Forma.8 isn’t the most original metroidvania-type in mechanical terms. It’s also a touch obtuse in its early hours, but the pulp sci-fi novel visuals, electronica soundtrack, and intriguingly drip-fed storytelling are reasons enough to warrant your attention.

Shortcomings aside, Codemasters has delivered a very fast paced, slickly presented, arcade demolition derby that is more than capable of giving you some great entertainment value.

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

A compelling and satisfying collection of prime side-scrolling brawlers from Capcom's arcade heyday, though there are some missing titles and less bonus material then we'd like, Capcom Beat Em Up Bundle does justice to its selection, making it an essential prospect for fighting fans and co-op players alike.

Octopath Traveler 0 is a great game in its broadest strokes, but manages to miss the high benchmark that the rest of the series has set for me. The bones of a mobile game are still very much here, candied with the presentation of a console experience. Despite this, I still largely enjoyed my time with Octopath Traveler 0, and very much want to see more from this now staple franchise.

Earth Defense Force 5 may seem like a mess but it all adds to its charm. The pure joy of taking on hundreds of monsters and watching the destruction unfold is something the franchise has always been good at. EDF 5 is easily the best in the franchise.

Space Pirate Trainer is a very high quality arcade-based wave shooter - nothing more, nothing less. If you are interested in pushing your high score up the leaderboards, there is plenty of polished gameplay for you to enjoy. If you are seeking a deeper experience, however, it is probably best to seek elsewhere.

Gungrave VR isn't a very good VR title, It isn't that good of a game in general, With all that it tries to do it doesn't do much of anything well. Not only is Gunrave VR a poor game its a poor use of an excellent license.

The Knight Witch makes a strong case for itself with its simplistic gameplay and charming writing. The overall balance between development and gameplay feels a bit too weird to ignore. Still, this twin-stick shooter-meets-Metroidvania has a quirky intrigue about it that makes it a worthy purchase for any fan of the genre.

Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality is a game that fans of the franchise will enjoy. It's a great puzzle game with fantastic writing and voice over work. I just wish it was a bit longer and didn't require so much space for a VR title to enjoy. The game is a real workout.

Sand Land is a fun filled game that offers players a lot of different things. Easily the best part of the game is the vehicle combat and puzzle solving, but the narrative doesn't always deliver.

Trail and error approach can frustrate, but Puddle's attractive aesthetic and increasingly difficult challenges make it one of Vita's top puzzlers.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War on PS4 is an ever-so-slightly worse looking version of the PS5 release, but with disappointing performance. If you can ignore those shortcomings, the same game with its summer blockbuster-style campaign and classic CoD multiplayer is still here.

Lacks depth, but Dragon Quest Heroes quirky narrative, colorful visuals and easy-to-grasp combat makes it a family-friendly RPG with plenty of character.

Fans of the sport will love the authenticity and vast tweaking options onboard, while the rest of us can enjoy a decent two wheeled off-road racer which looks the part. It’s just a shame about the tedious loading times.

Draugen is a gripping detective adventure that weaves psychological and Nordic mythological themes to grand effect. Though a short duration and some technical hiccups take the shine of the package somewhat, Draugen remains a compelling proposition for armchair sleuths everywhere.

Perseverance is another possible name for this game, since the flow of the story is somewhat sporadic, but it's rewarding to do so. It still has a strong Final Fantasy feel, albeit not as strong, and some of the great changes are contradicted by odd or particular ones.

Sacred Citadel is a beat-'em-up game for those who just want to relax and blow off steam for an hour.

Though appearing a touch derivative at first glance, Crow Country breaks from tradition in a number of smart ways, delivering a well-rounded, memorable experience that cements it as one of the better survival horror throwbacks of recent memory.

A rather basic port instead of a revised version of an underrated gem it needed to be, Zombi still manages to hold up well three years on thanks to the way it makes great use of its location, subject matter and atmosphere to create an unnerving modern survival horror.

Mirror’s Edge feels far more refreshing now than it ever did eight years ago because in those eight years, first-person shooters have become ridiculously widespread, and the only other first-person options are more sedately-paced, heavily story-driven, and control-light. Catalyst sits in the middle of it all,imperfect, yet special in its own way.

A deceptively difficult puzzle game hiding behind a chilled aesthetic which will be appreciated by those who are up for the challenge.

Though a clunky UI and collection of surplus mini-games detract from Beautiful Desolation's evocative setting and characters, this is nonetheless one of the more interesting point and click adventures to come along for a good while. Not least thanks to its superbly imaginative take on a post apocalyptic future where the lines between humanity, evolution and immortality are deeply blurred. Even for the most stalwart adventurer, Beautiful Desolation's narrative and fresh premise will find a way to delight and surprise in equal measure.

What 9 Monkeys of Shaolin lacks in typical beat 'em up fashion it more than makes up for with a dynamite combat system. The 5 hour campaign may feel a bit short, but replay-ability and co-op modes offer good value for the purchase. 9 Monkeys of Shaolin is a great pick fans of the genre, or anyone wanting to get the best gameplay simulation of 70's Kung Fu movies. Don't let the terrible name put you off.

The quality of the games in Tomb Raider IV - VI is nothing short of a mixed bag, but the remastering job is top notch. Fans won't probably need convincing to plump down the cash for this latest bundle, and The Last Revelation was always one of Lara's best outings. Despite their flaws, Chronicles and Angel of Darkness are worth dipping into, and the latter is in its best shape to date, warts and all.

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.

A highly engrossing occult interactive adventure anchored by a great central performance and refreshing interactivity and non-linear storytelling, Erica is deftly curated bite-sized adventure that makes a compelling case as the best Playlink title available.

Dante's Inferno offers little new to a genre dominated by franchises like God of War, yet it's graphical depiction of Hell helps create an interesting, and entertaining experience. As a game that took an awful lot of liberties with the original story, more liberties should have been taken with the gameplay to set it apart from its competitors.