A 9/10 game let down by a shoddy port to PC.

A wonderfully stylish game with puzzles that will have you pondering way beyond the confines of your playtime. The whole mysterious package is nicely wrapped up in a plot that will have you guessing just as much as the varied conundrums.

Brilliant, infuriating, beautiful, frustrating, fantastic, and hateful. Battlefield 1 is a great game, but perhaps not one for the more casual solo player.

The match-up of Warhammer and Total War is as harmonious as hoped, adding tremendous faction diversity and fantasy flavour to the familiar series mechanics. It’s technically sound too, but several old flaws (like AI blind spots in sieges) remain. An invigorating addition to the series, nonetheless.

Dishonored 2 is a fantastic game. It may, in fact, be the best game you really shouldn’t risk buying right now, because right now it’s a technical mess. Yes, I hope a patch comes out soon which fixes a lot of these issues – but yes, I’m also worried that a lot of this is baked into the new Void Engine, and if that’s the case… well, this might be something to look into in a year or two. I’ll keep you updated, but for now, a definite “buyer beware” on an otherwise phenomenal game.

Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition has the content to keep you entertained for a time. Unfortunately, the visuals and core mechanics are woefully behind 20 years after its initial release. It's a nostalgia trip for fans given the low price, but it's lacking in this new age of strategy games.

It’s a more physical FIFA this year, with greater emphasis on build-up passing and positional movement than one-on-one dribbling. Aspects of these changes can irritate, but the major disappointment with FIFA 17 is its failure to engage with any of the series’ lingering legacy problems, even on a new engine.

Unsighted delivers engaging top-down action combat and a heartwarming narrative about connection, sacrifice, and love. The gameplay is fast and victory tastes sweet. Not everyone will enjoy the journey's burdens, and getting lost can frustrate you immensely, but the destination is worth the journey.

Although it has it's charm, there is little substance to this cat based pirate game. It is a game decidedly marketed at young children.

Lies of P plays well enough with a world that's reasonably captivating but it struggles to find an identity for itself and follows in the footsteps of Dark Souls and Bloodborne without managing to step out from their shadow.

A Highland Song is a gorgeous game that will deliver a genuine and beautiful story. There are many secrets to discover, despite the travel mechanics that get in the way.

It demands dedication (unless you’re a series vet) and neither AI nor UI are exactly flawless, but once you’re entrenched Hearts of Iron IV reveals itself as a capable and absorbing alt-history WW2 generator.

Crusader Kings III: Royal Court offers a plethora of customization options and more role-playing flavor. Sadly, it's bogged down by its reliance on random events that can get tiresome later in your campaign.

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom has a lot going for it, but its frustrations and pacing issues are a detriment to the overall experience.

The Banner Saga 2 reaps all the benefits and foibles of strict continuity. It maintains the outstanding presentation and decision-based narrative highs of the first entry, but minor changes to mechanics are unlikely to sway opinion on the unique, but slightly peculiar, combat system.

Football Manager is an annual series that really only has to worry about competing with itself. Aside from a few pipe dream projects on Steam, there are really no other football management titles around. Despite not all the feature changes being an unqualified success, Football Manager 2018 is still to be recommended as an absurdly detailed simulation title. To this day, it has a propensity for generating narratives rivaled only by the Paradox grand strategy games. But if you do already own Football Manager 2017 I’d regard the yearly upgrade as gently desirable rather than an urgent necessity.

One Step From Eden provides a unique, fast-paced experience. The combat and deck-building are fun, but it does a poor job explaining game mechanics, and given the depth of the game's card system that makes it a little bit too difficult.

Yakuza Kiwami 2 doesn't hit all the notes of its predecessor, but it's still a gorgeous re-imagining of one of Sega's finest action games.

An enjoyable adventure, but one that hews a little too close to its FPS Fallout roots.

In tandem, the (free) Banks 1.5 update and Utopia contribute a splendid set of features and mechanical changes to Stellaris. Taken alone, Utopia is more the luxury trimmings to Banks’ essentials, but it’s a fine package of unique species specialisation and mega-engineering all the same.

Cult of the Lamb relies on its demented humor and zany ideas that add charm. Sadly, some mechanics are either too streamlined or troublesome. You're bound to enjoy it for several hours until it becomes repetitive to a fault.

A deadly combination of challenging puzzles and curiosity-driven exploration, though it’s the puzzle fanatic that’ll walk away most satisfied.

Victoria 3 is, without a doubt, grand in scale and scope, and it's downright gorgeous, too. Sadly, the countless mechanics mean that there are too many moving parts, which lead to more questions than answers. The automation and streamlining of battle is, likewise, a baffling change. Even as a veteran of Paradox Interactive's games, this is still one series that I can't get behind.

Sometimes exceptional, always ambitious, but periodically falling short of its aims, Torment: Tides of Numenera is testament to the tribulations of following a universally established creative triumph. Well worth playing, nonetheless.

Solid. Dependable. This edition of Football Manager has set itself up not to concede, and to make occasional expressive forays into new territory. The scattering of innovations (hilarious character creator aside) are worthwhile, but some old, persistent quirks still rankle.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order certainly tries, but as Yoda pointed out, you either do or do not. For the most part, it does -- but without the grace or precision of a full-fledged Jedi Knight. The apprentice is not yet the master.

F1 22 is a flawed entry that has been tainted by its desperation to seemingly appeal to casual players. Even so, the driving mechanics carry the game, and it still manages to be a fun racing experience. Against all of the odds, F1 22 pulled through and is something worth playing.

If you're in the market for a no-nonsense, balls-to-the-wall, frame-accurate movement shooter, then this neon-soaked game from One More Level will hit the spot. However, it isn't without its flaws.

Fantastic gameplay paired with a game structure that resembles a tech demo makes Boomerang X worthwhile, even if it doesn't live up to its potential.

Great game design wise and play ability wise with a cute story to go along with it. It has the right kind of balance of being both easy to play and challenging at the same time. It really makes you think. The sequel is great for those who want to get into the series and you don't need to have played the first to get into it. Overall a solid solid game.

Halo: Reach has an engaging campaign and numerous multiplayer game modes to keep you pre-occupied. Unfortunately, various issues abound from technical woes and lack of options, to matchmaking problems, and it's hardly what you'd expect from the flagship FPS franchise's arrival on PCs. Like the protagonist's namesake, this effort is more of a "six" unless we see more patches down the line.

Anno 1800 is a return to Blue Byte and Ubisoft's long-running city-building franchise. Sadly, a number of flaws prove to be detrimental to an enjoyable voyage.

There’s a fairly familiar (albeit shorter) list of things in FIFA 18 to sigh about and wish EA would use some of their ample resources to fix, even if you ignore my paranoid suspicions about bouts of idiocy from otherwise competent virtual footballers. But I must admit that this installment’s renewed emphasis on tricky defending and darting midfielders getting on the end of crosses makes it a fair bit more engaging than FIFA 17 felt on launch. It’s building on where that game left off at the end of its life-span, so if you’re already appreciative of the FIFA ‘feel’, and can cope with more involved defensive duties, you’ll find it suitably inviting. I complain, but another several hundred hours in FIFA 18 inevitably await.

Company of Heroes 3 retains the gameplay of the predecessors while disappointing with the bizarre campaign decisions and lack of polish.

Although A Plague Tale: Innocence features spectacular artwork and excellent characters, they can't make up for the boring, predictable gameplay.

Something of a return to form after 15, but sooner rather than later EA will need to stop re-arranging pieces of their existing code and actually develop a properly new and substantial FIFA engine.

Gorgeous and aided by satisfying combat mechanics, Young Souls is damaged by inconsistent difficulty, balance issues, bugs, and cheap boss encounters.

Can’t fault the professionalism in pumping out one of these every year; but though Football Manager 2017 is up to standard and makes some iterative tweaks of note, it’s getting harder to ignore certain systemic issues which remain unaddressed.

In a lot of ways, it’s a game made for a specific audience. I’m part of that audience, and while there’s a bunch of stuff I wish was different, or better tuned, or more coherent (and maybe was a few chapters shorter, as the real climax of the game takes place a little way before the end) I had a bloody good time. It’s not for everyone – certainly not for those expecting a deep horror experience – but it scratches my Resident Evil 4 itch in a stylish and pleasing way.

Civilization VI: Gathering Storm has new leaders, wonders, and mechanics to freshen up your experience. Unfortunately, some of these features occur fairly late, or are non-factors in your playthroughs.

Despite the palpable chill in the air throughout, there's a cosy fire burning at the heart of Wildfrost. Gather round for a tough-but-rewarding deckbuilding adventure.

On one hand I really like a lot of what Fall Guys has to offer. It's bright, colorful, zany, and it controls well, but some of the round types are simply obnoxious and the RNG makes each game a crapshoot.

Despite having a lengthy campaign and sound gameplay mechanics, a number of technical hiccups, randomized rewards, and egregious repetitiveness hold back Fantasy General 2. It tries to combine a unique fantasy RPG experience with wargaming strategy, but it falls just a little bit short on both counts.

Octopath Traveler's beautiful art, music, and in-depth combat system make it a journey worth taking, despite the haphazard plotting and somewhat repetitious nature.

Let’s face it: if you played Life is Strange then you’ve probably bought this already, and if you haven’t, then you should play that first. If you’re one of the few Life is Strange players who haven’t picked this up yet, I’d definitely recommend waiting until we see how the rest of it turns out. What’s here is good and fine, but this episode feels like a prequel episode (no pun intended) that’s building up to whatever’s going to happen.

Total War: Three Kingdoms - Mandate of Heaven presents a massive conflict and an evolving sandbox campaign, with several features and events to keep you entertained. Sadly, it's also bogged down by its reliance on older concepts that lack strategic depth, glaring bugs, as well as missed opportunities. Though you could expect to log in the extra hours, it becomes repetitious to a fault once the rebellion has been quashed.

Over-linearity and rubbish dungeon design bog it down a bit, but the combat, characters, and rather unusual plot still make Tales of Berseria a tale worth experiencing.

A frantic co-op shooter in the same vein as Contra, Blazing Chrome is an electrified, 16-bit inspired run-and-gun game that will keep your trigger finger numb and your profanities loud.

Decent third-person shooting mechanics, geared strongly toward co-op; but unless your brain is tickled by colour-tiered items the rote repetition will eventually drive you from Manhattan. The Division’s speculative catastrophe fiction never sits convincingly with its pure, stat-based loot grind.

While Duck Detective: The Secret Salami has an incredible voice cast, colorful characters, and an intriguing plot, I was let down by the puzzles and gameplay. There were a few puzzles that I solved on my own with no issue, but many puzzles had clues that left me in the dark instead of guiding me.

It’s still the same compulsive, time-attack Trackmania, but some of the beautifully chaotic edges (particularly regarding custom online multiplayer) that made it a cult hit on PC have been dulled.

A love letter to Boris and Arkady that brings their anomalous horrors to the Pacific Northwest. Pacific Drive makes up for what it gets wrong in pacing with imaginative gameplay and exceptional design.

A notable drop in depth compared to the Nioh games, Wo-Long still has some engaging additions inspired by Sekiro. I often enjoyed myself but repetition and a horribly uneven difficulty curve certainly don't help.

Deserts of Kharak is a worthy addition to the Homeworld series, but as a unit-focused RTS it can feel a little flat and predictable until about three quarters of the way through the thirteen missions. It’s really not until late in the game that the missions become more challenging and interesting.

Frostpunk: The Last Autumn has a promising concept and setting, but it fails to do enough differently to justify the toil. If these are the people you're trying to save, you might as well let the world freeze over.

The definition of short but sweet, except you're also short and a horrible goose. Possibly too short for some tastes, but an excellent and hilarious stealth-puzzler nonetheless.

There is a good game hiding underneath Overwatch 2's predatory shell, one that is soon to evolve into an even more massive headache for players as the game evolves.

Shadow Warrior 2’s excellent combat mechanics cleave through its weak story and over-abundance of iffy loot. The result is a title that’s incredibly satisfying to play, almost in spite of the surrounding flaws.

Othercide has a number of interesting quirks and its art design, with gothic and noir elements, creates a uniquely forboding atmosphere. Unfortunately, it's also got a ridiculous degree of difficulty that you normally don't associate with the turn-based strategy genre. The game's roguelite concepts are more than welcome, though repetition and restarts, combined with the genre's slower progression and mission system, will make playthroughs feel like time-consuming affairs.

Curse of the Dead Gods' combat system is extremely rewarding, and the challenge will keep you on your toes. Unfortunately, it lacks a lot in terms of content and it can be repetitive within a few hours. It's worth playing in bursts, but it doesn't have enough to satisfy long-term engagement.

This is a solid Star Wars game with excellent combat, great immersion for fans, and an engaging story. It looks great at most times, but runs poorly overall and needs patches for PC before it gets a solid buy recommendation.

Overall, Sairento VR is a solid VR game, it may not have the polish of some AAA VR titles but that’s to be expected as Mixed Realms are a tiny indie studio which is probably why bugs have slipped through the net. This is a game that will challenge your VR skills, the weapons respond well and the movement is excellent which is a huge plus in VR. Despite its flaws, Sairento VR is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for some fast-paced VR action.

It executes its executions exquisitely, and I’m not yet at the point where I’m getting tired of it.

While it mostly iterates on the foundation laid by other games in the genre, quirky writing and characters help keep things fresh. Unfortunately, Mutant Year Zero’s short campaign and predictable story hold it back from being a slam dunk.

As long as you go into the experience knowing what to expect, Altdeus: Beyond Chronos has the potential to be genuinely entertaining. However, on the scale of interactivity, this really doesn't qualify a game. Their inability to take full advantage of the VR platform ultimately seals it's fate as nothing more than an acquired taste that will prove to be off-putting to many.

Redout 2 is a niche product that won't be for everyone. However, if you happen to fall into its target audience, then it'll offer enough to keep you entertained for some time. Just be prepared to fail over and over before things start getting fun.

Kunai is a bite-sized Metroidvania that’s well worth the pick-up for the fast, frenetic action alone. Once all the foes have been fought and the bosses have been bested, the Kunai content well has run empty.

Hot Wheels Unleashed has a lot of good concepts and ideas that are sullied by awkward execution and weird design choices. Its physics could use some more fine-tuning, and its AI needs to be rebalanced, along with a revamped track builder. Yet, there's still some glimmer to its toy car shine.

Revita may turn off or encourage players with its main gameplay mechanic, which is an interesting take on the genre. However, some of the game's poor pacing and progression might shut out your heart from this beautiful-looking game.

Per Aspera reaches for lofty heights, but I could never shake the impression that the difficulties I encountered were more because of the game breaking down rather than Mars being a hostile place. But who knows, patches do wonders these days.

Pac-Man never really changes his ways, but Championship Edition 2 proves that a three-and-a-half decade old videogame star can still pull a crowd. This is a smart set of takes on what may genuinely be a timeless mechanical formula.

The same array of activities that has made past games in the series such a joy to play returns once more, but the effect isn't quite as impressive because the central story hasn't been given enough time to properly develop.

Iratus: Lord of the Dead tweaks the team tactics formula of Darkest Dungeon but cuts down on the management aspect to focus firmly on moving quickly from combat to combat. It lacks the narrative flair or emotional punch of its inspiration but makes up for it with satisfying tactical options and a balanced challenge level.

Some technical issues still exist and delving deep into mysterious sites doesn't mesh well with the overall gameplay. However, Age of Wonders: Planetfall - Revelations does present an engaging campaign. Likewise, its unique mechanics such as the Heritor secret tech and Forgotten faction's use of Entropy weapons are worth a try.

Total War: Three Kingdoms - Fates Divided is one of the game's weakest DLCs when it comes to narrative events, but it does present a great scenario for a Cao Cao or Yuan Shao campaign. For the most part, though, you're looking at a highly impressive free update. It truly makes the game more refreshing and engaging, thereby also completely overshadowing what the DLC provides.

Rebel Galaxy Outlaw successfully builds upon the first game by introducing an entirely new combat system. This change is a major step forward, and it shows that the developers are putting their resources towards bettering this series. Overall, the rich RPG mechanics mixed with classic space flight make for some deep and engaging gameplay.

Dying Light 2 still retains many of the key factors that made the original enjoyable and exhilarating. Unfortunately, it's also bogged down by technical issues, janky mechanics, and a restrictive save system that prevents you from readily seeing outcomes.

Dodgeball Academia has all the potential to be an epic, superpowered sports RPG. The dodgeball battles are lively and fun, but the story never reaches the fantastical heights it alludes to at the beginning of the game. It's enjoyable but not one for the record books.

While Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock has its share of minor problems, they don’t significantly detract from some engaging tactical encounters within a universe of familiar sights, sounds, and Cylons.

Star Wars Outlaws does a lot of things right and a lot of things wrong, resulting in a gorgeously realized galaxy that feels simultaneously dated and innovative.

Relic reinvent Dawn of War once again, retaining many RTS staples and borrowing a little from their MOBA genre-cousins. It’s not a flawless mix, and the multiplayer contents are a bit lean; but distinctive factions, a solid campaign, and largely compatible mechanics give Dawn of War 3 a strong base of operations.

Hard West 2 has some refreshing ideas to consider, such as perks based on your deck of cards, and consistently refreshing action points by way of kills. Unfortunately, its over-reliance on a puzzle-like, kill-all-in-one-round concept also leads to a repetitive and tedious romp as time wears on.

Warriors Orochi 4 performed admirably well in our benchmark test, and it seems Koei Tecmo have learned from lessons past. The magic system and seamless transitions between attacks make for a freshly dynamic gameplay experience. However, as with all Warriors games, it can get repetitive after a while. The visuals and effects are beautiful, but a gigantic cast, lousy officer AI pathing, and tacked on mechanics make it bloated at the same time.

A mid-season episode which keeps the narrative wheels turning, steps up the action in places, and (at last) gives the Ironrath Forresters some brief moments of triumph.

Backpack Hero offers some neat adventures worth experiencing, but you'll have to grapple with a persistently irritating interface and other rough edges to find them all.

An excellent fighting game fine-tuned for tense, thrilling bouts. While the fighting is always fun, its feature set is slim, with only a handful of modes that don't stray far from the core gameplay. If you're looking for a fight, you've found a good one, but don't expect a big story mode or much side content.

Those who covet unique 4X factions and absorbing, atmospheric exploration should probably head elsewhere, but if you’re looking for logistical military exercises and satisfying galactic planning then Polaris Sector has you well covered.

Out on the plains and forest floors, the Wood Elf forces emphasise mobility, micro-management (which can just mean lots of using the pause button in single player), and, to perhaps a lesser extent than expected, archery prowess. They represent another smart translation from tabletop to Total War, and add further tactical challenges to Creative Assembly’s ever-evolving game through their expanded economy and unique campaign goal.

Imaginative mechanics and puzzle design at war with finicky, picky gameplay mechanics. Add in a borderline useless player character and you've got the recipe for a good puzzle game damaged by various annoyances.

Imperator: Rome combines the quirks and mechanics of multiple Paradox titles, but it lacks the charm and depth to stand out on its own. It wore the trappings and regalia of Marcus Aurelius, yet, once removed, out came Commodus instead.

Wolfstride is an enjoyable anime-like mech fighting adventure with an interesting cast of characters. Other than the slow start, it's easy to ignore the parts that fall short.

Weird West does have some interesting and novel ideas. Sadly, bugs, AI issues, and questionable mechanics prove to be problematic.

The Surge 2 isn't a bad game, but it gets some pretty big things wrong. In the end, I had some fun with it, but the broken parrying, awful enemy placement, and bland level layouts made it more of a slog.

While the characters and voice actors add a lot of life into the group of characters present in Wild Bastards, the gameplay falls short of making it a game I would want to return to.

The White March is an expansion of gorgeous new landscapes, new companions, and new challenges. It should push players out of their combat comfort zones, and is a fine excuse for some familiar PoE questing, but doesn’t yet feel essential.

A short but entertaining and beautiful look at cyberpunk dystopia, through the unlikely lens of a gig economy taxi driver.

Broken Lines has some noticeable flaws such as performance woes, a lack of weapon variety and utility, and a poorly implemented save system. Still, it manages to entertain you during its short campaign and there are additional replayability quirks. The pause-and-play concept rewards smart, tactical decisions while you revel in the action that unfolds.

Charming, adorable, and delightful, Cat Quest 2 offers a solid adventure-RPG romp. Sadly, it's best played in short bursts due to repetitiveness, and you're bound to seek help from another player since the AI teammate can be downright incompetent.