Complete with a comprehensive hint system for those moments when deduction and reasoning fail you, it may not have much in the way of animation but it’s every bit as good as the studio’s past outings.

A single-player and couch co-op sequel to one of the world’s oldest racing franchises, whose rudimentary looks and driving model can’t compete with 21st century alternatives.

A mere remaster can’t hide all the foibles of a 20-year-old game, but this is a well-crafted tribute to a classic PlayStation 2 era game, that has long deserved a proper sequel.

A fantastically inventive and charming adventure makes a successful leap from portable to home console, but the high asking price will make it a hard sell for many.

A polished and highly competent roguelike deck builder with some neat twists, that can sometimes feel a touch too random for its own good.

A reincarnation of the 2021 Japanese role-player, that addresses every flaw of the original – and even if some issues remain it’s still a very enjoyable alternative to the Persona series.

One of the least demanded remasters on Switch is a primitive but surprisingly nostalgic reminder of just how ambitious and open-ended gaming could be in the Xbox 360 era.

Exactly as engrossing and meticulously designed as you’d expect of FromSoftware but even by their standards this is an enthralling slice of DLC that underlines and enhances the achievements of the original.

A walking simulator that’s also a love letter to The Thing, transplanting its blend of naturalistic realism and abject horror into an immaculately recreated 1970s North Sea oil rig.

Maps are varied, although all use the classic battle royale technique of gradually forcing you nearer to the centre, and while Squad Busters can feel simplistic, Supercell games are designed to be played for years, and we did find ourselves regularly going back for more of its cluttered, power-up fuelled mayhem.

It probably helps to have a bit of familiarity with the material, but even coming to it cold, if you’re in the mood for some deeply peculiar adventuring, this is completely free with no in-app purchases of any kind.

It’s sad to see another potentially great game ruined by commercial considerations, but compared with its predecessors this is a far less engaging grind.

The music is beautiful, especially on headphones, it’s polished to a high shine, and as with Alike’s previous games, your only complaint will be that is eventually has to end.

It does suffer the odd bug and seems a little battery hungry, given its lack of action, but the allure of Advance Wars’ immaculately honed turn based combat remains untouchable. It’s the perfect mobile catnip for strategy fans – or at least if you haven’t played the original.

A Star Wars version of Overwatch is not the worst idea ever, but its full potential can only barely be glimpsed through a miasma of cloying microtransactions and purposefully shallow gameplay.

A highly authentic movie adaptation but a sadly predictable, and repetitive, video game, that does far too little to justify the continued trend of turning 80s horror film into asymmetric multiplayer games.

The future of MultiVersus remains to be seen, but if it is aspiring to become a go-to fighting game for both offline and online gatherings, nothing spoils the party more than the free-to-play shell it’s encased in. This model might make it more accessible to players in the short term, but when it’s weighing down the overall experience like this, it’s hard not to see history repeating itself sooner or later – even if you can butcher Shaggy with a machete. [Review in Progress]

A charming, polished, and warmly humorous detective game whose cute 3D dioramas and delightful graphical touches are a pleasure to interact with.

The ability to play as real drivers adds a raft of new possibilities, in what is the most enjoyable and authentic Formula One game of the modern era.

A highly original indie action puzzler, with some wonderfully minimal visuals and a uniquely beguiling atmosphere.

A charmingly illustrated, perspective-shifting puzzle game about paper folding, that has just enough intricacy to keep you engaged without ever making you feel stumped.

One of the oldest and most influential video games of all-time remains surprisingly entertaining thanks to this loving and option-filled remake.

A clever of mix of new and old that blends together several different platforming greats but still maintains a distinctive identity of its own.

A fantastic remake of a sorely underappreciated classic, that has easily Nintendo’s best script and whose pseudo-RPG combat and exploration still proves endlessly charming.

A joyless slog of barely interactive entertainment and a muddled portrayal of mental illness… that just so happens to have the best graphics ever on a video game console.

A flawed sequel, that undermines some of the original games’ greatest pleasures, but this is still a uniquely enjoyable real-time strategy, with plenty of interesting new ideas.

A gloriously surreal third person puzzle game, set in a hotel where everything from its rooms to its artwork is part of a multi-layered mystery of time travel, mazes, and the occult.

A classic indie game that remains as cleverly unique today as it did 16 years ago, even if none of its original flaws have been ironed out in the meantime.

A charmingly short and sweet Metroidvania style adventure, featuring an ordinary cat doing ordinary cat things, in a game that’s perfect for casual gamers and for enjoying between larger epics.

A peculiar but well-conceived concept that brings together multiple disparate gameplay elements, to create a highly customisable, but occasionally somewhat shallow, vampire sim.

Much more than just another indie Metroidvania, as the intricate level design, gorgeous visuals, and clever item usage conspire to make one of the most entertaining puzzle adventures of the generation.

A charmingly old-fashioned survival horror that manages to make all the limitations of 90s gaming work in its favour, especially in terms of its enjoyably obscure puzzles.

Its sedate pace, delightful art style, and distinct personality translate well to touchscreen, the page turning and clue sorting lending itself nicely to the tactile environment.

Deciding when to make a run for base camp with your loot is an exercise in brinkmanship, in this highly addictive and touchscreen-friendly game.

Feeding the upgraded floors to your monsters triggers their individual superpowers, in a game whose action is fast, furious, and extremely silly.

One of the best live service games comes to PlayStation 5 and while the combat is still frustratingly flaccid the sense of camaraderie and exploration is second to none.

An excellent slice of DLC that genuinely feels like a missing part of the main story and features some of the best moments from the whole adventure.

A well constructed tennis game that takes practise to get the hang of, with neat role-playing style player upgrades and a season-based structure that helps prevent monotony.

As laidback and undemanding as the Wii originals but in the modern age it seems restrictive and repetitive in a way that’s unnecessary and even patronising.

A charming, cartoonish action role-player that’s probably not going to make Sand Land the next Dragon Ball but is a fun and unusual adventure in its own right.

At last, a Soulslike manages to do things at least a little differently to Dark Souls, with some clever new features that take advantage of the more cartoonish setting.

Its main character is an embarrassment to gaming but if you can ignore that this is a very competent action game, that borrows wisely from both Bayonetta and Dark Souls.

A spirited attempt to reimagine the ancient 70s coin-op as a modern narrative-based game, but the necessarily simple gameplay is a poor match for the overblown storytelling.

A polished Metroidvania infused with Africana, whose linearity and overreliance on rote-learning action sequences undermine its otherwise high standards.

A successful restatement of everything that was great about the early Suikoden games but many of its old school affectations will only be excused by existing fans.

A wonderfully bizarre premise is spoilt only by frustrating motion controls, but this is definitely the best Victorian lady slapping simulator ever made.

It would probably make a better movie than a game, but there’s still a unique charm about Harold Halibut and his slow-paced journey to discover his place in life.

A successful blend of Zelda and twin-stick bullet hell shooter, which sounds like a terrible mix but brings some welcome novelty to both styles of play.

One of the best Sonic The Hedgehog games never made, although the level design and combat isn’t quite up to the standards of Sega’s best.

The epitome of short but sweet, that is both a clever tribute to Drill Dozer and Ecco The Dolphin and a welcome alternative to bloated and overlong modern epics.

With a splash of gacha summoning, War Of Evolution descends into a, by now wearyingly familiar, microtransaction-based mobile template, completely wasting its early promise.

With no microtransactions or payment of any kind – and a likeable Terry Gilliam-esque anarchy to its animation – this is a lovely way of introducing yourself to various masterworks without once feeling you’re being lectured to.

Clever, cryptic, and with a wicked sense of humour, Recursion supplies a refined set of tools to go about solving its puzzles, and plenty of hints if the going gets too tough.

With a few, surprisingly minor, disadvantages brought about by touchscreen controls, Call Of Duty: Warzone Mobile does exactly what it says on the tin.

A barely-interactive movie that follows a mother and daughter road trip that is disappointingly short on both drama and meaningful choices.

A clever and well-structured interpretation of the classic TV series as a co-op brawler, that would be a fun diversion even without the licence.

An enjoyable counterpart to Ghost Of Tsushima, with some truly excellent combat, but the bloated open world elements can often suffocate your enjoyment.

A disappointingly shallow and unfocused adventure that is aimed solely at a young audience - and even they’re likely to feel somewhat bored and patronised by the end.

An entertaining open world action role-player, with an interesting approach to AI-controlled companions, but which proves disappointingly similar to the 2012 original.

A spirited attempt to revive the former glories of gaming’s original survival horror but a lack of scares and sub-par action can’t defeat the ghosts of the past.

A polished, beautifully rendered Metroidvania with a huge map, plenty of upgrades, and moments of intense frustration.

An excellent remaster duology that’s an interesting reminder of early online console gaming and one of the most feature-packed Star Wars games ever made.

A disappointingly timid reboot/remake that while competently made does little to add to the Contra formula or move beyond the original games.

It all still works on touchscreen, with a few inevitable compromises, making it viable to play while you’re out, before returning to your PC or console.

For reasons unknown, Pinball Masters fails on the most basic level, its blurry, low frame rate visuals look like an early 90s FMV game. That makes it hard to tell where the ball is at any given moment, which in turn ruins the subtle timing necessary to play. Despite the number and complexity of tables on offer, the fact that you can’t see any of them properly makes it a frustrating disaster of missed chances and late reactions.

A wonderfully weird console strategy game that’s inspired by the past but forges its own very distinct legend, with beautiful visuals and deep but accessible gameplay.

A surreal and unsettling work of interactive fiction, that examines not just the end of Covid lockdown but issues of friendship, passion, and murder.

A historical supernatural role-player whose portrayal of Warsaw under Russian rule is highly compelling but where the combat and simplistic detective elements fail to engage.

Another improvement after two stellar editions in 2022 and 2023, WWE 2K24 feels like the culmination of a WrestleMania-sized comeback for the franchise.

An expertly constructed and intricate roguelite deck builder that draws on the language and concept of poker, before twisting it with an infinity of modifiers, unlocks, and delicately balanced risk and reward.

A hardcore roguelike that has none of the niceties of most modern equivalents and yet its old school charm and small innovations make it enjoyable despite itself.

One of the most impressive remasters ever seen, with almost every element of the original retuned and souped up, giving new life to a seminal first person shooter that is still very playable today.

A charming indie platformer with a fun central gimmick and excellent movement options, let down by garish visuals and some deliberate retro foibles.

Another fun piece of Splatoon single-player DLC, with an interesting mix of third person shooter and roguelike that would’ve been much better as the main story mode from the start.

Skull And Bones has great naval combat but far too little else to recommend it, with a weak story and gameplay systems that amount to nothing but endless busywork.

Somewhere between a non-interactive VR experience and a half-baked licensed game, the latest Stranger Things VR experience has neither a coherent storyline nor proper action.

An object lesson in how to turn an old classic into a modern masterpiece, that surpasses even Final Fantasy 7 Remake in terms of appealing to both veteran fans and complete newcomers.

An intriguing set-up, with an impressively ominous atmosphere, is spoilt by overfamiliar roguelike elements that ruin the pacing and increase the repetition.

A gloriously colourful VR flight simulator with a wealth of content and things to do, that never takes itself too seriously despite its dedication to authentic flying.

While the interface works, the game feels half-baked, with no instructions and bare bones interactions. It’s not terrible but in its current state feels unfinished, which for a game whose name riffs on the expression, ‘work in progress’ is perhaps quite fitting.

Stamina, the single currency required to progress, arrives in minuscule volumes, making cash payments the only viable route to making headway in this offensively dull and exploitative perversion of a much loved series.

The world didn’t real need a Mario Vs. Donkey Kong remake but this is still the absolute best effort Nintendo could’ve made, with tons of new content and the same enjoyable but undemanding puzzles as before.

A surprisingly good set of remasters, that present the original PS1 trilogy in the best light possible and with some very welcome options for modern controls and graphics.

A sprawling action RPG with a poignant love affair at its heart, whose enjoyable combat and supernatural detective work is all in pursuit of a morally ambiguous goal of your own choosing.

Sometimes visuals are enough to carry a game and they certainly take Ultros far, although mediocre combat and some jankiness slightly undermines the unique vision.

Although it’s undoubtedly fun, the biggest question for Helldivers 2 is its longevity and variety. We haven’t played enough to judge that yet but then longevity is always difficult to discuss with a live service game, whose future plans are always in a state of flux. However, especially with its sensible price tag, this is definitely the best of the month’s online-only shooters, even if much of the appeal comes from shooting the wrong targets. [Review in Progress]

Despite its desperation to please, Foamstars is hard to dislike – but it’s difficult to say whether it has any staying power. There’s the expected battle pass progression trees, unlockable perks, and skin microtransactions to make your eyes roll, but it’s not as egregious as other live service titles in the same mould. In a similar vein to other B-tier online games with fun ideas (Knockout City, Rumbleverse, etc.), Foamstars feels like it’s caught against the tide, no matter whether it manages to stir up a dedicated player base or not.

The combat is good, and the script has its moments, but otherwise this is a highly repetitive open world shooter that makes very poor use of its licence.

Another disappointing Silent Hill revival, that gets some of the visuals and tone right but is let down by a hackneyed script and frustrating chase sequences.

A proper, meaty JRPG from a newly ambitious developer, whose top notch combat and art design is let down only by insipid storytelling and voice-acting.

A solid, if strangely incomplete, remake which matches Persona 5 for presentation and has some of the most interesting and varied social link options of the whole series.

A successful evolution of Yakuza: Like A Dragon, which makes great use of its Hawaiian setting and an almost endless array of distractions and mini-games.

The best Tekken game of the modern era, with a vastly improved range of game modes and the most accessible and aggressive action the series has ever seen.

An excellent set of remasters that bring the remaining three mainline Ace Attorney games to modern formats, along with a suite of extras and some effective visual updates.

A charming and beautifully constructed virtual train set, with an immaculately designed interface whose elegance helps make up for the game’s brevity and lack of challenge.

Palworld’s success is built upon the shoulders of giants but there’s no denying it is a fun experience, although how much of that is due to the novelty of it all is hard to say at this early stage. We feel almost guilty for praising it but despite the copy/paste approach to game and creature design, and the disturbing way in which Pals are treated, it does hang together as a fun multiplayer game, at least in the short term. Whatever you think of it, there’s no downplaying the fact that this has been one of the most successful indie launches of all time and one that may go on to have important ramifications for both AI content generation and the Pokémon franchise as a whole. [Early Access Review]

One of the strangest remakes of all time, given the amount of effort and care that’s been put into such obscure adventure games that, in all honesty, don’t deserve the attention.

Still one of the greatest achievements in video game storytelling and while the changes are minor the new roguelike mode and cut levels are interesting and worthwhile additions.