Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly Remake successfully captures the soul and voice of a classic while improving on the presentation and scope, but shoddy combat often brings those commendable efforts down.

Disciples: Domination is a flawed, by-the-numbers strategy RPG that shows some creativity with its units and certain boss mechanics, but lacks enough depth and variety to sustain the amount of fights it throws at you across its decently lengthy campaign. Its writing lacks a consistent tone, its world fails to grip you, while Avyanna only stands out as one of the most unconvincing protagonists to date, making Domination a functional but rather forgettable second entry in the series.

Earth vs Mars doesn’t have a fresh take on familiar tactics, but it gets all the basics right, is constantly pleasant to play, and offers good value for little money.

Sacred 2 was the sort of action-RPG you turned to once you’d exhausted better, more focused options in the genre. 17 years later, a decent remaster can’t mask what’s a largely plodding and miserable experience.

The more focused second half saves Eriksholm from oblivion. For a game clocking around 10 hours, it takes too long to get going and put all its cards on the table.

While a bit too rigid and buggy at times, Commandos: Origins is a worthy enough return to nerve-wracking tactical WWII scenarios that are a blast to figure out.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Master Crafted Edition is an adequate remaster that makes 2011’s third-person action game easier to play on modern machines while improving how it looks and sounds. None of its additions address the original’s fundamental issues, preferring to leave it largely as it was. Its flawed but fun campaign delivers plenty of visceral slaughter while its multiplayer is worth dipping into for a few matches every now and then, provided you don’t run into lag and find enough players to fill a lobby. It’s easy to see why the game became a cult classic, but for what it offers, the remaster’s price tag and the lack of an upgrade option or discount for existing owners are undoubtedly head-scratchers.

There’s a great ‘town defense’ RTS at the center of Age of Darkness, but the lack of polish even after its 1.0 launch is disappointing and the campaign lacks punch.

Idun’s gameplay loop, progression systems, and moment-to-moment thrills mostly compensate for its padded main quest, rough edges, and disappointing AI-generated voice acting.

Sniper Elite: Resistance delivers the expected stealth-action combo the series is known for, wrapping it in a forgettable narrative about stopping the Nazi war machine from totally winning the war yet again. But even as it's a functional title, with levels that offer a decent amount of freedom and X-Ray kills that remain satisfying to watch, this follow-up ends up feeling like a tired, unnecessary rehash of its predecessor…Its forgettable new protagonist and supporting cast don't do much to help things along, while the all-new Propaganda missions feel like a middling distraction at best. If Sniper Elite 5 left you pining for more of the same, you'll likely squeeze 15+ hours of varying degrees of enjoyment out of Resistance's modes. Anyone hoping for any significant sense of evolution should wait until the next one.

Stalker 2 is unlike anything else in the FPS market right now, but design flaws that only become more baffling the more you play and an embarrassingly long list of minor bugs, performance hiccups, and game-breaking issues undo nearly all the good done in other areas of the game. An engrossing experience lies beneath all the clutter, but it will take time to unearth it.

Conscript's more grounded setting had lots of potential to help it carve its place within the confines of the genre even if it sticks quite adamantly to established conventions. It has moments when it successfully paints how grim the life of a World War 1 soldier could have been, but it ultimately fails to strike that fine balance which crucially keeps you on edge and horrified but curious and willing to push on and discover how opening that next door might alter the protagonist's fate.

Millennia’s take on the historical 4X formula is fascinating, but the wonder wears off soon due to misplaced priorities and omissions that are hard to overlook.

Alone in the Dark presents a promising yet imperfect reimagining that captures the essence of a mesmerising, atmospheric adventure game. However, it struggles to rationalise the inclusion of clunky combat and basic stealth elements that detract from the overall experience…Solid performances support a narrative rich in psychological and cosmic horror, motivating you to delve deeper into the mysteries of Derceto Manor, even though lackluster boss battles weaken the impact of its critical moments. While these action-oriented sections constitute just a fraction of the game, their lackluster implementation impedes the revival effort from achieving its fullest potential and matching the success of other recent survival horror remakes.

War Hospital is a primarily functional World War I management simulation game that struggles to establish a meaningful connection between players and their staff and patients. As you progress beyond the initial hours, the gameplay becomes bogged down by repetitive mechanics exacerbated by an inadequate user interface with insufficient tooltips and unclear instructions, accompanied by a host of frustrating bugs that compelled me to frequently reload older save files and restart entire chapters. Despite a promising start, the overall experience is marred by tedium and irritation. Its only redeeming quality lies in its exploration of a scenario rarely seen in the management genre. However, this alone does not warrant an immediate recommendation.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is at its best when it encourages you to be patient and focus on discovering its world, taking in the strange shapes of its trees and plants, while uncovering Na’Vi stories and customs. Easily the best way to experience the universe envisioned by James Cameron, it’s also a fun enough take on a FarCry game, albeit not one that refreshes Ubisoft’s tired formula nearly enough. Combat feels loose and, before long, clearing outposts or fighting the same few types of enemies will have you inevitably yearning to head back out in search of new wondrous sights. Exploration alone makes Frontiers of Pandora worth playing – especially if you’re an established fan of the universe – but, much like the RDA’s pollution suffocates the life out of its surroundings, mechanical tedium inevitably and unfortunately drags things down in the long run.

The repetitive minigames that occupy a significant portion of the gameplay in Zipp’s Cafe tend to hinder its charm, despite the narrative potential that flickers through its admittedly dry dialogues. While the game succeeds to some extent in immersing players into its expansive setting, the lackluster routine of food and drink preparation, coupled with insufficiently developed characters, makes it challenging to feel drawn into becoming a frequent visitor.

Total War: Pharaoh will surely benefit from the shortage of AAA strategy games with real-time battles, but it may play things too safe for the most demanding fans of the series, and given it’s a full-price release, the overall scope lands dangerously close to that of the Total War Saga entries.

With so many games on the horizon, the series is threatening to mimic sports franchises on an action-adventure level; the addictive same-old repackaged and resold back to you year-on-year. Mirage might promise a fresh oasis from afar, but get closer and it’s the same formula, drier and less quenching than before.

Atlas Fallen is perhaps best summed up by one of the later powers you add to the gauntlet. You are given the ability to raise ancient structures, the capacity to uncover a lost world, its towering buildings and long forgotten relics. You spend the next few minutes pulling empty boxes and planks of wood out of the sand. Want to raise all of the history from the mythical siege of the gods that lies beneath your feet? We’re going to go metal detecting for pennies down the local field instead…Such letdowns underpin a game that I initially really liked and quickly grew weary of. There’s fun to be had, and co-op may open up the enjoyment even more. But heed the warning; most of Atlas Fallen’s positives are tapered by the sense it hates its players and isn’t willing to give back on the effort put in.

Age of Wonders 4: Dragon Dawn offers a satisfactory amount of content at its price point, focusing on a beloved element of the fantasy genre. The inclusion of mixed affinity tomes adds intriguing twists to gameplay, although witnessing the evolution of new units can prove challenging due to their inherent fragility. The larger dragon units and Dragon Lords themselves appropriately embody a sense of awe and power on the battlefield. However, while these additions be an asset in any playthrough, Dragon Dawn does not fundamentally alter the overall feel of the game, serving primarily as a flavorful addition. As a result, the DLC may not be considered a crucial purchase.

Dead Island 2's visceral combat can effortlessly pull you into the zone as you slash, shoot, and kick zombies while making sure they head into the afterlife with fewer limbs attached. A simple but effective upgrade system gives you the means to counter any foe, while its varied arsenal of melee and ranged weapons keeps things interesting for a good while. Repetition inevitably sets in well before you roll credits, being reflected both in its uninspired mission objectives and how you eliminate opponents. Its disjointed and confused narrative doesn't do it any favors either, but, as long as you focus on slaying zombies, there's certainly fun to be had here.

For better or worse, Project Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse brings an underplayed fifteen-year-old horror game to Western audiences in a well-preserved state. There's a fantastic atmosphere, and the horror is well-framed and executed with impressive restraint, but control issues of the time carry through to this remaster.

SpellForce: Conquest of Eo is a good reason to return to the universe, but it feels far less epic in scale when compared to the previous titles.

A pretty funny romp that never quite finds its speed both as a shooter and as a comedic story. It’s unlikely you’ll be bored with High on Life.

Darktide’s incomplete crafting system doesn’t allow you to efficiently refine gear. Its rewards are scarce and unsatisfying, especially going into the endgame. Optimization is not great, while its cash shop holds hostage any remotely worthwhile cosmetic upgrades so far. It’s a real shame, because all of these missteps cast a dark shadow on its excellent, visceral combat – that evolves Fatshark’s addictive co-op action formula – alongside what’s quite possibly the best depiction of the grimdark universe to grace video games to date.

Evil West’s old-school sensibilities aren’t what drags it down, although its linear levels might not appeal to everyone. Its combat feels glorious when it clicks, but it struggles to find its stride, resulting in a fun but rather unremarkable adventure. Fights range from exhilarating to boring and outright frustrating, its story is entirely forgettable and lacks memorable characters, while a lack of polish in terms of smaller details like NPC models and cutscenes makes it hard for it to properly stand out. But if you’re looking for an excuse to brutally execute vampires with an arsenal that looks, sounds, and feels great to use, there’s enough fun to warrant picking up Evil West, as long as you keep its flaws in mind.

Warner Bros. attempt at getting things going again with Gotham Knights feels largely flat thanks to unwieldy movement and a world that is more “checklist” than immersive, but in small doses it can be fun, and the heroes all feel unique and work well in co-op multiplayer.

A Plague Tale: Requiem's trump card is the variety of gameplay sequences between which it alternates. At its best, it spices up the original's stealth action-adventure formula with new ways of eliminating foes or holding rats at bay. At its worst, it has you slogging through tedious or frustrating stealth sections. This is a sequel that's bigger, longer, and worth playing if you're invested in Amicia and Hugo's story. But while it successfully avoids repetition, a lack of truly interesting gameplay mechanics alongside disappointing optimization that makes controlling Amicia feel unnecessarily clunky at times hamper the overall experience at launch.

Blackmill Games’ dedication to history and realism is certainly commendable, but the result is a game that will only appeal to a very select audience. That said, Isonzo is capable of producing some incredibly tense and atmospheric gameplay.

Stray is at its best when it lets you do the things you’d expect from a cat – sleeping on cozy pillows, meowing, or scratching sofas – but fails to build consistently compelling gameplay around these flavorful bits. Although it creates a believable world, I found it hard to connect with the robots you encounter across its forgotten city, making the game’s admittedly grand climax feel hollow…There’s plenty of attention to detail going into certain areas, but once the credits rolled, I was disappointed to see the cat I played as was just a vessel through which I experienced someone else’s story…Stray works and runs smoothly but is ultimately a fairly inoffensive game with a handful of special moments, that also happens to have a cat as its leading character. You can do much worse, but you can also do much better.

With The Quarry, Supermassive heads back to the woods with mostly positive results. The story is not much to write home about, and the paring back of physical control of characters' actions leaves some empty spaces. Still, the cast is generally likable, the presentation impressive, and there's plenty of joy to be found in manipulating the lives of these poor young souls. The Quarry has plenty of thrills, chills, and kills, but also an abundance of filler.

There’s not much about Sniper Elite 5 that’s particularly remarkable. That, however, didn’t stop the visceral X-Ray kills and the simple act of mowing down Nazis to see me through to the end of its campaign. There are plenty of other games out there that do stealth, action, or World War II better, yet the series’ formula is very much its own and does manage to carry a game that otherwise struggles to do anything interesting. Its flexible difficulty, the tension of invasions, and gruesome long-range executions keep things fun if the very premise appeals to you. But certain antiquated design choices and guns that don’t feel all that great keep Sniper Elite 5 from being memorable.

Ghostwire: Tokyo isn’t bad or broken. It’s just a game that’s not particularly ambitious and almost feels at odds with itself, leaving it with a lot of wasted potential. It might yield a couple of interesting online searches if you’re uninitiated in Japanese folklore, and you can pet lots of dogs and cats, but there are ways to go about doing those things without sitting through Akito’s snoozefest of a tale.

ELEX II will be an understandably divisive RPG, as is almost a given with Piranha Bytes’ titles. There are performance issues, incoherent conversation options, and some iffy combat. Yet its freedom is genuinely impressive, and its kitchen-sink approach to every aspect of the experience at least makes for an intriguing, if uneven, package.

I definitely enjoyed heading back to the simpler gameplay of Bubble Bobble 4 Friends. But the main game is far too short for any long-term gaming. The lower difficulty setting certainly allows younger gamers to play with a degree of confidence. However, it will leave older gamers wanting something extra. The addition of the original game does increase the nostalgia, but the issues of poor controller responsiveness somewhat limit the enjoyment. If you have a young family and want to show them a comparison between games of yesteryear and today, Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is worth a look, but look elsewhere if you’re looking for a challenging platformer.

Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line is a worthy addition to the base game if you enjoyed your time there but it doesn’t do enough to fix its many flaws. While the story is rewarding and atmosphere creepy, there’s something just a little cynical about the whole thing.

As a celebration of all things Jurassic, Jurassic World Evolution 2 serves as a worthy successor to the original. As a park management game, it struggles to find a meaningful focal point. Given Frontier’s expertise in this exact department elsewhere, that’s more than a little disappointing. A light, messy sim that acts as a tribute to the prehistoric pandemonium of the Jurassic Park/World series.

Battlefield 2042 should have been a massive, triumphant return for the series but, as much as it scratches that itch for both small and large scale combat, it brings some unnecessary changes to its core formula while missing the mark with some of its ambitious new features. With enough support, the great first-person shooter underneath might fully surface in a few months’ time, but properly enjoying it at launch requires jumping through several hoops.

The Origins Immersion Pack isn’t anything special. Whether it is worth it to you depends on if you’re interested in taking an African nation through the mission trees or want to play a fleshed-out Judaism. The free patch that goes along with it, however, should be welcomed by everyone, especially if it ends up doing what it says on the tin. From our limited testing, this seems to be the case, including a noticeable performance increase from 1.31.

Far Cry 6 finds the series at its most complacent and stale, showing little desire to push things forward and missing the mark when it comes to its story and villain. And yet, despite the tired recipe, there’s still an adequately enjoyable first-person shooter underneath that manages to offer the freedom expected of it and make popping the heads of countless dumb opponents feel satisfying. How much you’ll enjoy it really depends on where you’re approaching it from. As a new player, its world will keep you busy and show you a good chunk of what the series has to offer. If you’ve played previous entries in the series, you’re more likely to be left wishing there was more. Yara’s had its own revolution; perhaps it’s time for Far Cry to follow suit.

At the end of the day, Aliens: Fireteam Elite doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a game that clearly knows what it wants to be. It’s not the most sophisticated co-op shooter out there and won’t exactly blow your mind with its uniqueness, but if you want to spend an evening shooting up Xenomorphs alongside friends, it has you covered.

Valor & Victory is based on the original tabletop board game and for better or worse is meticulously designed for fans of that format. Those familiar with miniature wargaming are sure to find a game capable of scratching that same itch, but if you prefer your WW2 strategy more accessible, Panzer Corps 2 may be more up your aisle.

Heroes of the Inner Sphere is definitely worth picking up along with the main game for those jumping in for the first time, but players who have already spent hours with MechWarrior 5’s existing content may find the new additions to feel a bit been-there-done-that. The new career mode is my new preferred way to play, but the new structure, mechs, weapons, and mission type fail to significantly distance themselves from what’s already been present in the game.

Necromunda: Hired Gun checks all the boxes that should make a single-player first-person shooter tick, but its flawed execution and an ugly Warhammer 40K paint job give you few reasons to stick with it until the end. It’s functional and has a grappling hook that’s alright to use. But its tedious, unsatisfying combat, janky animations, and AI that’s prone to mess up all test your patience without offering any tangible reward. It misses out on making you feel like a bounty hunter – badass or otherwise – and all you’re left with, in case you do play through its campaign, is a sense that you could have spent that time playing something better.

Biomutant's strong presentation and beautiful world invite exploration, while its combat makes you feel like a badass magic-flinging, gunslinging, Kung-Fu warrior. Sadly, its tedious missions and weak story make it increasingly harder to stick with the game the more of it you play.

The truth is Evil Genius 2 succeeds in expanding on almost every feature of the original, but it somehow manages to not fix a single one of its main problems. The original game also suffered from an intense lack of player control and management tools back in 2004, and Rebellion somehow missed all of that when designing its sequel. As fitting and poetic it is for evil to defeat itself through incompetence, it makes for truly terrible gameplay when a player fails at a game because he is not given the tools to succeed when the game misbehaves. It ruins what is otherwise a great and very well produced title, and the hurdles are too big to ignore -- Rebellion managed to make the concept of launching international schemes to rule the world a boring endeavour.

Good voice acting and cool, bloody werewolf fighting sequences could not fully save the rushed story and flat facial animations of this one-dimensional take on the rich World of Darkness universe.

While Orwell’s Animal Farm stays true to its source material, its repetitive and unclear gameplay weakens a stylized portrayal of the book. It’s not the worst way to spend a couple hours thanks to replayability and excellent narration, but it’s not compelling to get every ending and collect every stamp. You’ll get a lot more out of reading the book than you will from the game.

Call of the Sea feels like a mix between a puzzle game and a 1930s pulp novel. It blends these varied genres to mixed success; the puzzles are largely solid but you can find yourself banging your head against the wall in frustration for some, and the writing can be a bit campy but is carried by brilliant voice acting. While the game is decent, the visuals, the acting, and the setting are top notch. If entered with the right mindset, The Call of the Sea can be a good companion for an evening in.

The Unexpected Quest is by no means a bad game, as completing tasks and acquiring resources can be entertaining if you approach the title with the right mindset. Unfortunately, it’s incredibly hard to justify the price-tag when you consider the game’s relatively short length and repetitive elements. Casual players might get a kick out of the laid-back experience, but RTS veterans should look elsewhere for their resource-managing and quest-completing thrills.

Ultimately, EoS is not a bad game. But the lack of content within its strategic layer holds it back from living up to its full potential. With that said, I think the tactical combat and RPG elements are pretty solid. If you are drawn to lots of X-Com style tactical combat and some over the top Prohibition themed hijinks, you will find some fun within EoS. However, people looking for a deep strategic or tycoon focused experience, will likely be disappointed.

When you finally begin to put the aerial maneuvers together and to great effect, as you’re dodging incoming falcons, stopping in mid-air to shake that tailing dragon, or barrel-rolling to produce near-miss fire.

Bugsnax is a feel-good adventure with a lovable cast, a rich variety of tasty prey to hunt, but thoroughly unremarkable gameplay.

A surprisingly inaccurate recreation of London ties into simplistic gameplay and terrible performance to create a deeply flawed and shallow game.

Supermarket Shriek has its moments and might be the sort of chaos you’re craving, However, its racing thrills can get stale and its longer levels can suck out the fun. There are worse games that use these sorts of novelties, but it won’t hold your attention for long.

This is a game in a rarely explored genre nowadays, and it does offer the interesting experience of fighting a guerrilla war on the Soviet front – a rare occurrence outside Russian games. If you are a fan of this kind of title and have a lot of patience for rough edges and frustrating stealth, Partisans 1941 might actually be worth a shot.

Necromunda: Underhive Wars is a capable strategy games full of tactical options, but the glacial pace will put more people off than draw them in.

A superhero game where heroes are quite fragile, Marvel’s Avengers is constantly in doubt of where it wants to go and ends up arriving nowhere.

Kingdoms of Amalur was one of the most underrated games of the previous decade and its return will make that pretty clear to some players. However, the remastering of this borderline classic is hamstrung by a 2012 inventory and menu system, a 2012 user interface, and 2012 icons and health bar. That being said, the updated environments, characters, and other elements do look great and the actual gameplay is superb. However, it feels like a wasted opportunity that THQ Nordic didn’t spend the time to bring those lagging elements into 2020 along with the rest of the facelift.

WRC 9 will come with the racing sim action you’ve come to expect from the franchise. This also means that it’s not for everyone and can get bogged down in micromanaging in its career mode. It’s not for everyone, nor does it sell itself for the uninitiated. But if you enjoy the cars, the managing, the challenge, WRC 9 will be your cup of tea. Everyone else should find something enjoyable but nothing that’ll hold your attention for long.

Total War: Troy makes some curious changes to the Total War formula, but the less streamlined resource system, extra micromanagement, and weird mix of reality and mythology work against its favour to create a less than entrancing experience.

It’s obvious that it’s a Dark Souls rip-off, but it’s a good rip-off. It’s fun to beat things down, and that certain style of combat is rewarding when you get the hang of it. But its flaws can make or break the game depending on personal perseverance. It can be confusing and its messaging system is less legible than Dark Souls, but it’s got that combat loop that makes Dark Souls (and Hellpoint) work. If you can forgive some unoriginality, you’ll have fun with Hellpoint, especially with a mate. If you can’t, maybe you should finally give Bloodborne a try?

A combat system that’s deeper than it first appears is the real star here, but you’ll likely also stick around for the perverse and disturbing universe and the story that plays out within it. The voiceover work will quickly annoy you and the difficulty is unfair, but there is still a bit to enjoy here, assuming you can ignore some of Othercide’s shortcomings. I wanted to like Othercide much more than I did.

As awesome as it is, the arcade action in Destroy All Humans! is only a part of the experience, struggling to carry its rudimentary stealth missions and hit-or-miss writing. It’s definitely a blast to level entire neighborhoods and disintegrate humans; we just wish we had to spend less time impersonating them.

Although there were portions of the mechanics and cardplay that I enjoyed, I can’t get past the shortcomings of the story and lack of strategy needed in the late game. Even if those story beats did not turn me off from this game, I would still recommend anybody looking to get into this style of card game to get Slay the Spire instead.

Trackmania has the time trial gameplay you expect from the series with a neat map editor, but it's subscription service feels like a misstep. Rather than a social racing game, it’s a racing game with a social service built onto it. That might be enough for people, but its engagement can run thin and never feels worthy of its highest tier. While there were some good moments, there was some sense of unfulfillment every time I jumped in. There’s definitely fun to be had, but whether or not that fun will extend past a couple weeks is unlikely.

As it stands, Secret Government is an interesting concept let down by a very boring gameplay loop. As a fan of grand strategy games, I look forward to seeing what it is done with the secret society concept as the game develops in Early Access. If the game stays as it is or the flaws pinpointed here are not addressed, however, I can’t honestly recommend it to anyone.

A run-of-the-mill procedural twin-stick roguelike that has a unique aesthetic and premise, but little else. Without more content, more variety, and more exciting unlockables, West of Dead is dead in the water. Or will remain in gaming purgatory. Either way, I have very little faith in West of Dead’s future.

Beyond Blue struggles as a narrative adventure game but shines as an educational tool that brings awareness and reveals some of the ocean's secrets.

A seemingly faithful adaptation of a German RPG franchise that may be too detached and boring for modern players.

Europa Universalis IV has been out for going on seven years, and with that comes the seven-year itch. I’ve been a long time fan of the game since its release and it’s my most played game on Steam by quite some ways. Emperor sees a lot of changes, both in the DLC and the free patch that accompanies it, but despite all this, many of my underlying complaints with the game persist seven years on. If you’re a fan of the franchise, this patch is one of the best, but it’s probably only worth buying if you’re a central European player.

A slight update to models and textures doesn’t solve Mafia 2’s myriad problems from a decade ago, nor justify a purchase if you don’t own it yet.

Developer Tripwire Interactive deserves props for simply running with an unusual premise as this and trying its best to make it work. Sadly, the execution is lacking and no matter how fun devouring hunting parties and unlocking new evolutions is in the beginning, its core gameplay loop becomes dull way before its relatively short campaign comes to a close. There’s some fun to be had in short bursts, but they’re spread out too far to leave a lasting impression. Maneater’s premise remains the only thing that stands out, painting it as a largely forgettable experience.

With a concept that’s insensitive at best, Cannibal Cuisine has a rough first impression to overcome. The mechanics that are under it are fine, but the controls can feel too slippery for their own good. Add that with an average combat system and you’ve got a game that never shines beyond its sensationalistic pitch. If your mates crave some co-op chaos, there are far worse games to play. However, there are also far better games out there.

A lore-breaking spinoff that removes most of what makes the new XCOM special and replaces it with short bouts of repetitive tactical combat and bad writing.

An amazing looking game with an interesting premise, let down by shallow gameplay and stuttered flow of story and dialogue.

Ancient Enemy isn’t bad, and is one of the better ways you can reinvent Solitaire-esque games. But it is still a Solitaire-esque game, and that makes it hard to recommend to anyone who isn’t a fan of the genre. Add that with the resistances and inventory mechanics slowing down the game proper, and it’s a tough sell. If everything I mentioned here sounds appealing, give it a shot. Everyone else, proceed with caution.

A much needed expansion which still doesn’t deliver some pretty important facets.

In the end, Warlords of New York is a fantastic setting beautifully rendered, but is ruined by bad gameplay decisions, and an interesting expansion that could have lasted days is artificially rushed by forcing you to complete it in one go. If you love The Division 1 and want to see more of it, you’re in luck - but be aware that every single good side is going to have a massively disappointing bad side.

A successful update of a great game’s presentation, but which removes a number of features that may leave old fans hurting.

There is a ton of fun to be had with Zombie Army 4. But that fun, like most vices, is best in moderation. Its skinner box sensibilities alongside gameplay that turns stale fast makes for a game you cannot binge. It’s a simple pleasure to kill zombies, and you’ll get that if you want it with some solid mechanics. It’s a weekend game, something to play once in awhile when you and a friend can find an opening in your respective schedules. But if you don’t find splatter engaging, you won’t miss much.

This is an accurate Dragon Ball game for better or worse. It comes with the visual flair and iconic sound of the show alongside its over-the-top violence. It also comes with its fair share of meandering moments, outdated characters, and pointless minigames. If you wanted to get into DBZ but didn’t know where to start, this is a good introduction. But if you couldn’t care less about Dragon Ball or Eastern open world games, it won’t make you a believer.

Despite being a fan of Bloober Team’s games, Blair Witch just doesn’t really work. There are far too many moments where you’re just wandering around frustrated in a forest trying to find something to do, and very few moments where the game does something unexpected to scare you. Clever gameplay ideas like the time-changing camcorder go pretty much to waste. Most importantly, despite a few good scares, in general Blair Witch isn’t really scary enough. It has really good storytelling moments and buckets of atmosphere, but we were ultimately left disappointed. It’s better than the 2000 Blair Witch games, at least.

In the end, Ancestors is a fine experiment that I’m sure will interest a lot of people, but I must say it wasn’t quite my cup of tea. As fun as it is to run around and climb stuff, leading a group of apes into a bigger group of somewhat smarter apes is not exactly an exhilarating proposition – especially when you can easily screw up to the point of losing the clan, not finding a surrogate, and having to restart the game and relearn everything all over again. If the idea of playing through evolution without any guidance and getting your ass kicked by nature appeals to you, then definitely give Ancestors a chance – it’s the kind of experience you’re probably not getting from anywhere else.

While there are moments where the spookiness clicks, like its hectic climax, the rest is forgettable. It will give a fright once in a while, but that shock quickly disappears. It’s the fluffy type of horror, something with the trappings but not the depth. It’s not an amateur production, but it is less eerie than it should be. Horror is subjective, but I cannot suggest DARQ for its scares. Playing it made me crave the more refined games in this genre. If you’re a streamer who needs a game to scream at, this will do fine. Just don’t be surprised if you forget about it the moment you turn it off.

If we view Gibbous - A Cthulhu Adventure in the most “objective” terms, it technically gets things right. It looks stylish, it runs smoothly, and it doesn’t come with the bugs you’d expect from modern gaming. However, the details that make a game a hearty recommendation aren’t there. It’s got heart, the amount of care put into its art proves that. But an average story, simple puzzles and shaky voice acting makes for a game pleasant to view but not amazing to play. It can be an alright introduction to the genre for people who haven’t experienced old school adventure games and don’t want to use walkthroughs. Anyone else will find a title that’s pretty, fluid, and underwhelming.

Essentially, Field of Glory: Empires is a quintessential Slitherine game. Big scope, big idea, but executed in such a way that will not click with anyone, but the nichest of fans. It doesn’t really add anything that was missing from any other grand strategy game, and all of the glory, character, and scope of the Roman Empire is virtually nonexistent here, feeling instead like a virtual version of a very charmless boardgame. However, if you’re a long time fan of Field of Glory (or a hater of Imperator or Rome II), this game might end being right up your alley.

An interesting game that scratches the detective itch, without ever reaching great heights.

As far as additions go, the Chaos campaign is very much aimed at pure fans. The ships were all in the main game and could be used in skirmishes, meaning most of the price of this DLC goes towards the new campaign and its characters. If you enjoy Armada II’s gameplay and wish you could make the life of everyone in the galaxy rather worse by spreading evil and corruption, this is the DLC for you.

A capable yet uncreative and unimpressive game that feels straight out of the early 2000s.

The new units, setting, and the story makes for a nice little package that feels fairly priced. If you liked Ancestors Legacy and just wanted a reason to go back to the title, then Saladin’s Conquest is about as good a reason as any. There’s nothing wrong with what’s on show here, however, despite the new things mentioned it does have a “more of the same” feeling to it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and no one is expected to reinvent the wheel each time - especially if it’s an extension of what’s already there. And what’s there is technically sound, from the AI to the optimization. It’s hard to fault Developer Destructive Creations for wanting to squeeze a bit more capital out of their solid title.

Dollhouse sports some interesting gameplay features and mechanics that are let down by some noticeable flaws. As a horror package, it can provide some genuine moments of tension and panic. However, once you become accustomed to your relentless stalker it may become more of an annoyance than an object of fear. As a result, the gameplay can become rather repetitive. The story, though short, is an interesting one. However, once it’s completed there is little desire for a re-tread. That’s not to say it’s not worth visiting the mind of Marie if you’ve got a hankering for a Film Noir horror story. Once upon a time, I would have recommended this as a rental.

A very barebones remaster that is great for newcomers, but unnecessary for owners of the previous game.

It certainly feels like the best Tropico game - but anyone who’s played a previous Tropico game might get bored at doing it all again (although the excellent missions help) and anyone who hasn’t might struggle to progress. In the end though, it’s still a worthy follow-up.

The LEGO Movie 2 is a great movie! But the Videogame has no dialogue between characters, and very little of the meta zaniness that makes the movie pop. It’s got some shining moments, such as huge boss encounters, but this brave new world of LEGO games needs some more refinement. It’s Telltale’s Jurassic Park rather than Walking Dead, then.

In the end, Gathering Storm brings a few new toys to the sixth entry of the classical turn-based franchise, but does hedge a few bets on the natural disaster part of the deal. While those are an interesting addition, they are not meaningful enough to spearhead a whole expansion – and certainly not at the full prices charged by 2K.

At the moment though: the missions are severely lacking, the weapons are too basic, there’s a big disconnect between story and game, and having so many loading screens (especially with the Forge) is annoying. In general there’s just a severe lack of content, and forcing players to grind what should be optional achievements instead was a terrible stopgap solution. If you get Anthem now, you’ll have fun for a little while… but then you’ll be waiting for the real game to start.