Land of the Vikings looks like it has delivered the goods when it comes to producing a city builder / gatherer sim game. There is a lot in the game, so players will have a lot to learn, but need not worry because it comes with a wonderful tutorial that can teach the basics. Even if real Vikings were generally described centuries ago as being violent terrorists, the Vikings in this game will be sure to provide a satisfying and enjoyable gaming experience.

In all, Party Animals is a pretty fun game, with multiple maps that each have different gimmicks and can be incredibly entertaining. That being said the controls feel clumsy and take a bit of getting used to. In addition, unless you have a group of friends to play with, Party Animals may get old fairly quickly. To be fair, that is rather par for the course for a game whose focus is multiplayer, so it isn't anything outright against Party Animals. If you're a fan of multiplayer shenanigans or adorable creatures, then this is a game to keep an eye on!

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.

If you don’t mind aging a couple of years from playing a game, then be sure to check this one out. You’ll fall in love, and then develop that love-hate kind of relationship with a game that has you talking about it for years to come.

Room to Grow provides for some wonderfully creative puzzles that will take some time to move through and is well worth it for puzzle fans.

The Stillness of the Wind will not suit everyone. It is a game that is somewhat devoid of excitement. It is probably a closer example of a farming simulator than games such as Harvest Moon or Stardew Valley and their bright colours and fast-growing crops. It is more than that though. It is a game of survival, for both the elderly Talma, and for the animals that she tends. It is a game of loss as well, as we learn about all the family that lived on the farm but have left the nest. The Stillness of the Wind is relaxing though, allowing you to wander about doing your daily tasks however you please, but without goals to aim for, there is often the feel of emptiness which can lead to the game feeling a tad dull.

Blood Bowl 2 may not quite be the long drive into the end zone, but it’s at least good for a few first downs.

I started out expecting Heading Out to purely be a racing title, but it is much more than that. The various interactions you have with strangers you meet along the way are impactful, often leading to an outcome that was not immediately evident. Keeping ahead of Fear whilst maintaining your limited resources and competing against the plethora of opponents that are eager to take you down is an absolute joy. The soundtrack is a highlight though, with a mix of synth-wave and Americana tunes that perfectly complements the game's atmosphere and had me hooked right until the final orchestral score of "Take Me Home". The soundtrack alone is reason enough to buy the game, but combined with the narrative, the stylized black and white visuals and the highway racing, Heading Out is a must buy.

You could say that Heave Ho is somewhat visually unappealing, as the scenery and characters have a grainy 1920’s style cinematic look to them (albeit in colour). But this is clearly as intended and works well within the humorous nature of the game. There are birds that fly past and cover you in poop if you’re taking too long, and a llama that walks past and farts, filling the area with a dark fog. Even when players fall to their deaths, an explosion of paint covers their comrades. Heave Ho is a game that doesn’t take itself seriously, and should be played as such, particularly with a group of friends.

In all, Bonkies is a very entertaining game to play even by yourself, but it is clearly meant to be a delight enjoyed among a group of up to four friends. With careful maneuvering gamers can accomplish great feats of construction worthy of bananas (and added characters, if every banana on a planet is earned by getting a good time), or alternatively a cheeky player could cause all that hard work to come tumbling down. This reviewer will even admit to a certain satisfaction in finding comical interactions even in single player, so co-op is sure to be quite the treat as well!

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Thankfully, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is not a landslide, a mix of game and reality. It may not capture the appeal of the overall mainstream, but that’s okay. Anyone willing to take a dive into the niche waters of the gaming world, and not afraid of games being unforgiving, should definitely check this out. I love this game. Open your eyes, give this game a try and see.

Vivid descriptions of the setting and the people you are talking to help to liven up the game, but never enough to make you forget that there is no voice acting. It also lacks the depth you would expect from something set in so rich a universe and, as it stands, Shadowrun Returns does not surpass a classification that goes beyond “a fun little RPG”.

Curious Expedition 2 suffers from some of the same frustrations that plague all games with any level of procedural generation, but, overall, it’s a fun romp filled with adventure and mystery. The structured story missions that frame the side quests provide a much-welcomed story to the game, and the myriad of characters, items, and gameplay options kept each mission fresh. Much like the mysterious islands you’ll explore and conquer, Curious Expedition 2 is worth checking out.

It’s also a lot smarter than it had to be. Usually with space strategy it often seems like a case of build it and they will come, especially with the current trend of Mars based colonization games. But Surviving Mars is by a long-shot the smartest I’ve played. It really makes you consider the cost of human life in its current state; to me it didn’t feel like a game blindly saying that colonization was the inevitable future of humanity.

As I said before, all games can be educational, but don’t all necessarily have to be educational games. For me Attentat 1942 feels like by trying so hard to be an educational game, it has missed an opportunity to be a better regular game. However, it is still filled with historical content, flashback sequences and a wonderful art style, even though a lack of a cohesive story and any real driving force to the narrative does make it feel meandering, like a conversation with an aging grandparent. But like a conversation with an aging grandparent, you might also learn some amazing things, or have your perspective broadened, if you’ll only take the time to listen. So if you feel like a meander through some thought-provoking history, Attentat 1942 is out on Steam now.

Kotama and Academy Citadel is a solid entry into a very crowded genre that struggles to distinguish itself from its numerous peers. It does have above-average combat and tons of sexy anime girls, but really if you have played a Metroidvania in the past few years, this will feel pretty familiar. It's an enjoyable enough way to pass 20 hours if you have an itch for the genre, but if you're expecting the next Hollow Knight or Super Metroid, you're going to come away disappointed.

The game becomes much more of a survival-horror title with the new available options, and if you’re new you can try both styles and decide for yourself. Otherwise, there’s really no reason to prefer the original over this remastering.

Chorus is a fun space shooter adventure that seems to fill a void in the 3D space combat genre of computer games. Other than maybe a Star Wars themed spin off game there doesn't seem to be many pure space shooters available. Fortunately, Deep Silver has the resources and the time to give fans a good game where “flying a space fighter with the intent on blasting other space fighters into oblivion” is the main objective. Chorus is a very solid game where the pluses outweigh the negatives. One negative might be that the boss fights seem to be overly difficult with some of the later ones dragging on a bit too long. The flight model is smooth in nature and might take a bit of finesse to master. Overall, Chorus is a very well-done game, and we would recommend it.

If I wanted a deep fantasy RPG with strong characters and a thick plot, I'd go and play Dragon Age. What we have here is something very different – a game that you can pick up and play without all of that traditional RPG baggage. Grab a few friends, hit 'random level', and give it a go. I challenge you not to have fun.

The Dragonborn add-on allows you to revisit Solstheim, the island from 2003's Bloodmoon expansion to Morrowind. While it's still a Skyrim location, It brings a little taste of Morrowind to the frozen North. Numerous Creation Club mods bring in quests, creatures, and items that link back to Morrowind and Oblivion, so there's a lot to explore here. Not to mention the seemingly endless number of mods available online that alter and enhance the game in many ways. From realistic AI conversations that make the townsfolk talk to one another instead of throwing lines of exposition at you as you pass to texture overhauls that dramatically improve the game's look (as long as you have the engine to run them). Which brings me to my biggest complaint about the Skyrim Anniversary Edition - tech.

It’s apparent that this visual novel will become very much ‘of its time’ in the years to come. And whilst novels are a personal favourite of mine amongst literary genres, the ‘visual novels’ like Coffee Talk have never had me quite so enthralled as their print counterparts. Toge Productions creates an attractive and calming world to be wrapped up in – but doesn’t provide much more than a comfort read.

While the developers may have missed their overall mark of mixing retro style with a story and a crafting system, what they did manage to pull off was the core game itself.

On the plus side, the core gameplay is largely untouched from the original, and the new additions are universally positive. Besides normal enemies that function as before there are a few special enemies that add some new puzzles and challenges to the game. Of special note are the airboard levels, which are fast-paced levels where Klonoa rides a hovering snowboard through a linear obstacle course. While these have the distinct disadvantage of feeling like something that fell out of another game entirely, they do break up the flow of the game nicely.

This game won’t appeal to everyone. There are those that will look at only the surface and dismiss it. The blending of types of gameplay can be difficult to come to terms with, if you’re looking for a single focussed style. It did take me some time to really appreciate it and part of that was the controls required for the platformer format in which the game has been designed. Yet in the end I really enjoyed the variety and could appreciate the complexity of such a well-rounded game.

Typhoon Studios have done a tremendous job with their debut game, bringing us a vibrant adventure. Journey To The Savage Planet comes with plenty of exploration opportunities, refined gameplay mechanics, online co-op and a story that will keep you laughing. It’s hard to find fault here, lack of local co-op aside, and releasing with a mid-range price point, it comes highly recommended.

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.

Playing American Truck Simulator is really like taking on an extra job, although it never feels that way. The progress you make is slow, but that makes it all the more rewarding when you save up enough money for those nice new tyres you wanted. It might be worth waiting for some more areas to be added, but if you’ve ever dreamt of a great American road trip, American Truck Simulator is just about as good as it gets without doing the real thing.

After the Fall works well for the most part, giving players a VR version of Left 4 Dead. The gunplay and reloading mechanics are smooth and allow for immersion and tension as the hordes of zombies approach your small band. The user interface is well laid out and it is fun to shoot these undead with the small range of weapons at your disposal. Unfortunately, the length of the game and the issues with motion sickness caused by the jumpy rotation when turning may turn some people away. But if you want a Left 4 Dead style VR game, then After the Fall should be your go to option at this point.

In all, Shadow Warrior 3 is a fun game with a few minor issues that may not even be issues depending on the player. The game is also receiving constant support, with a Definitive Edition next-gen upgraded release that is free to anyone that already owns Shadow Warrior 3 and will be available at a discounted price for anyone interested in the fast-paced combat that Lo Wang specializes in.

I certainly enjoyed my train ride but I really can't speak to how much better the graphics in game are compared to previous game versions but I can say that the in game environment looked very good to my eyes. It is reported that an older Unreal Graphics Engine 4 was used instead of the much improved Unreal Engine 5; however, my old(er) eyes took great pleasure in what they were viewing as I drove my train along some visually pleasing locations. Over all I would have to say that the new Train Sim World 6 game is a worthwhile purchase for the new and experienced Train driving enthusiast!

Thrones of Britannia is a strong installment in the Total War series, the best British based campaign I’ve seen.

Folks, Farming Simulator 25 is a massive game with this version being even more extensive than it's predecessors. All of the vehicles and attachment tools carry their real world brand names, so Giant Software has all of the aspects of a very good farm simulator game lined up perfectly. Even though the worker AI could be improved upon, it works fine. The environment is interactive and it contains various weather situations like rain in the summer and snow in the winter. In addition to that, fog can often times be present at night and especially in the early mornings so be careful driving on the narrow and curvy country farm roads. Luckily, I haven't see my crops being blown away by a tornado yet, but as one of the new features to the game this year, but I'll certainly be aware of them when I plant my next crop.

Combined with the great Boss Battles, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is definitely a must-have for Borderlands fans and should be high on the wishlist for everyone else.

A perfect storm of gore, atmosphere, tension, scripted and unscripted scares and a memorable plot that dares to explore darkness that can hide within the human psyche, what more can be said? Playing the game on even just normal mode for seven and a half hours was an inviting challenge of fear, misery, adrenaline, and despair which when combined together spells out fun in my book. The closest thing I can give to a negative is that the ending is a severe cliffhanger, and I hope to hear that Red Barrels will be tying up the story one way or another. I’m in love with a monster, and her name is Outlast 2.

Space Run Galaxy takes the core idea of resource management and creates an enjoyable game that requires fast hands and a quick mind. While the online aspects of the game feels a bit uninspired and the speed of gameplay can be prohibitive to some players, it is a great game for anyone looking to play a new kind of RTS.

Centum is an alienating game to play. It is ugly, confusing, and frequently deeply disturbing. The characters you control will allude to history and relationships you can only guess at, so when selecting your dialogue options you will often have to stop and wonder "Is this a lie?" Fortunately, beneath the surreal imagery, the religious metaphors, and the deliberately obscure plot, Centum is a familiar game. It's your standard point-and-click adventure model where you navigate through a pixel environment collecting key items and using them to solve puzzles. This well-worn gameplay style is a good decision, because were the gameplay as obscure and alienating as the plot, characters, and visuals, I don't think anyone would be able to finish the first chapter.

Watch Dogs still has quite a way to go before it becomes a 'must buy' series, but in the short term it's at least on an upswing. With a more likeable protagonist, a city filled with more content to do outside of the main story, and an addicting albeit simplistic co-op system, you may at least want to consider picking up Watch Dogs 2. Especially if you can find it on sale.

Killing Floor 2, for better or worse, is much like its predecessor. The strong gameplay system is elevated by both its visuals and audio, with the guns being a particular highlight. There are some kinks to be ironed out here and there, but at the end of the day, Killing Floor 2 is a satisfying cooperative shooter that is so simple, so easy to play, that it’s difficult to not come back for more.

It may not be filled with as much variety as I would have liked to see in a god game, but Reus nails down its core mechanics and creates a very enjoyable game in the process.

Beholder is a fairly unique game of spying, decision making, and disaster avoidance. The story of a secret rebellion uprising against an authoritarian government has been told many times before, but at least government controlled property landlord is a fresh perspective on things. It won’t take you that long to complete, but it doesn’t outstay its welcome, and you’ll have a good time balancing all the things that need doing for those few hours.

Control and stability issues aside, Block’hood is quite a lovely game to play around in. The graphics are simple, yet charming, and the music does a great job of relaxing you as you puzzle through how best you’re going to keep the animals in your neighbourhood happy while also setting up multiple Internet cafes. The sense of progression isn’t as great as in other city building games, but putting together an efficient neighbourhood where everyone lives in harmony is definitely a rewarding experience.

For the most part, it was a compelling experience. What made it even more interesting, was knowing that the plot behind the Man of Medan is inspired by a real ship that went missing sometime in the 1940's although a specific date is hard to pin down. It may not be a game for everyone, but for fans of Supermassive's previous work it is definitely worth a look.

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'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.

It all blends into a winning mix that sees Tropico going from strength to strength delivering a fresh take on a concept that has captivated city-builder fans since the turn of the century. More than a decade after its inception, Tropico is still getting better and has me hooked all over again.

Whether you are a fan of jazz or punk, Jazzpunk is certainly something you need in your life.

Exploration is its defining quality, even as the puzzle solving elevates above other exploratory games. For this reason, Mind: Path to Thalamus is an easy recommendation, even if its story falls a little short. This is a game that should be experienced.

The developers have done their due diligence when it comes to researching historical aspects of the D-Day invasion. Every detail was thought out and then presented in a realistic manner. The troops and their large inventory of equipment and weapons are realistic and true to form for a game based on history. The cut scenes and commentary serve to further the narrative about individual solders serving behind enemy lines with their quest to free the world from Nazi dominance. Developer Absolutely Games stated that their ambition concerning Classified: France '44 was to tell an authentic story about these soldiers and I think they did a fine job of it. Replayability is high with the inclusion of a mission creator and modding tools which will ensure a lot of available player-created content.

This reviewer can't go into too much detail about the story of Stan and Under the Waves - some things are best experienced by the player first hand after all, and the story that is spun along the seafloor is definitely one of those. Players will learn more about Stan through his isolation, all the while exploring the beautiful ocean. If you're a fan of oceanic visage, emotional stories, crafting mechanics, wide ranging exploration, or some combination of them all, Under the Waves might just be the game for you.

In all LEGO: Bricktales is a charming foray into a plastic moulded world. Creativity is encouraged, but players are more than free to blitz through with whatever roughshod constructions that they are able to make, allowing for some hilarity when people either question the quality of a painstakingly built bridge or compliment the artistry in a hastily constructed helicopter. For anyone that is a fan of LEGO, character creation, or questionable engineering, this isn’t a game to miss despite its few flaws.

It's a fun strategy game that can be played for a few hours at a time.

To a fan of platformers, I think you should give it a try. People who are looking for some casual, simple fun, however, probably aren't going to find it here.

The simple graphics and animations leave something to be desired but the graphical style is spot on. Besides, shiny baubles don’t make a game - gameplay does and that is rock solid here.

The survival aspect of the game saved my opinion on it. It was a very bitter beginning and I had to get passed a bit of frustration with the comparison to The Thing despite being nothing remotely inspired by it other than the location. As a survival game, Distrust is enjoyable and challenging even when I feel the enemies aren't all that exciting.

Overall, Wulverblade was a more enjoyable experience for me than beat 'em ups have been in the past. I enjoyed the visuals immensely, and they really helped to move the game along during parts that seemed to drag. But that's not to say that the actual gameplay is bad. If you enjoy the beat 'em genre, I'm certain that Wulverblade would appeal much more strongly to you than it did to me. Much like the bits of history scattered and hidden throughout, Wulverblade is a game that will appeal to those whom know what to expect out of this sort of game and like exactly that.

Megacorp is a refreshing expansion, mainly because it shows that economy can be fun and interesting when it is represented by interesting features and not just by numbers and a same-old 4x market and trade system. But much of that seamless simplicity is lost in the convoluted additions of the 2.2 update. Stellaris is still a great game and this is a good expansion, but it unfortunately lands in what seems to have been received as a negative update.

Problems aside, Police Stories is fun. It’s not terribly long- the kind of game you could bust out in a weekend if you wanted to- but its bite-sized pieces and simple controls also make it a great game to digest at a more tempered pace.

The Persistence has turned out to be an excellent blend of genres that I haven't experienced before. There are some terrifying moments and the monsters themselves can be somewhat creepy, but you are given enough weapon choice to get the job done. With the map layout changing after every death, and the number of upgrades to chase after there is tons of replay value as well. While the game may be rough at the start, The Persistence is a terrifyingly fun time that's worth playing through at least once.

Aliens: Dark Descent is, without a doubt, one of the best games in the franchise's history. It's campy and ridiculous, intimidating and unsettling, tactical and yet still casual. It attempts to pull off a number of different (and often even opposing) themes and mechanics, and impressively rarely fails outright at any of them. The story, dialogue, and cutscene animation all work in tangent to produce a compelling narrative that stays true to the typical narrative conventions of the Alien franchise, taking what would normally be a forgettable cast and setting, and making them stand out through their reactions to situations and their contrasting personalities and approaches to dealing with the threats that face them.

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.

Sonic Frontiers is a game with a lot going for it, but is somewhat held back by the technical issues of a character as fast as Sonic. It does provide a path forward into a new era of Sonic games that could revive the series and unite the fans behind it. Exploring the Starfall Islands can be as relaxing or as hectic as the player desires, and there is plenty of room for more games like this in the future of the franchise. The added mechanics of an open world and a skill tree allow for players to really feel the growth in Sonic's speed and strength as the game progresses, and the customization in the options allow for a grasp on Sonic's speed and manoeuvrability that no other Sonic game has yet attempted. This reviewer feels optimistic about the Sonic franchise to come now that it has taken some steps into a new frontier.

If it has been a while since you have visited Tamriel, then Blackwood is definitely a great place to jump back into The Elder Scrolls Online. There will be a familiarity to the game, as the new features of Companions and Oblivion Portal do not add too much to the game. Whereby the Greymoor expansion added Antiquities, Blackwood simply offers a friend to journey by your side. But in saying that, these companions are a welcome addition to the online RPG – allowing those singleplayer types to enjoy a pseudo multiplayer experience.

Anodyne is a game that, despite one very problematic gameplay element, manages to play with a tried and true genre and create something new and exciting.

There's a lot of pleasure to be found here, if you can forgive the glowing neon warts.

A Little to the Left is a game that I ultimately ended up respecting more than I actually enjoyed it. I can absolutely see how this is going to be a slam dunk for many puzzle solvers out there, but the lack of clear solutions for some of the puzzles simply wasn't up my alley. Luckily I was able to skip or look up the answer for the content I didn't enjoy, and the less abstract and more organizational-styled puzzled did give me that endorphin hit when everything was finally neat and tidy.

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.

Sand Land makes up for its shortcomings with its characters, its sense of adventure, and its world. It is one of the best representations of Toriyama's work in game form in a long time. If you're like me and miss Toriyama's world building and design, but have exhausted the plethora of Dragon Ball titles, then give Sand Land a try. It's a worthy adaptation that deserves attention, and hey, it's way better than Final Bout.

That said, Victor Vran does use all of its parts very well. It has a strong atmosphere, familiar controls, and some interesting moments. It might not be a standout, but it's definitely a solid game.

Dying Light just stepped up the game in a genre that has gone stale. Color me impressed.

After Deponia’s rather positive reception, however, I expected more from Daedalic. The dialogue being rather childish is to be expected from a 12 year old protagonist and I’d consider this game aimed at the younger generation. That being said, the difficulty of juggling multiple quest lines simultaneously is not for the easily distracted, or the easily frustrated.

Like far-East philosophical quotes spread around the environment promote, Boikido: Heartfelt Reunion is a game about relaxation and going with the flow. Anyone looking for a directed, structured experience isn’t going to find what they’re looking for here, but those with some time to unwind here are there will be pleasantly surprised with a well-designed game that runs well and sets out what it accomplishes to do.

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.

Urban Myth Dissoution Center could have perhaps benefitted from a bit more streamlining here or there, but overall, it is a compelling and charming package that leans heavily into its theme and presents its story - however linear - with pleasing pixel graphics and a wonderfully atmosphere. Moreover, the ending is quite bold, but that's for players to discover and not for me to spoil here. This title may not quite scratch the itch for people looking to flex their skills of deduction and puzzle solving, but it should be a great fit for anyone ok with a more visual novel-style approach and experience.

Get Even is one of the most atmospheric games I have played. The music and sound effects do a remarkable job in setting the tone and the story proceeds nicely as your detective skills and memories build the narrative. It is primarily built around exploration and discovery, but does it in a way that is wonderfully entertaining. The combat elements work well, and the sleuthing and stealth all combine to make the game a fulfilling experience, one that has you sitting on the edge of your seat until you reach the conclusion.

Games that allow parents and their children to play together - particularly those that are fun for both – are difficult to find. And although Phogs has a couple of issues that can make the game frustrating, it is one that has some simple controls that allow gamers of any age to play. The bright colourful cartoon style visuals will also please younger gamers. The puzzles are generally on the easier side, but there are some that do provide for a bit of a challenge, making the game more suitable to those experienced gamers. With the holiday season upon us, there will likely be ample opportunity to game as a family, and PHOGS! fits the bill nicely.

Disney Epic Mickey Rebrushed is set to be a definitive edition for fans and newcomers alike. With its stunning visuals, improved controls, and the timeless charm of the original, Rebrushed is a delightful adventure for Disney and platforming enthusiasts. The playtime of Rebrushed remains similar to the original, offering roughly 15 hours for the main story and an additional 10 hours for completionists seeking every collectible. If you didn't get the chance to play the original, then Rebrushed is well worth your time. And even if you did play the Wii version, then Disney Epic Mickey Rebrushed is the perfect opportunity to head back into the Wasteland and get your artistic side flowing.

If you’re looking for some politically charged, bloody action, then Not A Hero will get your vote.

Chernobylite does a masterful job of drawing you in with its story, characters, and core gameplay loop. It’s well worth checking out, even at full price.

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.

In a way, it’s a shame that In Sound Mind has the fundamentals of survival horror down so well I can’t help but imagine how much more compelling it would be if it weren’t let down by its heavy-handed writing and dull enemies.

I must say that developer Milestone has done an excellent job with this newest version of MotoGP. The graphics are simply stunning and everything runs smoothly on the Unreal game engine that was added a couple of years ago. There's a wide range of game options that can be customized in order to suit all motorcycle racers requirements for difficulty. The only problem that I see for sports games like MotoGP is that it's kind of a niche sporting category. Americans love NASCAR and Indy and Europeans love Formula One; but how popular is motorcycle racing? I don't know but after playing MotoGP 23 I have to say that I am now a fan of the sport and the game!

Overall, Road Not Taken is a good little title.

The Escapists 2 definitely delivered on its promise: there's lots to do and many different ways to escape. However, sometimes this can feel overwhelming while playing single player, and so the game really shines when playing with friends or taking on the timed escape maps. But even when escape seems impossible, there's still something satisfying about playing as a prisoner and testing what you can get away with.

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

Dungeons 3 proves that you do not need earth shattering changes to make a great sequel. The game very much feels like a loving update to its predecessor and the small splashes do more than enough to freshen things up. Easily the most polished and refined Dungeons game to date and Evily as good as the game that started the genre 20 years ago.

The only thing I have to ask is: In a world where there are a few hundred Boomer Shooters released a year and a few dozen 40K games a year how was it nobody hit upon this formula before now? No points to Auroch Digital for making the most obvious possible combination, but full marks for putting together one hell of a shooter.

It’s clear the ‘Saga’ series of Total War has some issues to resolve before titles like Troy can be a success. Their budget and prioritisation in the series is without direction and with something of an identity crisis in a series that already releases annualised big-budget titles. To conclude, Creative Assembly has a lot of work to do in order to refine this class of smaller budget game before it’ll be a successful addition to their roster.

Beatbuddy’s soundtrack is simply fantastic, and the way it changes as you play is unique and interesting to play around with. The levels are long enough that you quickly become accustomed to each song and start humming along as you solve the simple puzzles. The overall length of the game is somewhat lacking, but the time I did spend playing was very enjoyable.

Golem is a cute, point-and-click puzzle game which features a stellar soundtrack, a unique art style, and numerous puzzles. With only a few directional issues, the game provides an interesting take on the puzzle genre. Each level is layered with numerous mysteries, beautiful artwork and a great soundtrack to compliment the visual spectacle of the tower looming overhead.

Do I think Iron Harvest has the makings of legends? Not exactly. But I do think it offers a unique enough flavor for anyone looking to sate their RTS appetite will find a good offering here. You won’t see it headlining any major esports events, but not every game needs to be the next big thing to be worth it. Sometimes just being different and relatively well made makes it worth checking out.

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.

Ironcast certainly is a little bit of fun, initially. But as you grind your way through mundane turn based battles, one mission feels like the next.

It's not a bad game, but imagine the possibilities if we can play with the other races, if the AI would do more than standing around, and if ranged units were more than fluff. You'd have a game that can measure itself with the best 4X games on the market! Until it does, it's the little engine that could, but did not.

Stronghold Kingdoms does deserve the honour of being the world’s first castle building MMO and it does -despite its presentation- do it well. The game’s depth and scope go beyond that of the regular Stronghold games and is guaranteed to keep your mind firmly lodged into medieval times for a long, long time.

The eccentric enemies match the exaggerated abilities of our heroes, and combined with the vibrant anime style visuals, make One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 a fun experience... even if there is distinct lack of talking parrots, plank walking and shivering of timbers.

Because there is so much to explore, so much back tracking to be done across multiple, confined locations, the player will have to travel across many, many rooms before significantly progressing. This experience breaks up, however small, what is otherwise a seamless experience of movement and momentum. And to a larger extent, these faults break up what is likewise a fantastic gameplay experience. If you ever wanted to play Alien: Isolation from the perspective of the creature, this is the game.

Like your standard Soulslike, AI Limit is set in a dying world that is on the cusp of being snuffed out altogether. Though, at least it's somewhat original in how this miserable state of affairs came to pass.

Evoland 2 has a little bit of everything. Whilst it’s not un-proficient at the many genres it tackles, it is unfortunately all ripped from other, better games.