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.

As a spin-off, Gears Tactics has strong core gameplay, but unfortunately, surrounding areas in the design hold it back from being greater. A lack of a base management system or side economy to support the main gameplay makes the gameplay feel a little less rounded and relies heavily on the narrative to keep things from getting stale. The tactical gameplay is excellent, however, its biggest fault is that it left me wanting more.

Streets of Rage 4 is a solid tribute to the genre it arguably helped shape, but this feels like more of the same with a fresh coat of paint rather than an all-out reinvention. What’s on offer here is reminiscent and nostalgic, and still a great time, but it ultimately lacks the oomph to elevate it beyond the games that came before it.

Metro Exodus shows some heart, and it's clear the developers have poured a lot into this third chapter of Artyom's story. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that keep the game from hitting the standard set by its predecessors. Pacing is hamstrung by the ambitious misfire of an 'open-world', while performance issues and glitches mar much of Exodus.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore features some much-needed quality of life improvements, as well as a strong opening and novel combat. But, ultimately, tedious dungeon design and unrefined boss battles that plagued the original remain and prevent Encore from being the improvement it could be.

Catherine: Full Body is a marked improvement over the original Catherine, offering more ways to play for those who want to experience an engaging yet slightly problematic story.

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.

Metro Exodus shows some heart, and it's clear the developers have poured a lot into this third chapter of Artyom's story. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that keep the game from hitting the standard set by its predecessors. Pacing is hamstrung by the ambitious misfire of an 'open-world', while performance issues and glitches mar much of Exodus.

As a spin-off, Gears Tactics has strong core gameplay, but unfortunately surrounding areas in the design hold it back from being greater. A lack of a base management system or side economy to support the main gameplay makes the gameplay feel a little less rounded, and relies heavily on the narrative to keep things from getting stale. The tactical gameplay is excellent, however, its biggest fault is that it left me wanting more.

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.

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.

While returning to its roots in some ways, Pokemon Sword and Shield feels stuck in a transitional phase – where Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee felt like a tech demo for what could be done on the Switch, these games feel like a mix of thoughts from the last generation that weren’t completely utilised. Having said that, Pokemon Sword and Shield offers a tried and true Pokemon experience that fulfilled expectations and gave nostalgic glimpses into why the series has maintained a presence for so long.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a good fit on Switch, though some noticeable technical issues highlight the sacrifices made in order to get it on the hybrid system. That said, what’s here is a great South Park adventure — one fans of the show should certainly check out if they haven’t already.

While returning to its roots in some ways, Pokemon Sword and Shield feels stuck in a transitional phase – where Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee felt like a tech demo for what could be done on the Switch, these games feel like a mix of thoughts from the last generation that weren’t completely utilised. Having said that, Pokemon Sword and Shield offers a tried and true Pokemon experience that fulfilled expectations and gave nostalgic glimpses into why the series has maintained a presence for so long.

While returning to its roots in some ways, Pokemon Sword and Shield feels stuck in a transitional phase – where Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee felt like a tech demo for what could be done on the Switch, these games feel like a mix of thoughts from the last generation that weren’t completely utilised. Having said that, Pokemon Sword and Shield offers a tried and true Pokemon experience that fulfilled expectations and gave nostalgic glimpses into why the series has maintained a presence for so long.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

While it has promise, Riders Republic feels like it needs a bit more time in the oven. For fans of extreme sports, there’s certainly something to enjoy here – just don’t be surprised when a variety of issues run the experience into the ground.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War builds upon the original trilogy of games to offer a robust zombie killing experience.

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.

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.

Make no mistakes, Darksiders Genesis plays and feels like a Darksiders game. It’s just not a particularly strong one. Repetitive enemy encounters, simplistic puzzle design and average platforming all stop Genesis from being as good as it could be. Co-op is a blast, as is the great dynamic between War and Strife, but it doesn’t save the experience in the end.

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.

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.