Fans of Dungeons and Dragons will enjoy the characters and setting of Dark Alliance but the game doesn't do much with its combat, exploration or looting elements and ends up feeling underwhelming in all areas. If the game gets the technical improvements it badly needs and can tighten up the gameplay, then this could be a decent co-op brawler. But for now it all feels a bit unfinished.

Shadow of the Orient has a solid, reliable approach to its platforming that almost works out. Level design can be occasionally smart, although the final act relies too much on gauntlets. It's not masochistic but my room for error dwindled and led to irritation. For anyone skilled enough, this game is very short and I don't think it does anything too special. I felt frustrated by the later challenges and some of the relentless stage hazards.

Pets Hotel feels like a first step. The basic management tools and cluttered interface certainly take the edge off something that could've offered more. It lacks depth, although dealing with the regular stream of clients can make the hotel feel busy. I appreciate the active approach that makes players feel like a participant in the wellbeing of their residents. Unfortunately, it's very surface level. Scenarios can offer more structured progression but it often lacks the pressures and challenge that usually come with this genre.

Paleo Pines is a dinosaur-rearing farm simulator with some good ideas but it's mired in badly explained, fussy mechanics and asks you to figure out too much for yourself which makes it probably a bit too complicated for the young audience that'll buy into its kid-friendly presentation while lacking the sophistication and precision of other games in a genre that is becoming a little bit crowded now.

Reminiscence in the Night suffers from being an incredibly brief experience. With a fairly heavy-handed tone, not a lot is really done with the premise. It has a fantastic look and really compliment's the main character's malaise. The soundtrack stumbles as they try to regain memories and your decisions do feel impactful. It's just a real shame it's over before the game really plants its feet.

Lightfield is a beautiful looking game that unfortunately falls short. Whilst the movement options give this racer an interesting twist on getting from A to B, they present their own problems with disorientation being an unfortunate by-product. The vast spaces on offer feel underused and the lack of content results in something short-lived and a touch hollow. The premise on paper doesn't translate well to a finished product, sadly.

Primal Survivors is (at least) the third attempt for this developer to get in on the survivors-like genre and it's definitely a step in terms of gameplay and ideas for them. The execution lets it down a bit but we actually had a little bit of fun with this one, so they're heading in the right direction.

As an homage to Super Sprint, Race Arcade does everything it sets out to do but Super Sprint wasn't even that interesting thirty years ago. Putting out a game with such basic visuals and gameplay in 2018 feels like a tough sell for racing fans.

As a concept, there is some merit to be found in Pong Quest. The marriage of RPG mechanics with simple retro tennis is fun enough in the early stages, but fatigue soon sets in with the predictable repetition that comes from playing Pong for more than a few minutes. Your mileage will vary on this game, but if you don’t think Pong will entertain you for more than an hour, then chances are this is not the one for you.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers is a disappointing misstep. It handles fine with some mildly interesting track designs. Sadly, it struggles to really, really lean into the cartoons' individuality. This is a simple ride that won't offer much in the way of challenge and, overall, it lacks some care and attention that could've provided something more compelling.

Back in 1995 seems to offer a homage to survival horror titles of the 32 bit era but it's only surface deep. The gameplay and story were surpassed over twenty years ago which makes this tough to recommend unless you're simply looking for another platinum trophy.

Twin Robots struggles to elevate itself beyond an average experience. The lack of a narrative and the constant laboratory setting leave something lean and stagnant. Basic by design, there's little to recommend here. Local cooperative play might squeak some extra time out of what's a functional but bland effort.

Drunkn Bar Fight is a very silly game that barely holds together as you swing punches, stools and beer bottles at bar patrons. It's these unexpected moments that make the game fun however, especially if you have other people to play with locally. There's not a huge amount of content though and the joke struggles to hold your attention for too long.

Tinker Racers starts promisingly with a great home-made aesthetic and some inventive track design. Unfortunately, the restrictive campaign hampers a game that barely moves beyond a clever concept. The racing is competitive but success in the latter stages seems to require more than a slice of luck. Local multiplayer could at least deliver some longevity but the lack of vehicle and race options result in a very narrow, frustrating experience.

Prominence Poker gets two things right. It's free and it knows the rules of poker. It's a serviceable poker game with a focus on online play and player customisation. What it probably needed to do is concentrate on giving players an uncluttered interface but instead it's all about the custom suits and silly hats which is odd given how ugly the game is. But it's a poker game and it isn't going to offend anyone and the game has an odd self-confidence about it. It may be bluffing though.

Autumn's Journey is a story of friendship you've already heard before. In spite of the cheery visuals and pleasant tone, there's nothing refreshing on offer. The story barrels along into an inevitable conclusion with very little meat to subsidise the fluff. Having characters that are otherworldly dilutes any chance of a more relatable, human interactions and it starts to feel very contrived. It results in relationships between characters that are all too accommodating to go along for the ride.

Subject 13 lacks polish but might just scratch that itch if you’re looking for a puzzler that feels like it’s from the past. A lack of hand holding will be welcomed and cursed in equal measure but if you’re intrigued the price point is right to make it a relatively risk free purchase.

There’s a lot of potential in DOGOS which acts on many lessons from the developers learned with their previous game Project Root, but this twin-stick shoot ’em up still has a few more lessons to learn about fun and boss battles. Drop the difficulty, ignore the trophies and enjoy it for what it is but don’t expect to fall in love with the game.

There's potential in Eternal Radiance but it all seems undercut by simplistic combat and some fairly forgettable surroundings. The story doesn't really grab me, although Celeste's enthusiasm pushes things forward. Ultimately, I just found Eternal Radiance to be fairly average. There's systems in place with the combat that don't really feel completely utilised and it can lead to a fairly bland experience.

Dark Atlas: Infernum has most of it's horror implied rather than seen. Whilst I do enjoy the implications, the game itself lacks a connection to the world at large. Natalia is a suitably distressed mother but the English voice acting is a touch overdone. Crucially, the checkpoints aren't best placed and, if you take intended experience of having monsters accompany you, that may lead to a lot of repetition.

Dusty Raging Fist is a great looking side-scroller with some creative ideas. However, aesthetics can only take a title so far. Underneath it all is a finicky combat system and poorly finished platforming that quickly drags the game into infuriatingly bland territory.

A sloppily implemented PC port that ultimately should have stayed in early access longer to iron out the kinks.

Once you get over how limited it all is, Chambara does offer a tense and tactical set of sword battles for wannabe samurai. However, the appeal wears off fast and it’s just a bit too sober to be a decent party game.

Clash Force is another Ratalaika release which offers an easy platinum. It's a brief and ultimately forgettable experience but you'll get some entertainment from it whilst it lasts.

Bears Can’t Drift?! They can, but they just aren’t very good at it. The controls are good and there is lots of content but silly interface choices, unfair AI and surprisingly poor drifting let the whole thing down. Not a bad option if you have three mates over (and you don’t own a Nintendo console).

Smash Hit Plunder is an accessible looting game that sticks to one simple concept, which is smashing everything in sight. It works well for a while but fell a bit flat after repeated play sessions. The asynchronous multiplayer options are a nice addition but you might struggle to find players who want to play this more than once.

Special Delivery is a VR take on the old arcade game Paperboy and it succeeds in recreating some of that old school gameplay. However, control issues, a serious lack of variation and sluggish pace stop the game from being as fun or exciting as it should be.

Ultimately, this is a game that leaves us feeling conflicted. The controls and, to some degree, the visuals are enjoyable but this gameplay and concept deserves a better, more substantial game. We like short games, especially on PSVR where it can be uncomfortable to stay in the headset for too long, but this is really a twenty minute game with a couple of minor hurdles that may extend your stay a little. Anyone’s Diary is impressive but it’s just not particularly good.