It's not the most mechanically complex game, has a middling and quite forgettable core storyline, and it's over in a flash, but otherwise this is a delightful and charming title that will effortlessly entertain for a few evenings.

It's got all the hallmarks of a bullet-hell standout and the simplicity of its gameplay design had me staying up far too late going for just one more attempt at a boss. Like Balatro before it, it's another indie hit this year where I can feel it ever so easily taking hours of time in the blink of an eye.

Thunderful has delivered a sequel that feels like an evolution of the format that made the first game so special, with a rich aesthetic, great buildcrafting and progression systems, tight combat, better exploration, and that typical SteamWorld charm creeping out of every crack too.

The car physics are clearly impressive and I absolutely believe that iRacing will be able to make really impressive things out of this system in the future, especially with how realistically the chassis moves. However, as it stands, Exocross is not a very fun game.

NeoSprint is a charming game in a retro genre already overflowing with games. It does nothing to stand out from the crowd, but at the same time it offers what is most important in a car game: driving pleasure.

Solitaire for Windows was one of the most played games for many years, and before social media and online shopping it supposedly hampered productivity at many in an office. I doubt Royal Card Clash will achieve the same effect, but if you're looking for some simple entertainment for your commute or holiday, it's definitely worth a download.

The game is not for everyone, but you have to take your hat off to a developer who doesn't compromise on their game design. There is a logic that you have to catch and you have to have the patience to let the game unfold. If you don't, Riven is not for you. If you have the patience, Riven is a fantastic adventure where the puzzles and the world are the star.

If you're looking to keep a cute digital critter, you can't do much better than Weyrdlets. The design of the creatures blends that perfect mix of dopey and cute to make you feel like the worst person in the world when you aren't chucking treats and toys at your pet. On the other hand, as a game the overall experience falls quite short, with a slowness to it that could turn you off depending on how attached you become to your pet.

If Coal Supper had ended up with a gameplay model that was as interesting to engage with mechanically as it is downright magnificent to look at, experience and listen to, then this would have been one of the best games of the year.

The best words I can possibly use to describe The Operator is that never once during my playthrough of this game did I wish I was on the other end of the phone call, in the heat of the action in the field, ducking under gunshots and evading danger. Bureau 81 has somehow made being Alfred more exciting than being Batman.

F1 Manager 2024 is a joy to play, with the hours flying by at a downright terrifying pace and I can't help but tip my hat to what is so far the most complete, competent and absorbing F1 Manager experience you can get, well... without actually being employed as a manager of a real F1 team, of course.

Jemma "moves a little differently" in this world and that is not just fine - it's what gives Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure a double purpose in terms of both unique gameplay and narrative. It makes you think, and not just about the puzzles themselves, while you try to make everything fit, or perhaps while you are actually disarranging what was a bit too arranged. For this lovely adventure we're thankful, this is the game you all have to play this summer.

There is clear quality and potential with Nobody Wants to Die, whether it's the aesthetic and worldbuilding, the performances and mysterious narrative, even the striking and detailed visuals, however, the gameplay itself leaves much to be desired. After four hours of completing what are essentially quick-time events to use many of the tools and systems in place and following a story that may as well be on rails, you begin to lose interest.

Such ambition, especially when coming from a smaller studio, often leads to a messy, directionless game, but Microbird Games have avoided such pitfalls. It's too bad they're Austrian, for I really want to compare the game to a Swiss clock - each of the individual parts are of extremely high quality and work together in nearly perfect harmony.

Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition's recommendation highly relies on your own background and circles. Local 8-player on the same big screen is amazing, the Legend challenges are a piece of video game history, and the selection is an accurate journey through Nintendo's late 80s and early 90s, respecting the flavour and even the glitches and framerate drops of those gems.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is a massive achievement by A44, let's not forget that. This is a relatively small team that has spent years realising a game that in almost every way competes far outside the team's normal weight class. In that sense, it's amazing that there aren't more compromises or failed design attempts, because there are very few things you can point to that really don't work here. It's not for everyone, but for me this has been solid summer entertainment, and for that reason it's pretty easy to recommend to anyone with a penchant for this formula, as long as you can overlook the jank.

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.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess shows how versatile Capcom can be and it ends up being one of 2024's most surprising games to date. It's surprising because it shakes things up so that pieces from several different genres end up landing in quite surprising ways. It's a surprisingly well-functioning hybrid between an action game, a tower defence and a strategy game.

Behind all the false benevolence, there's a simple, clever and charming gameplay loop that has entertained me for a couple of nights in a row, and could very well continue to do so.

Schim is a nice little puzzle game that is quite relaxing to play. There's no stress and you can explore the surroundings as you wish - and there are often several different things to find. You might miss a little variety in the gameplay and perhaps a little ingenuity in the use of shadows and light, but overall it's a pleasant puzzle game with a good vibe and a nice minimalist visual style. So, if you're looking for a cosy little puzzle game, Schim is a good choice.

Ultimately there are a lot of things about Zenless Zone Zero that I enjoy, but unfortunately a lot of my own experience stumbles because of the genre it has chosen to embrace and the playability it then tries to adapt to.

The absurd nature makes it stand out and shine, although that's not all that excels here. It doesn't overstay its welcome, it constantly adds additional challenge and variety through new enemy types, more weapons, and fresh biomes, matches that up with a top-notch presentation and tight and flawless performance, and yet still has the presence to provide tough and truly demanding additional activities for those that want to push themselves to the limit. If you're looking for an energetic, loud, and violent action experience this summer, Anger Foot is the game to choose.

If you're looking for a nostalgic multiplayer action game that you can play with the family (there's also split-screen here), then Hypercharge: Unboxed is not a bad option at all.

Crow Country is a very well-composed horror adventure that blends the best of the past without us having to pull our old Sega Saturn out of the closet.

I like the quirky charm of the game and the puzzles are something I always personally enjoy. As so often, this works very well in VR. However, the game itself feels a bit too stripped down and doesn't really do much new for the format itself.

The gunplay, Descendant options, buildcrafting, visuals and graphics, action, cooperative systems, these all work hand-in-hand to make this an promising experience. It's just hampered in so many other places that make me frustrated and tired of playing.

It's still a pleasant platformer with interesting gameplay mechanics, varied and detailed unique locations to explore, a broad list of enemy types to face and overcome, and lots of secrets to find hidden in nooks and crannies. But at the same time, this HD remaster is inferior to Luigi's Mansion 3 in pretty much every conceivable metric, and there's not a strong enough sense of nostalgia here to save it.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is still the most fun I've had with the series in over 20 years, and I'm actually at the time of writing looking forward to taking my Switch with me on vacation to break my own records. I just wish Sega would scale back production, as less is more here. Trying to add a story in this case is as relevant as trying to improve Tetris with a tale of missing blocks, rival gangs and Tetrominos speaking in fake children's voices in a made-up language. It wasn't for their delightful personalities that I once learned to love AiAi, MeeMee, Bano and GonGon - but because they were in an incredibly good game.