Rainbow Six Extraction is a uniquely enjoyable entry in Team Rainbow’s history, though the significant crossover with its predecessor makes me feel like Ubisoft could’ve opted for a Siege expansion instead. It's not a huge problem for Ubisoft+ or Game Pass subscribers, sure, but it's a steeper ask for everyone else...That said, Extraction remains great fun, and the new settings meant my time with the familiar operators still felt fresh and interesting. It’s surprisingly challenging at times, and while missions do require trial-and-error, the level design is excellent. Extraction won’t set the genre alight like Siege did, though if you’re after a new PvE experience, I’d still give it my recommendation.

Whatever its faults, there’s really nothing much like R-Type Final 2 on the market right now. It’s unabashedly old school in its approach and delights in letting you go hog wild with its dozens of weapons. Frustration and visual crowding aside, there’s plenty to love here for space fans.

The Callisto Protocol gave me nightmares. It's the best horror game of the year, and a bright new contender in the survival horror genre.

Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection offers players an almost exact recreation of the original titles in the series, down to terrible controls and an unforgiving difficulty. While the hand-drawn portions of the game look absolutely amazing, the rest looks rather cheap, hasty, and uninspired. Worth picking up for superfans, those looking for a better Ghosts 'n Goblins experience should seek out games such as Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts, or modern titles like Battle Princess Madelyn.

Besides some dated boss battles, Croc: Legend of the Gobbos Remaster shows that the original game is still leagues above some of the best that Sonic and Mario have to offer. Many will disagree, but that is just conditioned bias. Croc is a nostalgic blast of absolutely epic proportions.

Performance issues severely hamper the experience on Nintendo Switch 2, but there's still some enjoyment to be had with its customization systems and somewhat fun combat

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 closes Don’t Nod’s branching narrative with a powerful, emotional finale. Though pacing stumbles and some moments lack clarity, its themes of grief, rage, and trauma come together in a quietly compelling way. Patient players will find the slow burn worth it.

Aside from that, though, Rune Factory 5 is a solid revival of a franchise without a new entry for the best part of ten years. It pushes the formula forwards thanks to its 3D perspective, and nails the gameplay that made the series such a hit in the first place.

On PC, Madden 23 makes a couple of decent changes to the established formula, but not enough to truly move the chains for the series.

As you can probably tell, Recompile is rather special. The mix of the stunning aesthetic, beautiful music, fun combat, and interesting hacking systems all make for something that feels different to any other Metroidvania I've played before. I really like it, and the fact that it's so open and full of potential means this is the kind of game people will be telling their own stories about for ages to come.

I genuinely believe that Battlefield 2042 will one day be the game it's trying to be. It has everything it should need to become a go-to game for me and a group of friends. Right now though, it's just not ready for that mantle. Fixes are desperately needed that can bring Battlefield 2042 to its full potential.

While it starts out slowly, Stonefly grows into something truly special – a heady mix of beautiful graphics and fun gameplay that feels strangely relaxing to play, and entirely unique to look at.

Gotham Knights is worth playing for its story and characters, but its RPG stylings feel counterintuitive and clunky compared to the Arkham games.

Though it has plenty of great ideas, High on Life is too overbearing and never quite commits to its best moments.

While Last Stop doesn’t give a lot of freedom to its players it creates a compelling enough story that can be enjoyed over a short playthrough. Fans of dialogue-heavy adventure games like Life Is Strange or anything from TellTale will find something here to enjoy.

Pokemon Champions is a disappointing, battle-focused spin-off that lacks the depth, story, and visual flair needed to justify its existence over the mainline games. Marred by a limited roster and uncharacteristic pay-to-win mechanics, it fails to recapture the magic of Pokémon Stadium for both casual and competitive players.

Biomutant’s positives ever so slightly outweigh its faults and with more time (and patches), it could grow into a much more entertaining game. Its unique world, extensive customisation and pool of interesting moves and tricks in battle make this game fun to play but for now, a colourful but empty world, a wealth of glitches, and dull objectives make it a tough sell.

Monark is a nice debut effort from Lancarse but I wish they’d spent more time balancing it. It’s got interesting ideas and a great combat system but is bogged down by repetitive level design, narrative cliches, and grindy gameplay. If you’re seeking a JRPG with a more horrifying aesthetic, you’ll have fun if you can look past those flaws. Shin Megami Tensei fans will probably enjoy what’s offered but otherwise, I can only truly recommend this to the JRPG faithful.

FBC: Firebreak is Remedy’s quirky dive into co-op extraction shooters, blending the surreal world of Control with chaotic missions best enjoyed with friends. While it lacks polish, online features, and content at launch, it’s an ambitious but currently incomplete experience that can only be better with a full squad.

Switchback VR is an impressive showcase for PSVR2 and its new features, I just wish it was scarier.

Atlas Fallen is a solid if unspectacular addition to the much-loved open world RPG genre.

Scars Above is an interesting toe in the water for many different genres but as you start to descend, you realise how shallow that puddle really is. An interesting world and decent elemental mechanics are held back by poor exploration and an unwillingness to push the boat out.

Naruto X Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is another fun entry in this series. The improvements made to battles add some much-needed depth, while the Special Story is well-told. History Mode is disappointing and more new characters would have been nice, but this is a good step in the right direction.

Forspoken is both ambitious, yet incredibly flawed. It pairs hammy dialogue and some poor pacing with a world I want to explore. Forspoken is a game tied between two worlds - losing out by never quite understanding either.

Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League delivers a solid looter shooter experience wrapped up in an actually hilarious narrative, with incredible performances from the cast of misfits. While live-service elements and repetitive missions muddy the experience, Suicide Squad is solid fun that, even after 30+ hours, I’m still jumping back into every night.

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees tells a hugely important story wordlessly and effortlessly, combining the gameplay and story in ways that inspire both powerlessness and hope.

3DClouds' simple approach has left the final product feeling lacking in King of Seas. Yes, it is sort of fun, but it's not anywhere near as fun as it could have been. It would have been a much better game if they had spent more time building out the skeleton crew that exists here.

Alone in the Dark is a game that is worth a shot when it’s cheap, or if you’re a longtime fan of the series. For everyone else, it’s best to avoid.

So, would I recommend Survival Kids on the Switch 2? Yes, but only if you plan on playing the entire game with friends. The solo experience here just isn't enjoyable, and it highlights the game's issues that are negated while having fun as a team. I hope groups of friends take a chance on this game and play it through, as it can be very fun. Younger players may enjoy it too as their first steps into the survival genre, but for those who don't play online, you would be better off playing the original on NSO.

Smart combat makes you think about every move on the game’s impressively varied maps, but until Sumo adds more to do, it’s a tough one to recommend. For now, Hood is best enjoyed with friends or in small doses.

Lone Ruin is a game all about replayability that I saw little reason to replay after the credits.

Despite a fun, if derivative, combat system, Neoverse never truly feels like it shines thanks to disappointing performance on Switch and a story that feels nonsensical and non-existent all at once. If you're a fan of the rogue-lite card-battling genre and have exhausted the best the genre has to offer then you may find some enjoyment in its flexible card buying system and varied character builds, but if not, it's tough to recommend.

World’s End Club is almost a good game. Fantastic character designs, a loveable cast, and clever writing will make you want to love it, but an unsatisfying narrative and boring gameplay make it hard to get through.

Super Bomberman R Online suffers from some technical and speed issues but is a blast to play online, offering classic Bomberman gameplay with enough pizzaz to keep the battle royale aspect of the title interesting. While there is a pay-to-win aspect to the game, it is not as bad as it could be, offering free players ample opportunity to earn new characters and cosmetic items. Overall, the microtransaction system and Battle Pass feel wholly unnecessary, detracting from the core Bomberman style of play. Still, Super Bomberman R Online offers enough of a classic Bomberman experience for free and should not be passed up by fans of the series.

Saints Row 2022 is a time capsule of a game and era many have moved past. Instead of building on the legacy of Saints Row, it feels like a tired retread of a game we already have.

Drag x Drive, Nintendo's new motion-controlled sports game for the Switch 2, attempts to innovate with a unique take on futuristic wheelchair basketball but ultimately falls short. Despite solid online multiplayer, the repetitive gameplay and finicky mouse controls prevent it from becoming a compelling experience. Lacking a strong story mode and distinct character, it feels like an undercooked concept that fails to capture the classic Nintendo charm.

Endless Ocean Luminous is a relaxing deep dive into something beautiful, though admittedly niche. This is a simple, yet, elegant experience that not everyone will appreciate, but those who do are in for something unforgettable.

Taking after fairy tales, Witch Strandings manages to tell a predictable story in unpredictable ways. It can often be painful to play but the experience is one I won't forget soon. Witch Strandings is a game I'm glad exists, even if I'm not sure I enjoyed it all that much.

THQ Nordic has truly channelled its namesake with South Park: Snow Day, an underbaked, content-less licensed game that imbues the worst of the PS2-era for a modern audience. Stay indoors.

Crash Bandicoot: On The Run is a fun, but overly simple mobile rendition of one of gaming’s greatest mascots. Overly aggressive advertising and an in-game economy that doesn’t respect players’ time sour what could have been a memorable endless runner...It’s less 'On The Run', and more endlessly waiting around.

It's a shame, but Matchpoint Tennis Championships just didn't quite get there on most aspects of its tennis simulation. A lack of licenced players and UI bugs only compound the core issues with the controls being far too simplistic and repetition setting in extremely quickly.

Modern Warfare 2 delivers thanks to incredible detail and gunplay but the repeatability of some missions takes the edge off an otherwise polished single-player experience. [Campaign Review Score = 80]

While the core racing and range of vehicles in MX vs ATV Legends are undeniably fun, the overall lack of polish and utterly disappointing online modes make it tough to recommend over its rivals.

The core gameplay and design of Itadaki Smash make for a zippy beat 'em up, but the lack of extra servings may leave you wanting a bit more.

The Isle Tide Hotel is a mightily fun detective adventure packed with interesting characters and choices to make, though the gameplay itself can be occasionally clunky.

TMNT Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants is a lacklustre licensed brawler that’s shell cracks under pressure from the contemporary greats. Just get any other Turtles game on modern platforms.

Hellboy: Web of Wyrd has great combat and some stunning visuals, but it's bogged down by frustrating mechanics and a progression system that rarely feels rewarding.

The Uncertain is a difficult game to discuss because it seems so hell-bent on getting in its own way. For every great choice that has been made, a new issue is just around the corner – Good voice acting? Terrible sound design. Great world visuals? Poorly designed characters. It’s truly a shame, as this game had so much potential and definitely wasn’t awful, but overall it just seems rushed and unfinished, with a story that’s over way too quickly.

Balan Wonderworld gets no standing ovation for me – not even a clap. In fact, get your tomatoes at the ready for this musical theatre flop because as much as I wanted to like Balan Wonderworld (and believe me, I really wanted to like it) this game gets more than a few boos from me. With basic platforming, the removal of a jump button, and a distinct lack of challenge, there's little to recommend here.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, like the titular character, is ugly, malformed, and infested with bugs.

Despite being in early access, Valheim has a lot to love. There's a wealth of content, some impressively deep systems, and an ever-expanding community, it feels like the sky is the limit. It's perfect to share with friends and can be wonderfully meditative when played solo. If you like survival, Vikings and a bright future with constant updates, Valheim is the game for you. [Early Access Score = 100]

Ultimately, Sabec’s Calculator is an odd one. Will it change the world? No. Will your friends, family, and colleagues ridicule you for spending £8 on a digital calculator? Almost certainly. Featuring a balanced roster of characters, quick load times, minimalist visuals, and a creative sandbox structure, Calculator accomplishes everything Sabec Limited set out to do. For that, I give it high marks.

An Airport for Aliens Currently Run By Dogs is unlike anything I’ve ever played, for better and for worse. The originality and creativeness of the concept shine through because they’re accompanied by incredibly strong writing. Sadly though it left me at times feeling how we all do once we’ve shopped at duty free and are waiting at our gate, quite blasé about the whole affair.

While Impulse Gear has laid the groundwork for a solid 6v6 shooter, several design choices hold it back from greatness and having to unlock the entire specialist roster is unnecessarily limiting. There’s room for improvement but ultimately, Larcenauts offers an enjoyable arena shooter with friends that makes you strategize. While it’s not exactly Overwatch in VR, shooter fans willing to grind it out will find an entertaining experience within, one that I’d argue is worth a look.

Staying in motion and lining up shots feels great, and the rare moments where jump pads, explosives and saw blades coalesce into bloody murder highlight just how much fun Radio Viscera's take on shooting is. It can definitely feel like the game is fighting you at times, and there's little to keep you coming back to the small selection of levels available currently. It's definitely worth checking out if rag dolling enemies and cartoon violence are your bag.

Minecraft is a better sandbox, nearly every other game does combat in a more engaging and rewarding way, and while the freedom is certainly there, it all feels a little superfluous.

As a multiplayer game, Battle Calculator can get in the bin. As a scientific calculator? Functionally flawless but visually unappealing. Much like before, buying this app is an incredibly questionable decision at £10.49, considering most phones contain a free calculator app. As such, Blacksmith DoubleCircle’s app is an even tougher sell than Sabec’s offering, so I can only recommend this to die-hard fans.

I enjoyed my time with The Lonely Assassins, though it loses some immersion with this console port. There’s only a short adventure within - one you can beat within 2-3 hours - but I found myself drawn in until the very end, wanting to see this mystery through. It’s not a game designed for replayability, and you could finish it in one sitting, though that’s more forgivable considering the low price point. If you’re a Doctor Who fan, this one’s worth looking into.

Viro Move is a great effort by FIT REALITY. Offering a competent workout program, varied different courses and flexibility, you'll enjoy it even if exercise isn't your goal. Though some minor gameplay problems hold it back, Viro Move's one of the more engaging fitness games I've encountered yet and as such, it comes recommended.

I do applaud Norse Lands for trying to create a playstyle that's so distinctive from the original. I don't think it's entirely successful, but it's fun to try out. As always, the soundtrack and visuals are both excellent, and it'll definitely offer an enjoyable reskin for those who've played the earlier games. However, if you've never delved into the madness of Two Crowns, I'd definitely recommend grabbing the base game before going full-on Norse.

The Dead By Daylight Tools of Torment DLC is great conceptually but a strict meta and many mediocre perks leave it a couple of tools away from a full toolbox.

With existential theming and some nice visuals, De-Exit - Eternal Matters is a game I want to like. Unfortunately, imprecise controls, tedious sections, and a litany of bugs leave it reaching for so much more.

The Tartarus Key is a very novel survival horror title, with forward-thinking game design to complement old-school aesthetics.

Madden 24’s year-on-year revisions are a mixed bag. It still feels like a somewhat directionless team just kind of going through the motions in the mushy middle of the NFL pecking order.

Palworld is a Frankenstein's monster of ideas, mostly inspired by Nintendo's franchises like Pokemon and the recent Zelda games. However, it feels like a refreshing take on the survival genre, with the only issues being an overwhelming and lengthy core game loop that may discourage some players. [Early Access Score = 80]

Monument Valley 3’s brevity does not diminish how much the series has evolved over the years. Its intricate level designs, paired with a spellbinding soundtrack, continue to captivate its niche playerbase and anyone who enjoys puzzlers. For $20, you can experience how UsTwo has mastered the art of perspective, shapes, and sound, delivering one of gaming’s most beautiful and memorable puzzle adventures.

An amazing learning tool and an even better game, Shujinkou is an ambitious JRPG that's well worth your time, given what's already an incredible year for independent games.