There will be case studies written about this release, because it should have been a sure-fire slam dunk, and yet it feels like a missed opportunity. Make no mistake, the title has improved since launch – and with the announcement of Black Panther, developer Crystal Dynamics remains committed to iterating on it for the foreseeable future – but as we alluded to in our Marvel’s Avengers PS4 review, there’s a disconnect between the promise of this product and what it actually offers.

Just like Facebook and instant soup, this experiment is very much what you make of it.

Poignant character moments and some impressive use of pop music make Under Pressure a better episode than Tangled Up In Blue, but still nowhere near the lofty heights that we know Telltale is capable of. There's enough good work here to indicate that by the time the series is over it'll have given us reasons to care about the cast and what they're up to, but if you're on the fence about whether or not to pick up the season pass, you're probably best waiting a little longer to make that decision. The series has potential, but whether it'll ever manage to escape the shadow of the movies it is so desperately trying to recreate remains to be seen.

Airheart: Tales of Broken Wings has potential but without a solid story powering it forward and lots of tedious grinding, you’ll struggle to see it through to the end. While the game is visually stunning and at least exciting in principle, Airheart never quite takes flight.

This latest edition’s clumsy controls will obstruct your enjoyment at times, and while the top-notch puzzles and vibrant visuals will certainly tunnel through some of these issues, the input problems will still chip away at your patience like a pickaxe as you progress.

Sketching the true horrors of mental illness, Neverending Nightmares succeeds in creating an unnerving atmosphere that will keep you forever on the edge of your seat. It's let down by a lack of environments and varied gameplay, but it still stands as a chilling experience that those with an interest in the genre should check out.

Code Vein 2 is not the strongest soulslike we've ever encountered. While there is absolutely some fun to be had slaying the myriad horrors that inhabit this post-apocalyptic world and building a powerful Revenant Hunter, repetition inevitably kicks in. Narratively, it's pretty dull, lacking compelling characters or quests to engage with. While not broken or a bad game per se, it is hard to recommend when so many better entries in this well-worn subgenre already exist.

While it fulfils its promise of delivering a much needed edge to the saturated zombie horror scene, Deadlight: Director's Cut is sadly hampered by its clunky combat system and recycled puzzles.

The levels are creative, at least, with unique environments to explore like a medieval castle on a crescent moon, or a sprawling town atop a carrot cake. There are also more linear stages to find, and smaller islands you can fly off to, Super Mario Galaxy-style. While it makes some odd choices in its design, Togges just about wins us over with its experimental spin on platforming and no small amount of whimsical charm.

Spartacus Legends lacks the production values required to attain top billing, but its solid fighting mechanics and rewarding RPG elements ensure that it's worth a punt. With no entry price, there are definitely worse ways to spend your time than bathing in the blood of your enemies for the sake of fame and glory – just don't expect a spectacle fit for the emperor himself.

This is still a laugh out loud affair, though; a raucous and utterly ludicrous release that deserves to exist on modern hardware. But when the source material is this brilliant, it deserves an exceptional remaster – rather than one that’s just good enough.

An altogether fun but often repetitive dungeon crawler let down by its weak cast and uninteresting storyline. Moments spent in the labyrinth dungeons, though initially confusing, are bright spots in an otherwise uninspiring game, giving the opportunity for exploration and presenting an intriguing battle system which allows for plenty of customisation and experimentation.

Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds is a fun, fast paced brawler, with a strong retro presentation that runs out of steam all too quickly. Repetitiveness almost over shadows everything that it does well, and the ghost town multiplayer modes certainly don’t help either. That said, if you’re up for an old school beat-‘em-up – with some modern additions – then this title may still be worth rescuing.

Far Cry: New Dawn can quite easily provide a weekend of fun, but when it comes to recalling your favourite games of 2019, don't expect to remember this post-apocalyptic adventure. Its streamlined RPG elements do add some welcome structure, but this trek through Hope County may seem familiar to a fault. It's almost a shame that Ubisoft didn't go all-in on making New Dawn a totally over-the-top spin-off, rather than a sequel that struggles to tell an all-too-serious story.

Hustle Kings is hardly the Earl 'The Pearl' Strickland of the billiards simulation world, but it racks up a decent round of eight and nine ball pool – and it does so for free. The microtransactions are well implemented, and actually add a sense of consequence to the online play, but disappointing visuals and ear shattering audio let the overall experience down.

Mighty No. 9 appears to be caught in two minds about whether it wants to make a Mega Man-style game for novices or veterans, and that indecision unfortunately prevents it from being anything close to mighty. Combine the release's well-meaning but misguided attempts at accessibility with sub-par graphics, puzzles, and an insane difficulty spike towards the end, and you end up with a title that's not very mega at all.

If you fancy something artsy and with some challenging gameplay, then we think that you should consider giving it a shot. Everyone else will want to pass on this one.

Just Add Water has ensured that this Vita version is the best that is possibly can be without altering the original’s design. Newcomers should opt for New ‘N’ Tasty or Stranger’s Wrath first, but this will be waiting for you should you want to complete your collection.

Firewatch has the embers of a great narrative-driven game, but it fails to ever ignite into a furnace. Unforgivable performance issues detract from the otherwise outstanding art direction, but it's the abrupt story and unconvincing characters that really douse the hype here. Campo Santo's inaugural outing starts incredibly strongly, but your alarm bells will be ringing long before it burns out without ever really sparking into life.

If you're longing for something different, and think you can overlook the game's nagging faults, I Am Alive has more than enough intriguing concepts to make it worth your while. Just be prepared to grit your teeth through some of the game's more maddening moments.

What you’re left with is a solid VR showcase game, but the good-not-great music, and the hit detection issues ultimately hold it back from being anything more.

This isn’t a game for perfectionists looking for a true simulation of a busy A&E department: it’s more like a training ground for psychopaths looking to learn the ropes, shave a few eyebrows, and play with lasers.

Bethesda’s really tried to make DOOM work in virtual reality, but despite supporting all three of PlayStation VR’s control options, it doesn’t really feel like the title was designed with any of them in mind. That said, if you can ignore the flaws with whichever peripheral you choose, then the over-the-top action of id Software’s series transfers well, and this is arguably one of the better looking virtual reality titles to date. It’s a little on the short side, but the price point reflects that, and the gunplay is still as intense as it’s ever been.

Desert Child is stylistically fantastic and has some of the more exciting racing gameplay we've seen this year, but it really suffers from its short length. There's an interesting, colourful world to explore in Olympia, but unfortunately things ends when it feels like Desert Child is just getting started. Still, it's an admirable effort from a talented one-man team.

DOOM Classic Complete is a decent collection if you're a fan of the series or a first-person enthusiast, but the asking price is far too steep if you don't fall into either camp. While all of the packaged titles are still enjoyable in short bursts, needless technical issues and presentation problems let them down, making it worth careful consideration before you book a return trip to the underworld.

Jupiter & Mars is an enjoyable underwater experience that sadly doesn't push the boat out. The visuals and music mix for a trippy swim through Earth's ruins, but the lack of interactivity makes the journey surprisingly dry. If you're after a relaxed dive through colourful caverns, this might be worth a look, but don't expect it to make a big splash.

Even with the rehashed environments, enemies and boss battles, Army Corps of Hell still manages to deliver satisfying bursts of strategy action.

At the end of the day, System Shock is the faithful remake of a 30-year-old game, and you can feel that age in every facet of its being. In some ways, this is a tantalising look back at the game that started an entire genre, and if you’ve got the enthusiasm or nostalgia for immersive sims like it, then it’s worth checking out for that alone. However, if you lack that nostalgic connection, then System Shock is more a showcase of how far the genre has come, rather than a spotlight on how well it’s held up. System Shock may have walked so others in the genre could run, but for us, that walk is just a little too slow.

Destruction AllStars can be a brilliantly frantic multiplayer game, with fun characters and cars, great DualSense feedback, and entertaining modes. However, it can ring a little hollow at times when the action dips. Lacklustre customisation options and mictrotransaction-locked content doesn't help matters, but when everything is playing out smoothly, this is more than capable of giving you a good time. Currently free to PS Plus members, it's well worth taking for a spin.

Co-op is where Can’t Drive This truly shines. Bringing some frantic entertainment, cross-generation multiplayer, and adaptive feedback for acceleration – the only major PS5 upgrade — we just wish there was more to it. It’s also incredibly bare, and there isn’t huge variation between these modes. Unlocking new customisation options isn’t enough to keep you coming back, and though you’ll have a fun time with friends, you won’t be here for a long time.

Winter Stars might not quite rival Sports Champions for your go-to multiplayer sports game, but it's still got some qualities going for it: look past the dodgy dialogue and cut scenes and the single-player campaign isn't half bad. It's a little rough around the edges and doesn't quite get the best out of Move, but there are considerably worse sports games out there.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered sits in a bit of an odd place. It’s a good game on its own, but after the release of Assassin’s Creed Origins and the major improvements it brought to the series, Shay Patrick Cormac’s trek across the ocean feels outdated only four years after its original release. If you can stomach a return to the franchise’s original formula, then the experience will be worth your while thanks to a compelling plot and excellent naval mechanics. But if you’ve grown tired of that recipe, Assassin’s Creed Rogue Remastered won’t do anything to draw you back in.

Grandia HD Collection makes two classic, influential RPGs more readily available to a modern audience. But with little in the way of extras and quite a steep asking price, it is unlikely to appeal to anyone other than the most hardcore genre enthusiasts.

There's still a memorable, charming adventure to be had in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Remastered Edition, but the complete lack of local co-op cripples the game's original vision. Playing together online is always an option, but even that's poorly implemented, with convoluted invite systems and host-only story progression. As a mostly solo experience, Crystal Chronicles is a decent, if somewhat repetitive dungeon crawler -- but this remaster should have been so much more.

The cartoony, minimalist graphics and eye-catching presentation will hold your attention, but like a fanciful daydream, the breezy experience will abruptly end, leaving you sighing in disappointment as you snap back to reality and stow away its pleasant aspects at the back of your mind for a good, long while.

WWE 2K16 definitely makes some strides in the right direction, but with Showcase mode becoming a little stale and Career Mode somehow taking a step back, it's clear that 2K is very much still getting to grips with the series.

It's hard to dislike Blackwood Crossing. It makes a valiant attempt at telling a tender story in an unconventional way, and for that its developers absolutely deserve credit. Unfortunately, its attempts largely fall flat. There are some striking visual and auditory moments to be sure but they don't make up for the predictable narrative and spotty voice acting.

Speed runners, risk takers, and thrill seekers will all be sorely disappointed to miss out here – but everyone else can pass.

Versus adds a competitive edge to things, Quick tasks you with getting to the next station as fast as possible, while Sandbox lets you play with unlocked upgrades without risk of failure. That's about all there is to it — it's a very straightforward game with a neat central idea. The only real trouble is that, due to a lack of real depth, this probably won't last you very long. If there was a little more to it, it'd be easier to recommend, but it's certainly worth a quick trip.

Xenoraid does do a lot to try and stand apart from the deluge of similar games out there, and it should be commended for that effort. But with its lack of refinement, progression resetting, and fairly bland overall presentation, it's unlikely we'll be looking back on this one a year from now.

To be fair, the physics are impressive, requiring you to find a rhythm as you hit the undulations in the mud. And there’s a lot to get busy with, including a reasonable if ultimately ignorable track editor. But the reality is that unless you’re already deeply engrossed in supercross as a sport, there’s very little here that’s going to give you the aftereffects of a Monster Energy-induced high.

There’s no doubt NBA 2K24 is the best presented sports game on the market, and it’s also arguably the most complete, with a dizzying selection of modes and features to accommodate all playstyles and tastes. But an insidious overreliance on microtransactions and player retention yet again detracts from the MyCAREER mode, which to its credit feels much more focused this year. There’s still a lot to like about this game, and depending on which modes you enjoy, you may never have to interact with the nefarious aspects at all. But it does sour what is otherwise an enjoyable game.

Move Fitness may come across as rather limited in some ways, and doesn't quite match its Move competition, but there's a good selection of exercises that are highly enjoyable for the most part, particularly the boxing and ball-throwing elements.

Push past this, and you'll find a cleverly designed set of challenges that shine best in co-op. While things can quickly spiral if you're careless, completing objectives feels like a real triumph, and each mission scales things up, providing new ideas along the way. Once you have your head wrapped around it, Heavenly Bodies offers up wonderfully tactile puzzles, and the DualSense is really put through its paces. The game is rather short, but it does give you more to do after beating each mission. We should also mention there are three levels of control available, with the easiest allowing you to "swim" through the air (or lack of). While we do think there's a good time to be had here, be aware you'll need some patience to find the fun.

Crimsonland is exactly one video game: a perfectly competent twin-stick shooter, and nothing else. Unfortunately, the title’s quests feel a bit half-baked, and the whole thing could do with a facelift.

Thief Town is a great effort from Glass Knuckle Games, with fun, simple multiplayer that has more depth than you might think. If there was a little more to see and do, this would be much easier to recommend, but it will be a little too sparse for some. For others, though, this will be a great little title to put on when friends come over, and that feels like where Thief Town belongs.

VRFC is not a good representation of football, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Like the table-top variety, it doesn’t need to be accurate to be entertaining, and once you embrace the insanity there’s fun to be had. VRFC is flawed and disconnected, but also spontaneous, amusing, challenging, and fun. At this budget price, we can think of worse ways to spend a weekend.

Rain World has massive world that can be pretty easy to get lost in and enables some real survival adrenaline rushes. Unfortunately, these positive aspects – alongside its exquisite art direction – are at odds with some of the less satisfying aspects: the slightly awkward controls, the overwhelming feeling of almost too much freedom, and the fairly constant threat of losing large chunks of progress take away from the experience. The end result is complicated: it's a game we bounced off quite a lot but one we still greatly appreciate. The game does something new with the genre and it does it well for the most part, making the game worth at the very least giving a look.

Design gripes aside, Nexomon is a decent Pokémon clone. It's a bit rough around the edges, but if you're hankering for a cheap and cheerful creature-based RPG, it's not a bad pick.

Once it gets going and the tricks begin to unlock, Mad Riders is extremely fast and quite fun. There are several niggles that drag this racer down, though, such as the slow introduction of stunts and the harsh quickness of some respawns which directly opposes the multi-pathed style of the courses, and it never really does enough out of the ordinary to live up to its title.

Despite the gameplay and level design being pretty middling, we still think this game is worth a spin. It’s all about the atmosphere, and the organism itself, both of which are rousing successes and worth the price of entry alone.

Constant C is enjoyable enough, but it never really ventures beyond that.

Tiny Metal is a fun military-themed, turn-based strategy game. It manages to put your brain in gear with the troops' different strengths and weaknesses creating interestingly close battles. However without a multiplayer mode, some translation issues, and a text-heavy story the game falls short of being a must buy.

Considering the potential Watch Dogs Legion was packing prior to launch, the final release can only be chalked up as an anticlimax. Its "play as anyone" concept doesn't lend itself well to the sort of experience Ubisoft has crafted with seriously lacklustre character options and a narrative that went down the drain as a result. While longtime fans may find its recycled gameplay loop just enough of a reason to keep playing, those enamoured with the possibility of playing as anyone and everyone will wish they never bothered. Watch Dogs Legion is the dullest of the lot.

At times the narrative is incomprehensible and the characters are uninteresting and unlikeable, but it's the mismatch of borrowed gameplay mechanics that really lets The Bureau: XCOM Declassified down. Truly embodying the spirit of the phrase 'jack of all trades, master of none', this is another unfortunate victim of rampant focus testing.

The game is solid — stable frame rate, the assets look as good as they possibly could without an overhaul, and the modernised controls are a demonstrable improvement. Hit detection is a little sluggish, but it's worth the price of entry for getting a peek at such an oddity. While saying the game lacks focus could be construed as an insult, it’s truly fascinating to see a game made with, for its time, such a high level of quality that wears so many different hats. And for that, we appreciate the opportunity to experience it in the modern era.

This is a generic brawler that feels like it was rushed to market, and is a huge disappointment considering it's a sequel to an already lacklustre game.

Simply put, there is very little to recommend in this year’s game. With fewer modes than F1 2013, and with next year’s big update mere months away, this entry finds itself very much stuck on the grid.

Throne and Liberty is an ongoing game, so the story could become more fleshed out, the mechanics you use to interact with the world could become more nuanced, and the technical issues could be fixed. But as it all stands now, it's just an okay way to dip your toe into a relatively console-friendly MMORPG that doesn't demand endless amounts of your time for you to enjoy — although there are better games to play with your precious hours. If you're looking for something deeper than that, though, you won't find it here.

There’s a good game hidden in here, but you may need a bite from a radioactive insect to see through its glaring flaws.

There are far more and much better narrative-driven experiences to be had in 2016, and so Dear Esther: Landmark Edition feels like a bit of a relic in this day and age.

Web of Wyrd is clearly created by people with a reverence for Mignola's work and impresses as an adaptation. However, as a roguelike and a brawler, it underwhelms.

Way of the Passive Fist starts out strong with an interesting concept, but that interest soon wears off thanks to poor execution. Once you've played the first chapter you've pretty much played all 10 as there is never any variation on offer. Combine this with the fundamental flaws of basing the gameplay purely around blocking and dodging and you have a recipe for a promising and unique but ultimately disappointing game.

Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge - Enhanced Edition starts out flat but does eventually get a bit better. You’ll need to trudge through a couple of hours of bland shooting galleries to get to the good stuff, though, and even then the title is largely let-down by repetitive encounters and some dated design decisions. The game takes decent advantage of PSVR2’s innovative features, but also underlines its Meta Quest 2 origins at times. And while there’s an unquestionable novelty to existing within George Lucas’ legendary universe, it feels like the license is doing a lot of the lifting for a mostly average adventure.

State of Mind offers an intriguing near-future tale that doesn’t quite deliver on its initial mystery. While it’s cast of flawed – and in some cases unlikeable characters – are interesting to get to know, the plotting ultimately lets things down by failing to get you invested in the story, and asking you to suspend your disbelief a few too many times. While the unique presentation proves to be an excellent fit for the setting, and helps distinguish it from the crowd, the price of entry will scare off anyone who isn’t actively seeking out this type of experience.

Despite its - significant - flaws, Grease Dance is enjoyable in an enthusiastic social situation, and it even squeezes in the odd fun Easter egg. Dancing may be frustrating if you're dead set on getting a good score, but the singing works rather well, and with the intended group of friends warbling and jigging along the dodgy recognition is more easily ignorable.

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU tells a touching, personal story of family, grief, and loss, but it's wrapped up in a game that makes appreciating that narrative a lot harder than it should be. A Metroidvania in only the most basic of ways, its combat and platforming are spoilt by basic design and structure, as well as controller issues and frustrating one-hit kills. At its best when left to simply tell its story, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU falters once you have to start playing.

Ultimately, Ruffy and the Riverside is a game we wanted to like, but despite its attractive visual style and unique ideas, it never really comes together in a satisfying way. While there's some fun to be had running around in the semi-open world, it never evolves beyond that.

I Am Bread is a quirky title that can be a lot of bun at times, and it will certainly fill a hole before a much more substantial meal comes along. However, the title's control, camera, and performance issues do put a dampener on things, so unless you absolutely love silly experiences of this ilk, we'd recommend keeping your dough in your wallet and putting it towards something a little less stale.

Wailing Heights’ presentation is perfectly in-tune, but its gameplay is out of time. While it neatly repurposes some old point-and-click tropes, it doesn’t quite have enough quality to match the ambition of the classics it’s so clearly inspired by. There are some laugh out loud moments and some real ear-worm audio, but it’s not quite enough to demand front-row seats for The Deadbeats’ reunion tour.

It definitely feels like developer Midgar Studio should have reduced the scope of both the story and some of the gameplay systems, because this may have allowed it to add more polish to the areas that work well. It’s a shame, as the game does have plenty of potential, but it’s a little bit too rough around the edges to fully enjoy.

It’s a valiant effort, and an impressively authentic recreation all-in-all, but it just doesn’t hold up from a modern perspective – especially without a lightgun in-hand.

While Contrast is worth completing for the sake of seeing the gorgeous scenery and hearing the exceptional soundtrack, don't expect to have any real burning desire to play this game again over the coming months.

Many of the problems – like load times – are more quality of life issues than game problems, so if Milestone could tidy this stuff up then it'd go a long distance. But it's the inconsistent physics that are the real kicker, and detract from the generally acceptable presentation and decent selection of modes. It's better than nothing, and North American supercross fans will surely appreciate the fact that the title exists at all, but it could be so much better.

Ultimately, this game misses the target. If you’re itching for some footie amid the World Cup, and you absolutely can’t stand sims like FIFA 23, we suppose you might eke some mileage out of it. Otherwise, leave this one on the bench where it belongs.

Despite feeling out of date in one too many key areas, Terminator: Resistance manages to serve up a campaign just about worthy enough for those looking to switch their brain off and enjoy some mindless action. Its efforts to heighten the importance of relationships and interactions go a long way to differentiating the experience but held back by technical deficiencies, the vision isn’t quite fully realised.

Hidden Dragon: Legend is an indie title that offers an initial burst of satisfying combat, but that quickly devolves into a tedious stream of identikit encounters coupled with platforming that feels like a tacked-on afterthought.

Unsanctioned, brutal and wholly unrefined in its raw underground presentation, Supremacy MMA: Unrestricted breaks free from the restraints of licensed properties and locks two highly trained human adversaries in a cage, putting their martial art forms to the ultimate test. While not for everyone, those willing to take a few merciless beatings will find some enjoyment here - it's just a shame the online comes off like a stiff kick below the belt.

We extend our sympathies toward Frozenbyte since Trine 3's weaknesses are due to unforeseen costs that exceeded its budget, but this doesn't alter the reality of the game's state. While it may surpass expectations as a picturesque fairy tale come to life with a lovely score and promising tale, your childlike wonder will fade and be cut short due to abrupt closure, trite puzzle-solving, and dumbed-down gameplay that spells a fumble for this middling entry.

With tempered expectations, fans could get something out of this, but for everyone else, there are better brawlers for better prices already on the market.

Fuel Overdose is enjoyable in small chunks, but chronic camera issues let it down. The title simply tries to do too much, and it lacks focus as result. With a little more refinement, this could have been an original and compelling release – but in its current guise, it feels like a missed opportunity instead.

We’re sure that if you’re a fan of the base game, you’ll likely get some enjoyment here, as there are some genuine moments of tension, and we loved getting to hear wee tidbits about the Beira D disaster. However, what it does more than anything else is make us want to go back and play the base game.

RGX Showdown is a valiant effort in doing something unique with arcade racing, but the results are hit and miss. The frenetic, head to head races will provide some thrilling chases, and the drip feed of rewards for successive victories can be addictive, but it lacks polish. The presentation is rough around the edges and it feels pretty bare-bones, but there is the seed of a good idea here.

Super Stardust will always be an outstanding arcade game, but this particular version is a tired attempt at repurposing an ageing experience for yet another PlayStation platform. The classic gameplay options function fine in virtual reality but offer nothing new, while the added PlayStation VR-exclusive Invasion Mode fails to grasp what's great about the original experience.

The shooting still feels decent, particularly when playing with a higher framerate, but the time to kill on even basic soldiers feels ludicrously high. And the “stealth” mechanics are miserable to fight with. You can be unmoving and invisible 50 metres from an enemy, and every now and again the game just decides they see you anyways. It’s impossible to actually rely on stealth for anything other than emergencies. Juggling all the powers of your suit as well as energy consumption remains a bright point, though. Do you want to get somewhere faster or in better health? These split-second decisions were great then, and they are still.

For better and worse, Frogun really does feel like a game ripped from the late 90s. This is a puzzle platformer with a PS1-era vibe, and while it nails the presentation, it also inadvertently captures the frustrating and finicky nature of those early 3D games.

While the game's level generation mechanic doesn't work as swiftly as we'd hoped, Beat Hazard Ultra is still a tidy twin-stick shooter. The problem is, as we previously alluded, twin-stick shooters are dime-a-dozen. The madcap visuals and neat progression system elevate Beat Hazard Ultra above the other bog-standard shooters available on the PlayStation Store, but it still ain't no Super Stardust HD. If you're looking for a quirky way to listen to your music though, you could definitely do much worse.

While the single-player options are plentiful and almost worth the meagre purchase price on their own, the only part formed online multiplayer truly drags things down. Chess lovers will undoubtedly get their fill, but unless there's a major update coming in the very near future, it's with a heavy heart we fail to recommend Pure Chess to anyone but the real obsessives.

Uncharted: Fight for Fortune is a stopgap title that's designed to bolster the PlayStation Vita's limited line-up, and it's a decent idea when taken on its own merits. Unfortunately, the slow pacing and stripped back presentation make it an acquired taste, and a somewhat strange addition to Naughty Dog's otherwise flamboyant franchise.

Kick & Fennick is like the bass player in a band: dependable but never destined for centre stage.

Fade to Silence is an amalgamation of mechanics and systems that only work some of the time. Extensive survival procedures and dynamic weather patterns provide the potential for a memorable experience, but nothing takes advantage of that. Controls frustrate, crafting is lacklustre, and combat is missing any sort of depth. Keen survivalists will find something to like here, but those with only a passing interest should probably steer clear.

Wanted: Dead is, at its worst, a frustratingly bad action game, but in its inexplicable presentation, nonsensical storytelling, and baffling character dialogue, it's difficult to completely dismiss. There's undeniable fun to be had here in a so-bad-it's-good kind of way, and that might even be enough for the game to secure cult status somewhere down the line. But for now, you'll need to slog through some of the most jank combat in full-price gaming to squeeze enjoyment out of the experience. Wanted: Dead is a truly fascinating mess.

Metro Exodus: The Two Colonels is adequate in every sense of the word - it doesn't do anything impressively well nor insultingly bad. It's just okay, and while that might be enough to convince fans of the series to take a short trip underground, it's something that anyone else can safely skip.

It has a real lack of gameplay or mechanical depth, so while it is fun to experience the novelty of its settings, weapons, and enemies, once all that wears off, there isn’t much left to keep you around. The gameplay feels overly simplistic, the AI is incredibly dumb, and it's missing that energy found in most great shooters. We were won over by the charm of Hypercharge, but not by anything else.

The story is slight, and possessed Dad – Jim Carver from The Bill for the 30-somethings among you – is more amusing than scary. The constraints of filming during a pandemic are clear – no two people are ever in the same room at the same time – and in terms of production values it's more school play than Hollywood. But Julie Dray is a sympathetic lead and the run time is barely an hour and change so it never has an opportunity to outstay its welcome.

Beyond Eyes is an incredibly admirable game. Its aim of simulating the experience of being blind is buoyed by a clever central conceit, and genuinely breathtaking presentation. Unfortunately, an exceedingly frustrating pace combined with a lackluster story means that the title ultimately buckles under the weight of its own ambition.

If you're a Gundam nut then you'll probably be able to stomach some of the title's flaws, but don't expect a true Gundam VS experience.

The story and world-building are definitely the most interesting things about Reynatis but it’s a shame everything else feels so half-baked and repetitive. It’s hard to get invested in the characters when the dull combat makes you want to get through the adventure as quickly as possible.