All in all, it’s a strong initial start. While a little disorientating and stumbling at points, it’s believable as this player experience mirrors the confusion of Sean and Daniel, trying to find their way. There are lots of decisions to make and the game doesn’t pull punches in terms of asking you to make uncomfortable choices. The narrative also does a very good job of introducing you to the brother based mechanics, showing you how those decisions impact both Sean and Daniel in the long run. I’m excited to see where the road will take them next.

Deep Sky Derelicts makes me happy. I play through a lot of early access titles, and I’ve often had reasonable ideas on how games can improve- only to have them released with little to no changes. That isn’t the case here, with changes to balance and resource availability turning this into a game I don’t have a problem recommending.

It’s a successful game in its own right, super fun with a large variety of weapons, bosses, enemies and areas to experience/explore. The similar layouts and shifting structure of the tower do make it a challenge to navigate, but there is a great sense of accomplishment in the game. It may try to be a little too ‘edgy’ at times, illustrated by Death on a skateboard and 90% of the stuff that comes out of his mouth and the PvP of Tokyo Death Metro feels a poor excuse for Souls-like invasion sometimes, but it does allow you to grind coins if you need them.

Satisfying the OCD urges will only get you so far. A bigger tank is just that - a bigger tank. It’ll fit more fish and more decorations, but I can guarantee your visitors won’t be the only ones that will get bored with those. And that is what this game is all about, filling tanks. Still, there’s fun to be had here. Do fish swimming in pretty environments get your adrenaline pumping like a filter in a million gallon fish tank? Then Megaquarium is destined to be your fix for a few rainy autumn weekends.

The Gardens Between is a beautiful game and combined with the relaxing atmosphere set by the wonderful soundtrack and simple controls make it one worth checking out. The story of the two friends’ adventures is told without the use of any dialogue and although it is a little on the short side, it did leave me wanting more - which is always a good sign. The puzzles are not overly difficult, and the lovely story of friendship told within the environments where their adventures occur, make The Gardens Between a game for all ages, but will be especially nostalgic for those gamers who grew up in the 80's.

Gift of Parthax is a great game to pick up to have some truly difficult battles using different magics and strategies. The pacing is rather slow in the beginning, but I promise that the fights really pick up as the game moves on. Battles are kept fresh with different ways to play, various enemy patterns to learn, and even bosses to battle. Gift of Parthax is a game that's more about strategy and fun gameplay than it is about a plot that'll leave a lasting impression on you for years to come, and that's just fine.

Action Squad also supports local and online co-op so that you and a friend can party up and kick ass. This creates a unique dynamic rather than just playing solo. With a partner, you are able to create new tactics and deal more damage than a single person would. A great combo to try out is the shield and assaulter. The shield can block incoming bullet damage while the assaulter can stand behind them to let off a volley of gunfire. These options in gameplay made it feel exciting and fresh throughout. I never found a dull moment in Door Kickers regardless of the shallow customization.

Unknown Fate could have been a decent game but it is let down by lack of development. A decent level designer would have pointed out that the game’s levels don’t work.

Two Point Hospital doesn’t change a whole lot, but I don’t think it necessarily had to; the best kind of spiritual successor is often one that channels the original, yet remains fresh and adds just a dash of innovation. Two Point adds that freshness in graphics and art style, as well as a whole host of new illnesses and challenges, but also channels the wackiness that was so prevalent in Theme Hospital. It makes me excited to see what successful Bullfrog re-imaginings we might see in the future of Two Point Studios.

While the inventory system is problematic, it’s not damning, especially considering that it is my only complaint about an otherwise great game. Every other aspect of Shadows: Awakening plays great. I’ve had more fun than I have had with similar titles in years, simply because most Action RPGs have started to look alike. Shadows: Awakening, on the other hand, is a truly unique title that scratches an itch that hasn’t been scratched in ages.

While less strong than previous DLCs, Shadows Over Bogenhafen lends the base game a well-needed dose of re-playability and will be an enjoyable booster of content for most rat-killing fans.

Strange Brigade is a sound party shooter, stylish and good to play with friends. It’s a nice romp, but the actual content feels very facile to me, lacking in terms of any meaningful engagement with the player.

Despite a few drawbacks and narrative tangles, State of Mind is a great game that I had a ton of fun playing. The attention that's gone into creating an engaging world results in an experience that has a lot to offer anyone willing to be a more passive participant in the engaging experience. It’s a slow burn, the perfect game to relax with for a few evenings like a season of a good tv show.

After the many big bads we have fought along the way, it's good to take some time to remember that we're supposed to be fighting each other, too. So whether you rep the Alliance or the Horde, Battle for Azeroth has something for everyone. But if you were missing world PVP, it especially feels like a love note from Blizzard to the gamers.

While the ever changing aspect of the levels, was probably one of the best times I’ve seen it done, running through the levels over and over, did grow a little tiresome. Especially when there aren’t more NPCs, or things to find (other than chests). But on the whole, if you like rogue-lite (or metroidvania), there is a hell of a lot to enjoy.

Dig or Die isn’t going to revolutionize the genre, and I don’t think it’ll turn into an indie darling the way games like Terraria have. That being said, it’s a fun game that’s worth sinking a few lazy nights into. The largely procedurally generated nature of the (surprisingly big) playable map keeps things fresh for multiple playthroughs after death, which is good, because you’ll quickly find Dig or Die living up to the second half of its name.

Sonic Mania, as well as Sonic Mania Plus Encore, are exactly what the Sonic franchise needed to breathe some life back into it. The ball is in play, and it gives fans hope for the series to improve going forward.

There are of course the problems with AI, plus the fact that this is a DLC for a game from 2013 that most Total War fans have already pumped at least hundred hour into. But if you want some Total War play, some refreshing mechanics and a bit of education about the Roman conquest of Italy, then I would certainly recommend.

The issues with This is the Police 2 mostly boil down to pacing. The cutscenes are so long that you can forget that you're playing a game at all, and they serve to space out the moments of gameplay a bit too far, creating a disjointed feeling between the other aspects of the game. Trimming down the dialogue and letting players have more interaction in each cutscene could have gone a long way toward tightening up the pacing while keeping the world and character building just as strong.

Games like Imperatum, that are not necessarily horrible but are far from good will disappear beneath the fame and infamy other games bring about. Unless it has one little niche than can catch even a small following, the name Imperatum will not ring any bells even a few months from now.

I will miss this series; but this final instalment brings it to a worthy conclusion. I also imagine that, as with the Mass Effect trilogy, I will replay it many more times throughout my life, revelling in the worlds that my cumulative decision making will create. The Banner Saga has made some moments that will stay with me a long time.

Hollow Knight is one of the best 2D platformers I’ve ever played - it is a beautiful, quirky and dynamic game; challenging yet rewarding; mournful yet brimming with hope. When it comes to console, it’s going to cause a real stir.

MOTHERGUNSHIP is a ton of fun. When you’ve built a lava-spewing dual minigun with a rocket launcher shooting ricocheting explosives in the middle of your 40th jump since touching the ground- and that’s only on one of your arms- it’s pretty hard not to smile. The game nails its tone, full of color, speed, and humor, and it doesn’t let off the gas pedal from start to finish. It’s not a perfect game, but it does what it needs to do, and I’d have an easy time recommending it to most.

The dialogue is fairly strong and despite some bad accents, it holds its own and gives the player plenty of choice. The heists and their preparation missions are pretty varied and allow for a range of approaches. But most of all, the game is very consistent tonally; that comic art style is on point and the game just generally exudes a sense of criminal classiness. I would definitely recommend this to comic-book turned game fans or to anyone craving a spot of thievery.

Despite the fact that some art doesn't mesh well, Lost in Harmony: The Musical Odyssey is a beautiful rhythmic adventure that even a rhythm game amateur like myself can enjoy. Both story modes have a short yet satisfying plot with exciting music that really keeps the pace right where it should be. It's a game that was off of my radar initially, but I'm glad to have had the chance to jam out with Kaito and M.I.R.A.I.

After finishing my time with Dream Alone I didn’t really find myself satisfied with anything that it was trying to do or be. It’s got the makings of a nice little horror story, but there isn’t enough actual story to live up to its opening’s promise.

There aren’t really any new added gameplay features or modes that I could discern, which is a bit of a shame, but the game on the whole has actually aged very well. Also the lack of new features is more forgivable when you see how low the price tag is (considering most remasters generally charge full retail price). So if you never managed to play this destructive jewel back in the day, or if you are feeling somewhat nostalgic and traded in your copy years back, I would certainly recommend a revisit to the Red Planet.

I don't know whether Chris will be our main character, but I am super excited to see a brand new perspective in the Life is Strange universe, plus to see how much of a mechanical/gameplay factor Chris’ imagination will be in the main game (hopefully significant.) If you liked Life is Strange, hell, even if you didn’t, get this (it’s free, after all) and you might find something in this installment that you thought was missing from the first.