The Red Lantern is a fantastic narrative-focused roguelite survival game with some of the most adorable animated dogs I’ve seen in a video game. Its unique blend of multiple genres feels unique and where survival elements in most games grow tiresome quickly, they sit perfectly within this Alaskan journey of new beginnings. This is one of the most enjoyable indie titles of 2020.

With Witcheye's original gameplay and striking monsters, you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for new ways to overcome each challenge. With a fairly short runtime, this game is great for flying through on a lazy afternoon, or coming back to if you want to 100% the game.

Zoids Wild: Blast Unleashed is a light and colourful arena brawler that will please younger fans of the show, but anyone else will likely burn through it in short order.

Disc Room is a hell of floating discs, obscure puzzles and inevitable death. It's great.

Feather is easy to pick up and play and will appeal to those who are looking to unwind without the stresses of combat or having to adhere to a set of rules. While there are no goals to speak of, this also means you can hop in or out for a quick flight around the islands without the worry of having to save your progress.

One Finger Death Punch 2 is as fully realised as it can be. It's taken the concept of a two button action game and wrung every last drop out of the concept. What results is a game that is hilariously fun, yet heart pounding at its most intense. It's repetitive, sure, but incredibly playable and varied enough that things are just fresh enough to keep you thinking "just one more go."

Spinch is a quirky and vibrant 2D platformer that will delight and infuriate in equal measure. The soundtrack is invigorating and the gameplay demands a lot of the player with its punishing difficulty. The upside to this is that, finishing each level with your three babies comes with a sense of accomplishment that can’t be denied. If you’re a fan of this kind of game, Spinch is definitely one to consider.

Mario Kart Live is a wondrous and magical toy that combines real world and digital play in an incredible way. It’s a shame though that not everyone will have the space, or the money, to experience it.

Space Crew is a solid management and strategy title with enjoyably tense space battles, but the grind does get repetitive after a while. A bit more variety to mission structure would be very welcome.

Amnesia: Rebirth is an excellent narrative experience with some genuinely taxing environmental puzzles and effective sense of atmosphere. What really got under my skin, was the story being told of grief, loss, panic, and desperation. Playing as the pregnant Tasi and vicariously experiencing her own growing horror is something that will stick with me for a long while, not least because this game manages to be so focused on a woman’s body without any hint of sexualisation or objectification. For this, if for nothing else, Amnesia: Rebirth is a groundbreaking title in gaming horror.

Remothered: Broken Porcelain is not quite the sequel I was expecting from Stormind Games. Whilst it continues the interesting saga of the Felton and Ashmann families, the game is still lacking in polish (even after updates have patched out the worst issues), and is relatively short and linear. This is worth a play for genre fans, but it doesn’t stand out in the same way that its predecessor did. Not quite Broken anymore, but certainly in need of some repair, this Porcelain doesn’t have that ring of quality I was hoping for.

The thing I'm most impressed within this pack is that the quality of all of the games is so high. With most Jackbox Party Packs, there's one or two that you'll end up avoiding or that doesn't quite match up to the others in the bundle, but each game in The Jackbox Party Pack 7 offers something different and appeal to nearly everyone. You'll have an immense amount of fun with this pack, and it might just be the best Jackbox Party Pack yet.

Foregone, being a 2D action platformer with a Metroidvania structure, looting mechanics and a smattering of soulslike tendencies, is certainly part of a crowded genre. The fact that it manages to stand out from the pack is a high recommendation indeed. This is a fast, fluid and beautiful action title that will keep you playing until the very end. I may never be able to retrieve that planet orbiting pair of socks, but it was totally worth it.

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.

Age of Empires III Definitive Edition is a lovingly reworked classic of the RTS genre that modernises in all the right ways. It also serves as the perfect way to prepare for next year's long awaited Age of Empires IV.

Monster Truck Championship bravely tries something new and very nearly succeeds. The movement of the trucks is difficult at first, yet ultimately rewarding, but what's built around the driving is sparse and unimaginative. I could see this developing into a fun sequel that rewards patience, but this first effort is a little rough around the edges.

Cake Bash has provided my family and I the most fun we've had in front of the telly all year. It's a wonderfully enjoyable and completely hilarious party game, one that is accessible to all players. The argument can be made that it's a little light on content but then isn't that that the way with the best of cakes? Sweet, delicious, moreish and gone all too soon.

Pendragon is a great introduction to the strategy genre and is easy to pick up and play without the fear of being overwhelmed by menus and options. Multiple characters, dialogue options and areas ensure no two playthroughs will be the same.

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix is a decent kart racing game. The tracks are well made and take proper inspiration from Nickelodeon’s retinue of shows, the Crew system adds a tactical element, and the challenges are decent, but it's just missing a little sparkle and a certain charm. Still, it's a thoroughly competent kart racer that leaves its predecessor in the dirt.

I have no doubt that those who are into motocross and its associated sports will get some kicks out of MX vs ATV All Out and its numerous modes and racers, but it does come across as a cash-grab with poor graphics and performance on Switch. If you’re simply looking for a racing game to play on the go, look elsewhere.

The Survivalists is a calm and serene survival game and monkey butler training broken up by spurts of risky combat and dungeon crawling with your trained monkey attack squad. If it wasn't for a few awkward design decisions it'd be fantastic, but it's still a good survival game that you can tackle with friends online.

Kirby Fighters 2 is an unremarkable fighting game that doesn’t really do much to separate itself from Super Smash Brothers. The fighting is decent and the story mode is fun, but there’s little reason to carry on playing once you’ve climbed the tower, especially with the multiplayer servers already feeling empty a few weeks after release. At less than half the price of Ultimate, Kirby Fighters 2 is a great compromise if you’re looking for a simple fighting game.

On the pitch, FIFA 21 is an incremental improvement over FIFA 20, but doesn't address some of the biggest issues with defending and the high-scoring matches this leads to. With Volta still missing a certain spark and Ultimate Team not really changing much, it's the Football Manager-inspired Career mode that takes the biggest step forward. It's still a good football game, but it feels like the real focus is on next-gen.

Lifting the Tetris 99 template wholesale, Super Mario Bros. 35 is a fun and accessible spin on the battle royale, but it's one that's hampered by a lack of clarity over its multiplayer mechanics. Its fresh new player base also leads to endless trips through 1-1 and gruelling marathons instead of tense battles to be the last Mario standing.

Going Under is an excellent roguelite that is challenging, rewarding and hilarious at the same time. It takes a little while to get going, but once it does it's a delight. As a scathingly satirical look at tech startups and culture it's likely unmatched, helping it to stay fresh and funny for a long time.

Genshin Impact needs to be played to be believed. This is an addictive open-world adventure with gorgeous art and unique combat...and it's free! The character designs are sharp and beautiful, while the pastel-style world itself is full of jaw-dropping colour and natural vistas...and it's free! Sure, there's the admittedly stingy gacha system, but if you just want an immersive and peaceful world to climb and fly around in for hours, then Genshin Impact is for you.

Star Wars Squadrons has taken an impressive first step in revitalising the Star Wars fighter pilot game. With a tale that feels like a genuine part of the galaxy far, far away, and space combat that gives you the tools to be an X-Wing or TIE fighting ace. Whether you’re on the light or the dark side of the Force, this is a game that Star Wars fans need to play.

Motorcycle fans will gorge themselves on Ride 4's 250+ obsessively detailed motorcycles and one of the best track lists to be found in a modern racing game, but the pizzaz needed to keep playing is sadly missing and the career gameplay can be duller than counting your own eyebrow hairs.

Paradise Killer is a pure, unguided detective mystery that doesn't dare hold your hand. You, and you alone, are in charge of seeking out not only the truth of this locked room murder, but the truth of the wild and cosmically corrupt world that the game takes place in. The open ended nature of the investigation can be daunting at first, and while some clunky platforming and frequent periods of downtime can sour the experience just a bit, Paradise Killer still manages to be one of the most well put together and utterly satisfying mystery games I've ever experienced.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time really is the definitive Crash game. Toys For Bob have taken all the series’ trademarks, refined them into a challenging and polished experience and given us tons of levels to play and secrets to hunt for. There’s new characters to play as and masks that shake up the gameplay when they appear, but Crash 4 is the same old Bandicoot who's learnt a few new tricks.

Honestly, it’s difficult to recommend Crysis Remastered. Its premise and design remain impressive to this day, but poor optimisation makes it difficult for players to enjoy the new graphical additions. If you already own a copy of Crysis, you aren’t going to miss out on much here.

If you’ve been eyeing up RPG Maker for a while, then MZ is the best version of RPG Maker. Just don’t expect MZ to do everything you want or even need it to do to match your vision.

Hotshot Racing is a nostalgia-tickling delight that doesn’t have quite enough depth to keep pulling you back for any real length of time.

Port Royale 4 starts off strong, but its solid trading and management gameplay just become repetitive over time, eventually turning into a waiting game as numbers slowly get bigger. Managing cities and trade routes also never really overcome the somewhat awkward controls on console, and combat never becomes interesting. Still, if you absolutely love trading and seeing your empire grow is all the reward you need, Port Royale 4 might be for you.

Despite abandoning the series' all-too-iconic red-haired hero, Ys Origin is one of the most memorable and enjoyable entries in the franchise. With multiple characters, incredibly tight controls, and rewarding unlockables and bonus modes, it's a perfect entry into the series for newcomers as well as an absolute treat for veteran Ys players. The lack of a map and the simple combat can sometimes be a bit of a frustration, but they're ultimately minor annoyances in an otherwise incredible old-school action RPG.

Given the quality of other zombie games such as Saints and Sinners and Arizona Sunshine it’s really difficult to recommend Onslaught to anyone other than hardcore The Walking Dead fans. The best parts of The Walking Dead almost always revolve around the human interactions, but the game is a grind, the story is utterly disposable and it no longer feels relevant to a TV show that is now a couple seasons ahead.

Tennis World Tour 2 is a solid all-round tennis game, and the inclusion of the wildcard system offers an additional and entertaining tactical layer to consider as you play. It's just a shame that some minor issues hold it back from being great.

Party Hard 2 riffs off the Hitman formula, mixing it with a pixel art style and humorous flourishes wherever you look. It can be frustrating when you're caught and sent back to the start of a level, but so long as you don't find the premise too extreme, there's enough here to scratch your stealth action itch.

RollerCoaster is a great little title to add to your collection if you’re either a nostalgia buff or fancy having a classic management sim on the go. Otherwise, you might be best sticking to something a little more current.

Serious Sam 4 is a natural evolution for the series. There is nothing groundbreaking here but it is just such silly and extravagant fun to play. The endless series of arena battles should begin to feel repetitive but the gunplay and challenge is perfectly pitched so each one provides a satisfying adrenaline rush. While not a true contemporary update like those of Doom and Wolfenstein, this first-person legend comes out guns blazing and, let’s be serious for a moment, that’s what we all wanted him to do.

The Girl of Glass: A Summer Bird’s Tale is a difficult game to sum up. The setting, graphics, and fairy tale narrative all point to a great, family-friendly game that would make for a great introduction to the point and click genre, but the tonal inconsistencies and overly difficult battles seem to be aimed at an entirely different audience. I appreciate the narrative reasons for this disparity, but feel that many will be put off by the latter aspect. If you are willing to embrace the battle system then there is much to be enjoyed in this coming of age fairy tale.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps arrives on the Switch in exceptional form. Though there have been a few nips and tucks here and there in order to squeeze it into a considerably more modest form factor, it still showcases Moon Studio’s incredible vision from the moment it starts to the tear-jerking finale.

Evergate has the potential to be an incredible game to play, with its beautiful artwork and animation, and intelligent and well-planned gameplay. Unfortunately, every level feels like a struggle, needing pinpoint precision to complete and move on to the next. It ends up a frustrating experience more than an enjoyable challenge.

Worm Jazz is one of the best puzzlers I’ve played in a long while. It’s intelligent, smooth, stars a hat-wearing worm and features a chilled jazz soundtrack. Nice.

Pathfinder: Kingmaker is a phenomenal game with hundreds of hours of deep CRPG and kingdom management gameplay, but at the time of review it's hampered by bugs that impact how you can enjoy the game, and with reports of progression halting issues and save file corruption. Our advice would be to wait for the bugs to be patched, but ready yourself for a serious commitment to this vast CRPG.

Tamarin may look like the ideal nostalgic fix - evoking fond memories of Rare's Jet Force Gemini - but this is not the game you are looking for. Tamarin's external charms hide flawed and deeply dull gameplay. What's most frustrating is the squandered potential of Tamarin, this could have been a game worth playing, but sadly you're best keeping a safe distance from this particular monkey.

Dog Duty is certainly an experience, I'll give it that, though not exactly a good one. There's a grand parade of issues here, from poor visuals to inept path finding and everything else in between. I'm not saying Dog Duty is the worst game I've ever played, but it's certainly up for contention.

Hades is one of the best roguelites of all-time. It's a phenomenal achievement in story telling, gameplay, and an absolute treat for both your eyes and ears. It's astounding, and it's always been fairly astounding through Early Access, but this final release cements it as one of the greats. If you like roguelites, and even if you don't, you should probably get in on this as soon as you can.

The Saviour's Gang costs 24 pence more than a Gingerbread Latte, lasts 3-4 hours longer, has a few decent jokes, and doesn't make you fat. Frankly you can't go wrong for four quid, sure it has the odd frame rate issue but it's a basic, fun game to play and fills the odd ten minutes here and there when you don't have time to run an epic quest in AAA game. We could do with more of this sort of thing on consoles.

The Outer Worlds' first expansion fits quite neatly into the main game, not really changing it significantly but potentially having pretty big consequences in the aftermath of the events of main plot. The story is well written and interesting with its share of surprises, and dialogue is as witty and funny as ever. If more of The Outer Worlds is what you want, Peril on Gorgon is exactly that.

CrossCode is without a doubt one of the best RPG titles we’ve seen this year, marrying 90s JRPG nostalgia with modern gaming sensibilities to create an exceptional experience. Whether it’s the stellar combat, ingenious puzzle design or lush and vibrant world, there’s plenty to keep you coming back to CrossCode throughout its lengthy story.

Much like an actual 35th birthday party (I assume), Super Mario 3D All-Stars just feels a little halfhearted. It bundles together three great platformers, all of which benefit from the bump up to HD resolutions, and Nintendo have done well to adapt the varying controls to suit the Nintendo Switch, but there's a squandered opportunity to enhance and go beyond this in a meaningful way. Maybe Nintendo are saving themselves for the big five-oh in 2035?

At times, Ary and the Secret of Seasons can be a fun if not particularly memorable new action adventure game, but what will really stick in your mind are the various gamebreaking bugs you can stumble across. I would certainly wait a few seasons for patches before considering picking this up. There is the skeleton of an enjoyable family-friendly title here but it just isn’t ready.

Here Be Dragons is actually a well thought out and detailed game, but the lacklustre characters and plot leave a lot to be desired. Mechanically the game is wonderful, the incredible enemies and art style working fantastically, yet Here Be Dragons falls short where it matters.

BPM is a difficult game to recommend because it is just too damn difficult! There isn’t so much a difficulty curve as a brick wall, and the resultant over-reliance on RNG can make for a frustrating experience. The core game is brilliantly inventive and it feels fantastic when you get in the flow, but there are just too many obstacles in the way. Hopefully Awe Interactive will patch things to make the game more accessible as there is the basis for an indie gem here.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a must-play for fans of Japanese sci-fi adventures. Mixing the strengths of Vanillaware's art with time-travel adventures is a recipe for huge success. A story ambitious enough to have thirteen different protagonists seems bound for failure, yet the game manages to make each story not only incredibly impactful on its own, but adds up to a bigger, brighter and utterly unforgettable narrative. The addictive tactical gameplay that strings these story scenes together, despite a strange artstyle, is just icing on the already massive and delicious cake.

Spellbreak holds vast potential and is full of depths to explore, but it’s not quite there yet, despite the 1.0 release. Sure, it’s fun enough to play if you can sit down with two of your friends and bash out a couple hours’ madness, but I forgot what the game was called once I stopped playing. With next to no lore within the game, and with every win or loss feeling the same, there's just not quite enough to make a lasting impression.

Madden 21 has the components to be a solid, if utterly by-the-numbers entry in the franchise. However, a raft of bugs and glitches serve to undo the game’s atmosphere at every turn.

Nexomon: Extinction is a solid take on the monster training genre with some interesting gameplay tweaks on the Pokémon formula and narrative decisions. The higher difficulty saps some of the pace and enjoyment of adventuring, making me hanker for a return to a Pokémon game. Still, if you’re after some monster catching and battling, Nexomon: Extinction will do the job.

If you'd have told me before I played Shing! that I would like a control scheme that see's you launch combo attacks with an analogue stick, I would have karate chopped your kidney in anger. Ultimately, you would have been right. It's a control scheme that innovates, is accessible and offers a degree of combo flexibility not seen in more traditional beat 'em ups. In a stellar year for nostalgic side-scrolling beat 'em ups, Shing! is a new IP that absolutely demands your attention.

Othercide on Switch remains an evocative and impressive tactical gothic-horror game, though the move to Nintendo’s hardware has dulled the game’s headline visuals, taking some of the atmosphere away from the tactics themselves.

Minoria is an exemplary Metroidvania, offering enjoyable combat, fantastic boss fights and stellar exploration all wrapped up in a narrative that is worth paying attention to and with resolute old school sensibilities. I wouldn't say it's the best Metroidvania I've ever played, but it's certainly in my top 10. In short, if you're a fan of the genre, Minoria is essential.

I went into Street Power Football hoping for an enjoyable take on the sport and was genuinely astonished by how bad the whole package is. This would be unforgivable were it a budget title, but to then have the temerity to stick a full retail price on this just takes the biscuit. I have wracked my brains but couldn’t find anything positive to say about this title. Even my kids (who are not fussy when it comes to multiplayer gaming) only managed about 10 minutes before turning it off. Perhaps the best thing to come from playing this abomination of a game is that it encouraged me to dig out my GameCube and Sega Soccer Slam to try to cleanse my palette.

While we would have preferred to see an adaptation of the grunnier 90s tabletop game, Necromunda: Underhive Wars is still a thorough, faithful adaptation of a Games Workshop classic. Its strategic skirmishing gameplay can prove rewarding, but it's clunky and gets bogged down by technical issues and stodgy pacing. Necromunda fans will delight in being able to create their own Underhive mob though casual fans of the genre may want to stay clear if they’re not particularly fussed about Warhammer 40K.

Moon may look dated and its mechanics and puzzles can be obtuse as hell compared to what you might expect in 2020. Stick with it however and it’s one of the most charming and unusual RPGs you can play that’s just as influential and relevant as ever.

For content starved fans of the classic point and click adventure, it's hard not to get excited about a new entry in the genre, particularly one whose visuals inspire a feel good nostalgic hit for all things LucasArts. Dig a little deeper though and you'll find this is an underwhelming imitator of the legends of yesteryear. Too many obscure puzzles and too many unfunny jokes prevent Darkestville Castle from being the Secret of Monkey Island successor it so obsessively wants to be.

OkunoKa Madness isn’t the name of the game, it’s the name of the condition you have once you’ve played it. Evil geniuses are more forgiving than this game’s development team, and though you’ll be whimpering for the sweet, simple oblivion of a shark-infested tank, OkunoKa Madness will have you clambering back out for another go.

Inertial Drift is a conceptually stunning driving game with unique drifting mechanics that are easy to pick up but hard master. With plenty of cars, tracks and modes to contend with, there's more to this indie title than meets the eye.

An infectious, frantic multiplayer blast, Super Bomberman R Online’s major caveat comes from its place amongst the current raft of Stadia exclusives. It doesn’t seem to be the place that people are choosing to play major multiplayer games, but in the case of Super Bomberman R Online, that’s a crying shame.

Kingdoms of Amalur Re-Reckoning is a good solid remaster, just don't expect much to have changed compared to the original. The world is as magical fantasy as you could get, and it really does draw you in, but some technical issues and a number of repetitive quests can dull the otherwise colourful experience.

Marvel’s Avengers offers a new approach for a superhero video game, yet one that still feels all too familiar for anyone who's played Destiny, The Division, or Anthem. It’s eye-popping in its technical prowess as well as how much it leans on live service hooks, anticipating players will come back day after day. And a lot of players definitely will, especially if they can squad up with friends. Past its flaws and behind the grind, Marvel’s Avengers is still a fun superhero brawler that has plenty of room to grow in the coming months.

Star Horizon is a forgettable rail space shooter that fails to live up to the legacy set by other titles in the genre on Nintendo systems. I would honestly avoid this and play Star Fox through a Nintendo Switch Online membership; it’s cheaper, it plays better and you’re less likely to find yourself frustrated.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+ 2 is a labour of love and an ode to the series’ glory days. Every inch of the game has been perfectly restored and updated for modern consoles and it's an absolute delight to play from start to finish. This is a must-buy for skateboarders, gamers and everyone else in between.

Elden: Path of The Forgotten is very unlike any other game I’ve played. Its unique method of conceptual storytelling urges you to continue in the hope that you may understand. It’s beautifully executed, despite the battles being frustratingly difficult in places, and entices you to explore and fight through the landscape. If you are a seasoned gamer looking for a new narrative to explore, I would thoroughly recommend this game.

Wasteland 3 is a delight to experience with some of the most engaging RPG mechanics in the series to date. Its dense and detailed world is only outshone by the character and its cast of vibrant and wacky characters, who are all brought to life by the introduction of voiced dialogue. If you’re a fan of RPGs, isometric-adventure games or turn-based combat, Wasteland 3 is an absolute must.

Struggling is a mess. While I can’t fault the controls themselves, the object physics are just not reliable enough in crucial areas, as the momentum when using some objects is too chaotic to reliably make progress. Unless you have the patience of a saint or an online audience eager to see your reactions as you're battling through, this is probably not the game for you.

Iron Harvest’s incredible presentation and scrappy, dynamic battles can’t always save it from uneven mechanical depth and arbitrary-feeling limitations. A celebration of the some classic RTS, but not an evolution of it.

While I enjoyed playing Faeria, and will continue to enjoy playing it, the laggy gameplay and required internet connection creates enough friction for me to know that I won’t be playing for hours on end. It’s a fairly decent game, but with its flaws on Nintendo Switch I don’t think it’s going to be a classic CCG anytime soon.

Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time truly feels like a blast from the past. Instead of playing into modern action game trends, the game revisits the style and feel of old-school action games with great success. There are a few frustrating elements that come from that dated design style and hamper the experience, as well as an ultimately unnecessary weapon-durability system. Still, for fans of the original cartoon, this is a trip down memory lane well worth taking.

Double Kick Heroes is a good game, even a great game if you’re a metalhead. The artwork portrays a varied post-apocalyptic wasteland as you race across the world battling all sorts of enemies with the power of metal. The soundtrack holds its own and is worth a listen even outside the game. If you like metal or zombies in any way you will thoroughly enjoy this game and the unique combination of the two.

Raji: An Ancient Epic is a solid first attempt for Nodding Head Games, but there are issues that will need to be addressed for future games. The Indian setting and use of Hindu mythology differentiates Raji from similar titles, lending it a fast-paced story and interesting protagonist, but the presentation, quality of voice acting and platforming all need improvement.

The best way to think of Crusader Kings 3 as a sequel is in terms of its own dynastic gameplay. Sure, Paradox have started from scratch with a new game, but it's still full of scheming, warring amidst an impressive breadth of cultures and religions. Crusader Kings 3 is an heir that has been born from Crusader Kings 2 and its many expansions, including and improving on so much of what made that game great, but it can still grow and improve in its own right.

With driving that is now on par with the competition, WRC 9 will keep sucking rally fans back in for more. Elements around the core rallying action could still do with some added finesse, but when the basic premise is so solid, those issues fade into the background. At last, Kylotonn has delivered on the promise of authentic driving experience, and for a rallying game, I think that is the single most important element.

The Last Campfire is a delightful little game that succeeds on both an emotional and a mechanical level, combining tried and tested environmental puzzles with an intimate and personal story. It represents a huge departure from the title that made Hello Games (in)famous but is a perfectly formed experience that continues to entertain throughout its well-judged duration. Probably the best thing to happen to campfires since toasted marshmallows.

The barriers that Windbound puts up makes it a tough game to enjoy, at least initially. It will take time to appreciate what it brings to the survival genre with its clever boat-building and authored open world action, though these smart nuances often go hand-in-hand with tedious, sometimes frustrating stretches of playtime.

Reining in on the supernatural, Tell Me Why is a more nuanced, intimate and mature story that explores family trauma that challenges our memories and relationships, while making another bold step in representation for video games.

Best Friend Forever has an enjoyable, light-hearted storyline, for an easy relaxed gaming session. Dating Sims can be very hit or miss, and despite being short and having some unfortunate dialogue, I would very much consider this one a hit. The “adopt, don’t shop” message, as well as the inclusion of dog breeds that are considered unpopular only added my enjoyment of the game. Oh, and yes, you can pet the dog.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition retains plenty of its original charms, enhanced by updated visuals and audio, but with its defining local co-op diluted by clunky online play, it simply doesn’t stake a strong enough case for its return.

Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions is the wild and hyper-stylised sports game I've been craving for over a decade. The gameplay is quick to pick up, but hard to master, and the over-the-top anime transitions and animations that are sprinkled throughout the action make it endlessly entertaining. Offline and online versus is sure to give you hours of entertainment if you're the competitive type, while the hefty amount of single-player story content can keep you just as equally entertained. Anyone who's been waiting for the next great arcade sports game need not look any further – it's here, and its name is Captain Tsubasa: Rise of New Champions.

Amid its gentle but affectionate satire of Chinese norms and customs, Chinese Parents is an accessible and engaging life sim that should resonate with just about anyone who’s gone through childhood and adolescence. Even if you fail, you’ll still have a good time.

Going forward, I'm hoping that Train Sim World 2 can serve as a platform that Dovetail can continue to expand on, not just in terms of routes and trains, but features that fans have been looking forward to for years. If you're new to the series, or train simming in general, this really is the most accessible and best way to start.

Kandagawa Jet Girls follows the unfortunate pattern that many of HONEY∞PARADE GAMES latest titles have fallen victim to. There's style and charm galore, with sharp character visuals, fun music, and a charming anime-as-hell story mode. The actual gameplay, though, is rough at every possible edge, presenting a half-baked version of a truly interesting idea that simply wasn't executed on well. There's a lot to love with this game, but unfortunately, there's plenty to dislike as well.

No Straight Roads is a loveably scrappy indie action adventure where the villains and their multi-stage musical battles are the true stars you’ll keep returning for.

In the end, Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? fails to deliver satisfying combat, falls short of being a rewarding dungeon crawler, and tells the story in a fatally cumbersome way that just isn't engaging. You'll be better off just watching the anime again.

Aokana is a wholesome underdog story ruined by panty shots and sudden nudity. This being said, if you can see past the fan service, the distinctly unlikeable protagonist and one note characters – OK, that's a lot to look past – this actually comes together to create an engaging tale of overcoming fears and the power of friendship, and you can't help but root for them.

Project CARS 3 suffers from a case of mistaken identity. Once you adjust to the new direction, you can get into a fun flow of ticking off objectives, drifting around hairpins and purchasing upgrades. However, while the series' existing platform means you get a great variety of circuits, cars and weather conditions, it also shackles this game from being a great arcade racing experience.

Challenging but without the same painstaking depth as most fighting games, Griefhelm neatly distils the thrills of facing your opponent in a mortal melee. The campaign has some clever ideas to help extend longevity with multiplayer being a welcome addition, though the core gameplay can grow repetitive after a while. Still, it's a fun take on the genre and one that will hopefully grow and galvanise over time.

Ogre tale is one of the most Marmite games I have played in a very long time. If, like me, you’re a Japanophile, you’ll probably be able to look past the flaws. If not, you’re going to hate the jarring dialogue jarring and incessant reference dropping.