Thronebreaker is a pretty decent RPG and an interesting exploration into previously unseen parts of the Witcherverse, but to avoid dullness in the long term it needs to introduce more cards and a greater degree of consequence for player choices, especially those who go in head first, trying to bite off more than they can chew. I think The Witcher Tales will have to resolve the disparities caused by being both Witcher Tales the RPG and Witcher Tales the card-game, to truly achieve greatness in future installments.

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew doesn't necessarily excel at either its narrative or character-related RPG beats, but it does enough to get by, while its gameplay carries it to safe harbour.

The biggest reason to pass on Lost Crown is the price tag. In a world where the greatest Metroidvania of all time (Hollow Knight for those wondering) sold for $15 at launch, charging $50 for a Metroidvania is a bold strategy. While Lost Crown is a solid game, at that price point I would advise most people to wait for a sale and pick up Hollow Knight, Lost Ruins, AfterImage, or Doomblade if you haven't already. Still, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is worth a purchase if you have extra cash sitting around and have already played all the aforementioned titles.

The only negative I could give is that the game often clips between sound files quite abruptly when you transition between rooms, opting to go without a cross-fade between tracks. This stands out in a game that is otherwise highly polished towards its very focused experience. Though it is brief, with my playthrough taking 3 hours, Manifold Garden has taken root as one of my favourite game experiences this year.

The variety and attention to detail in a game about repetition is quite incredible. At times decisions you make will even influence future gameplay.

DOOM is a must own for veterans of the series, and any FPS fans in general.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is a resounding success. It maintains the dizzying complexity Anno fans crave but packages it within an elegantly streamlined system and a truly mesmerizing aesthetic. The economic juggling act between class needs and production chains is deeply rewarding, and the management of trade routes is an engrossing sub-game in itself. For players seeking a sophisticated, visually stunning simulation that demands strategic patience and logistical prowess, your new empire awaits.

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.

It may be a mixed bag of hits and misses, but when all of those misses have nothing to do with the gameplay itself, that's a very good thing.

Pinball FX2 is just good fun if you fancy a quick game of pinball. The ball physics are great, the visuals are top notch and, barring some dodgy voice acting here and there, the audio adds to the experience too.

With each successful run taking no longer than twenty minutes, Ball x Pit is perfectly paced. It's ideal for a quick session, making it a dream pairing for a handheld device like the SteamDeck, ready to consume your daily commute. But be warned: the loop is so tight and the rewards so constant that Ball x Pit will inevitably consume far more than just your travel time. It's an exceptionally polished game that understands the fundamental mechanics of player compulsion, delivering a roguelike experience that you simply won't want to put down.

If you’re looking for a deep sim, this game isn’t going to be quite deep enough to satiate your hunger. If you’re looking for constant guided goals and challenges, you’ll run out soon enough. Where Planet Coaster’s long-term legs are going to reside is with the people like me that simply enjoy the thrill of the build. It’s easy to sink hours into, even if you’re just trying to design a building or tweak some scenery. Quite simply, it’s the sequel that RollerCoaster Tycoon games of yore really deserve.

Red Hook Studios' Darkest Dungeon is one of the most compelling Lovecraftian video games ever made.

I think the Rise of the Tomb Kings DLC is as successful as Norsca; it gives us a race who not only add re-playability to the original campaign, but bring their own flavour. The race-specific mechanics make their campaign feel unique, especially the lack of army upkeep, which pushes the boat out and will necessitate most Total War players rethinking their strategy. This is a good omen for the future of Total War: Warhammer 2. It shows us that even though the Mortal Empires campaign still needs work, that even though Norsca won’t be added till May, CA is still keeping what’s important in sight. They are sticking to their formula of race-specific mechanics, based on lore, to create a distinct playable experience. And I think Rise of the Tomb Kings is another example of that successful formula.

Frostpunk is special, it’s one of a kind in that the game is used as a vehicle to convey a message in a way that most games can’t even aspire to achieve. You’ll switch of your PC after a session and walk off filled with what if’s and that is an amazing experience. Few developers understand how to play the heart strings well, but 11 bit studios are proving themselves to be the orchestra conductor.

This game is mildly different from the previous FM game and that’s because it is very difficult to improve something that is already great. If you love the game of soccer, go out and get a copy of Football Manager 2020. It’s that good.

Streets of Rage 4 has taken a bold step into a new age of gaming and it’s landed well. As a sequel, it carries on the legacy well with a stylish lick of paint to please even the most scrupulous of fans. Its pleasing to know that titles, no matter how old, can be adapted with such care and attention to recreate all of those stirrings it invoked long ago, but for a different audience in a different time. And times most assuredly are different.

There are refinements still to be made but Black Flag is a stunning return to form worthy of any gamer’s time.

A game like this shouldn't be that long anyway, as with action platformers like this I have a preference for a small number of highly distinct and memorable levels. Ragebound delivers on this and gives more than sufficient reason for multiple play-throughs.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge could have been a nostalgic cash grab, but it is instead a wonderful side-scrolling beat-em-up that acts as a love letter to the entire genre. The game is made better by its license and fan-service references, but, beneath all that, it's an excellently crafted game that stands on its own merits. It’s a short game with a lot of replay value, and it’s worth the price of admissions for anyone with even a passing interest in what it offers.

Tales of Arise is a solid entry into the series, yet I would be wary about recommending it to new players. Sure, you get some nice gameplay refinements and flashy graphics (indeed, it’s probably the best-looking game in the series hands down) but it hardly seems worth the $60 price tag, at least not when previous entries regularly go on sale $8 - $15. As I mentioned above, not that much has changed with the Tales series over the years, so there’s no reason to start with the newest and most expensive entry. However, if you’ve played and enjoyed previous entries in past, Tales of Arise becomes an easy recommendation as it showcases much of what makes the franchise so charming.

SOMA may not be the horror game I was hoping for, but what I got was still a very enjoyable experience.

Not really all that puzzling because the main drawback to Boxes: Lost Fragments isn't about its value as a puzzle game, it's about something else. More likely it could be the confusion in how close the game resembles The Room in both look and gameplay. Since the original publisher of the 2012 iOS and android The Room, Fireproof appeared to be "working with limited finances while providing art assets to other publishers" they could have been encouraging other indie developers to continue their work because they couldn't do it themselves. If that is indeed the case, then kudos to all of the people past and present that have worked on this game; because all I can say is that Boxes: Lost Fragments is a winner! At least where boxes with puzzles are concerned it is an excellent experience!

With its minimalist pixel art aesthetic, Anomaly Agent crafts a cyberpunk dystopian world with neon lights and flying cars. It is reminiscent of films like Blade Runner, even to the point where your character is an agent hunting down replicant-like clones. Much like other games in the genre, Anomaly Agent is only as good as you make it. Its catchy synthwave beats and blood splattered chunky pixel violence are akin to other indie darling Hotline Miami, but Anomaly Agent isn't just a, pun intended, clone of previous media, but an intriguing anomaly with a lot of heart that is worth the journey, however brief. If you're looking for a fun action platformer, with a sci-fi story that has fun with the genre, then do yourself a favour and check out this little gem.

I had extremely high expectations for Fallout 4. I was so concerned that Fallout 4 might not live up to them that I nearly ran back to Fallout 3 and forget about the whole thing. Fallout 4 does not just live up to the expectations, it surpasses it.

Not only does Dynasty Warriors: Origins feel like the ultimate realization of an idea hatched more than two decades ago, it does so by exploring outside of its own series roots and evolution, and doesn't make any "let's make it open world" type mistakes. It leverages a ton of modern tech to create great looking battles featuring hundreds of soldiers, all while keeping the performance high.

In terms of sheer number of game modes, FIFA is unmatched, and The Journey alone is enough to warrant a badge of recommendation. Hopefully future iterations of the game won’t just be rehashing the same story told this year. The PC version of the game is having technical issues at the moment, but if these can be ironed out, then the online modes are a great deal of fun too.

In short, Project CARS 2 is the ultimate hardcore racing experience. Be warned though, this game is hard, and to get the most out of it you will probably need to be a racing fan, or at least be knowledgeable about how motorsport works. This is not an arcade game where you will be powersliding around corners. In fact if you’re sliding at all, you will probably be at the back of the pack in no time. If you can stick with it and get really good at it though, you will be rewarded with a very high quality experience.