The average gamer might want to think twice before picking Tormented Souls up, as mechanically it feels outdated and often rather unwelcoming. The lousy voice acting and unconvincing character models will provide further reason for them to throw in the towel early, too. However, if you’re a fan of old-fashioned survival horrors and find yourself yearning for one that offers a modern lick of paint and a new setting, there’s a very high chance you’ll absolutely love it. It’s not as good as the classics of the genre, but developers Dual Effect and Abstract Digital have delivered something that is hot on their heels.

No More Heroes fans will absolutely adore No More Heroes 3 – it’s no doubt the best game in the series so far. And while it’s better to go into it with prior knowledge of the series, Switch gamers looking for an action-packed adventure that offers something entirely unique might also want to consider picking it up. Its open world might be a bit sparse, and the activities within it range in quality, but at least the combat is always brilliant. The ranked battles are the real draw here though, as well as the unpredictable gameplay elements they bring with them and the story scenes they’re sandwiched in between. They’ll suck you in and won’t let you go until the credits roll.

Ultimately, whether you should buy Space Invaders Invincible Collection depends on how much of an ardent Space Invaders fan you are. If you really do have fond memories of the original and feel like you could play it for hours again, as well as discover some more associated titles, it’s probably well worth your hard-earned cash. Most, though, are probably better off opting for the cheaper Space Invaders Forever collection; it also includes Space Invaders Extreme, offering the same core gameplay wrapped up in a much more modern and enjoyable package.

If you gel with Yuoni‘s brand of hide-and-seek horror accompanied by basic storytelling you might get your money’s worth. Making your way through the game’s levels is likely to take you four or five hours the first time, then you unlock a harder mode which holds the game’s true ending. You’ll need a lot of patience though. The repetitive gameplay simply fails to engage like it should. And even worse for a horror game, it’s just not scary at all. Ultimately, Yuoni is a disappointment.

Manage to get through King’s Bounty II‘s battles, though, and you’ll be rewarded with engaging exploration and a decent narrative that leaves you wanting to find out more about the fate of the world you’re in. Despite not looking great, it truly is a world that begs to be explored. Unfortunately, many of the battles are simply too unforgiving and frustrating to encourage you to keep going. Reloading an old save again and again isn’t fun and ultimately, it’s hard to recommend King’s Bounty II – unless you genuinely do enjoy getting defeated again and again.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite is a hugely entertaining co-op shooter, only brought down by the formulaic structure of its missions and the odd rough edge. Developer Cold Iron Studios is promising more free content in the future, however, and has the chance to turn the game into something rather special. With more horde maps, marine classes and perhaps a mission tweak here and there, we could imagine returning to Aliens: Fireteam Elite time and time again, long into the future. Right now though, while some team-based third-person shooter fans will have plenty of fun with it, it’s only really a must for Alien fans.

You might groan and grumble as Razputin messes up yet another jump, but as Psychonauts 2 progresses, unravelling yet another spectacular world for you to explore, you’ll likely forget about any frustrations. This is a brilliantly designed game, and it’s clear a huge amount of ingenuity has gone into its creation. Whether you’re battling hand-puppets, talking to a papercraft William Shakespeare or gambling inside a maternity ward (no, really), one thing is for sure: you’re going to have a lot of fun playing Psychonauts 2.

Doctor Who: The Lonely Assassins is only a couple of hours long, but it’s a couple of hours that will keep you glued to your screen, hungrily unfolding one plot point after another. With light puzzles to solve, private conversations to sift through and an excellent story, FMV thriller fans will get a kick out of this – even if they aren’t all that familiar with the Doctor.

Stripped of its hellish veneer and of the illusion you’re actually calling the shots, Hell Architect is a relatively run-of-the-mill management game. It’s by no means torture to play, but it fails to live up to its wickedly intriguing premise – and the odd dashes of humour can’t fix that.

If you have Madden NFL 21, the changes here might not be enough for you to consider parting with your hard-earned cash for Madden NFL 22. It is undoubtedly a better game than last year’s version, so if you’re an ardent fan you’ll probably do so anyway. Gameday atmosphere successfully adds to the ambience from one match to the next, while the new momentum system adds a nice tug-of-war element as players fight for helpful perks. It’s just a shame that outside of Franchise mode there are few developments worthy of note, while Face of the Franchise seriously needs some work. Also, I want a proper story mode back again, EA. I miss Longshot.

RiMS Racing is an enticing prospect for motorbike racing fans. It’s got great audio and visuals, convincing physics, and eight of the world’s most desirable bikes recreated in stunning detail. Even better, the actual act of racing is challenging, but highly enjoyable. It’s just a shame that one of the features that makes it truly unique – fiddling with components to make sure your bike is in tip-top shape – quickly becomes rather tedious thanks to the long string of button inputs required. Thankfully you can get around it with a little bit of effort, then you’ll have a much better time.

Ghost of Tsushima was a great game when it launched just over a year ago. And now, in the form of a Director’s Cut, it’s even better. It seems trite to make a big deal over the visuals not being massively upgraded for next-gen when the game looks so phenomenal anyway, and what has been added – 3D audio and DualSense support – is enough to make the upgrade fee worthwhile for those who already own the original game and want to take on the new Iki Island expansion. That itself is largely more of the same, but its thoroughly engaging story that lets us learn more about Jin Sakai isn’t to be missed by those who were entertained by the game’s main campaign. And so, what else is there to say, other than for newcomers, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut on PS5 is absolutely essential.

If you’ve never played Zool before, then Zool Redimensioned might not seem that special to you. After all, in the 30 years that have passed, a number of platform games have come and gone, many of them no doubt superior to Zool in numerous ways. But if you do have fond memories of playing the game on your Amiga, SNES or Mega Drive, then you’ll surely get a huge kick out of Zool Redimensioned. This is a true slice of nostalgia, delivered in a perfectly-tuned package. We bet you can’t play it without a smile on your face.

In the end, I enjoyed some of my time with Twelve Minutes. Its story is genuinely gripping, and the cast’s performances are excellent, solidifying the game as a believable world. In many ways, developer Luis Antonio has created something truly remarkable here. But so much of Twelve Minutes is an exercise in frustration and repetition. You’re going to need a lot of patience to keep going, and ultimately, I’m not sure if it’s entirely worth it.

The Last Survey doesn’t provide an answer to the quandary of saving the world – how could it? – but it brings the issue to the forefront, in a meaningful and impactful way. This is a game designed to make us think, to acknowledge what’s happening in the world, and its beautifully stark presentation means the experience likely won’t leave you for quite some time.

In many ways, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: The Siege of Paris feels like the Assassin’s Creed of old. A smaller affair with a story that actually feels like it has stakes, its characters are interesting and a little more fleshed out in some cases, making the twists it sends your way more impactful. Throw in the engaging assassination missions, and you have a brilliant piece of DLC that’s not to be missed. If you own a copy of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, you owe it to yourself to play The Siege of Paris.

Despite a few technical issues, Paw Patrol The Movie: Adventure City Calls nails its target audience without ever feeling patronising or asinine, as children’s games have a tendency to do. This is one of the better games for young players we’ve seen in some time, and there’s no doubt it’ll be a hit with Paw Patrol fans. Obviously, there’s not much here for grown-up players, but its simple mechanics, nice mix of gameplay and pleasant visuals make it a game for children we’re confident to recommend.

With a fairly short running time, at least Greak: Memories of Azur doesn’t require much commitment to see it through. I just can’t help but feel that if your companions were computer-controlled and actually assisted you in combat, or at least tried to keep out of the way of your enemies rather than simply standing motionless, my review would be much more glowing. As it is, for every few minutes of joy I had with Greak: Memories of Azur, I generally had another filled with some level of frustration. Ultimately that lead to a great deal of disappointment, which is a real shame.

No better words can sum up Fire Tonight than ‘short and sweet’. It’s over before you know it, but for its low asking price, it packs in just the right amount of puzzles, nostalgia and heartening narrative. Add to that a rocking soundtrack and a wonderful art style, and you’ve got a great little package.

Perhaps I have been rather critical of Button City; there is something sweet in its cuddly art style and although its dialogue and narrative may be try-hard, it is effective at times. The real issue is that it feels like its developers have relied too hard on simply being cute rather than focusing on creating engaging gameplay. Regardless of how adorable the protagonist and their friends may be, there’s just not enough here to hold my attention.

Those fond of the Spelunker series will find plenty to like about Spelunker HD Deluxe, and those that enjoy challenging retro games will probably get a kick out of it too. It perhaps stays a little too close to its roots for the majority of modern audiences, and the new 3D visuals can make some of its pitfalls harder to spot, which is a nuisance, but for the most part this is a solid remake of a blast from the past.

The lack of modes and the high level of difficulty will mean that Star Hunter DX won’t be for everyone, but for ardent shoot ’em up fans it’s well worth a look, especially considering its budget price. Its Bullet Time mechanic, at least, makes this shooter stand out from the crowd, and the charming audio and visuals are the icing on the cake.

Yes, we can levy criticisms about the roguelike genre in general at it, but the fact is, few games perfect the formula quite like Hades does; it’s one of the best roguelikes you’ll ever play. With a slew of upgrades available, gorgeous environments to fight your way through and a wonderfully told narrative that delves into Greek mythology, you’ll keep coming back for more, time and time again.

It’s the narrative and world around you that will keep you playing I Am Dead. The actual gameplay – seeking out objects by manipulating your environment – can feel rather monotonous rather quickly. If anything, I Am Dead feels like a more mature, more evolved take on the hidden object genre, and so it won’t appeal to everyone. But thanks to wonderfully-told stories and a bizarre but delightful mix of fantasy and grounded reality, this is a short adventure that’s fun while it lasts.

Ultimately though, you probably already know whether you’ll like Lawn Mowing Simulator or not. It allows you to venture into some lovely environments and cut grass from the comfort of your armchair. If that sounds appealing to you then you’ll probably love it. It can be quite relaxing at times, and also rewarding when you devise an effective grass-cutting strategy. If you have a real life lawn though, you’ll probably feel like you should just go and cut that rather than spend time cutting virtual ones. My lawn isn’t big enough to be cut with a sit-on lawn mower, however, so that’s my excuse.

Including the dungeon-crawling mode Beneath does damage Paint the Town Red‘s sense of identity a little, but it’s certainly not a deal breaker. The real joy of this game is the fact that you can dip into it for 30 minutes or so of gore-soaked fun; if you’ve had a tough day, it could be quite a cathartic experience. Paint the Town Red may have spent more time in Early Access than most, but it’s still a bloody joy to play. Just don’t think throwing the first punch means you’ll come out on top.

If you’re after a puzzle game that you can chill with, Doomsday Vault might just fit the bill. Even better, it has a green message – us humans need to shape up, or this is what might actually become of our Earth. It’s just a shame that the controls can be a little annoying at times. Also, there’s not a massive amount of game for the asking price – unless you really want to be at the top of those challenge leaderboards.

Unbound: Worlds Apart isn’t a bad game by any means, but after a few hours of play it simply begins to feel bland and a little repetitive. Your portal powers seem interesting at the outset, but chances are you’ll eventually get tired of using the same combination of them to overcome platforming challenges and to make your way past creepy arachnids and other oversized bugs unscathed. If you’re in the market for a challenging puzzle platformer there are worse out there, but you’re probably not going to remember your time with Unbound: Worlds Apart once you’re done with it.