Sword of the Necromancer: Resurrection had much promise with its heartfelt story, but it just doesn't quite hit the mark across the board.

Star Wars Episode I: Jedi Power Battles is a blaster shot from the past, with fun beat-em-up action slightly let down by dodgy platforming.

The Spirit of the Samurai is a gorgeous game to look at, and while it can be enjoyable to play, some of the movement and combat is stiff.

Threefold Recital is an interesting narrative game featuring three intriguing protagonists, but its slow pacing and writing issues let it down a little.

Flint: Treasure of Oblivion is a good-looking adventure with enough pilfering, parrots and peg-legs to pacify all the pirate purists.

Skydance's Behemoth is a solid adventure with some cool moments and clever combat, but the checkpointing system is frustrating.

The Thing: Remastered is a weird nostalgia trip that is fairly dated, but remains compelling enough to see through to credits.

Glitch Hero is a nice way to teach younger gamers some programming basics, but the poor combat really lets it down.

Chicken Police: Into the Hive has some particularly charming characters and great visuals, but is slightly let down by the overall story.

VED isn't a bad game, it's just not a very good one, either, and never quite manages to find its stride.

Spirit Mancer has lots of great ideas and some seriously awesome boss fights, but dull combat against regular enemies really drags it down.

Critter Cafe is a cosy game that just misses the mark, thanks to its lifeless world and repetitive gameplay which make it hard to recommend.

Farmagia has fun and flashy combat, but its lack of depth and threadbare farming ultimately make it hard to recommend.

While it has some clever ideas, Slitterhead never realises its potential, feeling like it would have benefited from more time in development.

Awaken - Astral Blade is a decent if run-of-the-mill Metroidvania, but don’t go in expecting anything unique or particularly invigorating.

Metamorphosis VR has so much potential, but movement is awkward and a fair few bugs held me back from appreciating it fully.

Rogue Flight is a good entry into the genre and one that is enjoyable but has a feeling something is slightly missing.

Blazing Strike looks the part but struggles to put up a fight in a crowded market that is only getting stronger.

Played with friends, Starship Troopers: Extermination is an enjoyable enough time-killer, but it really lacks the polish and panache of its most immediate rivals.

Hot Wheels: Monster Trucks Stunt Mayhem won’t be a game for everyone but there’s a niche market out there that will absolutely lap it up.

Despite some iffy performance and a lot of proper nouns that I just couldn't track properly, I enjoyed my time with Mechwarrior 5: Clans.

Ys X: Nordics is a fun enough RPG with enjoyable combat, but dull sailing sections and subpar visuals make it a slightly disappointing sequel.

Throne and Liberty has some solid ideas, but it’s mostly held up by the combat and exploration, rather than the actual MMO elements.

Pureya is an original, if short lived take on the microgame genre that is a half decent way to while away a bit of time.

Undisputed has a good swing, but in boxing, if you come at the king, you best not miss. Just like the irrepressible Canelo, Fight Night is still the reigning champ.

Dead Season is a decent game for fans of the turn-based genre who like to feel that everything is a little bit hopeless.

RPG Maker WITH seems happy to leave newcomers behind, and as a result it presents as being less feature-rich and useful than it undoubtedly is.

Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports has some flourishes of fun, but the clunky movement and unresponsive controls let it down.

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns is disappointing for those expecting a more exciting story, but the new characters are a cool addition.

Apartment Story may be short, but it has some good ideas and offers an engaging story alongside doing the pots or eating a ham sandwich.

Reynatis isn't an awful game to play, but it remains a pretty average experience throughout.

If you're desperate for a new game in the genre, The Karate Kid: Street Rumble has something, but there are better examples available.

The Jackbox Naughty Pack isn’t an essential addition to the overall Jackbox collection but by no means a disaster, either.

If you’re craving a new Metroidvania adventure then Marko: Beyond Brave will certainly kill a few hours.

Funko Fusion is unfortunately not the joyous celebration of pop culture it should be, thanks to frustrating enemies and lots of dull levels.

Unholy has some good moments, but it's let down with some odd gameplay choices and some janky cutscenes and poor acting.

Hollowbody is a classic survival horror experience which will delight fans of those PS2-era frights, but some of the dated elements will frustrate.

Yars Rising is a decent enough adventure, but it feels like a very odd way to revive Atari’s legendary franchise.

Peglin is the blend of Peggle and Roguelike I never knew I needed, but the luck factor and repeating layouts let it down a little.

It is pleasing to that games like Akimbot are still being made, as there is a definite place in the market for well-crafted examples of platforming run and gun action.

Star Trucker is either wildly infuriating or incredibly relaxing, depending on how you approach it on a given day.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby - Party Dash is a decent party game, but some poor events and a lack of tutorials spoil the experience a bit

Sadly, Concord struggles to find its own identity given the overused sci-fi setting and the overdone gameplay structure.

Combining the combos of PS2 classics with flashy, modern looking spectacle, Monster Jam Showdown is muddy good fun.

Dustborn tells a story about spreading misinformation and the power of words, with some great ideas despite some frustration.

By modern standards Phantom Spark may even be considered a little barebones, but it’s also a relaxing, chilled out experience.

Dark and Deep has some good ideas and some of the environments are well-designed, but movement feels clunky at times.

Deathbound feels like an early access game at times, with ponderous, imprecise combat and a world that simply struggles to find its way.

Despite some uneven design, Bleak Faith: Forsaken is an enjoyable, atmospheric adventure through a decaying world.

Volgarr the Viking II is a seriously retro and seriously difficult game, that just doesn't prepare the player enough for its punishment.

For fans of the genre MArs 2120 presents a serviceable adventure with some flashy powers, but it still feels very much like an early access game.

A Star Names EOS is an enjoyable puzzle game with a cool photography theme, but a lack of hints and slightly nauseating story drag it down.

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- Sweep the Board! is for a very specific target audience, but others may find it all a bit too baffling.

SCHiM is a gorgeous game unlike anything else I’ve ever played, but without enough of a hook to keep you engaged it gets old before it ends.

#Blud is a gorgeous game packed full of charm with fantastic writing, but the combat and controls prevent it from being a must play.

Noreya: The Gold Project is an enjoyable enough Metroidvania but feels a little limited when compared to other titles in the genre.

Taskmaster VR has some smart ideas and the presentation is good, but the controls aren't as precise as they need to be given the crazy tasks.

Splodey is a fun, novel little title that definitely has the potential to be addictive when you get on a winning streak.

Once you’ve unlocked a good selection of weapons, finishers, and special attacks, Astor: Blade of the Monolith becomes a pretty enjoyable affair.

If you're a diehard fan of this kind of game then Arcadia: Colony is worth a look, just don’t expect a Metroid or Cave Story level experience.

There’s a lot to do in Biomutant on Nintendo Switch, and if you can get past the shoddy appearance, there’s a decent open world game in here.

It might not always blow you away with originality, but Solo Leveling: ARISE is still a pretty enjoyable and involving adventure on PC.

Sucker for Love: Date to Die For is an interesting visual novel blend of horror and romance, but it's just a little bit lacking in a few areas.

Kingsgrave has a fun loop of material gathering for upgrades, but the clunky combat and refusal to give any guidance makes it hard to easily recommend.

Despite some pretty visuals and colourful environments, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Wrath of the Mutants is rather repetitive.

There are some great moments in Harold of Halibut, even if it takes a while to get going, and the art style is stunning in every way.

Beat Slayer is an enjoyable enough game in short doses, but does nothing to move its genre forward or innovate on established ideas.

Alone in the Dark is a faithful take on the original, with some smart puzzles and a charming Southern tone despite some frustrating combat.

The Legend of Legacy HD Remastered is a serviceable RPG, but when there are so many brilliant alternatives it's hard to recommend.

There's fun to be had in the shooting and gliding, but Outcast: A New Beginning is simply stretched a little too thin.

Reveil might not be outwardly terrifying, but it looks incredible and has some interesting puzzles with plenty of variety.

The Pirate Queen: A Forgotten Legend isn't very long, and while it's not massively exciting, the story is still worth checking out.

The Lost Legends of Redwall: The Scout Anthology is a pleasant enough experience though, and won’t out-stay its welcome.

Bore Blasters is a fun little time-waster, but it's not an experience you'll remember after you've moved on.

Penny's Big Breakaway is a fun 3D platformer with great locomotion, but a whole host of bugs and checkpoint issues spoil the good time.

A Void Hope has a great soundtrack and emotional story, but if you're expecting puzzles or platforming then you'll be sorely disappointed.

Sixty Four starts off well and its air of mystery is engaging, but a lack of guidance or support and lengthy time-sinks to progress will put most people off.

Welcome to ParadiZe has a great sense of humour and super satisfying combat and crafting systems that elevate it above the surface jank.

If you approach Wrath: Aeon of Ruin with no expectations beyond a violent way to kill a few hours, then there is fun to be had.

Skull and Bones might have been a better game had it released sooner, but at it's fun combat is dampened by its rather dull progression.

The Mobius Machine is a fine Metroidvania with an emphasis on sci-fi shooting, but its map issues and weak upgrades drag it down.

Foamstars has its moments, but the frantic gameplay, annoying dialogue, and microtransactions do little to keep you playing for long.

Telmari was a game I was excited to get stuck into, but the central mechanic doesn't lend itself to precision platforming and instead leads to frustration.

Matchmaker Agency is a rare video game all about love, which unfortunately is so easy that playing it gets tedious very quickly.

If you're here for nostalgia's sake, more power to you, but if you're expecting a sweeping remaster of this beloved trilogy that brings it up to date in a meaningful way, you'll have to keep waiting.

Let's School is a perfectly competent management game, but its focus on getting you to plan out timetables can get a little dull.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League can be a lot of fun to play, but the repetitive missions and lack of depth to its story and endgame content let it down.

Crumbling works well as a roguelike VR, evoking childhood memories while hacking and slashing a range of colourful characters.

Fling to the Finish is at its best when played with friends, and I’ll happily recommend that you break this out at your next gettogether.

Wallace & Gromit in The Grand Getaway isn't long, and the controls are a touch awkward, but it is filled with the charm Aardman is known for.

While the Iron's Hot is a really interesting concept for a crafting game, but it just lacks the hooks to keep you engaged from start to finish.

There’s an enjoyable time to be had Gangs of Sherwood, especially with others, but it just doesn’t do anything well enough to stand out from the crowd.

While the title included might have been good in the 90s, the Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection doesn't quite hold up today. You do get a decent amount of games, some are pretty similar, and other than the SNES version, few are as fun to play as they were back then.

The Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 3 campaign is a by-the-numbers experience with few of the thrills or high-points the series is known for.

The Tales of Arise DLC Beyond the Dawn still has that fantastic combat from the main game, but it doesn't bring a whole lot new to the proceedings.

Thirsty Suitors is a wildly unique game that blends together a whole lot of genres, but too often it feels like a bit of a chore to play.

Cuisineer is a fun enough food themed video game, but it's a slow starter and has a few issues that hold it back from a Michelin star.

There are flashes of a great game in Achilles: Legends Untold, which developer Dark Point Games has clearly put a great deal of effort into it.