KARMA: The Dark World is an interesting debut from Chinese dev Pollard Studio, set in an alternate East Germany in which you play among a cast of characters with non-German names. It’s fun enough and graphically sumptuous to boot, just not particularly long. We kinda get why they set it in Europe as opposed to the actual oppressive regime they live under, but a little more effort in that regard would’ve helped.

Sociable Soccer '25 can be a lot of fun and we really are enjoying playing it. But compared to the original Sensible World of Soccer this feels like when they take your favourite childhood film and remake it for modern audiences. We don't want all this extra faff when just having a regular transfer market and a normal league structure would have been so much better.

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.

I think Sorry We're Closed has a great sense of style. It's not for everyone and I do think the ubiquitous androgyny is overdone. The survival horror comparisons quickly subside due to combat and the narrative lacking in substance. I do enjoy the quick and snappy gun play but, atmospherically, there's no dread. Narratively, I find the cast to be lacking in nuance. They're all loud, just like the visuals. I think there's some ideas here and it's certainly a memorable game, it just seems more style over substance.

This cheap and cheerful BMX game has a solid enough engine but there's no real game hanging off of it. A serious lack of content lets this one down.

Police Shootout is a mystery. We somehow enjoyed playing it despite it having poor graphics, terrible audio, laughable writing and clunky, flawed gameplay. It's by almost every measure a terrible game and yet we finished it multiple times. Unlike the playtesters.

Beyond the Ice Palace II is a throwback in the worst possible way. A sequel to a 1988 Amiga game that should never have been greenlit, not to mention the terrible job Storybird did with it. The checkpointing is miserly, the platforming uninspiring and the post-release patch that deleted our save and removed what little enthusiasm we had for the game were nails in the already rickety coffin. Bury and forget.

While we're always going to be happy to play more Don't Die Mr Robot, the addition of 3D doesn't really improve anything and the reduced challenge also takes away some of the addictiveness from a game that could have been like butterscotch-flavoured cocaine.

Recall: Empty Wishes will feel familiar to some. The domestic trauma of the Lin family is a decently told story but it's not an especially compelling game. Puzzles are kept very simple and the experience is linear one. Whilst the pixel art does occasionally drift into the occult, it largely stays within grounded environments. As a result, the whole package can feel technically sound but with very little impact.

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.

Cats and Seek: Dino Park is a cute hidden object game, improving on its predecessors with cat bios and the handy meows when you’re down to the last ten cats in a level. We only wish for more than five levels and perhaps a time trial mode with associated trophies to give a little more challenge.

It's great to see Ever 17: The Out of Infinity released officially in English but, as a novel, it doesn't really hit its stride. There is a constant danger throughout the story but each day feels laboured. You spend most of the game away from the rest of the cast and that can make it hard to forge connections or a camaraderie. The new visuals are crisp and clear but the darker setting leads to a less colourful adventure. The story is still worth reading but it's not sticking with me after the credits roll.

For a game sold old, it doesn't stand out against the contemporaries of the genre. Granted, visual novels tend to stay in their lane. Never 7: The End of Infinity proposes an interesting premise and manages to deliver a story that is engaging whilst managing to juggle the teen tribulations with genuine peril. I think the sci-fi element does help quicken the game's pace and the new art assets, whilst simple, do provide a colourful backdrop.

Turbo Overkill feels surprisingly dense. The shooting feels visceral and the movement at your disposal is very swift. Platforming can be a pain, especially on controller but the moments of frustration are worth toughing through. Pacing does take a hit when the enemy counts balloon in the third episode but I still enjoy this gory ascent into a dumb, cyberpunk world.

Build Lands could have worked as a relaxing building game but instead aggravates with fussy level designs and an interface that fights you every step of the way.

Techno Banter is more than a bouncer take on Papers, Please. It’s well written and while the plot might feel like it is advancing no matter what you do, you’ll come away feeling glad for having played it. It has the feel of a one and done, but many plotlines will remain untouched if you only play this the once. Additionally, the music is excellent.

Carmen Sandiego is at once a tie-in to Netflix’s recent series as well as a throwback to Broderbund’s 1985 classic edutainment title. It doesn’t quite know who its aimed at though, whether it be current kids or their parents. Some minigames are fun, others are turgid. It’s best left to shorter play sessions anyway. We just fear it won’t do quite as well outside of America as the brand doesn’t quite hold the same cache on this side of the Atlantic.

Shootvaders does a good job of making the static screen, Space Invaders format more dynamic and it's a pretty good game. But it's also beset by some terrible design decisions when it comes to gameplay.

A solid remaster of an Amiga-era shoot 'em up. We're here for the nostalgia but the game does feel a bit limited and might not appeal to newer shoot 'em up fans.

Eastasiasoft's Bomb Jack clone gets a sequel which doesn't really improve anything but does take the previously trivial difficulty level a little too far in the opposite direction. We're not really sure who this one is for because it certainly doesn't land for the Bomb Jack obsessives here.

Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator has potential, but in its current state, that’s all it is. The diagnostic system that underpins the game was broken by the day one patch and remains in a state where the game is effectively unplayable. The gameplay itself is a bit repetitive but no less so than the nine to five grind. We just hope a future patch resolves the issues, because as things stand, we can’t really recommend this.

There's a reason that shoot 'em ups rarely cross between sub-genres. It's better to be the master of one than a jack of all trades with four. But MACROSS - Shooting Insight - is an interest experiment at mixing four separate shoot 'em up styles and while it doesn't fully work, the game remains playable and reasonably well-balanced.

Robobeat is a game packed with ideas. Aside from the rhythmic element, the sheer variety within combat makes for a thrilling experience. As a roguelite, it's short enough to forgive some of the randomness ruling out certain builds or simply leaving you in a place where playing perfectly is your only way forward. It's got a solid soundtrack with fluid presentation that can make the action slick.

Big Helmet Heroes provides a lengthy and varied campaign to brawl through. It does feel disjointed with levels not quite flowing together and the combat is light on depth. It's a forgiving game with a presentation that probably suits younger players. As such, I find it competent without feeling very memorable.

If you can get past the awful UI and PS1-era visuals, Vampire Hunters is a successful attempt at taking the magic of games like Vampire Survivors and Brotato and putting them into three dimensions.

RoboDunk is surprisingly compelling. Despite the toy-like appearance of the robots themselves, the sport shows enough depth to be engaging. The controls are consistent, rules are easy to grasp and the progression is very propulsive. I do find some hazards and opposition frustrating but there's a steady climb to each run. They also feel quick, even if they can contain over a dozen contests. I keep coming back and that's a testament to how well put together this is.

Sniper Elite: Resistance is a good addition to the series with tons to do. A stealthy approach is just as valid as going in guns blazing, how it pans out is down to you. The x-ray gore porn also returns for those that find it amusing. Yes, even the testicle shot. *sigh*

Brotato might be the best game ever made and while the DLC doesn't necessarily improve it, it does give us another reason to play Brotato until our left thumb falls off and that has to be a good thing.