I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Last Guardian and in retrospect I believe a friend put it best – 'it’s a flawed masterpiece’ he said and I truly believe that. The essence and meaning of the game is in tact but it’s presented in a cracked vessel.

Yesterday Origins is straight up a point-and-click game as they come, bringing all the things from the old days of the genre and does nothing drastic to change from the norm. It might be a short trek for an adventure game, lasting around 6 hours, but what is here is a fascinating tale that manages to do flashbacks in a way to compliment the story its telling. It certainly won’t be looked upon as a classic – it has some issues with its gameplay – but its style, narrative and characters make it a good, enjoyable time for fans of the genre who can look past some of the annoyances that they are most likely used to.

VR space exploring is an inspired concept, but a good game idea matters little if the gameplay doesn’t measure up, and Space Rift fails doubly as a VR experience due to its lackluster aesthetics and unrefined VR controls. Chalk this up to yet another quickly conceptualized concept that lacks the necessary polish to make it work, and only makes players yearn harder for the time when a competent developer fulfills one out of many VR dream games that companies try too quickly to capitalize on during a hardware’s launch window.

Dimps has created a sequel to Xenoverse that doesn’t quite feel like a massive advancement in the series, but there is no doubt that this is a larger and more improved experience. Dimps has decided to keep things similar and use the first game as the foundation to build this sequel on. What this means is that there is so much to do, even when one has finished up the 15 hour single player story quests.

Very little has changed in Killing Floor 2, except where it matters the most: the game just oozes fun and refinement from top to bottom, with every weapon having its own unique pros and cons, a decent enemy variety that requires quick thinking and strategic cooperation (or retreat, for those pushing their luck trying to take out a bigger enemy all on their own), and an overall feeling of visceral excitement over the mountains of corpses beneath your feet and the appropriately head-banging heavy metal soundtrack screaming into your ears. The co-op combat is the main draw, and it is almost always consistent and chaotic fun.

Ultimately, when I finished the game, I didn’t want it to end. The compelling atmosphere, the wonderful level design, the detailed steampunk world and the absorbing storyline, not to mention the precisely crafted gameplay, all coincide to craft one worthy successor. I guess you could say far from dishonouring its predecessor, this game honoured it and even, dare I say, outdid it.

I would still recommend Yomawari: Night Alone to any horror fans simply on the basis of it being unique, but if that’s not what you’re looking for and nothing short of a terror-inducing masterpiece will do, I’m afraid it’s back to Silent Hill 2. Until we do get that next genre-defining horror gem, Yomawari is a nice distraction that will hopefully be worked on to bring us something even more sinister and satisfying in the future.

This is a worthwhile follow up, and Steins;Gate fans will have to snap up and experience this right now. It upholds what its predecessor did and retains the fantastic writing, beautiful art and its many layered storytelling that will have anyone who jumps into this talking about it well after the 40 hours needed to finish it, making it an essential purchase for visual novel enthusiasts.

Shu is perfectly executed and I would recommend everyone go pick this up now even if you’re not into platforms it’s fun and really does feel refreshing to play. I must say the developer has done a fantastic job here everything just seems to fit perfectly in the game from the music to the artwork and gameplay. Kudos.

In the end, Robinson: The Journey is the closest thing to a full-fledged title for the PSVR, which would explain its full price tag. Unfortunately, its average length is only slightly longer than the average VR title, clocking in around five hours. Regardless of the price, there’s no denying the level of polish and immersion that Robinson succeeds at, opening the doors even wider for the kind of innovative experiences Sony’s virtual headset can offer. If the games can steadily improve from here, then it’s a sure bet that the PSVR won’t go extinct before its prime.

It’s certainly on my list of games to show to first-timers and I can only hope there will be a steady stream of DLC challenges to come. Releasing at a very honest price, I’d say Lethal VR is a must have and will be recommending it strongly.

The beautiful presentation cannot hide some of the game’s irksome issues with its occasional wooden delivery and trip-ups within its script. Root Letter isn’t a visual novel that matches up with some of the quality imports that have come from Japan, but if you have exhausted all of those options, then Root Letter makes for an enjoyable alternative to spend a weekend with its intriguing story of friendship and love.

Oxenfree is a curious and fairly short game. The wonderful voice acting and characters, the interesting themes and the beautiful backdrops are sometimes let down by poor design choices. Ultimately, for fans of story, of which I am one, it is worth playing. But if you have to get your kicks from involved gameplay, perhaps this is not the one for you.

It’s a shame that the console version of Darkest Dungeon couldn’t have been a bit smarter with its controller layout, because the rest of the game shines in brilliant darkness as it did on PC; the 2D artwork is a great mix of hard lines and grotesque imagery, quite similar to Hellboy and other comics by Mike Mignola. The persistent narration is delightfully campy with its dreary delivery and macabre musings, and the fear of death (or insanity) makes every duel feel like a tense brush with death. And players will die, again and again and again. But like a certain other difficult series centered around darkness and sun bros, Darkest Dungeon’s maddening tendrils will manipulate even the most frustrated folks to try again…but consider sticking to the PC version to avoid the added frustration of fumbling around with the controls.

Hide and Shriek is a fun game, but can get repetitive after a while. The game needs more levels to hold the players attention longer, but playing against random people can actually make it a little more interesting, as each one tends to play a little different.

In the end, Mantis Burn Racing manages to bring effortless controls and a superb handling model, while being an enjoyable skill-focused racer that gets by just fine with its lack of funky weaponry that often features in these top-down racers. Mantis Burn Racing inhabits an area of gaming that is rather mundane in its selection, and while it’s not the greatest racing game to come out this year, and its online suffers from a lack of players, it’s a solidly made top-down racer with a lengthy career mode and fun multiplayer that I can recommend it for for people who enjoy this now currently niche part of the genre.

In the end, horror aficionados will probably prove the harshest audience for Weeping Doll: the potential for VR horror has already been seen in various demos and titles, creating a deep hunger for more fleshed-out and frightful experiences. Weeping Doll’s attempts to startle or unnerve players fail harder than a PG-rated horror movie on ABC Family.

A cluttered mess that tries to pretend it is high-quality immersion. It’s a shame that developer Untold Games spent so much time reaching for the stars with its VR debut that they didn’t stop to nail the necessary fundamentals to a functional VR experience: when the very act of moving from point A to point B is a nauseating challenge, that would be the time to drop back down to Earth and back into the drawing board.

World of Final Fantasy is an incredibly charming and love-filled traditional RPG that will give fans of the series a fuzzy feeling inside until the next big entry in the franchise arrives.

On the plus side, Pixel Gear at least scores points for getting the job done. The shooting works well, and properly timing the use of explosives and headshots can also be satisfying in its simplicity. Regrettably, the game is also lacking in content: four stages are all that’s available, the weapon selection is sparse, and there isn’t even an option to wield two Move controllers for double the gunplay. Even the music can’t be turned off, resulting in one annoying track playing the entire way through.

It is unknown if the developers can patch Battlezone to reduce the nauseating feelings its perspective emits (reports indicate the game was even more discomforting during press previews before receiving some fine-tuning before launch), but that alone is a big enough reason to caution players from purchasing it. This is especially unfortunate, as the arcade-style mission-based gameplay can be really fun, especially when other online tanks join in.

As it stands, Sports Bar VR is more like a virtual hangout reminiscent of Playstation Home, a social gathering where few patrons indulged in any of the mini-games within and remained content to treat it as a console-based Second Life. It is perhaps for that reason that Sports Bar VR will turn into a cult favorite among early adopters, but for anyone hoping for even a semi-accurate recreation of competitive sports bar activities, they may consider sticking to the real smoke-filled hangouts until a more precise alternative is released.

Overall the game is fun to play and as my first foray into simulation games it held my attention for a while, but I quickly noticed when things fell apart or just didn’t stand up to my ideal of what a simulation should be. I would recommend the game to anyone who loves a nice sim game but to newcomers you will quickly become annoyed with the graphics, physics and the driving.

With a focus on story, Adam Wolfe is branching out for a new audience, maybe those that are interesting in games with a big focus on story, such as Telltale Games’ latest titles, and while its presentation is different to those games, Adam Wolfe has the looks, a somewhat cliche, but intriguing story that keeps things moving to make for a decent mixture of adventure and hidden puzzle solving that might be enough for it to branch out from the genre’s main audience.

Like many of the other VR experiences in this launch, Hatsune Miku: VR Future Live is an impressive technical showcase that opens the imagination for future VR games, but is currently bereft of meaningful content or replay value.

It’s somewhat cathartic to discover the single worst launch game in a new hardware’s lineup, but simply calling Ace Banana a rotten fruit that spoils the batch does not do its awfulness justice: this is, simply put, VR poison, the kind of low-budget and poorly optimized trash that would put newcomers completely off VR gaming just as it has began its console infancy.

Another great entry for the lawyer, building on past titles and upping its arsenal of mechanics to keep players hooked.

Simply put, MegaTagmension Blanc+Neptune vs Zombies is a contradictory case of being too fast-paced to practice with its mechanics, and too long before the missions reach a comfortable length.

Overall, Superdimension Neptune vs Sega Hard Girls is yet another solid entry from the Neptunia series, but it could have been one of the higher recommended titles were it not for the new list of annoyances it added alongside its gameplay improvements.

Lichtspeer is by no means a masterpiece. It won’t change the face of gaming or be crowned Game of the Year 2016 but it is that perfect little game that sometimes you just need. It puts fun above all else and I loved it.

I can’t recommend Manual Samuel to anyone, it’s an awful game. A comedy game devoid of a sense of humour that is only interested in sucking all potential fun out of itself and replacing it with outright frustration. I mean, the game works and all but it’s never good, it’s a bad experience.

Guards‘ makes a good case to bring accessible mechanics for anyone who does not enjoy turn-based strategy games due to their complexity, delivering those people a game that can be easily picked up and played for for a few turns before becoming tired of its unique, but limited gameplay. For veterans, however, Guards is unlikely to keep your attention for long, if at all, its a title that can get boring all too quickly with its lack of level, enemy and visual variety.

Seasons After Fall gets top marks for its pretty painted canvas visuals that are, sadly, the main attraction of the game. It’s a dazzling world that sparkles with beauty, but that isn’t enough to cover its bothersome issues. Seasons After Fall’s simplistic and easy-to-solve puzzle design mixed with the lack of impending doom offers an experience that is relaxing, an almost perfect fit with the visuals, but pacing issues, overuse of backtracking and obtuse directions turn a beautiful game a little sour, spoiling what could have been a brilliant experience from beginning to end.

Event[0] is a visually appealing game with some great sounds to boot. The story however seems loose and doesn’t get fleshing out enough.

A worthy companion to the original series and one of the better Visual Novels available on consoles. It doesn’t quite have the narrative force that can hook people in like Steins;Gate or Danganronpa, but it is definitely the best possible medium for adapting the cyberpunk setting of the original series while letting fans spend more time with Akane and her team.

Chime Sharp builds upon the original Chime by stuffing it with more game modes and improving the presentation. The series once again brings a consolidation of simple, but addictive puzzle mechanics and a wonderfully pleasing dynamic soundtrack that combines together with the colourful visuals to deliver a challenging treat for anyone who likes a stimulating puzzle game with fantastic music.

If people can stick with the game to get past the initial effortless difficulty, I fell they will find something to enjoy either by themselves or with friends when the tough beasts are introduced.

Platforming games were always my go-to genre as a kid and Unbox does take me back to that in some sense, but realistically it brings all the difficulty I would expect from a game on a tablet device and I kind of feel that’s where it belongs.

Resident Evil 4 still feels good, and being able to have 60fps and 1080p on the PS4 makes it a beautiful display, even with the GameCube-era graphics. Still, I would liked more improves done to the title – the 30fps animations for reloading still remains – since it’s been 11 years from the original release. If you haven’t played Resident Evil 4, then go for it, because this is one adventure that you will most likely love.

Tadpole Treble is a great example of how to blend art with gameplay; each enhances the other and elevates the game to something beyond just a fun distraction. If you love music, (and who doesn’t?) you would be doing yourself a great disservice by not checking this game out.

Starbound is a game that, after a few hours of play, starts to seem like an instant classic you’ll be revisiting from time to time over the next unknown period of years.

A smart adaptation that replicates the action of the series without resorting to a typical hack n’ slash knockoff. The cluttered camera and controls take some adjusting, but otherwise this is the first real attempt at successfully adapting the colossal anime hit in videogame form and is another proud notch on Omega Forces’ belt (it also increases the anticipation for Berserk, their next anime offering later this year).

Worms W.M.D. is a triumph. Sure, we could tie ourselves in knots asking why they didn’t come out with something like this sooner, but what would be the point? For now, let’s just bask in its wormly glory.

Unfortunately, the story never really got going in the game and with the slow crawl through a pretty much lifeless ship this made the game a little underwhelming. The story lasts anywhere between 2 -3 hours depending on how slow you take it and just feels too short and I’m not sure I ever really saw those stealth mechanics.

Futuristic racing fans finally have something exciting to play with this surprisingly well crafted racer.

Gameplay is what truly makes Mankind Divided shine, and here, any problems with the racial story is made up by having a complex and immersive world with level design purposely built around the idea of Deus Ex‘s choice gameplay.

In all, the expansion does exactly what you’d expect from a cheap or perhaps even free update but unfortunately this one currently comes at half the price of the original FORCED SHOWDOWN and I’m afraid I simply can’t recommend it at that price.

Abzû might not offer an easy to digest story, but those missteps are made up with a dazzling experience, some marvellous set-pieces, beautiful visuals packed with vivid colours, and a lovely soundtrack. All this artistic work gels together for a relaxing and reflective afternoon of wonderment.

The concept and the combat both give it a unique identity over Monster Hunter, and could lend itself to great things that help make it stand out. But the amateurish story direction and outdated control schemes hinder its chances to emerge from the shadow of Capcom’s multimillion dollar franchise.

Simply put, Door Kickers is a wonderful exercise in bloody minded fun that brings out the inner SWAT leader in all of us.

This is a fast-paced action game not to be missed as it was fantastic and is definitely refreshing to play. The game is well suited to be a go between to other games you’re playing as it’s so different.

The new mechanics that the developer tried to add to the mix end up making everything much less fun than they might have seemed conceptually. Adding this with the historical parts of the game makes it feel like a lot of the player’s agency has been taken away.

Max Damage is a game that comes filled with frustration, from the awful handling model to the bare bones limited visuals, from the tedious and drawn-out races to the generic music, everything about this recent Carmageddon game is just middling and sterile, and what fun is to be had is often in small spades that it is a struggle to play for extended periods of time.

It may be a B-tier RPG, but it’s a very well-made B-tier RPG that is just as addicting for JRPG fans as the A+ classics.

SEUM delivers hours of entertainment, frustration, and the perfect bite-sized trials to hit, not just the ‘one more try’ feeling, but instead the ‘damn I was close and I won’t stop before beating this thing’.

The game manages to do this throwback to Chrono Trigger with care, while throwing in a few new ideas of its own, even if some don’t work in its favour.

To sum it up, SpeedRunners is an excellent game for arcade racing game fans everywhere.

This isn’t one to be missed if you in the market for a challenging puzzler.

Inside is a pure consistent work that manages to play to its own strengths in very smart ways.

Crea is a fairly deep sandbox game that’s capable of keeping a person entertained for hours, and as a bonus can also be played cooperatively for a further nuanced/social experience.

Kotaro Uchikoshi thanked his fans for helping him get the third game in the Zero Escape series completed, and in return he has brought a memorable conclusion for his final act.

To call Odin Sphere Leifthrasir the definitive version of the original game would be selling it short: the sheer amount of improvements and new content have transformed the game into a whole new experience that both original fans and curious newcomers must not miss.

What you have here is two thirds of a good show that has been axed by the television network, leaving the studio to sort itself out, bringing an end to the season early, except what was offered for a closure was a cop-out, robbing The Detail of a truly satisfying ending that it deserves.

With the lack of tight controls, an honest challenge and the addition of a generic plot and characters we’re left with a totally average action platforming game that promised the world.

The story might be forgettable, but Grand Kingdom‘s gameplay certainly is not. This is a game that features a refreshing and unique battle concept for a genre that can often feature formulaic combat, mixing its deep mechanics to bring a challenging, beautiful and inventive game that is a fascinating breath of fresh air for tactical RPGs.

I keep coming back to the voice acting but a big part of an RPG is the how the story is conveyed and this game falls flat on it’s face here making the story seem drab rather than the colour tale they have crafted. The environments are nice but overall nothing to write home about. The game looked good on paper but unfortunately it has too many pitfalls causing it to feel very lackluster.

For the most patient fans of the series, the number of callbacks and beautifully animated representations of their favorite characters will prove to be their greatest rewards as they struggle valiantly to unlock the actual rewards.

Don’t Starve Together takes the terrific game that it’s predecessor is known to be and builds up a whole new structure around the original that really opens up a lot of different ways of, well, not starving.

While it doesn’t reinvent itself with this final large dump of content, what is here in Blood and Wine is some of the best parts of The Witcher 3 dropped into a beautiful and refreshing new land with fascinating stories and characters, and all given for a generous asking price.

As mentioned above the game is only about 3 hours long and unless you want to get an S rank on all 9 stages on all difficulties there’s really no reason to replay it at all.

I would say if you enjoy business simulations in general, or if you’ve ever wondered what life is like on the other side of the sword counter, then you should give Shoppe Keep a try.

Simply put, Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster is the most complete package for one of the most celebrated entries in the series. Not everything included has stood up to the test of time, but the sentiment of the whole being better than the sum of its parts describes this HD collection perfectly.

Is it the best rogue-y game out there? Certainly not, but it’s a nice time-filler that can be enjoyed alone or with friends, even if it’s likely not something that you’ll feel like coming back to again and again.

Project CARS: Game of the Year Edition is a great package packed with everything one needs for a thrilling and demanding racing experience, being the perfect jump in point for newcomers to get everything available from the get go.

As a horror experience, Corpse Party is absolutely mandatory, and should be experienced in whatever platform that is available to you.

If you’re new to the genre, then this is no doubt an excellent place to start – but there’s a clear argument that it might be better to wait until a few of the planned expansions and improvements have been released before taking the plunge.

8-Bit Armies minimalistic approach to real-time strategy makes it a good gateway for people wanting to sample the genre, enabling those to get in and instantly pick up the game without worrying about complexity.

For those looking for smoothly contemplative game that you just can’t stop playing, Duet is a must have.

Fans of the first Doom will be very pleased with what iD software has brought to Doom to move it forward, while offering a taste of pure shooter action to pick up new fans and followers.

In all, it was a decent attempt at a new concept but didn’t quite ever make it further than that.

In the end, MegaTagmension Blanc + Neptune vs Zombies is a mediocre action game where its charm and variety rests squarely on its characters.

Uncharted 4 is a masterpiece, albeit a flawed one. Even with its problems, the level that developer Naughty Dog can attain almost puts the rest of the industry to shame.

Valkyria Chronicles received a lot of acclaim during its PS3 debut, and its praises must be sung again in this remastered port. Whatever Sega decides to do with the franchise from here on remains unclear, but at least fans new and old can enjoy one of their finest efforts in the last generation, not to mention one of the single best RPGs period.

All in all, Hyperdevotion Noire is a decent sidetrack from the standard Neptunia games, but it could have used a bit more streamlining and quality-of-life mechanics to bring it up to current SRPG titles.

Battleborn isn’t quite the innovative blend of MOBA and first-person shooter that it could have been, but that does not stop the game from delivering fun with a group of friends or random people online.

Surprisingly accessible and deep as you like, Offworld Trading Company is a standout addition to what’s already been a fantastic year for strategy games.

Each individual piece of the game does not do anything innovative or new, but together it creates an experience that is unmatched even outside of the platform.

It’s a great reboot/re-release. Maybe one of the best, but with a new story that doesn’t focus on our heroes and the solidifying of their bond as partners I’m sure that newcomers to the series will only be staying for the fantastic gameplay, but quickly forgetting about the franchise once they put it down.

But for those prepared to deal with the learning curve, micromanagement and single-player focus – and especially for anyone who loves the tabletop game – Armada is well worth your time.

In an era deprived of 2D mascots and platformers, it’s refreshing to see something like Shantae continue to persist and impress, and strengthens the anticipation for the kickstarter-funded sequel.

As it stands, Zheros is a serviceable beat ’em up for people who enjoy those games, but never rises up to the challenge in being a staple of the genre, instead, it’s another return to the classic genre that doesn’t bring the potential or grab the essence of what made them so great.

I have nothing but praise for Codemasters’ return to the muddy motorsport of rally.

It’s got that great arcade feel and frantic pace you look for in a title like this, and is so deftly executed it could delight the most stridently anti-nostalgia gamer.

Given the problems with the previous episodes, I would class the whole game as a solid 8, though this episode in particular was an excellent, climactic and, above all, affecting foray into the mind of Michonne.

It sounds like I am being hard on Return to PopoloCrois, but that is because I am a little disappointed with Return to PopoloCrois and how it doesn’t blend the two things I enjoy (RPGs and Harvest Moon) in a way that sets a good example for both properties involved.

Nights of Azure can be enjoyable for what it is – an adequate action game with RPG elements – and some people will find sections to like, but it’s not one of Gust’s best, let down with a lack of depth, stopping it being as gratifying as the recent Atelier games. Either way, this should not put Gust off from creating more new titles, as these shortcomings could be fixed in another attempt in the future.

Airscape: The Fall of gravity is an action platformer that delivers on all that it promises.

In the end, Trillion: God of Destruction is a surprisingly innovative RPG from a company that is normally content to release/re-release a new Neptune game every month, and further testament to the Vita’s resigned fate as an RPG lover’s dream machine.