Alone in the Dark is the best game in the series in decades. After several failed attempts at a reboot and one awful cash grab, Pieces Interactive’s take on the venerable survival horror successfully fuses old and new design philosophies, respecting Frédérick Raynal’s original vision while adding plenty of fresh ideas of its own. It’s not without its issues, but if you’re looking for a game that actually knows the definition of Lovecraftian, a slow burn that is more chilling, the more you think about it. You might want to spend some time Alone in the Dark.

The Superhero context and Civil War setting between rival superheroes is excellent and I especially liked how there are modern references to online and social media. And while the game presents a slick RPG experience, dynamic combat, and plenty to explore and do, the focus on more generic fart jokes and lack of depth of South Park history jokes leaves the game feeling more video game generic, and less South Park specific.

Planet Zoo is an excellent zoo management sim with an impressive campaign and terrific graphics.

THQ's Darksiders may not be the most original game, however it works by giving the player a fun gaming experience that attempts to be clever at certain times and actually succeeds.

Star Wars Squadrons is great value for money at just $49AUD or $39USD (October 2020) and provides a superb distraction to COVID-19 Earth by transporting you to the stars of Star Wars. While the single-player is good as it introduces you to the mechanics of the game, it’s the multiplayer aspect where you’ll be spending your space flight time and that’s where the Star Wars Squadrons succeeds.

The story is absolutely captivating and the lore of the universe is unlike anything I’ve seen before. The game marvelously intertwines open world exploration with deep conversation trees and you can actually feel yourself building cases in your mind as you uncover more and more clues. If you’re not into parsing through pages upon pages of dialogue to get the full story, then Paradise Killer probably isn’t for you. But if you’re willing to invest the time, Paradise Killer will undoubtedly be a memorable experience.

Sonic Superstars is not without its faults; the bosses sometimes overstay their welcome, and the multiplayer feels a little underbaked in places. However, Arzest has accomplished something many Sonic fans doubted could ever be done. Successfully create a modern 2D Sonic that not only retains the feel of the MegaDrive/ Genesis originals but builds upon them in meaningful and exciting ways, and I, for one, can’t wait to see where the blue blur heads next.

The updated visuals of Tekken Tag Tournament on the PS3 is a joy to see and surprisingly the gameplay has dated well. However the taste of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Prologue is definitely something to wet your appetite until the next Tekken game. Definitely for fans!

Julaymba is an essential and revolutionary device for fostering education, conservation, and the appreciation of culture. Being able to integrate technology and Indigenous culture in such a way enables people to grasp the importance of the Daintree Rainforest both spiritually and ecologically. This experience does not simply serve as a fostering tool, but aims to inspire everyone to appreciate, protect, and learn from the land so that sustainable practices can ensure a beautiful and better future.

Carrion is a truly excellent game. It looks great, it’s an absolute blast to play and it manages to keep upping the ante at every step of the journey to create a fun and memorable gaming experience. The biggest criticism I have of Carrion is that it is fairly linear and rather thin on content – you can play through the whole thing in about four to five hours and there isn’t any motivation to go back through once you’re done. However, the fantastic pixel art and brutally satisfying gameplay more than make up for these shortcomings – do yourself a favour and pick up Carrion to unleash some of your built-up isolation frustrations on some hapless pixelated scientists.

The bottom line… there’s not a lot of intellectualising here… grab a car, pick a job, go out and execute the job (or target… well both really). It’s simple fun with a bit of a flair for strategy if you want it. Works great as a pick up and play game too so if you can only spare 10 mins or so (the missions are timed) you can get in a quick task and be off again. Worth your time if you like a bit of road based combat.

Penny’s Big Breakaway is a challenging, yep, approachable 3d platformer with bags of old-school charm, slick level design, and top-tier platforming that both fans of a certain blue hedgehog and 3d platformers in general should certainly check out.

Promising first episode.

Mullet Madjack is a fast and furious roguelike FPS that scratches that just one more go itch perfectly. It’s tight time limits and hair trigger blasting are as exhilarating as they are challenging, while it’s retro sheen, cyberpunk aesthetics and gleeful anti capitalist message make it all the more charming.

Bang on Balls: Chronicles is a fun game that should provide you with hours of laughter. Playing solo I managed to knock it over fairly promptly, but I think if you were a completionist it would take substantially longer. Give it a shot, you may be surprised just how much you enjoy Bang on Balls: Chronicles.

A fun, and funky platform brawler fans of Mystical Ninja will adore.

For Honor: Marching Fire is a great DLC expansion that introduces a fun new set of heroes to play as, movesets to master and game modes to enjoy. Even if you don’t pay for the content, you still get access to a variety of graphical improvements, and Breach Mode’s grand scale has made it one of my favourite new competitive multiplayer experiences in recent times.

While obviously not without its flaws, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana is one of the stronger, albeit more obscure, JRPG offerings to hit the PS4 this year.

Even as a shorter game and with limited character leveling, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is arguably the best beat-em-up and TMNT experience ages. If you have a buddy or several to tackle the forces of foot clan evil with, jump on this one.

Back 4 Blood is not just a new coat of paint. It tries new ideas to shake up its legendary formula, mashing together their learning to create a cohesive, insanely fun co-op experience.

It's pretty much paint by numbers style of game, it does not grab you by the throat or anything but it is so darn well fun.

Rise and Fall is a great addition to the Civilization VI foundation, not only because it adds a number of unique and interesting mechanics to the classic Civilization gameplay, but also because it adds a much needed layer of depth to the Civilization VI base game after the franchise’s transition from the content-rich peak of Civilization V. Fans of the series that were reluctant to move from V to VI due to the discrepancy of strategic depth between the two games may find Rise and Fall to fill that complexity void in the Civilization VI base game. I’d also recommend newcomers to the Civilization series pick up Rise and Fall along with the base game for their first foray into the series, as it’s a great showcase for the addictive, strategic depth that the series is renowned for.

Spider-Man Web Of Shadows does all of the right things very well, while it's minor inconsistent issues hide in the back ground, but do not take too much away from the super hero experience. Only major down side? No free roaming after finishing the game.

Paper Racer is a fun racing game with a quirky fun look.

Ar nosurge: Ode to an Unborn Star is a fun Japanese RPG that goes outside the square in terms of its bizarre story and combat techniques.

Samurai Warriors 4 on the PlayStation 4 screams next-gen as this franchise finally makes its way to the 21st century.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena is a well made action title.

Hardspace Shipbreaker is not just a game, it is a call to action to put an end to the tyranny of mega-corporations and every gamer who is interested in such an idea will enjoy it.