Shin Megami Tensei 5 is a punishing delight. It revels in its classic approach to combat and exploration, brought to life with a battered and broken vision of our world as it teeters on the edge of extinction. JRPGs of the modern era are often content to hold our hands and guide us through each new journey, but Atlus decides to punch us in the gut, steal our wallet, and sprint away as we try desperately to catch up. As I’ve said time and time again, this isn’t a game for everyone, but those who gel with its specific brand of masochism will find something very special indeed.

Collectively, Forza Horizon 5 does everything right, and in doing so makes Playground Games’ latest entry into the Forza franchise an absolute must-play for any racing enthusiast or casual racing fan.

Although I’m sure completionists will find a lot to love here, I had the most fun with Demon Turf when I forgot about its myriad side quests, collectibles, and second visits to a level, and just ran through stages with my mastery of Beebz’s moves letting me fly through levels like I was Sonic and I’d finally learnt how to work in 3D. When Demon Turf is fast, it’s glorious, it’s just a shame it has some extra baggage stopping it from peeling out.

It's not the prettiest game, with distant scenery lacking detail, low-res cinematics, and screen tearing in busy areas. But the dizzying scale of the world, and the complete lack of loading times, is technically impressive. It's also worth noting that you need to be online to experience the career mode and progression—otherwise you're stuck with the freeform, rather empty Zen Mode. Most people play games online these days, but if you can't for whatever reason, your options will be limited. It's frustrating, because the actual riding in Riders Republic is heaps of fun. It's just been packaged in a completely off-putting way. You'll have to decide if the cringe is worth putting up with.

It’s a fairly bog-standard sci-fi show at the end of the day, but it’s mine and many’s favourites because of the Doctor. The Doctor is the show’s edge, a lovable idiot that’s too smart for their own good tying everything together, ending up in random situations and being forced to interact with strangers to uncover plots of intrigue. We do none of that here. You go to A, do what you’re told, go to B, do what you’re told, until the game ends. Given how short it is, you’re better off watching a few episodes from the show, because this is barely Doctor Who, let alone a good game.

Mario Party Superstars is an excellent package for long-suffering Mario Party fans, but it's almost certainly not going to lead to any new converts. Online multiplayer is a nice feature to have at launch, and the variety of 100 minigames will keep things feeling fresh for your first dozen hours of play at least. But with that said, this is quite literally the safest Mario Party entry imaginable, and even with a hot nostalgia injection, I think I prefer Super Mario Party as the Switch's premier place to ruin your relationships.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars features a striking and quirky tabletop style with delightful gameplay that doesn’t overcomplicate things. While the storyline won’t necessarily grip you, it’s told in a fun and interactive way and this is an easygoing pick up and play title that you can enjoy at your own pace. You won’t be challenged when going card-to-card against your enemies, but you can still find the thrill of a frustrating hand if you delve into the minigame.

Ignition is a lot of fun in short bursts, which is great. The problem is that doesn't tend to be what people look for in a game that is supposed to accurately represent a real sport. While it might not be all that healthy to sit in front of a screen for hours on end, isn't that what tends to happen when you play a really good sports game? Doing so well on FIFA that you can't help but start up another match as soon as the last one has finished. Riding the high of a pole position in F1 and having no other choice but to start the next race weekend. The problem with Ignition is the next race weekend is the same as the last. After three or four you'll probably need a break. If you're looking for a fun and simple racing that doesn't require a deeper knowledge of the sport or its cars' inner workings then Ignition is perfect. If you're looking for a sports game that is going to occupy the bulk of your gaming time for the next 12 months, then probably not so much.

Eidos-Montreal’s Guardians of the Galaxy is brilliant, but the one thing holding me back from giving it a higher score is how dated many of its conventions seem. The power cooldown has no plan B, QTEs are everywhere, and again… Eagle Vision. It’s a few years behind the times, even without George Michael's dulcet tones. It’s fun, but it certainly isn’t fresh, and for a lot of people, that will be enough. In some ways, it's an experience not to be missed. In others, it's an experience you've had before.

When I’m playing Shadow Corridor, I can’t help but get random chills while walking down every one of its dimly lit hallways. Even the open outdoor areas manage to give off unsettlingly claustrophobic vibes. I do think the game is probably best experienced on PC, but if you’re on the go or a glutton for punishment and feel like playing in the comfort and safety of your own bed, Shadow Corridor on Switch will provide you with a great survival horror experience. Just don’t blame me when you have nightmares.

Gloomhaven is a solid version of the classic tabletop experience that offers turn-based combat, unique classes and abilities, and detailed quests.

The best thing I can say about House of Ashes is that its story didn’t make me feel betrayed in the end. There is no “it was all a dream” twist that creates a dozen plot holes, and it doesn’t pull away from the supernatural elements at the last second to reveal that the characters were hallucinating. Rather, it uses its monsters to connect together its themes and create a closed loop that only the best horror stories can effectively execute. For once it feels like The Dark Pictures bit off exactly as much as it can chew, and House of Ashes is so much better off for it. This is where I would recommend newcomers start with the series, and it's a great indicator that the anthology is just going to keep getting better.

There is no other way to explain it other than an all-encompassing “One more iron ore, one more dungeon run.” I’m a sucker for it. I can’t help it. I am continually swept away by the tide of grinding, progression, experience bars, little chats here and there with strangers, battles over iron ore, faction skirmishers, putting a new stove in my house, and finally hitting level 60. I am a sailor slumped on a beach huffing on a bright pink flower. My flatmate says, bleary-eyed, “Go to bed. It’s daytime outside and those trees aren’t real.”

Jackbox Party Pack 8 is a great entry in the Jackbox series, propped up by Job Job and Drawful Animate. The Wheel of Enormous Proportions is one of the better trivia games when it’s not trying to be funny, and less punishing than Trivia Murder Mystery Party. The Poll Mine and Weapons Drawn are both new ideas for the series, but only Weapons Drawn really lands, and even then if you have the collective works of Jackbox, I don't think it'll come up in the rotation much. It's a solid Jackbox Pack with two great-if-not-quite-legendary games, one good trivia game, and two more experimental titles that your mileage may vary on. It's not Jackbox 3, but hey, it's also not Jackbox 6.

Right now, All-Star Brawl stands on its own two feet, not trying to be Smash Ultimate now that its DLC has dried up, but trying to show us a good ‘ol nostalgic time. It lulls you in with its lightning flash fights and accessible combat, keeping a grin on your face throughout...Basically, don’t come here because the recent Battle for Bikini Bottom remaster got you in the mood for some SpongeBob humour. Come here because you want to see SpongeBob beat the crap out of Nigel Thornberry, and find your own humour in that.

If you played Left 4 Dead, you’ll feel right at home. Back 4 Blood is a more mature and more bad-ass version of L4D, elevating every mechanic from the former series and making it better while adding in new features that makes playing far more rewarding.

Metroid Dread suffers from some minor grievances, but overall it is a remarkable achievement in not just resurrecting a dormant and beloved series, proving its authority in the genre it inhabits, or exhibiting the kind of airtight design we’d expect from a title of this calibre. It is a remarkable achievement because it is one of those few rare games that sets itself an atmospheric goal and launches it towards and through the stratosphere. This, here, is one of 2021’s very best games - we’re always in for a treat when Samus returns.

Far Cry 6 is a game that understands the importance of fighting back against fascism and taking a stand as part of your own personal revolution, yet it’s often held back by gameplay that wants to distance itself from that idea as you fawn over cute puppies and fire off outlandish grenade launchers. Yet it’s still a start, and a bold step forward for a company that has long sat on the fence of political discussion. If you’re after more Far Cry, this delivers and pushes the formula forward into exciting new territory.

The difficulty without much progression and lack of any kind of guidance can make BPM feel a bit unwelcoming, which is a shame when its mechanics feel so great to learn. It's worth diving into for the core premise alone, but don't expect to have anyone hold your hand through hell.

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Mania is a roll down retro memory lane with its charming classic arcade format. However, the game soon loses its shine with the sudden difficulty spike that makes it incredibly hard to enjoy in the later levels, despite the inclusion of accessibility options. This is a great choice for a party game when you want a local co-op title, but the lack of online multiplayer means the game begins to feel a little stale when playing alone, despite the wealth of levels, modes, and unlockables.

I’m enthusiastic for the future of Lemnis Gate. You can play for hours and never see the same map twice, and you can play for an eternity and never have two identical matches. There is so much depth and strategic potential that it feels like you could spend a lifetime learning the game and inventing new strats and synergies. The turn based, asymmetric nature of the game makes it feel like a competitive shooter for people that don’t like shooters, and I’m always impressed when a game can cast a net so far outside of its core audience. Unlike a lot of team-based indie games, Lemnis Gate can theoretically survive with a much smaller player base thanks to only having 1v1 and 2v2 game modes. Despite its inaccessible premise, Lemnis Gate has a lot going for it and I’m excited to see how deep the wormhole goes.

If cyberpunk was the genre of 2020, time loops are undoubtedly the flavor of the second half of 2021. Aeon Drive subtly throws its pixelated hat into the proverbial zeitgeist with its fast-paced, pinpoint-accurate platforming that is as addicting and, at times, satisfyingly frustrating as any quality masocore title out there. Aeon Drive is a speedrunner's dream, offering hours of replayability for completionists and those looking to have their name atop online leaderboards.

FIFA 22 is just like any other FIFA game. It’s a very, very good football game, and with NBA 2K taking its eyes off the prize in favour of the State Farm drip, it’s left with a tap-in to be 2021’s best sports sim. HyperMotion makes a difference, create-a-club adds some personality, and everything else is the same. What more were you expecting?

Death Stranding remains a bizarre masterpiece on PS5, and the director’s cut only further cements that reputation with a number of worthwhile new ideas that enhance the act of delivering packages across a picturesque landscape of nothingness. The story of Sam Porter Bridges is overblown and wondrous, taking hold of you and refusing to let go as you’re dragged into an adventure that takes the medium to places it has never been before. It’s mindless self-indulgence of the highest order, and it’s rare to see a game deliver upon its overarching ambition in such a bold, uncompromising way in the modern era. For that very reason, it deserves to be celebrated.

They say every journey starts with a single step, but in the case of Sable, the journey starts with the arduous task of assembling a motorbike. Sable is a game that looks gorgeous and occasionally does gorgeous things, but too often it's a drab and lifeless affair. It’s a game that knows exactly how it makes you want to feel, but it doesn’t quite have the gameplay to pull it off, and that means it’s constantly fighting with itself.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is a very good game that feels like it’s already been left behind by modern genre conventions. There’s nothing all that frustrating in that - we shouldn’t expect games, especially those made by studios the size of Ember Labs, to be constantly groundbreaking, but so much of Kena feels borrowed from elsewhere that it’s difficult to call it great. It’s a solid, enjoyable experience, and charming enough that you won’t care that you’ve played versions of it before. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it’s a pretty nice wheel nonetheless.

From milking bugs to slaying frogs with jetpacks, Tails of Iron is an off-the-walls, brilliantly intuitive sidescroller, but it has a heart and keeps you gripped from start to finish as you slaughter a conveyor belt of would-be challengers. It’s not about avenging your father, not entirely - it’s about family and community. Vin Diesel would be proud. Sadly, it’ll probably get lost in the busy end-of-year shuffle among the triple-A powerhouses. But in the downtime between releases, make some room for Tails of Iron - it’s one of 2021’s best.

Severed Steel feels like playing the Deathloop trailer. Not the actual game, specifically the trailer. Specifically the run shoot kick montage that comes in right at the end. Slick, stylised, and never slowing down for a second, Severed Steel looks set to launch without much fanfare, but if you want a game that gives you a great time and then leaves you alone, give it a try. KILL. THEM. ALL.

Lost Judgment delivers another fantastic thriller that ups the ante when it comes to its intricately woven plot and interesting cast of characters, all while making you question where the line is drawn between the law and true justice. And when all is said and done, you can sit and celebrate with some sushi.

NBA 2K22 is an almost impossible game to rate, because it’s a damn good basketball game at its core. The biggest problem is how it tries to be anything but a basketball game, and while that doesn’t damage the overall quality on the court, it makes it hard to root for it. It’s the ‘03 Lakers, and I hate the ‘03 Lakers.

I do truly wish I could call this a diamond in the rough or some classic in the making, but that’s just not the case. Aragami 2 is fine and while I am likely to revisit it one day, I wouldn’t say you need to rush out and play it right now.

I’m not going to say “buyer beware” in regards to the Switch version of Skatebird. By all means, if you have younger gamers or Switch is your primary gaming device, then playing Skatebird on Switch will probably be just fine for you. However, if you have the option, go with the PC version of the game, especially considering that the game is coming to Xbox Game Pass next month. Even though many of its tropes are a bit played out within the genre, Skatebird is a game that knows it’s silly, and embraces it in a way that makes it fun to play (on PC).

All of that said, denouncing Eastward’s strengths and successes for any of the above would be disingenuous. It is a remarkable game that, while retro in ambition, will paradoxically go on to inspire the drive and uniqueness of future projects. It is clever, vibrant, and unapologetically original, and unless some magnificent twist of fate occurs over the next three months, it will undoubtedly go down as one of the best games of the year.

Deathloop feels like your first bite of a cheesecake after being stranded on a desert island and living off seaweed for six months. In a sea of shotgun-spread triple-A games that are all too familiar, Deathloop is a precision 50. cal bullet of originality right through your eye socket.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is exactly what I’ve been looking for in terms of a video game version of a traditional D&D campaign. I haven’t been able to play D&D with my group in over a year and a half, but Wrath of the Righteous scratches that itch, and then some. This is easy for me to say as a more casual tabletop RPG player. However, I’m confident in saying that Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is rich and robust enough that even the most battle-hardened tabletop RPG veterans can have a blast while saving Golarion.

Lost in Random is an okay 15-hour game, front-loaded with seven fantastic hours. It’s worth playing even if you don’t make it to the end, simply because there’s never been another game like it. Disney goths will delight in its charming blend of cute and macabre, and there are some legitimate thrills to be had with the combat system for strategy-brained players like myself. If it had continued to innovate with new battle mechanics and more cards to collect throughout the entire game, it would be an easy contender for game of the year for me. Unfortunately, it rests on its laurels too early, and the game as a whole suffers for it. I would be eager to return to Random were there ever a sequel, but I don’t think I’ll be revisiting Lost in Random again anytime soon.

You will be forced to make hard decisions and live with them as Alex Chen, some of which will have an irreversible impact on the narrative. Yet there’s no harrowing conclusion to be uncovered here. Much like real life, each revelation is a punch you must roll with, whether it’s losing a loved one or conjuring up the courage to confess your love to a crush. No matter how trivial or monumental, True Colors makes each moment matter as it forms the identity of a woman I came to care for and relate to in ways that few games have managed to achieve. This brings me back to the sibling bond between Alex and Gabe, and how it feels like a virtual replacement for the bond between myself and the brother I wasn’t able to bid farewell to. I had that chance here, and I can’t describe how much that means to me. Without being overly poetic or needlessly saccharine, I’m glad more games are engaging with how we can learn, grow, and love as human beings, and the rewards that come with accepting such hardships along the way. Life is Strange: True Colors truly is something special.

Annapurna Interactive has a staggering back catalogue, but 2021 has frankly not been great for the publisher. Last Stop failed to leave any kind of impact, Maquette is a game with Bryce Dallas Howard in it and not much else, and Twelve Minutes, despite being loaded with star-power, wastes its time loop mechanic in service of a ridiculous twist ending that derails the entire game. With The Artful Escape, plus Neon White, Stray, and Solar Ash to come in the near future, it feels like Annapurna is back.

Tales of Arise presents a refreshing sense of nostalgia in a shiny new package. At times it can misfire between its lovable but inconsistent cast of characters and political narrative, but there’s still a band of loveable heroes brandishing the classic Tales archetypes I’ve always adored. Perhaps it wields subtlety like a cudgel—placing Shionne, the woman who causes pain, and Alphen, the man who can’t feel pain, together—yet it’s that same ungraceful melodrama I remember being so fond of a decade ago. Arise elevates Tales back into the RPG spotlight, but it doesn’t leave the pieces of the past you loved behind.

I love WarioWare: Get it Together for bringing this charming series back into the limelight. It introduces a bunch of excellent new microgames and a huge selection of returning characters I was so happy to see, yet the short campaign and lacking amount of extras can make the overall package feel underwhelming. Unless you’ve loved the series for decades, this one might be hard to recommend until the game is subject to a discount or two.

Sega aims to please Sonic fans during the Blue Blur's 30th anniversary, trying to learn from the mistakes of Sonic games that launched this past decade and improve on them. From the enhanced graphics and extra customization, to the addition of the Tails Save mechanic, Rival Rush, and a brand new and elusive Wisp, Sonic Colors: Ultimate has proven to be the most colorful remaster in Sonic's history.It may be a rehash of a decade-old game instead of an entirely new one, but Sonic Colors: Ultimate still manages to pass the test with flying colors.

I'm glad we have No More Heroes 3. This is Suda51 to a tee: a wonderful and utterly ridiculous celebration of otaku culture and the series he's built up over the years. Travis' fourth-wall-breaking smart mouth makes me smile incessantly, despite how stupid it can be - and it can be very stupid indeed.

Sequels are often expected to be bigger and better, but sometimes a good sequel is just more of what made the original geat. I suppose I would have liked to see Schell Games push the mechanics and missions further, but ultimately I’m satisfied to play another round of cleverly designed spy puzzles. It’s not particularly ambitious, but it’s consistently good from beginning to end. If you liked the original, there’s absolutely no way you won’t like I Expect You To Die 2.

I didn’t expect more than a short, fun diversion, but Aliens: Fireteam Elite has the ambitions of a genuine hobby game, and honestly, I think it’s good enough to pull it off.

Even in those moments of collectible cursing, I had an absolute blast playing Psychonauts 2. It’s rare that a long-awaited sequel does most things right, but this is one of those times and I’m confident in saying that Psychonauts 2 is Double Fine’s best game to date and an early contender for game of the year. Just don’t keep us waiting a decade for the next one.

With those yearly grievances aired, Madden NFL 22 is still a worthwhile pickup if you were on the fence. There's nothing that's painstakingly new in this year's release. However, next-gen technology elevates gameplay with more realistic player movements, while home field advantage is, finally, exactly that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go draft Tim Tebow as my starting tight end.

So much of what The Vale does feels like a reinvention of the video game wheel, and not always out of simple necessity. I think the developers at Falling Squirrel are visionaries, and I can’t wait to see what they do next with everything they’ve learned about game design while making The Vale. This is a fully blind accessible game, but that doesn’t at all mean it's an experience only the visually impaired would enjoy. There’s nothing lesser or limited about The Vale. It’s a fully realized experience that could only work in an audio space, and I sincerely believe it's going to inspire a lot of people to reexamine their beliefs about what a game has to do or be. If this is the beginning of indie audio games, I can’t wait to see where the genre goes from here.

Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut is the best version of an accomplished open world adventure with great characters, excellent combat, and a setting that is constantly inviting to explore. While the base game falters in its storytelling, the Iki Island expansion manages to tell a nuanced story of parental influence and the challenge of moving on from the past in spite of your personal allegiances. It’s the most human Jin Sakai has ever been, yet the brief campaign and emphasis on familiar busywork hold it back from potential greatness. If you didn’t like the game before, this won’t change your mind, but fans will find a lot of added brilliance to dig into here alongside a narrative journey well worth taking.

As I sit here now, wrapping up this review in an attempt to shut myself up before I accidentally spoil something I would rather people experience for themselves, I am wearing a stupid smile. I am, at this moment, thinking about how great it would be for Recompile to garner the attention, respect, and acclaim it deserves. This is no ordinary game - it is brilliant and ambitious and frustrating in the one and only way that frustration can be a positive term. Recompile is a rare gem in a cave of unremarkable cobblestone, a pearl among cracked shells and coarse sand. If you do one thing after reading this review, do both yourself and I a favour: download Recompile, and once you're done with it, tell your friends to download it, too.

Twelve Minutes is a good adventure game, but its puzzle design makes it feel— mature, cinematic presentation aside—like something of a relic. If it was released in 1995, you'd be ringing up the LucasArts hint line for help and getting scolded by your parents for running up a massive phone bill. But it has its charms, and the way the story is gradually peeled back, growing more disturbing with each loop, is effectively done. There's a huge amount of emotion, drama, and conflict squeezed into this tiny, dingy three-room apartment. But also a lot of frustration as you struggle to determine precisely the correct sequence of events to let you move the story forward and finally get some closure.

Much like the real world, everyone’s hopes and dreams are different, and it’s this uniqueness that makes them so undeniably beautiful. It’s a poetic struggle, and stopping to appreciate the instances of silence on a road filled with tragedy and heartbreak helps Road 96 feel like something I’ve never played before. Road 96 feels like an experience created by a studio that understands the fragility of the world we exist in, seeking to project these issues onto a fictional world where comparing them with our own is all too easy. Subtlety isn’t the objective here, and by pulling no punches, this game manages to say something well worth listening to.

Eldest Souls is one of the most beautiful indie games out there but the hurdle to get into it is far too high. The skill points handed out to upgrade your character do little to help while there is no room to learn the mechanics. The notorious Souls difficulty is only amplified in the boss-rush genre, which makes this a near-impossible entry-level game. For anyone who enjoys Dark Souls’ most difficult segments emphatically because of the challenge, Eldest Souls has a lot to love. But that’s just it - Eldest Souls is one for the die-hard fans and no one else.

Omno is still excellent, mind. Given that it’s on Game Pass, I’d feel comfortable recommending it to almost anyone. It has spectacular art direction, appropriate music, and a whole host of fascinating ideas. Its most singular quality, though, is the one buried beneath all of the borrowing: intuitive exploration that resists handholding without artificially ramping up difficulty. It’s almost as if a kind of cryptography has been applied to all of the creatures, puzzles, and environments, except instead of being protected by hundreds of lines of code they are designed with a failsafe that is human intuition. It would be easy for someone to say that Omno does nothing new, but the reason it’s easy to say that is because it’s completely incorrect. Omno has plenty of imaginative and ingenious ideas - they’re just unfortunately hampered by more established ones that didn’t need to be there.

Chernobylite is special. If you enjoy RPGs that feature things like crafting, base building, team management, and heists, the ambitious Chernobylite is one that you won’t want to miss.

Playing Cris Tales is like reading an especially lyrical Paulo Coelho novel, except every ten pages or so, someone slaps it out of your hands. Then you realise some pages are out of order, and you need to flick through the seemingly random pattern before you continue. Also, some pages are so smudged and coffee stained you can’t read them, and a few pages haven’t been translated at all. When Cris Tales works, it’s a wonderful experience, and there’s a great game in here somewhere, but it sabotages itself at every turn. I’ll be keeping a close eye on Dreams Uncorporated - but Cris Tales is a near miss that looks to the future, while clinging too hard to the past.

Ultimately, though, The Forgotten City is one of those games that will inspire other games for years to come. It’s absurd to think it was mostly developed by a three-person team, and yet the clear, unanimous focus a team this small permits is evident throughout the entire game. It is clever not just in terms of its story or themes, but in how it packages and delivers those themes through one of the most inspired and tight gameplay loops I’ve seen in a long time. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a history buff, story lover, or video game fanatic with a penchant for mystery and immersive design - The Forgotten City is a game that everyone should play because it’s a game that signals to the future of the industry. Bit of a paradox given that it’s set two millennia ago, eh? That joke will actually be funny after you play it, I promise.

NEO: The World Ends With You is the sequel we’ve been waiting for. While its new cast of characters have a lofty legacy to live up to, they manage to cement themselves as equally memorable even if their own journey begins to intersect with one we know so well. Combat falls victim to repetition, yet the ideas that surround it are substantial enough that such flaws are easy to forgive. If you’re after a vast JRPG adventure, it’s time to surrender yourself to the underground and never look back. TWEWY is back, and I hope it’s here to stay.

Microsoft Flight Simulator deserves to be played - but it shouldn't be considered essential. It's a unique experience, one that won't capture everyone in the same way, but you really do owe it to yourself to find your house, your partner's, your parent's, your favourite holiday destination, and just fly over. The world looks very different from thousands of feet in the air, and for now, Microsoft Flight Simulator is the only way I can get that irresistible point of view.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is a Godsend for AA fans, finally compiling and localising two games that the fanbase have been begging for. While the Ace Attorney formula hasn't actually been changed much, what is here is what the fans adore. Interactions with Herlock Sholmes manage to be a highlight, and uncovering mysteries through twisted testimonies is as satisfying as ever.

I have my nitpicks, although I’m not too proud to admit that they are drastically outweighed by my predilections. Pokemon Unite is a game I can see myself playing for a long time - just add Blastoise to the roster already, eh? I’m dying to see what a Unite move with massive reptilian shoulder cannons looks like.

There’s a lot to love in Akiba’s Trip: Hellbound & Debriefed, whether you’re a veteran or newcomer to the series. It looks and plays much like the games of yesteryear, but that’s what gives it much of its charm. You can definitely add Akihabara to my list of spots to visit when I finally make my way back to Japan. I’m no vampire demon, but perhaps I’ll wear an extra layer or two. You know, just in case.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD really does revitalise this maligned Nintendo classic. Motion controls proved divisive at launch, but with two robust control schemes included here, and the extra fluidity of 1080p60 visuals, this should finally please everybody. The linear structure of the game and relatively empty space of the sky will still frustrate some, but the core sword fighting gameplay and linear Zelda structure is better here than it is in many other games. If you want a traditional 3D Zelda experience, then Skyward Sword HD is an easy choice.

Whether you’re looking for fierce competition or you simply want to get as close to driving around F1’s real tracks as life allows without becoming a professional driver, F1 2021 has you covered. It’s the closest you’re ever going to feel to the real thing while sitting on your couch, and isn’t that really what playing any sports sim is all about?

Those looking for an easygoing yet surprisingly deep JRPG will be taken with Monster Hunter Stories 2, even if some of its more notable flaws are harder to forgive. But once you look past those, you’re left with a wondrous little adventure with an engaging battle system, lovable characters, and an emotionally resonant narrative that sunk its claws in far deeper than I ever expected it to. If you’ve never been able to vibe with the mainline games, give this one a punt.

Technical limitations aside, Worms Rumble on Nintendo Switch is a solid addition to the eShop, which is surprisingly sparse in its collection of Worms titles – Worms W.M.D. being the only other title available digitally right now. The better Worms Rumble experience can be found on other platforms, but the Switch version is good enough for wherever you have just a few minutes to play or while traveling.

Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 is a great sports game but only a decent Olympics game. Nearly all of the 20 (or is it 16?) events offer an enjoyable enough time and only a few are bogged down by mechanics, but once you’ve played them all a couple of times, you’re done. If you dabble in the two player mode regularly or find a game online, it could be a deeper experience, but it just feels like the trimmings aren’t quite there. I won the boxing gold medal as a bunny rabbit maid with blue hair though, so there’s that.

Super Rush is an excellent golf game, but the fact that only one of the advertised modes can be played with three-to-four players simultaneously on a single console is a little bit disappointing. Still, this manages to be the best Mario sports title on Nintendo Switch, and a great multiplayer gem for low-energy gatherings with pals.

The only gripe anyone could possibly have about this game is that they personally prefer the narrative driven THUG and THAW games. I probably do too, but in terms of the raw THPS experience, this game has everything you need and more. Warehouse is the best opening level of all time, and you can spend hours in each park figuring out new lines. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 Remake is a magnificent game, and while the Nintendo Switch doesn’t offer the definitive version of the game, but it almost does, and that’s good enough for Jamie Thomas.

If you’re after an anime-infused action romp in a similar vein to Akira or Sword Art Online, Scarlet Nexus is almost certainly worth a punt. However, there are a few caveats. Combat is excellent yet not without its flaws, while the story being told and characters you encounter don’t have nearly enough depth to feel emotionally resonant. The potential for something brilliant is here, but much like Code Vein before it, this is a game that seems determined to stop itself from achieving something truly special.

Ultimately, Sniper Ghost Warrior: Contracts 2 is a really strong stealth shooter in an unfortunate package.

Legend of Mana is a competent port of an odd little game, which is honestly an achievement for Square Enix. The fun of the original is intact, and small quality of life additions help ease the grind of '90s JRPG design. Ring Ring Land doesn't add much, but it doesn't take away either. The Mana series has gotten a lot of love from both fans and Square Enix recently, and this Legend of Mana remaster keeps the brand growing strong.

It’s a brilliant game, one that gets deeper the more you engage with it, both on a gameplay and a thematic level. It had all the ingredients to be one of 2020’s indie breakouts, and it baffles me that it passed so many people by. I hope the Switch release brings it to a wider audience.

There’s a tendency to recommend bad games to the most devoted fans, but I think fans of Drizzt and Co. will hate this game even more than the uninitiated. The saving grace is that Dark Alliance is included with Game Pass, so it won’t cost you anything to check back in from time to time and see how it’s doing. There is an enjoyable game buried here, I just wouldn’t expect to see it anytime soon.

If you enjoyed the first Red Solstice game, then perhaps this will be a satisfying sequel that continues the saga. But unless you got a bunch of buddies who are all itching to furiously click mutated aliens to death, you'll probably have a better time loading up another game of XCOM than trying to survive in the Martian wasteland of Red Solstice 2.

This is the first major game from the developers at Itzy Interactive Inc., so hopefully, they learn from the mistakes made here and deliver something better in the future. But Mad Devils is what they have right now and it's a hell of a bad way to waste your time and money.

If nostalgia is what you're looking for, then this remaster will definitely do the trick. It's a time warp back to a time where RPGs were tough as nails and devoted to making you suffer. It's not quite on the same level as anything in the Diablo series, but Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance might be worth a glance if you can look past its ancient flaws.

Intermission is an excellent expansion for the world of Final Fantasy 7 Remake, introducing Yuffie Kisaragi and expanding upon her character and history in ways that simply weren’t possible in the 1997 original. She absolutely steals the show here, bolstered up by a selection of compelling newcomers and a continuation of the main narrative that teases a tantalisingly exciting future for this ambitious project. I’m unsure when we will next see something from Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but if it’s anything like this - we’re in for a treat.

Game Builder Garage feels like the perfect place to build a game prototype. You can create a basic idea, see if it works and is fun, and then maybe take that concept into a real game engine development kit - but not much more. It can truly pique the curiosities of kids, and I hope it does, but it's launched in a world where it has big competition, and the depth and charm of those tutorials which only Nintendo could pull off so well can't carry the rest of the experience.

Chivalry 2 doesn’t necessarily feel like a totally new game, but it brings a lot of little changes that make it feel like a fresh experience. While there are still a few kinks to be worked out, Chivalry 2 brings everything that I loved from the first game and takes it to the next level in an incredibly fun and addicting experience.

It's a fast-paced and fun fighter with a colourful cast and some truly excellent tunes. It's easy to play it for hours online as an experienced fighting game player, or just blast it for 30 minutes with some friends over the weekend. It can be chaotic and unpredictable, but it's always gorgeous and engaging. Guilty Gear Strive is easily the best fighting game of 2021 so far, and there doesn't seem to be much on the horizon that can top it. If you're looking for a new fighting game to play this year, this is the easiest decision you'll ever make.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a wonderful platformer with hectic and hilarious combat. New character Rivet is the game's brightest spark, and while the story is a trifle overambitious, the characters and loveable enough and funny enough to constantly keep your interest.

If you happen to be craving a new isometric puzzle-platformer then this could make for an alright distraction, but you have many other better options out there. Retro Machina is a game that takes too much inspiration from the past, which may sadly lead to it being forgotten in the future.

It is a little rough in places and there's room for improvement, but I'll gladly play something that's as weird and creative as this over another generic triple-A open-world game. If the idea of a mech game crossed with Fern Gully sounds like a good time to you, then I'd say Stonefly is definitely worth a try.

Sumire mostly accomplishes what it sets out to do through its remarkable visuals and emotion-evoking narrative. It somehow manages to be both thought-provoking and soothing, despite some shortcomings with the dialogue options.

Just Die Already has its charms, but the novelty wears off pretty quickly. I’d even go so far as to say this toes the line with the masocore genre. It’s a difficult game, but I did find myself chuckling often at the utter ridiculousness that I was witnessing. I could see it being a fun game to casually stream with an audience.

If it wasn't for its awful art style and attitude that screams "look how rad we are fellow teens!" then I'd probably like it a whole lot more. But as long as it adds more content, I can see this gaining an audience with players who are really into over-the-top sports games like Rocket League. Just remember the five D's of dodgeball and you'll have a fun time in Knockout City.

Biomutant is a game that's still evolving. Plenty of bugs need to be ironed out, its combat system could use another coat of paint, and it desperately needs new puzzles – they rarely move beyond a simple "match-two-colors" format. Much of the game works exactly as intended, including a robust crafting system, a fantastic suite of side quests, and an open world that's begging to be explored. Dozens of great ideas are lurking just below the jank, and so is an enjoyable game if you're able to look past them.

There’s no doubt that this is an incredibly fun way to play Capcom arcade classics - better than throwing all of your loose change at a game you’ll never actually finish, at least - but the selection available here hasn’t left me feeling inspired. The games in this collection feel like the last options, the games that could never be sold individually. Cult classics like Darkstalkers and every other version of Street Fighter are entirely missing - instead we have a bunch of Capcom arcade games that, for the most part, weren’t deserving of sequels, or any other recognition this far removed from their release. It sounds harsh, but these are the rejects, propped up by Street Fighter 2 and Ghosts ‘N Goblins. There’s fun to be had here, but without nostalgia you probably won’t find much to love.

If you're not sick of long open-world games or stories about zombies, then you should be able to squeeze some enjoyment out of this. Days Gone might be a ride that goes on for too long, but it's a mostly worthwhile journey with a few good stops along the way.

Even with those smaller issues, I have absolutely no trouble recommending Mass Effect: Legendary Edition to anyone looking for a good RPG, a good story, or just a good shooter. The effort put into the original Mass Effect is commendable, especially considering its age, and Mass Effect 2 and 3 are as great as before but with better visuals and the ease of access of all being on the same disk. Like the title says, this is a legendary trilogy, and it’s one that everyone should play.

Ultimately Shin Megami Tensei 3 HD Remaster is a perfectly acceptable port of a cult classic PS2 RPG. Playing this at the same time as Mass Effect Legendary Edition has definitely coloured my perception of what we should expect from a remaster, but despite the fact it doesn’t have AI upscaled textures and 4K60fps presentation, it’s still a masterful example of how to build atmosphere in a game while still keeping players engaged, instead of bored. It also features Dante from the Devil May Cry series, which always helps.

You don’t need to be a fan of text-based adventures to enjoy Cyberpunkdreams. For fans of the cyberpunk genre, this is a game that you absolutely need to play. While chance and luck play a large part, the experience is exactly what you make of it. You’re more or less in charge of what happens to your character based on the decisions that you make. Even in my weeks-worth of playtime, I’ve barely even scratched the surface. There’s so much lore in this game. There’s even an e-book for those interested in diving into the Cyberpunkdreams world even more. More content is planned post-release, and with a dedicated community of players, Cyberpunkdreams is one game that you need to check out.

The idea of trying to execute a medieval GTA-style heist while fending off other players is so good that I want it to work. This is just missing some kind of secret ingredient to make everything come together. Maybe after some time and the addition of DLC, this could be a worthwhile game to play with friends. Hopefully, that happens sooner rather than later, as right now Hood: Outlaws and Legends feels more like a missed opportunity than a bullseye.

I was still, however, absolutely blown away by the tabletop RPG experience that Demeo offers. Not once did I experience any sort of motion sickness, meaning I can play Demeo for extended periods of time – far more than any other VR title can boast with me. I can’t wait to play Demeo with my regular D&D group as we ease our way back into in-person sessions. As a solo adventurer, though, Demeo is perfect for when I’m in need of a quick-play session with other players from around the globe.

Its attachment to the past can hold it back from greatness, especially in regards to its dedication to bombastic set-pieces and a hesitation to explore its own ideas. Village is drenched in excellence throughout, but the occasional fumble stops it from reaching the heights of both its predecessor and the seminal masterpiece it is so desperate to imitate. There’s also not nearly enough big lady - she needs her own game.

I enjoyed my time with The Colonists. It's an easy, breezy game that doesn't intend to punish you by having Gandhi constantly declare war on you. The fact that it has a decent campaign starring lovable little robo-ducklings is just the icing on top. So if you want to chop down some trees and watch a little robot fisherman provide for his village, The Colonists should make for a delightful bit of strategy fun.

It's interesting to get a look into the past that's as well cared for and presented as Shadow Man Remastered. Maybe I didn't find a new favorite, but there's no reason why you might not end up loving this. If you're okay with having a walkthrough ready and are willing to traipse through the same few corridors numerous times, Shadow Man is certainly a good way to kill some time between big releases.

At its core, Returnal is one of the most satisfying third-person shooters I’ve played - it’s Hades via Vanquish. It forces you to meet it at its tempo and doesn’t relent. It makes Doom Eternal seem like Baby’s First Shooter. It’s gorgeous, frenetic, and endlessly replayable. I just wish success wasn’t so tied to fortune and misfortune, which only exacerbates any frustrations you have when repeatedly trekking through areas you’ve already beaten. Even after the credits rolled, I felt satisfied, but that satisfaction was also mixed with relief - the ordeal was finally over and the chiropractor's elbow has been removed from the small of my back.