Replaced is spectacular in so many respects. It’s an audiovisual triumph, with best-in-class pixel art, animation, and cinematography, while its America, hardly a land of the free, feels real, dangerous, and all too familiar against today’s landscape, is a hotbed of fascinating history and complex characters. Disappointingly, combat and exploration don’t quite live up to what the game achieves in story and presentation.

Although it maintains the spirit of the original Super Meat Boy, Super Meat Boy 3D, as a reimagining, doesn’t quite evolve on its ideas enough to strike a chord. Rather, it reframes them, and it’s these new perspectives and angles on Meat Boy’s frenetic platforming that prove to be the biggest bother of all. It’s still fun enough for the most part; however, I struggle to look beyond the compounded frustration and needless death—in a game about dying, no less.

Although it doesn’t quite have the heft to go bumper-to-bumper with games like Forza Horizon or Burnout, Screamer is an incredibly sound arcade racer that, unfortunately, cocoons so much of its exhilarating, challenging gameplay in a bloated campaign that claws for any semblance of focus.

Defiance Remastered makes earnest effort to present Defiance in the best light it could possibly be in, while also catering to both side of the often-divided remaster camp. The original experience as it was originally shown is still here, but those who want something a bit more tweaked will appreciate the little mod cons that the remaster provides. For that, it’s praises are worth singing. this is easily the best version of Legacy of Kain: Defiance that you can play. Warts and all.

While I wish I could recommend Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, there's too many odd choices and caveats here to list. While it's always been a black sheep, the identity that feeds its reputation feels lost in this remaking, and it's new content additions feel out of place and in some cases, undermine what came before it.

Code Vein II is exactly what you'd expect – yet another Soulslike derivative with a fresh(ish) coat of anime-style paint. While the combat system's flexibility and improved exploration are a huge step forward, the lack of multiplayer and derivative story beats feels like a step back. The result is just okay, though fans of the original will still appreciate it nonetheless.

Black Ops 7 is, without question, the most disappointed I’ve been in a Call of Duty campaign. It’s not because it’s the least fun, necessarily, it’s because it’s a regression in every field that Black Ops excels—it’s a thoughtless, homogeneous mess that feels more like a Zombies off-shoot that, in an attempt to call back to better games, only serves to cheapen their memory.

Like so many other modern Pokémon games, Pokémon Legends: Z-A paints a promising picture of what the future of Pokémon could look like. It's an enjoyable return an underappreciated region in Pokémon that fans are sure to appreciate.

Ultimately, Pac-Man World 2 Re-Pac is a polished version of a fairly mediocre game. If you’ve got some fondness for the original I’m sure you’ll have a great time playing through this new version - but without the benefit of nostalgia it didn’t really do much for me. It’d make a perfectly fine rental, if that were still a thing!

While there is a distinct lack of things to do in Drag x Drive, it’s still worth noting that once you get the hang of it, it is an enjoyable little experience that you literally cannot find anywhere else. But once your friends are done playing with you, and you admittedly have great fun doing so, there’s not a whole lot left to do. And that’s a huge shame, because there is potential here for Drag x Drive, but the game in its current state doesn’t quite reach it.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers is another good and worthwhile Souls-like with a rich setting and moreish combat. It might not capitalise on all of its potential, but it's an experience any hardcore fan of Souls will enjoy.

An uninspired effort to infuse nostalgic IP with edgy nonsense, Shadow Labrynth offers up some fine enough Metroidvania action but fails to give players much of a reason to care about it beyond sheer novelty. Tucked away in its sprawling maps are beacons of joy in the form of classic Pac-Man mazes, but there’s only a ghost of a game built around them.

Were it a bit more feature complete and fine-tuned, Rematch would be undeniable in its claim for Rocket League’s long-held crown. There’s a high, albeit achievable, skill ceiling here, but intuitive controls means anybody can header, rainbow flick, or bicycle kick goals from the box’s edge in short, exhilarating, and most importantly, moreish games of soccer.

Although Tron: Catalyst doesn't capitalise on all of the potential of its many ideas, it does still present another worthwhile experience from Bithell Games. It's a joy to engage with their interpretation of this world and the ideas it represents, even if some of the execution falls flat.

On its own merits, Sonic Generations does its best to bring the best of both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic together in a fun and creative adventure that’s sure to please Sonic fans all around. However, it tries too hard to fit itself into the same mould while attempting to keep true to the 3D Shadow experience, ultimately falling short of the lofty heights it aims for. Die hard fans might enjoy, but more casual players may find themselves overwhelmed by the sense of speed.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour is set to go down as one of those "weird Nintendo things" people always refer to. As an interactive instruction manual, it ably showcases all of the new console's bells and whistles, however, it falls well short of delivering anything that comes close to that trademark Nintendo joy.

While I sound down on The Precinct, it’s an enjoyable experience. There is something oddly satisfying and novel about playing on the other side of the oft-imitated Grand Theft Auto formula. But while all the building blocks are here for what I hope will become a franchise for developer Fallen Tree Games, it just feels like those blocks haven’t been put together in the best way.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage Tape 1 kept me interested throughout, though its heavy focus on character moments got in the way of forming a more cohesive main plot. I’m hopeful that all of the setup that’s been done will allow Tape 2 to fully explore the mystery behind Bloom & Rage’s ‘wild’ summer of 1995.

Players keen to continue Peter and Miles’ story on PC should hold out a little longer and wait for some patches, as it’s hard to recommend Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 on PC in its current state. It's marred by a multitude of bugs that completely take away from the game’s brilliant story and excellent gameplay.

Out of all of the Power Rangers games I’ve played in the last decade, Rita’s Rewind is the one that most honestly captures the cheesy fun, flashy martial arts, and attitude of the series’ first few iconic seasons. It is to the Rangers what Shredder’s Revenge is to the Turtles, a celebration of a dorky thing so many people loved as kids—and perhaps still do as big kids.

Fitness Boxing 3: Your Personal Trainer continues to push the series’ presentation and accessibility options but can’t quite overcome the inherently limited range of exercises the Joy-Con can offer it. Light and fun enough for a beginner, it's more fitness toy than fitness trainer.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an achievement for so many reasons. As well as being the little game that could, given the team’s real-world challenges, the game doubles down on the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. way, delivering a sublimely realised sense of place with the Zone. Unfortunately, so much of the console experience is rendered so disappointingly undercooked.

Farming Simulator 25 is a pleasantly surprising experience that builds upon its predecessors to feel as expansive as ever while remaining authentic. While it’s no revolutionary change for the series, Farming Simulator 25 is both rewarding and immersive if you stick with it, even if it won’t hold your hand for most of the journey.

In many regards, LEGO Horizon Adventures accomplishes what it set out to do: it effectively summarises the story of Horizon Zero Dawn into an approachable all-ages adventure. However, in simplifying the mechanics of Horizon Zero Dawn, they have omitted what makes Horizon and LEGO games special. The Horizon world has been lovingly reimagined in LEGO but overly basic combat and a lack of interactivity hold it back. LEGO Horizon Adventures is salvaged somewhat by a gorgeous art style, a fun retelling of the story and well-executed cooperative features, but the pieces don't quite all click into place.

Metro Awakening is a capable, haunting jaunt through the familiar, post-nuclear world beneath Moscow I’ve grown to love. It cleverly harnesses VR to emulate the scrappy, resourcefulness of the underground, however its combat is a bit of a slog and struggles to find the fun, leading to a somewhat disjointed campaign.

Despite working with the same killer premise as the movies before it, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead struggles to sustain tension over the course of its fairly predictable journey. With a tighter focus its glacial pacing and deliberate systems might have made for something special but as it stands, this one is for fans of the genre only.

On its own merits, Sonic Generations does its best to bring the best of both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic together in a fun and creative adventure that’s sure to please Sonic fans all around. However, it tries too hard to fit itself into the same mould while attempting to keep true to the 3D Shadow experience, ultimately falling short of the lofty heights it aims for. Die hard fans might enjoy, but more casual players may find themselves overwhelmed by the sense of speed.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP attempts to bring the fantastically charming and tongue-in-cheek zombie slasher to modern platforms. Unfortunately, the result is only just passable. The RePOP mode feels undercooked, the visuals are inconsistent and there are some notable effects missing from the original. While the improved framerate and gameplay changes are welcome, they're unfortunately not worth everything else that has been lost in translation.

Funko Fusion is a brilliant take on the tried-and-true LEGO formula, but for a slightly older audience. The combat is fun, the humour is on point and the selection of characters is impressive. But limited multiplayer options and rough technical shortcomings keep it from reaching it's true potential. With time, it can absolutely get better, but for now, I'm willing to give 10:10 more time to cook, they're definitely onto something.

Caravan SandWitch crafts a gently beautiful apocalypse for players to explore but is bogged down by its decision to withhold exploration tools from the player. An otherwise compelling, humble sci-fi tale of family and the machines of progress is held back by a game torn between its open world and goals as a focused narrative experience.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland achieves so much in emulating the feel of a retro Gameboy-released platformer. Although licensed games like this were dime-a-dozen growing up, and were often pretty average, Adventures in Gameland’s spectacular presentation shows genuine respect and care for those toddling bubs. Due to this, I found it easier to forgive the game’s many unforced errors which were all driven by its “classic” design.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions gets the core fundamentals of Quidditch right - it's fast-paced, frenetic and a joy to zip around the field. But despite some robust multiplayer options, there's just not a whole lot here to keep you interested beyond a few hours.

Black Myth: Wukong is a game stuck between wanting to be a Souls-like and a casual action game. It's a mostly enjoyable time hindered by some frustrating elements, but the love and appreciation for the source material is what shines through the most.

Star Wars Outlaws marks an impressive step forward for depictions of the galaxy in video games but fails to provide players with a compelling reason to explore it.

Despite its insanely clever dungeon designs, Dungeons of Hinterberg feels kind of like a hodgepodge of ideas plucked from other games that ultimately did them better. Though there might be things I didn’t enjoy as much, I’d gladly play tourist and stamp my passport on a return journey to Hinterberg any time.

Despite a dazzling art direction and one killer new hook for the Souls-adjacent combat loop, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn struggles under the weight of unnecessary RPG systems and an overarching lack of refinement to its many ideas.

SCHiM has moments where it lives up to the promise of its concept, and levels where fresh ideas and fun mechanics elevate the experience. Unfortunately, it also feels padded and simplistic for long stretches, and the narrative doesn't quite hang together. It looks great, but it's often frustrating, too.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is exactly as it sounds. It's the second game in the series with a very fresh coat of paint. Unfortunately, while the visual upgrade is a decent effort, it ultimately still harbours the same design quirks that made the original game so controversial. While it falls flat in the face of the games that came before and after it, it's a great grab if you're looking to experience some more Luigi's Mansion.

Endless Ocean Luminous is a mildly confounding product. On the one hand, it's still got that very compelling offering of hours spent drifting through gorgeous oceans and coming face-to-face with hundreds of stunning creatures, without complex mechanics or urgency to get in the way. On the other hand, the overall gameplay experience has been dulled down so much to feel like a backwards step, and the system of randomly-seeded dive spots dilutes a lot of its personality.

The simple gameplay of Wrath of the Mutants can be enjoyable in the right mood, but don’t expect anything more than a bland and repetitive button masher.

Harold Halibut’s narrative, setting and visuals are so wonderful and creative from a sci-fi perspective, it’s an enormous shame it’s housed within such a one-note and heartbreakingly boring video game.

An alright little adventure for South Park fans or for those wanting a casual game to play with friends, South Park: Snow Day has all the charm of an episode of the show, but its roguelite nature becomes a tad frustrating with wild difficulty spikes and a lack of checkpoints. Chock full of references and jokes without filter, the game is definitely entertaining; but with a lack of a roadmap or post-release content, some players may be left in the cold thanks to a short story and repetitive loop.

While still an apt Souls-like experience, Rise of the Ronin struggles to find its identity amongst Team Ninja's catalogue. It feels like it's being pulled in different directions, and starts to collapse under its own ambition in the third act. In saying this, the DNA of Nioh and Wo Long is palpable here, and I have no doubt that fans of Team Ninja will enjoy this first foray into open world design despite its shortcomings.

Alone In The Dark is an ambitious reimagining that does little to differentiate itself from the games it's inspired by. While it's clearly taking inspiration from both Resident Evil and The Evil Within to be a survival horror powerhouse, the flat feeling combat and timid horror elements stop it from standing above the games that inspired it. Despite this, a unique take on the story and the strong setting makes it well worth a look for horror fans.

While its ship customisation revels in aesthetic delights, little else here allows for the kind of pirate fantasy we’ve been waiting for since 2013. Despite some early promise and admirable endgame ideas, Skull and Bones charts a fairly unremarkable course through its gorgeously empty ocean.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is a serviceable action game bogged down by an insistence on being a live service title. While the characters are well written and the comedy is on point, a handful of repetitive objective types betray the intentions of an otherwise strong combat system. There is potential here – perhaps over time, Suicide Squad can evolve into something better – but for now, it's something that only absolute diehards will enjoy, and even then, that's not a guarantee.

Another Code: Recollection breathes new life into a dormant series by creating a cohesive narrative in a remake with updated visuals. While some great effort has gone into modernising the games from a presentation standpoint, some of the creative liberties taken and frustrating motion-controlled puzzles will no doubt leave fans longing for a more faithful recreation.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is a middling entry into a once legendary spin-off series. For every element or system the game nails, there's a confusing design decision that holds them back. While The Dark Prince is far from terrible, it doesn't reach the heights of recent entries into this storied franchise.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora successfully brings the world of Pandora to video games in a big way. It’s lush and vibrant and without a doubt one of the most luxuriant open worlds that Ubisoft has ever created. Its gameplay, on the other hand, is lacking the spark that makes great open worlds sing. Fans of the franchise will absolutely adore exploring everything this previously unexplored side of Pandora has to offer, just don’t expect it to reinvent the wheel.

This year's Call of Duty is a mixed bag. Series veterans looking for a great multiplayer experience will find a lot to love thanks to the game's faithful recreation of some of the franchise’s best maps and excellent gunplay. However, Modern Warfare III's campaign is one of the worst in the series’ history.

KarmaZoo is a charming and cute platformer that places co-operation and togetherness at the forefront of an experience that, without a keen community, could be a fleeting one. And that’d be a shame, because both Loop and Totem serve up an undeniably fun way to stay on the universe’s right side.

Super Crazy Rhythm Castle makes a bold attempt at fusing basic rhythm gameplay with the kinds of asymmetrical co-operative chaos of something like Overcooked, wrapping it up in a deeply funny and genuinely inventive campaign. Sadly it undermines the fun at every turn with wild difficulty spikes, anaemic gameplay customisation and a frustrating lack of explanation of its own mechanics. There's something good here, it's just thoroughly underdeveloped.

I’ll admit that it’s been quite some time between drinks for me with platform fighting games like this, but Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2 is a fairly good mix of nostalgia, new ideas and inoffensive fun. While it may not reach the sky-high standard of something like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate it gives 90s kids like me another way to beat up our friends while reminiscing about the good old days of racing home to watch your favourite cartoons and arguing about which of them could take the others.

The Invincible brings Stanislaw Lem’s work to life in a faithful adaptation that plays out as if it were ripped directly from retro-futurism art of the 1950s. Starward Industries have gone to great lengths to craft an experience that is visually appealing and makes great strides to maintain Lem’s philosophical concepts while being grounded in hard science fiction. But where the game excels in some areas, it loses its way in others, falling victim to pacing issues and hollow choices, resulting in hurried endings that may leave you feeling lost in space.

As far as gameplay goes, Cricket 24 is great fun. With different bowling and batting styles to entertain, it has a level of depth that will appeal to both newcomers and existing fans of the series. But beyond this, it's a mixed bag. While heavy on international licensing, it lacks in visual fidelity and polish. Big Ant Studios are a team known for their dedication to constant improvement, and we may see these things fixed in patches and updates, but for now it’s a game that doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Detective Pikachu Returns is a decently fun little detective story. Don’t expect any intense logical deductions or unpredictable twists – but it’s fun enough to follow along with even so. The relationship between Tim and Pikachu is a highlight as are the Pokémon who help you along the way. Uninspired human character designs marr an otherwise decent presentation full of cool Pokémon and fun music.

While PAYDAY 3 will no doubt please series veterans and newcomers, it's still a few updates a way from being definitively better than PAYDAY 2. When everything is working seamlessly, it offers some of the highest highs in the series thus far, but frustrating omissions and questionable progression design restrain PAYDAY 3's ability to be consistent.

NBA 2K24 is the most NBA 2K game you could imagine, rocking moderate improvements to gameplay without really providing offering anything exciting enough to entice lapsed fans back onto the court.

Fae Farm throws a ton of great ideas into its melting pot of cosy life simming and tense adventuring, and while its various ingredients don't always mix together as well as they should it's got enough unique hooks and wholesome vibes to make it worth a look in for genre fans.

A Fisherman's Tale is still great four years later, but if you've played it before there's not much reason to pick up this barebones port to the PS VR2. It would've been cool to see InnerspaceVR take the opportunity to flesh out its recursive puzzle concept even more, but hopefully there's more still to come from this franchise.

Samba de Amigo is a hoot with friends, sure to generate laughs and memorable moments. Just don’t expect an engrossing single-player rhythm game experience.

Fort Solis takes about an hour's worth of ideas and attempts to stretch them out to a four-hour walk through a lifeless Mars facility with little to offer outside of a top-notch presentation. With a distinct lack of thrills, this sci-fi thriller falls disappointingly flat.

Atlas Fallen layers interesting and engaging combat systems onto a lacklustre world and frustrating camera controls making for an uneven and forgettable fantasy action outing. Deck13 continues its work of innovating the genre in interesting ways but there’s just a little too much going on for Atlas Fallen to ever find solid ground.

Stray Gods might be a well-written, narrative-driven murder mystery that drags us to Olympus and back again, but it fails to deliver anything remotely close to an earworm after hours of forgettable melodies. Though Bailey and Baker do enough to earn their flowers, the production itself does little to land Stray Gods a place among the musical pantheon.

Crash Team Rumble is a surprisingly competent online multiplayer arena game that's easy to get into and well-balanced, leading to some tense and exciting games. It's let down hugely by a lack of modes and content though, and I seriously doubt its longevity in the long term.

Layers of Fear impressively goes beyond the call of duty of updating both games for modern hardware. It's a remake with significantly enhanced visuals and a strong dedication to creating an immersive atmosphere, while also introducing new content. However, it's regrettable that the newly added content feels lacking in substance and significance. Nevertheless, Layers of Fear remains the definitive way to experience the Layers of Fear series, warts and all.

AFL 23 is inconsistent in its attempts to emulate the most complicated sport on the planet. It jags six points by delivering arguably the best gameplay we’ve had, but doesn’t make the distance in serving up a complete, robust package.

Through its picturesque presentation, Ravenlok definitely captures the reverie and spirit we’d expect from a coming-of-age fantasy. Sadly, the game’s one-note combat doesn’t offer a challenge worthy of its world, while the cliched story devalues its charming cast of misfit critters.

Redfall is a gold dust-rare miss for what has been a very consistent deliverer of quality video games. If you are able to look beyond the game’s several questionable design choices, Redfall can serve up just a small bite of mindless fun beneath the island’s black hole sun.

Dead Island 2 stands firmly besides its predecessor as only a marginal improvement. While there something to be recognised in the flexible skill system and satisfying dismemberment effects, Dead Island 2's lack of objective variety and uninteresting playable characters fall short of its potential. There's still some fun to be had for zombie fans, just don't expect a reinvention by any means.

Mike Bithell’s writing, as it often is, remains on point as his team establishes new colours within an already riveting sci-fi world, not by replicating what came before—as appropriate as that may have been thematically—but by taking the franchise in a bold direction. It’s a shame this thrilling plot against the archives is derezzed, and perhaps doomed to obsoletion, by a string of confoundingly dull puzzles.

It might not be for everyone, and it can feel like a bit of a slog at times, but among the excellent selection of courses, deep career mode and accessible gameplay, EA Sports PGA Tour should satiate the appetite for those wanting an enjoyable golf game.

The Last of Us Part 1 on PC is, in its current state, an awful port of one of the best games of all time. It’s plagued with problems across all facets of gameplay and needs a lot of love to iron out the very clear issues. It’s hard to recommend to anyone right now.

Destiny 2: Lightfall is far from Destiny's worst expansion, but just as far from its best. For every step forward, there's another step back, and what you get out of it ultimately comes down to what you prioritize. It simply isn't as well rounded as The Witch Queen, but still offers many excellent gameplay additions and quality-of-life improvements that elevate the whole experience.

Figment 2: Creed Valley feels like Bastion met Psychonauts. It’s an adorable action game set within the four walls of a troubled mind, delivering a colourful albeit shallow journey to enlightenment.

Scars Above's exploration gameplay is rewarding, if a little trite and it's characters mostly forgettable – but some inventive combat saves it mediocrity. A decently fun, if not overly groundbreaking, sci-fi action adventure.

The story plays out like a Jerry Bruckheimer-produced popcorn atrocity, the upgrade shop might as well be Travelex given how many currencies it juggles, and the performance is less than optimal. Atomic Heart is an exercise in excess. It has some clear strengths, like its first in class art direction and gunplay, however these are far outweighed by the game’s faults.

The Cosmic Shake really does feel like a direct sequel to Battle for Bikini Bottom, taking advantage of nostalgia for both that era of 3D platformers and of course the source material of the show. A cavalcade of jokes and references delivered through inoffensive, if uninspired, game design, it's sure to land nicely with the right audience even if it doesn't seek to have its genre peers shaking like jelly.

Marvel Midnight Suns is, by and large, an unfulfilling superhero title that is only as endurable as it is courtesy of how great Firaxis are at what they do. There’s a lot of heroes and just as many hollow hellos between them that makes me wish all of the story’s character drama was checked at the door for more of what Midnight Suns does well.

There is some joy in the mindless blasting, but overall G.O.R.E. is a messy, repetitive experience that could have used a bit more time in the oven.

New Tales from the Borderlands, as a spiritual successor to Telltale’s series, is a cavalcade of peaks and valleys. It expands on the franchise’s complex lore with a terrifically produced five-episode stint that will, for most, be a one-and-done experience that sadly fails to iterate on or improve the tired formula these types of games all rode into the ground.

While Overwatch 2 is still a good time, and an improvement over the original, it feels like less of a sequel and more of an update. There's some solid changes to the foundations of Overwatch, but a noticeable lack of new content, archaic game modes, and balancing issues leave something to be desired.

Metal Hellsinger’s rhythm-driven gameplay is something special, though it's marred by an uninteresting story and repetitive design.

Stripping away the flash with a bigger focus on the core basics, Madden NFL 23 feels like a breath of fresh air. It’s still a series lacking an identity right now, but this year’s entry is the course correction the series has desperately needed.

Though the alternate history setting allows Steelrising to immediately separate itself from the bloated Souls-like genre in an aesthetic sense, its shortcomings prevent it from standing out in a way that truly matters. Some elements work well, and the accessibility options are very welcome; just don’t go in expecting Spiders to have reinvented the automaton.

I suspect that people with fondness for the original Pac-Man World, or even just this specific era of platforming games will be the ones who get the most from RePac. It's a style of game that has been out of fashion for a while, but it's simplicity could still hold some appeal. When you can get lovingly re-created versions of the standard-setting Crash Bandicoot series for the price of this though, the value proposition for a remaster of one fairly short and unremarkable game is hard to swallow. One for the fans.

While its unclear whether Soul Hackers 2 was an attempt to make a more inviting Shin Megami Tensei game for newcomers, the end result is a disappointingly streamlined RPG that both newcomers and long-time fans will inevitably bounce off of. It's a perfectly fine RPG, but so much of what makes SMT special is sorely lacking here in a palpable way.

When looking at the original release, Destroy All Humans 2! improved on its predecessor in almost every way. For the most part, this rings true with Reprobed, with the visual and mechanical overhaul bringing it into the modern scene. Still, the rough technical issues and poorly aged missions may have newcomers shying away.

The new Saints Row doesn’t break any new ground, however it's still a relatively fun time. If you’re a fan of the series, there’s no reason not to give this one a spin.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes feels tailor made for the relatively small cross-section of people who are both hardcore fans of Musou and Fire Emblem. That isn't to say you won't enjoy this if you liked Three Houses, there's a lot that Three Hopes has to offer on a first playthrough, just be ready for the repetition to set in if you want to see it all through to the end.

All in all, The Quarry is an intriguing story that’s paced well and is tense from beginning to end, aside from a middle chapter that drags. I wouldn't go as far to say as much as I didn't enjoy it, because I did. In the end, it feels like such an over simplification of everything that Supermassive has achieved so far, to the point that I can’t see it as standing above their pedigree in many aspects.

Kao the Kangaroo is an inoffensive and very occasionally charming platformer, but it's uninspired and incredibly rough around the edges. It might hold the attention of some younger gamers and old-school platforming fans but by that same token there are far better games out there for both crowds.

Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, like Old Man’s Journey before it, is a tightly-packed, hour-long adventure that lays bare the eco-terrorism that continually threatens these titular primates. While it doesn’t do anything particularly groundbreaking as a game, it’s a brisk, beautiful and, at times, terribly sad game that moves along at a rate of knots, even if that places a strain on the now-aged Switch hardware.

Sniper Elite 5 is undeniably a better game than its predecessors. Every level is packed modestly with things to do, and the kills are endlessly enjoyable. But some antiquated design choices, a done-to-death setting, and a ho-hum story keep it from reaching its full potential. It’s a shame too, because at its core Sniper Elite 5 is one of the best Sniper experiences you can play right now, it’s just everything else that’s letting it down.

Overall, Evil Dead: The Game offers up a rock-solid foundation upon which I hope the developers will continue to build. While I’m getting close to spending thirty hours with it, I’m still having a lot of fun and do not want to stop anytime soon. Some little niggles that will no doubt be fixed, such as certain button prompts not working immediately, are outshone by what is an otherwise robust and cross-play enabled netcode.

As an homage to Akira Kurosawa’s contributions to Japanese cinema, Trek to Yomi is an unparalleled adventure to the shores of hell and back that meticulously encapsulates and delivers an experience through his lens. It’s when you look behind its eyes that you discover the game’s soul is missing in a disappointing case where a wellspring of style and authenticity is anchored by a sad lack of substance.

Shredders, in an analogous sense, is more Session than it is Skate. It’s hard to see the odd story resonating with anybody, the generously proportioned terrains are sparsely populated and, as a package, it feels feature-poor. This is all despite it feeling super confident in its controls and systems. It’s a small slam from which the developer can dust themselves off, but it’s far from a wipeout.

Chocobo GP offers up some fantastic core racing mechanics that are otherwise held back by a lacklustre offering of content. Hampered by tedious progression systems and typical microtransaction practices, Chocobo GP barely makes it past the finish line to be the best kart racer it could be.