An enjoyable mystery in keeping with the Hercule Poirot you know and love, but not one with much interactivity beyond smashing together evidence. [Issue#32, p.74]

Don’t expect a successor to Arkham, slavish to the memory of Rocksteady’s games. This 6 isn’t that. It is a good game in its own right, despite some mistakes. [Issue#21, p.74]

It’s no chart-topper, but the funky flows of Soundfall resonate. However, the constant reprise of its best moments causes the orchestra to miss the beat. [Issue#16, p.131]

Out at sea, it’s a lovely vibe just sailing to the other half-a-dozen or so islands, each with its own quirks, from a maze-like bamboo thicket to ancient glowing structures that can be used as warp points. But while there’s an intriguing mystery bubbling beneath the surface, you’ll have to work through more arbitrary crafting checklists to uncover it. With limited inventory space, it’s no surprise our boat quickly piles up with junk, a sight that’s less than chill. [Issue#26, p.81]

The VR game’s as short-lived as the PS4 version, while the optional objectives that pad out a level rarely have anything to do with killing spiders, though completing them does earn you upgrades to make mass arachnicide easier. If you’ve killed them with fire once already, however, the promise of doing it again in virtual reality isn’t quite so tantalising. [Issue#35, p.82]

A competitive version of Crash Bandicoot’s platform template is a great idea and realised with style, but it really is just the same activity on repeat, for now. [Issue#30, p.89]

This online-focussed squad shooter recreates the feel of the Aliens movie perfectly but rarely gives us something original to do with all that pitch-perfect fan service. [Issue#6, p.82]

Better to look at than to play, it feels mechanically soulless. We’d rather boot up the original, which tells you something has gone wrong here. [Issue#1, p.78]

Raptor-based stealth horror is terrifying, but starts to become stale with only slight variation. But when it works, it’ll really make you squeal. [Issue#25, p.66]

Such a fresh-feeling combat system always has you thinking two steps ahead, especially in scenarios when multiple styles of foe are clashing. They’ll fight each other in these instances, but if you’re running low on, say, Katana blades, a Lightning Rod might be your best option. Souls-ish elements do rear their head via alternate routes that make up for harsh checkpointing, encouraging you to get back in the fight (regardless of how tough that encounter is). Discard initial assumptions; Ultra Age is a surprisingly fun slice-fest.[Issue#7, p.78]

With patience, you should find an accomplished metroidvania in FIST, especially in its rich visuals and varied levels. But if you prefer more carrot than stick in your games then, like Rayton, you may not be a happy bunny. [Issue#7, p.78]

A commendable remaster of an ambitious game. But we’ve come so far in nearly 30 years, it’s dreadful by today’s standards. Not the shooter you’re looking for. [Issue#39, p.89]

An ambitious though rough first effort from a fledgling Polish studio, and a poignant exploration of how history can still hit close to home. [Issue#1, p.93]

The grow-and-go loop may be simple but there’s enough challenge to keep you thinking. The game’s a looker, too. The clean, stylised visuals deliver a deep sense of satisfaction as a barren desert floods with colourful trees – the reds, greens, and blues of your endeavours encouraging you to keep going, to keep planting more. It’s a visual treetment that works. To backpetal slightly, there are some bugs, but nothing the dev won’t swat away in time. [Issue#5, p.86]

If you liked Redout, you’ll adore Redout 2. It’s magnificent, but ruthlessly hardcore. [Issue#17, p.74]

The character designs are charming and the different locations are nicely presented with some pretty music for each different type of area. There are a few characters who can fight alongside Yuu, but, as useful as they are, they don’t bring a huge amount to the two-person party in the way of substance or uniqueness. The visuals really are the bulk of the game’s appeal and it’s hard to think of another RPG where even the enemies are so darn adorable. If you’re looking for something light and sweet, The Cruel King And The Great Hero certainly fits the brief. But so does a nice pavlova. [Issue#13, p.79]

Despite uneven patches in overall presentation, combat is superb. Easily understandable yet laden with depth, gripping enemy encounters elevate Monark. [Issue#12, p.89]

A pretty, interesting puzzle game… riddled with technical issues, and draped with a limp story. The toy soldiers won’t be the only ones to get wound up here. [Issue#28, p.91]

A good game for kids, sure, but adults will get even more out of it. Doesn’t quite meet 7 its potential, but this is a funny and clever little tale nonetheless. [Issue#5, p.91]

All of this could be pretty much forgiven if the game offered a quick dose of eccentric JRPG fun, but our biggest issue is with the pacing. Elements outstay their welcome before even getting anywhere. The narrative (with frequently bloated dialogue) is painfully slow, and even its Imaginary Chain battle gimmick2 drags. While the idea of previewing your characters’ moves and shuffling them around so they interact like layering tracks in an audio mixer is thematically on point and great in theory, you’ll probably find yourself mashing (X) or using auto-battle just to save some time. You can teach an old musician new songs, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be a hit. [Issue#8, p.90]

More of a playable movie than an adventure game, Last Stop boasts great characters and intriguing mysteries. Just don’t expect to have much of an impact on any of it. [Issue#5, p.87]

Apart from racing up papery billboards and conjuring spectral trees to propel us over gaps, the platforming bits are spoiled by Gaia’s awkward handling. Combat against the remaining ‘devourers’ is worse, as you run around mashing the trigger to ‘redeem’ your gloopy pursuers. It’s basically a well-meaning but tedious lecture, telling you absolutely nothing you didn’t already know. [Issue#29, p.90]

In a genre filled with top-tier competition, Sweep The Board’s use of Demon Slayer helps it stand out – series fans will, of course, enjoy it the most. [Issue#44, p.95]

Supermassive provides a (slightly) deeper experience than you might expect from a VR lightgun game, although overall replay value remains questionable. [Issue#27, p.74]

Lacklustre original ideas combine with a dull execution of a classic. You’d need a huge magnifying glass to find what little works here. Please read the book. [Issue#34, p.73]

All the ingredients of a great open-world RPG are here, but the lacklustre combat, bugs, and blink-and-you’ll-miss-it story leave an unpleasant taste. [Issue#32, p.86]

Ikai’s imaginative puzzles and detailed setting are engrossing, but underwhelming enemies and a lack of signposting make it more frustrating than frightening. [Play #14, p.79]

Fur-miliar ideas are rarely evolved but the world is an inventive place. Fur what it’s worth, it’s not enough to overcome a furssy script and confused tone. [Issue#2, p.74]

While there are some highlights in the visuals, sound, and accessibility, this never breaks free of its inspiration to do something interesting and fresh. [Issue#21, p.78]

While the old-school charm remains, from the pleasing voiceover announcing your achievements to the random live-action skits starring a couple of bemused kids, it’s a rather short-lived and shallow affair – especially when you could just replay the fireworks level in the superior Tetris Effect instead. [Issue#27, p.82]

The problem is that these mechanics don’t evolve. [Issue#35, p.82]

Impressive visuals, tense environments, and a main character you can believe in will keep your attention through the more unsatisfying and sluggish moments. [Issue#26, p.94]

Clever puzzles and enjoyable platforming don’t disguise repetitive action or the lack of visual variety. It’s fun but best experienced in smaller bursts. [Issue#15, p.94]

Feeling excellent in the hands, it’s a shame that the repetitive missions almost entirely feel like side-quests, seemingly hampered to fit the multiplayer vision. [Issue#7, p.75]

While its limited presentation is a let-down, its narrative ambitions largely make up for it. Worth taking out for a drink and seeing where things lead. [Issue#16, p.120]

Altogether, this is not just a keenly disappointing full-price PS5 exclusive, it’s also particularly discouraging as a female-fronted production with a story focused on the magic of relationships between women, and a rare triple-A game with a Black lead. Its message is almost entirely lost in the pyroclastic flow of missteps and missed opportunities. [Issue#25, p.78]

It doesn’t take long to brush up against the rough edges… nor does it take long to forgive them. Now get killing and stealing! Er, for the people. [Issue#2, p.91]

Fun visuals aside, this is a bland and boring shooter that pales in comparison to both Doom and its own predecessors. Back to the shadows with you. [Issue#13, p.91]

We applaud how Kao punches above its weight with great form, but its more ambitious strikes fail to land, making this feel lightweight at best. [Issue#16, p.138]

When it comes to horror games, you could do a lot worse than this, but you could also do a lot better. Its great puzzles belong in a much better game. [Issue#39, p.86]

An impressive solo debut that gives triple-A shooters a run for their money, even if all the gimmicks quickly give way to reveal a rather short-lived affair. [Issue#18, p.90]

Despite a traditionally rocky launch, the latest Battlefield proves itself one of the best in the series. Tell Edwin Starr we found out what war is good for. [Issue#9, p.72]

Nice idea, shame about the game. The 5 shop’s quite fun but the fantasy world is frustrating and boring – if anything, shouldn’t it be the other way around? [Issue#2, p.89]

Pretty where it counts, you can’t get past some of the rough edges that sometimes unceremoniously dump you from one scene to the next, making things hard to follow. But it’s an interesting case, we’ll give it that. [Issue#28, p.84]

The story and treatment of its themes hasn’t aged well, but the shocks land and the sense of being lost in a haunted mansion offers a palpable sense of isolation. [Issue#2, p.77]

It’s not a masterpiece, but Backbone is still worth your time – just make sure you go in with your expectations for the quality of its story held in check. [Issue#8, p.91]

A short, schlocky blast from the past with some welcome modern additions, but hardcore fans may prefer to track down an original arcade cabinet instead. [Issue#15, p.86]

Slighty improved over the PS4 edition, and featuring the fun Infiltrator DLC, Terminator: Resistance Enhanced never makes use of PS5’s power. A missed opportunity. [Issue#2, p.88]

A lot of fun (and weird storytelling choices) at a reasonable price, with no sweaty jungle of microtransactions, Concord has respect for both your time and your wallet. [Issue#45, p.92]

Unique twists on combat and environment design make this a charming soulslike, though rough edges may wear you down before you hit credits. [Issue#28, p.78]

This is a solid VR racer but it lacks depth and offers a limited single-player experience. Fans of the anime will enjoy the extra polish, but there are better PSVR games. [Issue#4, p.81]

This feels – and arguably is, given First Contact’s emphasis on post-launch updates– unfinished, rendering what could have been fantastic merely ‘good’. [Issue#32, p.92]

You’ll curse the gods for its difficulty and the odd technical hitch, but this turn-based strategy game is surprisingly enjoyable if you can push past that. [Issue#3, p.132]

he character creator still shines, but frustrating mission design and a disappointing plot make this reboot difficult to recommend. Far more sinner than saint. [Issue#19, p.92]

Being able to use sheep as transportation across rolling fields is a real highlight – however, hearing ‘Yeah, Baby!’ every single time you boost your fluffy friend will haunt you in your dreams. [Issue#8, p.94]

The fun level will tumble off a cliff after the first few hours for many players, but future updates just might help this become the game it wants to be. [Issue#10, p.81]

If you’ve already played Payday 2 and its DLC to death, this is your logical next step; if you haven’t, go and play that first. It’s cheaper and chonkier. [Issue#34, p.96]

Soulslike veterans will whizz through most of this; but anybody wanting to test the waters will find a game that’s demanding, varied… and just a little wobbly. [Issue#16, p.137]

Great performances and some good writing, but never tops the opening scare of how much money it’s asking for four hours of frustratingly limited activity. [Issue#32, p.89]

Dusk Diver 2 offers the idea of cool systems and a fun combat system, but never really delivers on it, despite some wonderful waifus and husbandos. [Issue#19, p.90]

Unlocking and installing further modifications relevant to telekinesis and stealth results in a much better experience, more akin to the detective style of storytelling Foreclosed repeatedly apes. Fortunately, these opportunities do come up often, but even this is somewhat soured when you realise the checkpoint system is extremely outdated. Just cleared out a room of guys? Prepare to do it again if you fail at the last hurdle. Foreclosed nails its sense of style and world-building; both are enjoyable if you can get past the middling gunplay. [Issue#6, p.81]

Edge Of Eternity has some modern touches – you can freely speed up battles, and a variety of difficulty toggles can reduce the grind. Less care, however, has been given to optimisation. Even on PS5 you’ll fail to get a smooth framerate in performance mode when out in the field, and while teleporting is fast, assets can’t keep up, clipping in sometimes seconds later. It might hold you over until Final Fantasy XVI arrives but it’s hard not to feel like you’re playing, as the French say, a faux pas. [Issue#12, p.75]

You are at least able to turn on Infinite Lives to make a playthrough more bearable – honestly, it must’ve been a miracle that we beat Miracle World back in the day. While some players may be charmed by the power of nostalgia, for others it’s a reminder why Sega sacked Alex as mascot. [Issue#4, p.77]

Hell Pie has some fun mechanics marred by pre-juvenile humour and platforming that always feels a little bit off. It’ll be fun for some, but not worth sinning for. [Issue#18, p.86]

Fairly fun writing and shooting let down by almost everything else. This is merely a live service treadmill looking for a reason to exist that doesn’t yet satisfy. [Issue#38, p.70]

Seabound play is great fun, initially at least, but the longer your voyage lasts, the more Skull & Bones struggles to provide new, interesting things for you to do. [Issue#39, p.98]

The unpredictability of stages definitely gives Curved Space a unique feel for a shoot-’em-up. However, the novelty wears off when you realise it also often means having to navigate these bizarre layouts in search of any specific or leftover targets. The way objectives evolve constantly should be an asset, yet it ends up being a hindrance and slows the pace. Couple this with bland-looking enemy types and levels primed to induce nausea, and Curved Space is a fun but forgettable blast-’em-up affair. [Issue#4, p.88]

In terms of visuals and tone, Frogun is a delightful tribute to PS1-era platformers, but a clunky core mechanic makes this upbeat adventure fall flat. [Issue#18, p.78]

Away from the strategic elements, the game offers the frenetic combat we’ve all come to expect from the Warriors series. Unfortunately, a range of performance issues in the PS4 version and a general lack of variety lessens the impact of otherwise serviceable action. In the end, this is fighting a losing battle. [Issue#12, p.85]

A return to form, for better and worse. Though we enjoy our time with this sleuthing pair, the mystery they’re chasing runs out of road all too quickly. [Issue#40, p.95]

Everyone enjoys a tropey anime from time to time but Dyschronia pushes its luck. Familiar beats gain a new lease of life in VR, but it can’t keep its head above water. [Issue#31, p.84]

Battles present a good amount of challenge from the off, too. You constantly have to weigh up which troops to recruit and swap in depending on the enemy you face. Sadly, while both the combat and character work are decent, the PS4 version of the game struggles with framerate at almost every camera turn – to the point that it never stops being a distraction. King’s Bounty II simply lacks much of the visual flair and polish we’ve come to expect from modern high-fantasy epics. [Issue#6, p.88]

There’s fun here, and you can maybe add a point if you got this for ‘free’ on PS Plus. May be worth checking on later, when hopefully it’s scrubbed up a bit. [Issue#38, p.98]

Gungrave anime fans might be able to crowbar some fun out of this, but we strongly recommend that they don’t even try. Destined to become dead and buried. [Issue#22, p.86]

Despite some good design decisions, the more you play, the more issues it smacks you in the face with. Wait until the price has been hack-and-slashed. [Issue#4, p.87]

Gearbox tries to recapture the magic of Tales From The Borderlands, but by abandoning its original motley crew and valuing jokes over story, it offers tame tales only. [Issue#21, p.78]

It’s a shame as there’s charm to this time travel adventure. Cartoony takes on all the usual suspects – a haunted graveyard, a wild west town, pirate ships, and so on – are pleasing to hop around. While many jokes fall flat, often thanks to stiff animation, some do elicit a chuckle (vampire boss Vlad The Impala, for instance, is a terrific pun). But sadly this platformer doesn’t quite stick the landing. [Issue#25, p.83]

If you’ve fond memories of the early noughties, this might find a place in your heart, but its disjointed style and slogging stretches won’t appeal to all. [Issue#25, p.93]

A compelling gameplay loop is held together by glue sticks and masking tape, with a mix-and-match art style that barely conceals its fragile foundations. [Issue#44, p.90]

Recompile ultimately isn’t as tightly designed as a metroidvania needs to be in order to be enjoyable, something best summed up in the fact that at least one fundamental upgrade is actually missable – something we discovered the (very) hard way. There’s a good time to be had in this visually striking virtual world, but you’ll have to work hard to defrag it. [Issue#6, p.90]

You might think such an eclectic mix of mechanics would render Epic Chef’s brand of simulation exhausting, but all blend together well for the most part. Annoying loading screens between areas do break up the pace, and some tasks can feel a bit too much like busywork. Overall, however, Epic Chef is more sweet than sour. A scrumptious addition to the life sim genre. [Issue#9, p.90]

Unless you’re desperate for a new stealth game, give this a miss. A lot of small annoyances add up to create one big reason to save your money. [Issue#15, p.88]

A series high for PvP, a series low for Zombies and the campaign. Worth it for multiplayer, but paying for the whole package leaves a sour taste. [Issue#35, p.70]

Ideas borrowed from other shooters are underplayed. Yet Necromunda: Hired Gun finds its strength in its atmospheric Underhive locations and sprawling levels. [Issue#3, p.135]

Not since Silent Hill: Book Of Memories has a horror series spun-off in such a strange direction. Sadly, Sker Ritual is about as successful as that game too. [Issue#41, p.99]

A fairly basic collection of ports that we’re glad exists, but these aren’t must-play classics so much as curios for the gaming palaentologists only. [Issue#37, p.92]

Warts-and-all remasters that accept the failings of the original games and make amends where possible, but ultimately too flawed to live up to the name. [Issue#9, p.82]

Ultimately this lacks variety and depth, despite the cute idea. [Issue#2, p.73]

So, what keeps us on board to the end? The story. It has a fun (but cheesy) sense of humour, is unafraid to touch upon deeper subjects, and Achtli undergoes substantial personal growth. There’s plenty to like in this six-hour campaign, and we commend Aztech for exploring Mesoamerican culture, something rarely seen in gaming. It’s packing great ideas, but rough execution hampers it. [Issue#12, p.85]

One of the most generic open-world racers ever made. Add in server issues, uneven AI difficulty, level grinding, and visual woes and there’s very little to love.[Issue#46, p.84]

Kamiwaza just isn’t interesting. What was fun in 2006 feels shallow and dated now. Stealth fans might get a kick out of it but with a high price and bare-bones remaster, we’d struggle to recommend this. [Issue#21, p.88]

Technically unstable, the writing and performances carry things. Disappointing, but perhaps a springboard to better things. Sam and Max deserve better. [Issue#13, p.78]

While not reaching its full potential, Balan Wonderworld is a grand and well designed adventure, which runs superbly on PS5. It’s perfect for family co-op play. [Issue#1, p.76]

Loop8 isn’t able to present a coherent whole – underwhelming writing, overly simple mechanics, and an annoying loop mechanic simply don’t mix. [Issue#29, p.94]

Lacklustre if played solo, but if you can reliably scrape together a squad of friends for online play the budget asking price isn’t a complete robbery. [Issue#30, p.88]

While Jay and Silent Bob diehards may get some enjoyment out of this, possibly with the aid of certain cigarettes, most people will struggle to do so. It’s often difficult and frustrating, more down to a rigid determination to mimic 30-year-old game design than by intention. Even when things are going smoothly, it’s all too simplistic to have much fun with. It’s memorable for the wrong reasons. [Issue#3, p.127]

Altair Breaker’s replay value leans heavily on weapons looted from chests and the joy of seeing numbers go up, but these things can’t take the weight, and so the game falls with great force onto its blankly staring face. It’s not bad, but it’s certainly not good. If you want to pretend to hit robots with a sword and get some light upper body exercise, then great, this will do the job, but don’t expect much more than that. [Issue#26, p.87]

An utter disaster. A studio responsible for developing some of the best action games in recent years can now claim to have made one of the worst. [Issue#13, p.90]