We do love a good roguelike, and we’re happy to report that Knight vs Giant: The Broken Excalibur is well worth jumping into. Its charming art style, its fast-paced action and its wealth of upgrades all come together to make this a very moreish adventure indeed. Fans of the genre would be wise to give this a go.

Paw Patrol World is a pleasant surprise: it’s a rare children’s game that actually feels like thought and care has gone into its creation. It manages to capture the essence of Paw Patrol while also being an engaging and fun open world game in its own right. It’s one of the best games aimed at young children of recent years – and if you’ve got a young Paw Patrol fan in your life, they’re going to love it. Heck, you’ll probably even quite like it yourself.

The nature of Cocoon means this isn’t going to be a game for everyone. Some players will need narrative, will need dialogue or character motivations to hook them into an experience. There’s nothing wrong with that, really, but if that is you, you’re missing out on a treat here. Cocoon is both simple and infinitely complex; it presents a beautiful, visceral world that requires no explanation. Thrown into it without even the slightest hint of an introduction, it’s your own curious mind that will carry you through this interwoven web of puzzles, and solving each one is an enriching experience that’s likely to stick with you for some time.

With a range of characters to meet, mysteries to uncover and plenty of cleaning up and rescuing to be done, there’s a lot of fun to be had with Dolphin Spirit: Ocean Mission. Sure, its gameplay may be simple, but when it’s this engaging it doesn’t matter. For the young and young-at-heart, restoring the island of Maupiroa to its former glory is a task worth undertaking.

There’s a lot to like in Fate/Samurai Remnant for Fate fans, or those who simply enjoy action RPGs in general. The story is meaty, and with multiple endings as well as a New Game Plus mode available, some may even jump in for another playthrough or two. It’s a shame the combat isn’t a little more refined and less reliant on giving enemies armour, forcibly making fights more drawn out and challenging than they should be. Those that can look past this issue, however, will get a lot of enjoyment out of this latest effort by Omega Force.

NASCAR Arcade Rush isn’t a total disaster – there are worse arcade racing games out there. It does disappoint with its racing action that just isn’t as much fun as it should be, however, and there isn’t much content considering its asking price. Pick it up at a discount and you might have some fun with it, especially if you play it locally with friends, but otherwise there are other, cheaper, arcade racing games more worthy of your time and money.

We feel like there’s a lot standing between you and the potential enjoyment to be hand in Paleo Pines. Its initial lack of direction can be frustrating, and there are some really questionable design choices that only serve to hinder you. Get past those obstacles, though, and playing Paleo Pines can be an enjoyable experience, allowing players plenty of freedom to play however they want to. Is it the best farming simulator out there? Certainly not. But it does have dinosaurs – and absolutely adorable ones at that.

We’d be lying if we said we haven’t enjoyed our time with Mineko’s Night Market. We have: its world and its characters are just wonderful, and we’ve loved being part of it. But we just wish the game’s economy was a little more balanced so we didn’t have to spend so much time repeatedly gathering materials and completing menial tasks as we craft endless trinkets. Billed as a “narrative-driven adventure”, it feels lacking in both narrative and adventure. Instead, we got what feels more like a thinly-veiled crafting/management simulator game. There’s still a lot to like here, but we certainly expected more.

Fleshing out the story of Resident Evil 4 while adding new mechanics and challenges, Separate Ways is everything you could ask for in an expansion. But what’s really impressive here is just how much there is to it. This is an essential purchase for any Resident Evil fan, offering yet more intense encounters and atmospheric bouts of exploration. Capcom could have just called this in, but instead it’s delivered an offering that’s better than some full games. Indeed, we’re left wondering if we prefer this to the actual main campaign of Resident Evil 4. That’s how good it is.

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.

You could argue that Horizon Chase 2 plays things safe, but when what’s on offer is this much fun, does it really matter? Developer Aquiris may have stuck to its tried and tested formula, but with a bold new visual style and improved gameplay across the board, there’s enough here to make the experience feel fresh. And whether you like to race alone against the CPU or online against others, there’s something for you here. For arcade racing game fans eager for something new to test their skills with, this is very highly recommended.

While Lies of P greatly apes the environmental aesthetic and gameplay of Bloodborne, it does enough to make itself stand out. It’s atmospheric, it’s intriguing, and the combat is fun, fast-paced and engaging. As far as Soulslike games go, this might just be the best yet outside of those made by FromSoftware. All of Lies of P’s minor issues are easily overlooked when it’s so rewarding to explore its world and experiment with your combat options. And so, whether you’re a fan of the genre or are simply intrigued by the game’s dark spin on a familiar tale, it’s worth jumping in.

The Teal Mask doesn’t revolutionise Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, it simply expands upon it in a meaningful way, offering up a generous-sized helping of new monsters to battle against and collect, and an enjoyable story featuring a new bunch of well-crafted characters. If you enjoyed the base game, it’s safe to say you’re going to relish this new adventure, too – and it’ll leave you eager for the second part of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero to drop this winter.

While the story of Moonstone Island has you spending one in-game year on the isles – 112 in-game days – there’s a very good chance you’ll want to spend much, much longer enjoying everything the game has to throw at you. If you’re used to being guided through adventures, you might find the freedom here a little overwhelming to begin with. But once you start exploring the vast world, collecting all kinds of weird and wonderful resources – not to mention those Pokémon-like Spirits – you’re going to find it difficult to tear yourself away.

And if you’re revisiting the title, it might even be worth simply starting again from scratch. Cyberpunk 2077 may not have had the best start, but CD Projekt Red has taken criticism to heart and not only delivered an outstanding expansion, but also improved the base game into a state that should have even its harshest critics paying attention.

If you’re already a fan of The Expanse, you’re undoubtedly going to get more out of this than a newcomer. But don’t write The Expanse: A Telltale Series off even if you’ve never seen it before – this prequel makes a great starting point, thanks to its cast of new characters and focus on space exploration. As great as the story is, filled with thrills and tense moments, the highlight has been digging through the eerie, empty wreckages of spacecraft and space stations. It’s safe to say that Telltale’s return is a strong one, and we’re excited to see what the company does next.

While Mortal Kombat 1 feels a little streamlined and cut down compared to Mortal Kombat 11, it surpasses it where it really counts: the gameplay. This is quite simply the most fun we’ve had with a Mortal Kombat game to date. The improved combat with its faster pace, combined with a brilliant roster of fighters and the new Kameo system, means that we’re once again excited for the future of the series, as well as what’s to come to this entry. We’ll be returning to Invasion mode time and time again as its seasonal content is refreshed, and look forward to more characters being added into the mix.

We’re pleasantly surprised by the quality and amount of content in Baby Shark: Sing and Swim Party. This isn’t just some branded cash grab; it’s clear a lot of love and effort has gone into bringing Pinkfong’s massive brand to the world of video games. It’s just a shame that there’s some discrepancy between the target audience of Baby Shark and the difficulty pitch of the game: just as children are old enough to properly play the game for themselves, they’ll likely have lost interest in the colourful singing sharks.

The Crew Motorfest is undoubtedly the best entry in Ubisoft’s open-world racing game series yet. Not only that, but it goes toe-to-toe with Forza Horizon 5, perhaps even beating it in numerous ways. The island of O’ahu is stunning; a varied place that feels natural and teeming with things to do. But more importantly, the gameplay, the simple act of driving, is rewarding and fun. Whether you’re exploring the world or taking part in a heated race, The Crew Motorfest puts a smile on your face, even if only because of the beautiful surroundings. And while they’re somewhat put on the back burner here, it’s nice that you can still jump into a plane or boat to explore without limits.

We love the bullet hell gunplay of AK-Xolotl: its variety of weapons and abilities gives it plenty of depth, and its quirky enemy designs are a joy to come up against. But it’s the additional content here that really sets AK-Xolotl apart. Raising teeny “axolittles” will warm your heart – and sucking out their happiness will break it. But it’s all part of the eccentric wonder that is AK-Xolotl, which has quickly become one of our favourite roguelike games.

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.

Described as “a British Twin Peaks” on its Steam page, The Isle Tide Hotel falls desperately short of its promises. It has some interesting moments, sure, but the overall storytelling just isn’t good enough to ever truly capture your attention. This certainly isn’t Wales Interactive’s worst game – there’s still a lot to like – but with its premise of a mysterious cult holding so much potential, it’s perhaps one of the most disappointing.

For Bomberman fans, Super Bomberman R 2 is likely to be a must-have simply because of cross-platform play; it’ll certainly make finding matches easier, and that’s where most of the fun lies with this title. Additional match types also make it attractive for those wanting to play it locally with friends, even if Castle proves to be somewhat disappointing. It’s just a shame that so much content is locked behind coins in the store, and that while the campaign is better this time around, it’s still not all that engrossing.

If you grew up on a healthy diet of movies such as Zombie Flesh Eaters and The Evil Dead, like us, there’s a good chance you’ll appreciate the vibe that Night at the Gates of Hell is going for. This is yet another lo-fi horror that proves to be engaging and somewhat inventive, throwing caution to the wind in order to deliver an experience that’s unpredictable, sometimes horrifying, and often actually funny. Needless to say, horror fans should definitely consider checking it out.

With a large number of weapons and other upgrades to play around with, and many difficulty levels to conquer, you can have a lot of fun with Jets ‘n’ Guns 2. Though even without them, the explosive gameplay here is so enjoyable that you’d likely return to it time and time again anyway. Jets ‘n’ Guns 2 may not have any complex gameplay systems, but for those who just want to shoot things and watch them go boom, this does the job rather admirably.

We loved it when we tried it in Early Access, and we still love it now: Warstride Challenges is a bit of a gem. This is a thrilling, fast-paced first-person shooter that’s rewarding to play and has that “just one more go” factor that keeps you playing until the early hours of the morning. Whether you’re simply a fan of the first-person genre and want something offers quick bursts of fun or are into speed-running, you’d be wise to consider this a must-have.

We’ve very much enjoyed our time with it so far. This is an expansive RPG that offers players an unprecedented amount of choice, and as such, it’s a game that you can easily lose yourself in. From trying to keep your party members happy to dealing with those you meet on your travels, the freedom which you’re provided is refreshing. Along with its engaging combat system, this is an RPG like no other, genuinely pushing the genre forward into exciting territory. [Review in Progress]

The more you put into Fae Farm, the more you’ll get out of it. This is a delightful entry into the farming sim genre, offering a wonderful, magical world that begs to be explored, and an endless list of things to do. Whether you want to simply tend to your crops or hunt down every secret that Azoria holds, you’ve got dozens of hours of gameplay to look forward to here.