Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a very good and immersive title, but it suffers from technical issues and some surprisingly misguided design decisions. I was completely enthralled by the first three hours of the game, but the more I explored its systems, the more grating they became. It never stopped it from being a great title – and it occasionally recaptured that magical immersion from the first few hours – but its issues are so severe that they effectively ruined my enjoyment of what is an otherwise very good game.

Lost Sphear takes a little too long to really get going. Dungeons are tiny, its characters paper-thin, and the story far too predictable in its overuse of already overused plot elements. It’s a JRPG that struggles to add anything of value, perhaps to the point of reminding us why the natural evolution of the genre happened in the first place. Despite this, it’s rapid pacing is perhaps its biggest achievement. Even the smallest session can lead to a feeling of progress. Things start to feel a bit too repetitive in longer sessions, but playing in smaller bursts helps stop its generic tropes from grinding you down. At $50, though, it’s far too much to ask for something that purposefully refuses to reinvent the wheel. Even if it promises 40 hours over the last game’s 20.

The best survival game ever released, and an indie game that goes toe to toe with AAA titles out there.

Assassin’s Creed Origins: The Hidden Ones doesn’t change much, which isn’t a bad thing considering how good the main game is. It makes small improvements while keeping the same formula, while telling a meaningful story set in a new land as beautiful as ever. Anyone who enjoyed Origins is bound to enjoy The Hidden Ones.

Railway Empire is a satisfying enough experience for any strategy fan with even the remotest interest in trains -- or train fans with a passing interest in strategy. It offers campaign and scenarios with tasks and objectives alongside a sandbox mode that allows one to build the network of their dreams, catering to most players. While the lack of a single level going from 1830 to 1930 might displease some, the end product is a capable and accessible title in a very scant genre, and Railway Empire comes off as a passionate -- if not exactly flawless -- title.

In the end, Rise of the Tomb Kings is hands down the best DLC I’ve ever played for Total War: Warhammer. With a fantastic amount of themed changes and features, the DLC perfectly immerses players on the experience and genuinely creates the feeling of raising an once-majestic empire from the sands of time. It’s as it should be – Tomb Kings do not serve. We rule!

Iconoclasts is a kind of game that no AAA studio could ever have made. It has all the mechanics, visuals and other easily judged elements that a video game needs, and nailed down really well too, but it also has a less tangible feel to it that just endears it to the player. Even among other nostalgic pixel-art metroidvania games, this one stands out, and ought to be remembered as one of the indie greats.

The hammer is well and truly falling in Batman: The Enemy Within, with everything coming together, twists falling like rain, and everyone’s backs presented ready for stabbing – particularly mine. While it’s not much of a spoiler to say that Episode 4 sees the arrival of The Joker, how that happens and in what form is entirely up to you – and that’s the beauty of what Telltale have crafted. All choices felt important, the opening raid on the SANCTUS facility was action, and I was so enthralled by this episode I almost didn’t notice that Batman wasn’t in it at all (at least he wasn’t for me). On the downside it’s the shortest episode yet at only 70-odd minutes, but I was entertained by all of it and I can’t wait for the finale.

Tesla vs Lovecraft is stupid fun, reveling in nonsense and bullets. The rapid, frantic gameplay delivered in snackable portions underscored by a fantastic soundtrack makes for a hugely entertaining experience, even if it gets a tad repetitive after a while. We’d say blasting Lovecraftian horrors as Tesla piloting a mech was never this fun, but then it wasn’t ever done before.

As the first proper DLC expansion to Wolfenstein 2, the best FPS of the year, The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe is incredibly entertaining but isn’t without disappointments. Episode 1 of The Freedom Chronicles is decently sized and plays like an exciting classic linear FPS with the same level of excitement and imagination in the gunplay that made Wolfenstein 2 so entertaining. It’s incredibly fun then, but at the same time there’s nothing here that wasn’t done in Wolfenstein 2. The levels in particular are all re-used assets from the main game, and despite the framing device of Freedom Chronicles as non-canon pulp fiction comics Episode 1 never gets crazy or unique enough to justify that. It’s worth picking up if you’re looking for the best FPS action around, but don’t expect anything new.

While there are a number of omissions in Fallout 4 VR; working scopes, manual reloading and holding two handed weapons correctly to name a few, this game is the most complete experience that I’ve played on the Vive so far. No other VR games offer an experience of this depth or length and while you will have to make a number of adjustments before jumping in, I think it’s worth it. Fallout 4 VR is the best version of Fallout 4 and as more mods are released, I can only see it getting better. It’s by no means perfect and it’s very noticeable that this game has been adapted, rather than being built with VR in mind, but the end result is still something I can confidently recommend. If you’re a fan of Fallout 4 and own a HTC Vive, you won’t want to miss this!

ShadowHand takes an old game with a reputation for dullness, and dresses it up in an elegant Victorian English RPG coat. Somehow miraculously, it works really well. It isn’t a reinvention of the wheel, but the sense of personality the game pack in addition to being simply fun definitely makes it worth the time and money.

I really don’t like how specific and restrictive the Technocrat and Diplomat advisors are, but their quality is for the most part okay. And aside from ship designs, "okay" is a word I can apply to the whole of the Humanoids Species Pack. The end result is kinda obvious, and something I alluded to at the opening of the review: it’s inherent value is based on your personal attraction to what is offered, and if you are attracted to the ships and races in display, you’re in luck.

Whereas The Surge managed to get the basics of Dark Souls right but failed to make either the enemies or world interesting, A Walk In The Park corrects this problem (for the most part). The idea of a sci-fi Souls game was cool but setting it in a Disneyland-style theme park is clever and done pretty well. It’s very much Itchy & Scratchy Land from The Simpsons, with killer mascots and murderous jolly robot parades. Things get ridiculously tough towards the end and the game starts to forget about the fun enemies, but with this expansion Deck13 have finally made a Dark Souls alternative people might want to play. If you own The Surge, you need to take A Walk In The Park.

A unique mix of strategy and RPG mechanics that miraculously loses very few of either.

DOOM VFR is one of the most action-packed games I’ve ever played using the HTC Vive. It’s a shame Bethesda ignored the huge amount of progress that has been made in VR development. DOOM VFR is a good game, but with a number of changes it could easily become a great game. Do not buy this game if you suffer from motion sickness as you simply won’t be able to play it for longer than five minutes at a time. However, if the locomotion issues don’t bother you, DOOM VFR is definitely worth picking up.

Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock is a massive treat for fans of the franchise, but even if this is your first exposure to the universe, it’s well worth your money. It’s a sufficiently deep, extremely fun and good looking turn based space strategy game with fantastic combat and a content-rich campaign.

Way of Redemption is all there technically and functionally, but it’s empty and short on content. Every moment spent playing, the obviousness of it being an attempt at a forced e-sports success hangs over the experience, which is pretty dull to begin with.

KING Art and THQ Nordic have breathed a life into Black Mirror that it most definitely was lacking in 2003. The mystery and suspense are still there and the puzzles are diverse and challenging, but the house has taken on an excellent visual redesign. Exploring and investigation is an intriguing endeavor and the ghostly moments provide a fascinating highlight to puzzle solving and plot advancement. If that wasn’t enough, the story is chock full of interesting characters with passionate voicing that make the story that much more interesting throughout the game. We certainly wish the animation was a little better in both gameplay and cutscenes at times because it hurts the mood the game is trying to build when the cracks show. That said, when everything is in proper working motion, Black Mirror is a suspenseful horror adventure that will tickle brains with its puzzles and exploration and quicken pulses with its dark story.

Attacking a recently settled city near my borders and settling for peace immediately afterwards, instead of being embroiled in an eternal war against a drastically inferior enemy due to imbecilic AI diplomacy.

Whether you’ve played past titles in the franchise or not, World of Final Fantasy is a seriously strong JRPG that any fan of the genre should get a kick out of. Emotional, hilarious and deep, it proves yet again that a good RPG is about more than just thwarting a world-ending menace - it’s about the journey and everyone who makes it worthwhile.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 could’ve been game of the year, but some key mistakes basically ruin the whole thing. The progression system being randomized in Loot Crates and players getting significant game-changing upgrades, many of which were paid for, are the main offenders. With every player stocked up with Star Cards that give them massive advantages new players face a long uphill struggle, and it makes Battlefront 2 a chore to play. Which is upsetting, because DICE have put in so much effort into all the maps, modes, and Classes, and really nail the Star Wars feeling. When it works it’s a gorgeous spectacle, an imaginative and epic shooter with some wonderful objective-based ideas. Then you get blown up by an Improved Thermal Detonator for the 23rd time while other players shrug off your rockets and the fun oozes out immediately. The single-player campaign is simple but entertaining, however it can’t save Battlefront 2. If you’re desperate for Star Wars you’ve got no other choice, but if you want until a sale the game will be even more unbearable to play. Get Wolfenstein 2 instead.

Jade Dragon adds precious little to Crusader Kings 2, which would have benefitted much more from a playable and visible Chinese region. This expansion feels far too feature-bare for its price tag, and even at a smaller price point none of it feels really impactful. Even when you have access to the China menu, you’ll likely find yourself progressing via other means.

As with all region-focused expansions for Europa Universalis IV, the first question you need to ask is whether you want to play as a nation from said region, because If not, you should look at another expansion instead. However, for those interested in playing as Muslim nations, Cradle of Civilization has plenty of new mechanics, features and events to make it worth your time and money.

A fantastic show of force from the long-standing Team Ninja, but one that feels like it didn’t truly understand the mass appeal of the genre. Spruced up with the group’s signature style, Nioh only falters with its less captivating world. We can appreciate the heritage, but it won’t grab everyone.

The Calm Before The Storm is probably a better title. The third episode of Telltale’s second season of Batman isn’t big on action, massive shocks, or set-pieces, but it is big on character development, interaction, making choices, and probably making the wrong ones. Fractured Mask isn’t the most eventful episode, but it’s still fun, all the characters are clashing wonderfully, and it’s fun waiting for the hammer to fall and your choices to bite you hard. Which will probably happen in Episode 4. We can’t wait.

Despite a few performance hiccups we encountered and the absence of a few of the more fun console perks or events, Injustice 2 on PC is a much better port than the first game or Mortal Kombat X. And a good thing too, because Injustice 2 is a superb fighting game. Combat is satisfying and is just as accessible to casual fans as professionals, and there’s an absolute wealth of content both online and offline that could keep you playing forever. The story mode is an absolute blast, with fun writing, acting and amazing facial animation, and sports a far better villain than the Justice League movie. Injustice 2 is by far the best fighting game this year, and may very well be the best fighting game on PC.

Spintires: MudRunner is a well-thought out and obvious improvement over the original in a number of ways. The physics feel tight and loose where they need to be, the new vehicles are genuinely fun to explore and drive, and the overall look of the game gets down and dirty in the best of ways for an off-road delivery simulator. It can get tedious at times and we wish the game took a few more chances, context, and variety in challenging our driving skills, but exploring and making our own battles through the tough journey from place to place is still a highlight, especially with friends along for the ride. A sketchy damage system and a few less than stellar textures make this game feel less polished than it ought to be at times, but with a healthy mod community and a ton of support and depth behind it, Spintires: MudRunner feels like an off-road trek that will keep on giving.