In the end, the whole of Sonic Unleashed is slightly greater than the sum of its parts. [Dec 2008, p.45]

Orion packs a strong, unique narrative into a small span of time. It also brings with it a fair bit of polish, though not enough to immediately stand out against some of its more known contemporaries. Even so, for the first release from Cylight Studios, it’s a striking effort.

GRIP: Combat Racing is a must-buy for anyone craving non-stop racing action, going far beyond just being a modern-day version of Rollcage while offering a wide variety of gameplay options.

How We Soar is greater than the sum of its parts and is an incredible experience that should be played by all PlayStation VR owners. Its core formula can get old, but what’s here is executed quite well. More variety would have been nice, though, while some kind of sense of peril would have heightened the stakes. Fortunately, How We Soar excels as a game that allows you to both have fun and relax at the same time.

While it takes a bit to open up, Sky Force Reloaded kicks in nicely once you’ve got a properly powerful ship and a nice selection of medals to chase after through its wide variety of levels. There’s a lot to chase after with all the pickups, powerups and bonus goodies Sky Force Reloaded throws at you, all attainable by a good combination of patience and skill. The quest to take down Scarlett Mantis and her array of multi-stage bosses is one that will take several hours of happy shooting, getting a bit stronger on each new attempt and setting the screen on fire with the broken shrapnel of downed enemies until they manage to do the same to you.

Criterion Games have once again proved that they're the pinnacle development team at Electronic Arts and will lead the Need for Speed franchise into a brighter future. While there are some shortcomings, such as poor map navigation and some rubber-banding issues, Most Wanted is an adrenaline-pumping racer that will leave you with sweaty palms.

Space Invaders had slipped off the gaming radar when Extreme revived the series and a decade later it’s still a great shooter that deserves to be pulled from the resting grounds of old hardware onto something more accessible. On the surface it’s a flashy crowd-pleaser, but underneath there’s a good amount of room for skilled play to pay off in high scores. Whether you choose to play for the light show or a spot on the leaderboard is personal choice, but neither option is a bad one and both offer plenty of high-energy shooting action. It’s great to have Space Invaders Extreme back, dancing away on a modern platform, and maybe if it does OK for itself we could get Infinity Gene as well. There’s always hope.

Melee combat can be disorienting and the story isn’t all that memorable. Still, Far Cry Primal nails what it does right. Beast Mastery is a great new mechanic, the presentation is fantastic, and most importantly, it feels just like a Far Cry game. Woolly mammoths may have gone extinct, but Primal ensures that the Far Cry franchise won’t follow suit.

Though an occasional lack of polish and size for size’s sake approach doesn’t always prove beneficial, a brilliant assortment of puzzles nestled amidst a thought-provoking but compelling narrative still grants The Talos Principle II status as a sequel well worth the near-decade wait. That Croteam can inject a surprising amount of smart designs into their puzzles, as much they can demonstrate a commendable level of maturity as to the writing and choices provided in their tale, proves that even after all these years, the team’s talents across an array of departments remains untainted. And in the sequel’s case, stronger than what came before. Mechanically and narratively stimulating throughout, The Talos Principle II is an accomplished follow-up that just might eclipse the 2014 original.

The Artful Escape may not have particularly deep or challenging gameplay, but the main reason to attend this show is its incredible writing and Francis’ trippy, out-of-this-world journey in discovering his new persona, one which features a lot of nifty twists in various ways, alongside truly striking sci-fi visuals and an expertly-crafted soundtrack. The Artful Escape is an astonishing rock and roll epic that the likes of Ziggy Stardust would be proud of.

Shin Megami Tensei V is one of the best RPGs of 2021. It has an immensely-enjoyable combat system, some of the best and most varied battle music we’ve heard in a long time, and all the demonic creatures we’ve come to love from the series.

Stern Pinball Arcade contains a good amount of excellent pinball action in its opening tables and it’s going to be a lot of fun watching it grow into its own unique collection in the coming years.

Wild Guns Reloaded may be a splash of cold water in the face reminding you of just how hard games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras could be, but it’s also a reminder of how damn fun and enjoyable they can be as well, proving that some titles are indeed timeless.

Capcom’s execution isn’t always perfect, and the lack of quest variety may wear on some, but Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is just about everything it strives to be: a sprawling adventure full of charm, customization and a whole lot of monsters.

There’s a ton to like about Team Sonic Racing. The racing itself is as tight and high octane as ever while remaining accessible. Some of the challenge might be a bit much for the wee ones in single player, but otherwise, the solo content is extremely engaging and well balanced. Online works like a dream and local play with friends will still serve up some classic rivalries turning into fist fights. By design, there’s some stuff that was in the previous game whose absence feels missed here, but Team Sonic Racing is still a no brainer for Sonic fans and kart racing fans alike. The concept might still not make sense, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fantastic.

Without having to pay for iRacing or rFactor, Assetto Corsa Competizione is as real as it gets when getting behind the wheel. Players just need to have the proper setup to make the most of it. The Blancpain GT Series sponsorship is both a blessing and a curse. The cars and tracks from the series are all here and offer a solid variety, but that’s all you get. The content in the game is bare bones even though being able to do a 24-hour race or a Sprint Race is nice. Competizione is all about the racing and that is what it does best. The car visuals, and more importantly the audio, provides the closest thing to being on a track.

Played as a single game, it’s incredible, but as I was made to experience it, it falls a little short of greatness. I wish I were reviewing the full game, because the complete package deserves a higher score. The two halves compliment each other perfectly, but on their own, they are wanting.

Cryptmaster is a commendable indie game that stands out for its originality in gameplay and narrative. While it faces technical and design challenges, the overall experience is enriched by its entertaining side characters, engaging plot and clever integration of language-based mechanics. The game will challenge your linguistic and typing skills and pull you deep into its mysterious world, promising adventure and amusement. The game might benefit from refinements in control responsiveness and visibility issues, but despite its flaws, these do not significantly detract from the engaging and enjoyable gameplay. Cryptmaster offers a refreshingly different perspective on dungeon crawling, making it a worthy addition for any gamer looking for something outside the ordinary dungeon crawling experience.

RIDE 4 is the best entry in the series and fixes a lot of problems that past games had. Its diverse mix of event types in the career mode keeps it fresh even with a few tedious tests dragging things down. The on-track action shines at all times when you have rivals with you, and no matter what track you’re on or what time of day or conditions you’re racing in, you’re in for a fun time. It’s a challenging game, but in a good way as it encourages you to get better and offers a wide variety of difficulty options to help you along the way. Put simply, Ride 4 looks and sounds fantastic and controls like a dream.

Marvel’s Spider-Man perfectly revitalized the Spider-Man gaming franchise back in 2018 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an excellent follow-up. Insomniac Games has built a game that uses the bones of the 2018 title to tell a new story and inject new gameplay elements. The story may not be all that surprising, but it’s told superbly with a strong focus on developing Miles and his friends and family.

Despite the bubble-eyed anime character designs, the game's script is sharp and subtle in a way that anime usually isn't. [Sept 2007, p.60]

Reigns: Her Majesty is a terrific sequel that manages to top the original thanks to a few fun additions that add more strategy, a colorful cast that keeps things light-hearted, and an improved and captivating story that makes great use of its premise. And all of this is without having to sacrifice any of the innovative management gameplay that made the original a hit. It’s a quirky and enjoyable game that can easily eat of a good chunk of time before you know it, so long live this particular queen indeed!

It appears that Game Arts made this to appeal to more than just a niche audience, and the game is much better for it.

EA SPORTS WRC makes a few moves that are different for the franchise that work, but the difficulty that made DiRT Rally 2 so challenging yet rewarding is missing. Yes, this game offers that same sentiment to a degree, but it feels like there was more of a focus on making a complete game with a love letter to the history of the WRC rather than just making a difficult racing game. The Career Mode is a good change from typical modes seen in other racing games but outside of building a car, isn’t deep. The Moments will keep things fresh and allow varying experiences for players on a daily basis. The handling model remains challenging with a lot of tools to help new players, but it doesn’t feel as punishing as the past and I would prefer the game to be punishing.

The game is not without its flaws, but with such a measured and considered use of visuals and sound, particularly in tandem with its narration, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a game as unexpected and thus as fascinating as A Plague Tale: Innocence. One can only look on with intrigue as to where Asobo Studio go from here.

It’s a fun game that rises above any frustrations it may cause to create a memorable experience.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is a wonderful new entry that helps sell the idea that trying new things was the right move. While the series has had some ups and downs, Origami King nails the mix of enjoyable combat and fun gameplay. It would be nice if there was a little bit more depth to the story, but there’s enough to make everything fun and lighthearted while occasionally having dynamic story moments that bring the characters together. The combat could potentially be more difficult for younger players, but it’s hard not to recommend picking up Paper Mario: The Origami King when it’s simply a blast from start to finish.

Outcast - A New Beginning is an excellent sequel with a lot of great gameplay elements that go a long way to make up for its need for further polish. Bugs are common, from an outpost with the robots stuck in the floor to breakable helidium crystals floating several feet above the ground they should be poking out of, and the conversation trees are in desperate need of re-ordering. Despite this, though, it's almost impossible to resist seeing what the next villager is up to and their relation to the rest of the world, following the dialogue and fishing out quests as an excuse to see and do more. The world is also beautifully designed, with each village having its own architecture and style while the world map is covered in points of interest and different biomes, providing gorgeous views from just about any spot in the landscape. Combat is also great fun, especially when stumbling on a particularly effective gun combination or figuring out how the latest upgrade fits into the flow of the next hostile encounter. It took over twenty-four years for Cutter Slade to return to Adelpha, but the wait has paid off with an epic adventure on an alien world.