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.

I hate being that guy who basically says "this isn’t the game I wanted to play", but in Skully’s case it seems the most appropriate conclusion. So much of the game concentrates on mechanics that were rightfully abandoned and too little fulfils the marble rolling promise of its early footage. Looks like I’m still waiting, like a strangely bearded Cinderalla, to go to the ball.

PGA 2K21 gives a damn fine game of golf. It controls solidly and there's a good learning curve as you get to grips with the more advanced types of shot. Despite that, I can’t help but be a little disappointed with the feel of the overall experience. What should have been a hole in one return of a licensed golf series feels like it's only just managing to hit par.

Peaky Blinders: Mastermind offers one of the most essential puzzling experiences of 2020. The masterminding may come to an end far too soon, but when it does the the sublime gameplay mash-up you've just had will make you realise that Futurlab have forged an entirely new genre: rewind time strategy. Peaky Blinders: Mastermind is so good that it compelled me to go and watch the original TV show. Now, how many games based on a franchise can say that?

Without wishing to damn it with faint praise, Battletoads is pretty much exactly what you’d think it would be. Taking clear influence from the 90s classics whilst adding in some welcome modern approaches, there is plenty here to enjoy while it lasts. An ideal perfect Game Pass title, this is well worth checking out, warts and all.

At its heart, Void Terrarium is a delightful, charming and compelling Tamagotchi-inspired 'keep them alive 'em up.' Sadly these magical moments are coated in so much tedious and overly-difficult combat and exploration bloat that it is exhausting to find them. There's magic hidden deep in this game, just be prepared to grind long and hard to find it.

Fast & Furious Crossroads is a melting pot of ideas, none of which have had time to mature. Poor vehicle handling, weird pacing, unloved online multiplayer, inconsistent visuals, the list goes on. All of those Facebook comments lambasting the trailer for ‘PS2-era graphics’ are wide of the mark. It’s PS2-era physics, dialogue and level design too.

Ultimately SWORD ART ONLINE: Alicization Lycoris takes too long to get to the point both in its combat and story, leaving the player disinterested before it even really begins. There is a good game here if you do commit to it, with some great character and world design, enjoyable combat, and interesting game systems, but it’s just not worth the slog to reach it.

If you’re looking for a sophisticated car sim, you won’t find it in Road to Guangdong. What will keep you going over its short duration however is a wonderfully authentic exploration of Chinese/Cantonese culture through two very universal subjects: family and food.

Spiritfarer has a soft, caring, bittersweet tone that I've rarely encountered in video games. For a game all about death and dying, I only ever felt calm and relaxed when playing it. The management gameplay is varied and engaging, and even though the scope if it leads to the game getting a bit too long in the tooth, it helps connect the incredibly emotional story beats together so well. Mix that up with its beautiful art style and enchanting music, and you've got one of the most emotional management games I've ever played.

Mortal Shell is just an incredibly satisfying experience. It’ll punish you constantly, but if you can master the mechanics it lays out in front of you then you’ll have an incredible time of things. The lore is a little more obvious that in other soulslikes, and the story it tells and the world it puts you in are both rather enthralling. This is definitely a game that fans of dying a lot will enjoy, but it’s probably not for everyone.

UFC 4 is an evolution over UFC 3. A much better and more cohesive online, a better system for advancing your created fighters, a career mode that has a bit more depth, and gameplay that opens up the series to more people, makes UFC 4 the game that UFC 3 should have been.

Death End re;Quest 2 is the horror RPG I never knew I wanted. Its mysterious and grim story is reminiscent of some of the all-time great Japanese visual novel and indie adventure experiences, but the fact that it's tied up into an addictive and enjoyable RPG package is the icing on the cake. The fun begins to get soured a bit by the sudden difficulty spikes throughout the game, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this terrifying and jaw-dropping story from beginning to end.