But this is all running around the question of how Far Cry 6 actually feels to play in combat. Well, yeah. It feels decent. Again, just about every hostile area in this world follows a tried and tested template. Either stay stealthy and disable some alarms, or just go shooty bang and leather people with bullets. There's always a storage room with resources. There's always a captain with more health. There's always something to get out of it. And that just about sums up Far Cry 6, actually

This is an idea we’ve seen before, most recently with Quantum League, which Nic Reuben gave a favourable review but I wasn’t hot on thanks to its repetition and mediocre gunfeel. I will say Lemnis Gate is better on both counts by quite some margin, so if you got a kick out of Quantum League then hey, dig in. Fill your chrono-boots. Timey-wimey Tic Tac Toe is still an intriguing concept, and Game Pass provides a handy way to check out games that are more interesting than fun. It’s just a shame it hasn’t made me think harder about where to place my chrono-Xs.

So yes, in light of Alan Wake's newly established relevance in Remedy's Connected Universe, I'd say it's well worth making the trip back to Bright Falls to reacquaint yourself with this important piece of gaming history. Whether you do that through this shiny new remaster or the original Steam release is up to you. Personally, I'm not sure this remaster warrants paying twice as much for the same adventure. It would be a different story if ray tracing or HDR was involved or the original was capped at 30fps like its Xbox 360 counterpart, but outside of its newly reworked character models, Alan Wake Remastered looks and feels much like the original PC release. While it makes sense to have a fresh, clean version of the game that everyone can enjoy in the run-up to whatever's next in the RCU, Alan Wake Remastered is a much more essential purchase for those playing on console than it is for us on PC.

But alas, bugs only exacerbate the sense of freedom curtailed. One prevented essential resin from spawning that made a sequence unfinishable until I rebooted the game; another saw Isao pause in uncharacteristic, eternal silence during a mandatory conversation. It’s testament to Jett’s great strengths that, in the language of the scouts, I adapted and persevered through its severe lows. Once the story finished, I hoped an endgame would open up and allow me to play freely in its world. That I’d have more opportunities to watch great Ghoke, the red sun, rise in real time, and to ponder the Far Shore’s fascinating mysteries at length. Instead, I could only replay previous chapters. If only Jett had embraced a rhythm as organic as its inspired ecosystem.

So perhaps what The Eternal Cylinder is really about is how the spirit of creativity flees ahead of all those forces that seek to flatten and homogenise it, how it will take on any form to do so, and how Ace Team are one of the strange families fleeing with that light into the unknown that lies ahead of us. That Ace Team have managed to keep making these outlandish games is, all on its own, a chance to be hopeful, a motivation for us all to evolve, and certainly a good reason to buy The Eternal Cylinder. Which you should if what I have said about this game appeals to you even remotely.

If you need a Spire-like fix, this is a good place to get it. With more variety, a spot of balancing, and a, um, functional second half, it could be a great one.

Altogether, the combat is just cumbersome enough to make every fight feel like a drag, and a poor imitation of more sophisticated systems you've seen elsewhere. It's something I'd probably be willing to put up with were it buoyed by an exceptional story and lovable cast of characters, but Astria Ascending fails on all counts. By all means give it a go on Game Pass if you're desperate to see what it's like, but be warned: this is not a game that respects your time. There are far better avenues to pursue if you're after an engaging JRPG. The only thing you'll achieve by taking this particular detour is a one-way street to disappointment.

None of the irritating things are huge, and in a few patches time Sable will probably be in much better shape. But right now, there are a lot of small irritants to get under your skin all at once. It is, I'd venture to say, a perfect Game Pass game. I simultaneously loved the beauty and strangeness of Sable's world, but was tormented by having to exist in it.

If there's anything I want you to know about Kena: Bridge Of Spirits, it's that its simplicity is still beautifully expressive. In particular, Kena has a truly cinematic style, with some breathtaking cutscenes, and it deploys them with real expertise. Not only is the Kena aware of what it does well, it does those things very well indeed. And sure, the combat isn’t in-depth or complex, but it’s not trying to be. Kena: Bridge Of Spirits is a game about atmosphere, and it’s a breath of fresh air. [RPS Bestest Bests]

There’s still a certain compulsion to whacking out cards in an optimal order, figuring out the most impressive combos during performances and the most efficient routes through the meta-game camp upgrades. There are endearingly playful touches, too, like the way my strongman quivers when he’s nervous, or how Henry Ford rocked up to that show in a motorised carriage with a plush leather seat. Those joys fade fast, though, and you’re left with a slog to a finale you’ll just have to hope is no longer broken. I hate to say it, but there are better shows in town.

Despite those reservations, I'm won over by the birds themselves. I haven't unlocked all the levels yet but I'll crack on to help Big Friend. My hands may never adapt to the precise gravity of these joyful idiots. But bailing as a sparrow is relatively painless. With time, I will become unflappable.

Tails Of Iron is a fun world stuffed with detail and excellent frog smashing. Look into this rat's nice little face and see the face of a brutal killer.

It's a pity, because Gamedec has brilliant ideas for subverting the banal cyberpunk formula. It explores the concept of metaverses through an invigorating, dynamic collage of virtual worlds, without relying on the usual signifiers of cyberpunk that its peers have drawn on to evoke scenes of excessive consumerism and exoticism. It captures the uncertainty and frustration of investigative work, sometimes forcing you to make decisions based on gut instincts alone, particularly in situations where information is scarce or when you don’t have the luxury of resources and time to unspool every narrative thread. It celebrates rare moments of joy that arise from making the right deductions, or whenever you see these threads weaving into a meticulous web of schemes and political chicanery.

Aragami 2 absolutely channels highlights from the past three decades of stealth-action, but it also files a lot of the bumpy bits off. Immediacy over complexity.

What Bossa Studios have done here, then, is make a game that's immediately fun and frustrating and fishy. Its fish are cute as heck, its levels are clever, and most importantly it's one of those games that anyone can play. You could show this to your gran and she'd be like, "Yes my child, I understand. The fish, they must be saved". And I think that's neat, you know? Even though it's a single player game, it'll make those around you just as invested in the fish as you are. I mean, you'd be a monster to leave them alone in their bowls.

Some of that action will involve fetching rare fish from the belly of an even bigger fish so you can serve up the ultimate dish of forgiveness to a scheming casino lord, and yes, you'll also be hunting down mischievous creatures in the forest to help out the village ranch. It's all in a day's work for this unlikely pair of world-saving do-gooders, but gosh darnit if I didn't also enjoy every second of it. It may be slow to get going, but once Sam and John find their feet, Eastward roars to life like nothing else. Pixpil have created a world of exquisite detail here, and its winsome cast are easily the best bunch of NPCs you'll meet this side of Toby Fox's Undertale. It's been a long time since I've cared this much about the everyday folks in an RPG, but as Eastward handsomely proves, pigs really do fly in this excellent retro adventure.

It's just fun, isn't it? It's not groundbreaking, Toem, but it's somehow nostalgic and modern at the same time, a silly world that you can just enjoy, guilt-free. No overwrought commentary on modern society. No hidden meaning. Occasionally some hidden socks, or ghosts you can only see when you're wearing magic sunglasses, yes. Mostly having fun and taking pictures. I was here, I played Toem. It was good.

There's a lot more I liked in the 30+ hours it took to hit the credits, but I only have one life, not millions, so I can't type all day. Just know that those who prefer the quiet quicksaveyness of the Dishonoreds will grumble at the inability to use all their powers, the shift to shootybang, the disappearance of non-lethality and corpse hiding - all the signposts of a true immersive sim. [RPS Bestest Bests]

Lost In Random gets lots of things right, including that Dicey is now with us. But for an adventure game with such a wacky setting, it somehow doesn't get playful enough - or really even random enough - to elevate itself from a solid time to a rip-roaring one.

It’s a shame Cloud Gardens felt the need to stretch its playtime with reused ideas, because when Cloud Gardens is at its best, it’s a delight. It's a competent, unique puzzle game and a contemplative, relaxing dreamscape, all rolled into one small package. If you ever have anxiety about the future state of the Earth, check out Cloud Gardens. Watching nature overrun a factory is more cathartic than you might think.

It will always be described as "Halo meets Portal" and not "John 117 discovers the art of MC Escher" or "Elmer Fudd gets a 360 no-scope". And that's fine. How a shooter is glibly summarised doesn't matter when it's got this many split-seconds of satisfaction. When you headshot a poor sap across the map just as he steps through his portal and then see the limp corpse fall right in front of you, you aren't thinking, "Huh, neat gimmick". You're thinking: "Ha ha ha ha ha". And then you're being biffed 30 feet into the air by an ambusher with a Big Flipping Bat. [RPS Bestest Bests]

I'm sure I could do things more efficiently. The forge in particular seems vital. This is a building that smushes two villagers together to create a special hybrid rollcube, potentially removing a lot of reroll inefficiency and condensing two roles. With certain limitations, you can even keep them for use in later playthroughs. Dice Legacy encourages experimentation, it says in its opening screen, and I appreciate a game suggesting an ethos like this upfront. But though after many failures and one victory I'm armed with more knowledge and several theories on how to play it better, the prospect of going through all this again is the kind of legacy that makes me glad I don't have kids.

That, I think, was always the strength of Life Is Strange anyway. People liked spending time with Max and Chloe. I'm long since past the point where people listening to mimbling guitar while looking out the window is anything but annoying to me now, but True Colors moves the series forward, and is perhaps a better reflection of how the teens who might have loved the original Life Is Strange games are growing up, too. Alas, as much as I liked its enjoyable cast and Alex's interesting empath powers, the rest of True Colors just falls short of true brilliance. Life Is Strange games are often given to painting their issues in black and white rather than shades of grey, and I'm disappointed True Colors ended up using such a limited palette, too.

So: a funny spectacle that doesn’t have the staying power beyond the length of your average concert (plus several encores). I wish there was more reason to return to this world once the applause dies down - I could see myself firing it up for a nostalgic listen down the line - but it’s fun while it lasts. The perfect Game Pass game, then, or a slightly more indulgent treat at £17. A recommend, but not a full recommend. Too ambiguous? Ha, the Slippery Matthew Castle strikes again.

Despite the tedious introduction of its two main characters, it's filled with strong character moments and ridiculous battles that remind us only nerds and squares bend to gravity's iron rules.

If anything, the game's built-in radio station is its greatest weapon against any grinding or gnashing of teeth. It's just so darn soothing, playing a mix of poppy, lo-fi music and calm, softly-spoken listener stories that help fill in some of the game's wider backstory (in multiple languages, too, which is a nice touch). I'd happily listen to it as a real-life radio station if I'm honest, and I liked how constant and uninterrupted it was, too, playing whether you're navigating the menu to restart a level or moving between stages. It really helps to keep you in the overall golf groove, and it was one of my favourite parts of the entire game. Sure, life up on the red planet might not be much better than it is down here, based on the little story snippets you glean from the radio now and again, but man, when the golfing is this good, what an extraordinary bit of escapism. Let's go another round, shall we?

Ultimately, The Big Con isn't going to tax you mentally or physically, but it's still a fun way to spend four hours if you're up for a few larks and a big dose of 90s feel-good fun. Mighty Yell have conjured some great locations to thieve your way through here, and their colourful cast of characters (quite literally, in this case) make them feel alive with lucrative opportunity. Against all the odds, The Big Con had stolen its way into my heart by the time I reached the end credits, and I'd have happily paid for the privilege, too.

Ultimately, KeyWe is one of those games that I have to add qualifications to if someone asks if I enjoy it. It's a "fun, but-" kind of game. I wish it wasn't, because underneath the annoyances are some really lovely, imaginative details. The Telepost gets different decorations for different times of year. There are mysterious collectibles to find and store in your little kiwi nest hole. The cassowaries wear halloween costumes. The notes that come with packages to send out are often funny. The kiwis are really cute! But...

King’s Bounty 2 leaves me with the sense of a workmanlike adherence to genre trends rather than anything particularly creatively fulfilling or naturally complimentary to the core game. While the narrative context and contiguous casualties, experience, and treasury provided by the quests and exploration is good and necessary, it’s just all too puffed up in mostly uninteresting ways.

Some may not agree, arguing that Hoa is more style than substance. But if that is to be Hoa's fate, then what style! The Ni No Kuni series may look more like Studio Ghibli films-turned-into-games, but Hoa's pre-occupation with nature, the environment, impossibly cute bugs and robots and heart-swelling piano music makes it a much truer successor to the interactive Ghibli crown in my eyes, possibly more so than anything else I've ever played. Much like the moment when troubled monster No Face slips into a steaming hot bath in Spirited Away, Hoa is a balm for both mind and soul in a year like this, at once a deep, soothing snuggle into Totoro's furry belly and a triumphant run across the raging waves with Ponyo. It may not have the bite of Princess Mononoke's wolf queen Moro or the nostalgic poignancy of an Only Yesterday, perhaps, but this is nevertheless a promising first outing from Skrollcat Studio, and marks them out as ones to watch going forward.

Ultimately, this is why Psychonauts 2 is so good. It is playful. It's fun. It's climbing inside a giant wedding cake, riding flying letters, taking part in a giant cooking show with eggs that are excited to be boiled kind of fun. What more, on this planet, at this time, could you possibly want? [RPS Bestest Bests]

Despite it's so-so action, Recompile is a brilliant adventure and unlocking its mysteries is a blast. It could be a bit clearer when steering you to the next step, but the strength of its platforming and puzzling more than makes up for it. Love me some hacking and code now.

Twelve Minutes' time loop puzzle is layered and weird, but its short time limit doesn't find the sweet spot between tense and frustrating.

And it’s a world to spend time in, too, not just turn up and smash a few pots and hoard a few coins. Take it slow, says Garden Story. Yes, peril approaches, but fences need fixing just as monsters need slaying. Fighting to save the world is a lofty abstract. Instead, fight to save the soil and the sky, the frogs and the flowers, the wise cacti and the talking pickles. Fight like only a grape in a green bucket hat armed with a parasol can.

I’m looking forward to more surprises, which isn’t as banal a statement as it sounds: it means I’m going to keep playing once I’m done with this review, which is pretty much the best praise a game can get. I want to be WeebPeepoClown, except also maybe not exactly like WeebPeepoClown. On a hunch I just checked the leaderboard, and it turns out he’s the 47th best player in the world. Lord knows what he was doing in one of my matches, but I’m glad he was there to show me the path to greatness. The combat’s frustrations can be overcome, though it’s a learning curve not everyone will want to scale - even if they can do that as an acrobatic warrior with a grappling hook.

Indeed, and especially in the later stages of a game, Humankind can feel more like a puzzle game than a 4X, with the business of hexes and multipliers abstracting it from its central theme of humanity. Still, if the worst things I can find to say about Humankind are that it sometimes makes me think too much, and that I need to play it more, it’s hardly a bloody disaster, is it? Go make yourself some harbours, and tell the Olmecs I said hello. If they ever make it out of their Ancient Era time loop and invent writing, that is.

This political road trip is rendered an exciting and entertaining time by its cast and the deliberately piecemeal nature of its storytelling, rather than the story itself.

That's kind of par for the course in dating sims, though, innit? You get to smooch who you like. That's the thrill! If it's a good dating sim, it'll trick you into feeling like there are consequences, and because Boyfriend Dungeon is very good at that. I also stand by my assessment that because of the additional literal layer to "using" characters, it is the most realistic video game romances have ever been) I was just sort of expecting to be called out at the end. I deserved it! And I'm a bit sad that I wasn't. It turns out that truly, the biggest weapon of all... was me. But if you like dating sims, this is a rollicking good time that offers more action and less passivity than your standard genre stuff. All I want from Boyfriend Dungeon is, basically, more of it. Better, faster, stronger. Sharper...

I should add that Foreclosed, from a performance perspective, is technically flawless. No stutters or hiccups. This is clearly a team that knows how to put a game together, even if the one they have didn’t hook me on any level. Then it ended after around five hours, just as it was threatening to get interesting. For those after a more engaging cyber-shooty game, I recommend reading Ed’s review of The Ascent. For cyber-story-puzzly fans, meanwhile, I recommend Mind Scanners. Foreclosed, for all its graphic novel aspirations, is paper-thin.

Axiom Verge 2 isn't the most straightforward sequel, then, and some of its mechanical mutations are more successful than others. If you adored the guns and boss fights of the first game, then its sequel may be something of a disappointment. However, if you're into the puzzles and exploration side of Metroidvanias, Axiom Verge 2 shows a level of sophistication in its design that I haven't seen from this genre in quite some time, even if the end result can sometimes be a little obtuse. It's familiar, yet different; the kind of game the first Axiom Verge might have been in an alternate timeline, which feels fitting given its obsession with portals and shifting realities. With the door left open for even further forays into this kaleidoscope of different dimensions, you can bet I'll be back for more when Axiom Verge 3 rolls around.

Repetition stings more here than it did in the main campaign as traditionally Assassin’s Creed DLC has been a place for designers to test out weirder ideas. Think of Syndicate’s hunt for Jack the Ripper, or getting a suite of magic powers to fight a godlike George Washington in AC3, or taking a visually spectacular tour of the afterlife in Odyssey. If anything, The Siege of Paris’ run of strong missions and knottier story feels like what Valhalla probably should have been in the first place; a tantalizing glimpse of a better game penned into an eight hour DLC. It only dips its toe into the giant, plastic skull full of red wine; time for a bolder developer to take the plunge.

I'd be among the first to say "but it's good in co-op" doesn't count for most games, because most things are better with a friend, but this is definitely one that's crying out for it, and developers Geometa certainly seem to be aware of it judging by the custom game option to have 4 sides and up to 64 concurrent players. I can see potential for more game modes too (certainly some sort of training ground for test flights and the like would be welcome), but I have to go by what's here, and much as I enjoy a good stretch, what's here feels just out of my reach.

For a while, the front of my brain resisted a little, and I mentally changed terminology to things I was more familiar with, but eventually I stopped this. Things get lost in translation, and change in the retelling, and Black Book is clear that a precise choice of words is very important. Vasilisa is a koldun, she casts complex zagavor on a journey to resurrect her dead fiancé, and I’m absolutely there for the ride. Somewhere else, a long time ago.

Death Trash is a singular and unique vision. I don't know how to say, "If you like X or Y then you'll like this". Maybe Fallout (indeed, this game's genesis is in a jokey fanart tweet about making one's own Fallout). Maybe text games on Itch about teeth and skin. People worship the meat like a deity. They eat it raw. And you are, somehow, infected by it. You can talk to it. My biggest disappointment is that my quest to understand the flesh was cut short so quickly - it's maybe four or five-ish hours at the moment, about a quarter of the predicted full runtime, though the "main" questline hit its under construction roadblock after about 2 hours for me. Death Trash evidently has more secrets to wallow in, and it's worth wading in. It's both disgusting (in a good way) and absolutely hypnotic. [Early Access Review]

For me, The Sims was always supposed to be a kind of corny ideal life, rather than a simulation of reality, and a Cottagecore expansion is such a good theme to do that with. In real life, getting up every day to collect eggs and clean out your hen house is a pain in the ass, and you can't make friends with birds without serious effort. But this lifestyle is realised in sunny technicolour in Cottage Living. Apart from anything else, it's reignited my desire to flood the feed with posts about The Sims. So you're welcome and/or sorry in advance.

Even playing by yourself, though, I'd give The Ascent a hearty recommendation if you're after a fun, shooty RPG in a stunning cyberpunk universe. Just bear with its wild difficulty spikes and slow-burn early game, because it does become more engaging once you finally transform into an actual cyborg with a hydraulic fist for a hand.

But at the end of your six to eight hours, you'll have had a fun, satisfying and historically informative time. You'll also start to mutter, "The many shall suffer for the sins of the one!" to yourself every time you drop a slice of buttery toast on the floor in real-life. While The Forgotten City is a bit rough around the edges, it's a fantastic proof of concept, and its small team. Watch this space for whatever Modern Storyteller do next.

Chernobylite's a genuinely good time, folks. The ease of the crafting and the management side of things might lack depth for some, but it does give you a constant sense of satisfaction as you bring goodies back to base and watch it grow. Similarly, the simplicity of its party management ensures balancing their needs doesn't detract from the fun roguelite loop it's got going on. The Chernobyl wilderness might be distinctly "bad vibes" here, but Chernobylite the game gets a big, irradiated thumbs up.

I think this is precisely why I'm so frustrated with HighFleet. There's a brilliant game in here somewhere, but in its present state it's buried under endless frustrations and restrictions that do little but irritate me and cut me off from engaging with it the way I want to. I hate that I don't love it except in infrequent moments of greatness, and that the frustrations keep piling on at the same rate as I find more impressive details about it. It's kitted out for the stars, but just needs another tune-up or two to escape the atmosphere.

Indeed, if you've only ever played the original Ace Attorney Trilogy, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is still a massive step up from those early games, both in terms of production values and the complexity of its cases. It might not match some of Spirit Of Justice's late-game twists, but this is definitely one of the better Phoenix Wright games in recent memory, and certainly since the original trilogy. As a prequel, it's also a great place to start for Ace Attorney newbies, offering a great introduction to Shu Takumi's visual novel detective series without all the daft baggage it's accumulated in games four to six. If I were a judge presiding over video games court, the strength of the evidence is clear. Far from a villain in the Ace Attorney series, Chronicles is grade-A goodness. With the full weight of the fiery jury behind me, I hereby declare this to be a most excellent video game.

Overall, Last Stop feels like a game of unfortunate inconsistency. That's not for lack of effort, I have to stress. On the contrary, I get the feeling that Variable State could have really let rip with this if only they'd had more time, money and resources, along with the robust production and editing processes that goes along with that (and that's not just because I'd have loved to play the fourth, although sadly cut, Junji Ito-inspired story either, I promise). In that sense, Last Stop is probably the opposite of Black Mirror and Doctor Who... but one I'm glad I saw through to the end regardless.

So apart from the fact that I AM BUSY, BETTY, I'm pleased with Death's Door. I like the endearing head twitches of crowboy during his idle animations. I like his birdy Naruto waddle. He is a cool wee guy. I enjoy how handy the camera is, allowing you to nudge the view and peek in any given direction (an always-appreciated feature in side-on metroidvanias or top-down slice 'n' shoots). I like how the music in the furnace dungeon is perfectly timed with the tempo of its steam pistons (the music in general is downright excellent, veering from eerie Firelink lament-o-notes to full-on forest dweller bops). I both like and am deeply unsettled by Grandma's Studio Ghibli eyes, which follow you around the room with the automated paranoia of security cameras.

It's idealistic and earnest. Cris Tales has bundles of heart, but I never found it too cloying or saccharine.

In short, its more varied puzzle pieces, greater environmental challenge and clearer visual presentation all add up to make Mini Motorways a worthy evolution of Dinosaur Polo Club's minimalist transport formula. Despite appearing first on the Apple Arcade, Mini Motorways feels right at home on PC, and its intuitive mouse controls make for a much better architect's pen than a motion controlled remote. Add in daily and weekly challenges to its bumper crop of mainline maps (with more to come every few months after launch, as well as new game modes and the same breadth of updates we saw in Mini Metro) and Mini Motorways is a fine second outing for this vehicular puzzle series. Dedicated Mini Metro-ites may find Motorways a tad too familiar for it to enter their own god tier of video games, but if you're hungry for more of what Dinosaur Polo Club do best, then this is one diversion you won't want to miss.

If you're after a new, turn-based take on Monster Hunter, then Monster Hunter Stories 2 largely delivers. The story isn't going to make your jaw drop, the world's rather bland, and it lacks in-depth crafting options. But - and it's a big but - the combat is genuinely a lot of fun, and collecting monsties is very moreish. Plus, I like being able to ride my monstie in battle and pull off special moves that practically nuke monsters from orbit. Len Goodman would give that in isolation a 10, at least.

Ultimately, Chicory: A Colorful Tale lets players pour as much love and soul into making it their own as the developers have, and I can't think of many other games that allow for that kind of relationship with their audience outside of dedicated life sims. That in itself feels monumental, even if the depth and mechanical variety of its puzzles is somewhat lacking. It's a lovely, heartfelt game, and one whose story really resonated with me. It's hard to say whether you'll feel the same way, and there will no doubt be some who think it's worthy with a capital W. But for me, it's up there with your Rokis, your Spiritfarers and your Necrobaristas. It's an ode to self-expression, and that's something worth singing about. [RPS Bestest Bests]

It's Travis who carries this version of No More Heroes, and occasionally makes you forget that you're actually playing what is a rather mediocre port in 2021. Unless you're a mega-fan, I don't see why you should play this version over the Wii one, because it lacks many basic PC-specific improvements you'd expect from a remaster. But mainly, it loses a lot of charm without those motion controls. I can't believe I'm saying this, but maybe it's time for me to pick up a Wii.

Deliberate efforts creatie that same feeling require a certain vision and vitality to not feel hollow by comparison. Cruelty Squad kept me clicking, and I might click on it some more. I just don’t feel the need, as others have, to rush to the Steam reviews and write a piece of abstract microfiction about it.

I cannot possibly express to you how brilliant Wildermyth is nor how fully I recommend you play it and get started on your own. It is one of the best games I have ever played and it will bring you more delight than you thought possible. [RPS Bestest Bests]

Scarlet Nexus is a decent game of two parts, and both have weaknesses. The combat is swish, stylish and usually competent, but there are too many foibles that stop it from feeling like a truly great RPG. The story is vibrant YA dystopian fiction that goes JRPG-cuckoo (in a good, laugh-out-loud way) at the 15 hour mark. But the plot has more holes than a chain-link fence. Why do people on opposing sides of a civil war keep brain-texting each other to make small talk? Why does nobody bring up the very significant murder that occured earlier in the story?

And let's face it, at little more than a fiver, there's simply no excuse not to give Ynglet a go. It's 90 minutes of pure, unbridled joy (more, if you attempt the bonus levels), and it's unlike anything else I've ever played. It's a bold, fun riot of colour and sound, and I only wish there was more of it. [RPS Bestest Bests]

Those complaints aside, I'm deeply into what Chivalry II offers, ie. a daft bloodbath. The moment-to-moment warring inspires many brief instances of silly movie violence. Chasing a disarmed opponent to the edge of a pit and booting him down, before being booted in yourself by the sneak who's been behind you the whole time. Chucking firebombs at your enemy's feet. Or chucking firebombs at your own feet, for that matter, in a spiteful final stand. Or leaping from a wall with an overhead axe attack but missing by two very important metres and crumpling your legs, granting your target ample time to crush your skull with his own cartoonishly appropriate weapon: a blacksmith's anvil. Chivalrous? No. Art? Well, just look at those colours.

Minute Of Islands' story - which includes a character saying the title of the game, as well as the narrator at one pont saying "no one is an island" - isn't necessarily subtle. Absent people are represented by scarecrows wearing homemade protective hazmat suits. Mo has visions of the machine attacking her, and she also hallucinates about standing on top of her own, giant, dead body. But for all its narrative bluntness, Minute Of Islands is an incredibly elegant game. Much more so than the most other indie games that are about death and grief and sadness and responsibility. In a strange way, Minute Of Islands is comforting as well. Just, you know. Don't actually tell it to your kids. [RPS Bestest Bests]

So, whether you’ve long liked the look of Civilisation but balk at the commitment, or have a seemingly self-replicating collection of untouched Stellaris expansions that you can’t quite find the time for, or honestly just like a good puzzler, I reckon you’ll find something to love here. Personally, Slipways has come at just the right time to occupy a gaming space I wanted filling, but even if it hadn’t, I think it’s a phenomenally smart piece of design. Maybe something will soon come along to replace it, but for now, the view from up here is just perfect. At least, it will be, once I’ve linked that here. Oh, and that there, and… Ah, it’s one of those planets, is it? Well, that changes everything. [RPS Bestest Bests]

And then there are the dreamy, pulpy illustrations that open new chapters. Oh, be still my beating heart. Backbone is quite possibly the most beautiful game you'll play this year. Sometimes style over substance is a valid approach. Not that Backbone is devoid of substance either, of course. But be prepared for that substance to have a very different texture than what you were expecting.

I’m probably not the best person to rate the physical ins and outs of a mountain climbing game. But as a consumer of pop culture tales of derring-do, and a horrified audience member to that callous motivational speaker, I dig ByteRockers attempt to find the right genre fit for the singular, intense mindset of a potentially lethal hobby.

In short, I'm still very much in love with Dorfromantik, and I don't see that changing any time soon. Its forever status is assured. [RPS Bestest Bests]

After its two hour run-time ended with a little bubble burst of hope and sadness, I rather wished I could have sent Beth on her way and stayed behind with Adam - if only 'cos I didn't finish detecting half of those fields. There's gold in them there lovely hills. I can feel it.

At its best this is reminiscent of 80 Days, though it doesn't have quite the sense of wonder. But it is intricate and clever, very suited to the release on handheld and mobile that it's also getting (possibly more suited, if it comes to it), and an instant win if you know what you like and what you like is Inkle games. Overboard has a lovely frivolity, a sort of happy wink of a game to uplift a bit of lockdown gloom now we're back into summer - and that frivolity also belies the complexity underneath. Much like Veronica herself, who even now is, at my behest, stuffing her husband's clothes out of her porthole so she can steal a dolphin paperweight just because she damn well can.

As a work of horror Strangeland is doing way more interesting things than yer Outlasts.

I am an Elite apologist, and have been since the earliest of accesses. When I praise the exploration and simminess I do so from the mindset of a guy who can put on a playlist of songs and indulge in the kind of spaceman play-pretend reserved for toddlers in cardboard boxes. And I would be an ingrate if I did not acknowledge the delivery of those spacelegs I have so often requested. But even I can only stomach so much bugginess and general wonk. Hopefully in the future Frontier will finish working on Odyssey's borked features. When that happens, I'm sure this will be the place to jump in for new players. But I can't make that recommendation now. Perhaps if you're desperate to step foot on a strange world (lord knows I have been) this fancy-yet-malfunctioning ferry might satisfy you. For everyone else, stick with the spaceship you've got.

There's too much going on in Biomutant. Maybe if there weren't so many unnecessary things then the devs could have spent more time making the annoying bits less annoying. Making those menus clearer and easier to use, properly signposting critical QTEs in boss fights, and tightening the combat lock so fights feel less chaotic and you can be more intentional with your attacks. Who knows? In the end there isn't loads wrong with Biomutant, it's more that the bits that are wrong are pervasive, and you have to wade through extraneous fluff to enjoy the bits that are right. Really cool hats, though.

A remaster that takes a characterful, if clearly old game, and doesn’t quite give it the love needed to hold its head high in 2021. After Sega’s amazing PC run - launching Yakuza 0 and Persona 4 at £15 earned a big thumbs up - this feels like wanton gouging, and for a game that is more interesting than essential. Maybe the devil made them do it. Either way, it's a shame.

It's another superb explorer's game.

Ultimately, I think my disappointment stems more from the fact that we just can't go to town with with Mass Effect's PC settings here, and make it look as 'legendary' as its remastered subtitle implies. After all, part of the reason why a lot of us play on PC in the first place rather than on console is so we can really push the boat out on games like this, precisely because of our more powerful hardware. Alas, Mass Effect Legendary Edition appears to be very much a 'one size fits all' kind of remaster. Bioware have put a lot of work into making all three games look as new and shiny as they do, but at the same time I can't help but feel like the PC version in particular could have been shown a little bit more love. [PC Impressions]

Resident Evil Village felt like it wanted to provide something for everyone, but to its own detriment. Those early bits which serve horror fans more were so, so good, and it was such a shame it lost sight of what made things engaging as it careered towards the end. I still had trouble putting it down, though. Even in its most absurd moments.

After sifting NieR Replicant for golden nuggets of story for nearly 30 hours, the fifth and final playthrough is the big payoff. A glimmering chunk that's worth all that pain. The game becomes unpredictable again, as if you only had a second of time to celebrate your find before crashing through a sinkole into a throng of earth and cables. It was brief, but stirring stuff. That is, if you're into NieR's story. If you're not, then I highly doubt you'll have the patience to complete this game five times. There is no other way to describe it other than a big commitment. Almost all aspects of this game wore thin over time, until at one point the only thing that kept me going was sheer force of will. I'm very glad I hung on in there, but I do wonder how many people will bother.

It's weird and funny - at times actually laugh-out-loud funny - the music is an absolute bop, and as you progress you uncover how walking turnips and onions came to be. And every single thing in this game would make a really great plushie toy. But I can also see some people getting so annoyed by a boss fight that they never go back to the game, and then they'd never see some of the most fun bits. And that's a real shame.

Outriders is a wildly entertaining time, especially when you get glimpses of the sarcastically gory fun of Bulletstorm peeking through. But the loot mechanics aren’t bewitching enough, or its action varied enough, or levels surprising enough, to sustain the momentum needed to send me back out in search of better space-trousers, no matter how legendary they may be.

Evil Genius 2 is at its best when you're building freely, designing perilous Rube Goldberg machines. Speaking as a very large child, the cartoonish art style, theme, and even flavour text, speaks to me. I'm not so fond of the timers and the economic drain pipes that slurp up your minions like bath water. Too much of the game resides in the world map and not enough on the floor of the lair. Sandbox mode feels like a soothing ointment after going through the bee gauntlet of normal mode, and although it lacks challenge, questy threads and basic storytelling, it is far more playful, cheeky and enjoyable. If you're picking this up, that's where to go. It might feel like cheating to give yourself infinite cash, but isn't that what an Evil Genius would do?

Yakuza 6 is an excellent standalone adventure for newcomers and a brilliant send off for Kiryu without the clutter of the other yakuza games, for better and for worse. I'm just happy I can hang out again with my favourite yakuza dad, who now smoulders at max settings.

Spacebase Startopia isn't here to rock your world. It's here to gently wrap a friendly arm around you. It's a game that does exactly what it needs to do, and does it well. I can take off my rose tinted glasses and offer it an assured Han Solo-style salute.

The constant, unexpected transitions between visual schemes, the wild leaps in subject matter, and the sudden appearance of majestic stags, would all have slam-dunked me into the bin of my own subconscious like I’d stuck every Boards Of Canada album on simultaneously. Never let it be said I don’t appreciate the highbrow.

Most annoyingly, despite the inclusion of plot points that are surprisingly dark and very very funny because of it, It Takes Two is a bit disappointing in how conventional the story is, when thiis was surely an opportunity to do something a bit different. The way you explore Cody and May's story is playful and imaginative, but their story itself isn't that interesting. It doesn't ruin the whole experience - It Takes Two is a tremendously fun game to play - but stacked up next to riding giant spiders, exploding wasps and surfing mic aux cables the actual relationship thing at the heart of it is a bit of a whimper compared to the bang of everything else. Much like my own divorce, WAHEY.

But by the end, Maquette had thoroughly rinsed both its gimmick and its story. Much like Michael and Kenzie's relationship, it started off good, but wore me down as time went on. A far cry from Season 6 of Married At First Sight: Australia.

I know that I’ve said the multiplayer mode is a potential loose cannon, and the single player content feels a bit slim, but I can’t let you leave this review without reinforcing the fact I really enjoyed this game. The things at the heart of it - demolishing towers with dodgy medieval rockets, seeing that each individual pig wandering your farms has a name, upgrading a warlord’s castle, placing those beautiful stone walls - are all immensely satisfying. It’s good stuff, essentially. But it’s wearing armour that’s very slightly too big for it, and that has the potential to weigh it down in the long run.

Persona 5 had such a strong sense of cohesion, with the deliberate pacing of the combat matching the slow burn of story development, which is just absent in Strikers. It's not that Persona 5 Strikers does anything badly. I'm just unsure why Atlus felt the need to give it the Musou treatment. If you want to make a Musou game, make a Musou game. If you want to make an excellent Persona game... make a Persona game, innit.

I’m amazed that Ratropolis works so well. I’m amazed it works at all. I extracted many hours of satisfaction from it before I hit the wall, and it’s a game I will return to with every patch, because there’s something excellent here. It’s time for my humble rats to become gaming heroes.

Owing to its unconventional release date, Omori hasn’t really been on the mainstream radar, but I came away impressed. It takes a story that might have come off as trite or even insensitive in the wrong hands and imbues it with a memorable darkness, aided by a tight combat system and some outstanding artwork. If you’re in a bad place - and lord knows many of us are - Omori might not be the game for you right now, as it goes in some intense places. But neither should you let this dark tale of a childhood lost slip away. Bleak as it might be, it may be one of the year’s most memorable RPGs.

Despite my frustrations with the puzzles, there’s an engaging story at the core of Encodya. If you’re prepared to accept those flaws, you’d do well to take a look.

Little Nightmares II such is a splendid mix of cute and creepy, beautiful and awful, that it sort of defies categorisation. A childhood terror gothic, perhaps? [RPS Bestest Bests]

Lords Of The West is good fun, and Age Of Empires 2 Definitive Edition remains the king of my PC castle. But as Jurassic Park showed us, bringing any great beast back to life is a risky business, and that applies just as well to electric knights as to velociraptors. A moderate approach is vital. To continue the metaphor, this all feels a bit like the situation in Jurassic World, where the money men get the science men to build a devil dinosaur, because normal dinosaurs weren’t exciting enough. It’s not too much like that situation, I confess, as I’m not particularly worried that Edward Longshanks will climb out of my telly and devour a helicopter. I’m just saying that, much like dinosaurs, AoE2 was impressive enough as nature, or Doctor Microsoft, made it.

I'd hesitate to renew that Nioh 2 prescription if you're someone who's already invested many hours into the PS4 version. Apart from the DLC and the swanky performance upgrades, you aren't really getting anything actually new (apart from an RGB Valve helmet, I suppose). Having said that, I think Nioh 2: CE is absolutely worth it if you're fresh to Nioh and like crunchy, combo-laden combat. Even moreso if you love stats and skill-trees on top of that.

If you're able to push past all the self-conscious cuteness, AR2's focus on crafting may just pull you in.

When it’s doing what it does best, The Curious Expedition 2 really shines. If I could strip at least some of the roguelike out of it, along with some of the enthusiastic colonialism, I’d be enchanted. But I can’t. Instead, I’ll say there’s a fun game here, if you're prepared to knuckle down and learn from past mistakes. And, I suppose, if you pretend that all the treasure you plunder gets flown back off-camera, after each successful run.

This is a game that has a lot of talent stacked up behind it. It’s just that for me, it ended up amounting to slightly less than the sum of its parts.

Since its episodic beginnings, you know what you’re getting into. With Ian Hitman, you know you’re getting some world-class level design, some tense moments of dark comedy improv, and a type of clockwork murder toy that nobody else makes. As a final act, Hitman 3 is as capable and pleasing as its trilogy-siblings. As a trilogy, it is one of the most fun-loving games of the previous decade. It is like Ian himself – reliable, dry-humoured, uniformed. The best murderer money can buy.

Cyberpunk 2077 is huge, sprawling, complex, and deeply flawed. It’s at its best as a fairly straightforward singleplayer action game, with likable characters and thrilling capers in a fascinatingly detailed open world that looks better than any game before it. It’s at its worst if you want it to be an RPG, an approach-as-you-please Deus Ex successor, or a polished piece of software. I enjoyed my time with it a lot, and I even want more of it, though I’m going to spend years complaining about its flaws. I’ll enjoy the complaining, too. It reminds me of the Eurojank games of yore, then, but maybe it’s fairer to say that it reminds me of the previous games from developers CD Projekt Red. After eight years of one of the most grating marketing campaigns imaginable, Cyberpunk 2077 is here, its ambitions beyond its means. Cyberpunk 2077: Enhanced Edition when?