Session: Skate is not a game I recommend anyone pick up that is looking for a casual experience to jump into once in a while. Instead, it's a project that needs (and rewards) a substantial investment of time to internalize and commit to muscle memory the unconventional controls and game "feel". While it has its flaws and frustrations, the simple fact is that there really isn't anything else filling this niche in the market right now, and, fortunately, fans of the genre will likely find a lot here to like.

The Crush House does a great job of taking a relatively simple premise and expanding it with game mechanics that are fun to engage with. I was a little let down by two completely unique pairs of characters having the same argument in back-to-back seasons, and other repeated moments, but the goals on the periphery really drove me forward. I found characters I wanted to help, and some I wanted to outright reject, until the story behind the scenes forced my hand in my quest for answers. It strikes an outstanding balance between cheeky humour, vibrant scenery, challenging puzzles, and a seedy underbelly. Whether you hold reverence for the genre they're parodying or not, The Crush House delivers a well-crafted and fully realized gamification of America's least favorite TV shows, silliness and all.

Isonzo may find itself somewhat hampered by its many technical shortcomings and modest amount of in-game content, such as the limited size of its current map pool, but with a bit of post-launch patching, and a commitment to continued content updates, Isonzo’s greatest days may hopefully lay ahead.

I have to say that RAGE 2 is absolutely an improvement over its predecessor but there is still room for improvement. From a gameplay perspective, the combat is on point for both the in and out of car experiences. Specific landmarks within the world are a joy to experience, but it seems like a good portion of the open world suffers from being too lifeless and the plot suffers from being too inconsequential to the overall context of the game. RAGE 2 is nearly there, but the environments could have benefited from a bit of condensing to breathe a bit more variety and a little less wasteland into them. Oh and as a parting note, crank the difficulty up when you start the game to get the most out of the combat experiences.

If you don’t mind discovering a game under your own steam, Hard West is a truly unique title that you can really sink your teeth into. With some 10 hours of gameplay, it’s perhaps a little short but what is there is interesting enough to give another try on a higher difficulty level after you see the credits scroll by.

The game is just too complex for its own good which is a shame as there is fun lurking just around the corner. Fix combat, explain things a little better and chip away some of the needless aspects and Thea: The Awakening would be a much better game.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows isn’t the first game to utilize dual-protagonist puzzle-solving, and it isn’t the first to use light and shadow as a puzzle mechanic, but it does do a great job of carving out its own niche in the genre with its presentation and puzzle creativity. The spooky atmosphere and charming presentation make this a perfect game to play in the midst of the Halloween season.

I wanted to get behind Draugen so much, as someone who loves walking simulators, and loves Norway. But I just didn’t find it gripping — while the setting is unique and captures the beauty of Norway, what I experienced of the central mystery felt cliched, and the two central characters, especially Lissie, felt like 1920s caricatures. I think perhaps an opportunity was missed in giving the game Norwegian characters. If you like walking simulators, and mysteries, you may get a kick out of Draugen, worth a look-up in either case.

Poly Bridge is a game beautiful in its simplicity, doing everything a good physics-based puzzle game should do.

At the end of the day, Rad Rodgers is a fine game that does what it sets out to do fairly successfully, it’s just that what it sets out to do isn’t anything terribly unique or special. The platforming is functional, but fails to introduce anything particularly memorable or engaging. The combat is fun, but simple, and the enemies do little more than die with a satisfying pop. Not every game needs to be groundbreaking or instantly classic, and there's nothing wrong with a game like this, that you can beat in a few pleasant lazy afternoons.

It may take you a few attempts to get a handle on the game’s ecosystem and pace, to unlearn what you have learnt from the countless other survival games out there. But once you have, you will find a game that opens up the survival genre for those looking for a more short paced fix.

I cannot help but feel there is a 10 out of 10 game on the other side of my issues with Pathfinder: Kingmaker. It still has a way to go before it reaches its full potential but the vision the developers had for the game is starting to come through; A punishingly hard game, quite unlike anything we’ve seen, that satisfies craving for a deep, engaging and well written cRPG.

When it comes down to it, Yooka-Laylee just feels good to play. It’s great to control, it’s fun to explore, and it scratched the collectible itch in me in a way that few games have managed to properly accomplish nowadays. If you’re a fan of wide open 3D platformers, or are wanting to take a nostalgia laden trip through one, Yooka-Laylee is certainly the game for you.

Last Year: The Nightmare is off to a great start. It's a fun team-based horror title that is addictive to play and you can get lost in for hours, whether as the killer or the potential victims. My only real complaint with the game is that three levels is a bit on the slim side, but to their credit the maps are fantastic and exciting to play across the board.

Looking beyond the aesthetics, fans of the genre will find a pretty deep business simulation that is worth exploring. The challenge increases along with the height of your tower and stays challenging right until the very end, though there will be some quiet, less exciting times somewhere along the way.

The team at Brawsome have definitely aimed for the retro feel especially with the top-down pseudo-isometric view, reminiscent of the middle-era Ultima titles. The simple gameplay and controls make this a game that anyone can play in short bursts or for extended periods, and with the addictive nature of the puzzles be prepared to look at the clock and wonder where the time has gone.

As a multiplayer game, Star Wars Battlefront works really well, making it simpler to get into than the grittier Battlefield series.

I understand the desire to create games which hark back to the days of arcades. However there are games out there that just do it better than Gigantic Army.

Overall, Heretek is a great addition to an already great game. The new missions, the new class and troops, the weapons and settings on board the ship proper are already a good deal as it is. But this new plotline really ties it all together. It can be compared to XCOM: The Enemy Within, but I think that does it a disservice. Heretek isn't about two factions clashing, it's about one faction splitting and the power struggle that ensues.

I have a lot of complaints about this game, but even with its flaws, I enjoyed it. I just think it could have been so much better. That being said, I’ve watched so many campy horror movies that have done much worse than House of Ashes. They might miss the mark on story elements and character decisions, but I can’t help but like the experience as a whole.

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.

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.

The Surge is a surprise, utilizing its near future sci-fi setting to create a unique world that is a wonder to explore and uncover. Though its story fails to take off, the awesome combat and engaging crafting and upgrade system are more than enough to make the game stand out amidst the increasing gaming landscape.

Operation Memories is fairly simple, and the gameplay loop of photos and minigames can certainly feel repetitive after a while - particularly with a lot of the music feeling similar throughout the game and other aspects that feel a bit too repetitive. There isn't much to the game, so with a standard price of $50 USD even some of the biggest Spy x Family fans may wait for a sale to pick this one up. It cannot be said, however, that the game is lacking charm by any means, with the written dialogue demonstrating the entertainment of these characters and how they can bounce off of each other thanks to how big most of the personalities in the show can be. Completing this photo diary may feel like a slog, but for an anime fan waiting for a next season of one of their favourites, it might be just what they need in short bursts!

If you're a horror fan, or even just a fan of storylines that make you think, Layers of Fear should be right up your alley. Though it can be completed in a couple of sittings or less, it's an experience not easily forgotten.

There is a lot to like about Anno 2205. I love the new global economy which, combined with the overall goal of colonizing the moon and achieving endless cheap energy to renew the planet, really drives things forward. The streamlining of the interface has paid off but the same cannot be said about the simplification of trade and the lack of competition on local maps.

It’s tough to get into, as many games like this are, but if you are willing to put in the initial work, you are in for a long ride.

Tower 57 feels refreshing from the usual band of retro-inspired games right from the get-go, but it’s pacing issues and poor use of checkpoints often make the game a struggle to progress through. Yet despite it all, there remains a competent gameplay loop that is fun to play, alongside a world that is a delight to explore. Like the developers say, this may be a game that is better played with friends, but even a solo player who is looking for a new top down shooter inspired by games from the SNES era should be able to find some enjoyment out of Tower 57.