In all Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic game that is clearly made with heart, and isn’t just a reskin of the Dynasty Warriors series with Persona characters. This reviewer would look at other examples of this genre shift such as Hyrule Warriors or Fire Emblem Warriors and say that Persona 5 Strikers definitely went above and beyond to tell a Persona story with a fantastic blend of JRPG and Muso game styles that suits it, if not perfectly, pretty close!

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.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse- Earthblood may not be a game that’s going to gain widespread acclaim, but for fans of the World of Darkness franchise it’s great to finally have an outing that dives into the more wild side of things. If Werewolf: The Apocalypse is able to find its footing with Earthblood, then things can only go up from here. The old-school beat-em-up feel of the combat encounters steals the show, proving once again that some things don’t go out of style.

In all, Sword of the Necromancer is a fun roguelite with a heartfelt story. The usage of the titular blade adds a whole new layer to the roguelite genre, in that gamers will need to strategize about what enemies to take out first in order to have them fight on their side. If the genre interests you but you need a good story to feel at all invested, then this game is for you.

Nioh 2 isn’t a game for everyone. It requires real dedication to learn to an even functional level, and it’s not a game that lends itself to quick pop-in sessions or returning to after playing something else for a while. But, like a coconut or your really introverted friend, there’s beauty to be found beneath the hard exterior. Team Ninja has made a fantastic addition to the still-young souls-like genre, and I’m incredibly happy that the experience is no longer limited to the PlayStation consoles.

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!

If you are willing to spend countless hours to get into this game, I truly think you will enjoy it. Partially because you are probably the type of person the game is aimed at, but also because Amazing Cultivation Simulator offers a unique perspective on simulators as a whole. But tread carefully. The leap of faith you have to take to get into Amazing Cultivation Simulator is a big one, and it was one I couldn’t muster.

Shakes on a Plane is still enjoyable to play in single-player, but will be enjoyed more with a group of three or four. Working as a team and gaining the maximum three stars on each flight is highly rewarding. The simple controls, cute visuals, and upbeat music (that gets faster as the flight ends) make it a game that can be enjoyed by a family or with a group of friends together on the couch. The levels are varied enough – via the meals, seating arrangements and mission types – to keep the game fresh as gamers progress through the flights. And while we’re all in various forms of coronavirus lockdowns, this may be as close to air travel as we’ll get for the time being.

I’ve certainly had my share of fun and amazement soaking up what bits of Night City’s world that I could in my 80 hour playthrough, but nevertheless with a bad taste in the mouth when so many glitches and inconsistencies pulled me out of its overall experience.

I give Train Station Renovation credit for being the straightforward, generally pleasant game that scratches a gaming itch that I didn’t know I had. While I may have been disappointed with the “rebuilding” half of the renovation process, there was methodical contentment in the cleaning of these abandoned train stations that I quite enjoyed. This is absolutely not a game I’d recommend to all, or even most people, but, if you know what you’re getting into, it’s a solid enough entry in a niche market to be worth some of your time.

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.

Whenever I stopped playing this game, all I could think about was how I was going to handle my next run. I’d think about the gods I should look for and the characters I wanted to learn about, I’d think about the next weapon I should try and how frustrating a certain boss was. Then, I’d sit down and play again, losing myself in a world that I could consistently feel myself getting better at. And once I still think about the first time I fully completed a run, beating the final boss. That feeling of accomplishment is something to be celebrated and appreciated.

It’s a fun, often heartwarming journey supported by likable characters and good acting, but the way that personality and choices are handled, along with the lack of a well-structured narrative climax, keeps Five Dates from being as good as it almost is. It doesn’t have enough “game” to sell itself on player challenge or interaction, and its lack of meaningful climaxes or endings means that it doesn’t quite work as a more traditional cinematic experience. Where it thrives are in its individual human moments, and, even with my complaints, those are the things I most remember looking back.

With the first week starting to wind down, overall I’m happy with World of Warcraft’s latest expansion. Shadowlands allowing players to dive into the realms beyond life is an incredible adventure, and one I’m eager to watch play out over time. That being said, I have to be incredibly cautious this time around. Warlords of Draenor and Legion felt like incredible rides the whole way through, but Battle for Azeroth hit some serious snags over the course of its lifespan that may have left a sour taste in the mouths of gamers. That being said, at the moment I think World of Warcraft: Shadowlands earns optimistic praise with plenty of room to grow going forward. I do think this will start a trend for me of posting my thoughts about the state of the game going forward as future major patches roll out to give the readers a more accurate representation through Shadowland’s lifespan.

Watch Dogs: Legion does most things right. The hacking component works amazingly well, letting players infiltrate locations with minimal attention from guards patrolling the areas when done correctly. Sneaking around and using the available cover works satisfactorily too, giving players the opportunity to take out guards one at a time. The AI does a decent job too, with guards and drones alerted by fallen comrades or the sound of alarms and gunshots. And if you do happen to get into a gunfight, the shooting mechanics do an admirable job.

Its simple controls, understated objectives and clear gameplay challenges combined with a lovingly crafted soundtrack make for an almost meditative experience. It’s been a good year for titles with this kind of nice, ambient experience and Disc Room fits neatly into that roster.

All in all PositronX is a delightful game about destroying killer robots as a killer robot in a constantly shifting labyrinth of high-tech labs, all while growing stronger and acquiring excessive weaponry. And really, what more could a gamer want?

Destiny 2: Beyond Light is a new foundation for the game. Bungie is looking to build on that foundation in a way that is more future-proofed than Destiny 2 ever was. I think this was a great start. Not only does it allow for easier access to new players, but it provides for a cleaner experience for everybody. Sure, this is nowhere near the fantastic content brought to Destiny in the Forsaken expansion, but Beyond Light still has a lot to offer.

Strobophagia is a game that looks cool and has an interesting premise, but it fails in successfully building and delivering on its narrative of horror. While the use of a cellphone and proximity-based chatting made for some fun detective-like segments, the run-from-the-monster gameplay is much more of a bore. While the visuals are generally good, the music is disappointingly bad for a game focused on a music festival, and I was left feeling little more about my time spent playing than “meh.”

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.

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.

Marble Age: Remastered is a game that uses the same historical data model from the original Marble Age with the addition of new content and updated game play. The result is more of a casual experience for gamers who prefer a simpler and less complex strategy model. As a result, the game is easy to get in to and offers a gentle learning curve.

DIRT 5, sets out to offer an arcade style racing game with an in-depth narratively driven career mode, and an array of other exciting modes for all to enjoy. The graphics and environments on display are stunning, with an immersive sound design to tie it together. The Playgrounds mode offers an endless sea of creative possibilities for players to test their skills, while chasing the top spot on the global leaderboards. All of these features are a wonderfully wrapped gift, that comes together to create one of the most fun racing games to date.

With its beautiful visual design, quality voice acting, tight controls, interesting mechanics, and engaging world-building, I have absolutely no hesitation adding Ghostrunner to my exclusive club of top marks. It’s rare to find a game that succeeds so well in everything it does, and the result is a game that absolutely everyone should check out.

There’s a solid base at the core of Serious Sam 4, and it’s tough not to smile after navigating the puzzle of a 500-enemy encounter. Swapping between weapons and adapting to each type of enemy takes skill and understanding, it’s just a shame that the experience grows overly repetitive. As it exists, Serious Sam 4 is a mish-mash of the absurd and the overly banal, and I wish that it was more willing to commit in one direction or the other. That being said, sometimes the need just hits to go absolutely ham on some bad guys, and you’ll find few other games that let the player unleash with so little baggage of fluff.

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.

Games like Fall Guys and Among Us have proven the ability for smaller teams to take centre stage and captivate the throngs of players who crave these formats of competitive, highly replayable party games. In doing so, they have elevated the expectations for the genre and consequently, throw down the gauntlet for those that hope to follow. However small a percentage of the day, Cake Bash has been nothing but enjoyable to play and fits right in amongst the growing pantheon of small developer teams that produce such rich and fundamentally fun games. It almost seems unfair that I initially conferred so much of the world’s circumstances on the release of this game - because it rightfully stands on its own two feet regardless of any broader context.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse-Heart of the Forest is an easy choice for me as far as text based games go. It ticks the boxes of a setting that I love, a plot that I enjoy, and most importantly I felt like my choices mattered even if some of them seemed more subtle and took a while to pay off. Is it a game for casual World of Darkness fans? Probably not. It’s not difficult by any means, but without the action that draws a lot of gamers this may not be for casual players. You’re probably better off waiting for 2021’s Werewolf: The Apocalypse-Earthblood and Vampire: The Masquerade- Bloodlines 2. But for those who are really finding themselves pulled into this universe, you should definitely check out Heart of the Forest.