While not quite hitting the series high of Modern Warfare, Vanguard is Call Of Duty as it should be: fast, satisfying, and always calling you back for more. [Issue#10, p.92]

A spin on the tile-matching format, changing the rules just enough while incorporating 8 the main series’ best elements to create something wildly inventive. [Issue#10, p.91]

The novelty of grappling with gravity has never been this fun or challenging. A gorgeous, if demanding, patience-tester that makes every manoeuvre a thrill. [Issue#10, p.80]

Fans will love this celebratory ending. With the MMO more mechanically satisfying than 8 ever, there’s never been a better time to enjoy the whole story. [Issue#10, p.82]

Working your way through the world with your miniature army solving these environmental puzzles is a lot of fun, but having to plan exploration around the game’s day/ night survival cycle, lacklustre crafting, and particularly tough enemies dampen that excitement. The Wild At Heart’s beautifully crafted world and spriteling critters are great, but not enough to distract from this fantasy adventure’s other headaches. [Issue#10, p.86]

A game like this lives or dies on its script, and the writing is excellent, supported by some great acting. [Issue#10, p.86]

All the more tiring intricacies and slightly railroady objectives melt away in the light of the dastardly fun Sandbox mode, however. As well as perfecting your Lair more freely, you can undergo a variety of challenges to see how well it holds up when the Forces Of Justice attack, testing out your traps and the open-ended building design. Sandbox mode is often the highlight of this kind of game, and Evil Genius 2’s is as solid as you’d want. [Issue#10, p.86]

Much more than a shooting gallery, Chorus is an enjoyable adventure that stumbles a bit over its own design. Come for a singalong – you’ll soon know the words. [Issue#10, p.88]

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]

Windjammers 2 is shallow, but it’s fun – unless you’re playing alone, then things get old fast. Stick to human opponents though, and you’ll definitely give a disc toss. [Issue#11, p.84]

A seriously impressive remaster of two blockbusters that rank among the finest of the PS4 era, and a must-play for both fans and newcomers. [Issue#11, p.86]

Risk System is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be and soars with its stripped-down premise. Excellent arcade fun for its price. [Issue#11, p.85]

Designed specifically to be played as part of an effective team, Rainbow Six Extraction is good fun like this, and undeniably less fun played any other way. [Issue#11, p.80]

Co-operating with the many active players is a breeze, and the allure of the ore hard to resist. This is a constantly surprising, well- oiled, endless delight. [Issue#11, p.90]

Wants to be a faithful throwback to the beat- ’em-ups of old with a unique 3D polygonal 3 spin. Unfortunately, the transition to another dimension is far from smooth. [Issue#11, p.89]

Charming aesthetics veil a thought-provoking science-fiction adventure that puts you at the centre of the soon-to-be universe. Plus, there's a breakdancing crab. [Issue#11, p.88]

Variety, competition, and awful writing are at the heart of this enjoyable open-world racer. The rough edges are forgivable thanks to all the good old-fashioned fun. [Issue#8, p.88]

A worthy entry for fans of the series, this might very well win over some new ones. It’s a solid reminder of what makes Project Zero so unique and appealing. [Issue#8, p.85]

The premise (a WW2 FPS with an interest in realism and a limited HUD) is sound. But snipers have an unreasonable advantage over every other unit, and while communication is important to the experience, there’s no decent alternative to voice chat (which almost nobody uses). For a large-scale WW2 shooter, try Enlisted instead – it’s more fun and is free to play. [Issue#8, p.97]

If chess had time travel, and guns, and a science-fiction flavour… it wouldn’t be chess. But it would be this innovative, enjoyable thinking person’s shooter. [Issue#8, p.96]

Despite the soundtrack’s chill vibes, you’ll want to keep the tissues close for this one. A year well spent getting to know a fan-favourite character better. [Issue#8, p.95]

It does look nice on PS5. Keeping the squad alive is a tense affair and the creature design is a highlight in the face of so much else that turns out to be toothless. [Issue#8, p.86]

It gets the tone and characters right enough that Marvel-heads will want to see this story 6 through, but make someone else play it while you munch popcorn. [Issue#8, p.78]

The devil is in the detail in this demonic platformer. It’s worth mastering everything that’s asked of you – side-activities too – to experience everything. [Issue#8, p.92]

Tweaks across the series improve on how each ability can be used, and Crysis 3 is a visual *chef’s kiss*. They all, however, fall apart in the final third and that none of these remasters offer online multiplayer is a crime – and oddly, for a game built on freedom, restrictive. [Issue#8, p.90]

While this sounds a lot, Airborne Kingdom’s pace is very relaxed. You can find all necessary resources in the world below, beautifully designed to resemble the shards of Moroccan ceramics. Thanks to simple building mechanics and manageable console controls, we found our way around quickly. [Issue#8, p.90]

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]

The strongest aspect of the game, however, is its storytelling, both in the main narrative and the smaller human stories seeded throughout the world. It may feel familiar if you’ve experienced other titles by creative director Yoko Taro : you can expect macabre character stories and moments that recontextualise the game’s events in dramatic ways. If there’s a reason to tolerate the parts that feel sluggish, it’s the story’s shocking third act and hidden endings, which deliver narrative payoff to the mysteries and moral quandaries you’ve encountered up to that point. This is a slow burn in every sense of the word, but offers a lot for those who stick with it. [Issue#8, p.94]