So if I'm honest, and despite my allegiance here, I do think Horizon Forbidden West is probably better on PlayStation, but only marginally. If you don't have one, but you want to play a rip-roaring, morally uncomplicated post-apocalyptic hero's journey, where you get to clear a huge map and ride around on a giant boar that spits fire - and why wouldn't you, frankly? - then you should get this game. [RPS Bestest Bests]

It's the sort of game where, from one point of view, not a lot really happens, and it's almost surprisingly short (wrapping up in the region of two or three hours). But by the end, something has shifted between Tess and Opal in a way that lets you imagine the story continuing. The real open roads was, unironically, the friend we made along the way.

It all just starts to feel like you're endlessly spinning plates without any real end in sight. Each campaign scenario is more of the same, too, offering little more than a change in starting position and faction type. For some, £15/$20 will be a more than adequate price of entry for that. But it also feels like Bulwark is on the cusp of something greater, like it's aiming to be an Anno but never quite getting there in the process. It ultimately spreads itself too thin, doing lots of things well without being brilliant, and lacks the depth and momentum to make it feel satisfying on a strategic level. It's a citybuilder that hums along quietly, but lethargically, sputtering occasionally as you change gears, and eventually petering out altogether as both you and the game become completely and utterly exhausted by it all.

On the one hand, Raw Metal is confounding for somebody like me with certain expectations for the genre (one of my favourite elements of the stealth genre - that of pursuit, hide and seek - is greatly nullified) but it's also clear that the designers have played with the founding principles of their influences enough to make something distinct. As a mash-up of inspirations, I respect the nerve and work required to bind together previously unpaired concepts, even if does end up being a raw fusion of ideas that doesn't quite hang together.

The biggest miss, for me, is the Ages system, which feels like a solid concept that desperately needed more time in the pre-production concepting stage to make work the way it was intended. Pivoting to fantastical alternative eras of history could have made for a wildly exciting story with each campaign. Instead, it far more often ends up feeling like a compulsory family road trip to somewhere you don't want to be, while you pass the hours half-listening to another podcast about the Roman empire.

"Finding a way" sums up Dragon's Dogma 2 pretty nicely, I think. The game's an anecdote generator, where all of its AI and combat and day-night-cycle systems coalesce into bouts of chaos that'll test your improvisation skills but never your patience. And while it retains some of the original game's aged quest design and open world repetition, they simply aren't a problem at all, because the act of discovery is just so, so involved.

It helps also that the latter stages of the game capitalise on groundwork laid in the more predictable first half. The locations you find yourself sucked into become that bit more intricate, with multi-part puzzles to wriggle through, and some combat situations that force you to move through the gears. Plus, each time you reemerge in Decerto, with everyone else none the wiser as to what you’ve been up to, the notion that the whole thing might be in your head starts to grip. True, there’s nothing especially original about a story that blurs the lines between madness and the paranormal, but it does inject doubt and paranoia into your investigation, which only makes you long to unravel the truth more. While spending time alone in the dark may not be as uncomfortable as it should be this time, then, with all the changes it may still be worth peering into the void, to see what returns your gaze.

Lightyear Frontier brings up just enough questions to feel uncomfortable and then sets you off on a loop with such forward momentum that you can’t do anything with them. And that momentum is fun, and its questions leave me curious, both of which are good things for an early access farming game. I will probably come back to both enjoy more of those chill, resource-guzzling days and to find out what the game has to say about them. Whether I’ll be satisfied in the end, though, remains to be seen. [Early Access Review]

Ultimately, it just makes Outcast: A New Beginning feel very tired and generic - an open world that might have impressed a decade ago, but now comes across as a game both out of time and out of favour. A small word on the game's performance, too, before I close, which (politely) runs like arse. Aside from frequent stutters when moving to new areas at speed, there were also moments where the frame rate had a full-on meltdown, descending into a farcical slideshow. Publishers THQ Nordic have assured me that optimisation patches are incoming for launch day, but oof, the review build was not a pretty sight at times, lemme tell ya. Even without these performance issues, though, Outcast: A New Beginning has bigger, more fundamental problems lying at its heart. It may finally look like the Adelpha you dreamed about 25 years ago, but this weary sequel has never felt more alienating.

While Snufkin: Melody Of Moominvalley wraps up a bit abruptly and doesn't get the band back together as deftly as I'd have liked, I can't be too harsh on it all. Snufkin's adventure is focused on simplistic fun, where you meet some pals and uproot some order, all within the span of an afternoon. Pair this with a cuppa and a fluffy blanket and that's a holiday to remember.

Zoria is doing a lot of stuff. It'll remind you of Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, Lord Of The Rings, even Terry Brooks' weird fantasy books, and a bunch of it is done well, and in interesting ways. But in other cases the ambition has stretched beyond breaking point. But you kind of love your terrier even though it pisses on your cushions sometimes, right?

While I understand Nightingale's in early access and things are subject to a tweaking, I can't help but feel that its problems lie deeper than surface level numbers and UI. I respect how it's tried to push the survival genre forward with its realm-hops and gear scoring, but both of these fundamentals aren't implemented very well. The realms strike me as re-skins once the novelty's worn off, and the way progress is tied to numbers only serves to make survival feel like a grind. Unless things change dramatically, I think I'll pass on reaching Nightingale. [Early Access Impressions]

These ruts in the road prevent Saber Interactive from delivering a soil-cold classic, but Expeditions: Mudrunner nonetheless succeeds in its primary objective, to build a world where the car and the ground are at irrepressible odds, and it's your job to make them work together to crack the case. That case might prove to be mundane fly tipping rather than anything juicier, but watching our dynamic duo constantly wrestle with one another for supremacy never ceases to be entertaining.

Berserk Boy is a cheery action platformer that makes Sonic’s high speeds readable and Mega Man’s unlockable powers genuinely exciting. There’s real fondness for those beloved games - even down to the occasional run ‘n’ gun vehicle sections - but more importantly, this never feels like a flat retread of what’s come before. None of the levels were challenging enough for my tastes, which might admittedly be a skill issue, although if my biggest critique boils down to simply wanting more, then I think that’s quite a promising sign.

But that's also precisely why The Thaumaturge ends up feeling like such an interesting, rough-hewn gem of a game. It's those wonky edges and the almost-but-not-quite-there presentation of them that gives it such a unique sense of character and personality, as well as the space and depth to debate its themes and ideas long after the credits have rolled. There's a lot to applaud and admire here, particularly in how each one of its systems feeds and complements the others, and it makes its own crop of flaws easy enough to forgive and overlook when considered as a whole. Pride may not be the most favourable trait in the world of The Thaumaturge, but given what Fool's Theory have managed to accomplish here, I'd say they've got plenty to be proud about.

To less wizened players, this might, understandably, all prove too much to make this remaster either enjoyable or worthwhile. But if you're willing to try and divine the inner workings of Dark Forces with a bit of spit and elbow grease, then there's certainly an interesting artefact to be found here - even if it's frequently wonky and obtuse in places. Despite the aimless wandering, I did have a good time with Star Wars Dark Forces Remaster, especially after only experiencing it through a demo disc all those years ago. But I'm also glad it's over now, and that I can go back to playing properly new games again. In that sense, Dark Forces Remaster is a complete success. It's reminded me of a fun memory from a long time ago, and having now revisited it and admired it from every angle, I'm happy to put it back in the carbon freezer, far, far away.

Wrath Colon Aeon Of Ruin could tighten up a few things here and there, and it could have been a bit more outlandish, and it should probably not have led with some of its drabbest levels. But where many of its peers merely ape the loud and obnoxious reputation 90s FPS games had, it's a solid shooter that remembers how they actually played and why they worked.

I think Skull And Bones might be one of the most boring games I've ever played. There might be value in it for those looking for a leisurely sail, or folks who enjoy the time management side of making deliveries optimally. For everyone else, boat-lovers, live service fiends, and people who like fun, the game will be nothing more than a tedious slog through unrewarding waters.

It's deftly done, and goes a long way in smoothing over some of the cracks that emerge from its simplified take on Papers, Please's gate-keeping. Overall, I had a very good time with it, and wolfed it all down in almost a single serving. It's probably a good one to play with kids and young teens, too - a kind of Baby's First Papers, Please, if you will, that can introduce them to the core concept while also giving them a jolly good story at the same time. For adults, Lil Guardsman may ultimately miss the point of what Papers, Please itself was trying to interrogate all those years ago, but you can’t deny its heart always tries to be in the right place.

If you're up for a challenge and thrive on chucking everything at the wall to see what sticks, then Solium Infernum has plenty to offer here. Despite feeling like I've been flying by the seat of my pants in a lot of scenarios, I've ultimately had a great time playing this over the last few weeks - even if persistent crashes on victory screens or black screens when loading up event cards has dulled the impact of some pivotal moments. Thankfully, the generous auto-save meant I never ended up losing anything, but it's a shame nonetheless that there are still some quite critical bugs lingering in hell's hallways.

Mostly, I really like the high drama and high fantasy of Last Epoch. It's much less depressing to stare at for hours as you blast mercenaries and ice wolves into trembling ragdoll corpses that some of its contemporaries, and the the mid-complexity crafting and gear systems, along with the character building, makes it easy and, dare I say it, actually fun to engage with minor percentage increases. I never thought I'd see the day.

While Pacific Drive has trunk loads of atmosphere, a powerfully engaging premise, and simulates the feel of driving a quirky old machine in admirable detail, it’s all locked into a laborious framework. For all those “Get off the road!” moments, the processes of gathering, crafting and advancing through its story are fraught with irritating potholes and diversions. With all the repetition of mundane tasks, I imagine it’s closer to the reality of being in the army than that old advert ever was.

Ultimately, Balatro is a game that delights in the art of making numbers go up - big, fast and on fire - by whatever means necessary. It reels you back in not to exploit psychological weakness, but to celebrate the inherent joy of learning, mastering and beating a system gamed around impossible odds, all while being just a teeny bit naughty in the process. It not only invites you to sit at the table, but openly hands you all manner of scalpels to tear into it, make it bleed, and gut it for everything it's worth - and it will smile and applaud you for it every step of the way. Balatro is very generous, in that sense, even when victories are seemingly few and far between. Indeed, the only way I ever felt cheated by Balatro is when I had to stop playing and not spend more time playing Balatro. [RPS Bestest Bests]

Unfortunately, good vibes simply aren’t enough to save Bandle Tale from its overwhelming busywork. It too often gatekeeps the fun behind skill tiers and layers of crafting that never felt totally satisfying to me, but at least the constant repetition etched the beautiful pixels onto my eyeballs. That’s good. I think?

Granblue Fantasy: Relink has absolutely no pretensions about it, isn't saying anything, and is quite dedicated to it's fantasy. Good guys are good, bad guys are bad, and a hot witch who explodes roses everywhere in battle is cool. So are attacks the size of a planet, and monsters with hands on strings flying everywhere, and pirate captains who are also dudes with big cow horns. Unless all of that doesn't sound at all cool to you - in which case, best avoid this game, if I were you.

Helldivers 2 has filled an ache in my heart. My friends and I have longed for another fun co-op shooter since we all drifted away from Warzone, and Helldivers 2 has exceeded my expectations on every front - and particularly as someone who's grown tired of live service tropes. Yes, it might be lean in comparison to some live service giants when it comes to unlockables (looking at you, Destiny 2), but I think it has a longer tail by virtue of silliness being its top priority, where twists on simple acts make it a laugh generator and skill venerator. I could go on about how you can switch to first person for crunchier, more accurate shooting. How rockets can turn into explosive skimming stones if you angle them at the dirt. How the orange flashes of a gatling gun cutting through a dense mist is so beautiful it brings a tear to my eye. Oh heck, just buy the damn thing. [RPS Bestest Bests]

The annoyances, such as they are, will weigh heavy on some people, and the invitation to care earnestly, and to enjoy a story that is unironically about the power of love, will be anathema to others. But gosh, it's a nice game - an oasis of solid single player story in a dry season of live service - and the biggest step forward in this particular direction that Don't Nod have taken for years. I'm hoping the colon in the title might mean more banishings to come. [RPS Bestest Bests]

I can see and respect what it's trying to do, absolutely. But the systems underpinning Ultros' ambitions simply aren't up to snuff to deliver them in a way that feels satisfying to play.