Loco Motive is a very well performed and funny point and click adventure with a memorable cast of characters. The majority of puzzles are structured well, though there are some that are very out there, and sometimes characters can get ahead of themselves before the story has caught up with them, but this is easy to recommend.

30 Birds is a very good narrative puzzler that is elevated by the lantern levels and Persian inspired design. Across its eight hours to complete, 30 Birds provides a number of engaging puzzles and a good story that contains a decent amount of humour.

Threshold is a game that deserves to find an audience that will truly appreciate its provocative and philosophical approach and represents another excellent title in Critical Reflex’s library. The opening credits claim that it is a true story and this detail in particular has lead me to speculate on possible metaphorical interpretations ranging from the highly personal to the global political. It is rare for a game to make you think quite this much and that is meant as high praise.

Towers of Aghasba is an approachable gateway into the genre that doesn’t hold back on features while introducing some quirks of its own. Its mystical setting is also deeply alluring, inviting you to unearth ancient secrets while restoring life to Aghasba’s derelict landscape. [Early Access Review]

G.I. Joe: Wrath of Cobra is a total and complete waste of a classic license. Avoid the unrelenting pull of the nostalgia tractor beam and give this one a miss.

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an immersive experience like no other. It's a tense shooter, a gripping survival experience, an immersive explorable sandbox, and a stunning piece of art come to life despite the harrowing circumstances of the team behind it all.

Frontier’s park-building sequel is a vibe, it is a mood, and it is sunshine wrapped in a very bright bow. Minor control frustrations aside, it's the best theme park builder out there, with impressively deep customisation, beautifully detailed visuals and the ability to make hours of your life melt away.

With its immersive setting, streamlined gameplay, and bustling endgame (not to mention the one-time buy-in) New World Aeternum is a great MMO for newcomers and genre enthusiasts alike. Whether you want to engage in the persistent Faction War or play it like a singleplayer action RPG, there’s a huge amount of freedom while the core game itself has been enriched through months of updates and fully optimised for consoles.

Max Mustard is easy to recommend for a 5-7 hours of cutesy VR platforming fun. It's lacking a little originality though, wearing its many platforming influences proudly, so whilst it's fun and has some great moments, they fail to elevate it to the status of the games that have inspired it.

With its distinctive new style, challenging combat and well-designed puzzles, Sorry, We're Closed is a game I would highly recommend it to any survival horror fan.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a wonderful new version of perhaps the single most influential JRPG. It isn't a top-to-bottom remake or a surprising meta-retelling – it's classic Dragon Quest, brighter and better than ever.

Lego Horizon Adventures definitely gets a lot right, but it also lacks the creative flair of its forebears. Fundamentally, it nails the style and tone of Lego, but seems to forget what it’s actually used for.

Redacted ain't no lazy Hades clone, instead it offers an experience that is unique amongst the crowded Roguelike genre. Put up with the steep difficulty and slow progress and you’ll experience an immensely enjoyable game, one that is cram-packed with slick combat and brilliant characters.

I love what Dotemu and Leikir Studios have achieved with Metal Slug Tactics. The unlikeliest pivot for a franchise aside, it mixes interesting tactical action, Roguelike progression and brilliant visuals into an indie title that nails the balance between nostalgia and modernity.

The Veilguard is a beautiful-looking and highly enjoyable game, and a nice return to a more focused feeling RPG that does justice to both Dragon Age as a series and also to Bioware. It's fun to play in the moment-to-moment, the big decisions feel impactful and worthwhile, and fans of the series will be happy to be running around chasing after that lamentable egg of an Elf once more. It's no Dragon's Dogma 2, though.

Dark and Deep is a focused and atmospheric title that doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. Most of this time is spent immersed in the unique aesthetic and it stands out amongst the many other copycat PT wannabes that flood the horror tag on Steam. The ending is interesting although some of the imagery felt too separated from the Doré influence and instead moved into more conventional folk horror. All in all, Dark and Deep is a well polished and fascinating indie horror that has a look and feel all of its own, and for that it deserves a wider audience.

With a multitude of Metroidvanias out there, a prospective new entry in the genre must stand out from the pack to get attention. Awaken – Astral Blade certainly stands out, but not in a good way. A poor story, poor collision detection, and overly floaty platforming combine to provide an unforgettable experience, just for all the wrong reasons.

Superbly immersive and packed full of action and chills, Metro Awakening is by far the best PSVR 2 game this year and should be in the top ten of all PS5 games of 2024.

Slitterhead is destined to be a cult classic, though mainly because of what it could have been, as opposed to what it is. The combat is functional but feels dated and gets boring before the end, the dialogue sections are unvoiced and feel cheap as a result, and the loop of finding and then fighting enemies through various forms soon becomes unfortunately one note. I enjoyed immersing myself in the world of Slitterhead but the game itself feels too much like a relic of a bygone era than a new title by industry giants.

Beautiful, contemplative and engaging, Empire of the Ants is a unique hybrid that will delight fans of the natural world.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is a welcome return for the other Mario RPG series, taking a more straightforward, less gimmicky approach to help bring new players aboard. The rhythm of the brothers in combat is pleasingly engaging, as ever, and there's a solid adventure here, but it's just lacking that spark to match the very best in the series.

Modern Warfare had a great run, but Black Ops is now back on top in their ongoing sibling rivalry. Fluid character movement, high-tempo multiplayer, evolved Zombies co-op, and an incredible campaign come together in 2024’s most irresistible first person shooter.

Life is Strange: Double Exposure is a very easy game to recommend. If you have enjoyed previous games in the series, this is doing enough of the same to scratch that same lowkey mystery vibes itch. The ability to shift between timelines can become a touch overwhelming at times, but there's several things in place across the UI, accessibility options, and narrative flow to keep the gameplay smooth. What’s more, I think this game might have redeemed Max Caulfield for me too, so take that how you will.

Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered is a great version of the original that offers limited but welcome updates such as resolution increases, faster load times and a much requested New Game+ mode. The unique grindhouse aesthetic and over the top humour remains as distinctive as they always were and it is here that the appeal of Shadows of the Damned lives or dies. If the absurd humour and over the top ideas are your cup of blood then this is an easy recommend even if you don’t have nostalgic memories of the original. Get ready to grab your Johnson and kill some demons.

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered might not have been a wholly necessary overhaul, but there's plenty to like about it, from greater visual depths and details, to the majorly improved dialogues.

The Smurfs – Dreams is a welcome throwback to classic 3D platformers and makes for a good snackable game if you’ve already played the likes of Astro Bot or the Mario games (or don’t have the relevant consoles for them). It’ll keep you well entertained for the 7 or 8 hours it lasts and there are plenty of hidden secret collectables to hunt out. Whether you have any nostalgia for the Smurfs or are new to them you could do a lot worse than to have a snooze with the blues.

One thing they never tell you about parenthood is that you should prepare to play a lot of Monster Truck video games. If that's you, you should do yourself a favour and skip straight to Hot Wheels Monster Truck: Stunt Mayhem. It’s easily the best Monster Truck themed game out there right now. Most importantly, it’ll keep your youngster busy whilst you wash the pots, order a food shop, and get the hoovering done – what’s not to like?

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is a bit of a disappointment. After the story finishes, it feels like little has changed, though the structural systems of the game have had some upheaval. You hit max level far quicker now and, once you do, the fun of looting will evaporate for all but the most hardcore and dedicated loot hunters. Meanwhile, there’s spam to buy loot in the chat constantly, the party finder invariably puts me in parties where my lower level character is useless and dies to a sneeze from a passing asthmatic, and the big co-op endgame dungeon doesn’t really seem to understand what Diablo is. Why doesn’t it seem to understand? Because this is an MMO, not Diablo.