A misjudged leap forward. While refined and polished, its fresh ideas cannot disguise the fact that we’ve passed that one parked car on Edwards Island before. [Issue#30, p.95]

A watercolour world presented alongside journalling mechanics that don’t quite capture it at its best. Otherwise, it’s short, sweet, and bound to leave you sobbing. [Issue#30, p.94]

First-class puzzling that feels like little else, beautifully presented, wonderfully planned, and with a gripping story to boot. Don’t let this case grow cold. [Issue#30, p.92]

Although it feels like there’s a lot of padding to justify another instalment, Reverie nonetheless gives the Trails series’ Crossbell arc a satisfying conclusion. [Issue#30, p.91]

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]

Exhilarating and creative combat means we feel truly let loose in PSVR2. The only down side is… with only nine levels to get through, we want more. [Issue#30, p.86]

Diablo is back, and taking no prisoners. The top-quality, lengthy campaign will be enough for some, while the endgame should prove a welcome obsession for others. [Issue#30, p.84]

New numbered FFs are good again. Stunning to look at, with new, punchy combat, and a great yarn, it is, if anything, too focussed, lacking a bit of the weird. [Issue#30, p.78]

Bland and glitchy scenery does nothing to endear you to the one-note gameplay. It’s decently playable, and controls well, but the magic of the first game is gone. [Issue#29, p.97]

Short but sweet (and deliciously sour), it’s difficult to imagine these fables being adapted any better than they have been here. Cross your fingers for a sequel. [Issue#29, p.96]

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]

A superb Gollum isn’t enough to save the game he’s been parachuted into, which is by turns dull and frustrating. It’s destined for Mount Doom (the bargain bins). [Issue#29, p.92]

The one-two combo of violence and strategy works well… initially, at least. The further you progress, the more it seems that luck and grind play overactive roles. [Issue#29, p.91]

We’ve said it before when it comes to games that aim to handle like their obvious inspirations: if we’re yearning for the way those games felt rather than what’s in our hands, something has clearly gone wrong. Knowing that in Tony Hawk we’d be able to move around the world with ease, only to be met with Skatebird’s annoying heft and proclivity for us to clip on edges just sucks the joy out of playing. Which is a shame, as move beyond the cringeworthy memery and the writing itself is actually quite delightful. But you never come to a skater for the dialogue, you’re here for action – and this isn’t worth the bails it takes for you to stick the landing. [Issue#29, p.90]

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]

Our clubbing days may be behind us but here we can get back to cutting shapes and feeling like total badasses, even if we look like we’re dancing like an utter idiot to everyone else. Much like any good night out, then. [Issue#29, p.90]

COH3 plays out not with a bang, nor a whimper, but with an indifferent shrug. There’s very little spark for something with so many explosions. [Issue#29, p.88]

A snappy length means the horror of The Bunker’s pitch-black darkness and wandering monster mostly don’t overstay their welcome. [Issue#29, p.84]

This has much to offer aficionados of a certain era, with conundrums aplenty, multiple endings, and (unfortunately) more than its fair share of frustration. [Issue#29, p.83]

A cinematic coming-of-age text adventure ripped from a time machine into the modern day for less than a movie ticket. Just make sure you don’t get bitten! [Issue#29, p.82]

While not reinventing the wheel, this Star Trek take on the choice-driven narrative formula is worth a go, even if it is somewhat lacking in presentation. [Issue#29, p.80]

Unoriginal but perfect for family gaming, with a child-friendly exterior concealing old-school arcade fun and tough higher tiers of challenge for experts. [Issue#29, p.79]

A platformer with some satisfying heft to its movement, Convergence is also one of the best realisations of League Of Legends’ characters yet. [Issue#29, p.78]

While World Tour is iffy, you can’t deny this fighter is a champion – though it’ll best suit those who can put hours into Battle Hub and Fighter’s Ground. [Issue#29, p.74]

Chock-full of loot boxes and ready to be monetised to within an inch of its life, it’s nonetheless built around a superb and fiendishly playable kart racer. [Issue#28, p.94]

Short but intense, Road 96: Mile 0 offers a joyful, inventive, and memorable experience of a quality that some games several times the price can only dream of. [Issue#28, p.93]

On the one hand, the combat systems in this collection remain a joy throughout, but on the other the pacing can feel a bit slow, and there aren’t enough modern additions. [Issue#28, p.92]

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]