Rock and roll with the indifferent, outcasted, and unwanted miscreants born from the dust! Words have power (literally) in this narrative based adventure across a broken country that houses unimaginable secrets. Even if the game suffers from poor design decisions and bad gameplay mechanics, there's no way to gaslight it's original take on the genre that expresses a sentiment no word can fully capture.

An interesting take on the Souls-Like genre that makes some effort to mix things up a little. It doesn't do anything especially new, but is well put together and an enjoyable entry into the genre.

Madden 25 is slightly better than Madden 24 in every way, but with only Franchise Mode and presentation truly noticeable upgrades. If you own College Football 25, feel will be familiar, and its rosters capable of import.

Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse Remastered is a masterful remaster of a highly entertaining game. The game has a unique narrative structure, inventive gameplay, and engaging new elements.

Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is an amusing adventure game where you run around all summer and nothing is as important than what you want to do. Bounce on plants, explore caves, and kick a tree in this open world game where your freedom is the only thing that matters.

An enthralling slice of life sim about love, loss and moving on.

A brief but fairly enjoyable platformer that doesn't mind poking fun at the current state of gaming.

Creatures of Ava isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. If you are looking for a more relaxed gaming experience with a bit of adventuring and exploration involved then this might be something that you’ll enjoy. If you want something with a bit more depth and serious, perhaps look elsewhere. Of course if you are after a game where you get to hug the wild life… maybe give it a look.

All-in-all, Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a beautiful and wholly pleasant adventure with a gentle spirit, a meaningful story and delightful little Rot creatures. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more pleasing-looking game on Xbox hardware, and that's a wonderful attribute to have.

One Piece Odyssey is a straightforward RPG crusade with the infamous Straw Hat Pirates. While the game doesn't do anything excitingly new or impressive, this escapade is still a noteworthy adaptation of the admired adventures of Luffy on his search for the One Piece.

For those who enjoy a tough but fair platformer, Volgarr the Viking 2 is a must-play. It’s a game that demands and rewards mastery, offering a sense of accomplishment. Whether you’re a veteran of the first game or a newcomer to the series, Volgarr the Viking 2 is a thrilling adventure that will test your skills and keep you coming back for more.

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is a space shoot'em up that has evolved amongst the rest. Use your Orca ship to devour the oncoming alien-machine hybrid takeover in this beautiful action packed journey where what you reap is what you sow.

The Mortuary Assistant: Definitive Edition is a horror game that will actually send shivers up your spine and have you clutching your chest. Now, with new features and being better than ever, you must juggle with preserving dead bodies and fighting off demons in this unnerving panic induced trip through purgatory.

Nobody Wants to Die is a gripping, thought-provoking cyberpunk thriller that’ll sink its claws into you from beginning to end. It may not be the most action-packed experience, but fans of a good slow-burn mystery, with a penchant for the philosophical will love it.

An enjoyable game at its core that is riddled with bugs that suck that fun out of the experience, making it a difficult sell at the moment.

A true and faithful port to a masterpiece game. It's not for everyone, but it's a true Ace Combat experience and it's finally portable. What could be better? Nothing.

With a few adjustments and a little more time in the oven, Bloodhound could have been a fun if janky shooter, but everything feels so rote, so slapped together, so inconsistent, and ultimately bland that I can’t recommend you sniff this one out.

Even with a new coat of paint, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter wasn't a particularly amazing game to begin with, with odd controls and a woefully underutilised and fiddly bounty-hunting system that really should have been its USP.

A slow burn, Minds Beneath Us is a memorable dystopian sci-fi thriller in every individual component besides its gameplay.

Overall TMNT: Splintered Fate is an enjoyable roguelike that wears its influences unabashedly, even blatantly at times. But if you make a modern Roguelike, it makes sense to crib from one of the best. What is most impressive though is that Splintered Fate manages to save itself from being derivative thanks to some superb coop play and clever use of the TMNT license to create something, that though not wholly original in its mechanics, is still an absolute joy for fans of both roguelikes and the Turtles alike.

Tense, atmospheric and foreboding. Darkest Dungeon 2 is a Lovecraftian RPG that's worth hitching a ride for.

Despite its limited appeal, there's plenty packed into Nintendo's speedrunning challenger - if you've got the patience for it.

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos is a throwback, different, and quirky title that looks, sounds and plays just like its original 21 years ago. It’s a more obscure entry into both series, thus not a must have, with some unique translation, characters, and art style.

Ultimately the game is well put together, intelligent but doesn’t take itself too seriously… it finds a good balance between presenting serious therapeutic notions and how they can be applied… with moments of humour. If you ever wondered what it was like to be a Vampire Therapist… grab a copy and find out. A good bit of fun and the potential to shed some light on ways of thinking.

Mists of Noyah is a survival rpg with some fun gameplay elements that should make sense, but bites off more than it can chew creating an inconsistent, intolerable, and confusing experience.

A thoughtful Indie puzzler that's worth lurking in the shadows for.

Cyber Citizen Shockman Zero is a bright and breezy 2D beat 'em up that sees the side-scrolling series go out with a bang.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a unique action strategy game that basks in its clever and entertaining design. Conquer the mountain and yourself in this courageous dance between good versus evil.

Parasol Stars: The Story of Bubble Bobble III (aka Rainbow Islands 2) is a fantastic action platformer, with a unique hook, bright visuals, bonkers character design, and catchy tunes that will leave you twirling your umbrella and singing in the rain.

An otherwise solid school management game that is let down by a poor UI and unclear feedback from almost all actions.

Monster Train is a rougelike deckbuilding battlefield that provides searing strategy and gallivant gratification to allow you to have a never-ending enjoyable experience.

Exophobia is a Metroidvania styled first person Boomer Shooter that envelopes the crux of its gameplay and design beautifully with its mechanics creating an entangling interplanetary voyage you won't forget.

As a concept I give the game full marks… the idea of learning a language via something as fun as gaming is brilliant. Unfortunately it’s a little rough around the edges and that might put some people off… but if you are keen to learn a new language (and there are a number on offer here)… this just might be good for helping supplement other forms of learning. I’m not sure it would be enough on its own… but it would certainly be a nice break from book after book after book. Worth a look if you want to get into learning other languages… but don’t expect it to be a total solution.

A shockingly great college football a decade in the making, College Football 25 is arguably the best modern console sport title to date.

A well-written narrative puzzle adventure that shines through the darkness with its great graphics, fun puzzles, and interesting story telling.

A fun and surprisingly deep racing game that pays homage to titles like the early Gran Turismo games.

An exploration of the immigrant experience straight from the horse's mouth, Venba tackles a Tamil family's struggles of a loving and living in a strange land, and the turbulence that follows, with a heartwrenching flair.

A substantial DLC add-on for Wartales that offers a fun new region to explore, with a well-realized pirate and sea-faring backdrop.

A love-letter to older JRPGS, pushed through a modern filter that manages to hit the sweet spot between nostalgic and new.

Despite its sometimes gruelling difficulty, Crossover is something of a genius idea. Taking three relatively simple ideas that couldn’t be further apart on the gaming spectrum and merging them into one, on paper, sounds like a recipe for disaster, but there’s something about Crossover that just keeps me coming back for more. Even when it frustrates me, surviving a round with my health battered, my armour gone and only my most basic attack left is wickedly satisfying stuff, pushing me to continue to see just how far I can get. Crossover: Roll for Initiative is casual gaming, there’s no escaping that, but it’s casual gaming for gamers.

Ultimately, it’s a bit of fun, it’s pretty low stress… the crime scenes aren’t particularly gruesome and the art style is a bit like a more realistic version of Job Simulator… which is kind of fitting given the main characters. This setting with these protagonists/antagonists works well with the AI chat format… I’m not sure it would work quite so well with human suspects without starting to sound a bit artificial… but here it works.

The Operator is a fun three hours of your time which aims to break free of its desk-bound administrative labour and take you on a stressful (in a good way) journey through corruption and deceit, all the way to the heart of the web that’s being spun around you.

Angry Foot is the most fun game you can play this year. It is fast, funny, punishing, and rewarding all at the same time. It has a great level design, with simple mechanics and a high value of repeatability. There are a few minor technical issues, but it shouldn’t stop you from playing this gem of an action game.

If you're at all curious and don't mind plunging into a unique adventure game from 2003 updated for modern audiences, Beyond Good And Evil-20th Anniversary is a worthwhile way to experience this classic.

This unnatural spiraling quandary is an exciting plummet into fear and insanity. The pulsating anxiety you feel while walking to the next exit to see if you made the right choice is like no other. The complementary audio design and graphical style really ups the ante in virtual reality by creating a space that feels lived in. The ease of the gameplay is alluring and the quick style challenge of finding the anomalies is compelling. The Exit 8 VR’s strong points exemplify the beauty of VR in a pronounced way and is so appealing that it may keep you from exiting the headset.

A large, gorgeous world filled with interesting things to find and defeat, that is well worth the time investment, despite the frustrating start.

The Road to Elysim is exactly what you want in a DLC. More mind bending puzzles and challenges, a deep story and fantastic, varied world building and atmosphere. The stunningly detailed environment and solid 60fps performance help create an immersive and extremely enjoyable world to explore between puzzles. I would have loved to see a return of the mines and recorder mechanic, but maybe we could have this in a 3rd Talos Principle game? I can only hope for the series to continue.

Exo One is solid fun once you have mastered the controls and mechanics.

If you loved the original, Windstorm Start of a Great Friendship Remastered almost feels like a different game and best of all its an affordably priced title. In the end, it is tailored at the younger gamer who loves horse riding of the Windstorm franchise that has been nicely recreated on the XSX.

Yum Yum Cookstar, though made from the remains of a Cooking Mama game, does its job as a low-price cooking game well enough, for better and worse.

The Luigi's Mansion series lives on with this HD reconstruction of the second game that successfully coats on a new paint that assures the games will never give up the ghost.

Baby's first Monster Hunter bounces onto Switch with the same sense of wide eyed joy that made the overlooked 3DS original such a pleasure to play.

The Night Springs DLC is a decent but flawed expansion. Among the three different episodes, only Time Breaker was truly a Remedy experience and others lacked the quality in terms of gameplay and world-building. It was a fresh experience but wasn’t appealing enough for me to go back to it again.

Riven is an island hopping puzzle adventure VR game that tells the age-old tale of forsaken prophecy while making you use all of your brain's power in the best possible ways.

If you fancy a rumble that's not in a jungle, then this latest Super Monkey Ball offering will make you go bananas. There plenty on offer here that'll please returning fans and newcomers alike, with outstanding accessibility options, a lovely smorgasbord of levels spread across diverse and vibrant worlds.

If you’re a 40k fan with an itchy trigger finger and a hatred for heretics, chances are you already own Boltgun, and if you don’t, well, you really should. But If you already have Boltgun, Forges of Corruption is a decent epilogue to a superb shooter for those of us who can’t get enough of one of the best 40k games since Space Marine.

Downward Enhanced Edition is a curious mix of Mirrors Edge and Prince of Persia, that doesn’t quite stick the landing.

My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery respects younger gamers well and complements the My Little Pony Lore!

In total, Shadow of the Erdtree is up there with the best add-ons FromSoftware has released (yes, including Bloodborne: The Old Hunters). A must play for hardcore fans and new players who (wisely) waited for the full package, and highly recommended overall.

MudRunner VR provides a new perspective in this vehicle towing extravaganza of a franchise, but missing features, pedestrian design, and lack of creativity transports your vehicle that's stuck in the mud into a stick.

The potential for Multiversus is incredible. Fix some technical hiccups and you have one of the most exciting games of 2024.

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.

A wealth of single player and multiplayer content sadly wrapped in an always online requirement. Men of War II entertains but doesn’t do anything new.

SKALD is loving, expertly crafted, niche experience. It's Commodore 64 games and H.P. Lovecraft stories, so you'll have the best experience if you love both.

Horizon Chase 2 revs up its engine and fires on all cylinders to become a template of what a sequel should be.

Samurai Warriors 4 DX on PC successfully delivers a robust and satisfying hack-and-slash experience, enriched by a wealth of content and polished gameplay mechanics. While some visual elements may show their age, the game’s core strengths in combat and storytelling remain compelling. Whether you are a veteran of the series or a newcomer eager to dive into the chaos of Sengoku-era Japan, Samurai Warriors 4 DX offers a fulfilling and action-packed journey that is well worth your time.

If you can work around the resource supply issue… this is indeed a nice chill little game. It’s not overly deep or taxing… but it’s kind of nice watching your little town grow into a thriving city and the little fairy tale elements here or there just add another bit of charm to it all. It’s not terribly expensive but it’s not a huge game either so it’s about the right point (but if you’re not sure, just wait for a sale). Certainly worth a look if you want a city builder that’s a bit less stressful and has some mild fantasy elements.

A suite of changes make many improvements to the formula employed by Codemasters on an annual basis. A divisive handling model may turn players away, however.

While none of Crown Wars’ gameplay is particularly bad, none of it’s particularly exciting, either, and other games have done it before and much better. If you’re looking to turn off and play a few rounds of generic turn-based strategy, there’s probably something for you here, but for the most part, Crown Wars: The Black Knight is a disappointing addition for a genre crying out for quality entries.

Ghost of Tsushima is one of the best samurai stories told in the history of video games. Its combat might not be as breathtaking and perfect as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice but its world, side-quests, exploration, beautiful landscapes, and coherent gameplay mechanics, narrative and their evolution make it a timeless experience.

Wizardry Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlock is a fun walk down memory lane which successfully brings the original game in its entirety with updated graphics and slightly tweaked gameplay. Given that, this is not a remake of Wizardry but rather a remaster. Definitely for the gamer who is seeking that old school atmosphere without the old school graphics.

The Tavern Opens is an excellent bite-sized DLC add-on that integrates seamlessly alongside the Wartales base game experience.

A fun VR game that gravitates its focus on radiant out of this world superpowers

A creative merge of survival simulation, turn-based combat and tactical RPG.

If you long for the days of your youth spent exploring the countryside with only a stick for company or your teenage years spent cooped up inside playing classics like ToonStruck, Day of the Tentacle, and Broken Sword, then look no further than The Night of the Rabbit.

Paper Trail is an endearing and unique puzzle adventure where you MUST fold under pressure.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is precisely the kind of game Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty wants: A smaller game (you can finish it in a weekend easily) that is bound to see the company win more prestige and awards. Like Hi-Fi Rush before it, Senua’s Saga is the kind of incredible narrative-focused single-player exclusive that is bound to be on plenty of award short-lists at the end of the year. It’s a well-written adventure with flawless production values that I’m sure endless thought pieces will be written about (I’ve already thought of a couple) because it actually has something to say.

A VR survival game that tries its best to craft something special, but ultimately gets caught in its own web.

Musashi vs Cthulhu is a charming game that has gratifying gameplay and triumphantly creates a craving for the destruction of the supernatural.

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.

Lunar Lander Beyond is a good example of how to modernize a classic game. Many great things can be found in the gameplay mechanisms of the game, especially the simplicity of its complexity. Wished there were at least some mechanisms that would surprise me.

Shockman 3 ultimately feels like a classic run-and-gun game where the hero has forgotten to pack their pistol. Though hacking and slashing through hordes of foes is always fun, and it certainly has that high-octane arcade charm that most PC Engine games have even to this day. It’s hard to recommend to all but PC Engine enthusiasts and genre die-hards due to its punishing platforming and brutal boss fights.

Biomutant has a good base and plenty of things going for it, but I think that is also its weakness. It tries to be everything and in the end it becomes a mess of half implemented features and not fully fleshed out ideas. Whilst there is nothing massively wrong with the game, you can have an enjoyable experience. However I still feel disappointed that the game did not hit that next stage which takes it from an OK game to a great game. Maybe a sequel with more focused ideas could benefit this series.

A remarkable, captivating, highly enjoyable and unique experience and totally worth it.

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.

Endless Ocean Luminous is one of those niche Nintendo titles that isn’t for everyone. However, for those with a fascination for the natural world who can find the right flow state, there’s a world of discovery waiting for you in the forever blue waters of the Veiled Sea.

Arc Runner gets a lot of things right. A surprisingly extensive collection of weapons that can be unlocked for future use, all of which spawn with a variety of abilities and different rarities. The main skills feel great and you get a new mod after every map section; you’ll lose those mods after death but they can stack and offer great bonuses. The multiplayer seems to work well but is almost a requirement with how difficult this game can become running solo. If you like sci-fi shoot ‘em ups and need to scratch the gear grind itch, this game with sooth that urge, you can even bring a friend or two. I enjoyed the throwback, arcade feel so I am definitely going to keep playing Arc Runner……I need to unlock that Hacker class.

Just like the pandemic, you may want to create as much distance from it as possible - But it wouldn't hurt to play it if the story is of interest.

Grounded is a fantastic survival game with a compelling core gameplay loop and a marvelous retro aesthetic that is bound to scratch the nostalgic itch of gamers of a certain vintage. On Switch, it’s another one of those seemingly impossible ports that feel magical just by its very existence. However, thanks to its technical issues and stripped-back presentation and performance, it’s hard to recommend to anyone with another system they could play it on.

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron is one of those increasingly rare artistic achievements in the world of games that shows what can be achieved when its creators are left to make the game they want, as opposed to one dictated by a publisher and a panel of market researchers. Rife with surreal religious symbolism, memorable set pieces, and surprisingly solid combat mechanics, El Shaddai is one cult classic that deserves a second shot at success.

Overall, Sker Ritual is a half-decent online shooter hamstrung by matchmaking issues and a player base on par with the number of dog walkers you’ll bump into when going for a stroll along the blustery stretch of Welsh coastline the game is based on.

A short but well written story, a new game mode and some updates to Clive's abilities. The Rising Tide caps off an amazing pair of DLC stories that leaves me wanting so much more.

Contra: Operation Galuga is the perfect follow-up to Rogue Corps. That is to say, it’s an actual Contra game that’s worth your time and money. It may not be the best game in the series, but it’s certainly up there with the original Contra and WayForward’s own Contra 4. If you have a hankering for some running and gunning on the go. Contra: Operation Galuga (on Switch at least) is well worth getting to the eshoppa for.

A kid-friendly but uninspired take on the 2017 arcade game, better retro options exist for the TMNT crew.

If you’re seeking a challenging yet rewarding third person action game, this title hits the mark and more than likely Game of the Year.

Wanted: Dead is evocative of a mid-tier 6th console generation hack & slash game in all the right ways, as well as all the wrong ones too.

The best tennis game to date and frontrunner for top sport game of 2024, Top Spin 2K25 is a magnificent tennis simulation.

The Developers definitely succeed at creating a fun game for younger gamers, especially if they are fans of PJ Masks because everything is there. Additionally the control mechanics are well mapped on the Xbox Series controller that immediately had our younger player picking up the controller and start playing. In the end, PJ Masks Power Heroes Mighty Alliance is a sturdy platformer with a few different gaming genres thrown into the 2D platformer mix that offers gameplay targetted for kids, unlike some crash grabs out there.