If you are after a game that requires you micromanage a train empire then this might be for you. If you want a game that lets you run a train empire without having to hold the hand of each of your engineers… maybe give it a miss.

Endless Dungeon manages to create the perfect mix of tower defense, roguelikes, and twin-stick shooter to create a deep, yet accessible adventure for the ages. One of the best co-op games of 2023.

PowerWash Simulator is a relaxing game that combines gaming with mindfulness. I didn’t expect to enjoy this game as much as I did, but it is a very soothing experience that can be played for short or long bursts, especially if you just want to chill.

As far as city building games go in VR… I quite like Block’hood VR, you can delve deep into it and try and complete the challenges or just jump in casually for a nice relaxing bit of city tinkering. It’s at a pretty decent price generally but if you can grab it on sale then even better. If you miss the old days of Sim City this does hit some of those nostalgic points all while letting you experience it in a far more personal manner, right down to watching your little residents (human and animal) go about their lives.

So if you are after a dungeon crawler (or more correctly here a Tower climber) and you get your kicks from Serious Sam style play… then prepare to test your mettle as a Wizard to be, enter the Ziggurat and show them whose boss. If you are like me and find perma-death more a nuisance than a challenge then perhaps steer clear.

I quite like the approach of playing a human existing in this world of monstrous beasts. The sense of scale can be quite impressive and certainly makes you wonder just what it would indeed be like if these creatures existed. The general gameplay is fun enough, jumping about and breaking through walls to reach new areas. Combat is challenging enough but not too hard and even the frustrating monster events aren’t so long that they are insurmountable. A decent bit of fun for a pretty reasonable price.

Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny is a fantastic follow-up to a bona fide classic, that handily also doesn’t require you to have played the original to enjoy. The fixed perspective may have felt antiquated even in 2002, but its flamboyant cast, penchant for melodrama, and fantastic combat and boss battles more than make up for Onmiusha 2’s shortcomings. Though a Remaster, in many ways it’s closer to a solid port as it’s been touched up with a deft hand that understands that sometimes it’s the quirks of a game that make it so engaging in the first place.

System Rift focuses on the strengths of Deus Ex to craft a satisfying stealth romp.

In conclusion, Tomb Raider Underworld is what the series has been missing and although it may not the standout game of the year, it's definitely one of the better ones and it's good to see.

The Golf Club 2019 isn’t a perfect game, as it has it’s issues here and there, but it’s fun once you have the hang of the gameplay, especially when you play with friends. With 2K now producing the game series, it has great potential to become even better over the coming years,. Hopefully we’ll see some updates on the game’s visual issues, a slightly easier gameplay this game will be more inviting to everyone.

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.

F.E.A.R. 3 offers some great replay value from not only giving the player an incentive to complete the game a second time around with the enigmatic Paxton Fettel but some very entertaining score based multiplayer fun. It may not be the most graphical game of the year but it does pack a punch where it counts with gameplay.

Episode 3: Marrakesh is entertaining but it doesn't build upon the brilliant Sapienza mission!

Somber Echoes is a myth-infused 2D Metroidvania where you play as Adrestia, a fallen tribune navigating a haunting sci-fi world to stop her sister from unraveling reality. With fluid traversal, deliberate swordplay, and striking visuals, it offers a focused and stylish experience. While the combat and story can feel a bit thin, it’s a memorable, atmospheric journey worth taking.

Overall, One Piece: Pirate Warriors 4 succeeds in doing what most anime-based games fail at. Its fluid, offers a tremendous amount of fan service, and not to mention its ridiculously fun to play through with fantastic production and an equally incredible soundtrack to boot. For the One Piece fans out there looking for a game of their favorite anime, I say this is the best one we have on the market so far, despite the faults it has.

Here’s the Skinny Microids adaptation of Death of the Nile: is a stone-cold groove. Microids has taken the nifty mechanics laid in their previous Poirot joint, Murder on the Orient Express, and refined them til they’re super fine. More than just putting Poirot in some funky threads, the developers have taken the basic plot of Agatha Christie’s classic crime novella and made it their own by expanding on the text by fleshing out minor and tinkering with minor plot points in clever ways, as well as creating a whole far out b plot that takes the already rad tale to some far out places. Ya dig.

Etherborn is at the moment a game at contrast with itself. It has some issues with cameras and in a puzzle game that really cannot be the case. On the other hand it is majestic in it’s own way and challenging enough that there is a real sense of achievement when playing it. I want it to be better than it is, but like what it is. A conundrum.

Addictive monster-raising mechanics, fun turn-based combat and an intriguing take on cybercrime and hacking makes Digimon: Cyber Sleuth a stellar JRPG.

The game is a good jaunt into an incredible realm of sword and sorcery, any fan of the genre would be happy to have this one in their gaming collection.

Provides a limited off-line experience but some excellent online opportunities.

I AM LIVE is an enthralling game that will draw you in from the very first few minutes that you start playing. Given the realism of the game, it can be quite frustrating, however this is the charm of the game as it opens up the title for quite a psychological ride that definitely challenges this genre, especially with how you interact with others from combat to conversations.

So should you get it… well the short answer is yes! If you like Batman or even just good story telling then this is a great game to add to your collection… but I echo my previous statements… don’t get the chapters… just go straight for the season pass… trust me you will be frustrated if you only buy one chapter. When you get to the end of that story segment you will be left wanting more.

Life is Strange Episode 1 Chrysalis on the PS4 is an interesting adventure game that mimics a TV series and uses player choice as the catalyst quite well.

Star Wars Battlefront takes Battlefront to the world of Star Wars and gives players an authentic sci-fi experience!

If you don't mind the sim-heavy frustrations related to the controls in Baby Steps, you'll enjoy Nate's adventure and all his gaffs and the game's brand of humour. Cutscenes lack much of a point besides making Nate seem insecure and feeble, but despite how memorable and amusing it tries to be-Baby Steps tests your resolve more than anything. There is a meaningful tale behind it all, but Baby Steps more often than not makes you feel sorry for Nate and the odds are always stacked against you-just like Nate. Give it a go then, but nobody should blame if you take one trip too many and just don't feel like continuing the repetitive trudge.

Grow Home ticks all the right boxes for fun and escapism on the PC in this enjoyable arcade sandbox title.

For multiplayer, this game is a strictly a 2-player affair but if you manage to finish the game, it does open up a Director's Cut version that allows you to purchase additional guns with a couple of new levels. Add in bonus artwork, online leaderboards, 3D models and a few other collectibles and there's definitely some replay value here.

The skilful combination of breathtaking graphics with hopeful yet haunting music including hypnotic background space sounds makes Elite Dangerous: Horizons epically immersive.