, and others will find the game to be quite challenging. It would make for a great rental for anyone looking for a nice difficult third person action game.

Despite the general low budget feel and repetitive gameplay, I enjoyed my time with Fate/Extella Link. The game provides a solid, streamlined experience worth playing for fans of the series, but beyond that, it’s hard to recommend. Though the game provides a slew of playable characters, there was little substantial variation between them. The shallow gameplay and subpar story leave much to be desired, but in the end, the game is still an enjoyable and satisfying hack and slash experience.

I did enjoy Squids and people should definitely check it out, but I don't think I can recommend that players purchase Squids on the PC. The pacing and length seem far more suited to its $2 app price tag rather than the $7 PC version. Still if you are like me and don't have an iOS or Android device, it's worth considering dropping some cash on this charming action RPG.

Deliver Us the Moon is a good-looking game with a solid story premise that doesn’t quite stick the final landing. It never strays far from many of the tried-and-true puzzle-adventure game mechanics (uncharitable people might call them cliches) that remind us we’re in a world with artificially created barriers for us to remove in order to progress. I appreciate that Deliver Us the Moon pulls from some of the dire headlines and concerns that are part of our lives today and suggests how they will resolve — or not.

With little more than a bare-bones premise, no engaging characters and stripped-down, stylized environments, Taur feels a little bloodless and abstract and the central gameplay loop can grow repetitive. In the short term — that is, some of the more manageable, bite-size battles — Taur is fun and full of the familiar, addictive elements that define the genre. Taur is also beset by some balance and pacing issues that suck the momentum out of the campaign. The game’s visual design and implementation of the player-controlled Prime Cannon add enough novelty to the tower defense formula to make Taur worth checking out for fans of the genre.

A good effort, an entertaining ride, a clone that’s different, but in none of the ways that it needs to be different. As an option for a system that doesn’t get the blissful torture of Trials HD or it’s sequel, it’s worth the money if you have that itch, but when put up against the best, it shows itself to be nothing more then a quality knock-off.

There is no doubt that Crysis was a landmark game in the history of first person shooters and some gamers had to take a pass at the time due to its high system specs. Much of what made Crysis fun and innovative still holds up, but it is disappointing that the Remaster does little more than selectively improve the visuals and make relatively minor changes to the controls. Crysis was amazing in 2006 and all shooter fans should play it at least once, but Crysis Remastered is hardly an essential purchase for shooter fans in 2020.

Overall, WRC 8 screams mediocrity in every turn, something akin to a budget title, but still it’s sold for a full price. It’s not a bad game by any means but not that great either. At its best, WRC 8 can be nice enough to hop into now and then but nice isn’t enough when there’s a superior rally racing game available. As of writing, there are four rally events left in the world championship so there’s still room to get excited whether Ott Tänak can keep up his top form or will Sébastien Ogier make a late-season comeback and continue his winning streak. In video games, the competition is already over, though, as WRC 8 has to settle for a distant second place behind DiRT Rally 2.0.

Unmechanical is a puzzle games that offers a pretty, but all too familiar experience of solving difficult puzzles in order to advance through a subterranean underworld. Easy and minimalistic controls make the game easy enough to pick up for gamers of any skill level, but some of the more complex puzzles may put them off or force them to seek out solutions. If it's a challenge you seek, Unmechanical will give it to you.

Pix the Cat is a fun action title that features some quick gameplay, catchy music, and a vivid art style.

Despite some of the shortcomings I found in the narrative and its inability to simply impress when it came to the conclusion of most cases, Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth - Hacker’s Memory manages to hold its weight. It's saying something when compared to other RPGs in the fighting monster team genre. The true stars of the show are the digimon, as they indeed should be, and there’s enough zaniness in the rest of the game to keep you entertained throughout its long running time. There’s room for improvement, though, and should the developers choose to keep this side of Digimon series going, we could see something truly amazing in the future. As it stands now, Hacker’s Memory is not a bad way to hang out with some of my new favorite digital friends.

Soul Calibur V ultimately feels rushed. The modes are shadow of their normally robust nature, the character list has been reduced severely, and the net code is not as good as it should be. It seems like Namco was desperate to get in on the fighting game revival and rushed this out. I expect better from this series and with so many fantastic and cheaper fighting games out, such as King of Fighters XIII, Mortal Kombat 9, and even Soul Calibur IV, I cannot recommend the game to anyone but the most hardcore of Soul Calibur fans.

The nostalgia is strong in Generation Zero, both in and outside, and Avalanche Studios has more or less successfully bet on it. It worked for me even though I know it won’t necessarily work for everyone. Still, if you’re looking for something that does considerably less than most of those shiny games out there but at the same time has more integrity while doing so, Generation Zero might just be up your alley, although it’s a true niche title if there ever was one. To sum the game up, it’s like an 80’s Volvo; boxy but good.

Kim Swift will make amazing games for family audiences at Airtight Games. But as a watered down version of Portal with a forgettable world and gameplay that makes you pound your desk in fury, Quantum Conundrum is a step backward.

OlliOlli ultimately provided me a solid five hours of fun and frustration in equal measure, but I couldn’t help noting the areas in which the game still had ample room to grow.

Senran Kagura Estival Versus appeals to a very particular taste. Those who love fanservice and ecchi-rich anime will have a fantastic time as the girls fight and dilly dally on the beach. I do appreciate that the game made some changes to its design and presentation, making it a more animated and spirited game than Shinobi Versus. With a new dynamic camera, sexier transformations, and “interesting” finishers, and more robust playtime systems for the girls, the game knows its audience. Though the plot is lacking and the battles are often repetitive, such concerns are not going to stop fans from having some fun in the sun.