An attractive JPRG with a hugely innovative central time manipulation mechanic, it seems as though the developers behind the game fell head over heels in love with that element of Cris Tales design at the expense of crafting a world with memorable characters, motivations, places and events. That said, Cris Tales non-linear story and neat use of time manipulation will still hold a fair amount of allure for genre newbies and stalwarts alike.

Look past its dated graphics, and players will find a game steeped in strategy and high on challenge. Despite the repetition, there’s no disputing that chaining together a huge combo to torture and kill mere mortals can be an extremely satisfying way of releasing your daily stresses.

Concord largely nails the fundamentals - it feels highly responsive, is handsomely made, has good feeling, if slower gunplay than other games, super stable servers and minor concerns aside, has a roster of mostly well balanced characters. With Concord's obviously passionate team of developers confirming that they are absolutely in it for “years to come”, I would love for Concord to still be around in one, two or three years time and even beyond that. I just don't know if gamers who have been experiencing varying amounts of genre fatigue will be generous enough to put a significant amount of time into a title that, on the starting blocks at least, seems roundly decent enough but doesn't offer anything thunderously new to upset the status quo. I know that I'll be playing Concord in the weeks and months to come, I'm just not sure a sufficient number of other folks will be joining me.

Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet could have been an exceptional title in the franchise, with a little more work on its story and skills system, Its combat, exploration, and great boss battles, on the other hand, make Fatal Bullet the best Sword Art Online title to date.

Goat Simulator 3 isn’t exactly ripping up the thin rule book its predecessor scribbled out, but it recaptures the stupid anarchic joy and amplifies its influence across a bigger, better game world.

Basic in presentation, and deceptively simple on the surface, Bridge Constructor is actually a surprisingly deep and varied physics puzzle game if you’re willing to invest in it.

Fast-paced action and combat is the heart of Necromunda: Hired Gun. A great variety of skills allow you to string moves together while taken on dozens of foes at once. The world of Necromunda is a horrible dystopian underbelly of the 40K universe and it shows in Hired Gun. It's just a shame that the story, and characters are so barebones that the 40K license almost feels wasted.

JackQuest is not a bad game but it's not a great one either. We have seen it all before so there's nothing that will surprise you in any way. It has some nice Metroidvania elements and a few hidden collectables to find, and its simple battle system and easy to beat enemies means it's a decent entry level game for those new to the genre.

Deliver Us Mars, the latest Deetman brothers project, channels the same heart that started beating in Deliver Us The Moon, even if it takes a great deal more effort to get to it. You need to slog through some cumbersome and at times downright frustrating gameplay, but I promise you the premise and ending make it worth your while.

Overall, Black and White Bushido is a lot of fun, with support of up to four players local or online, this is certainly a game to bring out at parties or when friends come over for some fun.

One of the best puzzle games of 2016. Addictive, fun and clever.

Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis retains the same commitment to bringing the original game to a new generation, but unfortunately ends up remaking the same mistakes that make this epilogue such a divisive experience for players across the board. There are some memorable character moments here for players looking to spend that little bit of extra time with the team, but I finished this DLC questioning if it was truly worth the tedium of the dungeon-crawling, even if the combat is fun and the production values are still off the charts. While Atlus' dedication to bringing the old game to a new audience is commendable, I think this epilogue deserved a little bit more of a rework than it got.

The House of the Dead Remake is everything you'd expect from a revamp of an old-school 90s zombie rail shooter. It's fun, all too brief, but still provides enough entertainment solo or with a mate in tow. However, it still feels like a missed opportunity to stuff it full of some worthwhile new content.

While these aren't entirely among the finest of platformers from the 8-bit era, the Disney Afternoon Collection does make some enjoyable retro titles more accessible for newcomers, whilst offering old hands so e fresh challenges.

It's dingy and it's not without some mutations, but Directive 8020 is definitely worth exploring - just expect the mundane along the way.

FIFA World Cup 2014 has enough for both newcomers and veterans alike, but the appeal is embedded so deeply in the World Cup playoffs that that appeal won't last past the actual soccer season. It features great gameplay and a fair amount of modes at a discounted price, and the overall presentation makes other sport franchises look childish at best. Nonetheless, the strength of FIFA World Cup Brazil is in its cashing in on the World Cup itself rather than in the sport, resulting in a good start and a bad finish.

Saga Frontier Remastered is a great remaster for those who already enjoyed the original. The unique take on exploration and non-linear storytelling may throw some people off expecting a traditional RPG but those who stick with it may find the charm that so many found back in when it originally released. Simple but fun combat and a great skills system make it a joy to play and the improvements in the remaster may help bring in new fans while invigorating older fans with the inclusion of originally cut content.

Only being lacking in some technical adjustment and editing stops this title from being truly great. Nevertheless, Projection: First Light immerses you in a forgotten culture for a visual and narrative treat that will no doubt prove to be a memorable experience.

A deeply engaging fighter that resurrects the Street Fighter EX combat mechanics of yesteryear, Fighting EX Layer's lack of single-player content unfortunately make it difficult to recommend to folks who aren't rabidly engaged in its online multiplayer shenanigans, those who are however will find much to enjoy.

Chronicles of Mystara won't wow gamers with modern tastes, but it's a competent arcade port that pays due respect while introducing tasteful new features.

Chorus is a mostly good game, with excellent dogfighting and gameplay that always feels fun to pull off. It also looks gorgeous and can make for an entertaining narrative, even if it's not really breaking the mold too much with its plot. Still, it's almost tragic how poorly the game's ending lets down the rest of the solid work that made everything else about it so brilliant.

An interesting concoction of genre traits and structures makes Scars Above one of the more engaging action-adventure game attempts even if it does suffer from some combat woes.

Snooker 19 isn't perfect, with a major feature lacking and some over-powered A.I., but it's somewhat forgivable thanks to the accurate ball physics and wealth of tournaments, which makes your time at the table sinking balls extremely satisfying.

Clearly a labor of love, Ary unites puzzles, platforming and exploration into one round package. Although its technical issues are a bit off-putting at first, if you can look past them, there’s much fun to be had.

A technically accomplished and satisfyingly challenging, if content light take on competitive kayaking, Whitewater VR: Extreme Kayaking Adventure is an entertainingly frenetic counterpart to the more chilled kayaking since elsewhere in the PSVR 2's portfolio.

A decent puzzle game which is perfectly tailored to the pick-up-and-play mentality.

Offering a better experience than the Homecoming tie-in, the Far From Home Virtual Reality Experience is exciting and fulfils the 'I am Spider-Man' dream by allowing you to swing around New York as much as you want. Although it doesn't have much replay value, it is free and offers a fun twenty minutes of fantasy fulfilment in its Story Mode.

If you can buy into what Wanted: Dead is trying to sell, you'll have a good time. Just be ready for fragmented chunks of story, random voice work quality, and quirky concepts. Gameplay can win the day with its gorey, visceral delivery. Just be ready for an over-the-top game that takes itself seriously.

Raiden V: Director's Cut is a solid, retro-flavored shooter that does a lot right but doesn't innovate or advance the genre forward in any way.

ibb & obb brings a fresh idea to platforming and is filled with challenging puzzles. Its art style and gameplay are exceptional, but its lack of narrative and rewards, and a heavy two-player focus, leave little to compel solo players.

Open Roads often feels like a game at odds with itself, that probably would have been best served in a different genre. Whilst it starts off strong, it progressively loses what makes it good and feels more disconnected. Despite that, the two main characters have an engaging mother, daughter relationship that make the game worth playing, in no small part thanks to the excellent actresses, and their performances.

Inside My Radio is an often clever, creative and fun platformer/rhythm-action hybrid that perhaps pulls too many of its rabbits out of its hat before the final act. While it suffers for being a bit short, and for not always blending the two genres as well as it could, it does have an incredibly vibrant identity of its very own, and that’s something worth praising.

NASCAR 09 is a step in the right direction, but it’ll still be another year or so until the NASCAR franchise becomes a must-own to those other than diehard fans.

A refreshingly simple hybrid of RTS depth and MOBA thrills, Zombie Tycoon 2 shines in multiplayer despite limited options. Just don't bother with its tedious, punishing single-player campaign.

A weak combat system and a few gamplay niggles don't detract from what is an eerie, adventurous tale. Yes the story could have been stronger but the visuals and mostly entertaining gamplay make Gylt an enjoyable game that never outstays its welcome. However, I do feel a few tweaks here and there could have made the game vastly superior.

A little rough around the edges, but LEGO Worlds has huge potential with its extensive creativity and humour. If you can tolerate a wayward camera and occasionally fiddly controls, then there's a wealth of enjoyment to be mined from building, destroying, and collecting.

Remnant: From The Ashes' Swamps of Corsus DLC redesigns an area of the game to be the best-looking location in it. But, a lack of changes to outdoor environments on Corsus, bugs and issues that are still present ten months on, and a general feeling that there isn't much meat on Swamps of Corsus' bones left me underwhelmed with what is here. Fans looking for a more substantial offering should wait for the final DLC in August.

Deceptively deep gameplay and a pitch-perfect style make Loot Rascals a treat to pick up and play, but its over-reliance on luck and its failure to impart a sense of progression make it just as easy to put back down.

If you're in the mood for some solid multiplayer football, REMATCH is certainly a good effort that you'll be happy to attempt to master thanks to intricate controls, and the bite-sized sessions that throw the rule book away for the sake of fluidity and fun.

If you can look past the point & click mechanics which influence the game's poor pacing, there is a great story written in Frank and Drake. As you indulge in a thrilling conspiracy, you will come out of this game feeling an emotional obligation to its characters, and the will to find out the truth hidden in its multiple endings.

Curse of the Sea Rats is a perfectly fine Metroidvania effort. The hand-drawn art is gorgeous for the most part and the combat together with the platforming are both well executed and ultimately satisfying. However coupled with the absence of some odd quality of life features, a general lack of polish and a lack of any real ambition, Curse of the Sea Rats arguably struggles to elevate itself in an increasingly competitive genre filled with top-tier efforts.

The Legend of Nayuta Boundless Trails doesn't have the kind of depth many RPG fans may want. At the same time, there's a universality to the gameplay loop that still works well when compared to the modern mobile game formula. While combat gets finicky and the aesthetic is somewhat dated, the complete package makes for a fun diversion and an intriguing spinoff from the Trails franchise.

When all is said and slaughtered, Age of Zombies is a fun pick-up-and-play arcade title that will occupy your time when you're sitting on the bus waiting to reach your next destination. While it can get tedious in stretches, underneath the repetitive but simple gameplay is buried something of interest: no, not a mindless zombie, but rather pure mindless fun.

While it's a jack of all trades and master of none, there is a distinct charm inherent with Avalanche Studios' take on Mad Max and provided you can get it cheaper than its full price listing you could certainly do a lot worse.

Despite some notable flaws, Phantasy Star Portable is an addictive hack 'n slash.

Great fun, but dancing feels tacked onto the established SingStar experience rather than a complete standalone dance package.

Most gamers could find something to enjoy with the title, but those who aren’t big genre fans may feel like it’s a long grind towards a lacklustre ending.

Redout: Lightspeed Edition is a decent, if unambitious effort that will satisfy anyone looking for a fix of accomplished and blisteringly fast sci-fi racing.

Don’t be fooled by the nice-looking world, fun characters, or interesting story. Skully is a clever game with fun puzzles, and some of the most blisteringly difficult 3D platforming I’ve encountered in years. Be ready to challenge yourself as difficulty spikes put you in a blender and spit you back out. Skully is fun, satisfying and well-made, but not for the faint of heart.

A short but sweet addictive platformer and puzzler, don't be put off by the simplistic graphics.

Atelier Sophie 2 does a lot of things well, keeping pace moving forward at a relatively good pace. At the same time, it leaves plenty of opportunities to grow as there are some franchise issues that remain in place.

Like its namesake, The Hungry Horde might not be easy on the eyes, but the combination of engagingly frenetic gameplay and offbeat mini-games are enough to recommend it beyond its rotting facade.

Unusual Findings is a brutal point & click adventure that pays homage to classic titles in the genre. The traditional puzzle-solving and lack of direction may turn off a lot of players, but those that stick wit hit will find a rewarding experience that uses more of your critical thinking than most games ever have.

The best Attack on Titan game available, Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle is everything that the 2018 release of Attack on Titan 2 should have been and is a compelling offering for folks who held off the original release. For everyone else that bought the base Attack on Titan 2 game however, the somewhat prohibitive price point of the Final Battle expansion makes it far less of an essential purchase than it should be.

Toukiden 2 is packed with so much content that you can enjoy by yourself or with four other friends. The crafting is simple enough for anyone to get into and taking down a giant Oni can be incredibly satisfying. It’s just a shame that for everything good Toukiden 2 does, there is always something holding it back.

There is a lot of charm in Hyke: Northern Lights and what it does works well for it. Its just a shame everything it does is simple and bare bones. Though I love the characters and world, the simple combat and bare bones exploration hold it back.

Wreckreation takes a very specific direction. For what it’s worth, it’s still a fun time. Regardless, it still feels more like a reimagining of Need for Speed Most Wanted with elements of Burnout and Hot Wheels rather than a full-on open-world Burnout game. The game includes its fair share of issues, such as pacing, rules around crashing, and general oddities when interacting with objects in the world. Having said that, there's definitely fun to be had here; it perhaps just needs some extra attention that a ten-person development team may not have the resources to apply. $40 is a bit of a hard sell for what's on display here unless you are craving another Burnout Paradise or Need for Speed: Most Wanted clone.

Ultimately, I enjoyed my time with Tiny Terry’s Turbo Trip. The combination of writing and premise make this a funny game to waste away an afternoon with. The way the game puts things together and then subverts expectations is nothing short of special. Unfortunately, gameplay itself feels more like a means to an end instead of an engaging experience in its own right.

FBC: Firebreak has plenty of potential, but feels like early access in its current state. Remedy's patented surrealism, the core gameplay, and class synergy are high notes in particular; however the game is let down by a lack of content and technical issues. Hopefully, over time, FBC Firebreak can live up to its potential.

Despite the over-sensitivity of the motion controls, bringing the original, addictive puzzle game into a brand new virtual reality setting works extremely well. A solid and enjoyable puzzle game to kick off the genre on PlayStation VR.

While it brings some of the regressive issues of the era it was born in, Pac-Man World: Re-Pac is a solid remake of a fondly-remembered platformer.

Metal: Hellsinger is an absolute head-banger of a game with amazing tracks to accompany each level, but it's rhythm-based gameplay does little to stop it from constantly reminding you of the games that inspired it, games that are fundamentally better executed in their core gameplay. It's repetitiveness and lack of any innovation doesn't make it a must-play game for shooter fans, but it's music does for any heavy metal fan.

The marriage of Arkanoid with the Battle Royale concept is a welcome one and equally warmly received is the inclusion of the classic Arkanoid for older gamers or those who are inquisitive enough to reach back far into those halcyon days of arcade gaming. However, a distinct lack of modes and a seemingly lukewarm player base effectively cut the legs out from under Arkanoid: Eternal Battle's titular and marquee mode.

Anomaly 2 preserves the unique twist its predecessor brought to the tower defense genre but does little to expand on what came before it.

Though lacking some of the flair and longevity of its classically inspired genre brethren, Darkestville Castle nonetheless provides an enjoyable dollop of point and click adventuring by swapping out the usual fresh-faced hero for a sarcastic and high amusing viliain. This is one for genre newcomers and stalwarts alike.

An endearing sim for PSVR 2 that amuses with its tactile nature. It’s fairly basic once you wade past the initial deluge of tutorials, but it’s still got plenty in it to keep you building a burgeoning community of your own.

A highly entertaining Star Wars shooter with polish for days finds itself blemished by boorish progression systems and uneven game modes. That said, in its current form, I greatly enjoyed Star Wars Battlefront II and chances are, if you have a hankering for a mostly well-executed and enjoyable Star Wars FPS, you will too.

Drums Rock is generally a delightful rhythm game with a classic feel to it. It does suffer somewhat for a limited tracklist with little star power, but they do at least work just right for a drum-focused game.

A lot feels right with Tokyo Xanadu, with gorgeous handheld graphics and a concept with a lot of potential, but the complete product chooses overall accessibility for depth of concept. Combat, narrative, and development do their job just enough to keep things working, but the hiccups and shortcomings keep holding the game back from the niche sleeper hit it could be.

A solid arcade-style shooter with a rich Western theme, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger serves up fun gameplay with a well executed, albeit predictable, story.

Difficult to love due to some glaring racing game omissions and zero innovation, DIRT 5 nevertheless entertains with its simplistic arcade handling, fine circuit designs and some delightful visual treats.

Tales of Arise: Beyond The Dawn is another chance to adventure with Alphen and the rest of the gang. Bosses are still too big, and said boss also have too much health. While it's not meant for everyone, fans will get exactly what they want from this expansion.

While it might be backhanded praise, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 is undoubtedly the finest entry in the series to date and while that might not mean a whole lot to the unfamiliar, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 shares enough commonality with key elements of both Sniper Elite IV and Ghost Recon Wildlands that it stands as an easy recommendation for fans of either.

An FPS with a unique puzzler style slant, Deadfall Adventures: Heart of Atlantis remains an entertaining affair despite inconsistent execution and a lack of polish.

Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy Definitive Edition isn’t exactly the disaster it’s been made out to be, but it is still a frustrating, underwhelming attempt to modernize three very important games. The quality of life improvements are generally welcome, and in many places, there’s a faithful upgrading of the iconic visual style of the PS2 era titles. Unfortunately, not every change is welcome, and in the case of San Andreas, perhaps a little less of it might have done it a few favours.

Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn mixes up the action-RPG formula a little bit, allowing you to control and risk your currency to earn more. Combine that with a flashy, engaging combat system with a thoughtful difficulty adjustment system, and you have a recipe for a good time. Exploration tends to drag down the experience, with many side paths running far too long for what you find in them. Parrying also lacks the kind of refinement necessary to truly make combat shine. Aside from these balancing issues, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn is still a solid Soulsborne affair worth checking out.

Paper Dolls 2 does enough to keep the survival horror formula going. However, its repetitive level design, heavy puzzle solving, and weird movement speeds bring down the experience somewhat. At the same time, this makes for a good puzzle-solving exploration game. As long as you know what you're getting into, you'll have a good time.

Fat Princess Adventures is a pleasant hack-'n-slash romp with a wonderfully silly sense of humour. It lacks depth, and replay value, but as a budget game to play with friends it offers fine value for money.

Sheltered depicts the grim, unpleasant side of the post-apocalypse to great effect for its limited resources. That doesn’t stop the game from getting frustratingly repetitive though as there’s simply not enough variety in the game’s opening hours.

SingStar Vol. 2 offers up more of the same, but at $40 isn't worth the purchase price when you may only tolerate half the tracks available, if that.

It may sound like i'm being too hard on Anima: Gates of Memories but the truth is I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. After getting used to the camera and the awkward lock-on system I found a lot to enjoy, and the Arcane Tower hides many secrets and additional side quests to expand your playtime.

An interesting if conceptually unambitious effort, One Upon Light is an easily accessible puzzler that provides a decent amount of challenge – it’s just a shame that the game isn’t longer with a better handled narrative.

The Tomorrow Children is an odd beast then, full of quirky imagery and profoundly daft moments inspired by a sense of community, but it’s not all that welcoming, which is a problem for a community-based game. Time will tell if The Tomorrow Children can gain enough of a following to make it work.

Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs delivers more of the time-tested Angry Birds gameplay that fans love, this time in 3D. With no learning curve and zero barriers to entry, this is about as accessible as VR gaming gets. Angry Birds offers a decent amount of content and a reasonable level of challenge. Some technical issues mar the experience, but the sheer fun of playing overcomes the deficit.

In NBA 2K24, some thoughtful additions to gameplay visuals and mechanics get deeply overshadowed by some minute growing pains with ProPlay, some major hurtles dodging gacha pop-ups, and plenty presentation hindrances that keep you from playing the actual game. Behind all that is still a fantastic basketball game, even if it doesn't feel different enough from last year to merit a must-buy status, even for basketball fans.

Drawn to Death is another unique title from David Jaffe and his new studio. Not only is Drawn to Death’s art style unique, but its gameplay is also solid fun. The true test for Drawn to Death will see how it stays relevant in an already crowded genre.

Despite some repetitive combat and unresponsive controls, Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom's evocative visuals, epic bosses and neat puzzles provide more than enough reason to witness the relationship between a thief and a giant magical oaf slowly flourish.

Twin Mirror has one of Dontnod's most engrossing stories with a conclusion that reflects the moral ambiguity of living in a small community. However, this narrative and its characters are hurt by a frustrating Mind Palace gameplay mechanic that isn't utilised to its full potential until the end of the game. Twin Mirror has its strengths but the game staring back at you through the reflection of the screen isn't always reaching its full potential.

A sometimes beguiling yet, frequently intriguing blend of first-person exploration and shooter genres, Get Even’s uneven execution results in a game that is commendable for its ambition and relentlessly engaging narrative, but one which ultimately fails to come together in practice.

Magic mushroom design, endearingly wacky NPCs and visually plush environments are mixed with simple and fun gameplay countered with patience testing level repetition adding up to a fairly unique short and sweet FPS.

V Rising may not be your cup of tea, but it offers an intriguing combination of building mechanics and gameplay systems that truly reach their high potential when playing with other players. Without others, though, be prepared for a long, solitary grind to reach a portion of that potential.

Final Fantasy XV: Pocket Edition HD is a great alternative to the core XV experience. Pocket Edition HD is designed for the average game. It cuts out the fat and leaves just enough for an enjoyable experience.

Remedy's Control might eventually be one of the coolest games on the market, but upon release framerate, balance, and popup issues are so rampant that players are forced to change their style of play to work around the bugs. While Control's world-building, performances, and writing are all superb, the difficulties in actually playing through the game to see all that cool stuff leads to a deep sense of frustration.

While Freedom Wars Remastered doesn’t offer many updates to the original game, the updates it does make enhance the experience for the better. A full English voice cast combined with updated controls and an improved upgrading system make this game a gear hunter’s delight. While the resolution increase to 4K helps a bit, the 60 frames-per-second refresh rate completely changes the game. For what it’s worth, you still play the same mission types over and over in the same handful of maps, leaving the original repetitive formula untouched. As long as you know what to expect from Freedom Wars Remastered, you will find a compelling IP “monster hunting” RPG that begs for a sequel.

A compact and distinctly linear shooter, though Crysis 3 Remastered has been fashioned into a spectacular looking effort that stands proudly alongside other recent blasters from a technical standpoint, its overly linear trappings will likely disappoint those who appreciate the more open world approaches that the previous two Crysis games employed. All the same, fans of more prescribed genre efforts will still find a lot to like here nonetheless.

A refreshing and modern take on a classic franchise, Lemmings Touch stands as a decent puzzler in its own right. Sometimes frustrating controls however, threaten to spoil what is otherwise an easy recommendation to Lemmings stalwarts and newbies alike.

Do you think you know all the words to Killer Queen? You probably do not, and Freddie Mercury almost assuredly sings it better. That doesn’t mean that it isn’t fun to try. Let’s Sing Queen has a great, deep track list and offers some simple fun. If you enjoy hyper difficult karaoke, you’ll get a kick out of this title. Warning: "Under Pressure" is much more difficult than you think it is.

A charming, gentle take on the Wild West and stealth genres aimed at all ages, but with occasional spikes in difficulty which may trouble younger players. The art design and narrative are both captivating, so providing you have the patience for stealth and puzzles, it's highly recommended.