Darwin's Paradox is easy to admire and occasionally difficult to enjoy. ZDT Studio has built something visually and narratively confident for a debut - Darwin is a protagonist with real charm, and his world has a presentation that consistently overdelivers. But a game is only as good as it feels to play, and this one too frequently asks you to fight its systems rather than inhabit them. The frustrations are not deal-breakers in isolation; cumulatively, though, they erode the goodwill that the presentation so diligently earns.

Once you do find the paths you need to take, the story is over before it ever got going. The game's opening makes it feel like your character is embarking on a quest, but that journey ends after one stop. In that way, Season is structured like spring. You barely realize it's here before it's already gone.

New Tales from the Borderlands is the first time that I’ve felt invested in the series since Borderlands 2. It’s a much smaller-scale adventure that sometimes feels more like a movie than it does a game, but its heartfelt cast of characters, (somewhat) smarter humour, and tighter focus make this a tale well worth listening to.

Planet of Lana is a delightful puzzle platformer that hits that sweet spot in more ways than one. It’s not too challenging nor too simple, and though it could have delivered endless levels of similar ideas, it only takes enough time as it needs to tell the perfect story of friendship and survival.

Space Marine 2 doesn’t seek to reinvent the third-person shooter or hack-n-slash genres, but it’s a competent addition to both. That said, it’s a great game for Warhammer fans, and nails the feeling of being a Space Marine better than any other game. The combat is crunchy and satisfying, executions are beautifully brutal, and the thunder hammer is one of the best weapons in gaming. But issues with linear levels, ally AI, and the unknown future of multiplayer mar the experience a little. Warhammer fans will pick this up, everyone else is probably better off waiting for a sale.

If you're looking for a relaxing, calm, amusing short story, Wide Ocean Big Jacket should be a perfect choice to help pass the hour.

While I do stand by my statement that the Monopoly app does a great job of maintaining the feel of the OG board game it may not be the right choice for you if your favorite part of playing was the camaraderie with friends. If this applies to you, stick to the real board game. It'll be less buggy.

The game’s excellent acting, memorable characters, and compelling visual style make the game very worth your time, and if you’re used to the groan-inducing logic of point-and-click games of yore, Loco Motive won’t be any more frustrating than anything you’ve already played.

Hell Is Us has loads going for it, and its political messaging has more weight than its comparatively shallow tagline gives it credit for. But I was initially enticed by its promise of exploratory restrictions, and they just aren’t strict enough to sell that idea for a full 30 hours. While Hell Is Us confidently executes upon its story, quests and puzzles, so much of it feels hampered by the fear that players would give up too quickly if it kept on taking risks. I really, really wish it did, though.

Jet Lancer offers some fine shmup gameplay that offers a good amount of challenge without being too oppressive. It's unfortunate that some missions are simply not all that fun to play and seem to inflate the difficulty. Some of these really should have been optional missions, as requiring them to be finished before moving on gates the rest of the game behind levels that simply don't work as well as others. However, if you do happen to get past those obstacles, Jet Lancer features fast-paced action, old-school graphics and music, and a talking cat-focused story that could make it a swell game for shmup fans looking for something new.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a Borderlands game. It's not a spin-off, it's not inspired by, and it's not a mix of Borderlands and D&D - it's just Borderlands. It's a waste of a great concept, and comes with the typical Borderlands drawbacks of potentially grating humour, way too many guns, way too small storage space, and a lot of always-on characters who aren't given enough room to breathe. It's fun, but it's nothing special. The worst part is it could have been.

Rehydrated doesn’t do anything that hasn’t been done before, but it looks and plays great with players getting to interact with their favorite goofy characters from the animated series. The game has rekindled my love of this series, and now, I can’t get “Jelly Fish Jam” out of my head.

Leximan is one of the most unique games I’ve played in a long time. It’s a love letter to old-school gaming and retro fans are sure to appreciate the genre medley. While a few points felt a bit clunky or unclear, the humour and unique gameplay shines through and though it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, I’m glad I played it.

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.

The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story is a killer combination of murder mystery meets TV drama. While the puzzle-solving aspects tend to come with too much unnecessary guidance to help you along, it’s thoroughly enjoyable to be able to channel your inner Poirot and figure out the events of the crime before dramatically unveiling the murderer to all involved. What the game lacks in a challenge, it makes up for with its exciting plot that ticks all the classic whodunnit tropes that mystery drama fans love to see.

If you devoured the Danganronpa and Zero Escape series in the same way that I did, and you’re also cool with playing a decent tactics game as you unfurl the mysteries instead of going to trial or solving escape room puzzles, then you’ll feel fully satisfied by what feels like a natural progression of these two series blending together. It’ll never escape apples-to-oranges comparisons with so much in-your-face Danganronpa, which might be off-putting for some, but that’s a highlight for people like me who loved that series and the games it inspired. Though the tactical elements never quite felt like they were prioritized as heavily as the narrative, The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy earns its stripes as the next in the line of spiritual successors, given how close a chord it strikes to both Danganronpa and Zero Escape.

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.

Even as someone who isn’t the biggest fan of the original Rayman and its penchant for punishment, I still found a lot to love in the 30th Anniversary Edition. The many tweaks and enhancements make it the way to play the original, and the detailed documentary is a great extra on top of it all. It’s just a shame that the party is pooped a bit by the missing soundtrack and some teething problems.

A theoretical Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot 2 could be a masterpiece if it had more complex combat, and more varied enemy and quest types. Yet, while Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot isn't in its final form, it's still making good use of its potential. The cut-scenes are the most visually stunning version of Goku's saga I've seen. The Sub Stories give the franchise's bit players a chance to shine. There are even crazy deep references that even longtime fans might miss. It's clear the developers love Dragon Ball as much as we do. Next time, Bandai Namco, just let them put some of that love into the progression and fighting mechanics.

It's not perfect, but Willy Jetman has plenty to offer people looking for a retro-inspired game that doesn't take itself too seriously. If you're willing to look past its rough edges, you'll find yourself having a good time.

Deliver Us The Moon is a wonderful puzzle game on Earth and in space, but the Moon itself fails to live up to its wondrous promise. While interesting puzzles are still sprinkled throughout, a sense of repetition creeps in and gets in the way of an otherwise enjoyable story. It’s not that it fails to hit its target, it just turns out the target isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Plate Up is a unique restaurant management experience, mixing roguelike elements into the genre in a way I’ve never seen before. It requires a keen mind, good planning skills, excellent communication, and tenacity. All of which I don’t have. Luckily the game also lets you practice new recipes by feeding cats. It was the perfect way to work on my skills while wondering if these cats do ever get full.

It’s impossible not to be charmed by Chinatown Detective Agency. Mei Ting, in particular, is exuberant and spirited (she particularly enjoys the promise of cash), and the motley crew of characters who accompany you in your detective work is far from atypical, as you work together to unravel conspiracies and convoluted schemes. The treacherous plot at the heart of the game, too, will probably take repeated playthroughs to uncover, given the several routes and choices you can pick throughout the game. For all of Chinatown Detective Agency’s imperfections, this is still a case I’d gladly take on, over and over again. Of course, with a web browser and notebook in hand.

Every looter struggles in the early days, and it would be naive think a studio that's never made a game of this type before would nail it right out of the gate. That being said, it's already in way better shape than I ever expected it to be at launch, and, most critically, the combat — particularly in multiplayer — is an absolute blast. I'm hopeful, and I'll be sticking around to see where things go from here.

Homeworld 3 is a solid game for new and returning RTS players. Creating massive armies and watching the digital chaos unfold is one of my favorite parts of this genre, and Homeworld 3 does it better than most RTS games I’ve played. With that said, diehard Homeworld fans will be polarized about this campaign. Waiting over two decades for a story that abandons the principles of its predecessors is a tough pill to swallow. And when you consider the paltry post-campaign offerings, I find it difficult to recommend Homeworld 3 at full price. It’s a good game that could be great with some patches and DLC, but as of now, I’d sit this one out.

If you're not into super bosses, save the $30 and just watch all the cutscenes. If you miss the challenge that Sephiroth, Lingering Will, and the Enigmatic Man brought to the games, you're in for a treat.

Moonscars is a collection of good ideas executed poorly and held back by a baffling story. In the heat of battle with one of the game’s well-designed and memorable boss fights, it shines almost as brightly as those it's inspired by. Unfortunately, the saturation of the genre means it’s not enough to nail the core mechanics of a soulslike anymore, and Moonscars falls down whenever it tries to stand out. It’s a fun enough time if you’re wild for the genre, but those looking for something more unique should steer clear.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is now the best way to experience Yakuza 3, especially since this retcon will likely now be the established canon. There’s no arguing that it has improved on the original in many ways, not only giving it a much-needed facelift and tinkering under the hood to make for a smoother experience, but adding a whole host of new content to whet our appetite. While I lament some losses during the creative overhaul and I am notably disgruntled by one major change, I can’t deny that the positives far outweigh the negatives.