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.

Witch Queen is thankfully a beacon of hope. Destiny was long mocked for the narrative and mission design it provided, and this new expansion absolutely knocks it out of the park with the best campaign in the Destiny series. If you’re a lapsed veteran I sincerely hope you come back and experience the joy of the campaign. Its challenging difficulty and brilliant — actual — in-game storytelling are worth the price of admission alone.

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.

Overall, Elden Ring is slightly held back by some lacking information in the UI, the uneven nature of the difficulty towards the endgame, and the inconsistent performance on the PC platform. Despite this, it's an incredible experience and will be one of the best games you’ll play this year.

[Horizon Forbidden West] is a game of contrasts. A game about robot dinosaurs where you spend far too much time fighting robot meerkats and boars instead for some reason. One with brilliant voice acting that you begin to hate because some characters won't shut up. Where the side quests are great, but they're so simple as to feel pointless. Where the combat features a complex balance between elemental strengths and weaknesses but you can ignore all that via a rain of explosive spearheads.

Unfortunately, the closer these games get to quality, the more those little issues stand out, and off the pitch this is still an unsatisfactory package lacking modes, licences and polish. If graphics, the English or South African rugby union team, or long term commitment are important to you, Rugby 22 isn’t going to deliver. If you’ve been hanging out since the PS2 era to just have some fun with a rugby union game, you might just find it in Rugby 22.

OlliOlli World has something for everyone, be it hardcore skaters, platformer enthusiasts or those simply looking for a chilled out time.

Dying Light 2 faces two big issues at present: technical glitches that can be fixed with a patch, and design choices that will be harder to deal with. When the former are corrected, Techland's latest will be far more enjoyable; that said, the number of times it goes out of its way to break up the fun it's capable of producing could remain its legacy.

The bundled games are undeniably great, their enhancements solid -- but nonetheless, these are old titles pulled off the shelf and given a fresh coat of varnish, and at an additional cost to those who've already purchased them at that.

Extraction is an above average experience. The gunplay is top notch – expected when it’s pulled directly from Siege – and overall is fun, if a bit shallow. While I can’t speak to its long term lifespan, I can still recommend that you jump in and give it a whirl.

Halo Infinite is a shining example of what a Halo game is at its core while simultaneously feeling fresh, invigorated and very modern.

What we have here is a very similar, yet different, version of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in high definition on Switch, but it’s not definitively the best version to play today, as was the case with FireRed/LeafGreen, HeartGold/SoulSilver and Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby when they launched. While it’s not a stunningly brilliant or shining remake, it is a very faithful one that plays it safe and is a welcome return to Sinnoh for those with fond memories of visiting on the DS — but I’m more excited to see what’s new in the region with Pokémon Legends Arceus.

What we have here is a very similar, yet different, version of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in high definition on Switch, but it’s not definitively the best version to play today, as was the case with FireRed/LeafGreen, HeartGold/SoulSilver and Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby when they launched. While it’s not a stunningly brilliant or shining remake, it is a very faithful one that plays it safe and is a welcome return to Sinnoh for those with fond memories of visiting on the DS — but I’m more excited to see what’s new in the region with Pokémon Legends Arceus.

It’s not that I’m mad, I am just disappointed. These three PS2 games remain iconic, and I have enjoyed returning to Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas, but as a remaster, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is lacking the care and respect such highly regarded games deserve. It doesn’t have the quality we have come to expect from remasters recently. Yet, such is their quality, the underlying games, which deserved better, still hold up as a product of their time. They are worth returning to if the PS2 GTA Trilogy holds a special place in your heart, so long as you can temper expectations and accept the good, the bad and the downright ugly from a ‘that’ll do’ remaster. If not, you’re better off persevering them with those rose-tinted memories.

Despite all my problems with Infinite, it's a game made by a single developer (for the most part) that was amazing looking enough that Xbox wanted to tie it to its then next-gen, now current-gen console.

In a world where developers are getting used to working from home and games are being pushed back due to the global pandemic, EA decided that Battlefield 2042 was ready for this year. It’s not.

Overall, this is a Forza Horizon game in every sense of the word, and shows off the best of what Horizon can be. It’s fun, only structured if you want it to be, and seems to exist purely to make sure you have a good time. What more could you want?

The whole business model leaves a bad taste in my mouth and otherwise tarnishes a near-perfect, joyful experience. It also makes it that much harder to recommend — I’m loving it right this second, but that won’t be the case in a couple months. When my Unlimited trial lapses, I’ll then be locked down into a library that admittedly has bangers like Todrick Hall’s “Nail, Hair, Hips Heels”, Beyonce’s “Run the World (Girls)” and Justin Timberlake’s “Rock Your Body” but also has songs I’ve never ever heard of. Lots of those, actually… and simply knowing a song exists doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll enjoy it.

These little niggles aside, a stellar soundtrack from Jeff van Dyck helps to create a sense of calm and zen (that I can only maintain myself for one or two levels at time) as you continue to play voyeur and peek into the lives of the silent protagonist and their loved ones. The anxiety of moving prevents Unpacking from being something I would get stress relief from, but I nonetheless find myself returning again and again to continue its story.

Mario Party Superstars returns to basics to deliver the best iteration in years. By returning to the golden era of boards and leaning upon an accomplished roster of proven minigames, it can focus on what has already made Mario Party great.

While I went into Guardians with a good feeling I’d enjoy it, I was surprised by just how much fun I ended up having. Moreso than the combat gameplay or even the stunning world design, what really cemented my enjoyment was its writing.

The strategic polish of two decades is on display in Age of Empires 4, both in the history of this series and the pedigree of the developer. Relic has wrapped an interesting if slightly flawed single player experience around what is a superb strategy game. You’ll probably know if you want to play this one, but if you just think medieval warfare is pretty cool and you really like the centuries where England and France just kept invading each other, I recommend you put aside any fears of fast clicking and micromanagement and just jumping in, just avoid that multiplayer menu until you are absolutely ready.

Viking Age is certainly worth a try if you can access it for free through Valhalla. At at a $15 USD price point, though, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend the standalone version to anyone but those interested in Viking history. If you are in that camp and play games, I’d wager you likely own Valhalla already… so win win, eh?

In the grand scheme of things, I’d say that NHL 22 is a skip overall, though long-time hockey fans will certainly find enjoyment. And hey — just like NHL 15 before it, this is one of those years that means double Achievements/Trophies because of its cross-generation release. Quite honestly, though, I’d prefer cross-gen play and one Achievement set instead, and that’s a lot coming from Mr 600,000 Gamescore over here. It’s very likely that the matchmaking problems I’ve encountered have been exacerbated by the lack of current-gen console availability; while the Xbox One version is near identical to Xbox Series X in terms of gameplay, I’ll stick to playing the prettier-looking one.

Back 4 Blood doesn’t just imitate the Left 4 Dead formula like these titles, it elevates it past its predecessor. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia for the 12 year old title, or maybe just poor memory, that fuels our rose-tinted retrospection and distaste for something new. Regardless, Back 4 Blood takes the concept to the next level and builds in layers of cool ideas and just plain fun gameplay.

Metroid Dread has been decades in the making, and if that’s because it wasn’t possible on less powerful handhelds, it’s been well and truly worth the wait.

Through an oversimplification of systems compared to previous entries in the franchise, everything in Far Cry 6 feels too safe…There isn’t any challenge to the combat, the exploration is mindless and the story that unfolds is completely unsatisfying.

Alan Wake Remastered is a remasterpiece. I caught myself audiably saying, “man, I love this game” over and over while playing. I’ve dipped back in to Alan Wake’s American Nightmare to continue on, and I have a feeling I’ll be scheduling another replay of Control when this silly season quiets down. Remedy’s universe has captured my heart; Remastered certainly holds its own in 2021, but also serves as an impressive reminder of how far the studio has grown since 2010.