Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army will appeal to Atlus fans both for its familiar narrative and its very different approach to the usual turn-based combat. However, it's still a title that, despite the facelift, is almost two decades old, so there are certain limitations you should be aware of before jumping in.

The Berlin Apartment is a touching little story and a glimpse into Germany's turbulent history, from the pre-war period to the end of World War II and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Apartment does not try to be more than it is, but if you are the type who enjoys good stories or simply likes to peek through the "virtual keyhole" into other people's lives, then we can easily recommend The Berlin Apartment.

Docked may essentially be all about moving heavy things, but it does so brilliantly, and sitting behind a joystick on any of the machines is, as we know from an old internet legend, what gives you power. So, I find it difficult to see how this type of simulator could be made in a more entertaining way than Docked actually manages to do.

If you haven't played it before and want something really cosy to play for short periods of time, perhaps while travelling or similar, then it may well be just what you've been looking for.

At the end of the day, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is simply, effortlessly fun, and that's what you come to the moustachioed plumber for.

Everything from the graphics, music and sound to the tank simulation and much more has been improved. At the same time, there are still areas for development, such as the AI, more maps, the user interface, the visibility of your troops, and a more content-rich multiplayer mode. There are also certain aspects of the balance between the troop types that need reviewing. For these reasons, my rating lands a little lower than what I would give the fourth instalment today, with all content included. When it works, it's good, but at present there is room to improve even further.

Don't expect smart puzzles and gadgets here, as this is an upfront, unapologetic massacre, and it's the new Quest game you'll want to show your friends this Christmas (as long as they're 18+, though there's a Kidpool mode, mind you).

It's simple, yet quite engaging, and what should have been a quick test of the first mission quickly turned into hours of screen time.

There is untapped potential here, there is some repetition and although parts are charming, I can't really say that I feel particularly entertained after a few hours of World of Goo 2, as if anything it feels a bit old.

Dead Island 2 is an entertaining adventure, especially if you have someone to play co-op with. It's meaty, it's long, and at times it's really neat. A sort of odd and digital Los Angeles vacation, if you will. But it's also so faithful to the original that it's almost completely void of surprises and feels structurally old.

If you like the series already, this is a must-have purchase, but if you are new to the Metal Slug experience, I still recommend that you give this an honest try. It's not a masterpiece by any means, but Metal Slug Tactics is a hell of a lot of fun to play. What more could you want?

I actually had pretty high expectations for DC's Justice League: Cosmic Chaos, even though I didn't think it was a Game of the Year candidate. And I got pretty much exactly what I had hoped for. An entertaining co-op superhero adventure, well-written script, and lots of DC love for all ages.

Dr. Fetus' sadistic antics still feel like a decent version of the Puyo Puyo games and it's also quite fun that they still manage to make their own version of a classic puzzle concept.

It costs you as much as going to the movies and lasts as long as a TV series episode, but if you were one of those fans, it's probably the best rotoscope drawn experience you can enjoy today in games, and plus it may move you as well, on top of having watercoloured kitties, after all.

The story's closure and major points leave me cold, but I look back on the bulk of it and I'm still left marvelled by the awe-inspiring sights, the creative puzzles that soar in quality at their best, the moments of personal banter between Harry and Elizabeth that made me smile. For every step back it takes, there are two steps forward, and even if some don't cover that much distance, it leaves at a spot that seems worthy of its status.

If you like Star Trek, it's hard not to recommend this to you. It's a sharp game with issues that can often be attributed to the title's budget. It can become somewhat repetitive because the strategy aspect doesn't really offer much variety in its setup. What you do in the first solar system, you do - with few exceptions - in the later star systems as well. Despite this, I still think it's a competent product and perhaps one of the best games in the Star Trek universe I've had the pleasure of testing.

It is clearly a well-made version of tennis as a game and is at its very best during nerve-wracking matches where it really captures how well tennis actually works with its controls.

The most important thing about a game like Outlaws is the atmosphere, and this is created using light, sound, music and exciting scenarios that feel like something out of a Star Wars film. This is where Outlaws delivers, and it becomes the game's absolute "saving grace", the ace up its sleeve if you will.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles 2, despite certain limitations, comes to accompany once again the fans of one of the most quality and popular anime of the last decade, which also takes advantage of the synergy with its last arc to call to try it to a larger base of players. If you're a fan of Demon Slayer, you shouldn't miss it.

For all of us who loved games like Suikoden, Breath of Fire, Chrono Trigger, and other similar games from the mid-90s, I think you will enjoy this game very much, as it's a reminder of a bygone era in role-playing history.

There's nothing quite like what the Onimusha series offers. There's plenty of Japanese mumbo-jumbo to enjoy, the 16th century world is wonderfully designed, and Jubei Yagyu and his friends are all great characters. Plus, the game never gets frustrating or drawn out thanks to the slightly smoother gameplay system and the fact that it's only around ten hours long.

Rise of the Ronin is going to draw a lot of comparisons as more people get their hands on it, and even though it does take inspiration from a lot of successful games, Team Ninja's work in creating a great action RPG packed with addictive combat, excellent traversal, and a story that keeps you hooked throughout should not be diminished.

Persona 5 Tactica is a good game in the genre of tactical role-playing games, but it does not reach the same heights as other similar games.

So it might look like I'm nit-picking here, but coming from Super Mario Party Jamboree, you expect greatness and maximum care. And don't get me wrong, this doesn't make the original game any worse. You should still definitely buy it on Switch 2 if you never got it on the original system, as it remains the king of parties, and even if I'm telling you that you'll enjoy it more with a plugged-in camera, and that the Mouse mini-games are solid additions, Jamboree TV as a next-gen upgrade lands like a bad roll.

I applaud the insistent focus on combat, but En Garde! deserves more; a plot, environments waiting to be explored, real progression. None of that is here, so while the game's core is well-designed and robust, it's a bit too slim an experience to get a wholehearted recommendation from me.

I think the VR format is utilised very well, the visuals and atmosphere are brilliant and the horror is effectively done. But at the same time, it is dragged down by gameplay frustrating things and some design around puzzles that do not work in a satisfactory way.

There really is a lot to love about this game. The graphics are about as "next-gen" as you can get, the world is marvellous, the audio and soundtrack is top quality, and the narrative is thoroughly interesting and engaging. If it wasn't for its clunky and overcomplicated nature, Atomic Heart would probably be one of the year's best games.

The Crew Motorfest is a competent and genuinely fun racer that while introducing some interesting activities and online features, does struggle to live up to the heights and levels of immersive realism that separates the good of this sector of games from the truly great ones.

I have no doubt that the more players share their experiences after finishing the game, the more different approaches to their journey and its conclusion will be seen. If you don't mind having to deal with a tense scenario and perhaps facing your own inner demons, Dead Take offers you an all-star cast in their roles and a story that grips you from start to finish.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a bit of a mixed bag for me. On one hand it has interesting and compelling characters and plenty of dialogue options to explore, but on the other hand, it isn't the most immersive or engaging game.

In a perfect world, I would have liked some extra graphical options allowing this version to feel even closer to the PC one, such as being able to turn off the dreaded motion blur. I also would have loved anything that made this adventure feel entirely new no matter if you've played before or not, such as some aforementioned combat tweaks. However, the world isn't perfect. Nor is Warhorse's first go at recreating medieval Bohemia, but it is beautiful. Made even more so by this Next-Gen Edition, which is a fine reminder or fantastic introduction to Henry's debut.

I found myself pretty torn on Tomb Raider I-III Remastered. It combines three classic PS1 games in one package and these now look and play even better than they ever have done before. On the other hand though, its archaic features such as manual saves, awkward camera, and hard to master controls, I can see presenting a barrier to entry for newcomers.

Rematch is a very good game. It's the game I've wanted for so many years, and I'm overjoyed that it's finally here. It's both fun to watch and fun to play, and I hope Sloclap succeeds in the seemingly impossible task of convincing players to pay for something that, in many ways, looks like a free-to-play title.

I'm glad that MultiVersus is back again. It's a damn fun multiplayer game, though I feel Player First Games and Warner have made it strangely difficult for themselves. Removing things from the beta (which was criticized for having too little content) just feels odd and the fact that the netcode is no better than it was, is beyond comprehension.

EA has seemingly spent more resources on marketing the new name than improving the formula, and it's therefore very hard to recommend EA Sports FC 24 to all but the most dedicated fans.

In the end it all ended up being a somewhat frustrating experience, although underneath the annoyances, there is quite an interesting story that is delivered with conviction. Unfortunately, it just can't make up for the game's other problems.

It's simple to pick up and understand, has interesting mechanics and systems, and a vibrant and colourful world. Just don't expect to be blown away by what Tequila Works has built here, because it's, all in all, a very predictable and familiar title buffed with a League of Legends polish.

It's nothing we haven't seen before, but what it is is a well thought-out and complete experience with plenty of depth, and one that fans of this sub-genre will no doubt fall in love with very quickly.

The game is shorter than the genre often prides itself on, its retro charm is not always entirely well made and, above all, it's very Japanese. But if this little, old franchise is your kind of music - then you have a great adventure ahead of you.

There's just something tonally off about the way that King of Meat is put together and while I won't deny that the gameplay has its moments and that Glowmade has a vision here that could work out and lead to a lot of fun for players around the world, I also can't shake the feeling King of Meat will struggle to retain player attention for the long haul. I hope I'm proven wrong, but following the hours I've clocked in for this review, I'm not exactly chomping at the bit to return for more.

It's clear as day that Blackbird Interactive has a love for the brand. Everything both sounds and looks as you would hope it would, and the overall whole is a step forward from the original in a good way.

There are elements of Styx: Blades of Greed that hold it back from being incredible, but it is a very, very good time and just like Styx himself I'm willing to praise this old-school stealth title, warts and all.

The Expanse shines as an alternative to the sleek space-age dream of franchises such as Star Trek, with its scrappy, survival sci-fi setting pairing perfectly with the gritty art-style and choice-driven narrative of Telltale Games.

If you want something light-hearted and original to play through, Fashion Police Squad is for you. But if you're looking for the game of the year, you might want to keep rummaging through your closet for something else that fits better.

Having lived on the ocean floor in the extraordinarily atmospheric Subnautica, I hadn't thought that this game would trump that underwater experience in terms of beauty, atmosphere and variety, but it has, despite its modest playtime of only four hours.

Is it fun to have access to the variety of costumes and weird outfits? Sure, but at the same time this is still just the Dead Rising we've all known for years except with a much glossier coat of paint.

This is a game that is tailor-made for my taste, tickling my nerves exactly where I want to be tickled. But I also have to look at the bigger picture, and the truth is that Baby Steps is a polarising game. The adolescent humour, which for me is a huge plus, is also what will make many others want to turn off the game quickly. It's both its greatest strength and its Achilles' heel, quite simply.

Wild Hearts is a solid first step for Koei Tecmo's latest foray into the world of monster hunting, and while this isn't going to necessarily convert those who aren't already into the genre, it does provide great gameplay for those who want to pick up an alternative to Monster Hunter.

Aliens: Dark Descent is first and foremost a good idea, and there's undoubtedly talent behind it, although this is a clear example of how a potential sequel that can optimise, raise production values and perhaps approach each mission more critically to ensure crucial variety would be ideal.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy looks quite beautiful, but this is more due to the original design than any new improvements.

Whether you're a dedicated fan of the sport, or just looking for some straightforward racing, there's something here for you. New Star GP is fast-paced and just as challenging, with plenty of charm and personality and an impressive career mode.

Withering Rooms manages to captivate with a good atmosphere, but behind this there are some elements that also unfortunately feel a bit too simple.

As it stands, Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket is extremely simple, and therefore quite enjoyable to engage with, and besides, after the first hour or so, you can easily just check in every day or two and open some packs.

It's beautiful, charming, there are plenty of activities and entertainment in the big world and a real feel-good game to enjoy. However, you have to be aware of the sheer amount of systems and currencies that are almost constantly trying to squeeze money out of the player, and fair enough they are there, but there are so many.

It's surprising that with such a simple premise and simple gameplay, solo developer Cyberwave has managed to strike such an exquisite balance between player progression and curiosity to get to the end of the story in A Game About Digging A Hole.

This is Plants vs. Zombies as you know and love it, in the same manner as you can still easily access it elsewhere, meaning it's not really necessary to blow £18 to get that same experience once again, even if it does now have a shiny coat of paint brushed over it.

It's simple to pick up and understand, has interesting mechanics and systems, and a vibrant and colourful world. Just don't expect to be blown away by what Tequila Works has built here, because it's, all in all, a very predictable and familiar title buffed with a League of Legends polish.

Nintendo clearly doesn't intend to take any risks with this series at all, as Move It reminds me of pretty much every other WarioWare game that there has ever been.

I have fun when I play but it is also a bit thin on content and becomes extremely repetitive quite quickly.

Sniper Elite: Resistance is exactly what you expect a Sniper Elite game to be and it's good and familiar comfort food for connoisseurs of the series.

MotoGP 23 continues to keep the series at a steady and good quality. The new dynamic weather system and career mode provide good improvements from last year, but it still feels like there are more steps to take.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a game that hits hard. It has you feeling like the most badass thing in the galaxy in one minute, before reminding you the universe is a terrifying and deadly place the next.

The graphics are good, the sound is good and the music is very nice but Sonic Dream Team is too short, unfortunately. It ends just as it starts to get really fun but I've had an enjoyable experience from start to finish and definitely recommend Dream Team.

After an almost seven-year hiatus, The Outlast Trials makes for a bold return for the series, one that takes it in a surprising new direction, but doesn't compromise on what made the previous two titles so compelling for horror fans.

Flock proved to be a game that creates the same warm and fuzzy feeling as putting on a jumper after a day out in the cold. It's a cosy, comfortable game that impresses with its visual style and soaring gameplay, but it's worth noting that the overall time you'll spend in Flock is a surprisingly short one, and without a real thread tying everything together as well, it can feel hollow at times.

It's simple, very simple at that, but hey, this game has a very clear vision of what it wants to be, and from a design and mechanical perspective it achieves that vision with flying colours. Does it work and is it effective? In part. There is entertainment value, enough that it will keep you engaged for upwards of an hour at a time, however, there's no denying that this won't be the same indie sensation as say, Vampire Survivors. If you're even marginally curious about how such an unorthodox game performs in practice, I'd simply suggest checking it out, because with Berserk or Die you could either permanently add a game to your collection, or get half a pack of V-Bucks... I know what I'd prefer to do with my money.

Considering that there are 169 different Shard Cards, it feels like there is a lack of tactical and strategic depth in Fragpunk's team game setup, which Bad Guitar would need to work on. I've encountered some glitches with the netcode as well that would need to be tweaked but overall I've enjoyed this colourful action title.

Ara: History Untold is beautiful to look at, offers complexity, and nails its concept with flying colours, but it lacks the customisation options its competitors offer, and is technically substandard. It has great potential to be a truly brilliant addition to the genre if the developers can fix the major technical issues, balance problems, and can update the title properly, turning the game into something that also survives the test of time.

Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 is well-stocked but incomplete, containing great games that could have been updated.

This is a damn fine effort from a relatively untested studio, and while the studio chronically comes close to realising many of their ambitions here, it's easy to love, and also pretty easy to recommend.

Sassy Chap Games did not succeed here, because the good stories are overshadowed by boredom when you go from one room to another just to talk to another character in your house. You have to be more than usually fond of short stories and quirky characters to stay interested in Date Everything! for any length of time.

Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club lives trapped in the cases of the past, and will continue to drag the heavy chains of archaic, clunky gameplay for all eternity.

Alien: Rogue Incursion isn't just a great VR game; it's one of the best Alien gaming experiences. The world is clearly built with love for Alien mythology, and the story is intriguing and believable with its surprises. The gameplay is diverse and technically well-executed, and the atmosphere is thrillingly exciting, thanks to the stunning visual style and detailed environment, as well as the multi-dimensional and authentic soundscape. While minor bugs with the virtual hands and somewhat one-dimensional combat were present, the overall experience, even against high expectations, is one of the year's best.

The Thaumaturge is stuffed with ideas that sound great on paper, but the end result may have bitten off more than it can chew, as a lot of its concepts feel undercooked without delivering on their grandiose aims.

Total War: Pharaoh is a really nice upgrade almost on all fronts, and the ability to customise your campaign has also been preserved. If they could just update the interface. To me Pharaoh is one of the best historical Total War titles in a long time.

This is just the RTS genre at its absolute best, and while Relic could have done more, they really could, what they have done works well overall, and at a lower price, it's hard not to recommend it.

Lunark is in many ways an entertaining indie game with numerous good ideas. The pixel graphics are one of several reasons why it has a charm that is hard to resist, but the game is mainly a voyage to how games used to feel in many respects.

Despite a few elements that rubbed me the wrong way, there's not much else you can say about The Smurfs: Dreams other than the fact that this game is a pleasant, sweet, easy, and good cooperative platforming experience. It won't eat up much of your time, it generally will keep you interested with unique level design and gameplay iteration, and the difficulty and degree of challenge means it's an accessible and fitting offering for all ages.

With such an affordable price (€17.49), replayability options with different difficulty levels, collectables and challenging achievements (such as completing the game in less than three hours), I can't help but recommend Crisol. It's a game that reimagines Spanish history and folklore, constantly reminding you of this with the names of the characters and visual information, as well as its aesthetic and sound design, but in terms of gameplay, it doesn't matter where you're from, because you'll find a first-person action title that's well worth considering.

Super Robot Wars Y has an acceptable foundation to stand on as already mentioned, but no effort has been put into making a good final product. Everything feels cheap and substandard, and what could be an entertaining title is reduced to an underwhelming adventure that isn't worth your time or money.

Fatal Frame II: The Crimson Butterfly Remake certainly has its flaws, but it also manages to show an uninitiated player like myself why the series has earned its place in horror history, even if it can't quite measure up to the latest offerings from its famous relatives.

Although it lacks the complexity you find in Anno or The Settlers, it stands on its own with a unique setting and well-crafted game mechanics.

Code Vein II pales in comparison to many others. If you've experienced the best in the genre, this simply feels several levels below. It's not just about the enormous strengths of those games, but unfortunately more about the weaknesses of this game and the fact that the areas that needed to be more polished unfortunately aren't.

If, like me, you enjoyed Scott Pilgrim as a kid, and always wanted more of this unserious, nerdy franchise, then Scott Pilgrim EX is a perfect dose of pixel graphics, evil exes, and enemies that burst into coins when they're defeated.

This is soulless, unimaginative and stupid in its design and just a way for Gameloft and Disney to try to make a quick buck on an ever-growing sub-genre.

Despite the fact that Princess Peach: Showtime! has some brilliant elements and is effortlessly fun, it is clear that it feels like a safer and more rudimentary offering from Nintendo. But, for younger folk or those less familiar with gaming or the world of Mario, there is heaps of fun to be had with this game.

Ruffy and the Riverside is a charming little tribute to the classic 3D puzzle platformers of the 1990s, and it has a nice ace up its sleeve in the form of the swap feature. However, it is also a bit limiting, and I think the visuals may be a bit of a hit or miss for many.

The Cub is an ideal game to work through in an evening or two, and for that matter, and considering the interesting storyline and pretty graphics, it's a decent showing from Demagog.

In many ways, Tiny Glade's strengths are also its weaknesses. Of course, it's a very difficult balance to strike because it's easy to wish endlessly for more things. At the same time, I really wish there was a bit more to the flora options and better abilities to change the landscape and introduce greater intricacy in the terrain. However, these small flaws do not prevent Tiny Glade from being a little gem in many ways that I am convinced that those who want to build small cute scenarios can have incredible fun with this game.

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos was a really joyful experience to play once again after almost 30 years. Despite its shortcomings, the game presented a really lovely feeling, and while it's undeniably old-fashioned in its structure and requires a lot of patience in places, for those who played the game previously, it offers a pleasant nostalgia trip.

The graphics are spectacular, the gameplay smooth and the world interesting, but there's still something off about it. The dark and gloomy gameplay experience quickly takes its toll, especially when physical nausea is present throughout.

It's a shame that Cities: Skylines II has performance woes because it is undoubtedly the best of the year in its genre.

The pace is fast, there are any number of enemy ships to shoot, plenty of content and a successful framing of a space war that I learn just the right amount about. There are definitely parts of the upgrade system that didn't need to be there in my opinion and parts of the game's soundtrack that don't quite fit, but those are small complaints for a game that on the whole entertains on the grandest of premises.

Darwin's Paradox! may be here for a good time, not a long time, but what a good time it is. Bringing classic platformers up to more modern standards, it proves a short, sweet, mechanically sound experience that I'll gladly take more of if ZDT Studio wants to bring this plucky octopus back to our screens.

Volgarr the Viking II feels like a pretty niche game in that it's mainly trying to appeal to those who want this kind of challenge in this suit of pixels, and the whole combination feels absolutely retro in every way imaginable in just the right way. So, if you know you're that gamer, it's certainly worth checking out, but for me it didn't really stand out.

Mafia: The Old Country is a perfectly decent action game. It's clear that the ambition was to offer some kind of hybrid between linear and open world gameplay. The developers wanted to tighten up the experience to make it engaging, well-directed, and grandiose, but even though I personally worship open worlds, I would have preferred to see them lean even more towards streamlining this. In an action game of this kind, which is also quite short, I simply think that there should have been more variety and a significantly higher tempo to make it feel more engaging in the end.

If you have a penchant for crime novels or detective games, this is a game you can't afford to miss.

It's not a flawless project and it has its vices, but the setup, the simplicity, and the minor elements that all work hand-in-hand to make this feel more premium.