Though a muscular and complete offering, it's difficult to believe that with the two of the series most highly regarded entries included in this package, that Assassin's Creed: The Ezio Collection didn't receive a far better remastering than what we have here. As it is, this trio of Ezio-era titles only boasts limited appeal to those who have already sampled its enduring setting and notable delights.

On occasion, gameplay feels stale due to the lack of depth and frustrates with frequent death inevitable, but the authenticity of the folklore tale coupled with a great art-style and engaging video docs takes you on a journey that actually feels refreshingly unique and certainly worth a look at its modest price point.

Many pretenders and contenders have attempted to lay claim to Contra’s run-and-gun throne over the years, with some glowingly successful and others failing abysmally, but Contra: Operation Galuga largely preserves its legacy with this faithful recreation of the much-loved 1980s classic. While Operation Galuga won’t offer fans anything shocking or out of the ordinary, it’s still a pleasing upgrade they’ll be clamouring for. There’s plenty in here to relish, and it’s not bloated with new features and ideas that could otherwise jeopardize this renewed relic. Yes, more could’ve been done to reinvent the classic gameplay, but one shouldn’t fix what isn’t broken, and so Operation Galuga is a successful if formulaic return for one of gaming’s most hardcore franchises.

Much like the determined underdog facing the resplendent and almighty champion, Undisputed gets its licks in trying to carve its own legacy over the old Fight Night franchise, but ultimately suffers defeat due to a disappointingly crummy career mode, a decent if patchy roster, and some in-ring kinks. Still, Undisputed impresses with its blunt-force combos and its attempts to rock its competition with heavy unrelenting blows. The in-ring action of Undisputed is what shines through, and this is what you should savour the most, along with all those attractive venues and presentation qualities. Thankfully, the in-ring action here is satisfying enough to keep you engaged for a while. Undisputed is deserving of your attention and you'll be glad to give it a go if you miss the Fight Night games, just so long as you don't enter the fray believing it's championship material.

A solid VR shooter that taps into what made the arcade experience so engrossing. Its art style is distractingly bland in places, but the meat of the game is about blasting zombies for a high score, so it certainly isn’t as noticeable when the cartoon claret is spraying in slow motion.

Laika Aged Through Blood takes some time to get used to but offers a unique combination of gameplay styles. Still, it's not without growing pains, like button combinations not being as intuitive or the pace taking some misteps. There's still some cool ideas here in terms of gameplay and narrative that should be checked out even if you're only a little curious.

Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire is a unique experience that presents a fun yet challenging combat system with great animations and a world where every decision you make affects the kingdom around you. It’s not perfect by any means but it succeeds more than it fails.

Underneath the novel, yet slightly dubious gimmick of a human romancing birds is a charming, humorous tale of teen angst.

Guns, Gore & Cannoli 2 is a frequently fun, ultra-violent platform shooter that fans of the genre should investigate without delay - just don't expect it to offer much beyond its meagre duration.

Ambition can only take a game so far. The inconsistent experience in Dead Island is testament to that, with a selection of surprisingly good gameplay mechanics somewhat overshadowed by technical issues and a bad story.

Touch My Katamari makes little changes to the core gameplay and art style, but it's still so much fun.

I had plenty of fun with Xuan Yuan Sword 7. Though I wish the story would have been a little more engaging, the fun yet straightforward combat and exploration kept me going until the end, that said the game does suffer from some lousy difficulty spikes and forgotten mechanics that are introduced early on. It's the seventh core title in the franchise, and I'm hoping it's not the last one to make it to western shores.

Smoother combat and great multiplayer options make Xenoverse 2 worth a play for fans of the series.

Terminator: Resistance is not perfect - not by a long shot. The AI is almost catastrophically dumb for the most part and the array of pseudo open-world systems that it borrows would appear to be done better elsewhere. However, Terminator: Resistance also succeeds by being the first licensed title in a long time to properly craft an effective and emotional homage to a movie franchise that has deserved much better. Though faint praise, Terminator: Resistance is the best Terminator game in an age and one of the best guilty pleasures of the year.

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? is smarter than the average quiz show game, even if it doesn’t exactly stretch itself too far. The concept that made the television show a success translates fairly well to the console party game space. Just make sure you check your ego at the door.

While the graphical presentation and sound design leaves a lot to be desired, the gameplay and match systems are unique and quite addictive. While I cannot see it knocking something like FIFA off the top of the football game tree, I can see it offering something light-hearted, different and fun for football and RPG fans alike.

Journey to Foundation is a multi-layered concoction of elements drawn from other titles that have been unified under an engrossing and non-linear sci-fi narrative. Though its story and cast of characters engage for the most part, these different elements all feel like they have been executed better elsewhere, making Journey to Foundation feel precisely the sum of its parts and nothing more. That said, fans of Asimov's writings and involving sci-fi tales in general will still find much to enjoy here.

Yuoni takes the hide-and-seek formula and adds a few new concepts to it. Not everything works as well as the others, particularly the design of some of the common enemies and their movements. However, it makes some thoughtful creative choices and takes chances with them to make something that at least horror fans should try out. Yuoni is far from perfect, but it still holds its own merit.

Chronos: Before The Ashes brings to the Souls formula some interesting ideas that, if further explored, could expand on a beloved formula quite nicely. However, in its present form, these ideas contradict themselves, creating more of a red herring than a legitimate risk-reward system. Regardless, the game is fun to play, but the narrative and initially appealing age mechanic don't reach the end of the game with the same intensity.

No Son of Mine does a lot right, combining a fantastic setting with vivid graphical fidelity and stellar low lighting. Some ideas don't meet in the middle, such as combining combat limitations with far-too-frequent encounters. Either way, horror fans need to check this out. Those of you new to the genre can also get a solid experience here without being massively overwhelmed.

In the end, though Turrican Anthology Vol. 2 doesn't feel quite as essential as its predecessor, the inclusion of both Turrican 3 and Mega Turrican, not to mention Super Turrican 2, still makes this ensemble of side-scrolling, platforming shooter retro goodness a worthwhile venture for fans of the genre.

Madden 25 is what Madden fans want: updated rosters, controls, and schemes, but it's not a game changer. Consider this more of a preview for what's coming in the next generation rather than an equated version.

Vlad Circus Descend Into Madness makes the puzzle genre worth playing through. It may not streamline anything the genre offers, but it does keep you motivated to move forward, thanks to its simplistic visual style and thoughtful writing.

Murdered: Soul Suspect is a title with many great ideas, but not great execution.

Though simplistic and lacking in some variety, Bee Simulator is a great introduction to open-world games that everybody can enjoy and is also a towering celebration of Mother Nature's most vital workforce.

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is what SNK is best at. A pure fighter with great mechanics that are easy to understand and only the best will master. It's just a shame that so many of its modes and unlocks are shallow and don't add much to the overall experience.

No, it is not a good Metal Gear game. Yes it is somewhat difficult to love thanks to a laborious and shonky opening act. Yet Metal Gear Survive is a good survival game underneath the grime of its controversial existence. Whether people will give it the chance to show that is a whole other issue.

Visually arresting and audibly moody, Rain is a little damp in terms of depth.

A maddening eschewing of basic exposition makes Below feel like something of an arrogant work - but ultimately it wields a tremendous audiovisual aesthetic and weaves an interesting, if not an always thrilling, take on the roguelike adventure template.

Inventive and disturbing puzzler with beautiful environments, Little Nightmares is well worth a look for fans of the genre looking for something a little different.

Wet Dreams Don't Dry brings Leisure Suit Larry into the modern era in a suitably awkward and entertaining fashion. It's a good point n' click adventure, and is funny on a fairly regular basis. Just don't expect too much to have changed with its horndog hero.

Lifeless Planet's stark simplicity belies its heartfelt message. Its environmental blandness countered by a compelling story.

If you're willing to let go of preconceived notions and have fun with a game, then snag this title and give it a go.

Manic Mechanics is great for an afternoon of fun with a friend or someone new to this style of game, but with its limited content I struggle to see it making any meaningful waves. I would love to see the content expanded on in the future with DLC or a sequel. The game is unique and inventive within the structure that it was created. Given further iteration, I could see myself enjoying the Manic Mechanics world just as much as I enjoy Overcooked.

Erring on just the right side of trashy, Raging Justice doesn't break any significant new ground for the side-scrolling brawler but it succeeds as an entertaining effort all the same.

Pretty much the same, boringly dependable Just Dance experience at heart, but the addition of a kid friendly mode makes this far more worthy a purchase for front room dance fans than the last few iterations.

In the end, Bright Memory: Infinite feels like an advert for a much larger, much more ambitious game and the price tag (around $15 or so), reflects that. Bright Memory: Infinite both absolutely looks and plays the part of a furiously assured shooter with resoundingly empowering combat, it's just a shame that the relatively emaciated amount of content that surrounds its otherwise excellent core makes Bright Memory: Infinite feel much more like a taster for something more ambitious to come rather than anything else.

Solid core gameplay let down by the lack of arena evolution and weak story mode.

A unambitious and streamlined remaster of one of the better games in the Far Cry franchise, Far Cry 3 Classic Edition nonetheless provides value and satisfying open-world shenanigans in spades.

The indie horror scene does it again, showing the big studios what the horror genre needs. Not all the ideas work as well as they should, but the game delivers a unified vision that still gets under your skin.

Paleo Pines takes a unique approach to the ranching genre, asking you to learn a new way of developing your home. Pacing suffers along the way, and much of the side content feels more like filler. It may not have revolutionized the genre and may not be for everyone, but fans of the genre will find something surprisingly engaging, even with its flaws.

Despite its flaws, Ninja Gaiden Sigma II Plus is a solid hack-'n-slash title and worth a place in anyone's PS Vita collection.

Tomb Raider Trilogy is a great value for fans and a decent introduction to those new to the series. However, both Legend and Anniversary still feel a little dated despite the HD overhaul.

Plenty of players feared Black Ops 7 might fall into the same expansion-like pattern that Modern Warfare 3 did after Modern Warfare 2, and for some that concern may feel justified once the campaign’s uneven execution becomes clear. The story has flashes of ambition, but its pacing and structure stop it from reaching the impact it aims for, leaving it feeling more serviceable than essential. Multiplayer steadies the ship with the sharpest and most rewarding action in the package, delivering the consistency and momentum the rest of the game struggles to match. Zombies offers a decent run with enjoyable pockets of tension, yet it also settles into familiar rhythms, creating an overall experience that lands solidly but never pushes the series forward in the way fans hoped.

Aqua TV is simple and fun to use, meaning that kids can enjoy themselves too building their own virtual aquarium and then watching the little fishes and sea creatures come to life. It's quite relaxing too.

Hood: Outlaws and Legends is a genuinely refreshing multiplayer idea that’s well-executed for the most part. It’s a little light on variety and doesn’t offer all that much in terms of reward beyond winning matches, but there’s a consistent joy to be found in its often intense back and forth tug of war for gold and glory.

A unique and highly original survival adventure inhabited by a host of outlandish creatures in which you constantly struggle to guide your hapless Trebhums to safety and away from The Cylinder. While the design and concept can't be faulted, the lack of direction and excessive busywork bog down the gameplay and detract from the experience to the point of patience testing. If you can handle a fiddly challenge which rewards a great deal of patience with some outstanding originality, it's recommended.

Under The Waves delivers a powerful narrative in an atmoshperic, underwater experience. As you descend further into the depths of this story, you will find yourself empathizing with the main character and experiencing the realities of accepting your past and moving on.

If Dynasty Warriors 9 was the volatile reboot the series desperately needed to endure, the Empires is proof the mixture isn’t quite settled yet. What Empires adds in terms of being an engrossing strategy sim, it loses in paring back its open world warfare to something that feels far too much like the series back at its worst. Persevere with its shortcomings, though, and Empires can bring you riches.

An entertainingly substantial, if simplistic take on tower defence warfare, Toy Soldiers War Chest’s thrills are prominent, yet a little dulled by some technical issues and a needlessly greedy pricing model.

Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China is a decent stab---no pun intended---at bringing the series to a 2.5D realm, though it's sadly let down by poor level design and dull combat.

Spirit of the North Enhanced Edition may look great at 4K and run smoother at 60 FPS, but with no gameplay changes, barely any meaningful use of the DualSense, and a lack of gameplay improvements the indie-adventure doesn't offer much of a reason to play. This enhanced edition isn't bad by any means, but it just doesn't offer much of a reason to check it out for new or returning players, especially given the price increase.

Excellent turn-based strategy game, highly reminiscent to Advance Wars. Beautiful, highly detailed artwork that can sometimes be too 'busy' for the eye. Interesting storyline and world building that I want to see more of in the future. All told, a game that will absolutely lull you into playing 'just one more turn'.

Clunkier and much rougher around the edges than we'd like, Call of Cthulhu nonetheless does justice to its source material and provides a decently entertaining supernatural detective romp in the process.

Have A Nice Death makes a couple mishaps that affect its flow and theme execution a great deal. Still, boss fights and engaging combat make the experience worth trying. It may not be for everyone, but roguelike fans will enjoy it.

Auto Chess is a great introduction to the Auto Battler genre. Since it's a free-to-play title, there's no risk in giving it a try. While the colorful cartoonish graphics are amusing and core gameplay mechanics are solid, the actual battles are a bit lackluster. In the end, I just didn't find myself building any long lasting attachment to the game.

If you're after an accessible and welcoming bus simulation title, Bus Bound fits the bill in a serviceable fashion. Riding buses, collecting passengers and managing routes are all well implemented, and the handling of each vehicle makes each journey slightly different. Hardcore sim fans may be displeased with the lack of esoteric manual features and the inability to walk outside of the buses, but ultimately Bus Bound is a welcome aboard for anybody who wants a sim offering without the torturous nitty gritty technical graft.

While some of the former issues remain, Atelier Ayesha still has a charm, feel, and execution to it that deserves another audience.

Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water does some things well and misses the mark on others. It generates tension well, but it depends too much on the simplistic, yet rewarding camera-based combat. Either way, Maiden of Black Water offers something compelling for horror fans to dig into, as long as you can accept its shortcomings.

A fine recreation of trivia with a real focus on the questions, That Trivia Game is best enjoyed with friends as its limited additional content and modes will struggle to sustain the interest of a lone player.

Arslan boasts great story and character concepts woven beautifully between stunning action sequences. Gameplay is straightforward, but a diverse cast of playable characters prevents too much monotony.

It is wonderful to revisit the setting and characters of The Outer Worlds. But due to the way the expansion is nestled within the greater story, the admittedly entertaining and well-written adventure ultimately feels a bit hollow. Fans will enjoy hanging out with Parvati for a few hours – and some narrative twists keep things lively – but some changes or expansions to the gameplay would have been very welcome.

Varied and fun to play, Shadow of New Despair captures the intensity and feel of 70's and 80's monster/sci-fi movies, though its difficulty curve is sometimes hard to swallow.

Not the big jump in quality we saw from the last Don Bradman’s to Ashes Cricket, Cricket 19 is at least a small improvement on its predecessor, strengthening its modular gameplay options and packing in a bit more detail to the engrossing career and Ashes modes. It’s fair to say more was expected of this latest willow-whacker, but it does manage to keep the series on the path to greater things.

Frozen Synapse Prime marries classic turn-based action with thoughtful design like turn previews and asynchronous multiplayer. Graphics can be bland, and design frustrations wear at the experience, but it's a satisfying strategy romp made better with friends.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred brings some new content to the table, including the new playable class, a new zone, a new coop mode, and some new story. However, the story lacks the kind of oomph and satisfaction that usually comes with Diablo. To boot, Party Finder limits itself with the seasonal and non-seasonal characters, and the Spiritborn class is still receiving early adjustments to how it plays. Still, there's a great free patch that comes alongside the expansion. This creates the perfect opportunity for returning players to check out where Diablo IV is now. The free quality-of-life changes might just help persuade you to jump back in the deep end.

A sci-fi marvel, Torment: Tides of Numenera lays a narrative path for what could be something major. The pristine storyline shines through for those willing to sift through the cumbersome issues.

Everything provides a mellow environment to explore, with the perfect auditory compliments for your journey. The experience may be lost on some, but that's okay. Others will thoroughly enjoy getting lost in the experience, despite minor frustrations like the needle-in-a-haystack search.

Tachyon Project does enough to get noticed in the sea of modern twin-stick shooters thanks to its inventive setup, but there’s still something missing that means it never hits the heights of the very best in the genre. For what it is, and what it costs, you’ll get more than enough out of it.

An accomplished adaptation of one of history's most timeless board games, Backgammon Blitz just falls short of being the definitive version of the game on account of its lack of cross-save functionality and redundant Blitz mode.

Alone in the Dark is a success in more ways than it's not. There are notable issues preventing it from reaching that upper echelon but nonetheless developer Pieces Interactive has crafted an engaging experience with enough charm that fans of the series, or indeed the genre, will no doubt lap up.

A solid debut title for La Cosa Entertainment, KLAUS looks good and tells its story very well. A bit too easy for seasoned players, which feels unrewarding, but still plenty to like about this quirky platformer.

Atelier Sophie has a target audience in mind here, and while it offers a compelling crafting with alchemy, the narrative lacks much intrigue to keep things moving.

Fallout 76 is a blast to play. It's easily my favorite Fallout title to date. Fallout 76 has it's fair share of problems but they don't make the game unplayable. Fallout 76 isn't for everyone but for those who stick with it will definitely find what it has to offer.

With only two major games in the franchise starting at the end of the Fairy Tail story, Fairy Tail 2 seems like an odd choice. While it's perfect for franchise fans, people looking to jump in for the first time will lose out on many stories and content. The game features an intense combat system, even though it's a tad on the easy side and has plenty of worlds to explore. Overall, it's just a shame that almost all of Fairy Tail 2 feels rushed and budgeted compared to developer Gusts' more recent titles.

Going Under is not a bad game, its story is fun, sometimes witty, and at times, a tad meme-like. If you play a lot of roguelikes you may find it a bit thin on the ground. However, if you are new to the genre, want something a bit lighter, or just want to try something a bit different Going Under may be for you. It has a depth in its difficulty options, it looks very nice, and plays well. I think it just depends on what you are looking to get out of the game. There is stuff here to like, it is just not for everyone.

Nights of Azure is an example a very decent game that could have been great given more time and money.

With its enjoyable narrative and fun quests, The Technomancer is certainly worth playing, even with its bland visuals.

Though technically flawed, The Raven Remastered is a leisurely and charming point and click adventure that fans of the genre will enjoy.

A roster of uncanny characters and their interactions is enough to detract from a well-trodden, predictable story. New Tales from the Borderlands is chock full of mini-games, laughs and great performances throughout. With cameos from well-known, returning characters and that distinctive art style, New Tales from the Borderlands is definitely worth playing, especially for Borderlands fans.

There's the sense EA are keeping F1 video games' true potential under lock and key, as there's plenty of room to make a significant evolution of the brand, but F1 24 really isn't it despite a raft of subtle and appreciable improvements.

Monster Energy Supercross 4 on PS5 is pretty much everything you think it is for better or worse. Though Milestone's practiced hand at crafting reliably enjoyable design frameworks and handling models from previous games make it to Sony's latest console intact, there's simply not enough done on the feature set and visual presentation side of things to make Monster Energy Supercross 4 feel like a true leap forward from its last-gen predecessors. Nonetheless, though longtime fans of the series will surely lap this up, newcomers should expect to be freshly punished by the game's unforgiving, though ultimately satisfying handling system.

NBA 2K21 nails the 3 when it comes to gameplay and performance, all but sending the PS4 version to the annals of history. However, game mode choices and lack of MyPlayer transfer keep the PS4 version relevant when it comes to time investment and previous playtime. With The City being more spread out and barriers put up between modes, NBA 2K21 on PS5 feels disconnected. Consider what your needs and wants are with this game before choosing which version to buy.

Titan Attacks is a fan service to space-invading brethren of old, but strip away the charm and flattery and you are left with an antiquated, short-lived experience that facilitates just a tinge of classic fun.

Mulaka has some promise, but some issues in certain areas. It has a really cool soundtrack, lovely atmosphere, and the hand drawn style of the graphics makes it stand out. Sadly, some of the mechanics just bring it down a bit. Perhaps with some future updates some of this can be fixed, but at least the foundations of the game are solid, and the story is genuinely interesting.

The Swapper couples complex narrative and mind-bending puzzles nicely. It's a short ride, but the core concept wields enough for on-the-fence gamers to consider a purchase.

Madden NFL 20 manages to iron out some nagging issues, making gameplay better than it has ever been. Ultimate Team sees deep refinement, but online play needs some work. Madden NFL 20 feels like a game made for existing Madden fans.

Though it seems like a simple anime dungeon crawler, Little Witch Nobeta is a fun romp with an excellent combat system and fantastic world-building. It also features some great exploration full of plenty of secret rooms and treasures to find and I found myself lost for hours just looking for that next little collectable or scroll to level up my magic. Little Witch Nobeta takes what made a lot of the souls formula great and introduces it to the more casual player.

Zombie Army 4 is a solid co-op offering that offers plenty of blood-spilling fun. However, it's let down by dated mission design and repetition, while its single-player isn't half as fun as when you're teaming up with a group of mates. Fans of the series will definitely appreciate what's on offer, though.

With plenty of modes, options, and three mildly customizable factions, Warparty offers RTS fans a lot of content to chew on. Much effort was obviously spent building this unique world and its intricate mechanics. While the lack of multiplayer is disappointing, Warparty will keep fans busy with its blistering difficulty and fast-paced strategy action.

In Sound Mind attempts dark humor to great effect, but quickly falls back into basic first-person shooter gameplay tropes, leaving its original intentions behind. The game still plays well, and makes for an engaging puzzler and exploration game; it just doesn't maintain its horror vibe for very long.

Excitebike meets Wipeout in this challenging arcade racing game. Great for those short line-ups when five minutes need to be burned but lacks any deep reserve of nitro to keep the engines burning at full speed into first place glory.

Chernobylite combines some cool ideas and implements them in a way that complements the story it wants to tell. Several issues stand in its way, with potential save corruption acting as the biggest road block. Once that issue gets patched out, the core experience will offer up something unique, even if many of its gameplay elements lack depth.

There's enough addictive fun to be had in Rainbow Moon to justify its small price tag, but slow pacing and control issues hold it back from greatness.

Darkest Dungeon can be quite inventive and interesting at its best, but these highs aren’t held for very long. Still, this is a solid turn-based RPG with a great gimmick.

Absolutely dated in so many ways with crusty stealth gameplay, poor visuals and uninspiring environments, yet showing glimmers of innovation that are in turn bolstered by bouts of super satisfying werewolf combat, Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood is the first proper guilty pleasure of the year.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle is a fun couch co-op game that should be played with friends and family alike. It's not perfect by any means, but it manages to do the job and entertain at the same time.

Brothers in Arms: Hell’s Highway provides an emotionally charged story that will draw you into the battlefield, but some lackluster AI, visuals, and online play will take you right back out.