Forza's combination of speed, presentation values, excellent handling and flexibility in letting players approach the game in a variety of ways makes it really hard to put the controller down.

While Gundam Reborn won’t be remembered as one of the finest Warriors games, it is nonetheless a genuine attempt to do right by the Gundam fans out there, and I can’t see said fans being disappointed by this package.

The Banner Saga asks a lot of its players, especially in the early chapters, but those who stay for the long run will enjoy a mature, character focused story which is both challenging and memorable.

I love that games like Fluster Cluck are leading the charge of local, social, multiplayer, and I hope it continues indefinitely. Being able to experience actual living room mayhem again as you did back in the day when friends would come over for epic SNES and N64 sessions is still a blast 15 years later.

Dragon’s Dogma Dark Arisen is just as solid of an entry from Capcom as it was back upon the PS3 and the Xbox 360. With lots of landscapes to explore, character classes to try out, and help to summon, there’s no shortage of adventuring to be done, and once you're hooked on simply existing in the world, this is one that will last you for many dozens of hours.

A few years ago, if you had have told me that there would be a gothic horror Resident Evil, I would have laughed. What RE has traditionally done and the gothic tradition are so far apart they're almost antithetical. And yet, that is what Village has delivered. While this might be a direct sequel to the previous Resident Evil, that dramatic shift in atmosphere and theme makes this game, ironically enough, a Resident Evil for people who have previously not been Resident Evil fans. Don't worry, existing fans, there's still plenty there for you too, but Capcom's willingness to redefine its marquee horror franchise so substantially deserves real credit. The future of this venerable series seems bright when these are the moves that the developers are making.

Bullet Soul is a refreshingly unique and infinitely replayable romp, gloriously representing arcade-style bullet hell action for the modern age. By not aspiring to be the most technically demanding game of its kin, it’s able to convey the appeal of its subgenre even better than some of the all-time classics.

A genuine classic game, and there is no denying that it is a supremely well-balanced, challenging and deeply engaging example of turn-based strategy. For all the promise of being a "HD" version, it's not exactly what I would call an update.

Interestingly, this game participated in the Japan Media Arts Festival back in 2019 which, as far as I can tell, is quite well recognised across the broad scope of Japanese arts. It doesn't surprise me that it earned some attention there though. Nostalgic Train is an art work first, and a game you play second. Beyond even the "walking simulator" quality, this game reflects on the Japanese experience of summer in a meaningful and deeply resonant way. It might be surprising that this got a localisation, but it's a welcome one. Especially for people that are interested in learning something meaningful about Japan.

The point is that those Dandori Battles really elevate the Pikmin 4 experience. Without them, what you’re looking at is a perfectly pleasant but too-iterative addition to the Pikmin series. However, with them, Pikmin 4 becomes the finest execution of the Pikmin philosophy to date. With any luck, Nintendo will see this as an opportunity for a dedicated spinoff, and continue to build on the excellent foundations it has established here.

It’s been a while since I’ve played through a proper horror game and became so invested in the “villains” of the tale.

For those who do understand their 4X genre, however, At The Gates will come across as a breath of fresh air. It's a ground-up rethink on how the genre can work, and what the 4X might look like as applied to the many cultures and civilizations out there that didn't have the imperialist intent that most 4X titles assume. For that, it's one of the most interesting strategy games I've played in years.

Candlelight isn't a long game but it kept me entranced throughout the entire playthrough. It's a fantastic example of a simple idea executed very well, with extra effort spent in ensuring the player will have a good time. This isn't a game which you will get excited about - but in some ways it's even better than that. This is a game that you can get comfortable with, that will help you relax, and will make you look at platformers in a new way.

A good platformer with its mechanics even if the premise fell short. Every element worked in conjunction with each other, balancing out what would have been a dark and dismal adventure. The result wasn't a pure experience, perhaps, but it is a very playable one.

While I do think that Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is the most polarising Digital Eclipse museum experience so far, in terms of the quality of the games that are in it to play, I also think that it’s one of the most compelling experiences from a historical perspective. Who knows if we’ll ever have a series that has thrived this completely on notoriety again, and for that reason, this is a collection of curiosities that can’t be ignored.

When a favourite song comes on, it is impossible not to feel like you are a part of the music, making it happen, and it is a glorious feeling when you nail that song at 100 per cent accuracy.

It’s a fitting tribute to an incredibly talented musician, with proceeds going to a good cause, and I hope it will help to champion the artistry of AVICII’s body of work.

For all the games’ narrative themes of consciousness-probing, identity-subsuming science, the reordering of the psychic self for a greater application of the flesh, I needed to look no further than my own pathological gameplay in its honour. The rage quits, the restarts, the late nights, the infinitesimal adjustments to my thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth attempts, all part of my drive to survive to the end, no matter how many hours of hell it took.

The Witch and the Hundred Knight 2 is a success. I just wish the storytellers on the team were able to really cut loose and pull hard at the strings that, currently, they’re only tugging lightly at.

There's a significant improvement to the visual engine over last year's game, and while it's still not the most beautiful racing title out there, the improvements in the engine have allowed F1 2015 to offer a greater sensation of speed, and that is at core what a racing game engine should be about.

I am the target audience for Demon Slayer: Sweep The Board in that I’m both a Demon Slayer fan and the three Mario Party titles on the N64 Virtual Console on Switch are (by a significant margin) my most played titles on it. I got everything that I expected out of this game and had a lot of fun with it right throughout. In fact, with Mario Party itself in a weird kind of limbo of diminishing returns of late, perhaps we do need a new property to pick up the baton.

There’s not much wrong with We Happy Few that can’t be fixed with some patches, and regardless of what happens there, the game has a narrative that is brave, intelligently crafted, and so incredibly poignant.

Even if puzzle games aren't your thing, it's worth fighting through its obstacles and frustrations—or using a guide to carry you through, which I ended up resorting to—in order to experience Flood of Light's beautiful, melancholic yet hopeful vision of a post-climate change world.

Earth Defence Force 6 is pure fun distilled into a video game and it is impossible to put down. It’s based on B-grade sci-fi, and is B-grade in every way itself, and I would take that over over-produced, self-important, vapid blockbuster nonsense any time.

It is a digital combination of an extremely difficult board game and deck builder, combined with some zany creatures and topped off with some insane levels of difficulty. Perhaps it is the requirement of balance that made me love a game with such randomness behind it, as balancing my turns or the cards made me feel powerful in a world of beautiful chaos. I think Loot Rascals actually taught me something, which isn't something I say often about video games.

Harold is a fun game for fans of the continuous runner genre, and against all odds it actually manages to take such a simple genre and build on it in a genuine and unique manner. It has a fairly steep learning curve, but despite taking on the role of an angel, the ability to hinder opponents is actually devilish fun.

The game is ultimately over far too quickly for its own good, but that's the sign of a truly entertaining game; I simply wanted more. I really can't see anyone not enjoying this, regardless of your tastes as a gamer.

As a fan of Scrabble, Boggle, and other word games, this is a nice alternative for when I can't get some friends around to play one of the board games.