It follows the same formula, excellent story and open ended problem solving and combines this with RPG elements and modern game play but with Wii U enhancements

The Tetris Effect Connected is an unusual but super fun next-gen experience and an unexpected one at that!

Mario Kart 8 is a return of one of Nintendo’s most beloved franchises, and is just as chaotic as ever.

An innovative tool for designing your very own Mushroom Kingdom.

Bloody amazing! The original game went beyond those clichéd first person shooters and in creating a sequel, the developers have fleshed out the city of Rapture even more but more importantly, have streamlined the gameplay, making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Of course, without the detailed characters and story of BioShock 2, it would not have reached these levels and of course, the luscious graphics.

This is a catchy little app that even occupied our photographer Donna Millheim, so you really have something when delighting such a discerning gamer. Do yourselves a favor Impulse Gamer's, do not miss this one.

AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES - nirvanA Initiative is a superior game compared to its predecessor in almost every aspect. While some of the puzzle segments are a bit long-winded and can be quite complicated, the experiences they provide alone are incredibly worth it, and the characters make the game so fun to play.

Rise of the Tomb Raider 20 Year Celebration Edition is a true festivity of the legacy of Lara Croft!

It Takes Two is a fun cooperative game on the PlayStation that is filled with consistent surprises and delights, offering a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether you’re playing with a significant other, a friend or a family member, It Takes Two is an essential title for any PS5 owner who is looking for a cooperative challenge and from an incredible moving perspective from a story point of view that can easily be knocked over in a few binge gaming sessions.

In the end, Pentiment is one of the best games of 2022 that anyone could play. The story is rich and wonderfully written, and it is not afraid to point out the hardest struggles of our past and today’s lives. The characters, same as the story itself are authentic and created thoughtfully. The gameplay of Pentiment is simple compared to other Obsidian games, and it might be too simple, but it is not something that would decrease the pleasure of enjoying this piece of art. I have lost count of many times I’ve admired the details and aesthetic of the game which becomes a full package of 16th-century culture when the music reaches your ears.

Black Flag is a remarkably new take on the series, and I would go as far to say it’s the finest entry we’ve seen to date.

At the end of the day, EA Sports have created a truly remarkable golfing game on the Wii that proves that the Wii is not just for casual or social gamers.

Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart is a wow experience on the PlayStation 5 that boasts next-gen graphics and gameplay to match with multiverse mayhem thrown into the mix!

Rayman Origins is the best fun I've had on the PS Vita that has definitely set the arcade benchmark quite high for future arcade titles.

It is the most accomplished basketball game out there without a doubt, and one of the most rewarding sporting games on the market.

I don’t have any criticisms for Final Fantasy Tactics – The Invalice Chronicles except the title. Sure, there are games with better stories, or pixel art, or strategic depth; or games with deeper and richer worlds to explore. But the longer I played Tactics the more I kept asking myself how they had managed to fit so much game into a small package. The balance of story, the intricate levelling system, the quaint pixel art and music, with the new addition of rich voice acting – all of it brought Final Fantasy Tactics to life for me in a way that I was not expecting (and I had high expectations). I reckon this Tactics remaster is one of the few games I’ll come back to each year just to refill my cup and remind myself how good this kind of gaming can be.

In conclusion, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 easily surpasses its predecessor with more refined gaming, an interesting and entertaining single-player mode and some fun multiplayer options.

XCOM 2 is hard proof true strategy games are still in high demand, blending satisfying old-school strategic turn-based gameplay with cinematic flourish.

Dishonored 2 is a pleasure to play… the ability to switch between mystical abilities, firearms or your trusty retractable blade (apparently some people don’t appreciate a folding blade) increases the variety of the game and leads to some very interesting interactions.

Horizon: Forbidden West is an enjoyable game from start to finish which easily allows you to become lost in its virtual mythology. The gameplay, sound and graphics work hand-in-hand to create an engaging PS5 title. It’s also well-written and directed by the developers with fantastic voice acting and a soundtrack that sounds it has been taken from a Hollywood blockbuster which makes this game a masterpiece on the PlayStation 5 and a must play game… no, masterpiece of 2022.

The greatest homage to the 90's the 2090's ever saw, a wonderfully different first person shooter experience a bit high on the difficulty.

All in all, Restored Land is a bit of a hit and a miss. But it’s a free update, the biggest Techland has ever done, and arrived a little over half a year after launch. For anybody who plays Dying Light solo and hasn’t played The Beast before, Restored Land would be a great way to experience the story and campaign for the first time. But anybody that’s already gone through Kyle’s vendetta with the Baron before will have to do so all over again.

If you’re a hardcore Fire Emblem fan, this collection will give hours upon hours of unbridled gaming fun and if you’re really keen, you have the option of playing it through again in order to experience the other side of the war.

The menus are more than user friendly, all the information is right there for you to see. From player stats, to access to other tables, it is fast and simple. The single player is a blast unto itself.

Finally Halo 3 is remastered in all it's glory. It's age showing, but not holding it back, not for a second. Halo is home again.

Pokémon X/Y offers the same core experience, only better and sleeker than before. Loads of new features, quicker progression, and an emphasis on connectivity all help lift it above its predecessors.

There’s a lot to enjoy here and the banter between Colt and Julianna is entertaining in and of itself… Colt starting out being very unsure of himself (not even knowing who he is to start with) to (re)gaining his confidence and going on the offensive. There’s a lot of swearing and a lot of blood shed so this clearly isn’t for the younger gamers or those who are sensitive to such things… but for the rest of us this is a lot of fun!

Ori and the Blind Forest is a 2d platformer that sticks to its bread and butter. It’s beautiful to watch and listen to and for the price you get a lot more than you pay for.

Absolutely grab a copy if you are a fan of either philosophy or puzzle solving or both. Visually pleasing and mentally stimulating… a great experience to add to your collection.

Ori and the Blind Forest is a special game. It doesn’t quit sit solely in the platform genre, it is a far more involved story than simply slotting in that.

Sword of the Sea is an atmospheric adventure game by Giant Squid in which players control the Wraith, a silent, ethereal being riding a mystical hoversword across a desolate world. The goal is to restore life to barren landscapes by activating water seeds, transforming deserts into oceans and reviving flora and aquatic creatures. With fluid movement, exploration-focused gameplay, and a meditative, visually stunning world, the game blends art and action into a serene yet thrilling experience.

Kill Knight is a magnificent arcade game. While it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it perfectly puts mechanics from other famous and successful action games next to each other to create a unique and satisfying gameplay loop. This is one of the few games out there that needs your 100% attention while you’re playing it and makes your time fly! With difficulty modifiers, in-game challenges, and quite a few weapons and items to unlock, Kill Knight is also a title with high replayability and a dream come true for arcade shooter fans.

Final view… maybe wait for a special as the price tag is pretty high… but if you love the idea of web slinging your way around a large cityscape and thwarting crime definitely grab a copy… it’s a lot of fun!!!

The Witcher 2: Assassin's of Kings Enhanced Edition is not a perfect game as the title does contain some graphical clipping, a few bugs and some truly frustrating moments such as over the top boss battles (depending on difficulty) and of course the horrible inventory system. However, thankfully the pros more than outweigh the cons in this title which creates one of the best RPG experiences on the XBox 360.

Another must-have Switch exclusive, and a modern reminder why the mother of the Metroidvania sub-genre still demands attention.

The necessity of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription to fully enjoy some of Super Mario Maker 2’s best features is an unfortunate reality for Switch owners, but the wealth of amazing online content is worth the price of admission in my eyes. If you own a Nintendo Switch, Super Mario Maker 2 deserves to be permanently installed on your system.

Strong artistic direction, simple, yet compelling gameplay, and another transcendental Berlinist score make Neva easy to recommend. As beautiful as it is touching, Nomada has once again proved that they are the masters of creating experiences that you point at feverishly whenever anyone tells you games can’t also be art. However, Neva backs up its impressive artistry with solid gameplay by blending easy-to-pick-up, tough-to-master platforming with some simple yet deep combat and brilliant boss battles. But best of all though, it has a puppy you can pet.

The game looks impeccable on the RE engine too, crisp, clean, bloody and gorified to the maximum.

Still, for a price of just ten bucks, Gaucamelee! is definitely a game worth checking out. If only just for the gorgeous design and crazy cartoon yuks, it’s a platformer that pile-drives the competition.

Bloody amazing! The original game went beyond those clichéd first person shooters and in creating a sequel, the developers have fleshed out the city of Rapture even more but more importantly, have streamlined the gameplay, making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Of course, without the detailed characters and story of BioShock 2, it would not have reached these levels and of course, the luscious graphics.

Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a charming romp though a bright and colourful world that makes fantastic use of its mechanics in order to fully engage the player.

For my money, Monster Hunter Rise is the high-water mark of the series. The addition of the Palimutes and Wirebugs have reshaped both combat and exploration for the better – so much so, that going back to older games in the franchise will be almost impossible. While it may not have the narrative focus of Monster Hunter World, Rise expands upon this formula and refines the experience to be both accessible for newcomers, whilst also retaining that deeper level of complexity that drew in hardcore fans from the beginning. I’ve also just got to give props to Capcom for squeezing a fully-fledged Monster Hunter game down onto the Nintendo Switch with nary a compromise to visuals or featureset. I’ve got a feeling Monster Hunter Rise will be in the gaming cultural zeitgeist for a while to come, so I highly recommend you jump on board and come along for the ride.

Bloody amazing! The original game went beyond those clichéd first person shooters and in creating a sequel, the developers have fleshed out the city of Rapture even more but more importantly, have streamlined the gameplay, making it a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Of course, without the detailed characters and story of BioShock 2, it would not have reached these levels and of course, the luscious graphics.

Ultimately is Civilization 6 worth buying? Certainly there have been a few solid play improvements on Civ 5, but not enough to justify its current price tag. The graphics are much less appealing than previous Civs, and depending on your personal tastes, you may find this edition simply unplayable because of it. Really, the best thing Civ 6 has done is make Civ 5 cheaper.

The epic conclusion of StarCraft II is a must have game for fans of this diverse and entertaining RTS.

With the myriad of sidequests and things to do, this game will keep you playing for more than 10 hours. A thoroughly enjoyable, entertaining experience.

Diablo III Is a solid sword and sorcery dungeon crawling adventure. Just click here and attack….how simple and fun.

All in all I have to say once I got out my gamepad this game became a blast to play. Codemasters did one hell of a job giving a sense of speed and realism when playing this game. Now I will say this is also a review coming from someone that has not played the previous installments so some of the things I mention may be carried over from previous titles. So this review was from someone going in blind so take that for how you will.

Separate Ways is easily one of the biggest budget add-on expansion packs to release this year, adding more high-quality content to the already stacked 60+ hour package of Resident Evil 4 (2023). For AUD $15, it’s honestly a no-brainer if you enjoyed the base game and want more survival-horror goodness to enjoy (and a sneak peak at where this reboot Resident Evil universe is heading).

The only criticism one may lodge at Diablo III: Eternal Collection is nothing is truly new. If you’ve already played through the complete version of the game elsewhere…and are looking for a different twist…the Switch version will offer little. Still, I challenge even these individuals to give this one a go. It’s a wonderful take, on a wonderful game, and one of the best Switch titles to date.

Here’s the thing: it’s not for everybody. Every major game design decision is a double-edged sword – cleaving a path for novelty and free-form fun on one side, and slashing down potential subscribers with the other.

If going under the depths of the ocean and experiencing a buried treasure is your kind of thing, then Dave The Diver delivers the goods.

Compared to the PlayStation 3 version, Little Big Planet is a far superior game thanks to the unique control system of the PS Vita. Graphically, it is almost identical to the PS3 version but thanks to the controls, creating your own Little Big Planet worlds is a considerable easier task. Add in sturdy gaming mechanics, loveable characters and the ability to share and download other peoples creations and Little Big Planet is a must have game for the PS Vita!

If you're one of those people who think that holding out for a few years until FIFA gets better and better is a good idea, stop right now. Get out of your homes and buy FIFA 13. It's an amazing experience that must be played at least once by every soccer fan. Everything you love from recent versions is bigger and better, from the look and the feel to the sound and the content; it's easily one of the most satisfying gaming experiences I've ever had, and I'm sure it'll be for you to.

Certainly a worthy game for those of us old enough to remember Baldur’s Gate and wanting to relive that gaming style but with new polish.

If you’re looking for something to fill the gap between the inevitable current-gen iteration of the Borderlands franchise, albeit with a much stronger focus on characterisation and story, then Tales from the Borderlands will more than satisfy your desire.

Not for the faint of heart, mind or body, HYPER DEMON builds on the Devil Daggers formula, for whatever that means.

The plot elevates the already terrific puzzle elements to even greater heights and, overall, it serves as an exemplar of the ever blurring line between digital entertainment and true art.

If you loved the Burnout series, than Need for Speed Hot Pursuit is a must have title and best of all, it pays homage to the original Need for Speed game.

The visuals take full advantage of the PS5’s hardware, with ray tracing delivering breathtaking lighting and realistic detail. And if you’re playing on the PlayStation 5 Pro? Prepare for stunning native 4K resolution and buttery-smooth frame rates that make this an adventure for the ages. This also includes lightning-fast load times to the seamless SSD optimization, every aspect of the game is designed to keep you in the action.

Hi-Fi Rush remains an absolute feast for the senses, a heady mix of unique and addictive brawling, beautiful presentation, an incredible soundtrack, and a cast of well-drawn characters in every sense of the word that demands to be in any action fan’s collection.

Nioh nicely complements what the Souls games did before it andtakes that foundation and adds its own unique flavour to create something that is both familiar and yet excitingly fresh and original in its own right.

In the end, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings is a visually impressive game that contains a very sturdy gaming engine. If you haven't played a traditional RPG in awhile, the learning curve is a little steep and challenging at the start but once you have the experience under your belt and selected a direction for your character, battles will slowly become easier but fortunately there is always something along the way to challenge you. This is what RPG's are all about and I sincerely hope that this game will become the template for games to come on the PC.

With around 50 levels and some fun mini-games, Plants vs. Zombies is a different type of puzzle/tower defence game that works on just about all levels. Addictively fun!

Two games for the price of one is normally a decent deal… when the games are as engaging and polished as the ones in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection it’s a fantastic deal. If you’ve loved the Uncharted series in the past then grab a copy. If you’ve always loved The Goonies or Indiana Jones (Naughty Dog doing an Indiana Jones game would be amazing!)… this is as close as you will get to playing that genre! Grab a copy!

Rocksmith 2014 is the reason closet guitarist are coming out, and maybe creating the next generation of musical artists all in one.

You can't go much better with an entry point into the long running Trails series, but Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter also stands on its own as a standout RPG experience.

Delivers high on adventure and gaming. Middle Earth comes to life.

If you're a Halo fan, you've probably already pre-ordered and purchased this game and thankfully the game more than lived up to its hype. Even if you have never played a Halo game before, it's still one of the best first person shooters on any console.

Offering 6-8 hours of fresh content, The Old Hunters exemplifies DLC that actually enriches the sources rather than simply milking fans with lacklustre skins and the like.

Persona 3 Reload hits the remake sweet spot, honoring its roots with a stunning visual upgrade and fun new content, making it a must-play for veterans and newcomers alike.

Injustice 2 is the best fighting video game released this generation, with stellar single-player and online content, addictive gear and customisation options, fast and frantic gameplay and incredible graphics, all of which impressively realise DC Comics' most iconic superheroes and supervillains.

If you have never played Ghosts of Tshuima before, the Director’s Cut is a must have and play game due to its carefully crafted story with exceptional gameplay mechanics, graphics and audio. While I would not call it a true next-gen experience, it is very close and Sucker Punch should be commended on creating such an engaging world with its rich visuals that are led by a very interesting protagonist. The world also fees quite organic opposed to a static closed-world which makes exploring such as a treat. Lastly, Jin is a great protagonist who has secrets and a path of redemption ahead of him. If you own the previous game, you can purchase an ‘upgrade’ to the Director’s Cut that is value for money if you loved the original as it adds to the legacy of Jin and tweaks some of the inconsistencies from the original.

At the end of the day, BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger is an outrageous fighter that breaks away from Western norms and gives the player something uniquely different and more importantly, entertaining.

While not a new game, The Nioh Collection provides excellent value for money and literally hundreds of hours of gameplay. If you like a challenging RPG in the same vein of Demon Souls, then The Nioh Collection is a must play experience that works a treat on the PlayStation 5, including its next-gen use of Dualsense.

A great port of a great game. Civilization VI offers so much to do, and with two expansion packs bundled in, now is the perfect time to experience it on a console.

So, does Final Fantasy VII Remake live up to the standards set all those years ago? Overall, yes. The world is lively, the script is well written and the combat feels natural. There is still a long way to go in the saga yet, but with these bones it feels like Square Enix has the potential to build something great. The first instalment strikes a great balance of catering to long-time fans while opening up the tale to a newer generation. If you don’t like it, there’s always the original. This trip to Midgar is well worth taking, even if it feels like the best may be yet to come.

Rockstar delivers more than expected, and truly live up to their company name.

Pokémon X/Y offers the same core experience, only better and sleeker than before. Loads of new features, quicker progression, and an emphasis on connectivity all help lift it above its predecessors.

Sea of Stars is wonderfully evocative of the RPGs of yesteryear, recalling strong memories of Chrono Trigger and the like. Gorgeous pixel art is backed up with a soundtrack that for the most part is very pleasant to listen to, even if some of the loops do tend to repeat themselves a little too quickly. It seldom distracts, and almost always adds to the scene.

Astral Chain also suffers a little from repetitiveness. Every mission is broadly the same thing. Hang out at the Police Headquarters, investigate a crime scene, head into the Astral Plane, repeat. The scenery changes, but not the structure and it would have been nice to see a little more done to break up the sections of the game. Ultimately, these flaws are outweighed by the awesome combat and the stylish world. The game looks gorgeous and makes the most of the Switch hardware. The soundtrack is catchy and the game is just a hell of a lot of fun to play. PlatinumGames and the Nintendo Switch have another hit on their hands.

Dirt 3 has modest game length; the concept over all does not grow tiresome which is great. It has solid fun gameplay from single player experience, to multiplayer online or even split screen multiplayer. Dirt 3 may not please everyone out there, what game does really? Dirt 3 is a solid addition to the series, which keeps rally car racing as the coolest thing out there.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an incredible expansion that adds a slew of new content and previous DLC for free, well-needed gameplay improvements and quality-of-life changes. While they don't solve most of the game's core issues, the added content more than makes up for it and provides a stellar experience that quickly proves its superiority to the base game.

So after smashing out this game over the weekend, I found myself quite engaged with the gameplay, story and fun characters. Sure it’s Pokémon but there’s a true sense of progression that when linked to the entertainment factor creators not the best Pokémon experience but one that succeeds with both newcomers and fans alike.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is an excellent port to an already incredible game. Unfortunately, we might need to track down the Dragon Balls to resurrect the already dwindling online community.

Quantic Dreams have managed to throw a curve ball into gaming, especially in this congested world of first and third person shooters. Heavy Rain is like a movie that gives almost total control to the player as you manage the outcomes and directions of all involved.

Battling more than just the physical Hellblade will take you far beyond most games and may shake you to your core.

Let's Cling Together, despite a slightly clunky interface, is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. With a wide arching, controllable storyline, fans of SRPGS in general or patient players who enjoy an enthralling story are ensured many hours of gaming goodness.

Pikmin 4 is, to put it simply, Pikmin at its best.

Final Fantasy XVI is without a doubt one of the best RPGs I have played in years, and could possibly have knocked my beloved Final Fantasy VI off its perch as the favourite game in the series. Though it may feel different to previous, entries what Square has accomplished in almost every department is nothing short of phenomenal. The RPG elements may be a lot lighter, but what they’ve been replaced with is top-tier action and the kind of epic spectacle and story-telling that has made Final Fantasy the genre-defining series we know and love. Even if the main cast has names that make them sound more like workmates at an accountancy firm than a band of magical outlaws.

The gaming gods of Naughty Dog have spoken in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection and wow, what a ride on the PS5!

Gran Turismo 7 is a gorgeous celebration of all things driving. It’s splendid presentation and 400 + car homage to the world’s favorite vehicles is a car lover’s dream. What it isn’t, however, is a true ‘real driving simulator.’ While easily a step up from GT Sport in offerings and presentation, those looking for an exhilarating gameplay experience will likely be disappointed.

Dirt 3 has modest game length; the concept over all does not grow tiresome which is great. It has solid fun gameplay from single player experience, to multiplayer online or even split screen multiplayer. Dirt 3 may not please everyone out there, what game does really? Dirt 3 is a solid addition to the series, which keeps rally car racing as the coolest thing out there.

Saros, while not without some notable flaws, is still an engaging, intricately crafted, and intriguing roguelike action game that sets a new bar for Housemarque as an upgrade to Returnal in many ways.

Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 celebrates two of Nintendo's most innovative games and returns them to the modern world of gaming with pure fun!

Even if you have played the original games and your a fan of the series, you'll get a huge kick of this new facelift and new players won't be disadvantaged either.

Before playing FighterZ, I knew absolutely nothing about the Dragon Ball series. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed the story so I can only imagine how fans of the franchise will react to the visual beauty and over-the-top mayhem. While the controls are easy to get to grips with, it still provides a tough challenge. In particular, the frustrations I had progressing in the Arcade Mode are a prime example of how difficult mastering FighterZ is. So, with that said, ending this review with a quote from Atari founder Nolan Bushnell seems fitting: “All the best games are easy to learn and difficult to master”. A famous videogaming motto that for me, sums up Dragon Ball FighterZ perfectly.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake is undeniably impressive. Despite some frame rate issues, the graphical overhaul is absolutely spectacular and the soundtrack has been brought to life in a truly remarkable way. Yet at the end of the day, this is a remake of a Zelda game from a different time. Plenty of additional gameplay features have been added to make the gameplay experience more palatable by modern standards, but it may not be enough for some players – particularly if you don’t care for the older 2D Zelda games. I will still easily recommend this to anyone that owns a Switch, even if the game can be a little frustrating at times.