They are Billions is a great game that is lacking in content. The idea behind it – a survival strategy with "realistic" zombie mechanics – is fantastic and the actual mechanics behind it are well thought out and make for a deep and enthralling strategy, if one that may be a little too challenging for some. If that sounds great to you then being light on content may not matter, as there aren't many, if any other games that fit into this particular niche.

Senran Kagura Peach Ball is a pinball gaming masterpiece, but it's also incredibly light on content. There's just five characters and two tables, which really isn't a lot. Still, the content that is here is incredibly polished, gorgeous and addictive. These two tables are some of the most fun and jam-packed video game pinball tables I've ever experience, and if the game had just a few more of them, it would be a must-have for any pinball fans looking for their next adventure.

Vacation Simulator goes well beyond what we originally expected from this sequel. It cleverly expands on just about everything from the original game while bursting with the same lighthearted humour and the kind of immersive interactivity other VR devs could only dream of achieving. It’s a lot cheaper than a real holiday too, and involves less time sharing sweaty metal tubes with other humans, which definitely helps.

Clever, emotional and raw, Sea of Solitude is a personal journey that at times you feel like you’re intruding on. It is resolutely truthful and, just as Kay turns aspects of herself inward and outward, you can’t help but consider your own place, both amongst the people around you and inside your own head.

Slay the Spire takes the best parts of roguelites, dungeon crawlers, and card games, and mixes them together into an unholy, but absurdly enjoyable game. It’s the kind of game that gets under your skin and uses it like a tent, just camping out and reminding you that you aren’t playing it. It’s the kind of game that you can jump in for one quick run and suddenly realise that you've been playing for five hours and should really be asleep. It’s the kind of game that is easy to play, hard to master, and impossible to put down. What more could you want?

World End Syndome is a visual novel masterpiece. The story is gripping and evocative, blending fun romance and tense murder mystery together incredibly well. The characters are sharp and beautifully illustrated, and the way their personalities and backgrounds developed over the course of the game was equally well-done. Best of all is the smart save system that keeps track of your progress and does a great job of encouraging you to keep coming back for the full story.

We. The Revolution is a stand-out recreation of the nightmare that was the French Revolution. Despite the turn based strategy mechanics falling flat, Polyslash still manage to put you on the edge of your seat by performing the near impossible feat of making resource management exciting. This is a game that demands you keep your head, when everyone else around you is losing theirs.

Wet Dreams Don't Dry is a collision of ideas that are thirty years apart. It's got a surprisingly liberal attitude to sex that doesn’t excessively objectify women from 2019, but controls, puzzles, and willy shaped chandeliers from 1987. The game has its 'sexy' moment, but the story is more concerned about highlighting how far we've come since 1987 and that's really hard not to like. I'm looking forward to the next game, maybe Larry will get the girl. Or boy. Or both at the same time. Or a llama.

Super Dragon Ball Heroes: World Mission is a card collector's dream thanks to the astounding volume of cards and characters in the game. Unfortunately, bringing those cards into battle isn't nearly as satisfying as collecting them, as long-winded duels and shoddy enemy AI ruin the simple to learn yet hard to master nature of the card game. Fans of Dragon Ball will still have a good time here, as long as they're willing to put up with a lot of waiting and repetition.

War Tech Fighters is raw, unadulterated robot action. The flashy combat and easy to master controls make it a blast to dive in and play. The design aesthetic and narrative are lacking massively, which makes it hard to stick with the game for a long time, but if all you're looking for is some simple robot blasting action, War Tech Fighters will be right up your alley.

The Sinking City promises a nightmarish journey through a Lovecraftian townscape filled with monsters and threatening cults, but too often falls into a loop of forced combat and resource hunting. The investigative parts are excellent, and this is probably the best Lovecraft adaptation since Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth, but it still never really lives up to its potential. Close, but no Shoggoth.

If you like Pokémon Go but you’re more invested in the Harry Potter Wizarding World, then this game may be for you. Pokémon Go has matured incredibly well since launch, so perhaps Wizards Unite will follow the same path to success, but for now, there isn’t much to be excited about. If you were hoping that Wizards Unite would rival the cultural phenomenon that was and is Pokémon Go, you’ll be bitterly disappointed.

Irony Curtain: From Matryoshka With Love is a good point and click adventure game with sense of humour and some challenging puzzles. The Switch version does have some technical issues and there's a little bugginess, but Irony Curtain is a fun little send-up of spy thrillers.

Super Mario Maker 2 is all that the original was and more. The Story Mode feels like a proper campaign, demoing all of the old and new feature and barmy possibilities found in the intuitive level creator. It's a shame that it features some typical Nintendo online stumbles, but it shouldn't be long before that's forgotten in the face of the boundless creativity of the Super Mario Maker community.

EDF: Iron Rain is big, it's dumb and it's also a ton of fun thanks to fantastic split-screen and online multiplayer. Pack your biggest auto-cannon, switch your brain off and you'll be chanting 'EDF! EDF! EDF!' in no time.

While F1 2019 adds features from the all-time bucket list of many an F1 fan, these new additions aren’t quite fully formed yet. This still managed to be the best Formula 1 game by Codemasters to date – the handling of the F2 cars and new online modes are genre defining – but there is always scope for further improvements and some areas are now beginning to feel a little stale. Video gamers can be so demanding sometimes.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is not the perfect Iga-vania, but it is a worthy entry in the genre. It's clearly Castlevania in all but name and long term fans will find much to enjoy here, but it's lacking in polish and refinement with a few niggles with the controls and too many unwelcome bugs at launch. With a few more patches, Bloodstained should be the game all us fans wanted it to be.

Gato Roboto is far from purrfect. The boss fights are a delight, challenging me every step of the way and rewarding me for patience and determination. Everything else, though, is just a bit too safe and unoriginal. From familiar environments to basic upgrades and uninventive gameplay, Gato Roboto is an okay, standard Metroid-style game. In a world where so many titles fall into that genre, though, you can easily find something similar to play that has a bit more originality to it.

Samurai Showdown is a strong entry into the sea of fighters, showing a lot of love for the original series, while also being able to appeal to newcomers. A few niggles aside, people are going to be playing Sam Show for a long time. EVO just got more exciting to watch.

Mini-Mech Mayhem is a great addition to the PSVR library. It's an accessible and fun strategy title that can provide hours of fun. There are some issues that do need ironing out, but if you have a PSVR headset then Futurlab's latest creation is well worth getting.

First there was the N. Sane Trilogy and now there’s Nitro-Fuelled. Activision’s Crash Team Racing rebirth is more than a quick cash grab – Beenox has modernised an all-time classic with such evident passion, making this the best kart racing game we’ve seen on PlayStation or Xbox for many, many years.

To say Trover Saves the Universe is a good VR game would be an understatement. It perfectly blends over-the-top comedy and solid combat while making the most of the VR technology at hand by dragging players into the world and making them centre of the story. Its brand of comedy will not be to everyone's liking, but I still think Trover Saves the Universe stands on its own as one of the best VR games released to date.

My Friend Pedro is everything I wanted it to be. Smooth, stylish gun play, powered by creativity that makes you feel like you’re making your own action scenes in a movie. What’s not to love? Pedro is love. Pedro is your friend.

Judgment is another great Japanese crime drama that will grab your attention as the stakes get bigger and bigger, but it's not quite on par with the Yakuza series. Some of the private detective busywork could make way for more of RGG Studio's trademark goofiness to cut through the seriousness of the main story, but anyone who has any interest in Far East crime dramas or the Yakuza series should pick Judgment up. Judgment has been judged and has been found worth playing.

Hell is Other Demons is a shining example of how to make a game that's relentlessly difficult, while also being utterly satisfying and enjoyable to play. It may get to be too hard way too fast, but once you get over that difficulty ramp, you're in for a hell of a good time. The incredible gameplay is matched by an awesome aesthetic and incredible sound design. If you want some unforgiving video game action, look no further.

Super Magic Cane Zero is a great little loot-em-up that offers some fantastic local multiplayer action. The random loot mechanic will keep you coming back whilst the ridiculous storyline and setting should bring a smile to even the most joyless gamer. The difficulty is a bit much on anything but Easy, but it's still a fun grinder in single player and a multiplayer gem with friends and family. If nothing else, the fun of watching your gaming companions swallow a rock that looks like Donald Trump is a unique experience.

This isn’t a blockbuster title and will likely slip under the radar for a lot of people, but Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth is a unique take on an entertaining if niche genre of games. It looks great, sounds great, and even with teething issues to the battle system, it's worth the price of admission.

Cadence of Hyrule is much more than Crypt of the NecroDancer featuring a The Legend of Zelda skin. From the classic Zelda art style and staple items to the addictive, pulsating NecroDancer gameplay and soundtrack of delightful remixes, this mash-up takes the best of both worlds and combines them brilliantly.

DayZ has a rich history, a long lineage of war stories and strange survivor tales that have drawn thousands down its rabbit hole, but its reality is very different. There’s nothing here but a dull, vacuous wasteland, devoid of character and relying solely on players to make their own fun.

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.

Koral is a good little puzzler though many will find it very easy to get through. As an educational tool Koral definitely has value to raise awareness of climate change and the impact of pollution on our oceans. As a game it Koral is a simple affair that plays well. It may lack much challenge for puzzle fans, but this is an engaging and thought provoking experience.

Whispers of a Machine is an approachable point and click adventure. The story is pretty interesting and the main character, as well as few side characters, are well-crafted too. It falls shy of the best examples of the genre, but Whispers of a Machine isn't far off the mark from being considered great.

Dark Future: Blood Red States is a quirky video game adaptation of this niche Games Workshop board game, and Auroch Digital have done a great job of preserving that feel in a real time form. Its bitesized campaigns keep the dystopian road warrior gameplay going, and there's a real charm that manages to shine through, even if there's probably a few too many rough edges and limits to the design.

Golem Gates is a great strategy title that blends CCG and RTS elements into an enjoyable combat-heavy form, while offering a world and soundscape that I immediately fell in love with.

Akane is a sleek, stylish arena fighter that feels right at home on the Nintendo Switch. The simplicity of its premise and the stylish presentation are equally matched by its fun one-more-go gameplay. Akane is a game that does one thing and does it exceptionally well; its biggest flaw is that there simply isn’t enough of it.

Warhammer: Chaosbane is a good, solid dungeon crawling action RPG, but outside of a well executed Warhammer theme it's just not doing anything new. I feel bad for underselling Chaosbane, as I did enjoy my time with it. However, it’s standing in the shadow of Diablo III, a titan that's been doing it for a long time and that you can’t help but make comparisons with. Warhammer: Chaosbane is good and it could mature into something great, but right now it pales next to its daddy.

If I could, I would score Layers of Fear 2 somewhere between Null and Infinity, but I can't, and as everyone is going to have a different view on Layers of Fear 2 the score is pretty much irrelevant. If you know your films and consider yourself reasonably intelligent then I would recommend at least taking a look at Layers of Fear 2. I *think* I enjoyed it, but I honestly couldn't promise that you or anyone else would. What an odd curio of a game.

Project Nimbus is a fun time for those looking to fly around in a giant robot and blow things up, but like the Michael Bay's Transformers movies, it just ends up feeling forgettable as soon as you put the controller down. While Zone of the Enders played very similarly, it did so with more narrative panache. With Daemon X Machina due on Switch in the near-ish future, it might be worth your while waiting a little while longer for your mecha game fix.

Atelier Lulua: The Scion of Arland maintains the magic that this long-running JRPG series is known for. From relaxing gameplay to adorable characters, Atelier Lulua doesn't disappoint. Newcomers to the series might have some larger story beats go over their head, while long-time fans might be miffed at the fact that so few returning characters are playable in battle. Still, when it comes to the Atelier series, Lulua manages to blend the best of the new with the best of the old with incredibly successful results.

On the surface, Void Bastards may just seem like another FPS, but there’s an element of strategy layered in which sets it aside from the rest. It takes a bit of the old, mixes it with the new, splashes it with a comic style aesthetic to make a truly wonderful experience that will challenge you to make good decisions, enable you to play how you want and you get to be called a Void bastard, which is brilliant. It feels like a breath of fresh air in a sea of FPS games that all do the same thing.

Little Friends: Dogs & Cats does well to fill the pet simulation void on Switch. Strongly inspired by games that warmed the childhoods of many, it has also managed to shrewdly create its own identity with features that were arguably missing from the Nintendogs titles. Unfortunately, the frustrating give and take when using the Joy-Con and the disappointing limits of touchscreen controls really hamper the experience. Paired with a progression system that takes more away from the genre than it actually brings and the absence of any real element of replayability, there's not much backing up the areas where Little Friends excels.

The London Heist always felt like it was leading to something much bigger, and here it is. Blood & Truth is a thrilling romp that puts you at the helm of your own blockbuster, dripping with over-the-top action as you blitz your way from one set piece to the next.

Perhaps the most successful aspect of the game is how well tension and fear are crafted, and Resident Evil 4 is still a terrifying experience, even for an audience who know what each twist and turn in the game will bring.

For the ultimate golfing experience, look no further. Everybody’s Golf VR may be missing some of those multiplayer options and a meaty career mode, though fits itself in a tidier, more focused package pitched at a great price.

A new game in the vein of GTA Chinatown Wars is something that should work quite well, but while American Fugitive has some good ideas it fails to deliver on the execution, especially with the Switch version's wonky frame rate. American Fugitive takes the promise it had, prangs it on a lamp post, and gives it a wanted level.

There’s a good game lurking somewhere within Falcon Age. Interacting with your pet falcon in VR is an enchanting joy, so it's a shame that it's surrounded by a repetitive game structure, lacklustre visuals, and controls that are neither here nor there.

The Swords of Ditto has matured, it’s grown, and it’s kept and even added to the original charm and style. It’s still a bit of a slow burn to get started with, but the changes made in Mormo’s Curse have made it a much better game now than it was a year ago.

Observation is a sci-fi thriller that puts you in a situation quite unlike any other. You never quite know what to expect, but the writing is solid enough to make sense even at its most unbelievable, and the characters of Sam and Emma really grow on you. A few niggly navigational hiccups and a couple of dull puzzles can break the immersion a bit, but even so any sci-fi fan should have a look at Observation.

For The King is a fun and stylish RPG, but prepare yourself for classic roguelite frustrations of dying and starting the campaign again, just to get a little bit further each time. If you enjoy that kind of challenge and like board games then For The King is well worth checking out.

Team Sonic Racing is a technically sound karting game, but really only sells its central mechanic well enough in multiplayer to convince you that it needs to be there. It’s not helped by only featuring the mostly bland Sonic family of characters and locations, leaving it feeling like an overall downgrade from the fantastic Sonic & All-Star Racing games.

Three Kingdoms is another solid instalment in the Total War franchise, but lacks a certain wow factor. Creative Assembly has made some clever refinements around the edges of that enduringly addictive strategic core, allowing fans to steep themselves in yet another historic saga. However, there’s a chance that some won’t gel with this new setting or the way Guanzhong’s epic has been adapted. It’s another fun and rewarding take on the series, though we’d struggle to call it a must-buy.

Darkwood is one of the most terrifying games I’ve ever played as it challenges you to explore and survive a dark and twisted world. Unravelling the mysteries of the night time horrors will consume you even before you try the permadeath mode. This comes highly recommended, but remember to wear your brown trousers.

A Plague Tale: Innocence proves that feisty young women are the new heroes of single player narrative adventures, and Amicia can proudly stand alongside Aloy and Senua. Asobo Studios have knocked it out of the park with a compelling story, superb graphics, and excellent music. Loved it.

It has a ton of content, bundling the base game with all its DLC, so there is plenty to do in Steelport, hopefully letting you see past the rest of a dated, unpolished open world game.

To put it simply, Sniper Elite V2 feels older than it actually is.

Judged by its visuals alone, The Messenger is a charming retro adventure with pixel perfect platforming. Even that high praise is to do it a disservice, as the game soon opens up to be an unexpected, yet brilliant metroidvania, delivering a plot that twists, turns, surprises, and has humour to spare. Ultimately, the Messenger is one of the best indie games I’ve ever encountered. You really should play it.

Super Blood Hockey is a simple game that will last one person a few hours before it gets too repetitive, but is great for playing against others. If you have someone to play it with locally, or you like taking advantage of the Switch's Joy-Con, it's worth picking up. If not, you'd probably need to be starved of hockey games for it to be essential.

This episode marks a clear turning point for the boys. Instead of going from one safe harbour to another on their journey down to Mexico, there’s a clear shift to simply being on the run once more. The dynamic between Daniel and Sean will be clear to see once more, especially as Daniel’s powers grow stronger and stronger. I just have to hope that I can still remember their names at the end of August.

For the flaws that it has, Fade to Silence is an ambitious game that provides a unique experience in a crowded genre. The world is stark, cold and unwelcoming, and there’s a discomposing atmosphere that always puts you on edge. Fade to Silence isn’t for everyone, but for those who want to experience a harsh, unforgiving world, this is just the ticket - just don’t rush into permadeath mode right away.

The Textorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia takes its portmanteau of a title and develops it into a refreshingly original and enjoyable blend of typing games and bullet hell boss rushes. It's also a clear love letter to the horror staples of the 1980s and affectionately captures the look and feel of that era. The result is simultaneously divine and devilish.

When it comes to visual novels, VA-11 Hall-A is king. Never before have I seen such a perfect balance of sharp writing, gorgeous visuals and downright delicious music that also manages to pack in hours of engagement without ever overstaying it's welcome. Furthermore, the combination of drink-mixing action and visual novel storytelling creates an addictive gameplay loop that makes the game even harder to put down once you pick it up. VA-11 Hall-A is a gem of creativity from the most unlikely of places, and I can't wait to see what the team has up their sleeve next.

It's endlessly repetitive, has an unfair upgrade system, the gameplay is relentlessly unforgiving, and yet I've been playing the game constantly. Black Paradox has that magic 'one more go' element, and whilst it's tough, the fact that you progress just a smidgen further each time, learning a new attack pattern or safe space, means you just have to keep on playing. Recommended to hardcore shooter fans, casual gamers may find it just too difficult.

Katana Zero is an incredibly stylish title, from the great looking pixel art to the fantastic soundtrack that accompanies the fast and brutal action. You really get to feel like you're a master swordsman as you overcome the challenges put before you, or die trying.

Grimshade frustrates as it offers up an interesting and original world to explore and then actively deters you from doing so with overly difficult and frequent combat. This could be worth visiting after some balance updates, but one to avoid for now.

Snooker 19 is a solid snooker simulation that will definitely appeal to fans of the sport. The relative lack of modes and some major oversights do hold it back, and so it is difficult to recommend unreservedly. It might be Lab42's first attempt with the official license, but right now Snooker 19 feels too much like style over substance. Not so much a 147 as a battling 50 ending in an unfortunate in-off whilst amongst the reds.

Yuppie Psycho is a surreal and incredibly unique experience. By drawing most of it's inspiration from television and film, the game develops a unique aesthetic and world that feels unlike anything other video games have explored.

It’s safe to say that World War Z doesn’t shy away from its undeniable likeness to Valve’s 10 year old masterpiece. In borrowing many of that game's ideas, from its AI engine to the uncannily similar special zombies, it's actually become a spiritual successor that can scratch that Left 4 Dead itch. World War Z might lack in originality, but this isn’t enough to deter from the brainless, fast-paced, cooperative shooter action that you can effortlessly sink hours into and unknowingly get a real soft spot for.

Giga Wrecker Alt. is a physics-based puzzle platformer that falls down in the same places as most games in the genre, but with interesting characters an intriguing story, it's a decent game on the whole. Just be aware that the difficulty is real, so if that’s a deterrent, consider yourself warned.

BoxBoy! + BoxGirl! is another quirky, charming puzzle platformer from HAL. It might not have quite as outlandish box types as Bye-Bye BoxBoy!, but it makes up for that as a welcoming entry on Switch for newcomers, stacks and stacks of bitesized puzzles and a new co-op mode to boot.

There are glimmers of true excellence here; small stretches of Days Gone can be especially fun and polished. However, the assembly of these various parts suffers from the lack of an engaging story, compelling characters, or an open world that feels organic and worth exploring.

Moero Chronicle Hyper lives up to it's name. It is a hyper-actualized fantasy of sex and sex objects and sex acts and anything sex related. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of raunchiness, the game fails to deliver anything that's truly charming or engaging. Beyond some goofy monster designs, it's a terribly average game all around, hampered even further by a translation that desperately needed more time in the oven.

Cuphead was already one of the best games of the past couple of years before Studio MDHR started tinkering with it, but here on Nintendo’s console, it’s proved the recent adage that everything is better on Switch.

The Padre is a game that pains me. It has potential, but gets stuck deciding what it wants to be and falls short of being good or interesting. The basics are there, but it looks like it still has some demons to exorcise to become truly great.

This game is the pinnacle of Mortal Kombat action. Fights are fluid, weighty, and gorgeous to look at. Unfortunately, that tightly-designed gameplay is bogged down by a grindy system of loot and consumables that only serves to artificially extend your playtime in the most tedious ways imaginable. There is so much heart and care put into this game, from the combat to the gorgeous visuals and memorable story, but that effort feels nullified by the desperate attempt to twist an iconic video game franchise into just another endlessly online service game.

RollerCoaster Tycoon Adventures is a pretty big disappointment for me. As a fan of the series for most of my life, a portable, fully fledged, modern version of the game on a portable console is a dream, but that isn't what this is. This casual approach is too dumbed down for it to be fun for more than a few hours. With the rollercoaster building being so awful, it's difficult to recommend even for casual users, but it might work as something to distract from the drudgery of a bus ride.

Heaven’s Vault is a fantastic narrative experience that offers a genuinely mature and intelligent take on science fiction and the interactions between technology and religion. Superbly realised characters, fascinating architecture, and a wonderfully detailed new language to decipher combine to make this a truly original and rewarding game. It’s a shame that the sailing is so repetitive, but Heaven's Vault will reward fans of slower paced and meditative games.

Through all the little quirks and the awkwardness of the game on console, Portia remains a delight that surprises in so many ways. The world that Pathea have created is offbeat and quirky, wrapped in an art style that still works so very well, even at the Switch’s reduced quality. This is a big, sprawling slice of life simulation, and is an easy recommendation for fans of the genre on console.

An interesting divergence from the usual gory terror of the Corpse Party franchise. It's also a gargantuan crossover event that might leave players feeling lost or confused if they aren't caught up on every piece of Corpse Party media so far. Still, despite the somewhat daunting amount of catching up you'd have to do if you wanted to be totally in the loop, the latest Corpse Party is a wacky and absurd treat that any visual novel fan is sure to get a kick out of.

The lack of depth in RBI 19's basic mechanics has a crippling effect on the whole experience, first as frustration when trying to get used to timing-based batting, then with boredom after you're familiar. On top of that, it's an arcade baseball game that's presented like a sim, but without the depth to back that up or a hook to set it apart from actual sim games, it just feels barren and empty.

Nintendo Labo VR Kit is the most creative use of virtual reality yet .

Submersed takes an interesting and original premise and does virtually nothing good with it. There are elements and ideas of a good game in the bare bones of this, but it is all so poorly executed and dull that it is difficult to recommend. The fact that it is a mid-price game on PS4 only compounds this amateur feel as there are hundreds of similar games available on Steam for a couple of quid. In the end this is far more snores than Jaws, and lacks any real bite.

RICO is meant meant to be played in quick bursts of ridiculous action. Spend too long with the game and infinite loop of smashing doors and clearing rooms becomes rather tiresome, but that's fine, not every game has to be an epic that requires you to bring a packed lunch. It may not be the best looking title, and it does have a few technical hiccups, but for a quick hit of over the top action it works really well, even more so if you have a friend to join in.

Dangerous Driving is the game Burnout fans have been waiting for. Insane speeds, takedowns, permanent wreckage and a raft of events make this not just a spiritual successor, but a new beginning for aggressive arcade racing.

Full of quirky characters and the convoluted cases to solve, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is still a great visual novel adventure, and it's been thoroughly spruced up for modern consoles. It's not the most adventurous of remasters, but there's a real charm to these games that's great for newcomers as well as fans revisiting the series.

12 is Better Than 6 has good combat and a great art style, but is held back by technical issues, unpredictable AI and some odd design decisions. The issues hamper the gameplay and, whilst there is a story, it's entirely forgettable and delivered in awkwardly written dialogue. It's probably best to stick this game's obvious influences.

If you're a fan of run and gun games like Contra or Metal Slug, Mechstermination Force really captures the essence of how tough those titles were, while pairing it with a modern look and a wild penchant for mech design. There's no easy mode.

Bow to Blood: Last Captain Standing is the kind of future sport I can get behind, with tons of style, plenty of bombastic airship action and an identity all of its own.

Elli is a lovely little puzzle platformer that's well worth spending a few hours with, though its relaxed vibe and accessible gameplay could see your attention waning before the end.

Tropico 6 feels like the kind of game that you can fall back on when every other game gets a little too stressful. The economy can be trick to get started, but you can soon start to kick back and take it easy. If you are finding it too hard though, turn on unlimited money and enjoy your break. It’s almost like going on holiday to the Carribean, which is fitting really.

An intriguing take on the long-running JRPG series, but it just doesn't do a good job of crafting a management experience that feels rewarding or engaging. Even once you're used to the overwhelming menus and systems, it never feels like you're a part of the town you're building from behind the walls menus, charts and numbers. It was a treat to see previous Atelier characters interact and talk to each other, but that bit of fanservice doesn't make up for the lacking gameplay.

The story is a bit shallow, but missions are well written and exceptionally designed, leading to an endgame built around tons of content and a deep loot system.

Splicing dino DNA with a very old school style of RTS, Warparty has plenty going for it conceptually, but it comes up short. Even if the gamepad controls weren't an obstacle to your success, the three races aren't balanced and it's all too easy to fall back on massed army tactics. A refreshing setting is not enough to drag this tired old school RTS out of the past.

There's a ton of potential in Xenon Racer, but while it looks and sounds the part, its difficulty level and overly weighty handling keep it firmly stuck in the slow lane.

Basically, Assassin’s Creed 3 Remastered is better looking, but that’s about it. It’s the same game for better or worse, complete with all the bugs and awkwardness that were disliked the first time around, but also with the stuff that people enjoyed. The bugs are too numerous for me to really recommend it, but they were there last time round as well. If you could ignore them then, you can probably ignore them now and enjoy the game’s positives, but it’s still a shame that Ubisoft couldn’t have rounded off more of the rough edges in this remaster.

Yoshi's Crafted World is simply lovely. The arts and crafts style is used in so many quirky little ways, the soundtrack lodges itself in your brain, and there's the same kind of laid back family friendly collectathon platforming that the series is now known for. Its one real new trick is its art style, sure, but that doesn't make it any less charming and wholesome.

Hell Warders provides an innovative spin on the tower defence genre, fusing third person combat, RPG elements and online play to great effect. Look past the bugs and uninspiring visuals and you'll find a deep and rewarding action strategy game.

If it means having to play Eternity to save them, you're better off letting that last Unicorn go extinct.

Managing a racing team is a pretty niche topic for a video game, but if you have a curious nature when it comes to odd fringe sims, there’s definitely enough depth and customisability here to give you a unique gaming experience.