Raiden III x Mikado Maniax isn’t the most content-laden shoot ’em up package, nor is it the best looking. It’s impossible to recommend it over its follow ups, which overall are simply better games. But despite all that, this is still a great shoot ’em up which has stood the test of time. And so, if you’ve already acquired the newer entries in the series but want yet more Raiden action, this will serve you well.

Cuphead isn’t so much of a case of style over substance, but rather style over accessibility. The art is simply astonishing, and so too the music, but the gameplay is frequently too frustrating to make Cuphead a totally enjoyable experience. Essentially a boss rush game, its pacing allows for no relief. There are no moments of downtime to come down from the frustration or elation of your battles, it’s just long bouts of tension and stress that, for the most part, outweigh any joy that’s felt.

If you fancy fighting crime in an open world instead of perpetrating it for a change, The Precinct might just be the game for you. Completing shifts and collecting evidence to progress the story forward can become a little repetitive, but ultimately you're free to take things at your own pace while unlocking new options and equipment to play with.

Dream Drop Distance is a fine HD remaster, and the game is solid, if not the best of the series. 0.2 Birth By Sleep, on the other hand, should not be missed, and has got me incredibly excited for where the series is going to go next.

It may not be entirely original, then, and it’s certainly generic in the looks department, but Amazing Princess Sarah is good fun for those who like old-school platformers such as Castlevania. It’s the type of game that you can play through in one or two sittings, having fun flinging one enemy at another. Then maybe you’ll return to it from time to time to tackle its hoist of additional unlockable game modes. You certainly can’t go wrong for its budget price.

While there’s nothing truly ground-breaking introduced in the Dominion Biosyn Expansion, it’s certainly worth picking up if you love Jurassic World Evolution 2. Some may find that the new campaign guides them a little too much, but the new dinosaurs and features hold your attention throughout. And the new dinosaur-wrangling system in the Chaos Theory scenario makes it stand out, too. But let’s face it, most people are buying this for the dinosaurs, and while there aren’t that many of them, they’re wonderfully recreated and rather unique.

Essays on Empathy is an intriguing collection. It’s a shame that a few finishing touches weren’t applied to give the overall package the polish it deserves, but there’s no denying that the concepts created by Deconstructeam are seriously impressive. You likely won’t find a collection of games as eclectic as this anywhere else.

If you can overlook the network issues, Kirby’s Dream Buffet is a sweet little party game that will keep you coming back for more. It looks fantastic, and while its gameplay doesn’t offer much variety, it’s the sort of tried-and-tested multiplayer competition that never gets old. For its budget asking price of £13.49/$14.99, you can’t really ask for much more. Well, other than a more reliable online mode.

For much of Reveil we were worried that it was just going to be another bog-standard first-person psychological horror game, but it’s safe to say that its late-game twist saved it. And so while it’s not all that scary, and the voice acting of the main character somewhat ruins the atmosphere at times, it’s still very much worth a play if you’re a fan of the genre or just enjoy a good story that throws you a curveball.

The physics-based play of the game makes for some astounding puzzles that bend your mind and stretch your problem-solving skills to the limit.

This version of Monopoly might just be the best digital version of the board game to date, thanks to how wonderfully tactile it is to play. Rolling the dice with motion controls, manually moving your piece and even flipping over the board when you're losing make this an enjoyable and realistic way to play this classic. It's just a shame that a handful of random bugs let down the experience somewhat.

It’s a shame that Atlas Fallen isn’t a little more polished – it’s clear that it’s a title very much held back by its budget – but it’s enjoyable nonetheless. While you’re not likely to be captivated by its story or wowed by its presentation, its combat and exploration, both buoyed by the skills granted to you by your mysterious gauntlet, are likely to keep you playing. Provided you make it through the game’s off-putting opening, that is.

Iron Harvest isn’t perfect, but it is an engaging journey into a new world that’s fun to explore. The factions are crazy and their units even crazier, yet the threat of death still feels very real. It’s a shame some of the functionalities of playing let the game down, and its lack of tactical options do hold it back. However, I still found myself having a great time; its mechanics aren’t perfect, but its world is a joy to get lost in.

A family-friendly multiplayer game, Splatterbot is very basic but entertaining in short bursts. It's the sort of thing you'll pull out on family get-togethers, and thanks to its simplicity, absolutely anyone can play.

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.

Despite the odd bit of patchy voice acting, Hacked: The Streamer weaves a tense, engaging FMV tale that will keep you hooked.

Action RPG fans aren’t likely to be wowed by Achilles: Legends Untold, but chances are they’ll have some fun with it if they give it a go. There’s nothing wholly original or particularly impressive here, but it offers a solid experience for those keen to immerse themselves in a fantasy world inspired by Greek myth.

Ultimately, The Outlast Trials finds itself in a bit of an awkward spot. It doesn’t quite hit the mark as a single player game, though playing alone is where the true horror lies. Play it with others, and while you’re likely to have more fun, it comes at the expense of atmosphere and scares. For many though, repetition is likely to be the biggest issue with The Outlast Trials; sneaking around in the dark is only fun for so long, after all. Still, that’s not to say this experiment is a total failure — it has a lot to offer for those who do find enjoyment in its grotesque endeavors.

Despite its issues, if you’ve had your fill of Streets of Rage 4 and are after another side-scrolling beat ’em up to play, you should definitely consider adding The TakeOver to your collection. Though it does eventually lose some of its shine, its combat system offers more depth than most in the genre, and the package as a whole has some genuinely nice ideas. The fact that it looks so good and has a great soundtrack is just icing on the cake.

The general difficulty of Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection is ultimately what will make players either love or hate it. If you have treasured memories of playing earlier games in the series and yearn for another adventure with Arthur, go to the eStore and buy Ghosts ‘n Goblins Resurrection right now. You’ll likely become besotted with it, you really will. If this will be your first Ghosts ‘n Goblins rodeo, however, be wary before you part with your money. It’s an experience that can feel like heaven or hell depending on your perspective. Put it this way: it makes Dark Souls seem like a walk in the park.

Gas Station Simulator is a tough game to score. It’s deeply flawed, but it’s oh-so fun. The jankiness is part-and-parcel with the experience, but some progress-halting bugs will really sour you. Still, the act of manning your own gas station, getting stuck into the nitty-gritty and seeing your business flourish over time is incredibly satisfying. And those issues just aren’t enough to drag us away from the joy of serving our customers.

If you’ve ever fancied having a go at being a mechanic but don’t like being covered in oil or having to actually do hard work, Car Mechanic Simulator is easy to recommend. As a game it’s far from being perfect, and it certainly isn’t for the masses, but it’ll prove to be entertaining to those who want to virtually fiddle under car bonnets to their heart’s content. There really is nothing else quite like it.

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

If you enjoy off-road racing, you can do much worse than MX vs ATV Legends. It’s certainly the best the series has been in some years, and looks better than ever thanks to being on PS5 for the first time. There’s a wide range of gameplay options available, and being able to wrangle with one of three vehicle types means you’re unlikely to get bored very quickly. The AI and balancing could do with a bit of tweaking, but it’s not enough to ruin the experience.

Despite its flaws, there’s no denying that The Gallery is well made, and Paul Raschid continues to cement his position as a leader in the FMV space. We perhaps didn’t enjoy this as much as his other projects due to its sometimes-slow pacing, and its focus on art won’t be to everyone’s tastes. But in terms of production values, it’s hard to criticise. And it leaves us intrigued to see what Raschid is working on next.

With a number of improvements such as a new goalie crease system and NHL EDGE data being used to enhance player behaviour, NHL 26 is undoubtedly a great hockey game. Be A Pro mode still has some issues, though, and you can just tell that the series doesn't get as much love as the likes of EA Sports FC.

Having a modern-day video game with some of the most beloved cartoon characters from our youth is certainly a novelty, and at worst, that’s exactly what Nickelodeon Kart Racers manages to be. But at best, it’s a solid entry into a rather stagnant kart racing genre. It may be lacking a bit of personality and polish, but zooming around the track as Tommy Pickles or Patrick Star is a lot of fun.

Bus Bound is one of the most accessible bus simulators out there, expecting you to drive with care but not bogging you down with too many intricacies. It works both for and against it: this will be enjoyable for many, but a lack of depth means that it soon becomes quite repetitive. Still, it's worth a look, especially with its budget price.