Ultimately, Ninja Gaiden 4 is fun, but not memorable -- something that extends into its general narrative. You're not there for witty banter though, nor for its plot twists and turns -- but instead to decapitate enemies as a bad-ass ninja. In that sense, Ninja Gaiden 4 does exactly what it says on the tin.

I’m a die-hard fan of the game and have loved jumping back in to Resident Evil 4. I have a feeling others who feel the same about the franchise will as well, as will Achievement and Trophy addicts, enticed over reasonable simple lists. For everyone else, it’s a harder sell at $24.95 AUD — while greatly improved over last-gen’s release, it’s still the same game on yet another platform.

The concept of your character levelling down rather than up is a clever and original idea and it changes how a player needs to think about their progression (or should I say degression). Ideas like this that sit just a little outside of the box solidify the importance of independent developers in the industry — so do yourself a favour and pick it up if you’re open to a challenge.

Despite its strong narrative focus, Bloodline is a sequel to Pearce’s Watch Dogs but a prequel to the events of Watch Dogs Legion; as such, we (at least partially) know what will happen next. I’m glad we had a chance to dip into Pearce’s journey again, but I’m hoping that any subsequent dealings with the character will be fully forward in time. If you’re a fan of Watch Dogs Legion — and Watch Dogs in general — the price of admission is certainly worth it.

It’s immersive, compelling, yet is extremely respectful of your time. It can be a big exercise in survival, in shooting, or exploration — or any combination therein. I hope to see more of this from Rebellion.

People come to the franchise for combat and, despite its flaws, that's precisely what Devil May Cry 5 excels at. I personally still prefer Ninja Theory's take on proceedings and hope we'll see a continuation of that world next; I definitely appreciate new ideas and takes on this well established franchise.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a great fighter tarnished by Warner Bros.’ willingness to test the limits of customer satisfaction using nickle-and-dime tactics. It’s truly an embarrassment for the franchise and one I hope is truly corrected soon. Come for the fighting, be dismayed about all the cosmetic stuff.

Mario Golf Super Rush remains easy to pick up and play, but it’s lacking the final coat of polish we expect from Nintendo games, and is light on content for a full priced Switch game. It’s a Mario sport game that can be picked up and played by a wide audience, but has positioned itself to only really appeal to dedicated fans of Mario Golf.

The season ends with a cliffhanger of sorts – of course – which sets it up for Season Two; still, I’m still left wondering what exactly is happening. Perhaps played all at once, Hitman‘s story would make sense, but this episodic system has done nothing for it.

There’s a big sense here that Skylanders played it a bit safe.

Despite its flaws, there are some interesting concepts, some clever boss and district design and an ultimate message of equality that’s been presented within; should we get a sequel, I hope more time is spent on a narrative and connective tissue that does the entire package justice.

I was posed the question before I began – “could WRC dethrone DiRT this year?” WRC 8 certainly boasts engaging, fun and challenging gameplay. The vehicles handle with a sense of realism, they sound fantastic and the variety in locations and stages is second-to-none. Sure there’s still some work to go from a graphical perspective, but it’s not something that would impact replayability if you’re a rally/racing fan. So is the answer to the question a ‘yes’? Not entirely.

Jurassic World: Evolution is a decent movie tie-in with amazing potential; if Frontier can equip players with the knowledge they need to tackle its increasingly difficult island chain, this one will have some legs.

As much fun as I had with this expansion, I do have to admit that I feel a little let down. If this were explicitly leading into another DLC story I’d be excited, but as things are I feel more like I’ve taken a running start into a brick wall with a very cool door painted on it. I can see this as a fun experience to play as part of an overall Assassin’s Creed Valhalla experience, if you were stepping into the game and all its DLC for the first time – but as something that brought me back to the game seven months after finishing The Siege of Paris, it feels like more of a promising snack than a satisfying main meal.

Despite some teething problems, The Chant is certainly worth a playthrough for those who appreciate the survival horror genre. More importantly, this debut title has me excited for what’s next from Brass Token.

The early pace of Hue was leading me to disappointment, but the stellar second act was more than enough reward for that labour. Hue delivers a polished package and a strong platform puzzle game, it isn’t a Braid or Limbo but merely evoking those names can be taken as a sign of quality that Hue most certainly possesses.

Despite dated mechanics, Sniper Elite V2 looks gorgeous – I preferred 60 frames per second over 4K resolution – and is a must for the collection of fans of the franchise. If you don’t count yourself in that camp but are looking for a unique and challenging shooter, I’d suggest heading over to Sniper Elite 4 first.

Despite some of the technical issues and difficulty scaling, The Surge 2 is a fun game that should satisfy those looking for a souls-like experience. The combat is rewarding, and the directional blocking system is definitely something I would love to see implemented into other action games. The Surge 2 shouldn’t be seen as a Dark Souls clone; instead, it’s a great game standing on its own feet that has done some exciting things to expand the genre.

I had a lot of fun playing through this game again, even after giving it a shot back in its Wii days. The ability to pick it up and put it down for short bursts was a perfect fit for the game, and helped keep my blood pressure under control for some of the endgame levels that really got me boiling over. Frustrated as I get at my own stupid thumbs for not keeping up, I could never snap my 3DS shut for more than a few minutes before giving it ‘just one more shot’. Give it a try, you’ll be pleasantly surprised (and angry).

While fun from moment to moment, Code Vein 2 has a cookie-cutter plot, matching dialogue, and combat that isn't polished to the level it needs to be.

It’s not without its issues, but Bound presents traditional platforming mechanics with an artistic flair that really sets it apart.

While still creating horror games with fairly visible flaws, Little Hope is a vast improvement of Man of Medan. With another — and perhaps the last — in The Dark Pictures anthology seemingly teased by the mysterious Curator in this one, I’m rather excited to see what Supermassive learns for next time around.

Despite these minor glitching and bug issues, WWE 2K22 offers up an enjoyable experience for players to delight in. With improved gameplay and game modes, the recent 2K wrestling title marks a return to form for the franchise.

The Last of Us Part 1 is a PS3 game that looks like a PS5 one that’s also been jacked up to Sony’s premium, $125 AUD current-gen console title price point. That’s unacceptable.

Destroy All Humans isn’t bad, per se, it’s just bland; a fresh coat of paint on a dated game, clunky in some areas and polished in others. If you received a free code (like I did for review) or are gifted this, jump on in. Would I recommend you purchase it? Not unless you’re a huge fan of the franchise or you like some relatively easy Achievements.

While Air Riders might not be my personal cup of tea, it feels like a faithful and loving reward for all the folks who loved the original Kirby Air Ride. Without the benefit of nostalgia, though, you may find it harder to get up to speed.

For most players, nostalgia won’t be enough to save it; the games are good enough, but not great. These three titles would have been better suited as straight up re-releases on the upcoming PlayStation Classic rather than as a set of remastered games.

Resident Evil Village is an enjoyable horror experience that embraces the franchise’s first-person approach and refines a few of its mechanics along the way. It’s ultimately held back by a sloppy storyline, two-dimensional characters and bizarre design choices.