Where Winds Meet does a lot of great stuff that should be commended for its freedom of choice, characters interaction and fantastic combat. However, it also struggles with its Free-To-Play mechanics, resulting in a grindy and stalled progression system.

A potential Persona-killer franchise once some flaws are ironed out. RPG fans will nevertheless enjoy the game, but those new to the genre might be put off by the grindy, linear nature of the game.

EA Sports College Football 2025 is the return of college football that sports gaming fans have been waiting for. There's enough here to keep the avid and dedicated fans around for a good while, with Dynasty Mode and Road to Glory taking center stage. Control over dynasty players, playing defense, and not fully showing what controls are bring down the experience quite a bit, especially in the beginning hours. EA Sports College Football 25 is not for everyone, but fans will get enough out of it to keep the franchise coming back around each year, hopefully with improvements.

Faultless presentation, an absolute raft of superb vehicles across 9 categories, 130 brilliantly rendered circuits in 22 international locations and a 6 hour story mode alongside a huge career and promising online play. But there's nothing here that hasn't been done before and there's a soulless tedium involved as a result which begs the question - why?

Leaps and bounds ahead of their previous effort, Brawl might not be the most polished title available and the dark setting certainly feels overdone but as a multiplayer party title, the game arguably brings the thrills where it counts.

Much like its primary protagonist then, Rue Valley certainly has no shortage of faults or shortcomings and it's also practically impossible for Rue Valley to escape the vast, looming shadow of ZA/UM's epic adventure, Disco Elysium. Taking all of that into account however, Rue Valley's Disco Elysium meets Groundhog Day concept is a compelling one that finds itself ably anchored by a great art style, good writing and interesting characters and it's one that will surely tide over Disco Elysium fans looking for their next existential adventure fix.

While Subnautica remains a brilliantly immersive and addictive survival adventure, the PS5 upgrade delivers less than we expected. Technically, the game is very similar to its successor, Subnautica: Below Zero, and yet falls short on both performance and visual quality in comparison. A free upgrade is always welcome, but perhaps Subnautica PS5 has automatically been made redundant by its superior sequel. Existing Subnautica players with a PS5 get a nice facelift, but there's little to justify this edition for newcomers.

Battlefield’s jump to law enforcement and lawbreakers doesn’t rob the franchise of its essence but fails to bring enough heat to woo non-fans.

A comedic script will keep you entertained as you hack and slash through dozens of stages. The shine and polish of games done before this one is missing, thus leaving it a shell of what it could, and should be. Fans of the series will undoubtedly have fun, but new players could get bored quickly.

Hob is an enjoyable experience, providing hours of great puzzling and platforming fun – despite the game’s face-value story and technical issues.

Uneven pacing and a slumping middle act detract from a brutally action-packed cliffhanger that duly sets up the final ever episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead.

Maize is an 80's Spielberg movie on crack. That is all.

When comparing it to other 3D Sonic titles, Sonic Colours is easily one of the better entries in the storied annals of the spiny speedster. It’s an audiovisual delight, and more often than not, calls upon the spirit of speed that made this a household name. Unfortunately, it still carries plenty of the baggage from older 3D Sonic games in terms of unnecessary difficulty spikes, and inconsistent switching between 3D and 2.5D.

For 50 Cent fans Blood on the Sand is a must-buy, but devotees of the genre will also be pleasantly surprised at its impressive features and rampant gameplay.

If you’re an avid Ferrari fan, go ahead and ignore all the negative points I’ve made, because Ferrari Challenge was made specifically for you. If, however, you’re just looking for a good time, Ferrari Challenge gets the job done, but not without a few hiccups along the way.

Despite being woefully short and lacking some genuinely challenging puzzles, Datura is still a captivating and unique experience worth checking out.

Fobia St. Dinfna Hotel does a lot of things right but it falls just a tad short of matching the greatness of many other games in the genre. I loved exploring the Hotel and solving puzzles that are reminiscent of classic titles like Silent Hill and Resident Evil. It's just a shame that combat is not only boring but lacks any real challenge, and the story doesn't provide much resolution or explanation to what's really going on.

If you're looking for fun, responsive gameplay with a sprinkling of 4th wall breaking, then Parcel Corps is an over the top, fast paced, satirical experience that will have you pedalling up the right street.

The third entry in the Dissidia franchise is a good one and fans of the franchise shouldn't miss out on this entry. With a massive roster of characters and entertaining combat, the core Dissidia mechanics are safe and sound. It's just a shame that this entry feels so bare bones, not only with its lack of game modes but in its story execution.

Headlander is an okay game made much better by a suitably daft concept, and the way it’s presented. It’s an amusing take on the Metroidvania-style genre that adds little new mechanically.

Despite a hugely flawed single-player campaign and some control issues, Trailmakers succeeds commendably with the Lego-style vehicle building and online template sharing. Get stuck into the Rally mode and enjoy modding your vehicles to win races, then compete online in the sandbox modes and you'll have lots of fun.

Forspoken lacks the kind of refinement expected of a AAA title. If the concepts had received more attention, then the entire package would have been more cohesive. Still, despite its issues, there's definitely something here to enjoy if you can focus in on what the game does well: narrative, accessibility, and writing.

Reveil tells a great story through its dialogue and settings, but it misses the mark when it comes to horror. It may not scare you, but it still proves quite compelling.

Gungrave G.O.R.E. has been a long time coming; in many ways, this is the game fans of the franchise have been waiting for. It may not be the best game on the market regarding visual and audio design, but the gameplay makes up for that. What may seem like a repetitive shooter quickly becomes a frantic and strategic battle against hordes of enemies. Gungrave G.O.R.E. is a brutal game, but I would be amiss to admit that I loved almost every minute of my time with it. It's not for everybody, but those who take the time to appreciate its mechanics may find something special in this latest franchise entry.

BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle should have been a triumph for Arc System Works cross franchise fighter, but instead it's simply just another fighter. The simple controls allow everyone to enjoy the title this time but its lack of characters hurt what could have been a grand undertaking.

Madden 19 has the kind of defense that makes this game worth buying, and spectacular plays are more spectacular than ever. Uncomplimentary menus and peculiar gameplay simulations keep this year's Madden from being something profoundly special. Still, there's plenty here to feed the need for more football.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora offers a visually appealing open world that fans of the movies will certainly enjoy. That said, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora is routinely held back by repetitive gameplay, while a lack of enemy types and weapons stops the combat from being quite as enjoyable as it could have been. Technically impressive and satisfying for the most part, it's also clear that Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora feels essentially just like another Far Cry game from a game design point of view, rather than the sort of entirely fresh offering one would expect from a modern day Avatar video game.

Beyond its central conceit of virtual-reality shooting, Farpoint is the very definition of mediocre. But that shooting--especially in Cooperative Mode--is compelling, well-executed, and undeniably fun.

SpongeBob Squarepants: The Cosmic Shake makes for an inconsistent start, but grows into the kind of fun-filled platformer its star deserves.

Sparklite is a fun title that is born from a wealth of classic influences. However, it may test the patience of players in the latter half of the game due to it's procedurally generated world and crazy difficulty spikes that force you to grind as much as possible just to give yourself the smallest of advantages.

With a strong focus on storytelling, The Lord of the Rings: Adventure Card Game is a PVE collectable card game that will challenge – and sometimes infuriate – card game and strategy fans. While the “always online” demands and the original storyline are bewildering, the gameplay itself is deep and entertaining. Just be ready to shake your head when Sauron whoops up on you at the last minute.

Need for Speed: The Run takes players on a cross country competition for the promise of rich rewards, but ultimately the function of delivering the narrative hinders an otherwise decent driving game.

An unapologetically old-school shooter that has been brought kicking and screaming into 2023, courtesy of those remaster wizards over at Nightdive Studios, Rise of the Triad: Ludicrous Edition is certainly one for experienced genre fans. This is in no small part thanks to its well-designed, FPS assault course style levels which will challenge even the most itchy of trigger fingers. However, despite the stellar work by porting studio Nightdive Studios, Rise of the Triad's aging tech often ends up betraying itself, often resulting in frustration, while a less than comprehensive feature set makes the PS4 version feel incomplete when compared to its more fully-featured PC counterpart.

For what it is, Separation is an enjoyable couple of hours. Its graphics may not be the best on the platform and its gameplay may be a bit on the thin side but what you are left with is a very bleak and personal journey. A journey through a barren landscape set to an amazing soundtrack that constantly propels you onward to your goal. It is a relaxing experience that I think most players will enjoy.

Tropico 5 is a solid and gleefully wicked take on city building and strategy. The game’s modes and tone cleverly push you toward the path of power-mad nutbag at every step, but frequent restarts can feel like an insufferable drag.

Shadow Warrior is without a doubt a big, dumb thrill ride. It isn’t looking to push the boundaries of what we can expect from a video game narrative, but could have perhaps invested a bit more in keeping its blade sharp through more diverse enemy types and combos. However, even with that said, even a dull blade is fun to swing around at times.

The Cold Steel franchise reaches its final stop, but it doesn't make a smooth approach. Too many characters and events outside of the four named games make the additional litany of characters and events hard to apply to the franchise. There's enough to get by, and combat remains a mainstay aspect of the game. It's not perfect, but it's still a Trails game to the very end.

Worms Rumble excels similarly on PS4 as it does on PS5. The differences in performance are noticeable but not significant. Matchmaking works just as quick on both console versions of the game, so you'll always find it easy to scratch that itch for one more round no matter where you play. The PS4 version is another good addition to the already stellar library of the console, and although there isn't much content at launch, Worms Rumble is a worthwhile investment with future promise.

The Legend of Korra is rife with potential that sadly goes unexplored. While combat is satisfying and the animated series is visually well represented, it lacks the tactical depth to entice hardcore action gamers and the storytelling to truly satisfy fans of the show.

A fun farming sim with tons of options, an intuitive interface and impressive graphics.

For those who enjoy strategy games, the interesting puzzles and challenges this game provides will be welcomed with open arms. Mastering the combat system and crafting the perfect build for your Tech Priests will encourage replayability, although the differences between the PS4 port and the original PC version stand out significantly.

Tomba! Special Edition is a thorough remaster of a classic underappreciated title from PlayStation history that manages to stand out among a sea of other mascot platformers. A pioneering force in the popularisation of the 2.5D platformer, I enjoyed being given the chance to see where this subgenre began. While there are definitely relics of archaic PlayStation-era design, these are almost an expectation rather than a point of heavy critique. For those familiar with the antics of this cave boy, you'll feel right at home. And the bonus materials sweeten the deal too.

Daymare 1994: Sandcastle is a fun title that improves on almost all the issues from the original. It provides an excellent atmosphere and fun combat situations where you can use cryo abilities. It's not a perfect game, though, with some bad voice acting, really dark lighting, and being unable to dodge attacks leaves you open to strikes. Invader Studios will hopefully build on these qualities for the promised third instalment in the series.

Anthem may never get the chance to live up to its potential due to a series of unfortunate game design decisions and issues. The first IP from BioWare in over ten years displays moments of grandeur with fun and unique gameplay that unfortunately is undermined by the game's current condition.

Symphony of the Machine is a short puzzle game that really taps into the concepts of virtually reality. The game is kept simple, whilst the puzzles are tactical and challenging. If you are looking for a great VR puzzle game that should only take a few hours to complete, give this gem a spin.

Dragon of the North could have been a great DLC, but at the end it fails to live up to the expectations. Dragon of the North is good, but it doesn’t add enough content to make it an absolute necessity and only the most hardcore players will find the difficulty spike to their liking, others will probably cry in a corner.

Game Art seeks to create a title that'll give Monster Hunter a run for its money. Though it's not quite there, it's a very solid first attempt to an exclusive title that should continue to grace the PlayStation Vita.

Song Of Nunu: A League Of Legends Story is a simple game with excellent storytelling and truly endearing characters. Willump and Nunu's story and adventure will warm your heart even in the icy regions of its setting. It's a cinematic, Pixar-like experience that shouldn't be missed by adventure fans or anyone looking to get a new game for their young kid.

Despite its scattershot approach to control and bite-sized scope, DOOM VFR provides a tantalizing, gore-soaked and adrenaline filled peek at the future of PSVR.

If you can get through the relatively humdrum, lifeless and unneeded open world of Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One you'll uncover a whip smart detective adventure that is up there with the series best. It's just a shame that a smattering of technical issues and poorly executed combat sections detract from what should have been the Pride of Baker Street's triumphant return to PlayStation.

Marvel vs Capcom Infinite isn't the massive step back that was feared, but it's not exactly kept up with the frontrunners of the genre either. There's lots of fanservice in the daft melodrama of it's story, and the fighting itself is still flashy and as punchy as before. Just don't go in expecting an evolution of the series.

Mother Russia Bleeds is a welcome addition to a genre that has been forgotten for decades. Its combat is fun and brutal but be warned It's a game that will drive you up the walls and probably see you break your controller, hopefully you won't break it of your friends head if he's sitting next to you.

The Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy has been remastered beautifully and truthfully to the original releases, with a few minor extras and improvements that are welcome. Despite that, the controls and gameplay feel outdated, and despite the Crash PS4 trilogy doing well to stir pangs of nostalgia, the games don’t hold up to 2017 standards of excellence.

Arizona Sunshine Remake is a perfectly fine and fun game. On the killing zombies front, it's a great experience with head-popping gore, and a few weapons that feel really fun to run around with. That's about all there is though, and there's a real question as to whether or not its really the best use of your cash to pick it up, especially when there's an already strong sequel out, or if you've already played Arizona Sunshine on PSVR.

Though The Elder Scrolls Online: Greymoor represents a good jumping in point for lapsed players and newcomers alike, it sticks a little too rigidly to its shopworn design tendencies to really excel, while elsewhere, a smattering of bugs threaten to take the sheen off what is otherwise a highly entertaining expansion to one of the better MMORPGs on the market.

A good JRPG that needs more to make it great in the West.

There is plenty to enjoy about Arctic Awakening. Its writing and voice work bring the characters to life, and the mysteries of the abandoned facilities and plane crash are worth exploring. It's a shame that so much time is spent walking long distances to reach the next major story point.

A nice but brutal little stealth game with an enjoyable multi-ending story. Classic Metal Gear fans especially will get some joy out of sneaking around Robocop-style biped robots in this title. The core gameplay and narrative are strong, but an absence of variety makes Disjunction just short of a home run.

Certainly it's great to see an all time classic enshrined and restored for modern day use. Additionally it opens up the game to exclusively console players that never played the original Diablo 2 on PC. There's no denying its significance in gaming history, and looks wonderfully sharp in 4k, but the age of the source code is evident. Diablo faithfuls will get a great nostalgic kick on the clunky ever-grind that is Diablo 2: Resurrected, but it would be a difficult recommendation for any series newcomers.

Black the Fall paints a pretty bleak picture of a quite personal dystopia. It doesn’t excel at its puzzle-solving all that often, nor does it always feel well-designed, but it does well enough to keep you moving through the oppression in the hope the protagonist gets to fulfill his dream of freedom from it.

Alien: Rogue Incursion has a lot for Alien fans to love and appreciate, with surprises that'll truly delight fans the way they delighted me. But repetitive gameplay that doesn't really evolve dulls down the tension and scare-factor significantly by the time you're wrapping up this initial part of the story, and far too much jank pulls you out of the atmosphere that is working overtime to immerse you in the Alien universe. And yet, for Alien fans, it's one of the better games to come since Isolation, but it's not the new number one.

A gorgeous, atmospheric, and relaxing world chock full of things to do, My Time at Portia ultimately falls frustratingly short of its potential due to some serious pacing issues and an overall lack of mechanical polish.

Bolstered by the absolutely stellar and largely transformative remaster work that Nightdive Studios has put into the game, Shadow Man Remastered represents an interesting curio for those who have yet to sample its esoteric delights, while eager fans crusty enough to remember Shadow Man's third-person horror adventure escapades from the PSOne days should probably add another point or so to the review score.

SaGa Frontier 2 was ahead of its time. Though not everyone will feel the love with this remaster considering its notorious difficulty, SaGa Frontier 2 maintains a special place in the genre for its unique combat, storytelling, and incredible art style. It's just a shame it can be such a brutally difficult game.

The Chant is a flawed experience filled with some fantastic moments, stellar monster design, light exploration and puzzle-solving, and a solid narrative to keep things moving. Despite its dated visuals, oversized linear world, and simplistic AI, you can find a nice survival horror romp in The Chant if you let yourself be taken by it.

Relicta tries to strike a balance between narrative and gameplay, but that balance ends up hurting the final experience by making the game a slog to go through and puzzles becoming infuriatingly complex in the second half. The story and excellent voice acting are a nice differentiator and the level of detail in the environments is impressive, but Relicta is a game that is hard to stick with in its second half if you don't have a guide.

Without online co-op, Super Motherload falls a bit short of gaming greatness, but the marriage of entrancing sound and gameplay is still a fun experience.

Despite some concessions, Dead or School is fun, humorous and packed with varied, satisfying combat. If that's your jam and appreciate an original plot, Dead or School belongs in your collection.

A gorgeously framed love letter to the Streets of Rage series, The Takeover is a surprisingly robust and attractive side-scrolling brawler that finds itself let down by poor AI, repetitive enemy types and completely unneeded non-fighting stages. Sadly, the upshot of such devoted love for Sega's series is that the developers behind The Takeover seemingly were concerned more with making the next Streets of Rage, rather than focusing on making the first Takeover.

Men's Room Mayhem is a quirky concept executed surprisingly well, though it won't likely have you coming back for a seconds.

A technically unsound yet utterly addictive action RPG.

Headliner: NoviNews tries something new in gaming - managing a news desk and influencing the welfare of the citizens with each day of published and suppressed articles. With a good balance of moral decision making, 2D exploration and interaction with NPCs, the only thing really missing is any depth. After a few repeat plays, you'll have had enough which is a shame as the few hours when the material is fresh is both enjoyable and thought provoking.

When Super Cloudbuilt clicks, it's platforming at its best. That only comes once you've spent a decent amount of time learning its ways however, because the learning curve towards that nirvana is riddled with plodding, awkward discovery. In the meantime, the dreamlike locales and intriguing story serve as motivation to push through.

A retro-fused bundle offering some of the most iconic 2D fighters ever conceived, the MK Arcade Kollection is ultimately let down by a shockingly bad online component and dodgy sound issues.

Despite the blatant and disappointing omission of a multiplayer component, we've had a good time; it's worth a rental at the very least.

The first Killzone in HD has solid gameplay and looks good, but problems from the original game are still present.

UFO Dad is a match-three puzzle platformer that uses inspiration from games such as Mr. Driller and Tetris Attack to stand out in a crowded puzzle gaming market for mobile devices.

Soldner-X 2: Final Prototype and its DLC The Last Chapter provide a wonderful trip down memory lane for the more mature gamers out there, but the penalty for that is that the game flaunts its influences to the detriment of its own personality.

In many ways, Ride 4 gets its racing simulation so right. The intricate detail of the bikes themselves and the tinkering you can do with them is a testament to that. Unfortunately, the attempt to make its A.I. riders more realistic results in an unwanted level of unpredictability that makes an already challenging experience tougher than it should be.

While I enjoyed Gloomhaven in the end, I found the tutorials and general usability to be lacking. I also found myself missing being around a table with friends and playing with board game components. Apart from that, Gloomhaven offers a massive sprawling campaign that is very moreish when it gets going and It will keep players entertained for hours upon hours. I just wish some of the sharp edges had been filed off and new players' hands had been held a bit tighter.

This port might be the superior version of the game, but it still has its flaws. One can't deny Sony's dedication to indie games. It might be better served coming up with new, original games instead of ports of games that likely didn't sell well on other platforms.

This outing for Naruto still has quite a bit of life left, fighting remains flashy and fun, albeit a bit generic.

Madden NFL 21 makes a good attempt at adding variety into a tried and true formula. However, Face of The Franchise has awkward and dry storytelling and cannot match up to the excellence that Longshot offered the franchise. The Yard has some ambitious ideas and offers up a nice change of pace, but it needs some control tweaks to feel like the mode it's trying to be. The fundamentals are getting better and better, with gameplay getting long-awaited touches of realism.

A stronger episode, but poorly-conceived villains and a lack of satisfying payoff means this increasingly looks like a series you should be playing when it's finished.

Rocket Arena is a stripped-down online multiplayer 3v3 shooter. While there are only a few game modes at launch, they are fun – and EA says there are more on the way. A nice variety of characters keeps the action fresh, and the friendly atmosphere keeps the proceedings fairly cheerful. A great starter shooter for younger kids, but skilled players will also enjoy Rocket Arena quite a bit.

Red Faction Guerrilla was the best of the Red Faction franchise and its Geomod technology proves it's capable of withstanding the test of time. It may feel a bit dated in its driving mechanics and shooting controls but it makes up for that in phenomenal destruction that never gets old.

Bright and light-hearted, Radical Rabbit Stew may not push the boundaries of game design but it is funny, heart-warming and never overstays its welcome. It looks great, sounds great and runs amazingly well. The amazingly oversized bosses are a joy to take on and due to the trial and error nature of the game, the quick restarts are critical. The game may as well be called Rabbit Baseball Simulator 2020 as you whack a multitude of the furry buggers into big cooking pots but if you need a quick puzzle game in your life, this could be the one.

It’s not the most accomplished platformer available on the market, but Kukoos: Lost Pets has that magical formula of generally decent platforming, co-op play and impressive presentation that could make it a favorite this festive season.

Though some gamers may be discouraged by the overly sexualized characters and the game’s borderline erotic dialogue, those who look past will find a surprisingly fun action game with some humorous dialogue, fun combat, and addictive character customization.

NBA 2K23 makes some worthy adjustments to gameplay, making this more entertaining without losing the game's fundamental presentation and feel. At the same time, even the map shrink in The City isn't enough of an addition to make 2K23 worth a must-buy status. Not enough of the game changes to merit a purchase this year, unless you maxed out everything in last year's release and want a fresh start. NBA 2K23 is more for die-hard fans than every before.

Familiar fun for fans of the series with deep customisation options and an impressive Empire Mode, but the repetitive combat formula hasn't evolved.

Banner of the Maid is a genre-defying tactical RPG that challenges players to discover the one way the game will allow them to win battles - and bitterly punishes those that attempt other strategies. With a strong focus on visual novel-style storytelling, the game creates a unique alternate universe version of the French Revolution as a setting for a detailed story with rich characters. Not entirely welcoming for newcomers, Banner of the Maid is an interesting alternative for genre fans.

PlayStation VR Worlds provides a solid introduction to PlayStation VR, giving you a taste of what the technology is capable of. The experiences, however, are a mixed bag and fairly brief with little replay value. The London Heist proves to be the gem among these five mini-games.

A highly entertaining and accessible racing simulation which given additional content, better AI and improved framerate would have made an essential purchase for racing fans.

Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU is a solid debut title from Surgent Studios, with its strongest aspects coming from the art style, world design and a truly impactful story. It's gameplay however lacks the same depth, and doesn't do enough to set itself apart in a genre crowded with some of the best games ever made.

Blades of Fire is a great return to the genre for MercurySteam. With great exploration and a unique combat system, Blades of Fire should have been a sure hit. Unfortunately, the situations you encounter feel completely unfair, and the mechanics sometimes work completely against you. Even still, Blades of Fire is a fun game that harkens back to the old school action-adventure titles, where exploring its world reaps the best rewards and game experience.

A solid turn-based strategy wrapped up in a grimly intriguing slice of wartime history, WARSAW is quite capable of having its intended emotional impact land on target. The biggest roadblock that faces is in the balance between being a video game, and being a powerful bit of storytelling about a real-life tragedy.

Dead or Alive 5 Last Round offers a decent value to newcomers and will please dedicated DOA fans with the improved visuals and performance and additional content.