Backbone seduces you into its world with its incredible style and characters. I was shocked by the game's first major twist and didn't want to stop playing. The writing is a highlight, and the music is dazzling. I was a bit let down to discover that my choices had little impact on the game's narrative, and the conclusion left me with more questions than answers. I don't know if a sequel is on the horizon, but Backbone is an overall interesting game worth checking out.

Many smaller games outside the triple-A realm, want to achieve the hidden gem status, but a hidden gem is exactly how I would describe Sword of the Vagrant. Its radiant quality shines through for such an encapsulating fulfilling experience. It doesn’t rewrite the genre, but it certainly punches well above its weight and should be high on the list for anyone wanting to experience a great little gorgeous adventure.

DariusBurst Another Chronicle EX+ is a decent game that heavily leans into the arcade genre. It fully commits to the theme, sometimes at the expense of player enjoyment, although you can’t deny the immersion. Gameplay is quite repetitive, and overly challenging, meaning there’s a skill barrier to enjoyment. The high production value definitely wins the game some points, and the audio and graphics are both very impressive throughout. Whilst I have no doubt that fans of arcade games will enjoy this, the difficulty and unvaried nature of the game makes it relatively inaccessible to gamers outside the genre.

The multiplayer action of Chivalry 2 has depth, replayability and, most importantly, it's fun. Torn Banner Studios have built upon the success of the original to create a game that could have a lasting impact on the gaming landscape. However, there is a distinct lack of variety in other modes and many key features are missing in regards to quality of life and accessibility. Modern multiplayer games are an everchanging experience, regular support and updates is a promise that the developers need to keep. Perhaps in a few months, the game will be in a better state with the inclusion of new modes, added customization and a greater parity between platforms.

Overall, The Red Lantern was a fascinating and unique experience. It feels like a modern version of The Oregon Trail but instead of traveling across a map and dying of dysentery, you ride behind a dog sled and die in a much colder climate. Creating a team of dogs and then sticking with them for every run until credits rolled was both rewarding and allowed me to connect emotionally. The Red Lantern does not provide the most complex inventory management but will almost always have you considering when to use which item. The loop of the game did begin to become predictable near the end, but The Red Lantern always brought me back for one more chance to find the path home.

EA Sports FC 24 gets the job done. It delivers a familiar 'FIFA' style game with its own few touches here and there. Fans who have grown accustomed to this formula will be satisfied as it stays true to what makes these games special. Ultimately, EA FC 24's most popular game mode 'Ultimate Team' is what truly makes or breaks a game. So far with Evolutions, it seems promising. However, it is not until EA begin to release content throughout the year that we will be able to reach a proper verdict regarding this game mode's full effectiveness. With Pro Clubs, Career Mode, and even Kick-Off seeming solid, it's safe to say this is a football game that you can sit back, relax, and enjoy playing. (Except for when you rage playing UT Champions of course).

Tour de France 2023 is polished enough to stand out in the sports simulation category, and it comes with some much-needed improvements over last year. However, the game is a bit too pricey for the changes alone, and it feels almost like its predecessor. Overall, it's a fun experience, but you'll be disappointed if you're looking for some major overhauls.

Bounty Star does a decent job of mixing mech combat with base management. You slowly build stronger mechs while earning money and starting a farm. Objectives can be unclear and farming doesn't feel as integrated as advertised. It's a decent game with good fundamentals but the farming aspect may disappoint you.

For all of its faults, Monster Harvest is still a unique experience that has the potential for a large payoff, if the team can rectify some of the problems. The premise is amazing, the execution is pretty great, and there are just a few more things to iron out before this title achieves legendary status. At this time, it's not a perfect game, but I can't stop playing it.

With my disappointment in Half-Genie Hero in the foreground, it's a bit easier to enjoy Shantae and the Seven Sirens's good points in relation to its abundantly minor issues. Controls are fantastic, the pacing is solid, and it harkens back (somewhat) to what made Pirate's Curse so beloved. Some may decry its simple difficulty, but for me, so long as the journey is immersive, other aspects can be excused. Neither a perfect game or a perfect Shantae game, Seven Sirens has enough magic to make it a welcome addition to a franchise with a bountiful future ahead of it.

Biomass is a hard game to pin down for me. There were parts of it I thought were executed perfectly. But there were other times when I could see that the game still needs some work. The RPG leveling system, for example, gives a nice feeling of growth throughout the game. But the stats are never explained, and it took me a while to figure out what each one did. The world is huge, and fun to explore, but I often found myself wandering into places I’d already been. A map would have made the game much better. There is an NPC who offers you one, but the price he asks deterred me from using it. The boss battles are excellent, but the difficulty means you’ll die a lot. That wouldn’t be an issue were it not for the tedious journey from the save point back to the fight. This is a game with strong potential, but the lack of clarity drags it down.

Tinytopia is the sort of game that I'd have my children play if they were interested in architecture or UFOs. They'd have a great time, but it's not something that will hold my attention beyond the time spent together. The absurdities are the game's strength, but it's ultimately held back by dull scenarios and poorly handled interface mechanics. You'll have a super cute time playing, but I can't promise it will last very long.

There’s something to be said of Sable’s casual, meditative charm and truly enchanting presentation. Unfortunately, however, it can occasionally feel empty and remains fraught with technical errors and performance issues. Hopefully, there'll be a bug-fixing patch on the horizon. Otherwise, Sable's fresh, intriguing world and solid mechanics could be overshadowed by its assortment of glitches.

Weyrdlets ties productivity and casual gameplay together by letting you raise a pet on your desktop. It's nice seeing your pet come with you even as you work or play on your computer. It does take a long time to get set up and enjoy the cute activities that are advertised. But if you want something soothing that doesn't take up much time, Weyrdlets is a good fit for your schedule.

Overall, Call of the Elder Gods is a good time for any fans of cosmic Lovecraftian tales and Puzzle solving. The characters are entertaining and the environments you visit are pretty. Yes, outside of the puzzles the gameplay turns into a walking sim, but it doesn't hurt the game too much for it to be an enjoyable experience.

It’s like watching a VHS version of a Blu-ray. The film is incredibly good, it just looks rough. And I really want to emphasise, this game is still very good, and I had such a good time playing it. But the trite phrase ‘you should play this elsewhere if you can’ definitely applies here. While I don’t mind visuals being under par, that’s a personal preference. I’m sure there are people who would find it hard play this game because of how rough it looks at points.

The Last Faith does not pretend to overcome its prior inspirations but impeccably attains a satisfying length and experience. It carefully adopts classic sensations, covering players in some of the genre's finest moments. Thus, in a gaming landscape inundated with overly ambitious Metroidvanias featuring ambitious maps, this game's convincing approach makes it an exciting challenge to complete at least once and a fair experience with increased difficulty for those who seek tougher battles after the initial completion.

Thymesia is a game plagued by its own potential and how high it could have soared. Even then, what we have left is a respectable Souls-like that, while not too difficult, provides an innovative spin on combat that captures a few flickers from games like Bloodborne and Sekiro. If you can tolerate the lack of enemy variety and samey level design, Thymesia may make you a little lovesick.

Should you be looking for a "Best of" collection of Mario Party goodness, Superstars should be your go-to. Though its flaws are pretty apparent, those keen on rose-tinted perceptions will find a lot to like with the newest iteration. Even those simply in need of some fun with a group of friends will have a good time with what's on offer, so long as it's local multiplayer and not online. It's a nice callback to the brighter days of the franchise, complete with a lot of trinkets from the past. May not be kind to solo players, however.

Feed the Deep's compelling gameplay loop lured me into the deep end numerous times, causing me to sink hours into the repetitive cave diving. Controls are responsive and fluid, becoming lumbersome in the right places to effectively create tension and build on the claustrophobic feeling. Game design is compact and the mechanics are user friendly while also forcing you to think strategically. Despite the pleasant aesthetic and mysterious atmosphere, the smaller hostile creatures felt slightly underwhelming, albeit this is heavily countered by the many eyes and tentacles of 'The Deep'.

The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition is the best way to experience your adventure on Halcyon. For new players who haven’t touched the game, there’s a good time to be had. A solid storyline, fun combat, and freely building your character's proficiencies. For veterans, the only real draws are increased character customisation and a better looking Halcyon. Even then, it's unlikely that there would be much to do after completing the game. It’s not the strong draw to bring you back that it could have been.

Overall, Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle improves on almost everything from the original game. The story may be lacking with uninteresting characters but the gameplay manages to help push through that fault. The Frost Grip is the golden goose of the game, having the most fun freezing enemies whilst collecting fun bits of lore and alien toys. Add in the fantastic atmosphere that fits with the type of horror, Invader Studios wants to portray.

Fort Solis understands what it takes to create a Hollywood style sci-fi movie. A well-written, gripping story, performed by a cast of talented actors who battle their way through thick atmospheres and tense conversations. However, the dedication to delivering a cinematic experience seems to have left little room for gameplay. Mars is visually stellar, immersive and begging to be explored, yet the slow movement of characters can become quite frustrating at times, making it difficult to want to play Fort Solis in one sitting. In spite of the pacing issue, the rest of the experience is enjoyable, capturing the essence of isolation and existential dread which comes with a deserted space station.

While it is its own vibrant and enjoyable game, Spray Paint Simulator feels extremely similar to Powerwash Simulator. The levels and equipment are fairly basic, and I feel as though there was missed potential for more creative and novel ideas linked to the spray painting theme. However despite its flaws, Spray Paint Simulator is still a solid addition to the simulator genre. The mindless and satisfying gameplay is ideal for switching off and zoning out, perfect for those moments when you're looking for a game which doesn't need you to pay to attention to cutscenes or puzzle solving.

Atomic Heart offers great graphics and enjoyable combat. While the weapon variety is moderate and the story predictable with some cheesy dialogue, the game excels in providing enjoyable character upgrades. Though it may not fully live up to the initial hype, it remains a decent choice for players craving an immersive dystopian game with an incredible soundtrack.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes stands strong as a dynamic take on the world of Three Houses however the repetitive gameplay and padded stories leave a challenge to even complete the game without using broken characters. The visuals can be very pleasing but the environments always feel the exact same. This also goes for the character interactions, which are dry as they will often repeat dialogue or say things unrelated to the story. Overall a fun interesting time is still to be had but only in short bursts. Fans of Three Houses will love this game but others will be left confused and bored.

Wavetale provides a cozy, enjoyable ride of exploration and puzzle solving. The story is one big side quest, but its subtext is well written - global warming, industrialism and the hubris of humanity. Gameplay is fluid and enjoyable with an excellent soundtrack and decent voice acting. Screen tearing and audio glitches distract but ultimately do not deter me from recommending this as a decent weekend getaway.

The Ramsey is packed full of bright colors, charming characters, and fun gameplay. It's a great modern 2D mascot platformer with an adorable main character destined to sell merchandise. And while it's certainly a fun time, it is held back by a shorter runtime and a general lack of challenge until the ending stages. And with a bare bones story, some people could find themselves mentally checked out a few hours in.