Everything about Deep Sky Derelict seems to have been done right, from the synthwave soundtrack to the lore to the unusual combat system. It’s rare that a game with procedural elements holds my attention for long, and rarer still that an RPG can show me something new.

It’s got the sun, it’s got the babes, it’s got the bikinis and it’s got the water guns. Plus, it’s got innuendo by the bucketload.

Ultimately, Ion Fury is just a disappointment on console. It would have been a nice diversion had it been at least as good as the PC version, but it’s a thoughtless port that doesn’t take console nuances into account. Even worse, it suffers from technical issues that suck even more fun out of it. Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison deserves better.

It’s certainly not the ideal game for those expecting sweat-inducing horror or adrenaline-pumping action, but for those who like to explore eerie environments and unravel a good story, there’s a good evening’s worth of entertainment.

Ultimately, Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3: Slime Speedway is a competent karting game. It looks nice, there’s plenty of single player content, and it boasts a strong roster of characters and tracks. But did we need another game in the series? Could the new content and characters not simply be an expansion to the previous release? Questions we’ll never know the answer to. If you already own Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2, you’re not exactly getting a completely new experience. But if you’re new to the franchise and enjoy easy-going karting games, you likely won’t be disappointed with what is undoubtedly the best entry yet.

Irrespective of its perceived value based on its length and price though, there’s no doubt that Blues and Bullets: Episode One alludes to a series that could be somewhat of a diamond in the rough, and I for one am keen to see as to how it develops.

If you’re an ardent shoot ’em up fan, there’s no doubt that Cotton Reboot! is an attractive proposition. And if you’re the type that will replay it countless times in order to master its stages and claim a spot at the top of the online leaderboards, the price probably shouldn’t put you off. The fact remains that there are plenty of shoot ’em ups available that are just as good if not better, however, and many of them are cheaper. So, unless you’re chomping at the bit to play it, you might want to wait for it to go on sale.

TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 3 is another solid entry in the series, which thankfully mixes things up quite a lot. It’s still not all that welcoming to beginners, and there are some minor issues that might aggravate players from time to time, but overall, fans of the sport are likely to lap this up. Fast, brutal and at times utterly beautiful, TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 3 will reward you if you put in the time and effort to master it. But approach it with recklessness and it’ll just give you road rash.

If you fondly remember any of the Turrican games and long to play them once again, you’d be wise to consider Turrican Flashback a must-have. All of the games in this collection retain their original charm, but are made more playable thanks to revamped control schemes and additional features. It’s not the most generous of offerings when it comes to extras, sure, but when buying just one of these games second-hand costs more than this entire collection, who cares?

Harold Halibut stands out for its painstakingly gorgeous stop-motion animation, but as a game it falls short of the mark. If you’re looking for a charming story with plenty of heart, Harold’s shortcomings are absolutely worth pushing through. But those looking for something more engaging would be better to look elsewhere.

While it may be quite a departure from a standard Atelier game, Nelke & The Legendary Alchemists is a valiant attempt to diversify the series. It may not appeal quite so much to fans of traditional JRPGs, but there’s certainly enough here to enrapture Atelier fans along with newcomers who enjoy the townbuilding genre. As long as you can get past the frustrating first hour, Nelke & The Legendary Alchemists: Ateliers of the New World opens itself up to be a rewarding and engaging experience that’s surprisingly hard to put down.

Human: Fall Flat is without a doubt an interesting little game. The dream-like tone is achieved to great effect, and the core gameplay hook is a solid one that has theoretically limitless possibilities. It is a shame therefore that there are only eight levels, which can be quickly played through in around five hours, and that only a few feel like a true sandbox.

If you’re a big fan of the original Watch Dogs, there’s no doubt you’ll get a kick out of stepping into Aiden Pearce’s Iconic shoes once more. Watch Dogs Legion: Bloodline tells a decent story, but it doesn’t do a great deal to expand the game’s world in any meaningful way. It’s another excuse to roam around London and gawp at the beautiful sights – but aside from one truly standout gameplay section, that’s about it.

qomp2 isn’t a game for everyone. While it may be a sequel to Pong, it lacks the raw simplicity of the original. And while some may fall in love with its strange premise and unique gameplay, others are likely to simply see it as a source of frustration.

If you’ve never played Zombie Army Trilogy before and are wanting to pop some undead skulls, you should seriously consider picking this up. Especially if you have like-minded friends to play it with. Hell, even those who have already played it before might get some kicks out of it too. Let’s face it, how often do you get to shoot a zombified Hitler in the face while sitting on the loo? This is a great game, not compromised in any way, now playable absolutely anywhere. There’s little better than that.

For the most part I’ve found Gods Will Fall to be an enjoyable experience despite some frustrations. Many of its gods are ugly but it has a charming art style otherwise, while a sinister soundtrack perfectly sets the tone. And while the combat could do with some tweaking to make your bigger warriors feel more useful, it’s generally fair and fun. So, if you’re into rogue-likes and want a game that tries something new with the formula, you could do far worse than attempt to lead your band of warriors to success in Gods Will Fall.

A fun take on the roguelike genre, and yet another successful ressurection of an old Atari property, Haunted House is well worth picking up – even outside of Halloween. Its cartoon-like art style is charming, and – dare I say it – its sneaky stealth mechanics are surprisingly enjoyable.

There are remasters and then there are remasters. Some companies would have just taken Saints Row: The Third, tweaked the lighting a little, bundled it with all of its DLC and shoved it out on current-gen consoles with an improved resolution and called it a day. With Saints Row: The Third Remastered, however, Sperasoft and Volition have pretty much improved every single asset and implemented graphical features that make it stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the prettiest open world games available right now. This is still Saints Row: The Third – which is to say that it’s one of the most enjoyable open-world games ever made – only now it looks and plays better then ever.

Whilst VR is mentioned on the store page as an optional experience, I’d say it’s the core experience.

Video games don’t have to equal violence. Knowing that no monsters await you around any corner, and that no band of rogues is out to kill you is strangely liberating. Put down your guns, your swords, and your bows and arrows, and step into the world of Yonder just for an hour or two. You might just love it.

If you have a PS5 and a love for motocross racing, MXGP 2020 is a bit of a no-brainer, really. It’s undoubtedly the best looking and playing game in the series yet. With no real new modes or features, however, casual players may want to think twice before splashing the cash, especially if they own last year’s MXGP 2019. It’s about time Milestone at least injected more depth into the career mode, as the series is becoming a little stale.

This flat-screen version of Alien: Rogue Incursion – Part One isn't as tense as its VR counterpart, and its gameplay isn't as exciting as a result, but it remains a solid experience for Alien fans. Just be prepared to backtrack a lot in the latter half and perhaps be disappointed by its unsatisfactory ending.

Contra: Operation Galuga is a treat for both fans of Contra and run ‘n’ gun shooters in general. And thanks to its Perk system and multiple difficulty levels, it’s one of the most accessible entries in the genre. An absolute blast from beginning to end, Contra: Operation Galuga’s campaign might be quite brief, but with its additional modes and wealth of unlockables, there’s hours upon hours of arcade fun to be had here.

What Regalia: Of Men and Monarchs is though, is a JRPG that stands on its own two feet, and despite taking many influences and using certain generic conventions, it manages to carve its own identity.

We cared deeply for both Kaito and Zoe throughout our time with Road 96: Mile 0, wanting to make the best choices for both of them. Their journey may be brief, but it’s filled with sincere moments, whether emotional, funny or tense – and it’s a story we simply couldn’t put down once we’d started. This is an excellent addition to Road 96, adding extra weight and context to the events of that game, but also standing strong on its own two feet, as a tale of two teenagers struggling to make sense of the complicated world around them. Once again, Digixart has created something wonderfully unique, and the studio’s talent for storytelling shines brighter than ever.

Beyond a Steel Sky still comes off as rushed and sometimes disjointed, with more than a few rough edges. Right up until the final ten minutes I could swear I was only halfway through the game. It’s still worth the trip if you’re a fan of the original, but Beyond a Steel Sky’s flawed journey doesn’t go far enough to truly recommend.

Dreadbit should have excluded any roguelite features to make for a more compelling and engaging experience.

Graphically, Digger Dan DX is nothing to write home about. It looks nice enough but was definitely designed with the 2DS in mind. The audio is pretty lacklustre too; there’s certainly nothing memorable, so headphones won’t really be required here. The important part as always though is the gameplay, and Digger Dan does mostly get this right.

Everything from the plot to the in-game models to the user interface is uncomplicated and utilitarian. The developers seem to have focused on creating an immersive Antarctic setting that feels brutal and imposing, and to that respect, they succeeded.

Fans of action-RPGs can’t do much wrong checking Earth’s Dawn out, but it’s by no means essential.

Immortal Redneck manages to feel punishing, yet fair. Rewards are doled out frequently enough that almost every run ends with the ability to upgrade something on the skill tree, allowing the game to maintain a forward momentum that makes it difficult to put down.

Compared to some past entries, Song of the Dark Swan‘s visuals look even more vivid and sharper than ever before, and altogether are more beautiful to look at. Even if you don’t particularly enjoy this simplistic style of game, you can appreciate the well-crafted artwork.

For ardent rally fans then, WRC 7 is well worth a look. The often dull visuals are well worth enduring for the brilliant track design on offer, and after some tweaking the handling model is very rewarding. It’s doesn’t do much to improve on last year’s offering, but those after up-to-date teams and a new challenge to get stuck into will find that it does just enough to make their investment worthwhile.

It’ll probably only take you two or three hours to make your way through Let Them Come‘s campaign, but it’s an absolute joy from start to finish.

When Chaos on Deponia works, it's a genuine joy. There are times when you'll be patting yourself on the back for solving one of the game's less nonsensical puzzles, and sometimes the game's humour is so spot-on that it'll have you laughing out loud. But at other times it can be a real slog as you struggle with the game's obtuse logic and Rufus's immensely abrasive manner.

If you want a slow-moving, brick-by-brick resource gathering sim, then this might be yours. But if you’re looking for something with deep complexity, endless creative options and rich world-building, you should probably look elsewhere.

Trailblazers is entertaining when playing against the CPU, but best when played with real people. The A.I. is no match for other competitors' emergent strategies, and you can't put a plan into action very well with it either.

Thankfully though, Holy Potatoes! A Weapon Shop?!’s charm and sense of humour helps give the game more longevity than its gameplay loop alone. Its witty dialogue and groan-worthy character puns will keep you chortling along even after you’ve got a little bored of going through the same menus.

With some perseverance and dozens upon dozens of retries, you’ll get the level down eventually, but you have to be determined and willing to go through hell. For a party game, I’m just not sure that many people will be.

If you’re a fan of snooker, then Snooker 19 is a must have. Its realism, range of players and arenas make it the Fifa of snooker games. But the lack of depth and repetitive career mode means that Snooker 19 pots the white ball just after the black. Casual players may not find much longevity, but snooker fans will enjoy it nevertheless.

MXGP 2019 isn’t a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. But it is a disappointing one.

If you’re an ardent Super Monkey Ball fan then you might want to pick up Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz HD, but you probably won’t be having the best time of your life with it. It’s a shame that Super Monkey Ball Deluxe hasn’t been given the remaster treatment instead, which amalgamated all the levels from the original Super Monkey Ball and its sequel as well as adding in a smattering of original stages for PS2 and Xbox. That was the ultimate Super Monkey Ball game, and it still is. The new additions here detract from the experience rather than enrich it.

You’re not going to blown away by Katana Kami: A Way of the Samurai Story. Don’t expect it to amaze you in any way. It is, however, a very enjoyable dungeon crawler that’s very easy to sink time into. Developing powerful swords and using them to get further into a cavernous dungeon is as engrossing as you’d expect it to be. And the fact that those swords could be lost at any moment should you suffer defeat adds tension. This isn’t the Way of the Samurai experience you’re probably used to, but it’s just as entertaining nonetheless.

Fortunately for Monster Truck Championship, it’s still the best monster truck based game available. The lack of meaningful upgrades in this next-gen version, and the lack of a free upgrade path, however, means that it’s impossible to recommend to those who have already bought it on PS4 or Xbox One – they’re better off making use of backwards compatibility unless they have money to burn. There’s just not enough here to warrant the double-dip.

It’s okay that Red Ronin doesn’t feature a killer story, because the actual gameplay does exactly what it needs to, and it does it well. Will it be a memorable game? Probably not. But this kind of puzzle games scratches a particular itch and provides a enjoyable way to pass the time. It is only a shame that this isn’t a mobile game, where it would probably find a bigger audience.

While Root Film doesn’t quite meet the standard of its excellent predecessor, Root Letter, it’s still a thoroughly entertaining visual novel, especially for those who are into murder mysteries. It isn’t afraid to dip its toes into some pretty serious topics, and does so in a respectful manner, but it also employs a bit of humour to lighten the mood when necessary. Forgive its localisation issues, and you have a fine way to step into the shoes of an investigator for just over a dozen of hours.

Considering its budget price, there’s a lot to like about Labyrinth Legend. Its combat is a little simple, and inventory management can be a bit of a pain at times, but crawling its dungeons in search of powerful loot is engrossing nonetheless. The bite-sized nature of its action works in its favour, too, allowing you to delve in and out of it before it wears thin. So, if the idea of a cute-looking dungeon crawler that doesn’t over-complicate itself appeals to you, Labyrinth Legend is well worth checking out.

If you’re looking for a game that’s challenging yet relaxing, Lawn Mowing Simulator fits the bill. Starting up your own business, you need to choose your contracts carefully and mow lawns with care. And while it really does feel like work at times, there’s something seriously enjoyable about going back and forth in serene British parks and gardens, making them look prim and proper. Ultimately, Lawn Mowing Simulator is more addictive than it has any right to be.

Mothmen 1966 is a haunting outing that, with the exception of one awkward line, uses quality writing rather than jump scares to keep you on edge. Yes, you’ll get a little extra out of it if you’ve an appreciation for cryptozoology or astrology, but that’s by no means compulsory. It’s entertaining and unsettling in equal measure and if, as its developers suggest, it’s the first of many, we look forward to seeing where LCB takes the series next.

Potion Permit is the sort of cosy, welcoming game we can find ourselves playing for hours on end, its satisfying gameplay loop never getting old or repetitive. It won’t be for everyone, but if you love games like the Atelier series and Stardew Valley, and can somehow imagine a marrying of the two, you’re going to find yourself right at home here.

The game itself is presented well, as ever, and there’s a decent range of modes. But the only things that are genuinely new here are the music tracks and the avatars. And so, if you want to sing your heart out with hits such as Knowing Me, Knowing You or Money, Money, Money, you can’t go wrong. But if not, why are you even reading this review?

Move over, Kevin McCloud: there's a new architect in town, and it's me. Architect Life is a great deal of fun for anyone who likes to get creative with designing houses. Career mode provides structure while free play lets you go wild with your ideas, and whichever mode you opt for, it's bolstered by intuitive controls and easy-to-learn mechanics.

It's beautifully presented, and the puzzle of packing boxes is mildly satisfying. But A Storied Life: Tabitha lets itself down in its storytelling, which is little more than a messy headache of ideas. If you were hoping for something to rival Unpacking, this isn't it.

If you’ve never played Saints Row: The Third before and can’t imagine playing a game on anything other than the Switch, The Full Package is a must-buy despite its technical issues. To be fair, when docked, the Switch version probably falls in line with the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions anyway. It’s also a must-buy if you use your Switch pretty much exclusively as a handheld device.

It’s hard to call Wrath of the Druids essential, but those seeking to eke out yet more gameplay from Assassin’s Creed Valhalla would be wise to check it out. As I explored the countryside of Ireland, including iconic landmarks such as The Giant’s Causeway, I couldn’t help but stop to take screenshots due to the beauty of it all. And while the gameplay boils down to more of the same, it’s enjoyable spending yet more time in Eivor’s shoes, developing their skills even further, adding more gear to their repertoire and being the person that gets things done.

As a shooter, [Ghost Recon: Wildlands] is tactical, refined, and precise. As a world it is open, sprawling, and filled with things to do/find. And as a co-op experience, it’s arguably one of the best yet.

Styx, the Master of Stealth, is back, and in his latest adventure he has more freedom than ever as he hunts down valuable Quartz. The openness of the levels is perhaps the highlight of Styx: Blades of Greed, though the new tools and skills available to Styx are also welcome. It's just a shame there are no maps to help with your navigation, and the combat remains something that will frustrate.

Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered gives a classic game a solid makeover in terms of visuals and performance, and also offers fans the chance to indulge themselves in some lost levels and more. The gameplay at the heart of the experience hasn't stood the test of time very well, though.

Taking inspiration from Elden Ring, Code Vein 2 is an ambitious sequel which presents players with a vast open world to explore. It can feel a bit lifeless at times, but it's rewarding to venture into its nooks and crannies nonetheless. And everything you do helps build your character, an endeavour which proves to be a highlight of the game, along with manipulating time to build bonds with your companions.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita's Rewind combines beat 'em up action with arcade-style shooting, but neither element is particularly impressive. And so, this is an experience that only the most ardent and patient Power Rangers fans are likely to love.

Honestly, if you’re a fan of Road Rash you really must check Road Redemption out. Fast, brutal and huge amounts of fun, it hits all the right notes to make it an unmissable slice of arcade racing with an abundance of combat. It looks nice, has a rocking soundtrack and a surprising amount of depth. A Road Rash fan really couldn’t ask for more.

That said, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying this Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus as a little bit of a guilty pleasure, devouring it of its value, and moving onto your next fix; just don’t expect anything more than that. Keep in mind it’s a port of a game that was designed for handhelds, and you won’t be disappointed.

Definitely give Maquette a try if you like puzzle games, but be aware that you’re likely to come up against numerous brick walls as you vie to reach its conclusion. The earlier puzzles are truly satisfying to crack but they quickly lose their charm, while later conundrums might leave you scratching your head in frustration. What doesn’t lose its charm, though, is the small yet beautiful narrative that you’ll want to savour every moment of. It’s just a shame there isn’t more of it.

Blue Fire‘s influences and inspirations are plain to see; Dark Souls, Super Meat Boy, classic 3D platformers. If a single one of those was its sole focus, I would be recommending Blue Fire highly. As it stands, though, I don’t really know who I would recommend it to: the jumpers or the fighters?

So, if you weren’t sure about the “musical adventure” genre, you should be now. There may not be too much competition, but Wailing Heights definitely belongs there as one of the genre’s greatest.

Not content with just the one story mode, Nitroplus Blasterz: Heroines Infinite Duel has two, but unfortunately both are pretty unremarkable.

Putting players in control of a mech-suit piloted by a rabbit, Rusty Rabbit lets them embark on an engaging adventure where they'll make their way through numerous dungeons while collecting junk, crafting new parts and unravelling the game's story. Its controls can be a little clunky and it's rather basic in some areas, but there's still fun to be had in control of old Rusty.

Atomic Heart leaves a lot to be desired, but its unique setting, varied gameplay and often inventive enemies go a long way to keep you interested in your traipse through its ruined utopia. Just bear in mind that while it may look like a AAA game, it’s not; Mundfish has achieved a great deal here, but there are signs of corners being cut and a considerable lack of polish. And so, you might want to wait for a patch or two to sort out some of its unfortunate bugs and other blemishes, but you could do a lot worse than venture into the hostile world that Atomic Heart offers.

Yes, having to replay the same section time and again until you get your jump, timing and execution just right can be infuriating, but when you do nail a section, it comes with a great sense of achievement. No matter how difficult its challenges become, Glyph is a game that begs you to keep going. And thanks to its charming design and beautiful environments, it’s likely that you will.

Warriors All-Stars has quickly become my favourite Warriors game of recent times. The great cast, the huge amount of content and the smattering of unique game mechanics all combine to make a game that’s fun despite its repetitive nature. It’s yet again a ridiculous power fantasy, but this time with more colour, wit and humour. That makes it a winner in my book, despite its couple of missteps.

If you’ve got an evening that you want to fill with a charming narrative adventure, The Last Worker will fit the bill. Just don’t expect it to make a major impact on you. While its story starts out strong, it fizzles out as it reaches its climax, and a number of frustrating gameplay elements suck a little fun from the experience. Thankfully, the strength of its presentation and excellent voice acting will at least keep you determined to see things through.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythmic Adventure Pack is a lot of fun. It’s a unique combination of rhythm game and RPG, presented in a way that only a Japanese video game series could be. It’s over-the-top, silly and in-your-face, but that’s what makes it so endearing. It would benefit from better tutorials for newcomers to the series, and songs should be more widely randomised so you don’t end up battling to the same tracks again and again. Even so, this pair of games is the sort of thing you can’t help but play with a big, silly grin on your face.

Short as it may be, my time with The Gunk has been wonderful. Image & Form’s move into the 3D realm has solidified it as a truly talented developer – and this may just be its best game yet. Beautiful, satisfying and engaging from start to finish, The Gunk is definitely worth getting stuck into.

Although it’s short and some of its levels may feel a little repetitive, we can’t help but like Storyteller. It’s not going to set your world on fire, but the two-or-so hours you spend with it, working through its levels, will provide you with plenty of challenge – and just as many smiles. It’s an innovative concept, and we’d love to see it expanded upon in future releases.

Exploring London and uncovering secrets is always an engaging affair, and the combat never fails to get the adrenaline pumping. But trumping it all is the freedom that Vampyr grants you to be a devious agent of the undead or a doting doctor. Often the choices you make won’t be so clear cut, but that’s what makes Vampyr so interesting. It doesn’t simply deal in absolutes, but many shades of grey.

Pathologic 2 is an engaging and disquieting game, one that has the potential to be something really quite special. But its survival mechanics are unnecessarily suffocating and take much of the joy out of it. Until Pathologic 2 is cured of that particular problem, be prepared for an uneven slog.

Sure, it’s beautiful — and after the end credits have rolled and you’re free to explore the world, bereft of annoying puzzles, there’s beauty and secrets to be found at every corner — but as an overall experience the unnecessarily obtuse world design and repetitiveness makes Fe stand out only for its frustrations, not its successes.

This new version of Until Dawn for PS5 and PC certainly impresses with its enhanced visuals, but other changes will likely prove to be hit or miss with fans. In any case, this remains an excellent cinematic horror game with a gripping story and an interesting cast of characters. It's just a shame that an upgrade isn't available for PS4 owners of the game, and that new features such as local multiplayer haven't been added.

Undisputed has some issues, but for boxing fans it does enough to make itself essential. There's a huge roster of fighters here, plenty of modes, and the fighing system is easy to pick up but hard to master. It's just a shame that the action lacks a little speed and excitement, and that it's visually not all that impressive on PS5.

I applaud Bithell Games’ efforts to make a classic card game something more. There’s no denying its presentation is compelling, even if the story may feel rather unnecessary. But regardless of how you feel about the over-the-top dramatics, there’s an excellent game at the core of The Solitaire Conspiracy. Its Countdown and Skirmish modes are something that players will find themselves going back to time and again – if only for a welcome change from Freecell or Spider Solitaire.

While Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator’s longevity feels somewhat artificially expanded, as you’ll need to repeatedly wait for seeds to spawn randomly, we can’t lie: we’ve had a lovely time tending to our flowers and seeing our garden take shape. The story mode has a good sense of progression, and reaching the next goal or meeting a new character is always a cause for celebration. We wish there wasn’t a limit on how many plants we can have, though.

Being a visual novel, Digimon Survive isn’t for everyone. For those with the patience for it though, we can’t help but recommend it. Whether you’re a fan of the Digimon franchise or not, there’s a thoroughly intriguing story here, backed up with attractive visuals, an enjoyable soundtrack, and some tense battles. This may be a departure for the series, but it’s paid off.

Inevitably, Serious Sam: Siberian Mayhem doesn’t do much to attract newcomers to the series. It is what it is: an expansion designed to offer Serious Sam 4 fans more hair-raising combat encounters, with a sprinkling of new enemies and weapons. It’s disappointing that some of the technical issues that have plagued Serious Sam 4 since launch still persist, but if the idea of having an entire army of Headless Kamikazes running your way yet again gets you hot under the collar, it’s well worth the investment.

Ultimately, Genso Wanderer is a unique and intimidating game… It may lack Touhou’s epic music or its frantic bullet-hell difficulty, but it brings out what’s always been enticing about these games and, more specifically, its community’s ability to create.

Although Marooners is fun, it’s limited. Once you’ve played it a few times, the novel concept of spontaneously switching between mini-games becomes familiar and quite frankly, a little bit dull. It’s a great choice if you have a spare few minutes with your mates, but its lack of content can’t really compete with some of the bigger party games on the market.

A few niggles aside, Twice Circled should be very proud of its charming simulation game. Although its graphics are simplistic, the game speaks for itself with its entertaining gameplay. Once you get the hang of all its systems, Megaquarium is a lot of fun. If you enjoy management sims, I guarantee that you’ll lose numerous hours in designing your dream aquarium.

Beautiful and cleverly designed, Été is a game all about painting: literally paint the world around you, and create works of art for the people you meet. It's held back a little by a few technical niggles, but it's impossible to let them get in the way of how utterly joyful this game is to play.

If the idea of playing Breakout crossed with squash in VR appeals to you, it’s definitely worth checking C-Smash VRS out. Unless you have friends willing to buy and play it with you online, though, you might want to consider it a single-player only experience, and there’s not an abundance of content. But like the best arcade games, this is something you’ll likely return to many times just for a quick burst of fun.

Still, there’s a lot to love in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake, whether you’re a hardcore SpongeBob fan or a sucker for a good old-fashioned 3D platformer. The colourful worlds and silly humour will appeal to kids, sure, but it also calls out to the inner child in all of us. It’s the sort of game you can simply switch off with: forget about the rest of the world, and get lost in a zany world of rainbows, pineapple houses and balloon starfish for a while. What more could you want, really?

Testing a new ship and learning the best situations to use each weapon and ability feels thoroughly satisfying, especially when playing against human opponents. All the while, Dead Star still manages to feel tense and exciting, and the strong community suggests that it will continue to be a worthy addition to your gaming library.

Skate City isn’t going to wow you. If you have the patience to master its awkward controls, however, it’s a game you can keep going back to, delving into it for as long or little as you please. With its action more grounded, it’s not as exciting to play as some of its competitors, but some will enjoy its more technical gameplay and showboating element that arises out of its video editing features.

Surgeon Simulator 2 has merit as a multiplayer experience, more so if you can get a gin-sodden group of friends involved. But as a single-player game, you’ll find it’s a repetitive step backwards from Surgeon Simulator’s manic shenanigans.

Ad Infinitum doesn’t really offer anything new to the genre. Narratively, it simply drives home once again that war is hell and that families are complicated. On the gameplay front, there’s the usual mix of exploration, stealth and puzzles, and a lack of conventional combat. But while it lacks originality and innovation, there’s something somewhat compelling about it. It has some great creature designs, too. While it won’t blow you away, if you’re after a creepy game to waste eight or so hours with, you could do worse. Whether you’ll play through it again to reach another ending, however, is questionable.

Thanks to its retro-styled visuals and old-fashioned gameplay, Terminator 2D: No Fate genuinely feels like a blast from the past, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. While it's rather short and it's disappointing that there's no voice acting, it perfectly captures the essence of the classic film and remains fun to play throughout.

If you’re after a horror-tinged point and click adventure game you really can’t go wrong with Tokyo Dark. The few control niggles you’ll encounter will quickly be cast aside as you put your nose firmly to the floor searching for the next clue, which is surely the hallmark of a great mystery.

It may not have truly next-gen visuals and the movement of constable Zellner may be a little clunky, but its captivating story, entertaining characters and rewarding point and click gameplay more than compensate for any shortcomings.

ToeJam and Earl may have gained cult status for their past escapades, but unless you're a hardcore fan of the series, the magic doesn't quite carry over to the 21st century.

It’s hard to find reason to keep playing after a couple of hours.