Through its lengthy story, Resolutiion provides real moments of awe and beauty. From dark and dingy caves through to soaring heights at the peak of the monolithic buildings, the world is a sight to behold, it’s just a shame that traversing it doesn’t feel any where near as great as it looks. Resolutiion’s snappy, visceral combat does help make that journey slightly more bearable, but you’ll still likely end up wandering in circles trying to find the right path forward.

Hellbound has potential, and will surely find an audience for both its nostalgia and its challenge. While the story is almost completely unnecessary, it's a real shock that the whole narrative focus appears to not be concluded in the game, though. Just as the story gets going, and the first big boss is defeated, the endgame credits roll, leaving Hellbound feeling unfinished. That feeling is compounded by the fact that the main reason for returning comes from the score-based survival mode which is still available as a free download on Steam. Hellbound is not big, nor is it clever, and in all the wrong ways.

Skater XL softens some of the more technical aspects of the sport, but empowers players with the ability to pull off stylish tricks with a swish of the analogue sticks. Even with a lack of content and polish, Skater XL stands on its own four wheels in a soon-to-be-crowded marketplace, providing players with an experience that prioritises fun over simulation.

Creaks is a nice and inventive puzzle game from Amanita Design. A handful of frustrating puzzles do little to detract from the world's stand out visual design and inventive use of music as a guide through the adventure. If you enjoy puzzle games then Creaks is well worth a go.

A bright, bold, saliva-shooter, Spitlings will provide a healthy dose of entertainment for those playing alone, while the multiplayer turns it into a much wilder ride.

Jump King is an excellent experience in soul-crushing difficulty and nightmarishly precise platforming. It's the type of game that won't be for many people, but for the small percent that craves this kind of experience, they won't be disappointed. The somewhat imprecise nature of your jumping often frustrated me and diluted the pure player skill needed to clear the game, but it still ends up being a solid test of your patience and platforming skills.

The Fairy Tail franchise and the JRPG genre are a perfect match, and this game perfectly captures the silly yet surprisingly intense charm of the original series. It's a shame that the game often puts so little effort into adapting major story scenes, but that sacrifice is outweighed by the abundance of fun little character interactions and vignettes that are sprinkled throughout the game. Fairy Tail lets you live in the world of Natsu and co. like no other anime game has done before, and any fan of the series is sure to crack a smile at this dedicated RPG experience.

What Happens is an interesting and mostly successful addition to the growing field of games that focus on mental health issues. Most of what it sets out to do works well despite the glaring issues with polish and acting ability. There were moments which were more successful than others and it would benefit from making it clearer where alternative approaches were available. It is clear that Genius Slackers’ ambition is greater than their abilities but I applaud the attempt to use gaming for such a vital and powerful message.

Megadimension Neptunia VII is a delightful and silly JRPG romp that is sure to keep you entertained. The wide cast of characters bounce off of each other perfectly, and even if you're a newcomer to the franchise you're sure to get invested in Neptune and her laid-back, lazy gamer attitude. It's just as fun to stroll through dungeons and dive into the layered combat of the game, as long as you remember to disable the framerate-killing visual effects in this Nintendo Switch port.

I often feel uncomfortable playing military shooters. Is it really morally acceptable for me to be having fun in a virtual playground that depicts a real life conflict in which thousands lost their lives? I don't know the answer, but thankfully Tannenberg never forces me to consider this ethical question. Tannenberg has some good ideas, but it's a slightly dull online FPS that never really gets going. As a budget multiplayer shooter there's some satisfaction to be had, but overall this is a far too limited and sluggish experience.

Othercide is an evocative and absorbing tactical roguelike, albeit one whose style occasionally gets in the way of the substance.

Maid of Sker is a great addition to the survival horror genre and offers a wonderfully intimate and local threat that takes its influences from Welsh folktales. Eschewing the combat and weaponry of many entries into the genre, its gameplay loop of sneaking and hiding proves compelling and successfully manages to keep you feeling in danger at all times. When you add in some excellent sound design and atmosphere you have a Victorian horror that deserves a rousing reception. There may not be a welcome in these valleys but this is one vacation that genre fans should have no reservations about taking.

Destroy All Humans is a faithful remake that retains the charm of the 2005 original, while dramatically overhauling the visuals and making some improvements to the gameplay. Perhaps a bit too faithful, with missions that now feel too simple and limited to the point of just being a bit boring.

Turning the horror game genre on its head, Carrion is a gory delight for you rip and tear your way through.

Panzer Paladin is the kind of game I dreamed of as a kid. A flashy and colourful platformer with nearly a hundred weapons, over a dozen levels, cool anime art, and even the ability to draw my own weapons? It's a tall order, yet Panzer Paladin manages to deliver. Its sharp combat and even sharper visuals kept me glued to my screen for hours, but there were times where I struggled to engage with the best parts of the weapon system. Managing durability and an overflowing arsenal ended up being far more of a challenge than any of the platforming or enemies within the game.

Necrobarista is a game-changer for the visual novel genre, using slick cinematic visuals to tell its story. This is a sophisticated story full of delightful, three-dimensional characters that is perfectly complements by the groundbreaking presentation of the experience.

Rock of Ages 3 stretches the series' core concept to the limit, but this tower defence and boulder platforming hybrid has still got some legs. Adding a few new game modes and the new level creation tool extends the game's longevity, but ACE Team could do with refining a few of the rougher edges still in the game.

Including all of the NASCAR license must be a mammoth task, and while Heat 5 is an improvement over its forbearers, the overall feeling of the game is that of a vacuous slog. With no obvious USP other than the volume of cars and tracks, or magic new features that other racing games should take inspiration from, NASCAR Heat 5 is a perfunctory depiction that’s enjoyable in small doses but runs out of tyres once you get past the initial stages.

Beyond A Steel Sky has an enjoyable tale to tell that compliments the original game, building a newer, more modern dystopia atop the foundations of the Union City of old. It's just a shame that it's so rough around the edges.

Superhot: Mind Control Delete takes the action puzzles of the original game and throws a wealth of new abilities and weapons into more randomised levels. It takes the core Superhot concept and puts a fresh spin on things. It's a shame that it's let down a little by some technical issues, as it's the best version of Superhot's unique gameplay to date.

I had an enjoyable time playing The Innsmouth Case on PC several times through, but it's probably better suited to its mobile iteration, as the adventure book format works brilliantly on handheld devices. As a distraction from commutes (or a companion to lengthy visits to the toilet) The Innsmouth Case is a great little tale that will entertain fans of either cosmic or comic horror.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is a solid, but unremarkable sequel. It's like a table of snack food at a party, where you'll happily nibble away just because you're stood next to it or feeling a bit peckish, but it's not exactly going to fill you up. The new battle puzzles and the boss fights in particular stand out, but the world and endless Toads fail to spark the same delight. This feels like a missed opportunity.

Orcs Must Die! 3 is a great return for the series, giving you a near endless number of ways to bring down destruction on the Orc hordes, even if the larger War Scenarios lose some of the series' carefully weighted balance.

Ghost of Tsushima is an artistic triumph, capturing a real cinematic feel through its visuals, immersive world and soundtrack. However, Jin is a serviceable main character and he and his journey to save Tsushima is often overshadowed by secondary characters and smaller, more personal stories found in the side quests. Throw in some formulaic missions and an awkward user interface, and Ghost of Tsushima is at times more style than substance.

Rocket Arena is an energetic new take on the arena shooter that revels in and rewards skillful play with its projectile weaponry. There's breadth to the cartoony character line up, and while their varied weapons and abilities muddy the purity of the classic rocket arena concept, you'll quickly find a favourite and get to enjoy the frantic scrapping of the game's various modes.

Despite the game's bugs, The Sims 4: Eco Lifestyle is a welcome surprise that surpassed my expectations. Even if you're like me and the idea of off-the-grid living doesn't interest you, there's still enough in this pack that makes it worth a look - just don't expect as much replayability as The Sims 4: Seasons.

Death Stranding takes on a whole new meaning in 2020, and it's a story well worth revisiting or experiencing for the first time on PC. The pacing of the game can certainly drag to a screeching halt through the middle, but with boosted frame rate and crisper visuals, you'll likely be too mesmerised by the hauntingly gorgeous world of Hideo Kojima's latest masterpiece to even care about the uneven story beats.

The Academy isn’t a bad game, per se, but promises far more than it delivers. Its influences are too clearly worn on its sleeve and it ends up less than the sum of its parts. The school is too small and the puzzles just not exciting enough to really draw you in. The target audience is probably much less jaded than me and younger players will probably enjoy the combination of Hogwarts-esque schooling and puzzles, but it’s a difficult title to recommend for experienced puzzle gamers.