With its vibrant visuals and looping roguelike elements, Ultros is a Metroidvania that dares to be different and for that alone, it earns my respect.

Despite Foamstars looking like an amateur project from Fortnite Creative Mode, I've still had a bunch of fun matches with good friends.

It's not like there's a particularly memorable overall narrative here, and it would have helped Lil' Guardsman to feel as mesmerising on a broader scale as it does when you're just... well, being in it. That said, this is an awful lot of charm for the amount of money it costs.

I can't say that I feel that Beyond Doors is an experience I will carry with me for a long time. In many ways, it doesn't feel like much more than a shrug of the shoulders, but it's a pretty harmless and light-hearted pastime that lasts for around two hours if you feel like doing some puzzles.

Silent Hill: The Short Message falls flat in so many areas. It's not the least bit creepy, it tells its story and treats the subject in an ambiguous way, it doesn't really feel like a game in the series and then there's that damn mobile phone that presents more problems than solutions.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has fundamental design issues everywhere you look. This is a case of Rocksteady making the wrong decisions from the outset, and while they've executed their vision with technical sophistication and attention to detail, make no mistake; Suicide Squad is polished and 'gorgeous,' but scratch the surface and give it more than 30 minutes and it all falls apart.

If you're coming from Persona 5, you'll have to be prepared for Reload to take its time getting started. Otherwise, we're dealing with a sublime remake that makes an 18-year-old game feel brand new.

The storyline is compelling, the art style striking, the gameplay systems simplistic, and the performance so accessible that you could probably run this game on a burner phone. It's these strengths in mind that make me disappointed that the game can be such a frustration to actually play, because the movement and the rigidness of the deduction suite dramatically impact the amount of fun you can have while playing Chronique des Silencieux.

Essentially, don't expect to find a revamped or a completely new Phantom Abyss experience with this 1.0 update, because that isn't what this is. Instead, what you'll find is simply an upgrade and slight improvement to various aspects and parts of the entire framework that constitutes what Team WIBY created in the first place. If you've never played Phantom Abyss before, now is the perfect time to check it out, and likewise if you haven't played since early in the EA launch, there's a reason to return to it again. But, if you've been routinely playing this game for the past 18 months, you'll likely be a little disappointed that the 1.0 debut didn't come with a bit more meat on its bones, if you will.

Fighting simply doesn't get much better than this, and the utterly furious and hyper-excited Tekken 8 will be my main fighting game for years to come.

Ryu Ga Gotoku have managed to expand and progress not only the JRPG system of the current series, but its narrative, character development and extra content. Besides being better in almost everything, and offering a gaming experience that no other can match, it can boast of being an unrivalled graphical portent.

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

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.

Peak of Combat should really have been named "Peak of Greed" because it is without a doubt one of the most disgusting games in terms of pay-to-play I've come across in the last 10 years.

As things are, I'd only recommend this to lovers of the originals for nostalgia and fan service alone, and with a couple of caveats at that. If you're looking for way more intricate and engaging anime stories dealing with the mind, you have a great alternative in the two AI: The Somnium Files games on the same platform. That being said, I now can't help but wanting CiNG's own Kyle Hyde saga (Hotel Dusk and Last Window) to get the Switch HD treatment, just with a bit more care and polish.

Even with a fair chunk of the extra content feeling lacklustre, the core content, AKA the base game that launched back in 2020, is so good that it elevates The Last of Us: Part II Remastered out of middling waters.

For a multitude of reasons this game is an absolute blast. But just because it has its strengths doesn't mean that The Lost Crown is a home run. There is room for improvement for this game and the way it is fundamentally designed, specifically in how the tale is weaved together in a narrative sense.

I would have loved to have enjoyed my time with Raccoo Venture more than I did, because we need good old platform games like we saw in the 1990s, but Raccoo Venture never quite gets there.

There is no way to explain exactly how magnificent it is no matter how many superlatives I use. It's the biggest VR game to date with 60 glorious hours of main story and at least double that if you want to do everything and you will. In fact, as soon as I was forced back into the real world, I just wanted to go back.

Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections does a half-hearted job of celebrating both Naruto's 20th anniversary as an anime and 15 years of the Ninja Storm series.

Last Train Home is a very good attempt to interpret the journey of the Czechoslovak Legion through war-torn Russia. It offers intrigue, treachery, battles and exciting events. With a focus on survival, it kept me engaged and the journey took me just over 30 hours to complete.

If, like me, you've been thirsting for more SWAT, it's really time to get this and with tactics, strategy and patience set off on Los Sueño's worst criminals.

If you've eaten too much after this year's extraordinary role-playing buffet, you can easily let this serving go by in the first instance, but if you have an appetite for more and an interest in the universe, Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader is definitely worth a recommendation.

This was not a game in the first place. It was a scam, and the fact that Fntastic announced they were shutting down their operations just four days after the launch says it all. [Early Access Score = 20]

The Finals has that detailed, extensive and bombastic sound that Battlefield used to have but today lacks. It also flows well and in the end it's easy to like The Finals. For a completely free game, this is absolutely perfect.

I can imagine that this is a good gateway to puzzle gaming for younger folk. For me personally, this feels far too easy and this could have done with a few more difficult puzzles.

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.

Sniper Elite VR: Winter Warrior mixes a solid campaign with some fun setpieces that feel just like the thrilling experience of the traditional game. Yet, with some clunky controls and visuals that often feel more okay than anything else, it can't fully reach its greatest heights.

If you haven't played Ark before, I don't think you'll be disappointed when picking it up now. For fans of the original like myself, the biggest downside about Ark: Survival Ascended may be that buying this game is basically becoming a required investment if you want to keep enjoying Ark. Because as I understand it, Studio Wildcard is working actively to phase out the original game, having already shut down its official servers. This leaves players with no option but to upgrade. However, after overcoming the hurdle of paying again for a rework, there's not much holding you back from enjoying a prettier and better version of an already highly likeable game.

The freedom and lack of arrows in every direction also means you need to be more driven to make it through the adventure. I miss a custom difficulty mode from the start, unfortunately you can lock your ability to progress if you're not careful with fuel (right now in isolated situations) and 2023 locking us to 60fps is a bit outdated. Otherwise, it's the best horror game of the year

If you adore or simply enjoy Cameron’s sci-fi world, you will appreciate your time in this action-adventure title. But, if you were hoping that you would see the impact and talent of Massive shining through, introducing new, unique, and game changing mechanics and systems, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

Aside from some clunky controls and annoying speech, I still had quite a bit of fun with Tourist Trap. However, it didn't take much more than two hours to complete and I can feel that's a bit on the small side.

If you like Castlevania's delightful playability and Bloodborne's gothic design thinking, The Last Faith won't leave you disappointed for a single second.

The foundation and the ideas you have here are absolutely good, but the execution is a little too simple.

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.

It definitely needed a little more time in the oven because we are really talking about half baked here.

Sometimes it feels as if Outerloop Games has tried to cram a little too much into the just over ten hour long game, which leaves me with a feeling of slight disappointment, where some parts simply felt really rushed. That said, the advantages still outweigh the disadvantages and I had an unexpectedly good time in Timber Hills.

Worldless is a slightly mysterious game and it's not easy to get started. I usually like simple and abstract games where there is room to interpret your own narrative - but this was almost too much of a good thing.

Parts of Flashback 2 seem to be copied directly from Shadow Complex from 2009 while other parts are reminiscent of everything else that has been done in this genre in the last ten years.

The important thing for me is to warn you properly so that you don't end up paying for this horrible rubbish. Because this is, along with Skull Island: Rise of Kong and Lord of the Rings: Gollum, the worst game of the year.

Astral Ascent isn't looking to redefine what you have to come to expect from a roguelike, but it is clear that what Hibernian Workshop has created is a very complete, coherent, and competent example of what roguelikes at their finest can be.

Forza Customs is not something you should spend time on. I like puzzle games and I like tuning and styling cars in various racing games, but this was just thrown together to make a lot of money from forced microtransactions and has nothing to do with Forza.

Even if you think that this should do well in VR and take advantage of all the possibilities of the format, it does not feel particularly fun.

As it stands right now, the game is one that does act as a solid introduction to Warhammer Age of Sigmar, the RTS genre, or both. A great look, decent battles, and plenty of customisation make the Realm of Beasts inviting despite it not being the perfect holiday destination.

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

It’s fun to kill a few hours and hack your way through the underworld but it is hardly something I will return to.

The sum of my opinions with The Talos Principle II is that you can buy it without the slightest concern. It is a clear improvement on one of my favourite games of 2014 in exactly every way.

Out of the Blue is clearly talented at storytelling and has a knack for creating interesting puzzles, but I can't help but feel like this game is playing it a bit too safe at times with how basic many of its mechanics and gameplay systems are.

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.

When it was all said and done, and after 12-15 hours of playtime, I felt pretty good about Super Mario RPG as both finally getting to play the original adventure in full, and enjoying one of the finest remakes Nintendo has ever published.

The last few days I've spent with Just Dance 2024 are enough to realise that it's not a game for me. Not because I dislike dancing, but simply because of the way Ubisoft has set up the game.

Despite all the criticism, I wouldn't really go as far as to say that the game sucks, but it has a lot of untapped potential and unfortunately never really bites. [Meta Quest]

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is without a doubt the lowest point in this rebooted Modern Warfare series, and one of (if not the) lowest points in the series altogether, but that's not just because of the limited and rushed content, it's also because Call of Duty as a whole has become a user nightmare.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a title that serves as a bridge between the two main series by filling in those plot holes left over from Yakuza: Like a Dragon, while also offering a complete new epilogue to Kazuma Kiryu as the protagonist, before ceding his throne as Like a Dragon's protagonist to Ichiban Kasuga.

With stiff competition from The Lord of the Rings: Gollum and Skull island: The Rise of Kong, this qualifies for the worst game of 2023 category.

Jumanji: Wild Adventures is a great bit of fun for a few friends or a family. Incredibly easy to pick up and play with unique characters and varied levels, there's a lot to like, but there are a few areas in which it stumbles.

EA Sports UFC 5 is the best game in this sport. The new graphics engine has brought new life to the series, but otherwise not much has changed in the three years since the last game was released.

Do you need to buy Football Manager 2024 if you already play last year's version? Nah, not at full price. There's not enough new content.

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.

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.

The driving itself is brilliant, the stages wonderful, the amount of content unbelievable and the audio-visual presentation really impressive. The menu system is nothing to shout about and the damage to the cars needs to be fixed, but other than that, this is a fantastic rally game that I will spend a thousand hours with.

Jusant has a lot on its mind and says very little with no words. The same can be said of its gameplay, which squeezes an incredible amount of expressive immersion out of very few simple mechanics.

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.

Remedy deserves all the praise I can muster for being brave enough to make some exciting design choices that limit Alan Wake 2's mass appeal, but increase the enjoyment for those of us who remain. They deserve for me to call this game what I think it is - a masterpiece.

It's simply impossible to find a single part of Skull Island: Rise of Kong that doesn't border on record-breaking, which is why I'm forced to hand out our very lowest rating. This is by far the worst game of the year, without any doubt whatsoever.

Sure the combat is a bit basic, the narrative middling at best, the enemy AI and actions are awful and highly predictable, the pacing too steady, and there are a fair collection of glitches when you mine and rip apart a wall with your pickaxe, but besides from these issues Return to Moria is good return for form for the usually rather fun The Lord of the Rings video games.

The original Ghostrunner gave us a simple premise and great action which combined to give us a thrill we didn't know we needed. Its sequel then steps in much more confidently, fleshing out the world, introducing new characters, while still giving us the same irresistible formula that charmed fans in the first place.

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

When it works, Laika: Aged Through Blood is top-notch entertainment in prime time, and proof that suddenly there is pure innovation on the indie scene worthy of mainstream attention.

It does lack some of the finer subtleties and intricacies that make a game special, but considering this is a project tailored to younger folk, there really isn't much that The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is doing wrong.

I do believe that Hellboy Web of Wyrd largely succeeds in being a faithful title to the franchise. However, this is down to its story, visuals, and performances, rather than the gameplay loop, which is a real problem for a roguelite.

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

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the 2D platforming Super Mario Bros. game we have been waiting for, for years.

At its best, The Lamplighters League is really charming with colourful characters and a somewhat clichéd but entertaining apocalyptic story. Unfortunately, it doesn't go all the way to the finish line and the repetitive structure is a bit of a let down.

This is a well made and fun game, with great art and a quality multiplayer offering, but it's held back by overwhelming and demanding crafting, RPG, and progression that takes the sting and thrill out of the broader experience.

Amazing, spectacular, superior, ultimate. All words that have been used to describe Spider-Man in his comic run and adjectives I could use to describe Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

Not without its clear flaws but good enough to follow Iori and Saber's long story all the way to the end.

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.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is a decent kart racer. The gameplay works well, you can easily do long powerslides, the many vehicles feel and sound different and the tracks are quite well designed.

Arzest has repaired its reputation after the horrible Balan Wonderworld and released a charming family game that captures most of the things about Sonic that are worth preserving.

Lords of Fallen is a solid Souls-like that goes beyond being just another genre copycat. Its combat feels fluid and has plenty of depth due to its nine starting classes and its dual-world concept literally helps to add another dimension to its combat and exploration.

NHL 24 is NHL 23 with some, but far too few, great additions. The Exhaust Engine is a welcome addition, but what does it add when almost everything is last year's game, down to using the same intro and cutscenes in career mode.

While I won't deny that Saltsea Chronicles has a slow pace that often leaves a little to be desired, this indie adventure game does have its moments.

Considering how much pure rubbish is actually released for our mobiles, it's really nice to see how the pattern is sometimes broken with a real quality game, which this is. It's highly recommended.

Counter-Strike 2 is a solid package in many ways. It's still the best in its sub-genre and I can see myself playing it for thousands of hours, as I did with its predecessors.

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.

The investigations are good and the story isn't bad either, and being a title aimed at young Pokémon investigators, Detective Pikachu Returns offers a good introduction to games of this type.

Ubisoft really succeeded with Assassin's Creed Mirage. Slimming down the experience was a good move to prevent the fatiguing nature that was oh-so apparent in the bigger RPGs.

Forza Motorsport is a very well made racer with solid graphics, top performance (bar a few infinite loading screens), brilliant menus that feel intuitive and quick, and a decent physics engine powering the whole thing.

Few games have fascinated me the way Cocoon does with its metre-thick atmosphere and reality-distorting challenges. It's an alien among its earthly peers, and even when it draws on a classic series like The Legend of Zelda, it twists the concepts we know so well, such as requiring you to diligently travel between worlds in a split-second. Some games mesmerise you with their breadth and almost hubristic level of ambition. Cocoon does this by perfectly executing its tight focus - just as its role model Portal did twice more than a decade ago.

The game is good for what it is and if you were a fan of Punch-Out!! in the good old days, this might be something to check out.

It's a huge homage to Jet Set Radio and Jet Set Radio Future, and if you liked those two games, Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is a must-have.

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

In its present state, it largely lacks polish and this overshadows a lot of what it gets right in terms of giving players a rich tool set and freedom in how heists are approached.

Akaoni Studio has managed to produce a title that is simple but closed in its proposal. In which only an easily ignorable defect in tone slightly weakens a game that has a good rhythm and makes you have a good time.

Phantom Liberty and the 2.0 update give CD Projekt RED's title a second life. And while many may already consider their time in Night City to be over, this new story may give you more than a few surprises.

This is a great party game that is easy to recommend. It is fun both online and offline, the presentation is fantastic and the concept is created in such a way that it is almost always exciting.

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.