Ring of Pain is an excellent concept which is almost perfectly executed, but falls flat at the final hurdle. The gameplay is as engaging as it is moreish, which is why it’s such a shame that the difficulty spike at the end ruins the experience. Hopefully this is something that’s amended after today’s release.

Morbid: Lords of Ire is not a game that’ll usurp the FromSoft throne in any way but it is a very solid and enjoyable second tier Soulslike that stands alongside titles like Thymesia and is well worth the relatively cheap entry price for genre fans. It takes clear influence from Sekiro in its parry based combat but is relatively accessible for players who might bounce off that game’s difficulty level.

It's still enjoyable once you get over all the frustrations.

I can't help but feel underwhelmed. Don't get me wrong, it's a competent enough game but one that suffers from a few technical issues, as well as never really managing to stir any emotions from the player. It's not bad for the money, but there's much better out there.

Batman: The Telltale Series starts strongly, recreating and altering the Batman mythos in new and inventive ways, but can’t keep it up and fades towards the end of its run. It perhaps isn’t Telltale at their best, but still a series worth checking out for fans of their work and of Batman.

Fruit Ninja VR is a hoot. It’s one of those games you can pick up and play with zero preamble, making it great for the odd few minutes of downtime or passing a headset around between people. It’s just a shame Halfbrick didn’t look to expand it further, with three of the four modes being transplanted from the original Fruit Ninja.

It even blends two genres that theoretically shouldn’t fit together, yet somehow in this context and with the clever implementation of its gadgets, a far more enjoyable experience. It’s by no means perfect, but with great ideas it deserves at least a look for yourself.

Super Meat Boy Forever is an interesting sequel. It attempts to build on the legacy of its predecessor, but the additions it brings to the table cannot elevate it beyond the simplicity of the original. The updated visuals are welcome, but Super Meat Boy Forever is a classic example of trying too hard to innovate, while losing sight of what made the series so beloved.

You already know if you are going to be buying Firewatch, and if you loved Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture or Life Is Strange then this is the game for you. It’s small, short and almost perfectly formed, it’s just the shame the game broke so many times when I was playing it. I’m hoping these problems can be found and fixed very quickly after launch and I would suggest holding off buying the game until a patch has been released, but until then we don’t have much of a choice but to mark an otherwise lovely game down due to the problems encountered.

May not be the breakthrough some had hoped for, and it may not feel more engineered towards the Western gamer but it's still a good game. The gameplay, though mostly familiar, is solid offering a different pace as well as several unique mechanics to boot. If you despise the Warriors series Legends of Troy isn't likely to convert you, though as a standalone title, it's plenty of fun.

As with the original, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers 2 is a simplified and cutesy take on the whole EDF think. While it succeeds in that goal, it loses a lot of the allure as it does so.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a solid, unglamorous return to the series greatest moments. We’ve been steering monkeys in balls across increasingly difficult landscapes for 20 years now, and while Banana Mania doesn’t return the series to its hallowed position of old, I don’t want it to stop quite yet.

Tooth And Tail charts the midpoint between traditional RTS games and their massively popular mobile counterparts. It’s quick and streamlined yet complex and deeply tactical when played competitively. Some fans of the genre will no doubt revel in customising their decks to devour their opponents, but others will find Pocketwatch’s approach either too simplistic or not simplistic enough.

I have been enjoying Starfield, but that's in spite of the game's systems and features rarely combining into a cohesive whole. As an interstellar role playing experience, it appeals to those that want to be bounty hunters, space cops or pirates, but offers little to traders and other fantasies. What it really needs is a sequel, taking this first attempt as a proof of concept to create new technology and improve, but we aren't going to see that any time soon.

Avalanche Studios is known for creating a series of games that are incredibly entertaining, but Mad Max doesn’t have that same kind of pull. It isn’t a bad game and there is entertainment to be had, but the lack of variety in this world and some drawn out moments keep it from greatness.

However, while I certainly enjoyed most of the scenarios I played, I found myself falling into that same groove, opting for a select cluster of traits and tactics to help ensure victory every time. Very soon, Plague Inc. became one of those games I couldn’t sit in front of attentively and immerse myself as the action unfolds.

Sure, there’s a decent game here if you can’t wait for the big hitters just around the corner, but if patience isn’t a virtue of yours then perhaps Bayonetta isn’t the one for you anyway, at least unless you’re going for the 360 version. Shame, as Bayonetta has solid principles and a sequel could very well be amazing.

Batbarian wades into the Metroidvania genre with enjoyable exploration, tricky and inventive puzzle mechanics, and an array of impressive accessibility options. A more helpful map that included signposting would make this a real Metroidvania highlight, but it still comes highly recommended for fans of the genre.

Payday 2 is definitely getting long in the tooth, but the game’s appearance on Nintendo Switch is a good, solid port of the game. All of the same quirks and quibbles remain the same, there’s the lingering question from how the game has been supported in the past, and there’s the simple fact that we’ve seen all of this in higher fidelity elsewhere, but if you’ve got a burning desire for some co-op heisting fun on Switch, then this will scratch your itch to live outside the law.

In the shadow of the incredibly powerful second episode, the midpoint in the series is a solid episode that felt for large parts like it was waiting for the next big thing to happen. Thankfully, Dontnod did just that with an almighty twist in its final few scenes that has you on tenterhooks with the seemingly infinite possibilities the story now holds.

A confident, creative approach to the RTS genre that falters in its structure and progression systems.

A deeply challenging iOS Souls-like that begs to be played with a controller, Pascal’s Wager indicates a true maturing of gaming on Apple’s platform.

Rune II: Decapitation Edition is an entirely new game rather than just an update of last year’s release. It may look like it’s competing with Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla for your Viking gaming time but it is a very different experience. At its best in co-operative multiplayer, Rune II is a throwback to the chaotic and brutal combat of early third person ARPGs and offers a blood-soaked alternative to the clinical and focus-grouped approach of many games. So gather a band of your most loyal friends and prepare to set sail – this Ragnarok isn’t going to end itself.

Carto is a unique experience that perhaps doesn’t make the most of its central puzzling mechanic. The puzzle-solving itself is fun, but the story ends up quite forgettable. If you’re after a short experience to keep you busy for an afternoon, then Carto is for you - just don’t expect to be blown away.

The Sword of Ditto is a good looking, adorable and funny game that is held back a little bit by its time limit. I would love to explore the island and its quirky sense of humour at my own pace, but the constant ticking clock makes it feel like you’re being rushed through the environment. It’s fun and worth playing if you don’t mind time being a factor.

If you can look past the steep difficulty curves, unimpressive visuals and unwieldy controls, then you will find a deep and compelling historical strategy experience that will keep you engaged for many weeks.

It's certainly not without its issues, and at this stage in a generation you feel like a game should probably be wielding more graphical clout, but the game's combat more than makes up for it. It's simply brilliant, and you can have a lot of fun trying out the different options it presents you. Once Dante's picked up every weapon there's simply so much available to you, and it's what sets the game apart.

Though it’s rough around the edges, has difficulty spikes and very much feels like the foundations on which Harebrained can build upon, the core turn-based tactical gameplay of BattleTech is great. Micromanaged the tactical combat is gripping and tense, whether you’re crossing your fingers that the damage won’t pierce your armour, or laughing as your mech punches a hole through the middle of an enemy. This could easily grow into something special, and I hope it does.

Nova-111 should definitely be played by those who enjoy games with unusual and interesting concepts. Despite a few flaws, it remains a great game, featuring some superb moments and while the first few levels are a slow burn, the pace soon becomes manic. I’m personally very excited to see what Funktronic Labs create in the future.

The Edge of Allegoria is a decent RPG that stands out for its retro Game Boy visual style. The combat is decent enough, and while the crudeness can get a bit much, it works well in the setting. Some frustrating dungeon designs and waypointing issues, plus a story that isn’t too memorable do hold it back, though.

Bringing the game to Wii U has meant a facelift and some nice new bells and whistles to fiddle around with. However, Mario Party 10 is much like the latest iteration of an established board game: although it may look different, love them or hate them, the rules are still very much the same.

MotoGP 19 is far and away the best MotoGP game by Milestone to date and a marked improvement over recent versions. A few glitches take you out of the moment, and there is a need for some special seasoning sprinkled on the top to really make this a truly great racing title, but for fans of the sport, they now have a video game that better represents the action-packed real-life on-track action.

Captain America: Super Soldier is by far the best blockbuster tie-in you're going to get your hands on this summer.

There's much to like about Platinum Games' orgy of mech madness.

From Ashes is easily the best character-centric DLC the series has to offer. Unlike Kasumi or Zaeed in Mass Effect 2, Javik is a persistent personality, his integration a lot smoother and substantial. With that said, From Ashes is clearly at aimed at those who want to dig deeper in to the rich sci-fi universe. If you're only in it for an extra mission, forking out £7.99 is steep by anyone's standards.

With a solid and dependable blaster-led Star Wars adventure as its basis, there's more to Tales from the Galaxy's Edge than initially meets the eye, with the most fun to be had in the side tales picked up in Seezelslak's bar. This has had a big glow up since its original Meta Quest release, but left me wanting something more consistently inventive and truly built for PSVR 2 and higher powered systems. Hopefully we'll get to see that in future.

Even with the option to use the Clap Hanz three-tap method to swing the club, EA just seems happy to continue to build on top of the existing foundations each year rather than pull the whole thing down and start again.

It's fun, cohesive and meaningful yet suffers from a lapse in replayability and all-round polish.

A really good crack at a VR title by Double Fine. The characters will feel familiar to those who have played Psychonauts, but those new to the series will not feel too lost when following the story. However it is a short title that feels like it could have done a lot more with its intriguing setting, and while the tracking was on point most of the time there were moments where it could have been better. Rhombus Of Ruin is a fun experience and provides one of the best produced PSVR titles so far, but it ends a bit too soon.

As a solo effort, Candlelight is a fantastic achievement and kudos must be given for that.

GRID Autosport is certainly much more in line with what fans of the first game wanted to see in GRID 2, but it manages to arrive on the scene just a year later.

Despite my initial impressions, I really enjoyed The Bunker. I’m never going to play it again, but for the couple of hours it lasted it held my attention and expertly racked up the tension. It is certainly not for everyone, but it entertained me for it’s duration and you can’t really ask much more than that.

At its heart, Runbow is a game to break out during a big gathering, rather than play on your own. Nothing is more fun than hooking up controllers and playing with a whole bunch of your friends for a night, and Runbow offers that in spades, provided you have all the Wii Remotes and attachments at your disposal.

Dead Island 2 does a great job of reanimating this dormant zombie-battling series, with the gore-filled combat and excessive weaponry that goes well with the oversaturated LA setting. It’s an enjoyable romp, but at the same time, ironically feels like it's playing it safe.

Sure, it might not be the game we were originally promised, but it's still a lot of fun. The sheer scale of the island alone is an impressive accomplishment.

You know what you're getting with Sniper Elite: Resistance; a spin-off covert mission that matches the scale and scope of Sniper Elite 5, but doesn't really go beyond it. It's more Sniper Elite, and there's still plenty of enjoyment in that.

The Golf Club Collector’s Edition is a well-featured and enjoyable game, only held back by the lack of licensed content and performance issues that hamper the fun.

Its intuitive controls and convincing sense of speed make it a VR title that other developers will surely be borrowing from. While the multiplayer mode’s thrills will provide some longevity, it’s ultimately only a lack of content that keeps Eagle Flight from being essential.

Even though Littlewood is a peaceful town building and farming sim that doesn’t offer anything new in the genre, it thrives in the soothing, meditative loop of its routines--from harvesting fruits to mining precious stones from ores. There are plenty to busy yourself with, but there’s also plenty of time to get to them at your own pace. This means that Littlewood is mostly devoid of the pressures to optimise the grind--an issue that usually plagues other farm sims like Stardew Valley. It’s, in short, a charming little distraction from the stresses of our real world.

Moons of Madness is a welcome addition to the wider Lovecraftian catalogue, and its cosmic aspects really get to the heart of the mythos’ insanity. While there are annoying moments when the developers see fit to include some of the worst excesses of modern horror games, the quality of the writing and the atmosphere is enough to justify seeing things through to a conclusion that is as epic as it is satisfying. This is one trip to insanity that you shouldn’t pass up.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a fun multiplayer offshoot, but it also doesn't come close to the dizzying heights we're used to seeing from FromSoftware. It's an interesting experiment, and I am glad it exists despite my mixed feelings, but it's a shallow happiness when I expect far more profound experiences from this company.

Wild Hearts S is not the best place to play Wild Hearts. The less powerful hardware struggles at points to do the large, fantastical setting justice, and it’s disappointing to find the performance is inconsistent in a port of an older title. However, this is an old-school hunting title, whose core mechanics hold up extremely well in a post-Wilds world.

Despite my gripes with the game and the struggle to make it through achingly slow opening chapter, the care and detail that went into the game is clear to see, and I know there are JRPG fans that live to appreciate the kind of meticulous detail that this game contains.

God Eater 3 boasts fantastic monster hunting combat and the best visuals we've seen from the series, but hangs onto too many of the previous game's hang-ups.

Whether looking to relive a forgotten favourite or simply in the mood for an old school action platformer, The Legend Of Kay is more than just serviceable. It’s a fun, inspired take on the genre that plays well despite its lack of ground-breaking features.

A functional and attractive sim that's the best serious Switch racer in a vacuum of serious racers. The genre itself has taken a step forward since the game's original release though, and seasoned racing fans will likely crave more excitement than Grid Autosport offers.

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered is the perfect reminder of what Criterion brought to the franchise, with a blisteringly fast arcade racer that’s made all the better if you’ve got the ability to play it at 60fps. The main downside is that your Autolog wall is more likely to splashed with your solitary achievements, rather than the consistent flow of competition you experienced a decade ago.

A fun, feline-driven adventure that's only partially held back by it's issues with corny writing, clunky controls, and a few too many hoodie-shaped cat hats.

Zen Studios have to be given some respect in taking a stale genre and breathing new life into it. KickBeat is a good game and it does provide good entertainment, however the game is crying out for more songs in the Story mode as imported songs don’t feel as well synced as the in game music.

Nostalgia for those early games makes any new entry in the genre a difficult proposition and while Toybox Turbos could improve in some areas, it’s as good as we’ve had in many years. If there’s still an audience for four player local multiplayer – and I suspect there really is – then this is a great game for those loud and excitable afternoon or post-pub play sessions.

A few tweaks to a shooter from 2007 aren't going to covert anyone in to a schmup fan, but for those who already are, Raiden IV x Mikado offers a lot.

Azur Lane: Crosswave has a well-written story mode that runs as deep as the ocean, but the combat that strings these story scenes together is as shallow as a kiddie pool. It's wonderful to see fan favourites interact, and the voice acting adds a lot to the already charming story mode, but it's a shame that the gameplay fails to leave as much of an impression as the narrative and art did.

My opinion of Anarchy: Rush Hour was quite bleak until I took it online. That changed the game completely and I’ve upped my rating in consideration of that.

If you’re a fan of musuo combat and witty humour, and you don’t mind some repetition when getting your fight on, you could do a lot worse on Vita than Hyperdimension Neptunia U: Action Unleashed.

The sights and sounds alone make Hogwarts Legacy the dream Harry Potter game fans have been longing for. There’s an intriguing mystery to unravel, though you’re bound to spend most of your time exploring a wealth of side content, visiting virtual landmarks and roleplaying as a Hogwarts student. That said, it’s more successful in being a sandbox teeming with nostalgia rather than a stand-out action RPG in its own right, let down by gameplay foibles and spellcasting combat that quickly slides into repetition.

Twin Mirror is in many ways the natural evolution of the Dontnod narrative adventure. It combines the reconstruction aspect from their debut, Remember Me, with the cinematic and narrative focus of Life is Strange. It is a very polished game, but it left me wanting more in a few areas and I didn't feel like I was having a true impact on the story's outcome. It will definitely appeal to genre fans but it never quite develops its own clear identity. Ironically enough, it feels like a hazy reflection of what it could have been.

Overall Murasaki Baby is a bit of originality sprinkled with easy to medium puzzles, a short story you have to put together and enough content for a few hours of play.

Of all the potential hurdles to snag on in creating a 3D platformers in the style of the late nineties classics, Playtonic deftly avoids the most egregious ones by far. At its very core, Yooka-Laylee succeeds in reviving a format long forgotten and does so with such vigor and passion. However, players shouldn’t expect it to reinvent the genre.

Despite some of the flaws in the pacing of Metamorphosis, this remains a strong finish for the game as a whole.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is a solid, but unremarkable sequel. It's like a table of snack food at a party, where you'll happily nibble away just because you're stood next to it or feeling a bit peckish, but it's not exactly going to fill you up. The new battle puzzles and the boss fights in particular stand out, but the world and endless Toads fail to spark the same delight. This feels like a missed opportunity.

Hard West gets a lot of things right, with a number of clever ideas that help to broaden the scope of the standard turn-based formula it draws upon, but a lack of checkpointing and other game design faux pas can spoil the fun.

F.I.S.T. offers a rock-solid Metroidvania experience that I enjoyed greatly. Chunky combat, glorious level design and well-hidden secrets are what gets me out of bed in the morning, and F.I.S.T provided all of that and terrifying talking bears too. Unfortunately, I can’t overlook the technical issues that plague proceedings. If TiGames sort out the problems with a rapid patch then this would be a game that's much easier to recommend.

Space Invaders Forever is pretty great for anyone who's a fan of Space Invaders. It offers three games that are very different in approach, one of them with a fresh lick of paint and one focused on local multiplayer for some part cooperative, part competitive Earth defending. It's hard to argue against the variety you get with these three classics.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has a lot going for it, from a fun and quirky protagonist to snappy combat and gorgeous visuals. Above all else, though, it's one of the most immersive and rewarding farming experiences in gaming. To slowly toil through each step of the process and eventually reap your rewards is a delight, and even if the combat encounters can sometimes become a frustrating chore, the slow process of cultivating the rice harvest is always a treat.

Shadow Warrior 2 stands on its own as a frenzied yet fresh blending of genres that can easily enthral groups of players for hours at a time. For lone wolves, the looting and shooting will be slightly less appealing. This, and a few smaller hitches, hold the game back from greatness, though die-hard fans of the genre will certainly get their fill.

The long-awaited return of FromSoftware's mech-filled series, Armored Core 6 delivers on a lot of what fans will have been hoping and dreaming of. Building and customising mechs is engaging, missions are action-packed and it looks gorgeous, but it's undercut by swings in difficulty for boss fights and an all-too-familiar story.

Minor niggles aside, I very much enjoyed exploring the World to the West and would certainly recommend it to others looking for an old-school Zelda-esque adventure to follow or distract from not having the sublime open world Breath of the Wild. It successfully captures the feel of a 16bit style adventure and combines this with charming characters and some great environmental ability-based puzzling.

Pool Nation’s strengths lie in the multiplayer and Endurance mode. Both of these offer a good challenge and playing either with friends is a competitive joy.

It's focused and confident enough to concentrate on a very small set of mechanics without drifting off to try to cover too many bases. It almost succeeds, too, but a few odd design decisions slightly spoil what could have been a really solid game.

As far as physics puzzling games go, Good Job! does a pretty good job of it. There's a few rough edges and occasional annoyances from the genre as a whole, but with a quirky set up and visual style, there's fun to be had climbing this particular corporate ladder.

Disc Jam is a good attempt at combining multiple sports inspirations into a video game, and for the most part Disc Jam achieves this by delivering a solid competitive experience with simple mechanics. The only things that I feel let this game down are its lack of real differentiation between playable character and lack of court designs. The game is good, but it feels a bit simple and safe.

Halcyon 6: Lightspeed Edition is a decent update to a game that always had promise, but it’s still not for everyone. Rebuilding the Federation, making allies, making enemies, and all the choices I had to make were all compelling, but honestly the combat didn’t thrill me and happened just that little bit too often. If you don’t mind this as much, then the Lightspeed Edition is a good time, just not quite an essential purchase.

The rerelease of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a welcome one — it’s always good to see these games brought back for a new generation. The fighting feels as good as ever, and looks better than ever thanks to modern hardware, but the storyline and pacing almost feel antithetical in a franchise that was built on just that. Is it a solid fighting game that fans will love? Absolutely. Is it a must-buy for Persona fans? No, probably not.

Kunai is an expressive, stylish and retro-tinged metroidvania that kept me engaged the entire time I played it. The feeling of slowly mastering the rope-kunai and being able to flawlessly swing around environments and flank enemies was incredibly satisfying. I only wish the rest of your abilities in the game had the same kind of skill ceiling to reach, because without any cool reasons to deflect bullets, why bother having the ability to do so in the first place?

Project X Zone 2 is a videogame for videogame fans. It’s not likely to present you with a huge challenge, nor does it take an immense amount of skill to be any good at it, with the tactical gameplay a far cry from genre greats such as Fire Emblem or Shin Megami Tensei.

It's a brave way to use a trusted franchise, but EA have pulled it off and we can't recommend this more for hardcore Simpsons fans as they'll obviously get the most from the game. Everyone else can rest assured that this is well worth the cash.

For fans of the anime, Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet is a great use of the license that brings some welcome changes to the series. There are still the recurring issues of pacing and a number of technical flaws that diminish the rest of the game’s achievements, but this hopefully sets a new benchmark for the franchise going forward.

Whilst the eponymous Red Strain itself is predictable, the other stuff surrounding it is pretty interesting. The same could be said of Oberon and the main game, though, and the interesting stuff is enough to pull you through here just like it was there. This expansion feels about same quality as the main game did, whilst Wicked Isle felt lacking, so this is a return to form in a way. It might not be enough to trigger a new playthrough, but it's a good addition if you decide to do one anyway.

The Signifier is almost an essential experience for anybody looking for a sophisticated and complex meditation on the effects of technological progress on the nature of humanity but as a game it doesn’t quite hang together. Even more frustrating is the fact that its short running time means that it ends just as it's starting to find its feet. As a result it’s a title that I am really glad that I have played but can’t fully commit to recommending it.

Despite the setbacks, I enjoyed romping through Wulverblade’s long levels with hordes of Romans and converted natives to slay in the name of freedom. I appreciated the historical edge the game had to it, even learning a few things without ever being pressured that I was being educated. Even though the controls and balance need refining a fair bit, I still recommend this ultraviolent take on British history.

Krinkle Krusher is a game best played in short bursts, otherwise it feels repetitive very quickly. Despite the distracting voice acting and the early difficulty spikes, if you stick with it you can find that there is a solid game underneath, and plenty of fun to be had if you like the tower defence genre.

At first glance, I really wasn’t looking forward to playing this. Drunkn Bar Fight looks like a lazily put together cash grab, the kind of cynical asset flip clogging the bowels of Steam’s online storefront, and yet, despite some glaring rough edges, I’m eager to see what The Munky could do with more time, money, and effort.

Spirit of the North is a lovingly crafted indie adventure that's let down by some wonky platforming and simple puzzling, while the mysterious explorative adventuring evokes the memory of Journey, just without quite achieving the same emotional impact.

Kirby Air Riders is a charming addition to the racing genre. Its unique outlook might not appeal to everyone, but it's still liable to find it a raft of fans, just like its GameCube predecessor.

Although purists may balk at Worms Rumble, I found Team17’s reinvention to be a welcome change in direction for the series. Real-time action wrapped around the battle royale genre works a treat here when combined with the zany, explosive world of Worms, but in order to become a multiple mainstay it needs more depth both in terms of strategy and player progression.

If you’re looking for a new horde mode game to enjoy with friends (or randoms), you can’t go too far wrong with Killing Floor 2. I feel it misses out on some of the deeply ingrained teamwork of other co-op survival games, especially on lower difficulties, but if you want a challenge, it brings it in spades.

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance is a fun addition to the series and offers a nice shift in the wider narrative. The mix of nostalgic and new characters works well and series fans will be excited to finally play as Raziel in vampire form in particular. The combat is solid if a little repetitive, and the weird shifts in visual style are off-putting at times, but this is a good little spinoff that hopefully promises more adventures in Nosgoth to come.

UNBEATABLE is a good rhythm action adventure game, with it highlights being its visual style and the arcade mode. The story is fine, but can feel all over the place at times with a script that isn’t the best, but the music through the game is good and there are a couple of standout tracks. It has been a while since a decent rhythm game came out, so it is worth giving UNBEATABLE a shot.