If the idea of sitting through up to an hour of pointless chit-chat before you can get into a bout of entertaining action doesn’t put you off, then you might get some enjoyment out of Neptunia x Senran Kagura: Ninja Wars. It’s not a bad game by any means, but it doesn’t strike a good balance between story and gameplay. And the story itself isn’t worthy of taking up so much of your time. Still, as Switch ports go this is a good one, and the additional difficulty options are very welcome.

TAPE: Unveil the Memories is a decent-looking game, and it has a nice enough soundtrack, too. It’s just a shame that its blend of engaging puzzles and fairly accomplished storytelling are brought down by poor stealth sections that feel out of place. Still, it’s definitely worth a play if you enjoy a sordid tale full of twists of turns. You’ll just need a little patience and persistence to get through some of its encounters.

Tormented Souls is a great survival horror game, and on Switch it’s more impressive than ever. The visuals are good, the puzzle-heavy gameplay remains engaging, and being able to quickly bring up the map makes a world of difference. If you’re an old-school survival horror fan and haven’t played this yet, get it bought, pronto.

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.

It’s shame that Andro Dunos 2 doesn’t have more modes. And a lack of online leaderboards and display options in this day and age is perplexing. But still, there’s a very well put together shoot ’em up here for anyone keen on some old-school action. It doesn’t do anything particularly new, but its gameplay truly shines, making this very much worth playing.

Glitches aside, we enjoyed every moment of our time with Lake. This six-or-so hour adventure forces you to take things slowly; to stop and think. That’s something we all could do with more of in this hectic, stressful world. Meredith may be fictional, as may be the gorgeous Providence Oaks, but the life choices she ponders during the course of the game are something we can all relate to. If you’re anything like us, you’ll rue the credits finally rolling, wishing you could continue to deliver mail in that small, sleepy town forever.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an absolute triumph for Vanillaware. Not many games have stories as ambitious as this. Even fewer manage to bring things together without resulting in disappointment. And while the real-time battles may be the weakest element, they’re still very much engaging, and offer a nice change of pace when required. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim might just be remembered as one of the greatest games of all time, and so whether you’re into sci-fi or not, you should certainly add it to your collection.

If you have the time for another retro FPS in your life, Forgive Me Father will provide some solid entertainment. The fact that it’s fairly inexpensive and has Lovecraft-inspired enemies will be attractive to some, too. There are better examples available in the genre though. So, while it’s in no way a bad game, it’s hard to call it essential. It’s simply an enjoyable but unspectacular old-fashioned romp.

This may be the best baseball game available right now, but when it’s only incrementally better than least year’s effort, you might not feel like it’s worth the cost.

It’s tough, but Kombinera impresses with its clever ball puzzles. Like most classic puzzle games, the concept is simple and easy to get your head around, but allows for some serious brainteasing as more elements are added. Some may quickly become frustrated with it, and it’s a shame there’s little in the way of help when you truly do become stuck, but that shouldn’t stop puzzle fans from lapping this up. It might just be one of the best puzzle games in years.

Perhaps console isn’t the best place to play, then, but Replica is a game very much worth your time. Costing around the price of a cup of coffee, you’ve got a dark and mysterious experience that will undoubtedly get its claws in you. Snooping around someone’s data is always more alluring than it should be, and you’ll be on the edge of your seat each time you discover a new password, wondering what incriminating evidence awaits. Replica is uncomfortable from start to finish, but if you think you can hack it – figuratively and literally – it’s well worth playing. Just consider grabbing it on Switch or PC instead.

There’s a lot of fun to be had with Slipstream. It’s wonderfully presented, has a good amount of content, and the racing action is fun and intense for the most part. It’s just a shame that the efforts it makes to differentiate itself from Outrun gameplay-wise don’t really have the intended effect. But if you’re after an old-fashioned racing game inspired by the classics of the 80s and 90s, this is still very much worthy of a purchase.

For the price of two cups of coffee, you’ve got an indie platforming adventure that offers up several hours of entertainment. Flat Kingdom may be a little clunky, sure, but it’s not broken – and if you’re a fan of simple side-scrolling platforming, you might find something to enjoy here. It’s not going to light your world on fire in any way, but there are certainly worse games out there.

Some will be disappointed that Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition is simply a remaster of one of the best JRPGs of all time rather than a remake, and it’s not the most exhaustive one at that. But still, there’s a great game here, and it’s never looked, sounded or played better. So, while the framerate issues may be irksome, and some aspects of the game aren’t so intuitive by today’s standards, anyone keen on playing – or replaying – a piece of JRPG history would be wise to check Chrono Cross: The Radical Dreamers Edition out.

Accompanied by wonderful pixel art and an engaging soundtrack, Forward: Escape the Fold is a fast-paced card-based roguelike well worth jumping into. Defeating each boss is satisfying, even if combat is never more than a click of the mouse. It’s the sort of game you can plan to jump into for 10 minutes at a time – but two hours later find yourself still there, pushing through its addictive gaming loop. It’s described as the “perfect bitzesized dungeon crawler” in its Steam description, and we couldn’t agree more.

If you’re looking for a game that’s challenging yet relaxing, Lawn Mowing Simulator fits the bill. Starting up your own business, you need to choose your contracts carefully and mow lawns with care. And while it really does feel like work at times, there’s something seriously enjoyable about going back and forth in serene British parks and gardens, making them look prim and proper. Ultimately, Lawn Mowing Simulator is more addictive than it has any right to be.

Its gameplay may not be quite the evolution from previous LEGO games that you were expecting, but it's clear TT Games has put a lot of time and love into making LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. It's the biggest LEGO game yet by a mile, and the shift to making it more cinematic makes it perhaps the most engaging. It's certainly a huge improvement in terms of visuals; this really is a gorgeous-looking game on PS5. A few bugs may let it down somewhat, but they're easy to forgive and forget. Ultimately, whether you're a Star Wars fan or a LEGO fan – or even better, both – you're going to find a lot to love here.

There’s a lot to praise about A Memoir Blue. It looks and sounds beautiful, and feels almost experimental in its design – it’s always a joy to see small developers trying something new. But it does leave a little to be desired; its short narrative fails to deliver any real punch, and when the credits roll you may be left thinking “…is that it?”. But considering its small asking price, we can’t really complain. If you enjoy narrative-led journeys, particularly those that deal in human emotion, A Memoir Blue is worth picking up.

There’s a good game in Tunche somewhere, just trying to get out. Some will find it if they dig deep, put in the hours and max out the skill trees so that the combat can shine. Most though, will probably give up early on into the journey. This is a wonderfully presented game with a lot to offer, but the roguelike elements suck the fun out of it, turning what could have been a brisk and enjoyable adventure into a drawn-out slog.

If you don’t mind the odd teething problem, there really is so much to love about Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. The campaign will keep you glued to your seat thanks to its excellent storytelling and fantastic voice cast. And its world outshines just about any we’ve seen in the Borderlands series yet; it’s huge, and offers so much scope to explore even beyond the main story and side quests. Its endgame is promising too, offering plenty of reason to keep jumping back in. Is it Gearbox’s best game to date? Once those few bugs are tidied up, it might just be. And considering it was made under pandemic restrictions, that really is a feat.

For those what want to immerse themselves in a strange, alternative take on the Wild West and unravel a mysterious story, Weird West should do the trick. This is an engaging action RPG that while narrative-driven, still gives players a large amount of choice. And though there are some issues, they’re worth bearing with to see each of the game’s protagonists journeys through to their end. As the first game from WolfEye Studios, this is a very commendable effort indeed.

With its old-fashioned visuals and scrappy gameplay, Nun Massacre won’t be for everyone. Horror fans going into it with an open mind, however, will soon find a place for it in their bleeding, haunted hearts. Being hunted down by the nun never fails to set your blood pumping, the screen distorting as she draws ever closer, leading to horrific screams as she charges at you. It’s truly scary – and that’s what horror is all about.

There’s not much to put you off from playing Agent Intercept, really. It may not be the most visually appealing title, especially on PS5, but it doesn’t look too bad. And while the jilted camera angles can sometimes make it awkward to gauge if you’re lined up correctly with a pick-up, you soon get used to it. It’s not particularly big or complex but it offers pure, unadulterated, arcade fun. Sometimes that’s all you want. So, if you suddenly feel the urge to chase down a crime syndicate in a futuristic vehicle that transforms, keep Agent Intercept on your radar. You might beat its campaign in the blink of an eye, but you’ll stay for its score-chasing antics.

There’s a good game in Chocobo GP somewhere, hidden between the balancing problems and microtransactions. Hopefully one day it’ll be able to emerge, free of the troubles that are bringing it down. Until then though, it’s hard to recommend. If you don’t mind forking out for the game and then a Battle Pass or two down the road you might get some enjoyment out of it, but you’ll have to be committed to the grind, and fairly patient with the gameplay. Perhaps give it a try first – a free Lite version is available so you can at least get a taste of the action without spending any money.

We do enjoy a good party game, and Trivial Pursuit Live! 2 fits the bill well enough. If you revel in general knowledge quizzes, there’s a good range of questions on offer, and some interesting rounds to take part in. It’s all presented very nicely too, with jazzy visuals and lovable character models. But if you’re expecting something that resembles a classic game of Trivial Pursuit, this isn’t it.

If you like games that are fast-paced and that don’t bog you down with gameplay elements that can feel like busywork, Ghostwire: Tokyo may not be for you. If you don’t mind the slower pace, however, and are excited by the prospect of busting ghosts with magic thrown from your hands, chances are you’ll love it. It may feel like virtual tourism during a cataclysmic event at times, but that’s the charm of it. And there’s plenty of it to be done as you traipse back and forth across Tokyo trying to thwart a Hannya mask-wearing psycho.

It may take you several playthroughs to discover who did, in fact, press mute on Uncle Marcus. But hopefully you’ll be engaged enough to keep playing until you find out. Who Pressed Mute on Uncle Marcus? feels like a return to form for Good Gate Media. It’s fun, silly and entertaining – and even when the acting is a bit hammy, it’s good enough that it’ll keep you watching. It’s more fun than an actual Zoom family quiz, that’s for sure.

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.