Halls of Torment is pretty good and this DLC is an affordable way to add some more content. The new level and characters aren't the best though.

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.

The Order of the Snake Scale is a small and cheap effort that struggles to serve up mystery or tension. Whilst the music can be atmospheric, most areas are lifeless and combat is sparse. It's an adventure game but the steps you take to progress the story feel strangely disconnected. The tank controls lead to an awkward fumble and the first-person view, whilst making it easier to navigate, is an ugly thing to look at. It's playable but far from cohesive.

Painkiller takes the original fan-favourite FPS and turns it into one of those modern squad shooters where there's a lot of fun to be had for a day and then the content dries up fast. It might be worth seeing what support this game gets before you jump in.

If you can get past its PS1-era looks, which do have their own charm, there's a lot of fun to be had with it. Especially if you're a fan of auto-battling roguelites like we are.

Xenotilt is cool and impressive but it doesn't explain itself very well and the visuals can sometimes overwhelm the gameplay.

I do think Forgive Me Father 2 nails the atmospheric presentation. I don't care much for the Priest's gruff narration but the visuals are impressively stylised. The music helps reinforce it and the gunplay is solid. The campaign has a steady pace that rarely lets up and multiple endings and difficulty settings allow for plenty of return visits. I do wish movement was sharper but the arsenal shows a good variety of weapons.

Fast and Furious Arcade Edition is a vacuous void of a game that while it might work well in an arcade environment, but is so sadly lacking in this home port. The AI rubberbanding is among the worst we’ve ever seen in our memory, if not ever, to the extent that no matter how well you drive, the opposition will be on you regardless. Don’t waste your time and money buying and playing this, instead pick up Burnout Paradise on the PSN store as you’ll get more from that for less money. Avoid this at all costs.

Gnomdom is a nice cosy little puzzle game with a fun setting. Family friendly puzzles and nice presentation make this an easy game to recommend.

Platypus Reclayed is an unexpected remaster that has worked wonders with the original game's visual style and, following a patch, now offers up some enjoyable shooting too.

UBOAT really offers something tactical and tense. There's a lot to think about and the campaigns are long and varied. Unfortunately, it's curtailed by a console port that struggles to stay ship shape. Even if the technical bother eventually gets ironed out, the controls feel too much of a handful. Putting the time in does reap some rewards but I sense this is a game much more at home on mouse and keyboard.

BALL x PIT offers up a truly original mix of genres and does it all in a way that genuinely impresses.

Trials in the Sky 1st Chapter is an excellent remaster. Yes, you’ll probably want to switch off the US voiceovers and some of the plot exposition can be a bit cliched and longwinded, but the combat and mechanics are solid. Graphically sumptuous with lovely music, we look forward to many hours more from FC.

Ship Graveyard Simulator 2 manages to depict the intricate workflow of scrapping a ship. It's a slow, gradual process that requires an awful lot of time from you. Contracts and valuable cargo do help establish a routine and success can be monetarily lucrative. Unfortunately, it moves too slowly and feels too much like work to really maintain my focus. It's repetitious and doesn't deliver many surprises.

Two decades on, the Sonic Wings series needed a shot in the arm but this isn't it. With it's bland gameplay and drab visuals, there aren't many reasons to recommend this flawed shoot 'em up.

Cats & Seek: Kyoto is another hidden cat game from Silesia Games, developed by noobzilla. It’s cute to a tee and for a tiny bit more than a mcdonalds milkshake, will keep you amused for ninety minutes at a push across its two levels. So rather sparse, even for a hidden cat game. At least you get a jukebox and a jigsaw into the bargain.

Gloomy Eyes expands on the VR movie of the same name by using the same assets to loosely follow the same plot beats. The camera and movement throughout the pre-rendered landscape aren't the most streamlined but there's still fun to be had. The narration is a highlight.

King of Meat has a lot of charm and confidence to it and some of the humour is on point, but this mix of platforming and combat never really impresses in either area and the whole thing has a 'free to play' energy despite having a £25 price tag.

Baby Steps is a compelling, frustrating mix of wandering and storytelling. Nate is unlikeable and the humour plays off his inability to accept help or advice. Traversal is surprisingly accessible but leaves plenty of room for skill and challenge. The lack of a map really messed with my sense of direction and the later game really tried my patience. It's an accomplished effort that I think is worth playing, if you've got the patience for it.

I really struggle to get into a flow state with Extinction Rifts. The ingredients are there with short and sharp levels that challenge your ability to remember and react. Unfortunately, there's just enough downtime between encounters to make maintaining a combo tricky. Aesthetically, it's got some colour but lacks style and bombast. There's a solid idea here but it's not polished or truly focused.

If you remember Puzzle Quest, or just like tile-matching games, this is the definitive way to experience the game.

I think Adventure of Samsara's brand of search action is well tuned. The combat feels deliberate but takes a backseat to the exploration. Once the movement suite is unlocked, the pacing livens up and discovery can feel very rewarding. I'm not enamoured with the pixel art but the cutscenes have an enchanting level of animation to them. Despite the tenuous links to the old game, this feels like a solid addition to Atari's catalogue.

While it was interesting to play such a rare shoot 'em up, Mamorukun ReCursed! feels a bit clunky, quite dated and not actually all that impressive. It's a capable enough game but not the best example of the genre.

Aside from the graphics, which are nice and cartoony, everything else about this roguelike auto-battler is a little off. The tweaks they've made to the usual formula just feel like a barrier to fun but when you get past all of that, there's some entertainment on offer here.

Hidden Cats in Tokyo is the latest from Silesia Game and their frequent collaborators NukeArts. Across its fifteen levels you’ll find all manner of hidden felines and additional objects, though the less said about finding up to a hundred people in a couple of levels, the better. There’s a plot but it’s largely rhubarb, though you can at least skip that and get to finding the cats. The art is often cute and on occasion, exquisite. This is worth a play anyway.

Welcome to Basingstoke is a daft post apocalyptic rogue-like that’s ostensibly set in the north Hampshire town, though it’s just so dark. As in difficult to see. The only time you can play reliably is at night. Never mind that Basingstoke is fifty miles from London, it has tube stations. Given the devs are from London, you’d assume a little familiarity with that. In-game tracking for class unlocks is a bit inconsistent too, as well as the stealth melee kills trophy being broken at the time of writing.

Earthion feels authentic but evolved. If Mega Drive players would have been blown away by this shoot 'em up if it had been released back in the '90s but it still impresses now.

Hirogami offers a lovely aesthetic and soundtrack that the platforming can't quite match. It's full of ideas with each animal form having a great sense of purpose but switching between isn't always snappy. The fixed perspective can make judging depth tricky and the necessity for hitting level goals can present some players with a late roadblock. At times, it's wonderful but it's not firing on all cylinders.