It's a horror game that isn't scary, an adventure game that isn't exciting, and a narrative-driven game that feels more like a glorified tech demo. There's nothing bad to be found here, but nothing worth writing home over either.

Screamer is a compelling purchase for any racing fan looking to trade technical simulations for pure, stylish speed. Its unique twin-stick drifting mechanics offer a refreshing challenge for those tired of standard controls, while the sheer variety provided by the 32 tracks and character-specific abilities keeps the gameplay from feeling repetitive. With its vibrant cyberpunk aesthetic, a pulse-pounding electronic rock soundtrack, and a wealth of game modes that cater to both solo and social players, it delivers a high-value package that captures the best of the arcade racing spirit.

I hate to say it because there is a good deal of potential in the The Saint, and its obvious that the solo developer has put a great deal of effort into it's spooky atmosphere, but it is not worth playing in its current state.

Reigns: The Witcher is a perfect marriage of IP and indie mechanics. By evolving the objective system into the deeper Inspirations mechanic, Nerial has ensured that every "Game Over" feels like a step forward rather than a step back.

While it's nice to have this story accessible for newcomers, the reality is that the original Yakuza 3 was never the series' high point. Kiwami 3 fails to elevate the source material, instead hampering the experience with unfinished-looking cutscenes and a bizarre "chrome" aesthetic. With the original Yakuza 3 delisted from many digital storefronts, your only alternative is the Yakuza Remastered Collection. Given the high price point of that bundle and the lacklustre quality of this remake, there is very little reason to recommend Kiwami 3 as a standalone purchase.

If you want an anime souls-like, I think you would be far better served by checking on AI Limit. If you want an open-world souls-like, Elden Ring is far stronger than what's on offer here. I can only recommend Code Vein 2 if you are looking specifically for an open world anime souls-like. Even then, I'd suggest you wait for a sale because $70 is way too much for such an unremarkable game.

Adaptory is a brilliant, polished simulation that replaces the stress of combat with the stress of logistics and empathy. It's a game that rewards players who pay attention to the small details — like whether or not their employees can inhale. If you want a game that lets you build, thrive, and occasionally feel like a total monster for neglecting your crew's basic biological needs, this is it. It's charming, it's deep, and it's a masterclass in "unintended consequences." [Early Access Score = 74]

The Director's Cut of Conscript is more than just a historical curiosity; it is a mechanical triumph. By stripping away the supernatural and focusing on the very real horrors of 1916, Jordan Mochi has created a survival horror game that feels more grounded and terrifying than many of its peers. With its focus on inventory management, tactical combat, and a hauntingly beautiful presentation, it is a game that respects the player's intelligence and rewards their grit. If you missed it the first time around, there is no longer any excuse to stay out of the trenches. This is a definitive survival horror experience.

Ultimately, the lack of single-player content, such as the boss fights and time challenges found in Transformed, leaves the experience feeling hollow. I don't know what critics are thinking calling this superior to Mario Kart World. At this stage, even Kirby Air Raiders is a better time than this middling pile of mediocrity.

Project Motor Racing is a visually stunning title with a lot of potential for hardcore simulation fans who love to tweak gear ratios and suspension settings. However, for the more casual racer or controller user, the experience is marred by uneven difficulty, frustrating AI behavior, and a penalty system that feels unjust. It's a beautiful ride, but one that might leave you spinning your wheels.

Had it been an early access title, House Fighters: Total Mess might be able to excuse some of its more obvious technical issues and lack of gameplay refinements. However, for something presented to the public as a finished product, House Fighters: Total Mess is anything but. From all appearances, its developer seems to be quite active in responding to community concerns via Steam's discussions forum. It is quite feasible that, in a matter of just a few months, this game might be almost unrecognizable compared to its present state. One can only hope...

Wreckreation wears its influence in its presentation, mechanics, and throughout many other aspects of the gameplay. It retains some of the bad aspects, sticks a bit too close to some of the good, and is missing maybe a little of both, all at the same time. Ultimately, the act of driving and crashing feels pretty good, but the awkward fast-travel and menus, which feel close to carbon copies, are in dire need of modernization. While the large map has enough variety for a bunch of open, mountainous spaces, the lack of a dense city feels like a step backwards in just about every way, and gives the entire world a more empty feeling. There are plenty of tools at each player's disposal to create tracks and events, but relying on a social experience focused directly on friends means that larger scale multiplayer is hamstrung before it has a chance. If Wreckreation has the opportunity to grow, the foundation is solid, but if it can't or won't, it risks feeling like a knock-off of its primary predecessor to some, and simply an awkward experience to others.

I was prepared to give the game a pass at the rough animation and frequently dodgy art direction. That was until I beat the game, and a lovely ending cinematic played that could boast some excellent animation and disturbing visuals that were not present in the game. Where was that the entire game!?

In Enter the Gungeon, each run felt distinct because you would find different weapons from the game's huge arsenal. In Out of Time, however, your abilities are locked to the gear you bring with you before heading into each mission, so there is no real room to be surprised on each run. That said, there is some fun to be had customizing your equipment and build in between runs. However, even here, it feels like you need to invest a tremendous amount of time into grinding to get better equipment. Ultimately, the game just feels boring and repetitive, and while there's some fun to be had playing it with a group of buddies, you would probably be better off with a more engaging co-op game.

As a longtime Killing Floor fan, I was beyond excited at the initial announcement of a new entry. I was more than happy to speak briefly with Tripwire developers at PAX East about what they were most excited for with this newest release. Even with a rough start during the public testing period, the developers' commitment to transparency was laudable, and helped reaffirm the much-needed goodwill. However, the final product simply does not meet either the ideal or minimal standards expected of a Killing Floor game. While this may change over the coming months and years, it is difficult, if not impossible, to recommend this game as it currently stands.

Unyielder is an interesting and somewhat masochistic game. It has a lot of potential, and I experienced a lot of enjoyment and a lot of frustration playing it. I found the difficulty level to be very punishing, just from a reaction time point of view, and frequently got frustrated because the harder bosses seemed almost impossible to counter correctly. When I managed to get some powerful weapons or perks, I could do really well but often couldn't find myself getting through more than six or seven bosses in a row. It feels like with enough tuning and some more development, Unyielder could turn into a really polished gem. Despite that, I did have fun with it, particularly with the movement and feel of weaponry.

King of Meat is more than just a novelty concept. It successfully marries a vibrant, gameshow-inspired aesthetic with a satisfying, dynamic combat. Its blend of fast-paced action, rewarding replay loop, and robust co-op play makes it an entertaining entry that deserves attention from fans of medieval action and platforming alike.

The combination of the visual design and the story setup make Metal Eden an enticing experience before even booting it up. And while it tries to blend that sci-fi world with fast-paced combat centered around parkour and hot-swapping weapons, the pieces don't fit together tight enough to be enjoyable for a long enough percentage of its short runtime. When the credits roll it feels unfinished, and at times throughout it feels misguided. When you've got significant upgrades, inside of the later levels, it approaches a satisfying shooter experience, it's just a shame that it isn't at least a few levels longer, which would make the package feel more complete. A few issues can be softened with some polish, by tweaking values and cooldowns or fixing the way you sometimes jarringly mantle a ledge to the side that you can't see when you jump, but the largest ones would require an adjustment to the design philosophy overall.

Playing through Liminal Exit was occasionally frustrating, often visually interesting, and sometimes inventive. It helps that it's a short experience, whether you're good at finding the usually obvious differences or listening to your television friend’s hints, otherwise it might overstay its welcome. The story was intriguing enough to push me through, and the repetition in anomalies did make finding a new one more exciting, just when I thought I'd seen them all. It's also effectively creepy enough of the time, with some of the visuals alone giving me some nice, unconscious chills, and avoids crossing the line into cheap horror at the same time. While most of the ways it changes the formula of its simple genre don't pan out, it does relatively well at sticking to what works, even if it did make me a borderline conspiracy theorist about its trustworthiness.

Cast n Chill delivers on its promise. It's a delightful and surprisingly deep fishing simulator that strips away the real-world inconveniences of the hobby and leaves behind pure, unadulterated relaxation. With its simple controls, satisfying upgrade system, charming pixel art, and brilliant idle mode, it's the perfect game for unwinding after a long day or for anyone who enjoys the meditative rhythm of a good fishing trip, minus the bait and the mess. If you're looking for a peaceful escape that offers both immediate gratification and long-term progression, Cast n Chill is definitely worth casting your line for.

Tron: Catalyst does plenty right. The story of the glitch in the system works well within the Tron environment, and the combat is quite fluid, requiring players to make use of all of Exo’s abilities. However, some of the enjoyable mechanics are underutilised. I only ever used the Glitch loop mechanic when I was specifically asked to do so, and it would have been nice to have donned the Core uniform disguise in more locations to allow a more stealthy game if you wanted. But the game's signature Tron visual styling is breathtaking, making every moment spent in the Arq Grid a feast for the eyes. Fans of the futuristic Disney films will find much to love here, especially if they can overlook some of its missed opportunities..

It's normal to expect less polish when you boot up an indie passion project from a first-time developer. This is something I usually factor into the overall grade of a game, and I try not to let issues like occasional crashes or graphical stuttering weigh too heavily against an otherwise engaging experience. Games are more than their occasional screw-ups. Unfortunately, when a game screws up as much as Vessels of Decay does, it starts to get hard to see the game underneath.

Between the unlocked artwork, dev notes, and over 300 original bangers in the music player, this is a celebration of retro fighting games. A celebration that proves these games will never not be legendary.

Soulslinger: Evoy of Death is a stylish, fast-paced game that's easy to jump into for some quick action, and there's undeniable fun to be had mixing and matching powers. However, some frustrating design decisions hold it back on the macro level. I do like the world the game sets up, and if developer Elder Games ever makes a follow-up, I'll be there to hopefully check out some new corners of Limbo with some of the rougher edges smoothed out.

If you are a devoted fan of racing simulations, MotoGP25 will undoubtedly be right up your alley. Its commitment to a realistic two-wheeled racing experience, coupled with its stunning visuals and authentic audio, makes it a compelling package. While the introduction of the arcade handling mode does make it a more accessible entry point for newcomers to the series, it remains a game with a reasonably steep learning curve. However, for those willing to invest the time to master its intricacies, MotoGP25 offers a deeply rewarding and exhilarating racing experience.

Moroi has some very rough edges, but despite that it has an extremely unique visual style and artistic design. If you have a dark sense of humour and enjoy the absurd and the macabre, I recommend it, just keep in mind that you may encounter several issues that may hinder your enjoyment of the game as they hindered mine

Which Way Up: Galaxy Games offers a delightful and accessible party game experience that is perfect for families looking for indoor fun, especially when the weather outside is less than inviting. With its simple controls, vibrant visuals, and varied collection of mini-games provide hours of entertainment. While the two-player experience may lack some of the chaotic charm of larger groups, the game truly comes alive with three or more players, making it a stellar addition to any family's game night rotation. So, gather your crew, prepare for launch, and get ready for some gravity-defying fun in the whimsical world of Which Way Up: Galaxy Games.

If you're a fan of Supercross, then you'll likely enjoy Monster Energy Supercross 25. However, for casual fans, or those looking at getting into the series, be wary that this is a tough game to master. Slowly improving and gaining followers in the Career Mode is definitely rewarding though. The visuals are great and the soundtrack provides for an atmospheric experience, but the difficulty, even at the lowest level can be tough. The opposition racers are aggressive and competent, even down to the last rider, ensuring that a single mistake can cost you a race. And when some of these errors are no fault of your own, it can be a frustrating experience.

Ultimately, Atomfall is a game that respects the player's intelligence and rewards curiosity. It doesn't hold your hand with a deluge of mandatory objectives, instead offering the freedom to pursue Leads at your own pace and explore the ravaged landscape as you see fit. This player-driven approach ensures that each playthrough feels distinct, shaped by the individual's willingness to delve into the mysteries and dangers of post-nuclear Cumberland. If you're a player who appreciates atmosphere, emergent gameplay, and the satisfaction of uncovering secrets through your own initiative, Atomfall is a journey into a hauntingly beautiful and intellectually engaging world.

Taking a position on this game has been very difficult, as on one hand I am an unapologetic day one fan of both prior Two Point games, and there is much in this newest entry's foundation that I do appreciate. However, the redoubled severity of the micromanagement required in order to play, in combination with the often-shoddy AI, makes playing a thoroughly unenjoyable experience. I admire the Two Point team's vision for what they likely intended this game to be, while also standing firm in my decision not to recommend it to players at this time. Take the time to instead go back and start a new run of Two Point Campus. It's well worth another go.

Unfortunately, the aggressive monetisation and shallow gameplay loop in Synduality Echo of Ada let down some excellent stylistic choices, atmosphere and characterisation. I enjoyed the funny interactions I had with my Magus and Yoshio, as well as the art style and the feel of my Coffin on the Earth, but I don't feel I have anything to gain by continuing to play, and I don't think the monetisation is fair.

Ultimately, this ant colony simulator offers a unique and engaging experience, but it's one that could benefit from some streamlining and refinement. The core mechanics are solid, but the frustrating micro-management of the science system and the somewhat disjointed island exploration prevent it from truly shining. It's a game with a lot of potential, but it needs a bit more polish to truly capture the magic of a thriving, interconnected ant empire.

In short, Ready or Not: Dark Waters has one great level, one bad level, and one entirely-boring level; a wide degree of variety that may or may not be entirely what you signed up for. At only $9.99 or your regional equivalent, three total levels is not a bad value proposition. One just wishes there was more consistency in the quality department.

I suppose that a very small child might be scared while playing The Haunting of Jodi Evers, but small children are the least likely to appreciate the game's unusually mature story. The result is a game that seems at odds with itself.

There's a level of creativity and care that went into so many aspects of Human Within. The story, as boilerplate as it is, has its own spin. The production behind the real-world settings suits the story well. There are even moments where you can see attempts at innovating the VR space that could influence games going forward. It just never comes together as a package that fully justifies being a VR game instead of an outright interactive movie.

Dreamcore exists in an awkward spot. As an artistic interpretation of abstract liminal spaces, it succeeds without question. The environments are huge and detailed and contain some genuinely emotive design elements that pair well with the visual filters. However, as a game, it leaves a lot to be desired, and there just isn't a terribly high amount of content right now. Dreamcore is a fine title to pick up for those happy to treat it as a walking simulator and enjoy the artistry of its design, but those looking for more satisfying puzzles or specific direction will likely want to look elsewhere.

Completely Stretchy is a very finicky game, and unfortunately has a lot of jank to it - I actually ended up getting soft-locked from one of the quests, seemingly one of the major ones to acquire an item that furthers progression. This occurred due to the game not really liking when the player character is moved by objects besides their stretchy arm, so became glitched outside of an elevator as it lowered down, There was a button up above to call the elevator, but it didn't appear to work. I went back a few times after the fact to see if it resolved itself, and even tried glitching back into place to try continuing the quest, but unfortunately there wasn't any luck. The only solution within Completely Stretchy would probably be to start a new save file. The game is short at least, so there's that, but losing progress is frustrating, even in a short game. If the softlock were fixed somehow, then it would be much easier to recommend Completely Stretchy, but as the game currently stands, it is enjoyable but rather flawed.

Overall, Skydance's Behemoth holds a great concept and when it is running properly, it is a blast to play. Unfortunately, I do not recommend this game in its current state as you will quickly become frustrated at the bugs littered within this game. However, when they are inevitably fixed, this game will surely live up to its initial potential.

I'm thrilled that Kong: Survivor Instinct exists because the Monsterverse - and the Godzilla and Kong IPs overall, deserve more representation in the medium. This game isn't the slam dunk that I'm looking for, but it's a perfectly reasonable way for fans of the characters to spend some time in their world. While the puzzles and exploration gameplay aren't anything to write home about, they're perfectly serviceable, and a lackluster story and some flat voice acting only moderately detract from the beautiful art direction and overall environmental design. Potential players with no inherent interest in Kong or the Titans may not find that to be enough, but this is still a fun entry in what is hopefully a long line of more kaiju games to come.

420BLAZEIT 2 offers a fun, nostalgic experience but is only for some. If you are into calm and storytelling games, this may not for you, but if you have an open mind and quite a few brain cells you are willing to lose, there is heaps of fun to be had here. When I first saw the game I thought it was going to be one of those low-effort money grabs, but there was genuine effort that was put into making this game polished and exciting for the player. 420BLAZEIT 2 can be replayed, but for the majority of players once will be enough, but that single experience is well worth the smaller price tag.

All told, Veilguard is an enjoyable RPG with rich character customization and striking visuals, especially within the cyberpunk-inspired Minrathous. The freedom to shape Rook's backstory and outlook is a welcome touch, yet it is offset by the reduction in meaningful choices and the series signature moral complexity. While Veilguard might not capture the epic scope of Origins or the tightly woven, character driven narrative of Dragon Age II, it is a solid entry that hints at a new direction. If future Dragon Age titles can re-embrace the far-reaching choices and branching narratives that once made the series iconic, they may yet recapture the magic of Thedas. For now, Veilguard is a promising — if somewhat pared down — addition to the Dragon Age legacy, and fans of the series may find it worth exploring.

EA Sports FC 25 is a solid soccer game that builds upon the foundation of its predecessors. There is nothing groundbreaking in the latest iteration of the annual football release, but the new Rush mode is a welcome addition, even if it essentially replaces the Volta mode from FC 24. As well as that, the ability to create custom tactics and strategies gives players more control over their game. The Season Pass system provides players with a steady stream of new content to unlock, and the overall improvements to the game's visuals and gameplay make EA Sports FC 25 a worthwhile purchase for soccer fans, particularly those who haven't hit the pitch for several seasons.

NBA 2K25 loves the history, and game, of basketball almost as much as it loves money. That much is clear. Just about every mode is dripping in reverence for one or the other, and it serves to enhance the experience. Despite its flaws, the gameplay is the best it has ever been, and the somewhat basic RPG additions to several modes make them feel more alive, even if they're still set in mostly barren buildings and cities. It also looks the part. The players look like themselves, in stills and in motion, and simply watching the game breaks the realism barrier at times. It's a looker, even on a modest PC, and I appreciated the inclusion of a dedicated Steam Deck graphics present too, which would make the grind a little more manageable, I guess. The day NBA 2K loses its microtransactions is the day it loses its identity, but it's also the day we have a chance at a near-perfect basketball sim. Until then, we're stuck with a game filled with increasingly promising modes bogged down by an insistence that you pay or treat it like another job. Depending on your desired way to play, that can break the deal.

If you're looking for an action packed game, then this will not be your cup of tea. However, if you are after a game with a wonderfully emotional narrative that players can experience at a gentle pace, then Copycat is worth a look. As you explore your surroundings as Dawn, you will realise that the game has a truer and more meaningful purpose than it seems at first. With simple controls, it is easy to adjust to the flow of the game, roaming the house as a cat whilst listening to the heartwarming score. It is clear that the developers have poured their hearts into Copycat. I now wonder how my cat Sunshine would feel about another cat taking her place.

Although there is little story and no dialogue whatsoever, Squirrel With a Gun certainly has a sense of humour. Controlling a small furry rodent that can carry a rocket launcher and then produce bullet-time finishing moves with a variety of weapons is a heap of fun. Collecting each of the golden acorns and other collectibles effectively makes the game a 3D open-world platform puzzle game with a bad-ass, but adorable hero. The enemies are varied enough, the boss battles are reasonably challenging and the puzzles are designed to encourage exploration. And although the main game is on the short side, players can always head back and collect each of the collectibles that they missed along the way.

The rub is that if the combat mechanics didn't quickly devolve into frustration, the extremely short campaign (that is probably best played on Easy: a sad realization) would be an additional negative. I believe strongly that there is still hope on the periphery of Space Marine 2. With proper dedication to the existing roadmap, and beyond, that outlines a focus on PvE content, including an upcoming, proper horde mode, its identity can shift from "gorgeous looking, short single-player experience" to "great game to play with friends," but we're not there yet. And in a gaming landscape that will probably see dozens of games launching to appeal to the latter feeling while Space Marine 2 works its way up to that, on top of the existing ones, it remains a tough game to recommend.

Isekai Chronicles is an enjoyable game, simple with surprisingly satisfying combat thanks to comboing techniques and enemies having elemental strengths and weaknesses. That being said, any non-fans of Reincarnated as a Slime may not have as much to gain from the game as those who are actually aware of the series. If you're a fan of the Isekai Genre or Slime in specific, then this might be one to keep an eye on.

You'd expect a game with this kind of play time to be a narrative experience pumped out of a game jam, but there's little-to-no reason to add this brawler to the growing list of multiplayer options. And while a lot of OutRage: Fight Fest's faults don't necessarily rest at the feet of the developers, they'll certainly feel the effects. This is a multiplayer-only game, and unless you have a large group of friends to sync up with, the lack of a community has a distinctly negative effect on the gameplay experience. All the music, flashy lights, and simple but recognizable art can only take it so far. Any potential favor earned by foregoing monetization was burned before its day showed up on the calendar. There's a possibility, however slight, that a turnaround happens. Again, the foundation remains solid enough, but built on top of it is a Lincoln Log cabin for an audience of a handful.

This is a game that is crying out for either a more sparsely populated map with more deliberate encounters al la Breath of the Wild, or a more fast-paced hack-and-slash combat system.

To be upfront, this by no means is the best thing that has been released to the heisting genre, but having said that, it is also not the worst *cough Payday 3 cough*. Crime Boss has a lot to offer and is fairly priced unlike a lot of the games we see today. Players also need to keep in mind that Crime Boss is receiving continuous support and improvements with 4 major updates planned for the future. The one thing that lets this game down is the writing and poor NPC design. If you are looking into purchasing Crime Boss, I would recommend getting a friend to tag along with you, as the solo gameplay loop can get boring very fast. With how dedicated InGame Studious is towards this title, I have no doubt it is going to get better over time, but currently, there is a lot of refining that needs to be done.

Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game is wonderfully faithful in its aesthetic ties to the original IP. However as a game on its own merits, it struggles to give players the tools they need to learn and grow from the outset, and the inherently overly-sophisticated nature of its core gameplay loop, along with the limited roster of playable maps, lead to great concern over its potential longevity from here on out. I'm personally rooting for the developers at illFonic, as they seem an extremely passionate and talented team. However, sometimes hard truths need to be said, and Killer Klowns is going to have to work harder to prove that they warrant players' hard-earned money.

I really wanted to enjoy Fabledom. It certainly has a certain appeal when you first jump in and immerse yourself in its most fundamental mechanics as well as its beautiful aesthetics. Unfortunately, at present, the actual gameplay loop stops being entertaining after the first hour or two. If you're at that point now and see that you're just under the two-hour mark, take my advice and throw yourself at the mercy of Steam's mostly-automated refund process. There's a great game to be found somewhere here in Fabledom's DNA, but its current plethora of bugs and odd gameplay decisions make it an extremely hard sell as is.

This game, despite being suitable for all ages, will not be for everyone. If you enjoy seated VR gameplay I think this is a must to add to your library. But if you are into FPS VR games or play in an area with minimal space, this is a hit or miss. I enjoyed the experience it offered as it was a nice change from my regular sweaty gaming sessions. The game takes around 7 hours to complete giving you a few good sessions, however, the replayability of some levels and attempting to hit high scores add to its value.

The visuals remind me of one of those old Flash games that would be posted on Newgrounds back in the late 1990's and early 2000's. So this means that while yes the game is ugly and amateurish, it also fills me with a warm feeling of nostalgia for a simpler time when I'd come back home from Middle School, and play crudely animated web games where I could subject crude caricatures of politicians and celebrities to cartoonist acts of violence. The style won't appeal to everyone, but it certainly worked for me.

The visual and audible treats presented by Slave Zero X can only carry it so far, and even the unlockable customization options (overlay filters that range from pleasing CRT-styles to some that are quite painful to look at, and different character colour pallets) do little to increase engagement in those areas. While the combat is fun enough, it's not without its frustrations, and your move set from the first level is the same as your arsenal against the final boss. There's no growth there outside of player skill, and the ceiling isn't so high that the climb lasts even as long as the game's runtime, which came in at a punchy three and a half hours. It's undoubtedly cool that a sequel to Slave Zero exists, if only for the curiosity of it, but it failed to learn lessons from its predecessors in terms of repetitive gameplay and lack of total variety. Fortunately, if you want to see the story through, not a lot is asked of you to do so, but even conquering the game's frustrating points leads to little feeling of satisfaction.

The gameplay is hectic, the boss battles are challenging, and the mini-games are enjoyable and allow for some respite in an enjoyable game that pokes fun at itself and other games of the genre.

As is the case with most other players, I genuinely want to see The Outlast Trials improve with time, something I am sure the developers agree with in principle as well. Where they and I must differ is in our priority for said changes. They appear to prefer focusing on cosmetics, new optional challenges, and implementing new social activities, whereas I prefer more core maps and a darker tone, truer of what Outlast has, up until now, been defined by. Whatever the future may hold for The Outlast Trials, one can only hope that they strive to find a more definitive balance between these two disparate directions.

It's clear there is a lot of love and passion put into it. The good, for the most part, outweighs the bad as it is quite charming and fun when you're not fighting against the wonky camera or frustrating glitches. I would recommend Penny's Big Breakaway only to fans who love the genre. If Evening Star can take what they've learned here and iron out the kinks, then I think they could make something truly spectacular.

When all is said and done I found that I wanted to like The Inquisitor more than I actually did. There is potential here for a brilliant game, but unfortunately, it just has not been realized here.

Ultros takes its shots, and many of them are genuinely pleasing. The audio and visual design is something to behold, and the unique gameplay hooks deserve iteration at the very least. At the same time it is a game at odds with itself. The things you're being asked to do don't quite mesh with the tools, the story being told feels incongruous with the actions of its characters, and its promise feels wasted. It's tempting to consider that in a different year, against a different crop of recent metroidvania standouts, its shortcomings might be easier to ignore, but even in a space-like vacuum, up against only itself, Ultros doesn't bear the fruit it has the potential to.

As someone who enjoys the high level of frantic chaos that Suicide Squad specializes in, and the ways it encourages you to try different characters and builds, it’s easy for me to look forward to additional content, but for the average player to be able to overcome the same repetitive structure featured in every other game of this ilk, the developers will have to unleash the same creativity they mustered for the movement on the mission design moving forward.

There is plenty of repetition in Reigns: Three Kingdoms and this may deter some gamers from continuing further into the story. Players are posed the similar questions throughout the course of their journey and although answering them in different ways can lead to varied outcomes, it can become grating. That said, the combat portion of the game is highly enjoyable. Although it too is quite basic, the drafting of your characters into battle does allow for a certain level of strategy. The battles are often over quickly and as a result Reigns: Three kingdoms could be a great game to play during your lunch break or during a commute.

Gangs of Sherwood is a passable but thoroughly unremarkable cooperative action game, suffering from a tedious gameplay loop, alleviated only in part by its cinematic quality, boss fights, and visual artistic appeal. Unless you're a diehard Robin Hood folklore enthusiast, it's very difficult to recommend this as a must-buy at any price, let alone its current retail offering.

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is a reasonably adequate racing game for beginners. Visually, it sets itself apart from many of its competitors. However, its floaty physics system, unappealing slow speeds, almost non-existent racetrack offerings, and awkward keyboard control scheme make it impossible to recommend in its current state.

I walked away from my time with Lords of the Fallen feeling defeated even in my victory. It was a tough road, the toughest of all the souls-and-likes in execution and also, at least partially, gameplay. I lost more levels worth of Vigor than maybe all the other games combined, but I didn't feel like I overcame some finely crafted challenge. Most damning of all, though, despite its attempts to differentiate itself with unique mechanics, I never forgot the games that inspired it through the entire runtime.

Hellboy: Web of Wyrd is a masterful visual representation of Mike Mignola's body of work, clearly created out of passion from the development team. However, the widespread consistent issues with the core game design make it difficult to unreservedly recommend it as a must-buy for either diehard Hellboy fans or for newcomers to the franchise.

Payday 3, from a performance perspective, is an unsightly abomination, which veers unpredictably and drastically between visually-impressive beauty, and screen-tearing, game-breaking insensibility. Its small map pool, inconsistent mission design, and low-quality cutscenes consisting merely of a few PNG files accompanied only by VO and the OST, all collide to form something that can best be described an an early access game. Something that, with the benefit of several years' redemption, might one day live up to the high standards it chose to set for itself. But today is not that day.

Atlas Fallen has much going for it, with satisfying combat, lovely visuals within the desolate environment, plenty of collectibles, and the fun sand-sliding mechanic to traverse between quest locales. But it also suffers from a several issues – not the least being the bland storyline and dialogue. Chatting to quest givers is somewhat tedious, but luckily once you head off into the dunes this is easily forgotten.

SPRAWL doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it instead pulls together several established and classic design and gameplay elements to deliver a well-rounded package that succeeds in what it wants to do. Combat is enjoyable and hectic, and though the melee system probably could have used a bit more depth, slowing time to line up the perfect headshot never gets old. The Sprawl may be a largely familiar cyberpunk setting, the the narrative set-up is intruding enough to hold interest. For those looking to scratch a twitch-shooter itch that works equally well for short-burst or longer play sessions, SPRAWL offers a package worth looking into.

While acting as quartermaster is fine, it doesn't seem unreasonable to hope that the core gameplay loop would bring a bit more to the table. While the in-game progression system is interesting in theory, most unlocks are merely upgrades of existing buildings or units, with minor efficiently bonuses. Limiting player customization to almost exclusively cosmetic oversight, rather than camp utility, does little to incentivize longterm play. One Military Camp gets the basics of base-building down fine, but asking anything more of it might be expecting too much...

The poor puzzles don't detract from the core stealth action, but unfortunately the same cannot be said for the unfathomably idiotic enemy AI.

In the end, people will remember Fight Forever in one of two ways: either as a missed opportunity or as a stepping stone to something great. For something akin to a freshman effort, it has a lot to offer, and might be more of a victim of circumstances than anything else. Its largest competition is coming off a great game, and even though the styles are different, there's still an element of trying to simulate something fake connecting the two. With reports coming out that development was scaled back during its many delays, there's no doubt that the version we got was the best we could expect in a timely manner. These elements combined to make something fun in the moment, but possibly forgettable shortly after. If it hopes to have legs, it's going to need more free updates (like the announced battle royale mode that looks as ludicrous as it sounds) to entice its players to stick around. When you're in the action, though, you can practically see the CRT and corded controllers connecting you to the dropkicks and pins. For better or worse.

It's unfortunate, because this game absolutely has the potential to turn itself around, as its core foundation is sound, but there are few redemption stories in the gaming industry, and not many publishers allow developers the time or resources to attempt such. Park Beyond isn't by any means a terrible game, but even post-launch, it's been left in such a terrible state that most players probably won't have the patience to distinguish the latter from the former.

Miasma Chronicles is a perfectly passable game, one with an admittedly long campaign that fairly justifies the modestly-high retail price. The problem is that the campaign in question feels far longer than it ought, because most aspects of its narrative and dialogue fail entirely to bring the player closer to the characters they're playing as, a critical failing for any game calling itself an RPG. Decent performances from the voice cast almost manages to redeem the game's storytelling failings, but never fully. The combat is often excessively repetitive, and the killcam system often seems more interested in capturing footage of the foliage presumably for a nature documentary, than focusing on the far more interesting bleeding and screaming enemy flailing around on the ground. Hopefully Miasma Chronicles does eventually get a sequel, because it does manage to lay down a lot of potentially interesting groundwork, albeit without ever managing to fully capitalize on it.

While it may not entirely hit as a whole, Amnesia: The Bunker marks a high point for the series in many ways. It continues to feature impressive graphics and sound design, and a few of the mechanics here should join other constants. It falters a bit in its story, which is suitably mysterious and mystical, but at least partially predictable from a very early stage. It doesn't drag the experience down too much, but just enough. Still, it feels like a best-in-class dread simulator that doesn't overload you with a series of ever changing objectives, keeping your mission tight and focused throughout, allowing that sense of dread to be its main propellant.

While no one would call Knight Crawlers especially innovative, the game that is here is far from charmless. The game has a cozy, relaxed vibe that goes some way towards giving the game an identity of its own beyond indie roguelike number 10,000,000. All the characters, both friend and foe, are cute little fellas that look like they were made from Duplo blocks. This low-stakes, low-intensity charm is bolstered by the game's mellow combat system. Your main attack is a projectile that automatically hits the nearest enemy and only fires when you are standing still. All the enemies will chase you so you need to judiciously run away and stop often enough for your automatic projectile to land a few hits.

Showgunners has its fair share of new ideas, and it's best when it uses them. Moving around the world to find useful rewards adds an additional, relatively low stress, layer to a solid tactics experience. Meeting new contestants and fans, who are varied, expands the world and those that live in it. Inside combat, a lot will feel familiar to tactics veterans, but fresh elements are at least complex enough to sustain a playthrough. Forgoing procedural generation in contestants, defenders, and levels limits replayability, but it also eliminates pressure. You will never lose your favorite playable contestant for good because of a miscalculation. Their worst fate is a battle restart. Once the season is over, it's hard not to imagine the next as one with a plethora of characters who could be knocked out of competition for good, but the first season is at least good enough to leave you wanting a second.

Dead Island 2 is a remarkably solid game, one that doesn't make any attempt to reinvent the wheel, but nevertheless is a more than satisfying mindless casual zombie-killing gorefest. It won't be a game held up in years to come as the go-to model for open-world zombie games but given its decade-long tenure in development hell, it's nothing short of a miracle it ever managed to crawl across the finish line as anything less than a complete mess.

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened is the direct product of an excessively-rushed development cycle. It suffers from questionable narrative direction, poor visual fidelity, and generic puzzles that will entertain the player at first, but quickly become tedious over time. While this is by no means a Sherlock Holmes game at its worst, it certainly falls short of the gold standard set by Frogwares themselves with their past entries. If you're an absolute Holmes diehard, The Awakened might scratch your itch, but if you're not already hooked by the Sherlock Holmes IP, then The Awakened probably won't do anything to pique your interest.

Overall, Supplice is a standout game that really emphasizes the aspects that people remember of the 90's FPS, but one final bit of attention to detail that should make any fan of the genre give Supplice a closer look is the pricing. The game is $15 on Steam base price, not counting any potential bundles or deals that may be occurring at the time. This price point makes the game feel a lot easier to swallow despite the short length, relatively speaking, meaning that players itching for something along the lines of a so-called 'boomer shooter' may want to pick up Supplice.

While Destiny 2: Lightfall presents a visually-interesting cyberpunk art style, it's one that clashes horribly and feels out-of-place compared to the more serious tone established by past DLCs, and is especially odd for what is supposed to be the penultimate expansion in Destiny 2's planned remaining lifespan. While not as overtly disappointing as Curse of Osiris, Lightfall definitely ranks among the lowest entries for Bungie's longstanding live service game. While the new addition of a grapple hook is a neat gimmick, it does very little to make up for said expansion's lackluster contributions in both overall story and gameplay. Unless you are a Destiny 2 diehard looking to keep your DLC collection up-to-date, there isn't much reason to spend an outlandish $50 on only a meager few hours' worth of content.

Blood Bowl 3, at its best, never manages to even equal the quality of its predecessors at their lowest, but it would also be wildly inaccurate to say that there is no hope whatsoever for some at least partial redemption moving forward, as Cyanide Studio desperately attempts to salvage both the game, and their unfortunately-marred reputation. Hopefully the hard lessons learned here will result in a more faithful, and less monetization-crazed, future sequel, whenever they get around to working on such. In the meantime, longtime fans and newcomers alike would do well to keep their distance from this particular bloody field.

This replayability, along with the fact that most of the characters are genuinely likeable, allows Ten Dates to be a fun dating simulator. The actors do a wonderful job of conveying their feelings towards your responses and questions and although there is the relationship breakdown feature, you can often tell purely from the actor's expressions what they think of you. The choices you make certainly matter, and if it all starts to go south with the potential love of your life, you can always start fresh and attempt to woo them again. I would even argue that playing through Ten Dates could give players some potential pointers for real life dating – especially if, like me, you've been out of practice for some time.

Although Kukoos: Lost Pets does have some frustrations, namely the camera angles and the irregular checkpoints, is it a fun game to play, especially with friends or family. It has a familiar feel for gamers who grew up with 3D platformers such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon or Super Mario Galaxy, with bright fun colours (for the most part) and cute characters. That nostalgia goes a long way to making Kukoos fun, but the platforming and level design nail it. Each world is distinct from the last and with new pet abilities to play with in each, Kukoos: Lost Pets never becomes stale.

While its art style is pleasing to the eye, the low resolution appearance of the textures, even when the game is played on the pre-determined "High" visual quality setting, make models and other assets appear blurry and indistinct. The minimalistic nature of the options menu makes it effectively impossible for players to rectify this through further increases and tweaking. The message is clear: Either accept mediocrity, in all areas, or walk away. Given said options, walking away may well be the only viable solution.

I have seen this game described as an "Open World", which is categorically untrue. While the level design has a degree of openness to them, giving the player multiple routes to reach their objective they are still decidedly structured. There is no seeing a mountain off in the distance and walking until you reach its summit. This is not a complaint, as I tend to prefer a smaller, crafted level with multiple pathways to a sprawling sandbox with little structure or logic. It helps that the game gives you some interesting travel mechanics to get around as well. After the first boss, you get a mechanical device that follows you around and allows you to fly for short periods of time, which is probably the single most enjoyable part of the whole game. I never got tired of zipping up cliff faces or floating onto the weird hovering islands that inexplicably dot the landscape. The game encourages this by sprinkling upgrade tokens and items but if I'm being honest I probably would have done it without them.

Outside of its aforementioned snarky references and the silly physics system, there isn't a lot holding up this sequel. Everything seen here just makes the player want to go back to the original game instead.

It is commendable the rate at which the developers have been able to craft these individual stories. Considering the widely branching narratives (that seems no less complex here) there's always been a feeling that The Dark Pictures was handled by the B team, while the A team developed the standalone titles. The Devil in Me has the feeling of a C team development (or D team, if the VR titles have their own?). There's enough mistakes to make the whole thing feel like a freshman effort mistakenly placed at the end of a quadrilogy. The story and the setting deserved better than to be absolutely trounced by the poor quality parts, but given how quickly the developers iterate and respond to feedback there's plenty of hope moving forward. As the bookend to their first season of this experiment, though, they left plenty to be desired.

Overall, Asterigos: Curse of the Stars is a passable quality experience that excels when it leans into its Monster Hunter/Dauntless-esque multiphase boss fights, interspersed with more solitary bouts of exploration and subsequent discovery. Had the developers leaned further into this hypothetically simplified formula, while offsetting it with the existing rich and dense progression system, Asterigos could have proved its mettle as a more-than-worthy contender in the market. However, its poor control responsiveness, its often-needlessly ham-fisted approach to forcing linearity where it's not needed, and its debatable narrative quality, also collectively hold it back from reaching its full potential.

Co-op games are generally fun to play with friends and family, and Fueled Up is no different. There is little in the way of a story, but that doesn’t matter so much as you and your friends try and complete their tasks on the spaceship before the evil space octopus catches you. The tasks aren’t overly varied, but the level design and the added mechanics give the game a challenging feel. The fun cartoon style visuals make the game suitable for all ages. Unlocking new characters as you progress through the levels adds a degree of replayability and the fact that you can play with friends online is a bonus. Fueled Up is a worthy addition to the co-op genre.

Dragon Ball: The Breakers will probably live or die based on its initial release window. It is a game of growing pains so severe that it might scare off much of the audience. What that could leave is akin to a late-stage fighting game: the only players left are very good, forcing away even more newcomers. If players can get over this hurdle, and the one that simply playing the game provides, there's a depth to the mechanics that are satisfying to master. It is a game that offers a bit more complexity than competitor Dead By Daylight, but would have to sustain a player base to truly match it. Failing that, it could end another Friday The 13th; a totally fine game that can only be enjoyed with friends. As it stands now, though, a private game cannot exist without a full lobby of eight players, so even that might not be a realistic option. In a world with a glut of this genre, it doesn't do quite enough to require your time.

Overall, Soulstice daringly makes the plunge into several genres and subgenres simultaneously, and ultimately comes away, predictably, as competent enough in most areas, but exceptional in none.

Little Orpheus is an extremely short game. I suspect that most gamers will complete it in four or five hours. Being primarily a story-focused game, Little Orpheus has little to offer the player in replay value. There are no challenges to master, and no skills to perfect. The game does offer a new game plus mechanic in the form of The Lost Recordings, but this expansion is so pitiful that the developers might as well have not bothered with it.

Sunday Gold is by no means a bad game, but its tonal and game mechanical confusion, created as a result of the developers' honuorable attempt at originality, makes it hard to whole-heartedly recommend for anyone looking for a casual pick-up-and-play tactical heist game.

Overall, Scathe is a perfectly adequate shooter. However, it fails in its intended purpose of adequately supporting either a bullet-hell playstyle, or on the flipside, a slow-paced tactically-driven experience. Its current mechanics and balancing make it unclear what demographic the developers are attempting to chase. With a few months of sufficient patching and overhauling, it’s possible that Scathe could transform into one of the best Doom-esque indie FPS games currently on the market. For now, it’s definitely worthy of being added to one's wishlist. Whether it's worth purchasing outright, however, is a question worthy of far more doubt.

Recipe for Disaster presents what, on paper, is a great premise for any management game, but ultimately stays true to its own name, being a disastrous mess of a game concealed by a superficial coat of visually-engaging paint, that makes one want to drown oneself in a pot of overcooked stew.

Aside from a few instances where your landings become hard to calculate, this platformer that relies on jumping and movement puzzles largely comes together. I almost expected a game steeped in the depths of hell to be a bit more devilish to its players, but the parts of the game that work as intended are minimally challenging. That’s probably Hell Pie's biggest fault: it doesn't do enough to stand out. This genre of game is having quite the resurgence, and I'm afraid it won't stand the test of time. At the end of my experience, I enjoyed the game as a whole, but a large part of that depended on my need to finish it for review. I doubt it ends up on many game of the year lists come December, but Hell Pie puts forth a solid effort to rekindle the golden age of platformers.

Fobia: St. Dinfna Hotel is a perfectly tolerable survival-horror game. You won't regret playing it. But likely because a month from now, you won't recall ever having played it.