The enemy designs were done with care and detail that stunning a cluster of the creatures and then scooting them off a leaf feels like snatching survival from their jaws. And, as more and more inventions and upgrades unlock, the rig is yours to helm and personalise. On a console, I could certainly see Stonefly being a firm favourite for younger children, especially with the multiple save slots, accessible story, colourblind modes and the assist mode that lets you switch on invincibility. There are a few wrinkles, but it's nothing that a helping of elbow grease won't fix.

Biomutant is a superb open-world, action-focused RPG. You can fight to your heart's content, meander through gorgeous and bleak environments, and enjoy a story that takes you to far corners of a wonderful in-game map. It's not always easy on the eye, but look a little deeper and you'll see it's brimming with beauty.

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.

There's a good game here - two, indeed - with fascinating stories and enough things to enjoy overall, but only if you're a patient, analytical soul with the perseverance of a merry Sherlock Holmes. Otherwise, Famicom Detective Club is up there with the most frustrating things I've ever done, and I worked in the Civil Service.

There's a good game here - two, indeed - with fascinating stories and enough things to enjoy overall, but only if you're a patient, analytical soul with the perseverance of a merry Sherlock Holmes. Otherwise, Famicom Detective Club is up there with the most frustrating things I've ever done, and I worked in the Civil Service.

In the end, all these similarities and influences from Village's contemporaries both do and don't work. It feels in places pieced together, and in others truly exceptional in its genre. But the overarching experience is an undoubtedly fun one that expands on the foundations laid down by Resident Evil 7, and sets up the inevitable trilogy finale being planned for Resident Evil 9. Not all of the risks taken pay off, but when they do, Resident Evil Village is thrilling, spine-chilling and worthy continuation of the groundwork laid by its predecessor.

It's an impossibly slick game that's bound to delight fans of Housemarque's previous work and anyone looking for a substantial new roguelike to sink their teeth into. But for everyone else? The difficulty paired with the sluggish sense of progression may prove to be a major turn off. What I will say is this: If you're even slightly interested in Returnal, consider checking it out. Some games are worth fighting for.

The main gripe I see some people having with New Pokémon Snap is that it's a full-priced game. If you're the type of person expecting a deep narrative that will last for over 10 hours, and have no interest in sticking around after the credits roll to pump up your PhotoDex, then you're going to have a bad time. But if you're like me, you're gonna stick around, max out the research levels on each course, complete all the research requests to unlock stickers, and discover all the cool secrets, fun interactions and hard-to-uncover Pokémon. And you're going to love it.

In truth, I'll never be able to explain the sheer level of brilliance within Nier Replicant, partly because of spoilers. What we have here is a story that will last the ages, contained within a game full of remarkable characters, beautiful-yet-haunting environments, satisfying gameplay and music that will be forever recorded in your heart. Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is perfect.

Technically speaking, I'd recommend playing the game on something other than a Switch because I did see significant frame rate drops and the UI would benefit from a big screen, though I did enjoy sitting in the sun and checking off a few tasks for the day. Furthermore, the touch controls were a little finicky, and it's difficult to place objects exactly where you want them, unlike Animal Crossing. But, it's the curious text that accompanies the various odds and ends that intrigues me. Letters that arrive on the island, apparently unanswered, probing the appearance of a wrecked boat on the shores. As my collection of resources grows, I want to know what else is out there on this weird haven where the boundary between worlds is thin. It doesn't offer the very same adorableness of other games in the genre, yet its muted colours and purposeful pace is welcoming. If you're looking for a low impact and narratively engaging life sim, then spend a while on Cozy Grove.

Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is a game that had me on the edge of my seat with my knuckles clenched just as often as it made me laugh out loud or well up unexpectedly. It's a game that asks you to make some hard decisions and face challenging realities, all the while reminding us every step of the way that who we are today is much, much more important than the person we were the day before. It is, and I mean this without a whiff of hyperbole, a masterpiece.

Loop Hero is exceptional at what it does. It's an addictive game that steals your free time with the same ease as only Minecraft can match. It's perfect for some, but for others it can be a dissatisfying experience as it never feels like you've achieved anything until it's actually over. No little win feels worth it. If you're into roguelikes then this is potentially a great game for you, but it's not for everyone.

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.

It might obviously borrow from the likes of Tron and Another World, Superbrothers and even Ready Player One (the old-school pop-culture nods become comparatively exhausting), but there's just enough here that feels forged anew, born of fresh imagination rather than successful precedents, to give Narita Boy an edge over a lot of other titles in its genre. Digital stores across computer and console formats aren't exactly lacking in side-scrolling, pixel-art action-platformers - but this is one worth finding time for, pulsating as it does with promise that actually, largely, delivers.

All in all, It Takes Two is a wonderful two-player experience, with plenty to immerse you and your co-op partner in for hours on end, whether that be at home or online. Hazelight have worked wonders in the co-op genre yet again here - but with that said, there are still a few moments of annoyance along the way. But if you fall in love with Cody and May early on, you'll quite easily see past this. It Takes Two welcomes both non-gamers and gamers to join in the fun together, and ultimately learn the relatable reality behind that title.

Really, the only people I would hesitate to recommend All You Can Eat to are the ones that have already conquered both games in the series. There isn't quite enough new content to encourage forking out for this double pack. But for everyone else? All You Can Eat is clearly the ultimate Overcooked! experience, and one I would urge anyone who has yet to dive into its delectable series of ingeniously designed challenges to check out. Similarly, if you've just played Overcooked! or Overcooked! 2, this is a must-buy since you won't have seen half of what All You Can Eat has to offer.

All in all, if you're a fan of the Monster Hunter franchise then this new instalment will absolutely tick all your boxes and more, what with all the new additions it brings. While Monster Hunter World was definitely a game designed more to welcome new players, Monster Hunter Rise calls back to the core fans. If you're relatively new, this might be intimidating at first; but once you get the hang of it there's a lot of fun to be had, either solo or with a group of friends.

Neo Geo Pocket Color Selection Vol 1 is a welcome history lesson for anyone who thought portable play at the turn of the millennium was all about Nintendo. SNK had a good thing going with the Pocket Color - and given half a chance, with better backing and more third-party support (a fantastic Sonic game aside, which sadly isn't on this set, non-SNK games were thin on the ground), you wonder if it might've given the Game Boy a decent run for its money.

Mundaun is without a doubt one of the best horror games I've played in recent years. The unique, hand-drawn art really makes this a memorable experience and the fact that this game maintains an atmosphere of fear without reliance on jump scares shows that Hidden Fields, truly understands the horror genre.

Preservation of games is important, and Aspyr's light-touch remaster delivers, basically, the Xbox game as it was, 16 years ago. Just don't come to this one expecting anything of Halo quality, because what felt mid-tier then, absolutely does now. Stubbs The Zombie is a gas for a few hours, but outside of a local co-op mode starring another zombie called Grubbs, it's unlikely to be something you return to once its hero's rebellion is over.

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.

Maquette, in many ways, is a delight. Visually it's stunning, and the puzzles you encounter are often nice little brain teasers - I can imagine playing on a sofa with a significant other would elicit some fun conversations in the same way a murder mystery might. It has its problems and it's not perfect, but, as I said, you should think of Maquette as a rom-com of games. Not the highest form of art and not up for an Oscar nomination, but something you can certainly enjoy on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

I get the impression, too, that Resurrection's default difficulty of Knight is harder than what I played on the original Ghosts 'n Goblins, its arcade sequel, and the Mega Drive port of Ghouls 'n Ghosts, which I adored way back when. I've been dabbling in Capcom's new Arcade Stadium collection on Switch, which features the arcade versions of Ghosts 'n Goblins and Ghouls 'n Ghosts, but I haven't played it enough yet (I bought it, so it's for my downtime, not for review work) to really know where Resurrection sits in terms of overall toughness, and in regard to a series 'ranking' - but after a few runs through its devilish dangers, it's made quite the impression. I'm just glad I'm not paying for it with my pocket money, nowadays.

Bravely Default II is a gem. It serves up amazing visuals with a combat system that both veterans and newcomers will love. It marries excellent characters with a rich in-game world, and delivers it with a majestic OST. It's not perfect but it's an excellent RPG that every Switch owner should try.

Multiplayer gripes aside, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury easily earns its place on Nintendo Switch. As a port of an already exceptional game, it elevates itself to new heights with the inclusion of online multiplayer and a whole new add-on. While it may not be perfect, it's undoubtedly one of the best Super Mario games in franchise history, worth replaying time and time again.

Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic game. It embraces the hack and slash genre without losing that signature Persona feel, and with more success than Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity does. The characters are wonderful, the gameplay is fun and rewarding, and the dialogue reaches similar highs to previous games. There are times where the self-awareness and fan service are a bit much, but overall, Persona 5 Strikers is a great game in its own right, for newcomers and fans alike.

Little Nightmares II does everything you'd expect of a sequel. It sticks closely to the grimy winning formulae of Little Nightmares, while improving on it in key areas. It's clear that Tarsier Studios know what makes their players tick and delivers it to them in festering bucketloads. Everything from the game's story, to the claustrophobic atmosphere it creates combine into an incredibly compelling package that is a must play for horror lovers everywhere.

A thoroughly enjoyable game that's quite unlike anything I've played in a while. None of Olija's core ideas are particularly original, it has to be said, but it delights in picking the best elements of classic 16-bit adventure games and platformers to produce something stylish, striking, and oh-so strange.