On the outside, Tiebreaker looks impressive with its plentiful roster blossoming with talent, a dedication towards providing the most authentic tennis game experience, and a presentation that wraps you up into the star-studded allure of a tennis icon. However, it all starts to unravel when you actually play it with its frustrating physics, its lack of non-generic modes, and the overall feeling it's just another me-too tennis game. Forget a tie-break, this one couldn't tie Novac Djokovic's ASIC's, which isn't the kind of impression that a new tennis game contender would want to make, yet Tiebreaker sadly fails to be anything more than just another pretender to Top Spin's crown.

While I wouldn't say that these are my favourite entries in the series, this collection of two games marks the official full English translation of the Ace Attorney, and that's something to be excited about. The amount of extra material is a treat for fans of Edgeworth and the amount of work that's gone into visually overhauling these two adventures is almost staggering. It's clear that Capcom is aware of the passionate fanbase and this hopefully signals a very bright future for the Ace Attorney franchise. Essential for fans of the series with some great deep-cuts for lore enthusiasts.

Though The Casting of Frank Stone doesn’t make any sweeping changes to the formula etched out by the likes of Until Dawn, The Quarry and The Dark Pictures Anthology, it does manage to effectively marry up that formula with the universe of Dead by Daylight with impressive results. Notably, the usual flaws also apply here, with The Casting of Frank Stone beset by the same plodding horror adventuring, wooden dialogue and mostly annoying cast of characters that are usually the hallmarks of similar efforts. If however, you’re fine with all of that and just want another handsomely made Supermassive Games romp then The Casting of Frank Stone will surely appeal. Should you be a devoted Dead by Daylight aficionado though, feel free to add a point or more to the score and dive in.

Packed full with secrets, Black Myth: Wukong offers a lot more content than meets the eye. While the main story path feels a bit repetitive with one boss after the other, the exploration and hidden side content makes up for it. Having a bigger arsenal of weapons and stances would have made the experience more fun, but it’s a good experience nonetheless.

It's a shame that a game with so much potential couldn't find some great mechanics and focus on them. Instead, it focused more on a political statement that it shoves down your throat every chance it gets. Dustborn offers excellent visuals and voice work with some solid writing when it focuses on the story, but falls flat from janky and simple combat and noticeable bugs.

Closer The Distance almost catches you by surprise with how relatable it is, with a warmth at its core that smooths over its jagged edges enough to make it more than a worthwhile experience.

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.

Visions of Mana is a bold new step for the series and manages to almost totally stick the landing in the process. The DNA of the series is still here for legacy fans to enjoy, and yet it stands as a remarkably approachable and digestible RPG that can be enjoyed by those looking to dip their toes into this genre. A visually stunning, heartfelt and lovingly crafted world awaits those who jump into this new entry and I'm surprised by just how much it resonated with me in the long-term, despite some pacing issues and some small cut corners.

Star Wars: Outlaws registers as a great game to me because I'm a huge Star Wars fan, and I can't help but love all the things I got to do here that I've never done in a Star Wars game before. However that doesn't change the fact that in most areas the game is off the mark in big and small ways, in one direction or another. These misses could understandably be the thing that puts many off from Outlaws, but the Star Wars-of it all shines bright enough to blur them out.

A nail-biting triumph that is without equal in the extraction shooter genre, Hunt: Showdown 1896’s eye-opening overhaul couldn’t come at a better time. With unmatched atmospherics, a thoroughly detailed world rife with grotesqueness to immerse yourself in and some of the most keenly honed risk and reward mechanics ever seen in the genre, Hunt: Showdown 1896 is arguably now more essential than it ever was.

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.

White Day 2: A Flower That Tells Lies tries hard to live up to its predecessor but doesn't reach the same heights. Repeating scares and infuriating pursuers keep it from standing out from a crowded genre. It's not all bad, though, as the game's puzzles and fantastic location and world-building will keep the most hardcore fans from sticking with it through its dozen endings, but for most, it will be a one-it-and-done-it affair.

While I can’t say I would recommend this for every player, I think you should give this game a chance if you enjoy turn-based combat. This game showcases so many different and interesting aspects of its world, a combat system that I find to be one of the most engaging in a turn-based game that I have found in a while, and a gripping mystery that only has more layers added to it throughout the runtime. The colorful pirate robot style is enough to get someone interested, but the journey is enough to make anyone a fan of the series.

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure is a wonderfully inventive iteration of the classic tile-puzzler that manages to blend well-realised gameplay with a particularly contemporary story that will strike a chord with a great deal of people who play it. Every aspect of Arranger is bursting with personality and care, and I couldn't help but love every moment I spent with Jemma and her chaotic powers. Playing with a good pair of headphones is essential.

The Mortuary Assistant finally reaches home consoles, offering up a unique and tense work-horror scenario. Unfortunately, the controls implemented in this port hold back the console version a great deal. Inputs don't respond the way they should, and navigating menus proves cumbersome on practically all fronts. It's a game horror fans should check out, but maybe not on console.

Though the in-game shop feels poorly realised and it sometimes veers away from what it does best, Pepper Grinder nonetheless remains a resolutely well made, roundly attractive and frantically satisfying platformer that basically turns you into a terrifyingly militant dolphin obsessed with high speed loot and murder. And, well, who has never wanted to be one of those before?

Cat Quest 3 will be too breezy and simple for some. I scoff at these folks and can simply enjoy a game that makes me feel so warm and wholesome inside. Cat Quest 3 is beautiful, well written and funny. It's trimmed to perfection with zero fat or waffle. Sometimes I just want to have fun and the world of Cat Quest is a place where I can make this happen.

Thank Goodness You're Here! is a game for a short time and not a long time, and that combo makes playing it a great time. I understand the humour in it might not be for everyone, but for those that do enjoy it you'll see just how wonderfully the comedy is woven into the gameplay. The charming visual style and absolutely amazing voice acting make it an absolutely hilarious game.

There's a solid foundation to be found in this crossover fighter, and more than enough content to satisfy the appetite of a fighting game aficionado. Unfortunately, the exciting prospect of this crossover is somewhat watered down by a ho-hum presentation that lacks the punch and impact that it needs to really seal the deal. Despite that, fighting game fans will appreciate this re-release of a classic game that offers a solid amount of content and a variety of options to explore. Just don't expect a friendly experience for newcomers.

CYGNI: All Guns Blazing is an uneven experience that features great shoot-em-up elements wrapped in a bizarre cinematic focus that only seems to take away more than it gives. Particle effects can be disorienting and the story feels only partially realised. In the pursuit of cinematic excitement, it feels like the base experience has been compromised and damaged with a lack of focus across the board. If this was just a top-down shoot-em-up, I'd be far more positive here. If you can stick with it, you might find an enjoyable arcade-adjacent experience with cutting-edge presentation. Otherwise, maybe not.

Aspyr Media's port of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter is missing a lot of the atmosphere I loved about the original game. The sharpness in the visuals now remove too much, and shine a spotlight on the game's worst angles. At the same time, the modern control scheme improves on the experience so much that the parts of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter that made it a classic are able to shine brighter far more than they ever did - even if the camera is still wreaking havoc most of the time.

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.

Nobody Wants To Die was the game I didn't realize I needed to play this year until I played it. A fantastic narrative experience set in one of the most harrowing worlds. Though its gameplay is by the books, it didn't keep me from being thoroughly entertained from start to finish. For those looking for a cyberpunk murder mystery, you don't need to look further than Nobody Wants To Die.

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.

As long as you don't expect anything genre-defining, Bo: Path of the Teal Lotus is a breathtaking Metroidvania experience. The art style is gorgeous, the action-platforming is fast and satisfying, and the sweet modesty of its tale is though-provoking and gentle. Path of the Teal Lotus is a little heavy with the tutorials at the beginning, boss battles later on get frustrating, and it doesn't do anything remarkably new, but fans of Hollow Knight will find this a gratifying curio that's well worth diving into, even if the pool here is a little bit shallow.

Darkest Dungeon 2 does a lot right. My fear is that is so different in places to its predecessor that it may alienate its fan base a little. The combat is improved, the visuals, cinematography and sound work is top notch. This game does so much to make the game smoother, simpler and easier to play, unfortunately it loses a little of what made the first so amazing along the way.

Despite wearing many of its influences on its sleeve, CONSCRIPT never ends up feeling derivative, instead it carves out its own identity through a raw, layed portrayal of trench warfare. There are some slight rough edges, to be expected in-part due to the game largely being a sole venture, but nevertheless CONSCRIPT hits where it matters and succeeds in creating an affecting depiction of its source material.

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.