Overpass 2 definitely got more out of me than its predecessor. The career mode felt more engaging, even if I still prefer to avoid the tougher hill climbs. Driving feels a little loose but the lack of physical feedback made it hard for me to judge grip. The multi-disciplined nature of it does give you plenty of variety but the AI can be terrifying to race against. It's still rough around the edges but I did enjoy some of my time with it.

Aside from some decent presentation, Curse of the Sea Rats doesn't do much to innovate the crowded metroidvania genre but it's a solid example of the genre and provides a degree of fun to go with some of the frustration.

Quantum: Recharged is pretty good update of a long since forgotten Atari coin-op and while its simple gameplay didn't do much for us, fans of these arcade remakes could well get more out of it.

Override: Mech City Brawl has a nice, clean aesthetic with arenas that are fun to stomp around. The campaign offers a nice sense of progression but, once you strip that away, you're left with a fighter that's a little too slow and clunky for my tastes. It's simple to grasp but I feel it lacks a fluidity and immediacy other mech games can offer.

Can't Drive This mixes up driving and track building in a clever way but is a bit too thin a package and is spoiled by some bad camera positioning at times.

A Pixel Story promises a tribute to the classic games of yesteryear however falls unfortunately short of that goal. However, it is a competent platformer with solid puzzling mechanics and style. The only problem is, if you have played a few of these before then this may be the one too many.

Troll and I is a game whose ambition is deflated by a lack of polish and a worrying absence of player guidance. Combat feels serviceable, if a little unsatisfying, and they find good reasons to switch between the two titular protagonists. There’s an endearing story at play but the game itself has enough issues to stifle the most enthusiastic player. Repercussions from poor execution prevent this from being a truly worthwhile experience.

We want to love this update to the Tempest series but we've seen it all before and it's just not as impressive or fun as we had expected.

This is one experience that is very much 'for the fans'. While Liftoff: Drone Racing has some accessibility, the real meat of the experience will be enjoyed exclusively by those with passion and investment in the sport. Aside from ropey visuals, physics, and music, Liftoff appears to provide a decent recreation of Drone flight, with plenty of customisation for those that delight in depth.

Reverie Knights Tactics is a strategy RPG with plenty of mechanics to play around with. Unfortunately the battles became overly similar very quickly, with the optional challenges and odd puzzle here and there not doing enough to alleviate the tedium.

Disaster Report 4 is a shambles. But we love a lemon here at PSC and couldn't help but like it. It's almost so bad its good. We enjoyed ourselves despite the obvious shortfalls.

With some interesting tweaks to the formula, Morbid: The Lords of Ire can feel like a stripped down attempt at the souls-like genre. The runes system allows for some relatively neat weaponry and the combat has a solid feel. Unfortunately, it lacks some polish and some of the larger encounters can frustrate. The pacing begins to sag in the closing hours and it's a shame the sanity mechanic doesn't quite land.

The Prince of Landis manages to tell a neat little tale about a small boy growing up in rural Oregon. Whilst there's not a lot of plot to tell, the environmental details and conversations with the locals do manage to add some substance to the narrative. It feels fairly grounded and exploring the town for items doesn't feel overwhelming or tricky. I do wish more effort was made with the soundtrack. Whilst silence was probably intended to hammer home the isolation, it does feel like the game is lacking in it's absence. It's not stellar in its presentation but it mostly delivers.

Super Neptunia RPG is a spin-off that makes a lot of changes to the usual formula and suffers for it. It's very easy to play and the exploration is servicable but the combat is over simplified and there are technical issues which irritate. The characters don't get the chance to shine like they normally do either so even fans of the series may struggle with this one.

As beautiful, ambitious and clever as No Man’s Sky is, there’s just no real game here. At worst, it’s a walking simulator in space but that initial feeling of wonder is powerful and putting the game down is nearly impossible. No Man’s Sky may be the most enjoyable tech demo ever.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is an enjoyable enough Souls like with more puzzles than you'd expect from that but its VR roots make it a rather pedestrian affair with rough edges. The ageing mechanic is a great idea, it's just a shame that to experience it fully you have to be really quite bad at the game.

This remake is a way to play one of the more interesting '90s beat 'em ups and that's good but the original was better in several ways.

99Vidas appeals to a very specific market and manages to accurately recreate the scrolling beat ‘em ups of yesteryear, both positive and negative. If you have fond memories of these kinds of games this will fill a space for you, but wont necessarily leave you satisfied. I really like the games style and overall sense of fun, but in aping the games of the past it has failed to offer an enjoyable modern experience.

A safe kids licence that will be sure to delight the younger members of your household. Platforming by numbers otherwise. Add a point to our score if they're already a fan.

Although stylish and competently made, Wildcat Gun Machine is a twin-stick shooter that's just a little lacking in excitement and tactical variation. There's some fun to be had but the genre has seen better.

Alive Paint works well if you want something you can relax with or if you want to keep your kids entertained for a while. It's pretty basic in terms of what it can do but as a simple colouring book simulator, it does what it needs to.

Wildshade: Unicorn Champions is a game that's going to struggle to live up to it's initial pricing. It's perhaps a game best served in small doses as the content available isn't particularly long-lasting. The racing is competitive, enjoyable and fairly forgiving. The cheery and light-hearted aesthetic will entice younger players and it is simple to grasp. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of depth here and it runs out of steam very sharply.

Underland is a short and simple puzzle game which is enjoyable enough but won't leave a lasting impression. The visuals lack variety and having no music doesn't help but the price is low and the platinum straightforward if that's your type of thing.

Nightmares of the Deep is a point and click adventure with a good line in puzzles and some nice artwork but, as a mobile gaming series, it’s not going to impress any PS4 gamers who buy it. It does offer some sedate fun though.

Under Defeat returns yet again and while it's starting to get a bit creaky, it still shows more class than a lot of newer shoot 'em ups. The visuals can get a bit messy though and it's not the most exciting shoot 'em up ever.

Rym 9000 is a brief but exciting shoot 'em up that may struggle to find an audience because of its eye-melting visuals and high level of challenge but if you can make the adjustments, this is a fun game that is addictive and exciting.

Narcosis has a tale worth telling but it's all too brief. Failure can stifle your momentum through the detailed, claustrophobic depths. It's a game steeped in atmosphere but combat feels clumsy and the moments of actual horror feel far too fleeting.

Music Racer Ultimate is a fun enough diversion but the combo scoring is shocking and the fact you'll likely struggle to listen to your own music unless you're persistent. No Spotify integration will be an issue for many.

So, yeah, Rainbow Cotton isn’t going to win you over if you didn’t like the original and we’re not sure it’ll earn many fans from younger audiences, despite the cheery presentation and cutscenes, but if you’re looking for the definitive version of the game, this is certainly it.

The Solus Project is an interesting experience, blending on foot exploration with incredibly atmospheric visuals and survival mechanics. This recipe for VR greatness is marred however by its awkward Move controls and diminishing returns. If you are interested in a sci-if sightseeing tour then consider this. However, The Solus Project does end up outstaying its welcome.

Peasant Knight is a different take on challenging platformers with your character's constant locomotion acting as one of the obstacles to success. It's a super quick platinum and the overall game is short too but it's so cheap that you can't complain that it doesn't leave much of a lasting impression.

Flame Keeper is very obviously a Switch port shunted to PS5. We’d almost suggest it reeks a little of shovelware in that regard. The core gameplay loop can come over a bit boring if we’re honest, certainly not suited to extended play. The RNG is also harsh on occasions, especially when you end up reliant on it deigning whether you get an extra life on death or not. It’s just OK, but our enthusiasm had run low by the time we beat the final boss.

Cake Invaders takes the classic Missile Command formula, applies it to Japanese people defending German cakes and ramps up the action so much that really it all burns out in an hour unless you're up for some leaderboard action. It's cute, fun and entertaining though and that's good enough for us.

The Valiant doesn't all come together, in my opinion. The depth on offer feels undercut by a repetitive and exhausting campaign. The feedback on offer does a great job of helping you come up with a strategy and using a controller felt relatively hassle free. The narrative might involve a fairly standard holy MacGuffin but the storybook way it was told was enjoyable. I do wish it traded more in variety. A change of pace from the persistent sieges and defence could've kept me engaged. As it is, The Valiant feels like a grind.

Zheros has a heart to its varied, bright visuals and depth to its combat which, sadly seems underutilised. Whilst there’s a plethora of combos to bust out, a preference to mash will easily see the job done. Platforming frustrations and the repetition of combat wears down a decent brawler that can’t quite realise its potential.

For those wanting an Everest to climb, Slime-san delivers plenty of challenge and complexity to master. It lacks some charm, character and the format of the levels seems to stifle any fluency. There's enough here to differentiate itself from the obvious influences but it hosts an aesthetic which I just don't find appealing.

Anoxemia has a great sense of atmosphere with an interesting plot but the whole package seems to lack a little punch. Exploration is fun to partake in and, whilst your objectives rarely stray from collecting things, there’s a certain enjoyment to be had from adventuring deep, down underwater. That might prove enough for some who fancy a shorter, more forgiving experience.

Truth be told, there's a lot to Cross the Moon's story. It's eventful but the lack of really interesting characters stifles my interest. It looks great with photography given a gloomy tone of the underworld. It's a shame the soundtrack can only match it some of the time. The lack player agency also took away whatever minor interactivity this genre tends to roll with. It's not a bad visual novel but I found the wordy script tough to get through.

Necomunda: Underhive Wars has a great verticality to its level design and a varied approach to the campaign. Despite the rather dour environments, the action does have some weight to it that can keep players engaged. Unfortunately, it doesn't feel convenient or streamlined and the learning process can feel steep. Battles require a serious time investment and it isn't helped by a dawdling AI that sometimes wont make the smartest decisions. Those with the patience might enjoy its tactical elements but I found myself somewhat daunted by it.

Republic of Pirates isn't the most deep of experiences. The campaign's rigid structure will show you all the ropes of building your island colonies. The ship combat feels mostly like a sidenote. As a result, it's not complex enough to give you serious control issues. The interface is mostly fine and the basic presentation does sprinkle in some much needed character. It's a leisurely experience with little jeopardy and that might be enough for beginners.

Cold Iron takes the waves out of VR shooters and pits you mano a mano against a variety of enemies in a quick draw contest. It's a little short and the feedback on your shots could be improved but while it lasts it's an enjoyable game that offers some replayability and a well told story.

Honestly, I found parts of Ravensword: Shadowlands charming. It's a game that was low-budget almost a decade ago but the smaller scope resulted in a simple RPG I found surprisingly enjoyable. Technically, it is unpolished and has a tendency to break but playing through it didn't feel like an obligation. The combat lacks depth and the main quest can feel bland. Luckily the uncomplicated nature of it all made this feel rather brisk to play.

A point and clicker which is easy to forget. It looks gorgeous and has a great voice cast but does nothing to stand out from the crowd. If you like your fantasy clichéd and ponderous this could be for you.

Lords of the Fallen is a game I really wanted to like. The seamless transition between worlds is a joy to witness but it wears out its welcome quickly. Combat feels weighty and has plenty of neat twists. Unfortunately, the enemy hordes make engaging with combat feel like a chore. Level design hits some highs but the lows are agonising to traverse and I just left this game feeling frustrated. It's divisive, oppressive and I just can't bring myself to fully recommend it.

Mekabolt is a well meaning but easy platformer you'll be done with in the space of a few hours.

Midnight Deluxe is a relaxed puzzle game that doesn't demand too much of the player but offers an enjoyable challenge.

Harmony’s Odyssey is a fair puzzle game with a variety of challenges to tackle but can be a bit mean spirited, especially on harder difficulty. Perhaps one for a rainy half term day with the kids.

Dakar Desert Rally is an improvement for the series but it still wallows in some of the same problems. Visually, it's stunning with some wonderful views and spectacular weather effects. Unfortunately, the career mode really limits what players can do and drip-feeds content at a relatively slow pace. There's a real lack of modes and the racing is hampered by some poor AI. I never really felt confident with the handling model but at least navigation seems more straight-forward.

Any AK-xolotl fans looking for some couch co-op action will be happy but there might be better rogue-likes out there on PSN for the money.

Late Shift is an interesting mix of game and movie that seems caught between two stalls. Whilst the movie is shot nicely and the plot is enjoyable, operating Matt as a blank canvas stifles some of the acting on offer. It’s an intriguing idea that doesn’t impact as it should. If nothing else, this is an admirable, ambitious curiosity that may pave the way for something better.

Fantasy Friends is a simple enough life simulation game for children that offers up some basic entertainment but does begin to feel like work rather than play and doesn't go far enough in terms of gameplay to warrant its hefty price tag.

Marooners is a party game that has moments of potential but is all too often let down by a general lack of polish and creativity.

Ord. gives you a noun and a couple of verbs and lets your imagination do the rest and, surprisingly, it kind of works but such minimalist gameplay and presentation presents the game with limitations that restrain it too severely.

Punch Club is a unique fighter management game with a great sense of humour and plenty of ’90s style. The gameplay, addictive as it is, becomes punishingly slow and repetitive. They say MMA is a big cause of brain trauma but after many hours with this game, my brain feels like Chuck Liddell has been using it as a speed bag.

Kinduo is a small, forgiving effort that I think new, inexperienced players might enjoy. As short as it is, there's an idea here that doesn't get explored fully. It's cheap, light and short but I do find it difficult to talk about a game that's over so suddenly. It's an okay little thing that maybe doesn't reach for more. At times, this feels like a polished prototype. Sometimes it's nice to blast through the dozens of levels but I'm not feeling challenged in the process. It ends up passing me by, to be honest.

Gravity Heroes is best played with others. Whilst you can tackle the campaign alone, the boss fights seem to be scaled for multiple players. It's also where the game's creativity resides. The controls can take some getting used to but the gravity mechanic does mean thinking about foes from all angles. Combat is fine although a little more variety could have helped with weapons, in particular, being on the small side. It's all presented nicely with some detailed visuals but the remaining modes don't appear to offer much in the way of longevity.

Trails and Traces: The Tomb of Thomas Tew is a point and click adventure game with two easy platinums. It's pretty ugly and the voice acting is very poor but the script is alright and the puzzles, though simple, will keep you reasonably entertained for the short running time.

There isn't much that sticks out about Neonwall apart from how tricky the game gets. Fans of difficult arcade puzzle games might enjoy it but the game's lack of variety, uncomfortable controls and lacklustre presentation is definitely a problem.

I might be an outlier on this but Strayed Lights didn't raise the needle for me. As stylish as the visuals can be, the gameplay feels far more ordinary. I did occasionally enjoy the spectacle of boss fights but the rank-and-file enemies offered little in the way of challenge. It's clear where the game's influences lie but I don't think Strayed Lights comes close to those lofty ambitions. Even with the narrative, I don't think the journey holds that much weight. This just hasn't clicked with me.

Lichtspeer takes a simple premise of lobbing things at people’s heads and makes a decent game of it. As crushingly difficult as it can be there is some enjoyment to be had here, particularly in the art style and overall presentation. The humour misses more than it hits but decapitating a viking penguin is a gaming moment you wont forget in a hurry.

Overpass is a clumsy first effort that tries to explain the basics but leaves the player lacking feedback. The environments are well designed and varied but traversing them frustrates me. ATV's seem especially undercooked and tricky to balance. Career mode gives you something to work towards but it's a slim offering. The ideas are there but the execution leaves me unsatisfied.

If you're going to copy the Vampire Survivors formula, remember what made it so good. The Spell Brigade somewhat misses that point.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Arcade: Wrath of the Mutants does not breathe easy outside of an arcade setting. The short campaign loses any risk when you're given plentiful lives at the start of each stage. Whilst the new areas are welcome, they don't make the package feel any more complete. In the comforts of home, every imperfection comes into stark realisation. The slim presentation, the decent but ultimately safe combat and the overall small package makes this tough to recommend.

With the mixture of risk vs reward gameplay, a dark setting and some inspired mechanics, Mistover has a lot going for it on paper. However, in a bid to introduce stress into a turn-based RPG Roguelike, the game feels like too much of a self-prescribed slog that fails to maintain interest shortly into the adventure.

Make no mistake, Angels with Scaly Wings is a romance tale first. Despite the crime story and talk of sci-fi, the game really wants you to date dragons to unlock more intrigue. It's not for me. With the more interesting snippets of information locked behind multiple playthroughs, this leads to something I just don't enjoy. The presentation is decent but the use of multiple artists leads to a lack of visual cohesion. Above all, I dislike how sudden the relationships advance.

The Girl and the Robot feels like a small, basic package that does very little to establish something worthwhile. The puzzles are simple enough to grasp and navigating the two companions can feel enjoyable and rewarding. It's a shame it's hamstrung by combat which struggles to feel responsive or satisfying.

Overall, I find C-14 Dating to be a little bland and forgettable. The story does emphasise friendship before romance and the stat building doesn't become a genuine chore. Unfortunately, I didn't find the characters particularly engaging or interesting to talk to. I wasn't especially enthralled by the archaeology-laced writing either. It's presented well but none of it really stuck with me.

Ratalaika's latest is a reasonably good puzzle game but we suspect they are targeting trophy hunters over puzzle aficionados.

A barely-known top-down racer from 33 years ago might seem like an odd choice for a 2022 port but while it might not make much sense now, this is clearly a decent retro title and one that deserves another fifteen minutes of fame. It's let down by some careless trophies though that don't really push the player to play it better.

Air Missions: HIND can be awkward to play and looks fairly basic but there's fun to be had here for patient gamers or fans of the genre.

Super Wiloo Demake is a well-meaning indie platformer that fails to be anything but derivative and a little generic. One to grab if it’s on sale. There’s better Ratalaika games to spend your money on.

Vera Blanc: Ghost in the Castle takes an interesting comic book style and combines it with a decent spooky tale. The art style is different but it struggles to maintain a consistent quality. The inclusion of minigames does give players some light interaction but it hampers the game's brisk pace. Being asked to spot minor differences can derail any tension. Without those games, it's a more standard visual novel experience.

Monster Loves You! is a very short visual novel style game with a story which never quite hits the mark. It has a very pleasant style though and bags of charm. How much mileage you’ll get out of this depends on whether you're willing to replay for the multiple endings.

I still can't find myself comfortable within the genre but at least Fade to Silence offers people like me a foothold. Despite a more casual experience and some welcome co-op, combat feels sluggish and shallow. The world is wonderfully bleak but the storytelling fails to capitalise on the setting. There's some intriguing systems at work here but they don't combine in a way I can enjoy.

Think 'Race the Sun' but more minimalist in terms of style and content. More meaningful than some of Ratalaika's more blatant platinum bait games but this into the screen endless runner variant is a little too limited to provide real value.

King's Bounty 2 offers up a large campaign full of deep, tactical battles and plenty of lore but is hamstrung by ropey presentation, sluggish controls, slow exploration and poorly-explained combat systems.

Dark Rose Valkyrie succeeds with a decent story and a cast of likable characters but unfortunately the gameplay part of it is slow, overly complicated and underdeveloped.

Battle Stations Blockade intrigues with its cute, colourful and chunky visual style and wide array of weapons to play with but the overall design, mechanics and variety all need a lot of work still. There's fun to be had here but also, unfortunately, some boredom too.

For all that Carrier Deck likes to bombard you with, it's a game about simple tasks. There is always an imminent threat and, whilst missions are short, there's little time to mull and process between waves. The cursor moves a little too slow for my liking and that does compound the time pressures. It's got a lovely manual feel but objectives do tend to stay with accepting incoming friendlies whilst combating enemy dangers. It's a busy game but I'm just not compelled by it.

Wings of Bluestar is a horizontally-scrolling shoot 'em up with some good ideas but the execution is a little lacking.

BDSM is an average twin-stick shooter that will find fans who get its sense of humour but lacks the excitement and flair of the best games in this genre.

Touhou Double Focus is an okish metroidvania game. It’s not massively long or even deep from a story telling point of view, and the slowdown and average map design weigh heavy on the game. You’re left then with the action to carry you through the three or so hours of game, and unfortunately the action isn’t necessarily up to this limited task.

Fans have been clamouring for the return of Crypto for some time and Destroy All Humans for PS4 is their chance to relive the bygone PS2 era and relive those ill-tempered, extra-terrestrial antics from fifteen years ago. The remake looks great but unfortunately, THQ Nordic’s 2020 effort introduces more issues than it solves; keeping repetitive audio while adding in lengthy loading times, performance issues and poorly implemented gameplay updates. For the one small step of increased graphical fidelity, this version takes one giant leap back for overall quality.

Whilst a change of developer has produced something much improved and playable, Rugby 18's rendition of the sport lacks a flow and cohesion which I find problematic. Set plays are focused whilst the open play is unbalanced and frustrating. There's a foundation there but the lack of modes and teams make the price tough to justify. There's fun to be had but, those wanting something more robust might await a drop or hold back a year.

On the one hand, War Hospital is successful at setting out an appropriate tone for a terrible time in human history. Unfortunately, it can be a difficult game to crack the surface on. The game can proceed at a slow pace and, despite the ability to speed things up, time can feel like such a precious commodity. The dour visuals and downtrodden narrative can make it very hard to feel encouraged, even by the most minor of victories. The interface can take some getting used to but I think the game's biggest obstacle is the mood itself.

Blue Rider is the latest example of a sub-sub-genre of shoot ’em up that has never really worked. With its overly long, samey levels, it all starts to feel like a chore pretty quickly but there is a level of challenge here and some arcade fans may get something out of it. But, with better options out there, this is a game that is tough to recommend.

We're always up for some co-op brawling action and we love a good loot system and RPG mechanics. Unfortunately, Blightbound rather fumbles the ball when it comes to every element. There's fun to be had when it goes well but you feel as though you're fighting every aspect of the game to get to it.

Damsel is a score chasing, timed, tough platformer with lots of mechanics. Some are good, some not so much, but the nicely animated but difficult to read visuals and level design make what should be a fast paced experience into one that doesn't flow.

ANTRO is a slightly cliched concept with somewhat shoddy implementation. Additionally, puzzles are simplistic and the platforming is generally uninspiring. The music is quite good though.

Paradox Soul is another Ratalaika title that offers two platinum trophies for the price of one. A quite simple and straightforward Metroidvania, but for the price you can't complain too hard about the run time.

Rain World is a sluggish platformer with copious instant death situations and infrequent checkpoints. These factors all add up to a game which isn’t fun or easy and seems to actively frustrate any understanding of whats going on. Whilst the art style and interesting setting can pull you in, that alone isn’t enough to keep you coming back for more punishment.

Sun Wukong VS Robot is a cheap little Metroid clone that'll last you an afternoon without putting much of a dent in your wallet. It doesn't push the genre forward in any way though and is a game you can easily skip.

Herodes is an indie shoot 'em up with a few interesting ideas but a game that is let down by mediocre design, unimpressive presentation and fairly weak gameplay. It does hold together though and so if you come with low expectations, you might get some enjoyment from it.

I find The Amazing American Circus to be a very unbalanced experience. Simple on the surface, the card playing becomes more of a struggle as audiences turn against you. The lovely sepia look can only do so much as you slog your way through the continent and I don't think the upgrades turn the tide much in your favour. I find it boring at times and the card playing can feel so harsh as you get into longer performances.

Dakar 18's execution is terrible. The considered navigation system finds itself undermined by a co-driver I have no faith in. Handling is stiff and the world around you is struggling to keep itself in focus. There are moments of fun to be had when you barrel through dunes and palm trees but they remain moments. It operates on a very thin line and, all too often, that line breaks.

Theseus offers a different perspective to your usual PSVR games and the immersion and well designed visuals are its strength. The gameplay is its weakness however, with basic exploration, simple combat and rudimentary stealth. Very, very short as well.

Human: Fall Flat has some good moments but it is let down by its own premise. Wonky controls become a nagging frustration and there is little reward for playing alone. Add a second player and things get more interesting. This is best picked up if you are a budding streamer or fancy some couch coop. Otherwise, like the title suggests, it just falls flat.

Gods Will Fall has some strong ideas but the randomness doesn't add to the fun, it adds to the tedium. Harsh punishment and weak rewards makes it hard to recommend, despite the enjoyble boss fights and Bloodlust mechanic.