While some of the quests do contain interesting stories, it’s not quite enough to make up for the weaknesses of the setting. I really wanted to like this game, and perhaps fans more interested in the source materials of Lovecraft or those interested in Frogwares’ evolving mechanics of detection will get a bigger kick out of it than I did.

My Friend Pedro has mastered the art of doing one thing, and doing it well. There’s not an endless sea of content, and if chasing high scores isn’t your bag it doesn’t necessarily lend itself to replayability. Having said this, it is well worth the time spent. Minor presentation quibbles aside, it’s a game that looks, sounds and feels fantastic.

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.

All in all, World War Z is a pretty fun experience. It’s one that definitely surprised me, as the developers in my opinion didn’t put their best foot forward with the trailers. It still may not appeal to people who weren’t fans of the movie, but if you’re a fan of zombie games, especially co-op experiences like Left 4 Dead, it’s a solid experience at a relatively cheap price for the amount of gameplay and replay value you’re getting. Just make sure you’re playing with friends, as playing with randoms is often as bad as playing with the single player AI.

Yes, fighting higher ranked opponents certainly takes some level of strategy, but for the most part, the developers have made it a fun arcade-style game rather than a realistic boxing simulation. In career mode, gaining the number one ranking and then earning a shot at the World Title is a little too easy, but this makes Boxing Champs a game in which younger players can feel a sense of achievement. Playing against a friend is certainly a tougher challenge but can be a heap of fun. If you’re looking for a boxing game that is simple to play and reminiscent of classic arcade style boxing games, then Boxing Champs is worth a look.

It’s a fine addition to the Warhammer fantasy IP, and you’ll especially enjoy it if you like dungeon-crawlers, or are a Diablo fan. But beyond that, it falls somewhat into the category of genre-clone, no matter how much you might enjoy its setting/lore.

While Observation isn’t perfect, developer No Code has managed to create something truly unique. It’s a word that’s used way too often, but I’ve never played anything quite like it. Some will find the gameplay a little restrictive or the lack of handholding frustrating, but the challenging puzzles and compelling narrative create an unforgettable experience. If you favor a good thrilling story with replay value then you shouldn’t miss out on Observation.

Overall, Vambrace: Cold Soul is a fun game that's brought down by little things that lead into bigger issues over time. I appreciate a good challenge, but there's often a fine line between a challenge which is fun to overcome and a challenge that feels unfair and unrewarding. Where Vambrace shines is in its world building and storytelling which I enjoyed the mystery of. The map, however, can freeze out in the icy ghost towns for all I care.

Ultimately, it’s clear that the design of American Fugitive has taken great inspiration from the likes of Grand Theft Auto, and this offers a nostalgic recreation, for those who want it, of a sandbox series that has had incredible influence on gaming as a whole. However, by focusing too much on the old-school installments, it misses out on the lessons learned in future iterations, and so comes up a little lacking when compared with what modern experiences have to offer.

The story isn’t going blow you away, but I do feel that the voice work deserves special mention. Considering the size of the dev team, it’s of a very high standard and I loved listening to the story unfolding. This level of polish is found throughout MarZ: Tactical Base Defense, suggesting a much bigger development team. It looks like the devs have found and applied outside help where it counted.

I am confident that the game will stabilize over time but I cannot help feeling Rise of Industry should have stayed in Early Access a month or two longer. As it stands, the game is bursting from the seams with unfulfilled potential.

Void Bastards does a lot for such a small game — layered elements building a player experience where approach must always be varied and considered. The formula is simple — the ship computer asks you to procure items, you go find the items. In this sense, I thought I would find the game boring after awhile, but it’s actually surprisingly addictive, each wreck a new excitement-filled run, as you try to grab what you can, improvise on your feet, and most importantly, stay alive! Its simplicity is part of the appeal, but it also packages plenty of dark humour and absurd fun to go along with the ride. If you enjoy indie rogue-likes, or space scavenger hunts, the Void Ark awaits.

Hearing the stories/getting to know the new characters who also work on the farm is nice, and there are a lot of parallels to Sean and Daniel’s situation. But it doesn’t feel like much happens, more that the episode is building for something that is going to happen later.

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.

Fade To Silence is a game that pushes all the right buttons, but it doesn’t push some of them quite hard enough. In a survival game, it’s important for hostile threats to be just as important as the resource gathering, management, and base building. The idea is there, the environment is there, but the mechanics are only half there when one half is a rather addictive base management system and the other half is overly simplistic combat.

Despite criticism, it’s well put together and it has nothing a couple of patches based on feedback can’t improve upon. As it stands now though, it’s just a bit too rough around the edges to really recommend. Especially since it can easily take you a dozen hours or more to finish. Games are often about the journey and not the destination. However, in this case the journey requires a lot of devotion and patience. Perhaps that was the goal all along?

Three Kingdoms is the most divergent Total War I’ve seen since Total War: Warhammer. I would in fact call it the first post-Warhammer historical installment, taking what is good in fantasy and using it to compliment the historical components of the game. On top of that, it revamps both diplomacy and spying, two aspects of the series that desperately needed updating.

If you enjoy classic-style point-and-click adventures that make you think – which is the reason we play them, I know, but I mean more so than usually – then Whispers of a Machine is a must-buy for you. You’ll probably have to look into a walkthrough at some points, but when you do, you’ll bash your head against a wall thinking “how did I miss that!?”

You must use all your guile and perseverance to traverse this nightmare, holding onto what you can, for as long as you can. I won’t be forgetting this game for a while.

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.

Katana Zero is on the short side, but it uses every minute of its 5-6 hour run-time well, packed to the brim with satisfying carnage and a brain-bending narrative. It’s not often that a game so completely blindsides me, entering my radar and winning me over so quickly, and it’s a wonderful feeling when it happens. In fact, my only gripe, and it’s incredibly minor, is that I wish there was just a little bit more of it to love. I have no hesitations about recommending this game for just about everyone.

In truth, Weedcraft Inc is an enjoyable business management game with some creative ideas as well as decent writing and a thoroughly fitting musical score. If you’ve always wanted to dabble at running a Cannabusiness, it’s a must buy.

Its run-time is just long enough not to wear out its welcome, and the mystery and tension keeps you going through to the end.

In this type of game, you often get disproportionate enjoyment from combat or dialogue. You’ll find yourself suffering though dialogue to get to the next battle or trudging through fights to get to the next piece of story exposition. In Grimshade, both are fine. Regrettably, that is all they are.

There are some janky animations and ugly models. No, the end-of-the-world narrative isn’t emotional or complex. Along with those flaws, though, is a game with a pretty world, nice music, and combat with a decent enough core to engage those not wanting to wrestle with weapon switches, parrying, cooldowns, or any other more advanced combat mechanics commonly found in similar games. While I occasionally found myself frustrated with my time in Windscape, I found myself relaxed and entertained more often than I wasn’t, and that’s all a game like this really needs to achieve.

The Prophet and the Warlock is a stellar piece of content, with wonderful new units and plenty to wrap your teeth around mechanically — it’ll bring joy to any Total War: Warhammer fan. But at the same time, I wish the factions could have had their own campaign goals, and considering this is a rivalry focused DLC, a focal point around which to centre their head-to-head. Ikit and Tehenhauin are both unique legendary lords, but in the end there’s no real reason it’s them and not any other of the Skaven or Lizardmen waging their ancient war.

It is a game that will be more to the taste of Bloodborne players than Dark Souls players, but if you enjoy tough yet rewarding gameplay, and an interesting world exploration, filled with scenery and intermittent boss fights, Sekiro will be for you.

Outward is a tough game to review because I know there are a ton of people that are going to pick this thing up and absolutely detest it, and, as I said, sometimes I felt that way myself. For the right kind of person, though, this game is going to scratch an itch that not many others can. Because of its relatively niche appeal, I don’t see Outward breaking any sales records, but it does seem like a game destined to be revered in the right circles for quite some time.