A below average port of an average game, Darksiders II's camera and graphics make for a mundane experience that did not age well.

An entertaining story, extensive character customisation and stylish anime presentation elevates Code Vein above just another Souls-like.

In summary, great DLC, can’t wait for more! Oh and if you haven’t already? Go get the season pass already! It’s pretty cheap and if you’re a true fan, you’ll love the simplicity of what it adds.

A trash game that had promise. Looks like a games executive got his kid to make a game in his spare time and published it.

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition is the ultimate JRPG package, jam-packed with dozens of hours of content and new quality of life improvements made even better with the Nintendo Switch’s portability factor. The game simultaneously celebrates its past and indulges in the old-school roots of the genre while simultaneously modernising it for the current generation, resulting in one of the best JRPGs of this generation. The Switch port is a labour of love with impressive visuals, rock-solid performance and ample fan-service that should be experienced by anyone looking for the perfect role-playing game experience on-the-go.

Lego Jurassic World is a perfect port of the 2015 title with all DLC included. It does not, however, offer anything new either in the Lego game space and/or from the original. For Jurassic Park movie buffs (and/or those with little ones who are), however, this is a solid experience if this the first foray into the title. Otherwise, take a pass.

Everything about Daemon X Machina works to make you feel like a central character in your own mecha anime. The visuals and the soundtrack immediately immerse you into the world, while the frantic gameplay and mechanics make you feel like a genuine mech pilot. The story is absurdly serious and undeniably cheesy, which is likely to polarise players – as will the intensely crowded HUD and somewhat unwieldy control scheme. Some players will take one look at the screenshots and begin to tremble at the thought of keeping track of all those stats and meters, while others will relish the experience of customising and piloting their own mech. Either way, Daemon X Machina is worth checking out and with a free demo available on the eShop, you’ve got nothing to lose.

For anyone interested in a rough idea of what our early ancestors went through as they slowly evolved over time… this game does offer an effective look and feel for that. It has some pretty irritating issues… but for the most part it is likely to draw you in and see you exploring your environment trying to unlock that next ability that will unlock the next branch on the family tree. Evolutionary denialists… well I assume they are not even considering this title anyway, for everyone else… if you can get past the hangups… Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey actually manages to mix a bit of education with an interesting game that may well find you absorbed for hours on end.

I do believe that new players will not only enjoy Borderlands 3 but will want to go back and play previous titles in the series. Borderlands 3 has only pushed the bar higher and I can only commend the entire development team on creating yet another fantastic game.

Konami once again delivers a beautiful game of football surrounded by some of the ugliest, laziest trappings possible.

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.

There is a decent game here… but certain aspects are broken. If you don’t mind the merciless push to microtransactions, or you can just look past it… then perhaps you will enjoy the gaming experience. Personally I can’t recommend the game on moral grounds, it feels like 2K took the criticism of previous years microtransactions and decided to just stick their finger up to the players and (pun intended) doubled down on their money making.

This game is great, absolute masterpiece in a genre that hasn’t really been popular in the scene. There’s great voice acting, a beautiful soundtrack and tons of action. If you’re looking for a great storytelling action based role playing game while fighting for good or evil, this is the way to go. Aside from a few frame drops here and there and the random audio drop, this game is a complete masterpiece. A diamond in the rough if you will.

The Sinking City on Nintendo Switch is an excellent port with an intriguing narrative hook and Lovecraftian visual style let down by clunky combat and an empty open-world.

The lack of online features and a few quality of life issues make the value proposition somewhat bitter, but everything else about the game is undeniably enjoyable. Pick this one up if you’re looking for a platforming challenge, or something lighthearted to casually pick up and play as the mood strikes.

Remnant: From the Ashes is one of the only games I feel comfortable using the term ‘Soulsbourne’ in a positive manner. It takes all the crucial lessons learned from From Software’s legacy and brings them to it’s own game world to produce a unique third-person shooting experience that is exceptionally fun. Whether you’re playing on your own or with friends, the gameplay is always thrilling and the allure of the bizarre and fascinating universe begging to be explored is hard to resist. Remnant: From the Ashes is an easy recommend to pretty much everyone.

For children of the 80’s there’s a lot of familiarity here and that does mean there’s a lot to love. It is a roguelike so if you get frustrated by dying and having to restart at the beginning, it’s likely not for you. If you like a challenge and your retinas can stand an onslaught of bright neon colours with 80’s references and an environmental message then this might just be your can of 7up… so don your powerglove, put on your acid wash jeans and get ready for some new retro gaming.

The gameplay while familiar has been tweaked and the level design is easily one of the best created worlds on a console, especially seeing it on 4K on the Xbox One X.

A nice upgrade from WRC 7, there’s finally a legitimate competitor for the Dirt series. Still, WRC 8 is best suited for those with a wheel setup and/or already fans of the rally race concept.

Value-wise, this is a reasonably inexpensive game at only AUD13.95. With that said, this is a game valued accurately – although there isn’t much gameplay itself, who hasn’t paid at least this much just to watch a movie?

Oninaki is brimming with ideas and heavy themes. Unfortunately this is hidden behind some rudimentary, repetitive gameplay.

The Switch port of Torchlight 2 is an impressive product overall. The game looks just as good in both portable and docked mode as it does on the PC, with no technical issues in sight. I can’t help but be disappointed with the restrictions on the local multiplayer, however the online play works well if you can find someone to team up with. The procedurally generated nature of the game also suits the design ethos of the Switch and offers exceptional replayability. Fans of ARPG’s won’t need much convincing to pick this one up, but if you’re new to the genre, then this is the perfect time to jump in.

There is so much to admire with Final Fantasy VIII. It was a game completely unafraid to take chances and that turned more than a few people off. But those who stick with it are rewarded with a wonderfully quirky game. It has a whole card game that will take up hours of your time. For those that already love it, this will be an easy sell. For those that wrote it off initially, or felt like it was a betrayal of the series roots, give it another go. The new features may help introduce a classic game to a whole new audience.

The game is a bit pricey (when I just checked it was around $114AU) but it is a fantastic story that draws you in and drives you on. If you are a fan of The X-Files or similar genre shows, material… I have no doubt you will enjoy this. An exceptional job from the whole team!

Mable & The Wood on PC is really enjoyable at times and very frustrating at others. Furthermore, Mable & The Wood caused a full cycle of emotions while playing through the main story.

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.

Contact is an absolute quality DLC release; it is a fully immersive, story-rich and refreshing change from the original game. Also, in comparison to the original single player campaign, is seemingly bug-free with absolutely no crashes to desktop.

Overall, the game offers a great experience that even though I got tired of after a few hours, I came back to multiple times. The game modes give a solid bit of excitement, but the real fun to me came from the online experience and special vehicles you can use to cause real destruction. I would give the game an overall 4 out of 5. I give it this based on its overall gameplay falling a little short in variety to me, but keep in mind that leaves plenty of room for them to eventually improve on the game.