Despite the performance issues there is plenty to like here. The story is engaging and the characters are likeable. Using the Monstrum abilities adds a genuinely new layer to the core Ys gameplay and combat remains a blast to play through. The Switch may crumble a little under the weight of the game, but Ys IX: Monstrum Nox is still highly recommended.

Overall Falconeer has plenty to offer the player whilst lacking in mission variety the overall beauty of the world should be enough to offer the player plenty of incentive to carry on. The story is engaging without over staying its welcome and adds lore that can easily be expanded in a further game and like I said above this game is prime for a sequel.

All in all, Cris Tales is unfortunately an unnecessarily conflicting game. It’s incredibly refined features such as the visuals and character depth heavily clash with its subpar gameplay. However, if you’re a hard core retro JRPG fan then you may enjoy the game.

If you’re looking for an amazing indie game that will draw you in from the very get-go, then Death’s Door is indeed that game that creates its own engaging universe as you play this little crow who has been tasked to return the souls of the lost. Recommended!

Young, old, pro-gamer and JRPG newcomer alike should check out Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin, it’s my favourite game of the year so far and I have a hard time believing it will be topped by December.

Samurai Warriors 5 definitely has its fair share of faults. However, those faults aren't nearly enough to hinder the fact that the game offers a gratifying experience and is an excellent addition to the series.

Microsoft Flight Simulator on the XBox Series X is a truly amazing and engaging title on this next-gen console and successfully recreates a flight simulator experience that can be played by novices and experts.

Within the Blade on the PS5 takes a classic arcade sidescroller and morphs in into something slightly modern from RPG to crafting (over 200 items) and old school combat mechanics, including a plethora of different weapons plus clever stealth mechanics. Like the games of yesteryear, you’ll be overjoyed at times and totally annoyed when you continue dying so expect some controller rage … especially if you play it in permadeath mode. All in all, Within the Blade is a fun yet repetitive distraction on the PS5.

After spending some intimate time with Necromunda: Hired Gun, I can only describe the game as incredibly average. Its really flawed and fun parts cancel each other out in a near-perfect way leading to one of the most middling experiences I’ve had this year. However, if you’re a Doom loyalist and enjoy the FPS genre, there is some fun to be had with this mixed bag of a game regardless.

Guilty Gear Strive is undoubtedly another great entry in the series. It’s incredibly intricate yet friendly gameplay, attractive character designs, and inviting next-gen visuals are but a few of the reasons you should pick up this game, especially if you're a fighting game fanatic.

Given the price this is sitting at… I don’t know if I can really recommend it. I really need to qualify that though because I think it is absolutely a worthwhile experience, it’s fantastic story telling with stunning visuals. But that about 2 hours I mentioned at the start… that wasn’t just to get a feel for the game… that was to complete the game, from start to finish… about 2 hours. So at this point I’d only really recommend buying the game if it’s on special or if they do in fact add more content (I really hope they do because I’d love to spend more time in this world).

Ultimately the game is one I think best used as a time filler or a some time indulgence. You don’t need to memorise story elements or spend a long time remembering what the key combinations are… just drive and see how many times you can make your car spin in… well pretty much any and all directions. Not a lot of depth but I don’t think it ever really tried to be more than what it is… just a bit of silly fun. I’d probably wait for a sale but it’s not a bad price for something that can sit on your hard drive and provide a bit of fun when you’ve got nothing else to do.

Scarlet Nexus was quite an enjoyable experience. The game’s unique visuals and art design thankfully met my expectations and the fast paced combat was both fun and satisfying.

I don’t mind the game. I’m a big fan of the more traditional D&D games, but I also don’t mind a more brainless “mash keys and progress” type game and this arguably falls far more in that latter category. If you like a bit of Dungeon delving and aren’t too fussed about character details then this could be a good choice. If you really want page after page of stats and character story then this will probably leave you wanting.

Reviewing this game in the shadow of Green Hell, perhaps also sets an impossible benchmark for Open Country to meet. But in reality, Open Country is just a painful-to-play game, that generates annoyance without enjoyment. Hard pass.

I say this is a great game to have in your collection and I’d even recommend it for party game night or to just invite an online friend to so friendly competition. Create your own play by play and enjoy your time at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2020.

The Elder Scrolls Online Blackwood is a must have for fans and this expansion really fleshes out this universe even more with exceptional storytelling and world building, not to mention plenty of challenging and rewarding battles along the way. It’s time to invest your time into the world of The Elder Scrolls Online again!

Green Hell ticks every box, offering an incredibly captivating and addictive gameplay style in both story mode and survival and challenge modes.

Roguebook is a solid game with strong Card battle elements with a twist of RPG, and a slice of tabletop mixed in. Who would have thought it would be so addictive? I should have known, with company names Abrakam and Nacon, which already sound like prescription drugs. Yea, I am now thoroughly addicted to Rougebook.

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!

Team Ninja have succeeded in bringing back Ryu in 2021 and while it doesn’t offer anything new, this collection is a lean mean fighting machine and with the inclusion of 4K graphics running at 60 frames per second, revisiting Ninja Gaiden is a blast from the past with a modern twist and while the first game feels a little dated, this collection excels with the later two games.

Layers of Fear 2 may not be the quintessential horror-puzzle spookathon, but it’s certainly a thrilling, claustrophobic ghost story that easily holds its own. It’s at times uneven, and the puzzling isn’t as interesting as the backdrop, but for sheer storytelling prowess alone, it’s definitely worth setting sail on this ghost ship.

Over the course of its roughly five hour playtime, Wonder Boy: Asha In Monster World made me smile and laugh on countless occasions because of its humor, radiant graphics, and endearing world and characters. Though I wish certain aspects of gameplay were modified along with the visuals, I understand the motivation to honor the original game, and applaud the developers for leaning into its shortcomings. Wonder Boy is a lovely adventure for fans of the original and newcomers alike.

Overall Space Commander is great for small bursts of play, especially useful in handheld mode. Though the game struggles for people wanting to play for long periods due to the very repetitive nature of missions. People looking for a Space game on the Switch do have plenty of choices but they can’t go wrong with this, if they are able to overlook the economy and repetitive nature.

A pleasant little distraction to while away some time. Worth a look if you like the idea of peaceful city building, if you don’t mind not having a grand finale to work towards.

Despite the pacing issues and various bugs, I still think Beautiful Desolation is worth your time. The world is impressively realised and absolutely stunning to behold. Whether you’re talking to the various faction leaders and engaging their twisted ideology or simply exploring the remnants of a bygone human age, immersing myself in the world of Beautiful Desolation was an absolute joy. With that being said, I highly recommend playing with a walkthrough at the ready. Nothing quite breaks the immersion like getting stuck on a frustrating quest.

Ultimately this is a horror game that I almost don’t mind playing… that is to say there are certainly horror elements (it’s not fun trying to escape a spectre), but there’s also a compelling story and a quite well set out world to explore. There are enough moments of exploration without direct terror to give you a chance to breathe… but then you are subjected to nightmare material again. If you like horror games then this is definitely worth a look.

The game is good but not perfect. The menus are clunky, and the navigation of character skills armor and weapons needs work. These issues only slightly take away from the magic and overall polish of the game. That being said. You can do a lot worse when choosing a game from this graphical genre. Pathway is not perfect, but it is a fun time and will eat up hours of your day. Even with the clunky menu design.