Talos Principle 2 is the best puzzler since 2011. This is as good as the genre gets and absolutely essential for puzzle game fans.

With a compelling historical story as its inspiration, multi-faceted train management and tough small-scale tactical battles, there’s a lot for strategy fans to like about Last Train Home, and I’m keen to keep chugging away with my own journey through the game. [Review in Progress]

The Pale Reach is just more Dredge, which is fine by me, another few hours of bobbing around in a boat, fishing, and being hunted by giant sea monsters, all of which is weirdly relaxing.

Gangs of Sherwood is exactly what it needs to be: fun for everyone playing it. It's definitely a game you'll want to play with friends for the best possible experience though, so do keep that in mind if you're more of a single player kind of person. I've been having a blast with it though, and if I can convince some friends to join me, I'd imagine I'll be playing it for a fair bit of time to come.

SteamWorld Build will scratch that itch of town builder and dungeon crawler alike. It's an easy game to pick up and play, gradually introducing each layer of society and underground mining at a steady pace. A few elements could be improved to help levels flow better, but overall it's a very good experience that digs up yet another new genre for the SteamWorld franchise.

American Arcadia takes The Truman Show's core concept and updates it for the 2020s with a two-sided tale of escape, freedom and corporate control. The gameplay is mainly there to help deliver this story, but I always wanted Trevor to keep running to get me to the final moments and grand reveal.

Flashback 2 is a shameful nostalgia cash-in that is an affront to the classic original. Unfortunately awful in every way imaginable, do not buy this game.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion is another awesome addition to the series that takes the aesthetic and soundtrack of the earlier games and transplants them to a new genre. While not the longest of games (I completed it 3 times in my 12 hours) there is a lot of replay value with the various difficulty settings, weapon upgrades and some devilish achievements to challenge you. Whether you are already a fan of Steel Mantis’ adventures or new to the series Mech Therion is a fantastic slice of heavy metal mayhem and comes highly recommended.

Bang-On Balls Chronicle is a well designed 3D platformer that has plenty to keep you occupied and benefits from really good level design but its puerile sense of humour isn’t as edgy or funny as it thinks it is and often holds the game back. I would have liked a little more complexity in the controls and challenging trophies that required mastering them rather than the 'LOL random' ones included. Maybe that makes me a grumpy old man but I would still recommend taking these balls out for a spin. Um, oo-er matron etc.

You Will Die Here Tonight begins as a great indie homage to Resident Evil and then develops to be a fantastic take on survival horror in its own right. While there are a few unpolished aspects here and there the overall experience is a stand out in a genre that is so often defined by slavish adherence to tropes and traditions. Any self-respecting fan of survival horror owes it to themselves to face the evil residence and find out the true horrors awaiting within.

Berzerk Recharged is a great game if you have ten minutes to spare. You don't have look up the controls, search massive maps for crafting materials or remember the plot, just dive in, shoot robots and chase high scores. Great fun in short bursts.

At best, the Metal Gear Solid HD Master Collection is a cynical cash grab that is trying to repackage and resell you on nostalgia. There are very few reasons to part with your cash at this point: wait for a proper ground-up remake.

With its enhancements over the original release, Risk of Rain Returns is an excellent game to spend some time with, whether that's on your own or playing with mates. It does make me want to go and play more Risk of Rain 2 though, as I do miss the extra dimension, but that could just be a me problem.

Backpack Hero is an excellent roguelike that should be on everyone's radar. Every moment of the game is fun to play, the story is solid, and the meta progression is deeply satisfying. It's everything a good roguelike should be, and I'm going to continue playing it as soon as I finish writing this paragraph.

Asterix and Obelix: Slap Them All! 2 could have been a tremendously fun arcade-inspired side-scrolling beat ‘em up. Instead, it’s a boring, lifeless, repetitive, and unfinished mess. Avoid like a menhir to the face.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm of Ruin is a great-looking, well-tuned RTS that will keep Games Workshop fans happy for many hours.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 isn't an outright bad game, but it's also not a particularly good one. Taken on its own, it's a slightly above average first person shooter with a poor campaign, but in context, you can see how hurried and limited in scope this game really is. The multiplayer is effectively a classic map pack, Zombies and Open Combat Missions are game modes built within the existing Warzone map, and the campaign's pacing and story come up short. It all adds up to a lacklustre experience and even a sense that Call of Duty is at risk of losing its identity.

Persona 5 Tactica is a good game, but it is a game that's standing on the shoulders of giants – when the giant is the size of Satanael, you have a lot to live up to. Indeed, it’s very difficult to score this and not compare it to the other games in the series as a result. Tactica is good, but it’s not great, and while it is always nice to sink into that warm-bath feeling of hanging out with your fictional friends, it won’t be remembered as either a series high or the best spin-off the franchise has to offer.

There is a lot to love in the Super Mario RPG remake. An adorable art style, deceptively deep combat, an excellent updated soundtrack, and genuinely funny skits and writing all make this game as much of a joy to play as the SNES original. If you can look past the simplicity of the game overall, and the occasionally frustrating experience that is the jumping puzzles, this is a stellar addition to the Switch’s already stacked library.

Invincible Presents: Atom Eve is a fun blend of visual novel and combat, with a decent and well-written story and very good artwork alongside. The combat is good too and the whole package really adds to Invincible lore, even if it is not canon.

With the simplicity of squash and block smashing at its core, C-Smash VRS is a virtual racket sport delight. The bat and ball physics are tricky to master, but stick to the easier Zen mode, or play with a friend in multiplayer and co-op, and there's plenty of joy to be had here.

Beyond the Dawn is a hefty expansion, but a lot of that heft is stuff you'll have already seen and experienced in the original game. While it doesn't go out of the way to explore a new perspective or shake up the formula of the base game, if you're a diehard fan of Tales of Arise, this DLC is a super rewarding trip down memory lane.

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord proves that VR ‘bustin makes you feel good. It’ll feel even better with a group of friends though.

Retro Drive Revamped is a great-sounding blast from the past, and while its old-school arcade-styled mechanics might frustrate, this is a soundtrack you’ll want to return to no matter the decade.

Dave the Diver is a bountiful feast of sushi prep, fish hunting, and store management. The Nintendo Switch version, however, hampers what would otherwise be the most rewarding and feature-rich management game of the year.

The Greek Myths have been plundered by video game developers to such a degree it’s hard to conceive that a fresh take could be even possible. Remarkably, Achilles: Legends Untold offers just that. This action-adventure might be a little rough around the edges, but that arguably adds to its charm. If you can put up with some nasty difficulty spikes then you’ll find a remarkable world of myths and legends to explore.

Dreamworks All-Star Kart Racing is a better kart racer than you’re probably expecting, but its low production values mean it can’t come close to Nintendo’s genre-defining franchise.

There's a lot of depth to Football Manager 2024, but how deep you go is up to you. You can sit back and just focus on the basics of the match day and transfers, or you can all the way to managing individual player training and using the new player targets feature Whatever approach you choose, Football Manager 2024 offers a near full package to start or continue your managerial career.