Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons doesn’t attempt to reinvent the wheel. It does what it does to a decent standard, nothing more, nothing less. It won’t be held in hallowed acclaim by all who play it, but that doesn’t negate the entertainment it offers, nor the power of well executed simplicity.

The console port of Phasmophobia could have been a little bit more, but in many ways it’s exactly what it needed to be. How you play it will come down to personal preference and how many friends you have who also own a copy of the game, but if you’re a fan of spooks, scares and a little bit of silliness I’d say this is a game for you.

The Land Beneath Us is a great, if slightly niche, roguelike. I say niche as it’s not all action, which some would prefer. While some rooms you enter will be defeated swiftly, larger crowds and bosses will slow down the tempo, so it might not be everyone’s cup of tea. As I said above, I’ve been playing little else on my Switch and I always tend to find I get in the groove of unlocking new options and it becomes a playful obsession, trying to get everything done so I can batter the bosses. I’m still finding my way - I was never a great Chess player - but this will be a game I keep returning to over time.

Dear Me, I Was is certainly not a ‘game’ that’ll appeal to everyone, especially if you’re unwilling to challenge your notions of what a game can be. For those willing to succumb to what Dear Me, I Was has to offer though, it’s an unforgettable experience and one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever had the privilege of playing. Director Maho Taguchi has crafted a masterpiece, evoking similar feelings to those I had when I first watched Isao Takahata's 1991 triumph Only Yesterday. I cried; I smiled. This game won’t be leaving me anytime soon.

For all its promises about an expansive world that players shape with their choices, Dying Light 2 is essentially a by-the-numbers sequel that doesn’t offer much that’s new. But that’s no bad thing when the reality is that I haven’t had quite this much fun with a AAA video game in years. Techland’s long-awaited zombie RPG mostly delivers the goods in style, providing an expansive - if not entirely original - open-world playground that’s filled with epic action, pleasingly brutal combat, and some difficult choices. The end of the world has never been so entertaining. Just try not to rush through the main story, okay?

As I watched the credits roll, a series of scenes began to play. Some acted as epilogues, informing me of the latest goings-on of my surviving comrades. Others acted as eulogies for those I’d lost, recounting their final moments. While I don’t claim to understand every decision that Team NINJA made, with Rise of the Ronin in need of some refinement, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t moved by the overall experience, perfectly epitomised in those final few moments.

WarioWare is the latest in a long line of classic Nintendo franchises that has well and truly found its groove again on Switch. Get It Together! is gloriously silly, consistently puerile, and heaps of fun. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a unique game with some truly marvelous qualities to it. Visually, it's beyond compare thanks to its unusual art style and the surreal, unnerving way it brings everything together. Sadly, SMT3 will probably be appreciated a lot more by fans of the original because of its obvious age, but I'd encourage any JRPG fan to give it a try.

Is Super Mario Party Jamboree - Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV worth the cost of the upgrade? Sure, if you can afford it. Without the camera you’ll be missing out on some fun features and minigames, and if you’re playing with a group of four then you’ll need an extra pair of Switch 2 Joy-Cons instead of using your old pair for the original Switch. Otherwise, expect to be missing out on a large chunk of content.

In multiplayer, Treyarch have gone back to their roots rather than trying to innovate, and clearly learned from previous titles, with signature maps and a simplified create-a-class system. The Zombies experience is definitely a lot more accessible, and maybe Treyarch are appealing to newer audiences more with the addition of the mini-map and indicators. But under the surface, the Dark Aether storyline is waiting for die-hard Zombie fans to unravel it, upon launch. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is an all-round excellent sequel to 2010's Black Ops. Although a little light on launch content in places, it definitely is a must-play title in the Black Ops universe.

If you want to see some stellar performances, or experience some chilling horror, or simply find solutions to fiendish puzzles, then do it with Dead Take, and do it in one sitting. Because the four hours I spent wandering the darkened halls of this mansion will haunt me for some time yet.

For those who savour competition and putting their skills to the test, there’s a lot to love here in Midnight Fight Express. Its pounding electric soundtrack pulls you straight into the red mist of the action and it even creates a gif of your most successful combos at the end of the level to share on social media. You might find though, once you return to the main menu, blood and bruises smoothed away, you’re as exhausted as Babyface feels.

Fae Farm is incredibly inclusive, offering a very comprehensive character creator full of aesthetic options that reflect a variety of backgrounds and cultures. It’s a game that I can see a very bright future for - one that is full of undeniable longevity and promise. In fact, I’m already curious to see what adventure my character might be taken on next. Despite having already sunk many hours into Fae Farm, I know with certainty that I’m not going to stop improving my new little home anytime soon. Fae Farm is the gaming equivalent of cosying up with a blanket and a warm cup of tea - albeit a cup of tea that, on occasion, may leave a mildly unpleasant taste. There are improvements to be made but it’s a game that’s comforting, entertaining, and oh so very easy to get lost in.

What starts as a colurful and fun arcade racer ends up being a bit too ‘by the numbers’ and spoils itself with no dynamic difficulty, or options to make things a bit more exciting. It’s not a bad game, but it is a bit forgettable. Arcade racing is hard to pull off and Horizon Chase 2 almost gets there but neglects to remember that you still need some highs and lows to make for a great experience.

Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit delivers remote-control racing like you've probably never seen before. Its augmented-reality features are brilliant and genuinely surprise with just how well they work, 'in hand'. Home Circuit is full of classic Nintendo charm from its out-the-box elements to its cheery software; it's extremely intuitive to use and offers troubleshooting advice if needed; and it does work in a small space, even if you'll absolutely get more from it, the bigger your home is. It's all the vroom your living room has ever needed - just be sure to keep the kart where you can see it.

I find myself totally blown away by what Paper Trail offers. It’s a simple story told via, what appears on the surface to be, a rather simple gameplay mechanic and yet Paper Trail is anything but simple. From relief to joy, this is a game that elicits so many complex human emotions all via the simple art of virtual origami. It’s a charming game that I hope to see on many year-end lists and easily my favourite indie of the year so far.

Visions Of Mana is ultimately further proof, as if any more were needed, that when it comes to making quality RPGs, Square Enix remains best in class. This is an epic, heartfelt adventure with a memorable cast of characters set in a stunning world with consistently engaging combat and lots of fun ideas. Yet another must-play 2024 release.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is a delightful time capsule that harkens back to a much simpler time when linear games still had a magical feeling of worlds feeling much bigger than they were. It’s an absolute joy to revisit for retro purists who appreciate a few modernised tweaks. So what are you waiting for? Go play it already.

Persona 3: Reload - Episode Aigis is a decent finale to a game I adore, but there were too many times where I felt it was taking away more than it was giving. The story is absolutely worth finishing, and if your favourite part of the base game was Tartarus you’ll have a blast, but if you’re like me and prefer a balance between business and pleasure, you may be disappointed by what the DLC offers.

Overall, this is a comprehensive, complete-feeling package in terms of its original inclusions, that gives you two very excellent games from the earliest days of a gaming giant - games that will bring a smile to your face whether you played them at the time or not. And alongside those, a curio that might pique the interest of some, but is probably best left in the past; and 'Definitive' versions of varying results.

I do like Evil Genius 2; it's a loving sequel to an overlooked management game that's waited more than 15 years for a second outing. But it's left me wanting more. The surface is diabolically good, but the systems below it feel shallow and unrewarding.

All-in-all, Hot Wheels Unleashed is an incredibly fun racer which will get its hooks in you and have you behind the die-cast wheel for hours on end. It includes a comprehensive track builder which you can use to let your imagination run wild and an extensive car collection which will keep your eyes firmly on the plastic orange track. It's the ultimate virtual Hot Wheels experience, whether you want to create your most fantastical Hot Wheels tracks, or just race long into the night playing split screen or multiplayer with a friend. There really is something for everyone here, and Hot Wheels Unleashed is a welcome addition to Mattel's long-running Hot Wheels video game franchise.

So it’s not exactly a mixed bag, as the moment-to-moment play of Final Vendetta is a lot of fun, albeit hard as nails, and the presentation is terrific. There are a lot more items in the plus column here, than the minus one. And yet, it’s hard to recommend this game to anyone with only a passing interest in the genre.

I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll return to the synthesised tunes of Beat Slayer, albeit in a sporadic fashion; as compelled as I am to keep playing, I can’t see me spending day after day replaying it. Beat Slayer thrives on being played in short, energetic bursts. But no matter how long I go between another run, I will always be a slave to the rhythm.

Baladins is yet another indie experience destined to become beloved, and continues the long-held tradition of indies delivering more heartwarming, satisfying adventures than their AAA counterparts. If you can look past the initial onslaught of information that boarders on overwhelming, you’ll find what I loathe to refer to as a hidden gem. That turn of phrase has become so overused, yet there’s few other ways to aptly describe what Baladins is in such a concise manner.

Horror games are difficult to sum up, fear is, after all, subjective. And to spoil a scary story based on suspense and tension is a crime. And so, here I will end my review by saying that Fear the Spotlight is perhaps the first game to scare me in a while and while it is a little trapped in the past, it does a wonderful job of unsettling the player enough that you’ll be thinking about it for some time to come.

I would certainly recommend this to horror fans, particularly those who love a good creepy atmosphere and prefer it when scary things are implied rather than shown. The few shortcomings it does have feel antithetical to the story Solarsuit is trying to tell, but it’s by no means an immersion-ruining experience.

I think Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted is an excellent remaster that respects what makes the original game fun without adding anything too contrary to that experience. The new content is excellent and doesn’t feel too out of place with the rest of the game. Meanwhile, the conversion to HD and new controller support is excellent for PC players, and it’s also great that this will be available on platforms such as Nintendo Switch. Having played most of my hours on Steam Deck, I see this as being a great on-the-go game.