The many short and sweet puzzles in The Inheritance of Crimson Manor make it a decent escape-room adventure. Although the frequent walking back and forth, and lean story, means this is not a definite lock-in for puzzle gamers.

Shio evidently understands the appeal of gliding elegantly between obstacle-riddled levels like an invincible pro, and often comes across as a more casual Super Meat Boy. Yet, the foggy storyline feels distanced from its rapid-fire level design, which can make the attempts at a meditative atmosphere feel forced and alienating.

Just Cause 4 is an easy-to-play sandbox of chaos with a sprinkling of extreme weather. It holds strong due to an improved grapple and varied tools, and while this explosive sequel won’t set the world on fire, you can blow up enough things to make it interesting.

Tell Me Why tackles a difficult subject quite well thanks to interesting central characters who interact maturely and drive the story forward. But limited use of telepathy, immaterial player choice, and a generally boring delivery tarnish this morose tale.

Thimbleweed Park feels like a party that Gilbert threw for his core audience, a true sign of appreciation for those who loved his previous work, and backed this game almost sight unseen. But for others, who aren't fans of Gilbert or the classic adventure genre, it's tough to recommend.

Despite the tremendous atmosphere, big open world, and familiar mechanics, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an uneven experience due to AI flaws, combat annoyances, laborious exploration, and technical issues.

There's fertile ground in this new direction for Yakuza; Kasuga and Co are worthwhile characters and the new RPG mechanics have potential. Still, this entry feels stuffed with forced mediocre side content, and like a rough draft of what's possible in the future.

Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles is an enjoyable enough adventure, but it’s missing a hook to get players invested. The game wants you to get lost in the economy and exploration it offers, but in just performing these menial tasks for their own sake it fails to create any moments where the entire experience is more than a series of distractions.

Solar Ash is a visually pleasing adventure that pulls you in quickly with its swift and elegant movement mechanics and a snazzy synth soundtrack. Despite the strong start, the experience begins to lose its grip the longer it goes, with unreliable performance and mundane combat.

Doom Eternal’s core shooting is strong thanks to grand weapons and enemy variety, but it buries the action under irksome resource management and stilted combat arenas. The bland multiplayer and silly platforming only hurt it more, driving this sequel below previous games in the series.

New Dawn is more Far Cry for those who have extinguished all their other options, but its new additions aren't fleshed out quite enough to captivate newcomers looking for a substantial open world experience, or entice deserters that have grown tired of the franchise formula.

Memories Retold is a memorable and engaging adventure that needed to be made. However, like a history lesson you half paid attention to, that doesn’t necessarily mean it was enjoyable to play. Ultimately, it's good enough to slog through, but that may not be the case for everyone.

LEGO 2K Drive feels like a modern spiritual successor to the 1999's Lego Racers that borrows several beats from powerhouse racing franchises like Forza Horizon and The Crew 2. However, unoriginal quests and shallow microtransactions prevent the experience from being special.

Damsel manages to be a competent action platformer that speedrun enthusiasts and leaderboard junkies should get a kick out of, but it achieves little beyond this. The constant dashing around while shooting vampires proves fun in short bursts, but doesn't have a ton of longevity.

NHL 23 is packed with modes and content that should impress almost any hockey fan, even if some of the technical elements could use a sprucing up. But in a world where NHL 22 exists, there are just far too few additions and improvements to recommend this year's game for returning players.

Worldless is not going to be for everyone. The harsh difficulty of the combat, and the thin plot can make it tough to move forward. However, there's satisfaction to be found in clearing the title's challenges. Combined with the splashy visuals, the adventure is worth undertaking if you're up for the task.

More a brief collectathon than a worthwhile adventure, Little Kitty, Big City is a somewhat charming but ultimately forgettable feline trek to get back to taking a nap.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie Video Game will provide some fun for fans of the film and the characters, but its high asking price and relative lack of content may underwhelm those who enjoy the typically better LEGO titles.

What's always been good about the franchise is still good here, but when it comes to making the next-gen leap, The Show 21 can't quite cut it. Series die-hards will likely enjoy the real-world rule changes, but if you're picking up the game for the first time in a while, last year's entry is as good as this one.

Though not without some minor issues, Light Fall manages to overcome its fairly typical visual design and platforming gameplay thanks to the unique Shadow Core mechanics and an engaging narrator.

Coteries of New York is a return to the world of Vampire: The Masquerade that fans will enjoy. Those unfamiliar with the series might be left feeling underwhelmed, however.

Trek to Yomi is a visual masterpiece with a solid story, unfortunately let down by its gameplay. Whilst there are some enjoyable elements, it doesn't hold up when compared to numerous recently released peers that do samurai combat better.

As Dusk Falls is held together by a strong start and good characters, despite the narrative deflating itself in the second half. Its choice and consequence system lacks real significance and more polish was needed for its atypical visual design.

Deep Rock Galactic offers some enticing exploration, as discovering randomly generated caves can be a thrill each time, and the unique abilities of each class are fun to combine. But things quickly begin to grow stale, like the air this far down into the earth, with repetitive missions and little reason to grind out your experience levels.

Hogwarts Legacy may not have enough magic to ensnare all gamers, but fans of the series will find more than enough enjoyment in Avalanche Software's open-world adventure.

Omensight is perfectly competent in every major category, but isn’t strong enough in any one instance to truly stand out. The unique story-telling from Spearhead Games is definitely engaging, but I can’t say the same for the rest of the game.

The Crush House has its share of solid moments, but it ends up oscillating between creativity and boredom. The day to day filming schedule needed to be spruced up to avoid repetitive dialogue and bland footage.

NHL 25 makes some minor strides to improve on last year's game, but will mostly appeal to those interested in team management and being a superstar forward. As a franchise, it continues to wait for a top draft pick that can turn things around in a meaningful way.

Solid deck building fundamentals are let down by a lack of progression and weak not-quite-RPG questing. If you like the idea of a deck builder with a relatively open overworld and a cheery fantasy vibe, you might still enjoy this one, but it's hard to recommend above its more sophisticated indie peers.

An experience which exudes humanity and warmth, from the writing to the visual style and music. A short game with some issues, but it packs a true emotional weight.

Reigns: Her Majesty is a solid sequel if you enjoyed the original, but it suffers from many of the same issues such as repetition, being at the mercy of the deck, and not really offering role playing choice but rather making you micromanage happiness meters. The low price point helps offset some of the annoyances, though.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a satisfying musou hack and slasher, but that style of gameplay can only stay fresh for so long. The carry-over from Breath of the Wild, specifically the strong art design and rich lore, should keep the hardcore crowd invested until the end, though.

High Noon Revolver borrows the arcade formula of rapid-fire gameplay and frequent deaths, and emulates it moderately well. The difference is at least you don’t have to keep throwing away your quarters. This type of experience isn’t for everyone, but there are plenty who will get a kick out of it.

#BLUD may not bring anything new to the table, but it has a fun personality and unique presentation to make it worth taking a chance on for fans of the genre.

Fallout 76 retains the same captivating immersion, atmosphere and organic exploration that made Fallout 4 so enjoyable thanks to an excellent open world, though you’ll have to contend with a poorly implemented online component and the typical Bethesda technical hiccups and rough edges.

Umiro makes for a relatively straightforward trial and error puzzle game, and if that piques your interest and you can ignore the frustrations of repetitive gameplay, it's worth a look.

Somerville is a nice looking adventure game with a unique puzzle element idea, but narrative and performance inconsistencies leave the overall experience a bit muted.

At first it seems that Heaven’s Vault is an absolute treasure and you can just marvel at the creative ideas that Inkle Studio came up with. But in between all those moments when I loved the game, some of the gameplay mechanics made my eyes glaze over and the experience would lose its luster.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe turns a solid Wii platformer into a slightly better Nintendo Switch title. The extra copy abilities are fun to use, and Magolor's Epilogue is a good way to wrap up the story. However, the lack of challenge in the campaign is difficult to look past.

Despite a tedious beginning and many generic traits, Scars Above comes alive near the end with decent third-person shooting set in an intriguing alien world that is oddly familiar in more ways than one.

Pokémon: Let's Go should satisfy younger players, and those entering this virtual world for the first time after having fun with the GO app. And while some of the changes in this remake are welcome, the core fans will find this title to be a somewhat shallow and easy JRPG that's a bit overpriced.

Pokémon: Let's Go should satisfy younger players, and those entering this virtual world for the first time after having fun with the GO app. And while some of the changes in this remake are welcome, the core fans will find this title to be a somewhat shallow and easy JRPG that's a bit overpriced.

Everybody's Golf is a solid arcade title that seems to do everything right in recreating the sport itself, and providing a carefree and welcoming atmosphere. But unfortunately, some jarring design decisions make this an overly restrictive and tedious experience that few casual players will want to slog through.

Etherborn is a creative and occasionally maddening puzzler that will test your brainpower. However, there's not a ton of content here, and the backing narration often comes across as pretentious nonsense.

Lightmatter rests somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to first person puzzlers. It uses the basic light tools satisfactorily, and the sharp visual style and brisk pace help it succeed. Unfortunately some technical blemishes offset its better qualities.

An insipid and muddled campaign holds back Call of Duty: WWII just as it disembarks. And the plain, inconsistent, and restrictive multiplayer does not quite reach the heights of its predecessors. Its best features come from the new online War mode and the reliable Nazi Zombies, both of which lack the tidal force to wash all the blood from the sand.

Chuchel’s overt humor and slick animations will make for an entertaining few hours but its simple puzzles and throwaway mini-games fail to ensnare deep imagination.

Having a unique core mechanic is a great start, but finding a way to stretch it out over the entire course of a game is essential, and that’s where Creature in the Well can’t stick the landing. It offers a smart idea, but one in need of refinement.

Sonic X Shadow Generations is a mishmash of enjoyable 2D platforming and frustrating 3D sequences. Shadow at least manages to somewhat mitigate the clumsy controls thanks to some interesting gameplay wrinkles. The title also looks good, but probably won't bring the pair of hedgehogs back to the forefront of the genre.

Gran Turismo Sport debuts on the PS4 without a number in its name, signaling a shift for this long running car racing franchise. While the simulation is still very good, and the presentation is top notch, the lack of content in both single player and online modes will leave most participants unsatisfied. With a full asking price and always-online design, all but the most hardcore fans should approach with caution.

Erica offers a very casual take on the adventure game genre with a rather convoluted story, but a great price and solid production values make it a novelty thriller that's worth a look.

Bleeding Edge has a solid foundation as a melee-focused multiplayer action game that tries to appeal to the masses, but it is a bit short on content, and has a few notable issues that need resolving. Within such a highly competitive genre, hopefully changes arrive sooner rather than later, if the game is to have a shot at longevity.

If you’re just here for the combat and don’t mind a bad story, or if you’re looking to soak up the nostalgia of the golden age of the genre for hours on-end, there might be enough here to justify a purchase. It was perhaps too much to expect that Octopath Traveler would compete with the JRPG greats, as sadly it misses the mark in understanding the nuances of what made those titles so iconic.

Fans of the film will certainly find things to like, but as you dig deeper into John Wick Hex, more and more of its flaws begin to surface. Bithell has always proven himself a creative game-maker, but he can't stick the landing on this one.

SILT successfully conjures a dark and unnerving underwater atmosphere, and fans of similar titles should be satisfied - though it's a case of style over substance, as the gameplay largely falls flat.

Sea of Thieves has provided some of my favorite gaming moments this year, but the repetitive voyages and reliance on currently infrequent player encounters to keep things interesting mean the seas are a bit shallower than you might expect in a full-price game.

Seasons after Fall is a lovely looking adventure that has some charm and decent gameplay, but it gets far too bogged down with repetition in the second half and this ultimately leaves an unsatisfying impression.

Trailblazers is a fun arcade racing game – from its varied modes to the solid presentation and unique gameplay, the formula for success is definitely there. However, a relatively high price, inconsistent AI and barren multiplayer prevent this title from reaching the podium.

There are a few issues holding The King's Bird back from being a true standout hit, but those who like their platformers to be a bit avant-garde, should be able to appreciate this virtual ride, along with speed run enthusiasts.

Serious Sam 4 plays like its predecessors when it comes to the general shooting, featuring open areas and hordes of enemies. But it could have been better if it cleaned up the various technical and presentation issues that ruin the fun.

Killing Room's onscreen murderhouse makes for a challenging roguelike shooter, and its reality-TV slant injects the sadistic premise with a welcome touch of humour; even if it routinely finds itself punctured by irksome design details and patchy technical performance.

Even if STATIONflow is about as dull as can be visually, and feels a bit rough around the edges mechanically, the rewarding gameplay often shone through, engaging me for hours on end.

The core gameplay of Driven Out proves solid and satisfying, and is enhanced by some super nostalgic retro sensibilities. Yet, the combat just seems a touch too slow on your part and imbalanced in favor of your AI opponents, which tends to make it tough to stick with the basic, somewhat repetitive gameplay in the long run.

As the existing fans look on with shock, Project Cars 3 decides to make a franchise U-turn. It doesn't cause any huge accidents and merges into the new lane with decent grace, but it's already trailing the pack of other arcade racing games, leaving many to wonder if it was worth doing.

Mushroom Crusher Extreme is an amusing, albeit sometimes frustrating, isometric retro romp. It offers some thrills for those willing to overcome the somewhat clunky mechanics, and repetitive grinding needed to tap into all of its content.

On its own, Impostor Factory is a decent adventure with occasionally interesting story elements and mostly enjoyable dialogue. But as part of the otherwise great series, it's a disappointing misstep.

Close quarters action games are already stressful enough - but piling on roguelike elements, and having to watch basic AI try to execute on your elaborate plans, makes for a tactical game that's often as frustrating as it is satisfying. There is plenty of content here, but only for a rather specific audience.

Although an improved sequel, there is both good and bad in Star Wars Battlefront II. Class-based troopers and a smart reinforcement system are hindered by horrid progression. The large modes succeed, when there are no bottlenecks or balance issues. And if the single player cared about its main character, then it would have complimented the game’s astounding presentation.

Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord continues to offer a unique mix of grand strategy and large scale 3D battles. The strategy aspect could have used more depth and variety, as well as a better designed campaign and a lot more tutorials. But it's the battles that steal the spotlight, with thrilling large scale encounters. While the developers couldn't deliver on all their ambitions, the distinctiveness of the gameplay still helps the sequel stand out.

The Great Perhaps is a nice looking adventure game that takes players on an interesting journey with solid dimension-shifting gameplay. Just be wary of the poorly handled mood swings and occasionally annoying design elements.

There are elements acting as a glue-stick, keeping Paper Mario: The Origami King from completely falling apart, but it is in desperate need of a vision. If you really need a Mario fix, look to the superior Super Mario Odyssey, which is already available on the Switch.

There is nothing special or complicated about The Gunk, but it proves to be a relaxing and light adventure that focuses on the manual removal of a toxic substance and the abrupt return of nature.

Codemasters’ first shot at the WRC license is underwhelming. Despite a responsive driving model and decent rally stages, EA Sports WRC offers an awkward career mode with shallow team management. Even the presentation quality is inconsistent, with some bothersome stuttering.

Siberian Mayhem improves on Serious Sam 4 in several areas, except where it mattered most: performance. The expansion’s poor framerates and tech issues are a shame when it has better level design and fun secrets.

Resident Evil Village is a decent entry into a franchise that continues to wildly swing back and forth, stumbling into success and failure, unsure of what it even wants to be.

Draugen is a frustratingly creative attempt from Red Thread Games that some will appreciate, while others brush it aside without much thought.

I enjoyed my time with Reverie Knights Tactics, and I think there's a solid foundation of a strategy title here. However, the disappointing finish to the quest, and lack of gameplay depth outside of combat cast a cloud over the entire experience.

Amnesia: Rebirth is a step back for Frictional Games. It offers little substance in the way of puzzles, exploration, survival, or psychological horror. Aside from an excellent sequence within a spooky fort, the rest is an uninteresting mess that relies too much on scripted detours.

Tesla Vs Lovecraft serves its function well enough as a simple action shooter. There isn’t much to the gameplay, but sometimes you can find a good time paddling through even shallow waters.

Days Gone is a fairly typical open world post apocalyptic survival title that offers a few memorable mechanics and story beats, but is eventually consumed by genre clichés. Poor technical performance further hinders its chances of survival, but perhaps with time that wound will heal.

Despite its wonderful atmosphere and interesting locations, Alan Wake 2 is a middling third-person survival-horror game with sluggish pacing, a lackluster Mind Place feature, and lazy jump-scares, too concerned about being obscure and filling itself with quirky meta-references.

As long as you have good company, Strange Brigade is an expedition worth undertaking. However, that doesn’t excuse the many issues the title has. The game would have benefited from refinements both to the aiming system, as well as puzzle design. Still, this cadaver-blasting, treasure looting adventure is an enjoyable enough reason to gather a few friends together for, as long as you know what you’re getting into.

With an excellent droid companion and entertaining lightsaber combat, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order could have been a truly forceful addition to the franchise. However, navigation problems and unnatural level design takes it back down a darker path.

Dawn of War III is a surprisingly inconsistent RTS with a disappointing campaign, coming from one of the most consistent development teams in the genre. The steep initial learning curve, muscle memory and furious multitasking required to fully enjoy the game’s multiplayer will likely alienate many series fans, but there are enough good ideas here that you can at least see what Relic were going for with this flawed but occasionally exciting sequel.

In Sound Mind tells an interesting story and provides an intriguing combination of first-person exploration, puzzles and shooting, but it fails to have the impact it could’ve had due to bland visuals, mediocre combat, and the fact that it’s a horror game that isn’t very scary.

Sea of Solitude dives into a broad range of mental issues and treats them carefully enough to be both educational and emotional. It’s just a pity that the bland gameplay drowns out some of its best parts.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot isn’t a bad game as much as it’s a boring one. Turning the series into an open-world RPG seemed like an interesting challenge, but the game goes about that challenge in the dullest way possible. Putting effort into the series' highlights and dismissively padding out everything in between.

Stealth fans might find enough entertainment in A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, thanks to moments of decent immersion and sound manipulation, but inconsistent and shallow mechanics hold it back.

Trinity Fusion is enjoyable to play, but the overall package feels lacking in comparison to others in the genre. The lack of character development, and underwhelming visuals are kept afloat by enjoyable core gameplay that should mostly appeal to dedicated fans of the genre.

Matterfall is a game filled with ideas and mechanics that seem fine on their own, but contradict and conflict with each other when added together. The experience is so short and stifled, that even with some enjoyable moments along the way, it’s hard to recommend.

Starlink: Battle for Atlas has moments of exciting combat, neat customization, and some engaging mechanics. However, this new intergalactic action adventure suffers an engine misfire due to a ton of repetition, occasionally awkward controls, and a lackluster story.

Seven: The Days Long Gone has too much going on for any of it to work well. The developers clearly wanted to build a big and elegant stealth-action game with all sorts of features and mechanics, but their inability to leave anything on the cutting room floor has resulted in game that's a bit of a mess.

Metal: Hellsinger delivers a rhythm FPS with a killer soundtrack that does justice to the music genre; no more, no less. It sets the stage nicely for a stronger sophomore effort, but for now it's just an opening act.

Battlefield 2042 changes the franchise formula considerably but brings no real improvements. While it has added flexibility with specialists and the Portal mode, the balance issues, poor maps, technical problems, and missing features keep it from reaching the heights of its predecessors.

Although lacking refinement, Winter Ember is an adequate isometric stealth game that might spark joy for fans of the Thief franchise. With a more robust story, tidier stealth, and narrowed focus, Arthur might have given Garrett a run for his stolen loot.

The Forest Quartet is a nicely atmospheric puzzle game that is over a bit too quickly and doesn't live up to its musical inclinations.

The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes certainly changes things up for the anthology, with a cliché over the top story and a new tone that returning fans may not enjoy. But the strong cast and some interesting choices help prod the adventure along, even as its awkward new camera and dated visuals try to get in the way.

Rainswept delivers an engaging and often touching story, but its dated visuals, lack of worthwhile gameplay and disappointing conclusion leave it in a somewhat muddy puddle.