The story and character models are something I can live with. Unless someone is a purist, then the game will certainly make them lose interest very quickly. In my opinion, however, the biggest sins of Silent Hill 2 are the extensive exploration, which eventually becomes tiresome, and the untapped potential of combat.

If you enjoyed Syberia in 2002, this is the best way to experience it again. If you’ve never heard of Syberia before this, it might not hit the same way. There is a compelling story, world, and cast of characters at the heart of Syberia - Remastered, however, it’s hard to recommend to everyone. Not all modern players will have the patience to get through Kate Walker’s clunky movement, the puzzles that will have you repetitively running back and forth, and the easy-to-miss objects and interactions that will frustrate you and slow you down. This is certainly the ultimate way to play Syberia now, but I’m not sure everyone will want to.

Indeed, in my humble opinion, AC Mirage is a good candidate for one of the worst installments of Ubisoft's Assassin's series. The whole thing is rather embarrassing, disappointing, and synthetic in a bad way; forced. However, I must praise the creators for a quite successful combination of old and new gameplay formulas.

Replaying the same level over and over again to grind out XP you need to advance isn’t a challenge, it’s poor design. Randomly making your enemies invincible to spice up the difficulty isn’t a challenge, it’s poor design. I could go on, but I think this review is becoming like one of Sifu’s levels – endlessly repeating itself.

Hammerting has grown a lot since its time on Early Access and recently got some updates prior to its release. Yet while it has all the makings of an engaging sim, a handful of glitches and odd gameplay choices mar its potential. Right now, the game is sure to give you hours of colony-building fun, but it needs more fine-tuning for it to feel truly fulfilling.

Away: The Survival Series sounds great on paper, as its nature documentary format gives it a charming quality you wouldn’t expect to work. And yet it does, to some extent. At the same time, its execution could still use a lot of work, leading to an adventure that tries to impress, but misses the mark due to some technical shortcomings that mar the experience. Its soundtrack, narration, and surprisingly detailed world make it worth checking out, but you probably won’t stick around for the next episode if things stay the way they are.

Succubus seems to be a step up from Agony in many ways. It stands to reason then that Madmind’s next game, whatever that may be, will be significantly better. I hope that’s’ the case because there’s obviously talent in this studio… it just needs to harnessed in the right direction to make something truly engaging and memorable on the next go ‘round.

Hokko Life, from developer Wonderscope, is another game in the farming and life simulator genre. As is expected players can plant trees and flowers, catch butterflies, go fishing, interact with fellow residents, etc. While Hokko Life does manage to capture a much more laid-back and pressure-less atmosphere than some other games, it is still difficult for it to step out of the shadow of a particularly popular game in the same genre.

Little Nightmares III is a darkly beautiful follow-up that captures the series’ eerie charm but plays it too safe, offering an experience that feels more familiar than frightening.

Steelrising is the latest game from developer Spiders, and while the premise of a robot army thwarting the French Revolution is certainly attention-grabbing, it doesn’t manage to consistently maintain that excitement. The character designs and environment are well done, but where Steelrising stumbles is the clunky movement and shallow RPG mechanics that fail to keep progression and combat exciting throughout. As a souls-like game, Steelrising is following in the footsteps of some highly regarded modern games, but it doesn’t quite live up to the standards that those games set.

While there are things that work in its favor, Outcast: A New Beginning ultimately feels like any other open-world game you could play this year or have played years ago. It retains the charm of the original and further explores the world of the Talan in unique and odd ways, but how you go about doing that doesn’t feel as revolutionary as it did back in 1999.

Like a weathered axe, Song of Iron needs polish. Its combat needs refinement, its bugs are frustrating, and its ability and item system need to be fleshed out more. Where it shines is in its soundtrack and presentation that showcase the ideas one person had to create the game he envisioned. And with its credits hinting at a sequel, there is no place to go but up.

Blades of Fire is a pretty decent, average game. It looks good graphically and works just as well. Unfortunately, it can be irritating and even boring at times.

At its best, War Mongrels is a smart and challenging RTT game that really exercises your logic skills and makes you take a minute to gather your thoughts before acting on them – otherwise you die. And you will die often as you explore all of its fun features exploit your surroundings and character abilities. Sadly, this RTT game also tends to take advantage of your patience with its messy controls, irksome voice acting, and bugs that can lead to frustrating moments that make you want to stop playing. It’s rewarding when it works in your favor, but its rough edges will surely turn the fun into a struggle.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a pure arcade racer. Drift on corners, push boost on straights, be first on the finish line – these are the principles. It is as simple as it is fun. With great sense of speed, fierce competitors, and twisted track designs, races are dynamic, vigorous, and exciting… At least during the first three hours.

Know by heart feels personal, that’s for sure. Ice-Pick Lodge told us an interesting story, set in an even more interesting place and time. I just wish they built an interesting game around it as well.

I had quite high expectations for Commandos: Origins. I wasn't disappointed in the most important aspect - it's a good stealth game, in which quietly eliminating enemies is rewarded and even desired. However, I cannot turn a blind eye to its archaisms and poor technical aspects.

This isn’t the end of Dragon Age that I was expecting - in this respect, the game must be rated very low. However, as an action RPG with flair and a beautiful fairy-tale world, it turns out to be decent, and sometimes even more than that.

If you are new to skateboarding, chances are Session: Skate Sim will frustrate you more than impress you, but if you live for the board, it will provide you with an unrivaled simulator worth playing.

I am a bit disappointed with Tales of the Shire. The idea was great, but the execution just didn’t capture the magic of Tolkien’s world.

The Precinct looks the part and briefly plays it, too. Its early hours make you feel like a genuine cop, but it quickly becomes clear that the game lacks the structure and depth to sustain its premise.

The second entry in the Blue Reflection series, Blue Reflection: Second Light, is great for anyone looking for a casual RPG. The combat can be slow and repetitive, and the fanservice certainly leaves a uncomfortable feeling hanging over much of the game, but underneath all that is a solid RPG with a captivating mystery at its center.

Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water arrives just in time to celebrate Halloween as well as the series’ 20th anniversary. Unfortunately, a combination of clunky gameplay, impractical character decisions, and overused text exposition hold this game back from where it could be. Using the camera obscura to excorcise ghosts is tense and exciting, and the exploration isn’t half bad, but it’s not enough to tip the scales in the right direction.

Dolmen gives you an average experience that invites you into a mysterious world but is plagued with hitbox issues, linear hallways, and bland design choices that bog it down. It does have some redeeming RPG qualities, but you will often find yourself fighting with the game more than with the enemy in front of you.

At times Monster Slayer becomes a super immersive experience, and it’s always a joy to discover a new monster during a different time of day or when the weather changes. When that sense of wonder wears off after lots of grinding and walking around to find more monsters, you may begin to question whether you want to keep going. If you do, things get better as you stronger, but the path of a witcher is an arduous one and requires lots and lots of battles.

The answer is, sadly, too much. Sniper Elite delivers up some satisfying VR x-ray sniper kills, but once the novelty of that wears off, grinding through the rest of the campaign ends up being a bit of a chore. With no villains, real story, or any actual history to absorb, the game drifts through a seven-and-a-half-hour campaign of fight enemies, complete objective x, rinse, and repeat. This is such a shame when there was so much potential to really innovate in VR – but that seems to be the last thing Rebellion set their sights on.

Mario Golf: Super Rush brings some genuinely fun and unique ideas to the franchise. Unfortunately they just don’t seem to have lived up to their potential just yet. The upcoming DLC could make this game a lot better, but it shouldn’t need to. It’s a shame because there is a really great game hidden somewhere in here, and there is no doubt it can make for a really fun game night. But, as is, Mario Golf: Super Rush doesn’t seem to have the longevity and replayability that you might come to expect from a Nintendo title, especially a game with Mario at the helm.

The Callisto Protocol prevails at setting the mood and making you feel like you are part of the action, but it comes up short when delivering an experience that keeps your attention longer than the initial jump scare.