Damsel is far from being a bad game. It looks nice, controls well, and has a decent soundtrack. But its moment-to-moment action grows tiresome when played for a considerable length of time.

Henry Halfhead is a novel idea, putting you in control of a half-headed man who can possess the items around him. It's both a sandbox and a narrative experience, although some sections can be as dull as the parts of our life they're supposed to represent.

While it pales in comparison to classics of the genre, if you’re after a new and very colourful 2D platforming shooter to sink some time into, you can do a lot worse than OmegaBot. It has some frustrations and sometimes feels a little repetitive or drawn out, but at its core lies entertaining gameplay that’s easy to pick up.

Green Game: TimeSwapper fails to introduce anything new, in terms of gameplay, to help differentiate itself from being just another generic puzzle game.

Indeed putting you in control of a gun-toting rodent, Squirrel with a Gun lets you lose in a suburban sandbox. There's plenty of platforming, shooting and puzzle solving to be done as you explore and collect the acorns required to make progress, and you can take things at your own pace. It's just a shame that it doesn't fulfill its potential due to a number of issues.

If you’re in the market for a good old-fashioned stealth adventure, El Hijo – A Wild West Tale is certainly worth a look – just don’t expect it to wow you in any way. Its charm, while initially strong, soon starts to wear thin, while its repetitive gameplay may eventually struggle to hold your attention. Throw in some unnecessary frustrations, and you have a game that will occasionally delight, but rarely truly impress.

If you love 2D action RPGs such as the aforementioned Odin Sphere or Salt and Sanctuary, Lost Epic may be worth taking a punt on, especially considering its modest price. It has its issues but some players will find them easier to look past than others, and there’s one thing for sure: it looks beautiful. Just don’t expect it to blow you away, and Lost Epic will eat up hours of your time. But chances are you won’t remember it when you’re done.

Don’t go into it with lofty expectations, and Konami Arcade Classics Anniversary Collection will serve you just fine.

As it stands, Stories of Bethem: Full Moon is a rather average adventure game that plays it a little too safe.

As remasters go, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered does the bare minimum to keep a cult classic relevant while simultaneously presenting it to a new audience.

If you like stealth, definitely give Intruders a shot, but there are certainly better horror games out there.

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.

Despite my issues with the game though, my time with Elex isn’t over just yet. I do enjoy the world and the concept, so I am willing to see what else the game has to offer in this respect. It’s just unfortunate that the game’s combat and presentation haven’t received as much attention. Elex needed much more time in the oven to be the game its promising previews made it seem to be, and with the dearth of games available this winter, I can’t recommend it to anyone but the most hardcore fans of the genre.

While this review may sound very negative, you can have some fun with The Dark Pictures Anthology: Switchback VR. The problem is, we just expected it to be better. While we didn’t find it scary at all, some might. We at least appreciated that a number of its scenarios put us under pressure. It’s perhaps apt that it puts you on a rollercoaster, as like a real rollercoaster ride it’s full of highs and lows, both technically and mechanically. At the end of the day, there are better on-rails shooters available on PSVR 2 already. And the unique elements on offer here just aren’t accomplished enough to draw us away from them.

If I had to suggest just a few things to improve this game, they would be to shrink everything down so the fun bits are packed together more tightly, let us use the warp crystals from the start and make standard enemies die in three hits. There’s a great game hidden somewhere here, but it’s stretched so thin I have to squint hard to see it.

Like the real thing, Way of the Hunter is a game that rewards patience and persistence. Yet since it doesn’t bog itself down with trying to provide the most realistic experience that’s possible, it’s quite possibly the most accessible hunting game on the market. It’s enjoyable, too, if you’re into this sort of thing, but a lack of polish will pull you out of it from time to time and possibly frustrate. Still, if you’re after a game that lets you wander through the outdoors and occasionally test your shooting skills, this is worth considering.

An unfortunately lengthy adventure with some fantastic characters, an intriguing narrative, and a simple but enjoyable strategic battle system. However, some abysmal design choices – namely, a lack of balance between visual novel and battle sections and a horrendous amount of bland filler content – severely tarnish the overall experience.

Samurai Shodown is a good fighting game. It really is. But the Switch version’s framerate issues, long loading times, and blurry visuals stacking on top of the existing lack of content and modes, however, its cost is a large pill to swallow. If you’ve got money to burn you’ll certainly get some joy out of it, but with fighters like Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late[cl-r] now available on Switch, it could be better spent elsewhere.

Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game lets you live out your parkouring dreams across numerous environments. There are time trial and trick rush events to complete, but they can be frustrating thanks to finicky controls and mechanics. This is a game best enjoyed simply chilling out with others.

In 2019 then, MX vs ATV All Out Anniversary Edition is a largely passable experience. At its budget price you can no doubt have some fun with it, but there are better racing games out there that are more worthy of your time.

With its comic book visual style, isometric viewpoint and focus on crafting, I Hate This Place is a unique entry in the survival horror genre. It's just a shame that it's let down by gameplay that feels rough around the edges and a lacklustre story.

InnerSpace is, without a doubt, an interesting experience. Despite its annoying inconveniences, it is a relaxing experience from start to finish. Its visuals are mesmerising, and its worlds are beautiful, but it’s difficult to accept it for what it is without comparing it to other, more successful games in the genre.

Ciel Fledge: A Daughter Raising Simulator has some great ideas. But the moment-to-moment gameplay is, for the most part, dull and not all that engaging.

Initially, I was really taken with Redeemer. The violent action, slick controls and impressive visuals made a great first impression. After three hours of play, however, it became a slog to work through.

If you’re looking for a high-intensity VR experience, or something with a little variety and excitement, Windlands may not be for you. Otherwise, if you want something a little different to put your new headset to good use, then this might be just the ticket.

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.

With a patch or two, Chorus could easily be turned around. When you’re engaging your enemies in the middle of deep space, boosting then drifting to rotate your ship around and snipe three or more enemies with your laser rifle before warping behind another and switching to your missiles to unleash a mighty payload, there’s nothing else quite like it. It’s just a shame that there are moments in between where you might consider just giving up your adventure, either thanks to a bug or a poorly-designed section that causes undue frustration.

While Bon Apetit! feels more like a fan-service spin off than a real game at times, it’s actually a lot of fun… It’s light-hearted and witty with a silly side that helps to de-sexualise the more lewd content.

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons Remake feels like a missed opportunity to build on the unique concept of the original game. It could have been expanded with new scenes and situations to provide fresh new challenges and keep players on their toes. Given the success of A Way Out and It Takes Two, more work could have been done to make its co-op mode much more intuitive and enticing, too. As it is, it’s successful in beautifying the original game but nothing more, unfortunately.

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.

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.

Keep your expectations in check for Welcome to ParadiZe, and there’s some fun to be had here. It’s marred with some technical issues and the odd bug but ultimately, exploring its world with your pet zombies in tow is, against the odds, entertaining enough to keep us playing — especially if you’ve got a co-op buddy along for the ride.

Rough around the edges, Sports: Renovations is far from best game in the renovation sim genre, but it's saved by its interesting collection of locations. Fixing up a boxing gym or a swimming pool certainly beats a kitchen or living room. It's just a shame there's not a great amount of finesse in the tools you use.

Anger Foot is essentially Hotline Miami played from a first-person perspective, with your foot being your most valuable asset. As fun as kicking things with a variety of effects is, however, the action gets repetitive pretty fast, the difficulty feels unfair at times, and the soundtrack may drive you up the wall.

Thanks to its budget price, Postal Redux may well be worth checking out if you’re a fan of twin-stick shooters and have the stomach for it – its atmosphere makes it wholly unique. It is undoubtedly dated though, and doesn’t try to do anything interesting other than shock you. Will it succeed? Probably – it can be quite a harrowing game if you think about it too much. Kick back and accept it for what it is, however – a video game – and some enjoyment can be had.

If you want a quick blast of escapism with a bit of a challenge, then this what you’ll get. Nothing more, nothing less.

Senran Kagura Burst Re:Newal is one of those games that’s not bad, but not particularly good, either. It’s flawed in multiple ways, but it’s still somewhat fun to play, albeit in short bursts.

Each of the four chapters ends with a finale that is the best the game has to offer; the fast-paced rhythm is taken to the extreme as everything crumbles around you while you race through the level.

It’s just a shame that my enthusiasm and interest was eventually fully deflated by obtuse puzzles that offer no guidance and ultimately feel superfluous to the game. Get rid of them altogether and you’ve got a gripping interactive story that’s dying to be told. But with the puzzles as they are, STAY is reduced to feeling more like a badly-designed old-school adventure game. I’m gutted.

Creating outfits is hugely entertaining. If you’re the type of person who spends far too long in a game’s character creator screen, you’re going to have a whale of a time piecing together outfits in Fashion Dreamer, making everyone look their absolute best. But that’s about all there is to do here. Sure, showing off your own designs in your showroom can be entertaining, especially if you’re playing online. But a serious lack of substance and any semblance of challenge really lets the experience down. Playing dress-up is a fun and relaxing way to pass the time, but if you’re expecting anything more, you’re going to be disappointed.

For the devout Assassin’s Creed Valhalla fan, there’s about 20 hours or so of solid gameplay to be gleamed out of Dawn of Ragnarok. A bit more if you want to see and do everything. But chances are it won’t particularly impress. It’s simply more of the same for the most part, with a story that fails to truly engage.

Based on the popular graphic novel series, Dog Man: Mission Impawsible puts players in control of the part-human, part-dog superhero along with his friends. This puzzle-platformer lacks level-to-level variety, however, making it a bit of a slog despite the acquisition of some nifty gadgets along the way.

P1: Anchor Light tries to stand out from the anomaly hunting crowd with its Bioshock-inspired setting and musical statues gameplay element. It somewhat works, too, although the latter can also be a source of frustration. Other than that, this is a typical anomaly hunting experience that can sometimes be a bit too dark for its own good.

I can’t get the thought out of my head that life’s too short to play a game that is so, well, mundane. I guess what I’m saying is that for those of you who love bridges and hate monsters and explosions, Bridge Constructor is the one for you. For the rest of us, there’s Gears of War 4.

Unbound: Worlds Apart isn’t a bad game by any means, but after a few hours of play it simply begins to feel bland and a little repetitive. Your portal powers seem interesting at the outset, but chances are you’ll eventually get tired of using the same combination of them to overcome platforming challenges and to make your way past creepy arachnids and other oversized bugs unscathed. If you’re in the market for a challenging puzzle platformer there are worse out there, but you’re probably not going to remember your time with Unbound: Worlds Apart once you’re done with it.

Knack 2 just doesn’t do enough to make its existence worthwhile.

If you’ve played Terminator: Resistance and found yourself wanting more, Annihilation Line is definitely worth considering. It doesn’t really try to offer anything new gameplay-wise, but it does allow you fight beside Kyle Reese and go behind the titular Annihilation Line. Those two factors alone will be enough to convince most fans.

In many ways, Gran Turismo Sport feels like a tech demo. Visually, it pushes the bar, with car models that are as good the real thing and environments better than ever before. And the lighting; holy hell, the lighting. It is glorious. In terms of content though, it’s lacking.

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…

Playing through Nights of Azure 2: Bride of the New Moon is a strange balance of joy and determination — long periods of boredom tend to surround shorter pockets of enjoyment.

Penny-Punching Princess is a classic example of a game that has a bright idea but implements it in such a ham-fisted way that it becomes an annoyance.

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.

For the moment though, Ice Lakes is a recommendable game, but only to fans of ice fishing, wherever the hell all of you are.

Like a zombie, Into the Dead 2 is simple.

Ultimately, if you’re a fan of The Callisto Protocol and simply want more, Final Transmission will keep you entertained for a short while while embellishing on the game’s original ending. Do you need to play it? Not really. What’s added here isn’t all that refreshing, and the final boss fight is a bit of a bust. But picked up as part of the game’s season pass, it’s worth playing though just to discover Jacob’s fate.

There are clear throwbacks to some classic side-scrollers (Turtles in Time, Golden Axe, Streets of Rage)…. but they seem to have missed the point that games have moved on since then.

With a story that finds you fighting against a totalitarian regime, Antro is a 2.5D puzzle-platforming adventure with rhythm elements. It's pretty fun on the whole, but it's rough around the edges and its story might leave you disappointed.

Ultimately, because of Reaching for Petals‘ short running time, it feels more like a tech demo than an actual, fully-formed video game experience. It’s more of a showcase of “just look what the Unreal Engine can do!” than anything else. I guess, being Blue Entropy Studios’ first game, in some ways it is a tech demo. The team has demonstrated their incredible ability, and it leaves me excited for what may come next with a little more experience under their belt. But while Reaching for Petals may be impressive visually, there’s just not enough there to make it truly worthwhile.

Go into Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet – Complete Edition expecting solid third-person shooter mechanics and you’ll be disappointed. You’ll be disappointed if you go into it expecting excitement and fun from the outset, too. Initially it’s a hard game to like, let alone love, but those with patience and an interest in trawling dungeons for the best loot might just find themselves sticking with it until the end. Whether or not they’ll remember the experience they had with it in years to come is questionable, however.

I applaud Gears for Breakfast for their ideas and vision, as A Hat in Time is in many ways truly original. I’m just really disappointed it wasn’t better executed in terms of technical finesse.

I want to like it, but damn does it make it hard. Like the games that came before it in this genre, I’ve no doubt that Anthem will get better and bulkier with updates over time, but if Bioware takes too long in getting there, I fear most of the player base will have moved on. For what it’s worth, Anthem does show a lot of promise.

Good concept, but lacking depth and variety’ is probably the best way to describe Legend of the Skyfish.

Pixel Piracy is difficult to get into: there is a lot to be learned and lots to remember; namely getting to grips with the vast inventory system and mastering how to keep the crew in check.

Taking everything into consideration, Nights of Azure isn’t particularly a bad game, far from it in fact; it’s just not so much of a good one either.

For fans of the previous games, Megadimension Neptunia VII pretty much offers more of the same but a little quicker and prettier. For those still not acquainted with the series however, whilst this is as good a time as any to jump in, the twee storyline full of fan service will probably present a barrier to completely enjoying it.

Headspun is still playable for the most part – the bugs just take away from some of the enjoyment. Cortex is fun to explore, and seeing the place come back to life provides a rewarding sense of progress. The FMV cutscenes, too, while rough around the edges, are engaging, and you’ll be keen to see where the narrative takes you. With its unique ideas and presentation, Headspun stands out for trying to be different, and for that it should be celebrated. It’s just disappointing that it wasn’t given that last coat of much-needed polish.

There's a lot of content in Hot Wheels Let's Race: Ultimate Speed, and there's no doubt that young fans of the Netflix show it's based on will enjoy the package here. But considering the poor handling and a number of other frustrations, it's hard to fully recommend this game, particularly when the excellent Hot Wheels Unleashed series exists.

The Metal Slug series is back, though not as you know it. Metal Slug Tactics swaps the series' run-and-gun shooter antics for turn-based battles, and adds in some roguelike elements to boot. It's just a shame that while there are some neat ideas here, it's not all that entertaining overall.

It’s not as good as Psikyo Shooting Stars Alpha, but Psikyo Shooting Stars Bravo is still an interesting proposition for shoot ’em up fans. It’s expected, what with this collection launching so quickly after the first, that it doesn’t do anything to address its predecessor’s shortfalls, but it’s still a little disappointing. If you’re after yet more shoot ’em ups to add to your ever-growing Switch collection and don’t mind the lack of extras, go ahead and jump right in. Most will probably want to wait for a decent sale though.

Battle Axe packs in a lot of personality thanks to its trio of colourful protagonists and its wonderful art style. But its gameplay likely won’t keep your attention for much longer than an hour or two. It’s a great flashback to games of yesteryear, but outside of a nostalgia hit, there’s no real reason to keep going back.

Claire: Extended Cut is a title that fails to live up to the greatness that obviously inspired it.

If you’re a snowboarding fan, there’s a good chance you’ll get some hours of quality entertainment out of Shredders, especially if you manage to master its trick system. That’s a pretty big if though, as there’s some frustration involved. Still, available at a budget price, and included in Game Pass, it’s a decent new addition to a genre that’s pretty underrepresented these days, and with a low barrier to entry. It’s just a shame it isn’t a little more polished, and welcoming.

By the end of my time with Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3, I was left very much disappointed. Not because of the poor story and acting, but because of the technical issues that kept the game from being anything more than mediocre. It’s a shame too; it’s a good – if not amazing – looking game, with some really fun mechanics. With either a little bit more time and/or money, Sniper: Ghost Warrior 3 could have been a sleeper hit. In its current state, it’s simply a sleeper miss.

Go Home Annie is an engaging first-person psychological thriller that will keep you on your toes despite its short running time. There's nothing all that impressive here overall, though, making it hard to wholeheartedly recommend.

The relaxing atmosphere and music makes this a title worth playing for a more laid back gaming session, but if you like something a bit more challenging and action-packed, then Professional Farmer 2017 is probably not for you.

For those attempting to use a controller you’ll likely give up before the game has barely started.

If it wasn’t for its mobile gaming elements, Farm Together would be easy to recommend. As it is, it’s a fun game to play in short bursts, but there’s no overlooking its bewildering design choices.

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

Despite all of its problems, there is still a fun experience to be had with Doors.

It has some flaws that can suck the fun out of it, but White Day should still be of interest to horror fans looking for something substantial.

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 are no set patterns, no connection or justification; just arbitrary cause and effect. For the most part you can’t take what you’ve learned with you from one puzzle to another and that, for me at least, is where the frustration comes from.

Even if the game’s visuals don’t appeal to you and you’ve never tackled any other games in the series, it still warrants investigating. Corpse Party: Book of Shadows’ frequently disconcerting and often bloody payoffs, as well as periodical dollops of psychological horror, make it worth tolerating the game’s less engaging moments.

It’s the narrative you discover through exploration that holds The Crow’s Eye together; reading and listening to people slowly lose their minds – as perhaps your character does too – makes the psychological thriller element of the game take centre stage. It’s just a shame that the horror never quite gets there.

I have to give credit where credit is due and that lies mainly in the consistently stunning visuals, the beautiful graphics, and the interesting variety of music.

I Am The Hero finds its home with beat ’em up fans quite well. As far as appealing to the wider audience, however, it falls short. Combat that fails to offer a personal feel alongside a lack of depth and replay features leaves me wanting more. High-score chasers and leaderboard-savvy players will have lots to love, but those looking for a casual beat ’em up may find themselves turning away at some point.

[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.

An enchanting adventure, no doubt, and one that lasts quite a while. I just don’t know if it feels quite at home on Switch.

Using full 3D models and a real-time system, Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII’s combat boils down to a numbers game more than strategy.

It comes down to the fact that Age of Empires III has never been the best at fundamental RTS gameplay. The Definitive Edition has done a great job of bringing the title into the modern age with beautiful visuals and a new UI – but that core gameplay remains, and it falls flat especially compared to the standard set by last year’s Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition. Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition‘s intriguing campaigns are worth a look, but if you value adaptive and fluid multiplayer gameplay, stick with Age of Empires II.

Repetitive level formatting is a curse many roguelites have to contend with to some degree, but it rarely strikes as soon as the one hour mark.

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.

There’s no doubt that 8-Bit Adventure Anthology Volume 1 is a good addition to your library if you’re a fan of classic point-and-click adventures, but if you’re new to the titles, then get ready for some frustration. If you do decide, at your own risk, to pick them up I’d consider getting them on PC rather than on console to avoid controller-induced rage fits.

Curse of the Sea Rats is a perfectly playable metroidvania that feels rough around the edges. Mechanically it can feel a little unfair at times due to things like stiff animations and unfortunate enemy placements. And while its four protagonist set up is a neat touch, it can be a grind to upgrade skills if you do decide to change. Still, fans of the genre are likely to enjoy their time with it.

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.

With the usual quality of life features added into the mix, such as screen options, save state support and more, G-Darius HD is easy to recommend to series fans with the skills to do it justice. Its dated visuals and rock-hard difficulty level, however, means it’s not likely to impress newcomers. It’s not a bad game by any means, but it’s hard to not feel like more could have been done with G-Darius HD to make it a more accessible and attractive package overall.

I can’t quite recommend Little Orpheus, and not just because of its unfortunate choice of narrative given the current climate. Its story is at least told in an interesting way, and it presents you a colourful, well-realised fantasy world to explore. But its platforming is dull and uninspired; you’ve seen it all before in other games. Though being inside a whale is cool, I guess.

[All The Delicate Duplicates’] moments of greatness – often coming from its experimental nature – are too few and far between stages of gratuitous reading and derivative searching. The final experience, marred by playing it just too safe, comes off feeling needlessly short and forgetful.