Into the Stars is a subpar and incomplete product but if you’re the kind of player who has the will to put in a steady investment of time and effort to probe its every nuance and deeper subtlety you might just get that pearl.

The saving grace is Hellbound‘s price. At just £11.39/$14.99, it’s not terrible value for money. But there are better old-school first-person shooters available for not much more. Still, there’s a good few hours of fun to get from Hellbound‘s campaign. Maybe even more if you’re the type that wants to discover every secret and beat every par time. And the game’s survival maps offer yet more hours of gameplay. It’s just a shame that it feels more like a starter than a main course.

Your enjoyment of Filthy Lucre will entirely depend on how much you enjoy pure stealth – sneaking around half an hour into a mission as the music ramps up due to increased heat can be incredibly tense – but some people may just dislike having to start all over if you die. The shooting is bad, the AI isn’t great – and why, oh why can’t I move dead bodies? – but Filthy Lucre still succeeds in being a tense, and most importantly, fun stealth game.

If you’re up for a challenge, then Double Pug Switch certainly does offer that. It’s nicely presented, too; the short animated story scenes telling the tale of Otis, Whiskers and the scientist, are a welcome touch. As are the purely cosmetic hats you can place on Otis’ little puggy head. It’s short and utterly brutish in its difficulty, but if you like equal amounts of cuteness and cruelty in your games, then look no further. Especially considering its pocket-money price.

It's quite short and rather rough around the edges, but The Last Case of John Morley has an interesting case for you to crack. Just don't expect anything too ambitious or impressive.

Perhaps in VR, wandering around in zero gravity will be a little more fun, but the combat will probably still disappoint. [Non-VR Version]

It may not offer much of a challenge or much in the way of innovation, but Ginger: Beyond the Crystal is a decent way to pass a few hours if you’re hankering for a new old-school platformer.

I’m sad to admit it, but Dead by Daylight on Nintendo Switch is a huge let-down. I love the game, and while I was excited to get to play it on a handheld format, its lagginess, framerate issues and massive graphical downgrade mean that I just can’t recommend it on Switch. If you’re still tempted to give it a try, perhaps wait a month or two and see if any patches come out to fix some of the current painful and glaring issues. Until then, the price simply isn’t worth what you get. Stick to playing it on another format; trust me, you’ll have a much better experience.

At the very least, it’s made me think twice about swatting any bee that ends up inside the house from now on. Not wasps, though. They can still go right to hell.

Ultimately, The Walking Dead: Onslaught feels like a VR version of The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct, 2013’s mediocre first person shooter, also a Daryl-centric experience. There’s fun to be had if you experience it in small bites, but it’s so grind-heavy, repetitive and limited in scope that even if you’re a die-hard fan of the show, it’s barely worth sinking your teeth into.

If it wasn't for Jump Force's highly entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable combat, the game would be a disaster. But Jump Force is a fighting game, and so everything about it that's turgid and unnecessary can largely be avoided or overlooked. It's got a large roster of fighters, plenty of content, and looks great in action. Those are the things to focus on. Could it have been a hell of a lot better? Of course. But that doesn't mean you should write it off. Neither should you write it off for its unusual art style. Just engage in its unique brand of fighting, block out the rest, and enjoy.

All in all, fans of the long running series should certainly check JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven out as they’ll certainly find it to be a rewarding experience despite its flaws, but those looking for a more involved brawler with a wealth of features should look elsewhere.

It’s certainly not for everybody, but those who are keen on driving four-wheeled monstrosities in open environments and flinging them around stadiums will be in their element with Monster Jam Steel Titans 2. It doesn’t really excel in any area, but it is one of the best attempts at bringing the joy of driving monster trucks to the video game world regardless. A nice variety of events and activities are on offer, and it boasts what is perhaps the largest number of Monster Jam vehicles to get behind the wheel of yet. It’s by no means essential, but if you’re after a racing game that’s a little bit different, you can do a lot worse.

[PaRappa the Rapper is] possibly worth buying if you’re a huge fan wanting a nostalgia trip. Just be prepared to have your fond memories of the title tested somewhat.

Armikrog on the Xbox One isn’t as good an experience as it was on the PC, which still wasn’t perfect by any means. Its puzzles aren’t particularly strong, the control scheme is problematic, and it has the odd technical issue, but yet for fans of the genre it’s still worth a playthrough if only for the beautiful audio and visuals and likeable characters.

Treasure Stack‘s unique twist on a familiar genre makes for addictive and engaging gameplay – but it’s not going to be for everyone. Getting to grips with the game’s quirks takes patience, and becoming good at the game will take a hell of a lot of practice. But once you get into the game’s rhythm, it’s hard to put down.

It’s a bit simple, so it’s never going to excite in the same way that God of War or Devil May Cry V does, but that doesn’t mean some won’t get a decent amount of enjoyment out of it.

In numerous ways, Dynasty Warriors 9 Empires is a clear improvement over its ill-received predecessor. Thanks to its shoddy presentation and numerous other issues, however, it’s still far away from being a must-have. All too often you feel like you’re just going through the motions between battles, going on strolls or enacting policies just to meet objectives without any real thought being put into it. And while the combat is somewhat fun, boring map design lets it down. This is one just for ardent fans, then.

Is Mia and the Dragon Princess our favourite FMV game from Wales Interactive and Good Gate Media? Perhaps not, but that’s not to say we didn’t enjoy our time with it. Its story might be ridiculous, but with plenty of action – and a surprising amount of cheesy gore – it kept us highly entertained from start to finish. It’s just a shame that the choices you make can leave you with a half-baked experience that doesn’t truly represent what this story should be.

Despite its originality, Perception is only worth a look for those who can see past its shortcomings in pursuit of a fairly compelling narrative.

While its visuals have unquestionably been brought up to speed, the gameplay remains deeply mired in the past. At release, Rogue Trooper’s third-person shooter action was no doubt exciting and engaging, but the years have not been kind to it, and no amount of spit and polish can cover up that fact. Dull, repetitive and rough around the edges.

Travelling through Stiles’ mind is a gripping journey. It’s at times emotional, other times horrifying.

With the Dualshock 4 in my hands and Fast Striker on the screen, what would be a whimsical appeasement of the past instead transforms into a regurgitation of old tropes.

It’s perhaps understandable that Payday 3 is a step back from Payday 2 in terms of content, given the years of support its predecessor has had, but it’s a shame that it doesn’t have a little more. Still, we can’t help but feel that Payday 3 is an excellent base to work from, with improved moment-to-moment gameplay. With a bit more polish and a steady stream of post-launch content, Payday 3 could ultimately prove to be an essential co-op heisting experience. Right now, however, players are likely to have some frustrations, and may quickly grow tired of playing the same missions on repeat.

I’d even argue that using the Dragons IP holds back Dawn of New Riders. Film tie-in games are always looked down upon, and the fact that it’s a franchise aimed at kids means most grown-up gamers are not going to take it seriously. But underneath its licensing, Dawn of New Riders is a sweet adventure game.

Overall Cast of the Seven Godsends isn’t a bad game; it’s just an unreasonably challenging one.

Need for Speed Payback is at its best when you’re completing story missions, speeding through thrilling set-pieces and battling against cops and criminals. It’s even highly entertaining when you’re just belting around its open world, completing activities and engaging in events. But when you hit that brick wall and have to put a halt to your fun for hours at a time in order to raise your car’s performance level, your patience will be tested, and many will decide to simply not bother at all.

Charon’s Staircase doesn’t exactly redefine the horror genre. It looks a bit rough, and its tried-and-tested gameplay doesn’t break any moulds. But the majority of its puzzles will keep you hooked, its story is interesting, and it absolutely nails creating a tense, horrifying atmosphere. That alone makes this a spooky adventure worth stepping into.

However, even with an ending that takes way too much to achieve with very little pay off, Asemblance still manages to be a very intriguing and atmospheric sci-fi story.

With its large cast of playable heroes, each with their own special abilities, there's a lot of fun to be had with Big Helmet Heroes, especially when you also factor in the many, many items that can be picked up and utilised as weapons. Its combat feels a little shallow, however, and it's a bit rough around the edges on the whole.

The world in which Phoning Home is based is gorgeously designed; each organism you come across is new and different – some glow, some shine, and together, it is all incredibly beautiful.

RemiLore: Lost Girl in the Lands of Lore is a pretty basic hack-and-slash that offers some interesting levelling up options, but the lack of depth in both the story and combat leaves it feeling a little empty. Despite the great story premise, and a fun choice of character with Lore, the pages just feel a little empty to this book.

There’s a decent amount of depth to Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed despite its simple appearance. There’s plenty of single-player content, thanks to the hefty Story mode, but seasoned fighting game fans will notice the absence of online multiplayer. Still, there’s an enjoyable fighter here – and getting to control a giant dinosaur-shaped mech is a novelty that doesn’t quickly wear off.

While Airoheart takes some small steps to be its own thing, there’s nothing here that truly separates it from its inspirations. Is that such a bad thing? After all, A Link to the Past is over 30 years old now, but it’s still a beloved classic. Playing something so similar that it invokes that warm feeling of nostalgia is rather nice, in all honesty. Airoheart might not reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t have to.

You would think a pirate game would have a brimming personality. Yet, sailing around, doing mission after mission, I never feel like a pirate. I never dig up treasure, get in trouble with the law or even meet any famous pirates.

Double Dragon is back, and it looks better than ever. Good looks and more freedom when it comes to movement doesn't translate to a game that's more fun to play, however, with the combat of Double Dragon Revive feeling rather clunky. And so, while it isn't a bad game by any means, it's simply not as enjoyable as it should be.

I just wish it tried less hard to be funny and more hard to be fun.

If you’re a massive Cobra Kai fan, you’ll find enough good here for it to provide you with some hours of entertainment. It’s just not quite the game that it could have been. Thanks to Streets of Rage 4, the side-scrolling beat ’em up bar has been raised this year, and while Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a fuller, more feature-packed entry in the genre, its core gameplay isn’t quite up to scratch. Maybe it’ll get patched and fulfil its potential? Until then, it’s an experience that most will find annoyingly mediocre.

Available at a budget price, Drag x Drive is a unique sports game that doesn't boast a great deal of content. Still, it's fun to play as long as you can get along with using your Joy-Cons like mice, though performing some advanced manoeuvres can feel a little hit or miss.

As far as sci-fi Souls-likes go, Dolmen sits somewhere between Hellpoint and The Surge in terms of quality. It can offer a rewarding experience to Souls-like fans, but it falls short of the bar set by the creators of the genre. Still, for those who have patience and persistence, and like the idea of exploring a new, futuristic setting while engaging in challenging combat, it’s worth checking out.

The tight mechanics and gameplay cannot be overlooked and EA certainly has made good on that ground. Is it as enjoyable as the previous titles? No. It lacks the depth which its predecessors possessed and as a result, you’re left with little will to return. Regardless, this is the first half-decent golfing game on the current gen consoles, and aside from the gimmicky Night Club Challenges and inclusion of Star Wars Battlefront-themed courses, Rory McIlroy PGA Tour offers a level of realism that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else right now.

A sharp, smartly written interactive thriller, with not a single one-dimensional character in sight, The Complex is (despite its theme) a joy to experience.

With a striking papercraft style, Hirogami instantly wins you over with its beautiful art. This platformer uses origami to provide you with a wealth of skills and abilities, but sometimes switching between them can prove to be a little frustrating. Still, if you're a platforming fan and you have a bit of patience, there's a lot to like here.

It’s short enough to play through in one sitting, but that’s for the best: once you get started with Fort Solis, you’re going to struggle to pull yourself away. It’s a tense, haunting journey that will have you hooked from the word go, keeping you on your toes as you wonder what awaits around every corner. Perhaps its overall story could have packed a bit more punch, but we still lapped up every second of it as we explored the fascinating and eerie titular space station.

What LKA has created here transcends being “just another video game”; The Town of Light is an incredibly important insight into a dark part of history that, thankfully, most of us are too young to have lived through.

Ultimately feels padded out and by the end of the game I couldn’t wait for it to be over.

Whale Rock games have done a great job of making an engaging, challenging and rewarding game (if not the deepest in story-terms) but the difficulty makes it pretty prohibitive for most gamers.

SNK Heroines Tag Team Frenzy isn’t going to wow you. It’s not going to blow you away with its depth or visuals, or just about anything really. It is quite fun though, at least in small doses.

101 Ways To Die is great fun; each level is superbly crafted and the whole experience is enjoyable. Loading times are almost non-existent and the install size is only notable by the fact that it’s a mere 289mb. How they packed it all in to that, I’ll never understand.

With its charming 2D graphics and unique premise, My Night Job truly is a game full of character. Unfortunately though, character is not enough to make the game fun or sufficiently engaging to play in the long term.

Ultimately, We Are The Dwarves is jack of all trades, master of none. The game includes strategy, stealth and action elements but none of these mechanics are particularly well implemented.

If you fondly remember the games and want to revisit them on your fancy modern console, sure, why not? Just bear in mind they might not be as engaging as you remember them to be.

It’s a little rough around the edges, but Golem Gates’ fantastic audio design and the fun deck building is enough to carry it through.

Thanks to Collapsed‘s excellent moment-to-moment combat, starting again over and over never feels like a chore. And persistent upgrades alongside a permanent inventory means you constantly feel you’re making progress, even after several dozen premature deaths. It’s just a shame those upgrades aren’t more exciting and rarely make much difference to gameplay. Still, when blasting and slashing through enemies is this much fun, it hardly matters.

For fans of 3D platformers, Hell Pie has a lot to offer. It’s an inventive little title with an original premise and setting, and while it has some issues, it’s enjoyable on the whole. For those that can see past its drab visuals and overcome the occasional frustration, then, it’s worth picking up. Well, as long as you’re happy with ripping off horns from defenceless animals for your benefit.

In a world plagued by stripped-back indie experiences grasping to evoke an element of nostalgia, I can at least praise I and Me for attempting something wholly original for the puzzle/platforming genre. But what could have been a mighty stride forward disappointingly feels more like a half step.

It’s a responsive, smooth experience, but Ancient Amuletor lacks the depth it needs to be a truly worthwhile PSVR title.

Forget Crackdown 2 ever happened, Crackdown 3 is the sequel we deserve.

Brawlout feels like it was perhaps released a little too early on Switch. At the time of writing, it still hasn't left Early Access on PC, and feels like it could still do with some tweaking and perhaps a reassessment of its piñata loot system. Still, if you're desperate for a Super Smash Bros. style brawler on Switch there may be enough here to warrant a purchase as long as you plan to put plenty of hours in with your friends.

A clear love letter to J-Horror games of decades past, incorporating common horror tropes while also presenting its own fresh ideas.

The story could use a little more depth, but hey; the Super Mario games didn’t have the greatest storylines and they’re still considered to be among the best platformers of all time.

There are some good ideas in RETSNOM, but unfortunately they fall by the wayside as the tiresome visuals and dreary soundtrack wear you down to the point where you just wish it would end.

The idea of developing your own ninja is a great one, but here it relies on you engaging in action that feels borderline broken at times, sucking all the fun out of the process.

The game is slow moving, bland at times, and a bit forgettable. It’s unfortunate that its best moments are towards the end of the game because most players won’t make it that far.

Zombie Driver: Immortal Edition on Switch provides simple fun that can get a little repetitive if played for too long, yet you’ll want return to it time and time again.

Being a live-service game with plenty of content to come post-launch, it’s impossible to say right now whether Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will have legs. There’s certainly the possibility of it getting better in the future, if missions can be made more interesting and loot can lead to more unique builds. At the moment, though, when the campaign is the main focus and there’s limited endgame content, it’s hard to not be disappointed by what’s on offer. This isn’t a bad game by any means, but poor mission variety and some other minor issues really do suck much of the fun out of it.

I really wanted more from Critter Café, but without any real narrative and no strong sense of purpose or progression, I quickly got bored of my time with the game. Running the café isn’t very fulfilling, and while completing the puzzles to rescue the critters is fun enough, if I want puzzles there are much better options out there. That’s not to say this is a bad game: it is cute, and there is fun to be had — it could just have been so much better.

Maybe one day an anime brawler with drop-dead gorgeous visuals and solid fighting mechanics will materialise, but until then, only the most dedicated and patient One Piece fans will find any long-term fun with One Piece: Burning Blood.

As unappealing as Separation‘s opening is, it’s worth pushing past, mountain-hopping and all. Separation’s creator was supposedly inspired by Ico – and while the first location you encounter is a dead ringer for Shadow of the Colossus, it’s got a character all its own. It’s almost a shame it’s VR only; while it might not have quite the same impact otherwise, Separation deserves to be experienced by as many people as possible.

If you have fond memories of Crysis and wish to play it again but with better visuals on the format of your choice, you’ll probably get some enjoyment out of Crysis Remastered. Well, unless your favourite thing about it was the multiplayer – that’s been ripped out. It isn’t a bad game by any means, and its budget price is appreciated, but it’s no longer the graphical powerhouse that it was. Even worse, it appears the aspect that really needed remastering was its gameplay, and it doesn’t seem to have been touched at all.

At its core, Blair Witch is a great horror game. A slow burn experience, it’s far from perfect but it has some nice ideas and an oppressive atmosphere that just grows and grows. The downgraded visuals on Switch take much of that atmosphere away, however, and also get in the way of the gameplay. If you have a lot of patience there’s some joy to be found playing in handheld mode, but otherwise you’re best giving it a wide berth or playing it on another format if possible.

If you’re a huge fan of twin-stick space shooters, Curved Space will do enough to hold your attention for a while. Its unique features don’t amount to much, however, leaving you with a rather mundane entry into an already crowded genre. Simply put, there are much better arcade shooters out there to spend your time and money on.

Air Twister isn’t a bad game – far from it – but it does nothing to genuinely impress. It looks quite nice, has a love-it-or-hate-it soundtrack, and a wide variety of modes, but the core gameplay here is disappointingly basic. So, while fans of the genre might get some enjoyment out of it, it’s hard to recommend on the whole.

Sisters Royale: Five Sisters Under Fire isn’t a bad game by any means. It struggles to impress, however. It’s just too light on features and content, and its gameplay doesn’t excite on the same level that many of the other shooters currently available do. If you’ve exhausted every other shooter in your library and want something new to play, you’ll find some enjoyment here, but it’ll be short-lived. This a game best put on your ‘wait for sale’ list.

Cars 3: Driven to Win isn’t really a bad game. It can be fairly enjoyable in short bursts, especially in co-op. At the same time, however, it’s not what I’d call a good game either. It’s decidedly average, chock full of content and variety, but let down by being prescriptive, uneven in difficulty and quite frankly, a bit dull.

‘Disappointing’ is the best word to describe Rustler. It takes the original Grand Theft Auto template, plops it within a medieval world, then delivers ho-hum missions. Add to that an overall lack of polish, some mechanics that don’t entertain quite like they should, and the absence of voice acting, and you have a small open world adventure that never quite delivers on its promise. Still, chances are you’ll get some fun out of it if you pick it up. Just perhaps not as much as its introductory FMV would suggest.

The mixture of level types helps keep the game varied and entertaining, and the frequency of impressive boss battles means slower moments never last for too long. It’s a respectable addition to the shmup genre.

The one letdown has to do with Colossus Down’s two-player mode. Rope in another player and you can dial up the fun by fighting alongside them, you as MechaNika, them as The Great Bleeding Pig (don’t ask). But if you’re playing on Switch, even though you only use one analogue stick and four buttons, you can’t have one player per Joy-Con; instead, you have to get another set of Joy-Cons or another controller. It’s a frustrating oversight, especially since Colossus Down begs to be shared. Still, it’s a real treat solo and if you’ve got a twisted sense of humour and a taste for side-scrolling punch ’em ups, you can’t go wrong with Colossus Down.

Not since Mark of the Ninja have I played a stealth game that felt so impactful, lingering in my thoughts long after I put the controller down.

Likely to be a pleasant surprise for those who were expecting the worst, or even just a bog-standard anime brawler.

It’s a really solid game which will only benefit from improvements in AI, aesthetic polish and more ambiguous loot. Necropolis rewards those who put the effort into decoding the weirdness, and while some may not appreciate that, for those who do, it’s a game worth investing in.

Chase has a great story, but the lack of presentation and short length mean it’s not a title I can particularly recommend right now.

While Attack of the Earthlings is aiming to be more casual than its counterparts, its gameplay really is too simple to be interesting for more than a few minutes. This, mixed with the criminally awkward and slow animations, makes the game little more than a chore, broken up a few some decent jokes.

UFO Robot Grendizer: The Feast of the Wolves isn’t a bad game – not at all. But it doesn’t do anything that genuinely impresses. It’s a bog-standard action game for the most part, buoyed by some pretty fun shoot ’em sections that add some nice variety. And it’s further hampered by some technical issues that will hopefully be ironed out post-launch. In any case, fans of the show should get some kicks out of it, and newcomers might have some fun unraveling its story in an interactive fashion.

Blending the old and the new, Yars Rising is an enjoyable metroidvania that sees you exploring the mysterious QoTech facility. With a strong range of skills to learn, playing as protagonist Emi is a lot of fun — but the game is let down by its retro hacking levels that are frustrating enough to mar the entire experience.

Pneumata is an ambitious first-person horror game considering it's made a by a solo developer. But while it looks rather nice and succeeds in creating a tense atmosphere, there are numerous issues that ultimately bring it down considerably.

It’s a real shame that Summer in Mara subjects you to such monotony, because it’s a beautiful game. Its characters are delightful and its world is a joy to explore. The music, too, is wonderful, if slightly repetitive; some of those tuns will get well and truly stuck in your head. But there’s no looking past the fact that its core gameplay makes Summer in Mara a chore to play. It’s enjoyable in short bursts, at least to begin with, but being little more than everyone’s lackey doesn’t stay fun for long.

Some players might be put off by Spirit of the North due to how heavily it relies on its players to figure things out, but that’s also its biggest charm. You are in the shoes of a creature that can’t speak – and yet, as the game’s world and the story reveal itself to you, it speaks louder than any dialogue could. It’s not perfect by any means – the controls can be awkward, and getting stuck and needing to restart is frustrating – but look past that and you’ve got a wonderful, engaging adventure on your hands. If you’re looking for a relaxing game about exploration and discovery, Spirit of the North is a great one to pick, regardless of your age or skill level.

The Descendant: Episode 1 – Aftermath is a great introduction to this sci-fi adventure series. Aside from my personal issues with the controls, its short length, and a few glitchy moments, it all pulls together to form a pretty successful start.

It is chilling without being cheesy. Horrifying without being overt. Disturbing without being grotesque. I absolutely cannot wait to return to the Blackwood Sanatorium and make all the (right? wrong?) decisions this time around. The Inpatient is easily the most rewarding horror adventure to be had on the PSVR to date.

The Bunker isn’t a game to rush through but rather savour every moment spent in its incredibly well-crafted setting.

It’s surprising to see such little care done [in the console release], thanks to the age of the original PC version.

Though it’s not a game for everyone, I guarantee that most of you – whether you call them Opal Fruits or Starburst – will be able to get something out of it: even if it’s just that little nostalgic glow you get when you hear that old “Sega” sting and can feel that lovely, curved Mega Drive pad nestled in your teeny child hands…

Radiantflux: Hyperfractal is an odd package with a solid, but not great, arcade game locked inside.

Space Crew is a patchy trip into the cosmos. If you can tolerate the lack of mission and enemy variety you’ll get joy out of it but, with a little more attention it could have been stellar.

There’s a lot to like about Clid the Snail. To say this is from a small team, the worldbuilding and ingenuity is second to none. But while ‘unforgiving’ may have been the developer’s intention, the game’s boss encounters are far too frustrating to be enjoyable. With a bit more balancing to Clid and his armoury, this will be a must-play twin-stick shooter. Until then, only those with patience as hard as Clid’s shell will be able to truly enjoy what’s on offer here.

Bloody Ties isn’t likely to wow you in any way. As DLC goes, it’s very much inessential. But for just £7.99/$9.99, those wanting an excuse to return to Dying Light 2 might at least find it entertaining. The challenges will test your skills, while the cosmetics will allow you to further make Aiden your own. It’s just a shame that it very much feels like an extended side-quest, and that your hard-earned equipment is mostly rendered useless.

Asterix & Obelix Slap Them All! 2 still isn’t the best example of the side-scrolling beat ’em genre, then, but it is undoubtedly an improvement on the original game. While Streets of Rage 4 can rest easy as the king of the genre, Slap Them All! 2 can provide hours of fun, especially for fans of the Gallic warriors. We’d certainly welcome a third adventure, anyhow, complete with further improvements.