It's almost educational with its retelling of events and plethora of notes and videos giving you information about items and places of interest. You can tell a lot of care has gone into making the game, which is also evidenced by the beautiful visuals and accomplished voice acting. For a downloadable title, it's got great production values.

Before Your Eyes is a short journey, but it is one that you’ll likely find yourself playing again and again. You’ve never heard a story like this before and you’ve certainly never experienced it in this way. Not only is it truly innovative, it’s also heartfelt, filled with love, and will likely leave you mopping up your tears before the credits roll.

If you’re after yet more Darksiders action and aren’t put off by the change in viewpoint, which you shouldn’t be, Darksiders Genesis will not disappoint. Even better, it’s available a bit cheaper than usual releases. Airship Syndicate has created a game that both fans and those new to the series can jump into and have a great deal of fun. And thanks to co-op, it no longer has to be a solitary affair.

For fans of the original game, Blue Reflection: Second Light is a must-play, with yet another engrossing story and some meaningful gameplay enhancements. But even those who haven’t played the original may want to delve into this sequel if they’re into emotionally-charged JRPGs that dare to experiment a little. This is a more serious affair from Gust, with some touching moments as pasts are revealed and new relationships are formed. And with its energetic battle system that keeps you on your toes, it’s captivating from beginning to end.

With a beautiful marriage of puzzles, story, graphics and sound, Deliver Us the Moon is a unique exploration game that anyone with a fascination with space will enjoy. While some of the timed puzzles can be a bit aggravating and the checkpoints unforgiving, Deliver Us the Moon‘s story alone is enough to keep you moving forward. It’s short enough to complete in just a few sittings, but you’ll struggle to put it down once you’ve started.

Genesis Noir may not be for everyone. You’ll need patience for it – and if you like games that hold your hand, it’s likely not for you. But stick with it, and you’ll find an extraordinary and rare title unlike anything else you’ve played. It’s beautiful, clever, and very tricky in places – but you’ll be thinking about it long after you’ve turned it off.

More than a straightforward remaster or remake, Yooka-Replaylee reimagines the original game, adding new challenges and gameplay elements while tweaking and improving others. Ultimately, it's a much-improved experience, with its worlds densely packed with things to do and its gameplay finely-tuned. This is easily one of the best 3D platformers currently available.

When it’s not challenging your reflexes it’s challenging your brain. And when it’s doing neither of those, it’s tugging on your heart. It’s a game that’s masterfully created, building on the gameplay offered in its predecessor but making it more punchy and enjoyable. But more importantly, it doesn’t compromise the single-player experience by adding in Yarny’s new friend; it simply enriches it.

Ultimately, The Pathless is somewhat an uneven experience. Its epic boss battles are thrilling, and the majority of its puzzles are enjoyable to solve. It’s just a shame that there’s so much aimless running around between all the fun. Even dashing around at full speed grows tiresome after a while. Providing some sense of direction may go against what The Pathless strives to be, but it would help make your time with the game feel less wasted, and more fulfilling.

Often too complex and obtuse in its teachings to cater to newcomer coders, Human Resource Machine is bound to push away some of its audience with unnecessary difficulty spikes. On the other hand, successfully wrapping my mind around a difficult problem and coming out victorious is an exhilarating feeling.

It may not be the prettiest fighting game on the market today, but it’s undoubtedly the most fun.

It provides the sort of addictive gameplay loop that you think you’ll get bored of after 10 minutes – yet four hours later you’re still there, continuing to decimate stick men with a huge grin on your face. Seriously, One Finger Death Punch 2 is a hell of a lot more fun than it has any right to be. And for such a cheap price, there’s absolutely no reason to not give it a go.

It’s dated, sure, but for £3.99/$4.99 you can’t really go wrong with DOOM 64. There’s just under 10 hours of solid gameplay here, and many might return to tackle the game’s harder difficulty levels. It won’t get your heart racing in the same way that more modern DOOM titles do, but if you have a penchant for retro shooters there’s plenty to like. It’s perhaps the best of the classic DOOMs, if you don’t mind that its soundtrack doesn’t have tunes that you can tap your feet to, that is.

Signs of the Sojourner is clever and charming. While the game mechanics can put a dampener on the laid-back feeling of the game, you’ll probably be too engrossed in the touching story to care. In a time where everyone in the world is being forced apart, a game about making connections and appreciating what you have feels like the perfect antidote.

Lovingly Evil is a great dating sim. It’s wacky, charming, silly and a great deal of fun. The characters you meet along the way are dastardly and evil, but they all have a soft side that’s delightful to uncover. Choosing who to romance will be hard as they’re all yummy, but don’t worry; you can just load up the game again and romance someone different the second time around. With excellent writing, fun character designs and a whole lot of flirting, Lovingly Evil is an excellent addition to any dating sim fan’s library.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Ultimate is indeed the definitive version of a cult classic beat 'em up, featuring enhanced visuals, smoother gameplay, crossplay, and an optional remixed soundtrack. Some issues still remain, such as movement feeling a little clunky, but there's a lot of fun to be had whether playing alone or with others.

There's nothing all that special about the gameplay of Platypus Reclayed, but shoot 'em up fans will likely be won over by its wonderful claymation visuals and often amusing weapons.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown isn’t quite as ultimate as the title suggests. It is, however, a solid fighting game that should keep players entertained for tens of hours – providing the online community remains buoyant and matches play out without any hitches. It’s just a shame that more offline, single-player offerings haven’t been provided to round out the package.

Tchia has left us slightly cold – and that in itself is disappointing, because we had high hopes for this title. If you’re expecting a Breath of the Wild-style adventure, as trailers and previews (even ours) may have led you to believe, you probably should keep your expectations in check. There is beautiful island fun to be had here, and Tchia’s abilities are wonderful – but by the time you’ve fought your way through its surprisingly drab and disappointing campaign, you’ll unlikely see much reason to return.

If you like the idea of thrill-seeking but you’d rather do it from the comfort of your living room, Riders Republic should be right up your street. This is pure entertainment at its finest; a game that’s all about having fun, living in the moment, and not taking life seriously. Play it straight and try to win every race if you want. Or simply speed around dressed in an inflatable giraffe costume. It’s your choice, and that in itself is the beauty of Riders Republic.

If you enjoyed Cole Phelps’ investigations the first time round, you’ll likely still get a kick out of them six years later. But if you’re new to the game, its flawed systems and dated visuals will likely tarnish the experience for you. It’s a game worth playing for the story and setting, but not for the detective work involved.

If you’re a lucky enough to be in the possession of one of Oculus’ grand creations and are looking for a game that you can really sink your teeth into, look no further; Chronos is what you need. [Tested with Oculus Rift]

A true hidden gem, Bore Blasters has all the ingredients of an indie classic in the making. The gameplay loop here is one of the most enjoyable and satisfying that we’ve had the pleasure to play, and each new upgrade really does feel like an achievement. Simply put, we can’t get enough of Bore Blasters: we’re going to be returning to it time and time again. And each time, we won’t be able to pull ourselves away.

FIFA 21 doesn’t have any ground-breaking new modes or revolutionary gameplay innovations, but it doesn’t need them to impress. The plentiful tweaks to gameplay and AI, along with worthwhile new features spread across all primary modes, accumulate to make FIFA 21 a must-have for football fans. And if they’re planning on picking up a next-gen console in the near-future, there’s possibly even more for them to look forward to.

If you enjoyed The Isle Dragon Roars or The Forsaken Maiden, you’ll undoubtedly love Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden just as much. If not more. The narrative on offer here got its hooks in us right off the bat, and following our interesting protagonist on her journey has been a joy. The presentation, narration and visual design is just as beautiful as ever, too. It may simply be more of the same, but we’re so glad the Voice of Cards series continues to exist – and to shine.

While Road 96 doesn’t have quite the level of freedom of choice that it advertises, it doesn’t matter. This is a moving, thought-provoking adventure that’s filled with obscure moments, dark comedy and characters you won’t forget in a hurry. Its heavy political slant won’t be for everyone, but if that doesn’t put you off, you’re in for one hell of a journey.

Portal Knights deserves credit for attempting to blend two distinct genres… it just does so little to distinguish itself, resulting in an unrewarding title that doesn’t draw you in.

Whether or not you find the destination satisfactory, Strangeland’s journey is a joy. It dips into the grotesque without getting too in-your-face, and despite some downbeat and occasionally distressing themes, it’s uplifting in all the right places.