Even if you've played Ninja Gaiden II before, this is the perfect opportunity to take it for another spin. And if for some reason you've missed this newer generation of Ninja Gaiden altogether, Ninja Gaiden II Black is the best place to start.

It's entertaining in glimpses, no doubt about it, but from combat to meta upgrades, from static storytelling to a slightly half-baked daily gameplay loop, it's not like Eternal Strands offers a lot, but it also manages to telegraph pretty clearly to the player that it also fails to fully realise the ideas that are here. This isn't a disaster, but it is, unfortunately, an example of a game that fumbles with priorities, and it shows.

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.

If you're looking for a competent Souls-like game with brutal boss fights, lots of cool weapons, and armour, and not least a gorgeous art style, then Tails of Iron 2 is a strong choice. For the most part, I enjoyed my 10-15 hours with the game, even though I was constantly nagged by the feeling that something more than just a solid game was lurking around the corner.

As far as a round-based tower-defence action game goes, Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap nails the task at hand well. It's entertaining, highly replayable, fine as a solo experience and better as a cooperative one, and it has stunning visuals too. After a bunch of hours it can feel a bit one-dimensional and repetitive due to its lacking narrative and steady progression, but as far as an easy and intuitive game to pick up and enjoy with friends goes, there's a lot to love and appreciate about this latest chapter in the series.

As a whole, it's just a little too stripped down and without directly surprising or offering anything that feels directly exciting. The game comes with a low price tag and true hardcore fans of the genre can certainly get themselves a few hours of perfectly fine entertainment.

If Savage Level can improve how this game feels to play, reducing some of the irritable frustrations, then I do believe that Flint: Treasure of Oblivion can entertain for its short duration. But as it stands, especially for players on console or intending to use a controller on PC, there's simply too much to be desired from this game as of the moment.

The PC version of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth is a powerful experience that really shows what modern hardware can do for gaming. If you love the game's story and have been waiting for the PC version, you won't be disappointed. Square Enix has delivered a solid port that allows even more players to experience this epic adventure. The game's strong technical foundation, combined with an already fantastic story and gameplay, makes it a release worth considering even if you already know the story from previous versions.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a cult platformer, with some memorable levels and some very fun ones, which is very enjoyable on handheld and allows you to play again in co-op on the TV. It has all the content released to date, including the 3DS extras and all the cutscenes in HD, and if this is your genre or you're a DK fan, you can't miss this classic that, if you want, can test you like no other on Switch.

If you're a lover of the musou genre, this is a must-have title for you. But if this is going to be your first time playing this type of game, it's good to know that repetition and "routine" combat is part of it. In any case, you will feel like a truly "unique" hero.

With the available deck-builder mechanics and campaign, Songs of Silence is an excellent starting point for the slightly inexperienced strategy player who wants to get to know the genre better.

It's very easy to recommend Power Rangers Rita's Rewind. It's an incredibly loving tribute to the phenomenon and a fun game that's well worth playing through, even for those who like beat 'em ups or retro games in general but have no relation to the brand.

On one hand, the short and tight nature of the experience, the eccentricity, and the fun movement keeps you entertained and consistently surprised. But at the same time, it comes across as a bit of a one-trick pony, a game that feigns depth and content variation and in reality struggles to be more than what's on the surface.

What is clear is that the overall experience as The Spirit of the Samurai is satisfying, even beyond having such special artwork. The voice acting is very well done, and the story, which also connects to the present in a way, kept me entertained for a few hours until the end credits.

I would describe Fairy Tail 2 as a game that does what it's supposed to do without showing off too much. Because all the systems fulfil their purpose. The characters feel elaborate without shining, the graphics are appealing without adding anything new, and the music and setting lull you into classic Japanese role-playing that sticks to the framework to the letter. However, there is nothing special that grabs your interest, but most of it feels well done without reaching further emotionally.

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.

There are definitely things to improve on but many of the things are small things that never get in the way of the overall experience which can only be described as really good. This could definitely be a game that will entertain us for many years to come and that we strongly believe will be built on properly and make it even more rich in content (which it already is).

Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver I & II Remastered is not actually a bad game from a modern perspective, but it is quite easy to imagine that those who have not played the games before may not understand why they were hits in their time.

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.

In the end, I would describe Fairy Tail 2 as a game that does what it's supposed to do without showing off too much. Because all the systems fulfil their purpose. The characters feel elaborate without shining, the graphics are appealing without adding anything new, and the music and setting lull you into classic Japanese role-playing that sticks to the framework to the letter. However, there is nothing special that grabs your interest, but most of it feels well done without reaching further emotionally. If you're a fan of the series already, I can definitely see that you'll be more entertained than someone who's never met these characters before, but if, like me, you don't feel any connection to the world that makes up this colourful anime saga, you should probably wait for a greatly reduced price before you take on Fairy Tail 2.

This really is a success story, a story of a studio that could have gone a different route, but chose to use a different, more daring structural genre framework with unexpected sources of inspiration, giving us something that we really need in general. Respect to MachineGames for going all in, because this is a no-brainer for me to recommend.

If you like games like Bubble Bobble and aren't expecting something that turns that whole concept upside down, it might be worth checking out Slam and Roll. It's classic arcade, nothing more, nothing less.

So, the key thing to take away from my experience with 30 Birds is that this game is a colourful and rich puzzle game that excels thanks to its unusual narrative and beautiful art direction.

Neon Blood's short running time is an advantage because there is not enough content and ideas to fill more hours of entertainment. However, I wish Chaotic Brain had chosen to give the story more weight and a darker tone. They never managed to engage me and it feels like they themselves were lost and didn't really know in which direction they wanted to take the adventure.

With all of these points combined, the main thing to note is that while there are a lot of similarities between Fitness Boxing 2: Rhythm and Exercise and Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer, this game also feels like a significant step forward in almost every conceivable metric. It's tighter, more responsive, has a deeper list of game modes, looks better, and still delivers the engaging and rewarding fitness activities that we expect from the franchise.

Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Festival has the potential to entertain for what feels like endless hours. Not least thanks to the fact that you can buy 700 songs if you wish, but also thanks to the fact that there are so many game modes to choose from where everyone entertains on their own terms.

Our impressions are generally positive, partly because it works more often than not, partly because it creates great gaming memories, and partly because it improves on many of its predecessor's gameplay systems. It's the amount of technical issues that prevent this from reaching higher heights than its predecessor.

Bugs and performance issues aside, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an excellent game. Despite all the hurdles, GSC Game World has matched and exceeded expectations with this dystopian shooter. An addictive game world, satisfying and challenging gunplay, combined with plenty of characters that bring the Zone to life makes the whole package an experience I won't soon be forgetting.