There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about Tiny Troopers: Global Ops. It doesn’t try to innovate or do anything new. But lacklustre visuals aside, this is a solid enough entry into the twin-stick shooter genre, and there’s plenty of fun to be had with it – especially if you play it with others.

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.

Is Peppa Pig: World Adventures better than Peppa’s first game? Yes and no. Its young fan base will undoubtedly lap up another opportunity to star alongside Peppa in their very own episode, and its character creator is better than ever by letting kids create their own families this time, too. There’s also way more content, and the worldwide locations are bound to delight and inspire. If your little one is a Peppa Pig fan, they will love it. But as adults, we simply wish there was more educational value here.

As wrestling games go, there’s little to fault about WWE 2K23. There’s still room for a touch of polish and tweaking of mechanics, and perhaps some actions and features remain a little convoluted. On the whole, though, a WWE 2K game has never looked or played better. And with all the usual modes making a return with some solid tweaks and additions, this is a must-have for any wrestling fan.

Ultimately, this is pretty much everything you’d expect of a modern day remake of Resident Evil 4. The story has been renewed to tie it into the other games in the series with more panache, and the gameplay has been updated. It doesn’t feel as revolutionary as the original did way back in 2005, but that’s to be expected. And while we sometimes felt frustrated after taking a health bar-demolishing attack with little sense of how we should have avoided it, it just made us keen to play through the game again to get better. And that speaks of the game’s quality: warts and all, once you step into the boots of Leon Kennedy, there’s not much else that delivers the same thrills.

Even as newcomers to the Anno series, we’re finding Anno 1800 Console Edition a joy to get to grips with, and we can’t wait to see our town flourish into a thriving metropolis. We need to spend more time with it before delivering our final verdict, but all signs point to this being an excellent city building strategy game, and one that’s been exceptionally ported to consoles. With easy to learn controls, fantastic visuals and a gripping campaign, we’re having a lot of fun with it so far. [Provisional Score = 80]

Those who like anime ladies, mechs, fast-paced action and visual novels are bound to get plenty of enjoyment out of Alice Gear Aegis CS: Concerto of Simulatrix. It’s not likely to wow anyone in any way, but it’s a solid battler with a pleasing amount of customisation and plenty of female combatants to discover the motivations of.

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.

Thanks to the sheer amount of combat, DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos can feel a little repetitive at times. We can’t deny, though, that this is a game that has surpassed our expectations. It proves that games for kids can be accessible yet have enough depth for all to enjoy them. And so no matter what your age, if you’re an ardent DC fan or simply love action RPGs, there’s something for you here. You might even crack a smile or two at the game’s silly humour.

With a playthrough taking around four hours, you can be done with The Wreck in one sitting. Chances are, you’ll come to care for its characters, as flawed as they all may be – but that’s something this game does excellently. It’s real. It’s raw. It doesn’t try to sugar-coat how brutal grief – and human emotions as a whole – can be. It tells its story in a beautiful way, and while there are no major plot twists or huge, action-packed moments, it kept us hooked from start to finish. The Wreck might not be a technical marvel, but it’s clear that The Pixel Hunt have mastered the art of human storytelling.

We’ve still got some time to spend with Mato Anomalies, but we’ve enjoyed what we’ve played of it so far. It’s not the most polished RPG, which may disappoint some, but its streamlined nature is a breath of fresh air, and it has a neat premise and some cool ideas. Fans of the likes of Persona are most likely to resonate with it, but it’s perhaps worth a look for any RPG fan looking for something new to sink their teeth into. [Provisional Score = 70]

A beautiful but short experience, Before Your Eyes isn’t going to be for everyone. But if you’re a fan of emotional, human stories, you won’t want to miss it. Controlled solely with your eyes, it’s like nothing else you’ve ever played. Just be prepared to wipe the tears from your PSVR 2 headset when you’re done.

Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is something a little left-field from Square Enix, but we’re very glad it exists. With its budget price, this should serve as an enticing intro to the visual novel genre for many, while those who are already fans of the genre will simply lap it up. A dark narrative with lashings of humour and some clever gameplay touches make this one of the best surprises of 2023 so far.

This is the best Monster Energy Supercross release yet. But for many there simply won’t be enough genuinely new here to impress. Casual fans that have already purchased least year’s release might just want to make do with that for another year. Ardent supercross fans, on the other hand, will no doubt appreciate the latest riders, bikes and tracks, as well as the other few new features an upgrades that are on offer here, but won’t be able to shake the overall feeling of familiarity.

With a wide selection of puzzles to solve and a fantastic art style to enjoy, there’s a lot to like about Figment 2: Creed Valley. Whether or not you’ve played the first, this is a worthwhile, albeit short, jaunt for anyone who enjoys puzzle-solving and adventuring. It’s just a shame we’ve encountered a few bugs while playing. Maybe hold off jumping in for a week or two until they’re (hopefully) fixed.

Caverns of Mars: Recharged is the type of game we can see ourselves diving into again and again; it’s the sort of thing we’ll intend to pick up for just 10 minutes, but find ourselves still fixated on two hours later. It’s a simple concept, but it’s incredibly enjoyable – another roaring success in Atari’s ‘Recharged’ series. Just stay away from the co-op mode until its bugs have been ironed out.

Playing Project Zero / Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse just reaffirms to us that we really need a new entry in this under-appreciated series. But until then, there are a lot of enjoyable chills to be had with this remaster. Its controls may be archaic by today’s standards, but everything else stands the test of time. Add in a wealth of unlockables, including a mission mode, and this is the type of horror game you might return to time and time again.

For most players though, it’s the main meat of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe – the platforming adventure – that will draw them in. It might not be the most revolutionary game – after all, the original is 12 years old – but it’s a charming platformer that’s as joyous as it always has been. And with the addition of Merry Magoland, this is a sizeable package with essentially endless replayability.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty shares some elements with Team Ninja’s Nioh games, such as randomised loot and challenging combat, but ultimately it feels very much like its own game. It’s faster-paced, has a unique morale system, and pushes players to deflect enemy attacks in order to succeed. What lets it down ever so slightly is that some of these new features often feel poorly explained and a little underdeveloped. Otherwise, this is fresh take on the Soulslike formula.

In many ways, Unplugged: Air Guitar feels like the modern-day equivalent of Guitar Hero, without the need for a fake, plastic guitar. Easy to pick up but hard to master, it’s an experience that really can make you feel like you’re playing an instrument if you put in the time and effort to learn its intricacies. And with its impressive setlist of songs, anyone fond of having a good strum should probably pick it up if they have a PSVR 2 and machinations of becoming a rock god.

We somewhat enjoyed Scars Above, but we wanted to like it a lot more than we did. It has some interesting ideas and a solid story, but the gameplay unfortunately feels a tad too basic. And then there are the bugs. They might not be all that common, but when you do encounter them, they frustrate. Hopefully they’ll be quashed quickly after launch. In any case, pick up Scars Above, manage your expectations, and chances are you’ll have an enjoyable time with it overall. Just be aware that it’s more akin to a B-movie than a main feature.

We can’t get enough of Synth Riders, and we’ll certainly be jumping back into it time and time again – both as a bit of a workout, but also because it’s just so mesmerising. Its standard levels are immersive enough, but its Experience levels take things to a whole new level – perhaps one of the best things we’ve seen in PSVR 2 yet. It’s just a shame the majority of them are locked out as DLC. Still, this isn’t a game to sleep on if you’re a fan of pumping tunes and getting your groove on.

Ultimately, how much fun you’ll get out of Ragnarock depends on how much you like the type of music it’s centred around. If you don’t like loud, crunchy riffs and the occasional bit of screaming, then you might not be able to stomach it for too long unless your love for drumming is greater. For those fully invested in the ridiculous antics that Ragnarock offers though, a jolly good time can be had time and time again.

All of Thumper is quite the sight, particularly in VR. It’s dark and moody; blacks and reds fill your screen, transporting you to some sort of ethereal nightmare. But you’ll likely be transfixed on the action, completely absorbed in Thumper‘s strange but fascinating world. There really is nothing else like it. And try as we might, it truly is impossible to fully summarise the wonder of Thumper into words. It’s one that really does need to be experienced first-hand to be fully appreciated.

For fans of on-rails shooters like House of the Dead, Zombieland: Headshot Fever Reloaded is an excellent modern-day equivalent. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never seen the movies: this is a perfectly good standalone zombie-shooting romp, made better than ever thanks to the performance and fidelity boost offered by PSVR 2.

If you fondly remember Fantavision, or are a new PSVR 2 owner seeking out a puzzle game that they can learn to master while enjoying some beautiful sights, Fantavision 202X is undoubtedly worth checking out. It’s just a shame that it hasn’t been expanded upon for this release, as it feels a bit light on content these days.

Despite all of Wild Hearts‘ faults, it’s hard not to be be taken in by its charms. Omega Force has really tried to create a solid Monster Hunter contender with this one, and it mostly succeeds. There are some genuinely neat ideas here, and its monster designs are a welcome breath of fresh air. Overall, it’s a great game in its own right, but it’s more exciting when you consider it a base to be improved upon with further iterations.

Those looking at Grim Guardians: Demon Purge expecting a metroidvania might be disappointed when they realise it’s more of a straightforward platformer, like the original Castlevania games. And while it is derivative of Konami’s classic series, it does just enough to give itself a character of its own. If only its revival mechanic didn’t cause issues in single-player, and it didn’t get a little weird in its later half, then it would be a pretty enjoyable jaunt.