Vasilisa and Baba Yaga is a clever retelling of a Russian folktale. Whilst it doesn't reach far with its levels of interactivity, it does do enough to justify making this a game. Combat, stealth and the other activities aren't complex but they help give the narrative some extra stakes. There's a great sense of dread in this game from the gloomy soundtrack and particularly jagged visuals. I love the bedtime story approach to the narration. I think a younger audience would really enjoy it, so long as reading subtitles aren't a problem.

Soulstone Survivors is one of the better auto-shooting rogue-lite games on PSN but it is let down by just having a lot going on with various upgrade options and it can be a bit of a grind.

Submersed 2: The Hive maintains the underwater setting and the shark-centric stealth of the original. In many ways, it improves over the first game by providing more feedback and tightening up some of the atmosphere. The environments are compact but the dumb AI of the enemies makes them decidedly unthreatening. It's thoroughly rough around the edges and, whilst it's not a good game, it's a solid step forward for developers Main Loop.

To a T is the latest from the wonderfully out-there Keita Takahashi. It might even be one of the best games to depict a disability and how human nature prevails no matter what. It might be a little short, but we didn't stop smiling throughout.

Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo is a solidly crafted search action game. The map seems dense with plenty to discover whilst also doing a great job of directing players to the main path. The assortment of new combat moves and movement options make from some tricky manoeuvres. Late game, my execution would fail me but success was worth the frustration. Character progression could be handled smoother but, on the whole, I enjoyed this game.

Gore Doctor aims to be a creepy, psychological, gore-filled horror game but in the end feels cheap, clumsy and poorly-presented. It doesn't really get anything right.

Hidden Cat Outlaws is yet another hidden cat game, even if the cats aren’t all that hidden. It’s still worth your time though as the slight changes to mechanics from the last hidden cat game released by Silesia Games keeps it feeling fresh.

Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade feels a little undercooked. The core combat is simple but fun to experiment with. Unfortunately, the game lacks a diversity in stage design and can become repetitive very quickly. The narrative's not really the carrot to dangle over repeated playthroughs and, even if runs are quick, I tired of them. It's a short commitment but I saw all I needed to see very early.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a prime example of why there’s never been a roguelike based on the Turtles IP. Repetition breeds familiarity and ultimately contempt. Don’t play this unless you’re a massive TMNT fan. Everyone else, play a decent roguelike instead of this. Like Hades for example.

Knight’s Night! is a nice lo-fi platformer from eastasiasoft that isn’t quite the rinse you might expect. A nice difficulty curve that ramps up is part of the reason. It’s just a shame that the collectibles are merely window dressing as they have no effect on your progress. It’s not the most deep, but that’s just fine too.

This port of Age of Empires II has lots of content and plays nicely on the PS5 but it's quite repetitive and frustrating too.

I cannot gel with Blades of Fire. Whilst the combat feels decent, the smithing and weapon durability make for a complicated marriage. Weapons seem to break just often enough and the rinse and repeat grated on me. Locations are packed with enemies and some dungeons can be difficult to navigate through. I think Adso and Aran's relationship is very forced and, whilst they do flesh out the world effectively, the combat banter feels a little out of place. Over the course of a long journey, all these niggles add up.

Forza Horizon 5 is a great port of a game that you wouldn’t believe is almost four years old. Panic Button have ported Playground Games impressive 2021 open world racer to PS5 and it might well be the most fun we’ve ever had with a driving game on Playstation outside our beloved Bernard Paradise. The Drivatar difficulty is a bit hit and miss though and we did feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of objectives on the in-game map but they are minor foibles all told. Bring on Forza Horizon 6!

DOOM: The Dark Ages doesn't hit the same heights as its predecessors. It lacks a vibrant colour palette and verticality but it does deliver on compelling combat. The shield is a versatile tool that can really pin enemies down and defend you against an onslaught. That core is exciting and tricky to master but it can also feel familiar. It's a shame the Atlan and Dragon interludes don't provide much substance. They offer the occasional spectacle and scale but most of your battles are on the ground level. I've enjoyed it and it does provide something markedly different but I recognise this as the weakest of the modern trilogy.

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you’ll have an hour or so of fun from Hidden Kittens: Kingdom of Cats. It’s short, sweet and cosy and that’s just fine. Don’t expect massive depth as you won’t find it here.

Koira is a cute exploratory puzzler with a wordless story in which you find a dog and tackle some lightly ecologically themed encounters. It’s not massively long, but it is fun. Plus that dog is so damn cute.

Super Engine GT Turbo SPEC is just the minimum viable product of racing games. It adds nothing to the genre and misses all the modes, options and fun that you'd get from pretty much any other racing game. It's surprising just how uninspired this game is.

NanoApostle manages to pack a lot in six boss fights. The skill system is really well considered and does a solid job of rewarding you as you make the smallest of progress. There's a flexibility and forgiveness on offer that can make a challenging game more manageable. It's a shame the story can feel so distant because there is a little intrigue in Anita's tale. It's a short effort but the bosses feel memorable and varied.

In a genre where the best games are almost perfect and the worst ones are absolutely awful, Submarine Survivors sits comfortably in the top half of it. The gameplay is solid, the upgrading mechanics are plentiful and varied and it'll keep you hooked for a while. But it does end up being a bit of a grind too. We like it but it could definitely do with having the difficulty smoothed out a bit.

Vinebound: Tangled Together has an intriguing twist on the survivors genre but it's quick to run out of ideas. The small number of stages and upgrades leads to a stagnant sense of progression and the power fantasy doesn't quite materialise. The tether is handled well with it's length impacting attack frequency and being your main focus for weaponry. The presentation is cute and clean, although the hordes of enemies can make it difficult to read.

ANNIE gets a few things right and just as many wrong. But if you want The Last of Us distilled down into a six hour top-down twin-stick shooter, this should scratch that itch.

Indiana Jones and The Great Circle is a worthy addition to the Indiana Jones canon. Graphically stunning and so much to do, almost to a fault. You could tear through the storyline in short order but you’d be selling the game short. We had a little trouble with the fisticuffs but that’s more down to our crap timing. This is pretty much all you could hope for from an Indy game and grabs back the mantle from the Tomb Raider games with aplomb. Fantastic.

Hegzis feels like a struggle to play. Not because of any skill ceiling or puzzle challenge but just because it's so repetitive and uninteresting.

As remakes go, Amerzone: The Explorer's Legacy refines the visuals and operates at a steady pace whilst maintaining the old point-and-click ethos. The puzzles follow a sensible logic and there's enough hints on offer to prevent getting stuck. At times, it can look unpolished and player movement can feel antiquated, but I enjoyed playing through this. I really like how the narrative slowly unravels as you uncover more clues. That methodical approach really shines.

Steredenn is a shoot 'em that is simultaneously a bit plain in terms of the levels and enemy designs but then overly fussy with a lot of weapon choices to juggle, weak upgrades and a control-system that doesn't always feel that intuitive. It's still quite good fun but it tries to be clever in all the wrong areas.

Steel Seed's mix of Tomb Raider platforming and Tenchu-esque stealth makes it feel like a relic from the Xbox 360 generation but, hey, that was the best generation of gaming and Steel Seed does it all in a very accomplished way.

I think Pocket Bravery is a fantastic homage to those old fighting games. It has some issues, mostly with inconsistent difficulty but there's plenty of fun to be had. The modes seem pretty extensive and, whilst the cast is on the smaller side, it does showcase some diversity. The in-game sprite work is wonderfully detailed and there are moments for the art to really flourish. I really like how this has come together and the combat feels very considered.

Atomfall is a lot of fun although the central conceit is as daft as any seen in many other videogames. Combat is a little underwhelming as is the stealth, but the worldbuilding and sense of place are second to none. We look forward to playing through all over again given the double dip on PS4 and PS5 for the trophy set.