SCHiM is a wonderfully inventive puzzle-platformer that challenges you to explore a familiar world through a completely different lens. A distinct visual style and soundtrack marry with an effective story all about overcoming obstacles and remembering what life is all about. I found myself absolutely absorbed by the world and the satisfying loop of jumping from puddle to puddle. SCHiM is a must-play in a year already full of hits. SCHiM is a game that I will come back to time and time again when needing to unwind and relax.

Already highly polished and nailing the essence of the monster catch battler RPG subgenre, Temtem looks set to go from strength to strength on PlayStation 5 if the surprisingly robust state of its early access debut is any indication. [Early Access Score = 85]

Immortal Redneck works best as an occasional snack, or a palette cleanser, between heavier gaming meals. Playing for any length of time shows up its shortcomings, but in bite-sized pieces it's a good time. The game's humour is rank and dull, but it luckily doesn't detract from the rather pleasing colourful action the game provides.

Speed Limit is a heady mixture of tough as old boots nostalgia that requires patience and/or stubbornness to crack its punishing action set-pieces. The joy comes from trying to perfect your run on Speed Limit rather than simply beating it, and there’s varying mileage in this. At the very least, it’s a fun nostalgic showcase of several classic game types mushed together in a surprisingly cohesive fashion.

A much-needed re-release of Team Ninja's trio of Ninja Gaiden titles, though the third game is a step below the other two games, and the remastering effort a touch on the conservative side, it's a proper joy to be able to play the first two Ninja Gaiden games once again on contemporary hardware; camera issues with the first game notwithstanding. Bolstered by a neat amount of extras and the seemingly ageless and satisfying combat that's as good now in 2021 as it was before, the king of high-octane, hyperviolent ninja action has returned.

Mafia: The Old Country is all killer and no filler, featuring a lean campaign with engaging characters, cinematic set pieces, impressive visuals and a solid mob story that can be guilty of being a touch too predictable at times.

A dazzling audiovisual spectacle with a solid, highly accessible set of mechanics for a wider audience to enjoy. The problem is, this blockbuster is shallow and soulless beneath its sparkly veneer, and that detracts from much of the good it does.

Though Marvel's Avengers makes a superhero-sized splash on PlayStation 5, this is still at its core the same game we had back in September 2020. That said, the improved visuals and passage of time both mean that Marvel's Avengers on PS5 is essentially now the definitive version of the game, boasting much more responsive gameplay and a wealth of bug fixes and quality of life improvements. Though no amount of extra pixels or DualSense features can transform the game, the fact that Marvel's Avengers is actually enjoying a fairly steady stream of worthwhile content should be reassuring to those who have been sat on the fence for the superpowered caper. In short, if you've been sitting Marvel's Avengers out, now is the time to jump in.

The Amusement Park expansion helps elevate PAIN into the category of must-own PlayStation Network titles alongside the likes of Super Stardust HD and PixelJunk Monsters.

Sakura Wars is a great little gem. It's the perfect title to get into the franchise and see why it's regarded so highly in Japan. Sakura Wars has some incredible writing and character development, it's hard not to fall in love with everyone you meet in the world. It's just a shame the combat isn't on the same level and at times take the steam away from the fantastic narrative.

Sometimes you want to start a game and have fun right from the get-go. Evil West doesn't try to do anything fancy or tell a big cinematic story. Instead, it gives you various tools to go in, and slaughter vampires like humanity's existence depend on it. With plenty of weapons and fun combat, Evil West provides plenty of non-stop action, although it's let down by a paper-thin story and some issues with visuals and lighting.

This could have been a triumphant return for Rainbow Six, even with the true single-player experience stripped out, but bad decision after bad decision helps to bury the potential and leave Siege D.O.A.

An enjoyable, if flawed, Janitor-'em-up that offers a nice twist on the platform genre.

Only trophy hunters and hardcore fans of the series will have the need to play through the original games for yet another time.

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.

Beautiful and joyous, TOHU is a point and click adventure that warms the heart. It looks stunning and has puzzles that are enjoyable. A unique help system means you will never have to run over to Google for hints. It is dripping with lovely characters and great scenery, as well. TOHU is a perfect length, thoroughly enjoyable, and well worth your time, as long as you can forgive a few very minor issues.

GigaBash is not be a spectacular brawler, it still does a fantastic job of capturing the feel of a bygone era of monster movie whilst also playing out as a fun multiplayer title. It faces a tough battle in an oversaturated modern market where online is concerned, but as a local multiplayer title, it could easily maintain a healthy shelf life.

It may take time getting to show it, but Hokko Life is a delightfully deep and engaging community sim that lets you move at your own pace. Patience is very much required to see the best of it.

Meet Your Maker is a refreshing blend of ideas that takes shape in the form of a brutal, devious, and compelling puzzle platformer/shooter with a community-led approach. Time will tell how well that plays out, but it's a hugely promising start.

Ease of access is the focal point of Frontier Hunter: Ezra's Wheel of Fortune, making the experience as easy as possible to consume at the start. Once the game starts asking more of you, the issues with hit boxes and juggle damage blindside you after hours of not influencing the experience too much. That on top of a bland narrative and character design that looks like unedited AI-generated content makes the overall product easily avoidable.

When you put all of Total Chaos' myriad of gameplay elements together, a lot of the fear factor quickly disappears, giving way to something more akin to Doom than to survival horror. There's definitely an audience for this game, but it's more of a survival horror-adjacent experience. It has elements of the survival horror genre, but it leans too hard into the Doom formula. This combination creates a fun concept that needs editing to be a cohesive product. $25 is a fair price tag for what Total Chaos offers, but it may make some hesitate if they don't know what they're getting into.

The Dark Pictures: House of Ashes is the best entry in the series yet, packed with gripping storytelling, compelling characters, and solid performances. Your choices feel impactful, and seeing your relationships grow or fall apart based on your decisions carries a lot of weight. With tons of collectibles, an improved camera, and solid pacing, House of Ashes will keep you glued to the screen until the credits roll.

Overwhelming in size and overflowing with freedom with which to tackle its sprawling campaign, Styx: Shards of Darkness is an unapologetically pure stealth title that might struggle to expand its hardcore appeal beyond the die-hard fans of the genre.

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.

The Game Bakers have done a wonderful job creating a unique world and telling a love story that's believable and intriguing. I was fully invested in Kay and Yu and shaping their relationship. Though the game is all about the story, the game's turn-based combat is truly unique and demands your attention. What seals the deal is Havens's fantastic soundtrack providing some of the best electronic music I've heard in a while. For those looking for a different type of game, Haven is a great alternative for those looking for a great character-driven and emotional. experience.

A challenging racer with heavy physics, Ridge Racer Unbounded is a blast once you get over that learning curve and unleash your power on some unsuspecting opponents.

A fine second chapter to one of the original PSVR’s brightest spots.The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution breathes fresh life into the Saints & Sinners formula without straying too far from where it began.

The Siege of Paris is a step down from Assassin's Creed Valhalla's first batch of DLC, offering roughly only half of the content.