While it still could be saved the technical state of the game is so bad that it cannot be seen for what it does right. Even the good parts of the game are plagued by the negatives and the frequent FPS drops make gameplay vomit inducing.

Realm of the Wood Elves is a solid addition to Total War Warhammer and a much needed one. As the first introduction of the Elves, the DLC does a fantastic job of delivering a great roster of units with unique gameplay mechanics that allow the race to play very differently to that of any other faction.

We were looking forward to The Little Acre as soon as we saw the lovely art and Charles Cecil’s involvement, but sadly it’s pretty bad. I don’t mind short games but at two hours (including puzzle solving) the game doesn’t leave much room for storytelling, character and world building, compelling puzzles, or much of anything really.

Watch_Dogs 2 is definitely a good game, especially compared to the first one which was a dull game. It’s got a lot of personality, especially in terms of the cast of characters, and humour is always welcome in open world titles. The missions may generally boil down to “go somewhere, sneak past/shoot guards, hack something, get out” but they cover fun subjects and are never less than entertaining. Nevertheless the online side is aggravating as all hell, the controls aren’t quite receptive enough particularly when driving or shooting, and being able to kill loads of people doesn’t really jive with the DedSec ethos.

For $40, I feel like THQ Nordic might have an idea on their hands. If there was to be an integrated loot system, updates to the movement system, and general bug tweaks, I would be open to playing the game more. I love single player games and was really excited to try this out. However, I feel a little underwhelmed. It’s fun, and it has opportunity, but right now I feel like I was left with a half empty plate.

Without the Steam Workshop Natural Disasters is a nice little DLC that adds more depth to an already fun and interesting game. Giving long time players a little more spice. With the Steam Workshop and the scenario creator players will have an almost unlimited number of cities to play and scenarios to beat as players create new and interesting challenges for each other. It brings with it complexity and a difficulty level. The ability to fail at your job and the end of a game that has previously had no end. If at first you find that Natural Disasters isn’t for you, give it some time and try out the player made content. It’s the end of the world as we know it…and I feel fine.

There’s a lot to like about the game but there are problems in equal proportion that stem from the base game. The expansion doesn’t do anything to add to the game or resolve issues. It adds more content for those diehard fans of the game, but fails to do anything that would revitalize the system to attract new players.

This is one expansion that is a must for new and old. The improvements and additions made are useful to all players. The changes made to diplomacy and religions allow for a much more in depth experience, and traits add to that sense of character.

It may feel like just more Dishonored, but Arkane have improved everything they could’ve and made a truly satisfying sequel. We just hope it’s not the last.

Frontier have created one of the best games in the genre, and judging by their support of Elite Dangerous post-launch, it seems that there’s still more to come from the developers.

If you are in the mood for a political strategy game and you are willing to put the time in, Political Animals will reward you with an in-depth turn-based game filled with backstabbing and bribery. It is blindingly obvious Political Animals has a lot to offer, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to invest your time learning how to play it.

Silence is a beautiful game that combines emotional themes with breath-taking art and music. It works fantastically as a cinematic experience and takes its players on a concise yet fun adventure, integrating puzzles along the way. Daedelic have done an excellent job exploring the space between life and death, touching on dark and abstract feelings in a delicate and thoughtful way.

Between the new aircraft, cool new orbitals, and fantastic design of the Strategic Zoom function, there’s a lot here to love for any fan of the mass real-time strategy. It’s a shame that the story still can’t always keep up with the stellar additions to the gameplay and that some of the new ground units get swept up in the sheer way that the game is built, but Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is still one of the coolest, most smooth, and vast real-time strategies out there.

Ascension is a fantastic stand-alone that is a superior game in every way to its predecessor. It’s perfect for both new players and veterans and both with have plenty of content to get their teeth into.

Another fantastic game from Obsidian, the formula they have created from Pillars has served up another brilliant RPG for people to sink their teeth into for hours of Tyrannical enjoyment.

The Leviathans DLC is in my opinion an absolute must for Stellaris players. The content offered is high quality and produces some great in game experiences. The additions add strategic depth to the overall game and frankly, I couldn’t see anyone going back after playing this.

While the game does a fairly good job of staying challenging, it can be repetitive in terms of the opposition. It’s simply an unfortunate circumstance of progression of the enemy threat doesn’t always keep up with the thrill of learning the weapons.

With the exception of ranked play, it has everything it needs for the early running. For what we played and how much fun we had, we hope it’s an experience that only continues to grow.

It says a lot when Shadow Warrior 2 is only the second best 3D Realms game out this week, and the other is yet another remaster of Duke Nukem 3D. Despite loving the first game I could not get along with this sequel, with both single-player and co-op feeling lacking in different ways.

In all Sorcerer Kings Rivals remains exactly what the original was, a decent game. It lacks the customization and in depth options of its competitors’ but it’s theme and unique qualities make it a fun experience, at least for a while.

The Metronomicon is a rhythm game like few others. Any good programmer can put together a soundtrack and slap arrows on the songs, but The Metronomicon sets itself apart by way of numerous RPG mechanics that actually make you strategize a bit while you’re trying to keep the rhythm of the song going. Building note sets, queuing up the attacks, switching party members, defeating enemies, and surviving battles put The Metronomicon quite a step above most other rhythm games we’ve played. Moreover, it has just enough context in its story to keep things amusing in between and the soundtrack is a pretty fantastic mix of contemporary styles across the music industry. We just wish we had a dance pad to go with it when our hands start cramping.

Cossacks 3 is extremely ambitious in its offerings and they mostly look good on paper, but when it comes time to deliver, it collapses under the weight of its own promises.

Dungeon Rushers may evoke fond memories of the Hero Quest board game but it doesn’t manage to be anywhere near as involving. Still when things are going right it’s a hugely addictive game, with simple gameplay based around risk and reward and some tremendously entertaining dialogue. Nevertheless the story is non-existent, the gameplay basic and repetitious, and nearly every stage you’ll be forced to replay old dungeons to grind your characters up a level. The level editor is the surprising highlight, and we actually found it more fun to make dungeons than play them.

Upgrading to the next tier of combat space ships was an easy highlight. It’s where you cross the boundary from struggling and nervous to overpowered and feeling like you can bring the entire galaxy down in blazing glory if you wanted to for a little while.

Seasons after Fall is beautiful game that exists to dazzle you with handcrafted imperfect art and animation. This is an experience that isn’t for everyone, as some gamers feel their time is better spent in a more perfect art like Child of Light or Abzû. However, for those that fall in love with imperfection, this game is the perfect addition to your library.

A tremendously well optimised PC port of one of the better Japanese action RPG franchises out there, God Eater 2 Rage Burst gives a great account of itself on PC to the point that you nearly forget that Monster Hunter even existed.

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.

Champions of Anteria can be a really addictive and occasionally fun game with nice ideas and a neat sense of humour, but as a Straction RPeGy it’s just got far too many flaws to recommend.