Lake is the perfect pallet cleanser after a heavier title. It's refreshing to not have to worry about an end of the world prophecy, or an out of control god hell-bent on destruction. However, it's also that simplistic nature that holds it back from a first-class stamp.

Like it or not, Madden NFL 18 is still by far the best American Football game on the PlayStation 4, but if you fancy something a little sillier then Mutant Football League is not a bad shout at all. It plays similarly to the iconic EA series, but its aggressive playbook and irreverent sense of humour make it a fun alternative for a few downs – just don’t expect the appeal to last long into overtime.

Younger gamers might forgive an under four-hour main game and a non-existent difficulty curve, but unfortunately, the tasks necessary for a Platinum only shallowly extend the game's length. Even a Vending Machine purchase of a CRT television to make enemies more powerful didn't noticeably increase the gentle difficulty. Timing each Butt Bounce is fun, but boss encounters are overly simple, plus collecting Utsu-cans and four rocket ship parts feels like busy work.

The core arcade fighting, with its persistent clothing damage and blend of vivid 2D and 3D visuals, makes it a compelling curio for fighting game faithfuls. But the package as a whole falls short of expectations, and will either need major updates or a chunky price drop moving forwards.

As with its competitor Skylanders, it’ll cost you a fortune to get the most out of the game – but if you’ve already invested in this franchise, there’s no reason to hesitate over assembling those Avengers.

Fantasy Hero: Unsigned Legacy can be a bit repetitive and includes a lacklustre story, but its short running time means that it never truly overstays its welcome.

Suicide Guy is not the disaster we feared it would be, and in places it’s actually rather funny. The title’s randomness stops its campaign from getting stale, and there are actually some cunning puzzles here that are fun to solve. Despite all of that, though, it’s quite a disposable game that’s fun while it lasts but will be quickly forgotten.

Datura holds very little challenge and has technical issues, but even in the face of these problems it's a title that is worth experiencing for its distorted narrative alone. It may not be an entirely great game, but it is at the least a push in a different direction and a breath of fresh air that makes you think – and for that, as more and more games fall victim to conformity, it deserves praise.

For existing fans, this no-frills remaster is the best way to experience the 2010 game on modern consoles, but in 2021, much of the title simply doesn't hold up. Without the benefit of nostalgia, Alan Wake doesn't work as horror because it's not scary, as a thriller because long stretches of the game are fantastically boring, or as an action game because the combat is uninspired and repetitive. There's an interesting central mystery here, but like Alan Wake himself, you'll have to go through hell to find it.

Zombie Vikings is a charmingly designed beat-'em-up, but it's ultimately a fairly shallow one. It's fine for a multiplayer laugh, and even single player has its moments thanks to the humorous plot, but it's only likely to amuse you once, before you leave it on your hard drive waiting to rot.

Tell-tale signs of the game's cheap production value can be found throughout Heavy Fire: Afghanistan but, even with its shortcomings, the game does a good job of recreating the intensity of battling enemy combatants in modern day Afghanistan by putting you in the boots of one very brave Army soldier, light gun style.

If you're prepared to stick to its well-crafted online modes and endure its over-sensitive handling the fun just about outweighs the moments of frustration brought about by questionable course design and the poorly implemented rewind mechanic.

Whatever your preconceptions, Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day will surprise you, and continue to surprise you even after the credits begin to roll. However, while often humorous and delightful, the game portion of this package is a very short experience, consisting of only nine stages and taking roughly just over an hour to complete.

WRC 3: FIA World Rally Championship has more than enough content to keep you busy with its 83 tracks, 50 drivers, and 37 cars. But, despite being the official game of the World Rally Championship, it has many issues that strip away its authenticity – the most problematic of which being poor track feedback. The title's more than competent as a casual off-road racer, but unfortunately for developer Milestone, Codemasters already has that genre locked up with its exceptional DiRT series.

YouTubers Life OMG is an agreeable video-making tycoon game wrapped up in a few fundamental problems. The main gameplay loop is compelling, and it's a pleasure to watch as your subscriber tally and bank account start to soar. However, some poor presentation, a clumsy camera, and a couple of other small issues stop it from being the viral hit it wants to be. Those looking for a casual management sim to tackle may find some enjoyment here, but it's hard to recommend it to anyone else.

Hand of Fate comes so close to being something really special – an unexpected concoction of genres and ideas that meshes together superbly to create a really fun experience that's both involving and rewarding, at least in short bursts. But, unfortunately, its potential is cut short by a lack of options and awkward third-person game segments that should really know better.

There’s clearly been a lot of love invested into Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse – Episode 1, and it will take franchise fans on a trip down memory lane as a result.

Madden NFL 21 has all the same problems as its PS4 predecessor, because it’s basically the same game. The presentation has taken a half-step forward owing to the increase of hardware power, but it’s many yards behind the standard now set by FIFA 21 and NBA 2K21. The increased loading times improve the flow of modes like Ultimate Team, and the gameplay is marginally more authentic thanks to the implementation Next Gen Stats, but an ageing Franchise mode and some tired animations mean this is hardly the improvement fans anticipated.

If you’ve a hankering for a fun Japanese RPG, then The Longest Five Minutes is a decent option. Battles can be a little lopsided, but with an intriguing story and a unique structure, these are five minutes worth experiencing for fans of the genre.

Super Neptunia RPG is a fun but ultimately fairly average spin-off. Neptune and her friends are as funny and endearing as ever, but the story does them a disservice by bogging them down in needlessly long and boring conversations. If you’re a fan of the Neptunia series then you’ll certainly enjoy seeing all the familiar faces and the world in its gorgeous new 2D form, but for everyone else, this is a run-of-the-mill JRPG.

There's a kernel of a fantastic tactical role playing game in Miasma Chronicles, but it lacks polish in a few key areas, and while the lore and the characters are endearing in their own right the overarching fiction that binds it all together disappoints.

Kitty Powers' Matchmaker is a frequently enjoyable dating sim that nails its charmingly campy tone while providing a refreshing change of pace for those who fancy making love not war. It comes close to being a keeper, but the high cost of this version over its mobile counterparts and a gameplay loop that struggles to keep it up for more than a couple of hours means that Kitty Powers' Matchmaker just isn't quite relationship material.

It's easy to see why some would outright dismiss LEGO City Undercover purely on the basis of it being a LEGO game. The formula has gotten a bit too stale over the years, so if you're looking for something fresh in the LEGO universe, Chase McCain's adventure won't satisfy you. But if you're still interested in some brick hunting and cop action - and you can look past some awful load times - then LEGO City Undercover will serve you nicely. Its charm, humour, and open world nature was, for the most part, enough to win us over.

When you've just taken an entire team apart with a perfectly paced counter-attack, FIFA 20 feels as satisfying as ever. But for everything that it gets right on the pitch, this year's instalment seriously struggles to make a case for itself at launch. Ultimate Team hits new heights but it is, as always, undermined by pay to win microtransactions, and Volta is fun but it's definitely not the headline act that EA wants it to be. Meanwhile, Career Mode has seen a bunch of improvements, but a shocking number of bugs currently cripple the experience. It's a good job FIFA still plays well, because as a package, it's robust but frustratingly shoddy. Our advice? Wait for FIFA 20 to be patched before tying your laces.

If you're looking for a decent, but not overly demanding action RPG, you could do a lot worse than That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Isekai Chronicles. It's a pleasant anime-based adventure, topped off with enjoyable action — but you'll need to endure some serious repetition along the way.

Life of Pixel is a likeable precision platformer with a fantastic visual style. Its gameplay is hampered by occasional areas of poor design, and the lack of leaderboards is a particularly prominent oversight, but if you're looking for a charming, challenging, and cheap title, then this is a solid choice.

Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash can be a romp in more ways than one. It’s a decent third-person shooter with fast-paced, vertical gameplay, and there are some quirks here and there that make it stand out in its market. However, its single-player content can get noticeably repetitive and one-note amid a lot of the fluff that you’ll unlock. If there’s one thing the game owns with style and confidence, it’s the overall presentation. We’re pretty sure it’s the most important part anyways.

Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault has some interesting ideas, but repetition and poor level design let the single-player campaign down. The innovative multiplayer mode represents the mini-adventure's strongest asset, but it's unlikely to hold your attention for very long. PlayStation's most enduring duo have seen better days, but this is still a likeable celebration of a fantastic franchise.