For all its strengths, Martyr fails to impress. While the meaningless loot system and slow progression are clearly an issue, it is the uninspired control system that never really comes together that drags the game down to limbo.

It’s far from an essential purchase, but hardcore Crusader Kings 2 fans will probably want to pick this up for the custom kingdoms alone. For everyone else I’d advise giving it a miss unless you’re very interested in the period setting.

So when it’s all said and done, The King of Fighters XII isn’t going to be placed on a mantle above all other fighting games. It lacks proper net code and not everyone is going to enjoy the pixilated graphics.

Alone With You is overall a narrative driven game that is severely hampered by its shallow repetitive gameplay, and while the narrative has plenty of depth, the mind-numbing tasks in between story moments become tiresome quickly.

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.

Project Highrise takes obvious inspiration from a cult classic, but struggles to build compelling mechanics around a proven concept. Constructing a tower still offers its own simple pleasure, but there’s not enough depth here to keep you building a skyline’s worth of high-rises.

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.

WRC 5 is a completely competent, inoffensive racing game, but it lacks the features that have become standard in the genre. Whether you’re a fan of simulation or arcade-style racers, there are many better alternatives out there.

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.

While Sengoku Jidai’s historical accuracy and tactical focus made a strong first impression, I found that the more I played and understood its mechanics, the less I enjoyed it.

There is no doubt whatsoever that The Living Dungeon should have spent longer in the oven than the time that was afforded to it. Nevertheless, despite the fact that it feels like an Early Access title attempting to punch above its weight, The Living Dungeon still manages to provide numerous, if somewhat unambitious thrills in its hassle-free multiplayer skirmishes.

What's here is entertaining enough, but you can't shake the feeling that the end product could have been so much more fulfilling with just a little more conviction and/or development time. Whatever their reasons though, I'll be crossing my fingers for a sequel; the concept is brilliant.

Same old same old, then - Alien Breed 3: Descent is not the sequel we were hoping for, dragging the series out rather than building on it. Still, for Alien Breed fanatics, the story will at least provide closure and more of the same.

It's certainly fun for the odd match, definitely different from all the other quick-play multiplayer games out there, but you have been warned. It needs an injection of extra fun, STAT.

What's here is entertaining enough, but you can't shake the feeling that the end product could have been so much more fulfilling with just a little more conviction and/or development time. Whatever their reasons though, I'll be crossing my fingers for a sequel; the concept is brilliant.

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.

Enjoy it for the looks, the controls and cuteness of it all and enjoy it for the simplicity, most of all.

Same old same old, then - Alien Breed 3: Descent is not the sequel we were hoping for, dragging the series out rather than building on it. Still, for Alien Breed fanatics, the story will at least provide closure and more of the same.

Majesty 2: Kingmaker will appeal to two types of people; those who enjoyed the original so much that they cuddle the game box while they sleep, and masochists.

Krillbite get a lot of things right in Among The Sleep. Their use of graphics, sound and level design to build tension and create a creepy atmosphere is second to none, and I was genuinely on the edge of my seat for almost all the time I spent playing. Unfortunately the tension builds to nothing, the monsters aren't involved enough and the game's over and done with in no time at all.

For its budget and decidedly indie status, maybe that's a bit of a harsh criticism of Strike Suit Zero, but the feeling of repetition was overwhelmingly strong as I made my way through the latter half of the game.

The Saboteur can be both addictive and engaging, but also rather stale, all at the same time.

Quake Arena Arcade is Quake III: Arena again, except this time around there is no-one to play against. If you've already played Quake to death, there is no need to pick this edition up, even for the exclusive maps. The lack of players online is a clear sign that Quake fans would really like something new for a change.

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

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.

So when it’s all said and done, The King of Fighters XII isn’t going to be placed on a mantle above all other fighting games. It lacks proper net code and not everyone is going to enjoy the pixilated graphics.

Whilst 1954 Alcatraz does certain things very well, it too often lets itself down.

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.