Windjammers 2 is a blast when you get into its zone. But despite that joyful core, it feels like a failure to bring this classic game to a new generation. Just as its style is trapped in the aesthetics of years gone by, so too is its approach to design. There a lot to like about it, and for some the stripped down challenge will be a welcome callback, but I imagine most will be left wondering what the fuss is about.

Vermintide is a brilliant twist on the Left 4 Dead formula, and deserves much of the same praise heaped on Valve.

This is a fun, vibrant open world game with a great sense of humour. I just wish it felt nicer to play.

Deep and unique enough for genre veterans, yet also simple and welcoming enough for newcomers.

A brawler that's bursting with content and fan service, but held back by flakey online play.

A beautiful adventure with heart, humour, and satisfying hacking puzzles you can enjoy even if you don’t know anything about coding.

Provides nice visuals, new buildings, and some fun options for crafting and managing your city.

Intentionally and unintentionally thorny, but still one of the most compelling mystery adventures since Disco Elysium.

It'd be a heck of a lot of fun, too, if the gameplay wasn't plagued with rampant technical issues. Between pauses, hiccups, and slow-downs in heavily populated areas of StudioTown, it's a complete lag-drag. [Aug 2003, p.62]

Earth Defense Force 6 is big, dumb co-op fun and a masterclass in asset recycling.

The problem with this is that death, rather than some looming, ominous, ever-present threat, becomes little more than a minor inconvenience. And sometimes, when you’re stuck on a puzzle, it can be annoying too. Minit has no real stakes, which cheapens the timer system and makes it feel somewhat arbitrary.

The biggest problem with online play is that it's far too easy to dominate with a single player. [Feb 2005, p.52]

A rich world and amazing dungeon design more than make up for dips in the story.

Smart co-op shooting slightly undermined by poor stealth mechanics and dogged insistence on withholding the best toys.

Visually stunning but mechanically lacklustre, Valiant Hearts gets in the way of its own storytelling.

No polish or refinement, just lots of giant ants and plenty of ways to kill them. Ridiculously fun at its best, which it frequently is.

Modern Warfare 2 sets a new bar for Call of Duty all over again.

Well-formed and horribly addictive. [Nov 2011, p.75]

Difficulty spikes aside, this is a great PC edition of a fantastic arcade shooter.

But the eye candy is really secondary to its amazing action. [June 2008, p.86]

If you've been away from EverQuest for a while and you're thinking of coming back for this add-on, don't bother unless your goal is to eliminate corpse-runs. [June 2005, p.74]

Some scuff-marks aside, A Hat in Time is a creative, playful, and polished tribute to a genre that doesn’t get nearly enough love on PC.

A winning but wayward chimera of survival game, surrealism and storybook adventure.

Come for the neck stabs and stay for the surprisingly great combat, Assassin's Creed Shadows is a stealth action buffet with a story to forget.

Knights and Bikes tells a touching, albeit overlong, coming of age story about friendship and grief.

Hell Let Loose is a fun and accessible introduction to milsims, but I miss the complexity.

Don’t mistake price for quality – this is a top-notch shooter, limited in resources but not in heart.

More of a touch-up than a full-on renovation, but Sandbox mode is exciting.