It’s clumsy and filled with flaws, but it’s precisely these imperfections that make it so interesting.

You probably came for the retro nostalgia, but in Save me Mr Tako! you'll get something far more robust.

The Nintendo Switch hardware itself is just perfect for Mouldy Toof’s endlessly entertaining vision.

Not as many people will play Shiren the Wanderer as should play it. It’s a niche franchise that is presented in such a way that will only ever appeal to a niche… and for whatever reason it’s exclusive to the PlayStation Vita, which is an intensely niche console in its own right these days. But it is also a fundamentally worthy game that boils the roguelike genre down to its most appealing gameplay loops, and is a good, pure, no frills take on an enormously addictive formula.

The oddity here is that while it's a "full" Switch release, it's still listed as an Early Access title on Steam. The three-person team putting Dungeon Munchies together could still tighten up that platforming aspect, and I really hope they do. Dungeon Munchies won't appeal to everyone, but it's precisely the kind of small indie gaming idea that would never get large traction with a bigger publisher.

World Conqueror X is a hugely rewarding strategy game. It's not as refined or committed to the history of the conflict as the more serious wargame fans would like, but then it manages to depict the truly complex, global conflict in a streamlined, accessible, and, for the most part, authentic manner. I am beyond delighted that the Nintendo Switch has something like this on it.

I had fun playing Hello Stranger, even though repeated playthroughs sometimes felt a little redundant. Cam is relatable, and I found myself genuinely rooting for him even though I made him a bit of a creep in one scene… sorry Cam. There is a tense feeling while playing, as though you’re waiting for something to jump out and scream at you. (That doesn’t happen… often…) I’m a bit bummed about the minigames and the decision tree, but I’m thrilled with the story and visuals.

While I’d find this game hard to recommend to a casual racing fan, those looking for a challenge will certainly find it in Codemasters’ latest foray into the racing genre. The meticulously researched and replicated F1 scene will be a delight to gamers searching for a realistic experience, and who don’t mind a little research before they get ready to leave their opponents in the dust.

While there is not a ton of content, there is more than enough to keep a racer busy and the quality of said content is spectacular.

As far as independent visual novels go, Celestia: Chain of Fate lands in that growing middle tier of visual novel. Sure it might not have the production values of an Otomate production, or even last week’s Famicom Detective Club by Nintendo. As with all genre’s there’s an A-tier, and Celestia isn’t quite there. Yet it punches far above the typical “indie” visual novel, too, thanks to its absolutely gorgeous art, the complexity of the branching narrative, and… well, the kind of writing that does make you want to see the inevitable CG when the very pretty girl and very, very pretty boys start smooshing lips and bodies together. Celestia is a very believable bit of fantasy romance, which is the point, and it’s one VN fans shouldn’t overlook, despite 2024 being quite a year for the genre.

Accompanying this storytelling is a delightful tap-tap-tap sound as dialogue is spoken, as though the story is being typed out on a keyboard as the player reads along.

Given that this is the first attempt at a very different kind of game for Koei Tecmo, I’d say that Attack on Titan franchise is in good hands going forward.

For all the effort at making Tekken more accessible, Tekken 7 remains, ultimately, a fight club for the most serious of players only.

Getting three in this pack is a nice value, and there is plenty of variety in how they are laid out and play.

Even with all of its Halloween charm, Costume Quest 2’s greatest strength is that it knows its limits. It's a short experience, and it's to it benefit as it never feels bloated. It’s the quintessential bite-sized RPG, wrapped in all the Halloween charm you could ever hope for.

I did have a delightful time with One Piece Odyssey. The best way to summarise it is as a breezy, easy-playing JRPG that you can knock off over several weeks and a few solid sessions. The developers have crafted something blissfully over-the-top and funny, and done One Piece a grand homage to celebrate its 25th year, while at the same time very cleverly figuring out how to make a 25-year-old anime as entertaining for newcomers and those not familiar with Luffy and the crew as it is for those who have watched every single episode. That is some incredible work.

Nothing about Trails Through Daybreak 2 dampens my enthusiasm for the series as a whole. I will be playing the next one the moment it’s available. This is one of the more disappointing Legend of Heroes titles, given that its biggest failing – the narrative – is typically what you want to play this series for – but even on a bad day The Legend of Heroes is a more interesting and entertaining vision and project than most JRPGs can aspire to be.

I recognise that Resident Evil and what I want Resident Evil to be are on different trajectories. I still want the series to engage with the horror of being almost out of bullets and surrounded by a hostile world of very dangerous enemies. I also want more of the dry humour of the B-grade that used to define the series, that both indulges the horror while recognising how silly it is. Resident Evil 3 doesn't give me that, and Resident Evil as a series isn't largely interested in indulging it any longer. Which is fine. I can still kick back and enjoy the empty action and cinematic profile of the new take on the series. What's more, I do realise that I'm in the minority in what I want Resident Evil to be and Capcom has delivered more of what the series' larger base of fans want with this remake. Which is fine. Resident Evil 3 is a very, very fine example of what it wants to be, and anyone who loved the Resident Evil 2 remake should be won over all over again with this one.

While not the most innovative title in terms of modes and menus, FIFA 15 delivers where it counts - on the field of play.

Sherlock's mind is presented in such a way that he is clearly a man treading the line between madness and brilliance, which makes this opportunity to play him all the more riveting and an opportunity not to be missed people who enjoy genuine detective fiction.

Capcom has shown a good deal of skill in refining an already great fighter in Ultra Street Fighter IV. Surely, now, it's time to move on to a proper sequel.

The biggest problem Sony faces is in getting more casual fans to enjoy its baseball games. The hardcore are going to love it, and mechanically, MLB does a great job of giving you ways to fine-tune how you play, the control system that works for you, and so on. This is effortlessly the best baseball game we’ve seen to date. However, what it doesn’t do is make players comfortable with it before throwing them in the deep end. Whether it’s endless statistics and career-altering decision trees in the career mode, the overwhelming experience of having cards and items and microtransactions thrown at you in that mode, or the need to manage an entire team while also dealing with the on-field performance, MLB The Show 22 is difficult to get into if you’re a casual fan of the sport. A simple season mode would have gone a long way to address that, but, for whatever reason, Sony doesn’t seem overly concerned with making its series the catalyst that converts people with a casual interest in baseball into fans.

There’s a clever mix of addictiveness with basic gameplay to keep players going without getting them too irritated about the more difficult levels. Ultimately the experience of playing this mirror's Shiba Kari himself - the game will never be as notable as the heroes that exist in its world, but humble as it is, there is a real sense of satisfaction in clearing that field of long grass.

Temirana might not be up with my very favourite visual novels, but it is entertaining, with good and warm energy behind it. It’s not the ideal entry point to otome as it doesn’t really have a hook beyond “exactly the kind of game otome fans like to see,” but if you are a convert, you’ll find yourself chuckling along with the way it plays within the genre traditions right throughout.

In an era where every title feels like it is trying to play catch up to Call of Duty in the FPS genre, Metro still stands out as being willing to take a few more chances. It wants you to spend time in its darkly atmospheric world.

Dovetail Games has carved itself out a neat niche with Train Sim World, and it’s very good at making train driving an experience. With a bit of training (which takes nowhere near as long as in the real world), the feeling of mastering a train and train route is indescribably appealing. However, four iterations in, it’s also time for the Dovetail team to try pushing themselves again. They should be taking that exceptional engine and letting us discover the joys of driving a train through deep Africa, across iconic routes in Asia, or giving us the spellbinding views of Bolivia’s salt flats, as a particularly noteworthy train ride in South America does.

Konosuba was a fun project for PQube to localise. It – like the material it’s based on – is by no means classic, but it’s playful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, even if there are times that you wish you didn’t find it quite as amusing as you did.

Transport Giant takes itself seriously. It’s enjoyable and rewarding, but as a serious simulation, rather than something fun to unwind with on the weekend after a long week’s work. It’s not a game for everyone by any means because of that, but it is the kind of game that will continue to reward you the more you put into it.