That said, it’s still Saints Row, and there’s still a ton of fun to be had up front before the activities start repeating themselves.

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.

I don’t think Valley is the strongest of the three games which make up Trackmania 2 but you will still have fun if you play it. I certainly did, and will continue to do so. Now, if you’ll let me, I’m going to go and conquer that wall ride that’s been bugging me.

Cook, Serve, Delicious! isn’t trying to impress you that much, it is just all serving up a healthy dose of fun with a side helping of frenzied action.

Like many of my piratical favourites, King of Seas doesn’t take itself too seriously, and as a result makes it a fun game for casual players. My main gripe is that the side quests aren’t varied enough and do get a touch monotonous. Unfortunately, they are the quickest way to gaining experience when grinding through the levels is required. But that said, sailing across the map is a relaxing experience, with King of Seas allowing would-be-pirates to play the game their own way. Simple controls, and fun story, and enjoyable gameplay mean that it is a game for all wannabe swashbucklers.

All in all, Nihilumbra is a short, but fun, puzzle platformer.

Although Assassin's Creed Rogue has many similarities to both Assassin's Creed III and Blag Flag, it does combine the main gameplay features of sailing, exploration and combat rather well.

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.

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.

Overall, Thief is a quality game, particularly if you take the time to explore the side missions. If you go in expecting the game to be a solely stealth game or a remake of the original, you will probably be disappointed.

It has some faults, but for the most part you’ll have a good time fighting and thinking your way through this game’s many levels.

Projection: First Light does a lot of things right. The visual style is pleasing and the story is quite charming. The puzzles have been well designed often allowing for more than one solution to moving Greta through the levels. The many levels slowly incorporate new challenges as the gamer progresses, and the collecting of butterflies allows for multiple playthroughs. If you’re a fan of puzzle platformers that you can speed through, Projection will cause some angst, due to the finnicky shadows - particularly in the timed puzzles. Despite that, Projection: First Light is a fun, relaxing puzzle platformer for all ages.

March of the Eagles is a great game, but it’s the same game you have played before.

You can play Marvel Heroes through without spending any money on it, and it will be a decent experience for you. However, the inelegant handling of multiple characters, along with the lack of any real difficulty means that it doesn’t quite reach the heights of other games in the genre. But it is the only game of its type where you can play as your favourite Marvel characters and that is certainly something that will draw many people in.

The Metronomicon comes together in a neat package which rhythm game fans will certainly get a deal of enjoyment out of. The soundtrack is varied, with highlights being songs from the likes of Perturbator, however it’s likely you will dislike just as many songs as you do like. Bringing in the RPG elements makes this game stand out from other rhythm games, and there’s enough here to keep you going through the end of the game and beyond.

Mafia III does most things right, though. It is an enjoyable game, one that has probably the best licensed soundtracks for a game outside of a music-based game. The combat and cover mechanics work really and the cut-scenes allow the story to progress smoothly in the wonderfully presented city of New Bordeaux.

Players more loving of a slow and contemplative gaming experience are certain to love InnerSpace, finding that it offers them a series of strange and beautiful worlds to explore.

Let’s be clear here: Ancient Space is definitely not a new Homeworld, nor should it have to be. It has found its own niche, applying the excellent balance and approachable tactics of the traditional RTS, and taking it into space with panache.

Despite its issues, The Dark Eye: Demonicon remains a fun adventure that, while lacking polish, is an enjoyable journey through The Dark Eye setting.

GolfTopia does feel like a sim game of old - in a good way. It is accessible to newcomers to the management sim genre and as such, retains a more casual feel. With nice visuals, a well laid out user interface, and some interesting futuristic takes on the game of golf, GolfTopia is a game for all, even if you’re not a fan of golf. But if you are a fan of golf and designing courses, then there aren’t a heap of choices that are as fun as GolfTopia. It will however be interesting to see how the course editor on the upcoming PGA Tour 2K21 compares.

Despite the somewhat mundane tasks that gamers need to complete, it is the range of environmental dangers that make Lumberhill a fun couch party game to play with family or friends. Whether you’re playing co-operatively or in competition with one another, there is a ton of enjoyment to be had. With simple controls (albeit somewhat clunky at times), cute cartoon visuals, tight level design and varied themes and environmental dangers, Lumberhill is a fun game for up to four players. When we’re all cooped up inside the house during lockdown, what better way to build up a sweat than to virtually chop down some trees and herd animals into their barns. I can almost smell the fresh outdoors just thinking about it.

Fell Seal isn't a game that breaks new ground, but it's still enjoyable to play regardless. The story is fun to experience and the gameplay is usually smooth and able to be played with little to no grinding. Character customization is impressively detailed in both aesthetics and creating class strategies. Overall, I enjoyed my time with Fell Seal despite the small issues I had with the difficulty spike and the graphics.

While not drastic pieces of content, for their price, Celestial Worlds and Harmonic Memories add a valuable boost of replayability, the best friend of any strategy player. I would especially recommend both DLCs for any player who has yet to play one of the Endless Space 2 races, as the new quest-line, music, unique planets and improvements add a slightly richer campaign experience on the whole.

Rainbow Six Extraction is a bold game for the Tom Clancy brand that jumps head-first into an over-the-top, absurd mix of horror, sci-fi, and military realism. It does at times feel more like a Siege DLC than a stand-alone game, but it’s a solid option for players not interested or intimidated by Siege's intense PvP community. There are several interesting design decisions meant to encourage teamwork and decision making in each missions, though I’m not sure if there will be enough variety without PvP to keep players hooked long-term.

If the Season 2 Pass only brings us Arms Race, I would be disappointed. The additional skill trees in the Designer's Cut for the vault hunters are wonderful additions, but are somewhat obsolete for current players, particularly for those who have completed the bulk of the missions. Arms Race itself does provide a new perspective though, focusing purely on gunplay rather than combining it with Vault Hunter skills and although it took me a couple of turns to get used to, I found it a great way to collect some great weapons. It does however provide for a replayable experience, each time entering the zone and discovering new areas before taking on the Heavyweight Harker. I am certainly hoping that the next phase of the Season 2 Pass will add another playable mission though.

Anyone who plays adventure games for deep stories and complex characters should definitely avoid this one, but players looking for a short, surreal point & click will undoubtedly enjoy their time in the Bunker if they can look past the flawed gameplay experience.

There aren’t really any new added gameplay features or modes that I could discern, which is a bit of a shame, but the game on the whole has actually aged very well. Also the lack of new features is more forgivable when you see how low the price tag is (considering most remasters generally charge full retail price). So if you never managed to play this destructive jewel back in the day, or if you are feeling somewhat nostalgic and traded in your copy years back, I would certainly recommend a revisit to the Red Planet.

Overall, the story was interesting, the puzzles had just the right mix of challenge and logic, and I enjoyed almost every minute of playing. Nancy Drew: Ghost of Thornton Hall didn't disappoint and kept me riveted until it was over, too soon. I'll be looking forward to the next instalment in the Nancy Drew series – though I might wait until I have some real free time before I buy it!