Alan Wake 2 Night Springs is a short, sharp burst of brilliance which, despite existing simply to expertly whet our appetites for more, is a great ride whilst it lasts.

The difficulty spike found in Astrune Academy helps to increase the feeling of accomplishment when you beat a tough fight. But from there, whilst the story is pretty good, there’s nothing you wouldn’t have seen in any KEMCO game previously. Thankfully, it is interesting enough to keep you playing, as you wait to see where the story goes.

If you are looking for some brilliant F1 seat-of-your-pants racing, then by all means jump behind the wheel of F1 24. Don't expect too much excitement away from the racing, as the omission of a story mode is a real whack. And certainly don't pin all your hopes on the smallest of new features and this year's buzzwords. Join for the racing, and enjoy what is provided from there on out.

Candle Knight will take you on a glorious journey, one complete with lovely visuals and rare cut scenes. The platforming elements are good without being anything different, but it’s the interesting combat mechanic that gives Candle Knight an extra element of thought.

CityDriver is not helped by the fact that the driving mechanics are off, running a bit rough, whilst a strange sat nav and some crash mechanics are just weird. You could say the asking price is way too high too.

Roxy Raccoon's Pinball Panic - a clunky, clumsy pinballer that tries to add in a story for no real reason. Whilst there’s no doubt that the amount of content included in Roxy Raccoon's Pinball Panic is high, rarely does any of it work as intended.

Running at just a few hours in length, Horror Tales: The Beggar is one to enjoy, especially if you are looking to be taken on an epic journey. The story is good, but the world building is stronger, as are the different gameplay mechanics that are implemented.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is an awesome expansion. It is hard, but extremely satisfying, and gives you the opportunity to explore Elden Ring like never before. Go and buy it.

Morbid: The Lords of Ire is an odd duck. It looks poor but good at the same time, the combat is clunky and yet still a decent amount of fun to partake in, and there are interesting facets to get to grips with.

Horrific Xanatorium is less of a horror visual novel and more of a thriller that’s in a rush to get to the finish line. Despite having well-designed characters who could be memorable, the lack of substance and building upon the initial impressions makes it difficult to care about them.

Destiny 2: The Final Shape is the best expansion that has been added to Destiny 2. The story arc truly draws to a close, but there is still much to get on with - exotic quests, new chapters and a whole new area to explore. They make The Final Shape a must play if you are a Destiny fan.

Strange bugs and lack of challenge aside, you should enjoy the new stories found in Detective Minerva Case.

Alchemist: The Potion Monger is a good, family-friendly game that will satisfy those looking to brew up some magic in the depths of a cauldron.

The sheer level of detail in Democracy 4: Console Edition is very impressive. Fans of menu management strategy games will find this super addictive and highly absorbing, as they look to prove themselves as the perfect leader. For others, it may become a bit tiresome after a few runs.

Downward: Enhanced Edition is a bit of a bargain. The parkour elements are fun, as it allows the player to zip and jump around, whilst the exploration of a ruined world brings secrets to the fore.

POMBERO: The Lord of the Night is a good indie horror game that allows you the chance to experience a different culture. The gameplay, exploration and story are to be liked, but the whole thing is too dark at times and the combat/chase mechanic becomes weary.

Some of the checkpointing is quite unforgiving at times and the physics occasionally feel off, but power through GRAPPIN and you'll find a decent view from the top.

Humanity is a great game. Pretty relaxing initially, things build as progress is made, until the latter levels come across as proper tests.

Whilst Hidden Cats in Paris is a super tempting proposition, it does fall a teeny bit short in what it could well be. A few more main levels would be preferred, possibly replacing some of the Bonus stages. But then it’s hard to be tough on a game that is incredibly affordable, especially one that is oh-so vibrant.

#BLUD is a valiant attempt to break the mould of the traditional dungeon crawler but it fails to achieve its target at being more than this. If you are a fan of the genre and are up for a challenge then it is worth a play. Just be warned that it’s not only the vampires that are a pain in the neck.

Still Wakes the Deep is a linear game, one that will take you roughly six hours or so to complete. It doesn’t have any combat and you won’t be finding out the full answers to all your questions, but what it does do is provide a masterful piece of tight storytelling, full of heart, mystery, and suspense. Still Wakes the Deep has some amazing visuals and a wonderful piece of sound design, especially in the voice work that is both haunting and full of warmth.

Things are better as a multiplayer proposition, but Armed and Gelatinous: Couch Edition does still struggle in terms of a hook. There’s no doubt that the game modes can keep you busy for a little while, but after that…?

In a very crowded genre, Ziggy comes up short, mostly thanks to mechanics and features that we’ve seen many times before.

Project 13 is a game that is quite different in its approach, working with a very simple concept. It’ll be whether you embrace it or not, as to whether it lives or dies.

I have to roll out the worst word I can use in the context of a review - Phantom Fury is disappointing. The gunplay is weak, levels are confusing and the lack of a map is criminal. Thankfully, the mini games add a touch of class to an otherwise poor package.

Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a wonderfully characterful tale that gets so much right, adding up to a memorable if not brief experience.

Sure, it’s on the unfairly punishing side, and both the controls and the weapons could have done with more work, but this is a worthy rewind to the time of the Dreamcast. Pick up Rainbow Cotton on the Xbox and save yourself that £300.

Galacticare is an intergalactic powerhouse that’s full of weird and wonderful concepts. The campaign delivers unimaginable scenarios with great narrative moments to keep you engaged. With new ideas constantly being introduced, it’s always fun to see what bizarre species, creature, or object is coming next.

With its throwback vibes, a great atmosphere and story, The Glass Staircase is well worth a play. It feels like a game ripped straight from the mid-90's, but is still capable of driving its own lane.

Playing Braid, Anniversary Edition is like opening the time capsule of a museum curator. The sheer love and care that is gone into filling that capsule is breathtaking. And for those who have never experienced Braid, you’re in for a treat.

Crown Wars: The Black Prince is a disappointment. It is badly converted to the console, it has a number of annoying glitches, and most crucially of all, it isn’t very much fun to play. When it runs without crashing, then it's fine, but this is far away from the best of all the turn-based strategy games.

It's quite the challenge to keep everyone alive, but in Eternal Threads it has enough intrigue to keep you going until the very end of the timeline.

Electronics Puzzle Lab hopes to inspire players into taking an interest in electronics. After playing it, the opposite may be more likely.

There’s no doubt that Terminal 81 is a very unique and charming indie game. It has an unusual setting and plays with the idea of horror in a realistic setting with proficiency.

The narrative of All of Us Are Dead stays pretty faithful to the original material, however there’s a lot more meat on the bones and the gruesome nature of the situation is conveyed excellently via the visuals. This makes it an enticing prospect, no matter whether you’re familiar with the story, or coming in without a clue.

Hauntii is another gem of an indie game. It's a fun mix of puzzles, exploration and twin-stick shooting. You’ll love exploring the world and whilst the story is simple, it is very heartwarming.

Indika is a game I was so looking forward to playing and much of it delivers. The world-building and experimentation in terms of story and gameplay are to be applauded. The visuals are very good, as are the voice performances, but it all kind of runs out of steam by the end, feeling incomplete.

I very much admire The Prisoner of the Night. It’s a small indie game that explores a culture and story that I never would have been aware of in normal day-to-day life. The creativity on display, in terms of the design and look of the world, as well as the music with a calming voice-over should be commended. But unfortunately, the platforming elements of the game (which are a big bulk) are fairly average and – at times – uninspiring.

If you like RPGs, Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord is an interesting glimpse into the past; an intriguing game in its own right.

XDefiant is an accomplished entry in the multiplayer space. There are lots of weapons, lots of customisation opportunities and lots of different skill sets to choose from, and that means you will find a loadout that suits.

Ready, Steady, Ship! is an uneven experience, albeit a fairly substantial one. It’s a little more fun when you get a friend involved, but there are other titles in the genre that have done it better.

There’s no doubt that Full Metal Sergeant is an interesting game, but its big drawback is in its length. It doesn’t take long to figure out what you need to do to get your guys mission ready, and once they have accomplished their objectives, that’s it.

Astor: Blade of the Monolith is well worth a play. It isn’t often I finish a game and then go straight back into New Game +, but this is one that will tempt you. There are annoyances, but the action and the story are both good enough to ensure this is a recommendation.

Probably the most used word in this review is ‘fun’, but that’s really what playing HYPERCHARGE Unboxed is. It’s the kind of game you play with a big smile on your face the entire time. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it is a joy to play whether on your own in the campaign, jumping online for a few rounds or teaming up with friends.

Horizon Chase 2 is capable of delivering many adrenaline fuelled moments. It's about as fast as you'll likely be able to handle, it looks the bomb and delivers on pretty much all the necessary arcade racing fronts. With a host of tracks, challenges and more all contributing to something that is highly replayable, if you're a bit of an arcade petrolhead, this is one to get behind the wheel of pronto.

The gameplay on offer in Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game is fast paced and frantic. It never gets old hanging someone on a generator, and finding a group of people willing to team up, cooperate and play the game the way it should be played means this is a lot of fun.

sCapes is a pretty accomplished tactics game, and while the story keeps you playing, all as you look to see what is going to happen, the hook to drag you back afterwards is a bit weaker.

Goons: Legends & Mayhem is plagued by many issues, but the fact that its weakest element happens to be the central theme of the entire game is a fundamental problem, making this very difficult to recommend.

The Forgotten Kingdom is yet another stellar piece of DLC for Remnant II. Its self-contained approach doesn’t detract for those jumping in mid-campaign, with plenty of new loot to then take back into the main game.

Cat Pipes is a neat little puzzler that will allow you the chance to while away an hour or so, an evening perhaps if you get stuck on the odd puzzle. But that’s about all you are going to get from it.

If you're considering spending time with Not Not - A Brain Buster, stock up on the coffee beans now. You're gonna need ‘em.

Athenian Rhapsody is a twisted game that loves having fun at your expense, but - most of the time - you’re having fun with it.

Paper Trail is one of those puzzle games that you’ll think you can get the hang of, capable of completing it in an hour. But you'd be wrong as the initially simple setup is very deceiving and the more the game moves forward the trickier the puzzles get to solve.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is nothing short of stunning and more than capable of taking your breath away by some of the set pieces.

Spellcats: Auto Card Tactics is an auto battling roguelike card game that’s missing a few tricks and won’t put you under its spell. The card designs, their synergies and the strategic preparation stage deserve praise, for sure. However, it’s let down by poor explanations as well as issues surrounding cat abilities, trinkets, and saving your progress.

With a low asking price, poncle have done it again. There is a lot of content included in Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns and it is all extremely lovely.

There’s no doubt that it feels a bit rough around the edges, but if you are after a new survival horror, you’ll be intrigued by THE ORIGIN: Blind Maid.

Those looking for something a bit more, a complete experience, will be left disappointed by PAC-MAN Mega Tunnel Battle: Chomp Champs. There is one game mode split across two ‘different’ mode types, no real sense of progression, an archaic menu and simply not enough here to keep fans playing long-term.

The action in Space Mercenary Defence Force is pretty good and fairly addictive, although getting a good build going can be quite difficult, as the upgrades are all random. However, the urge is there to have just one more go, and with a very low asking price there is a certain amount of fun to be had.

The Kindeman Remedy is a very dark and disturbing game; one that deals with twisted themes in a very matter of fact way. The actual gameplay is okay, with a good gameplay loop to follow, but the way it all deals with certain issues is quite chilling.

System Shock very much deserves its second coming, and so many groundbreaking elements of the original game still impress today. However, beyond the cosmetic upgrade the same foundations remain, warts and all.

Read Only Memories: NEURODIVER delivers an intriguing sci-fi adventure that’s relentless from the get-go. MidBoss have crafted an interesting world full of fascinating characters and ensures their personalities are showcased via great voice acting.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is packed with stuff to do. While the story does stick pretty closely with the protagonist, there are a wide variety of characters who interact with him and each other in a way that feels very organic. Camera woes notwithstanding, what we have here is a very polished product that just deserves to be played.

There are just about enough modes to keep things interesting in Richman 11 but it isn’t brimming with content, even after ten other versions of it. But hey, at least you don’t need to pass GO! before gathering up property.

15in1 Solitaire bundles in some confusing, poorly tutorialised and - on occasion - broken variants of Solitaire, which is no use to anyone. Then someone ties weights to the controls, making them as leaden and inaccurate as you will ever find.

CorpoNation: The Sorting Process is a brilliant commentary on capitalism and totalitarian states of being. It's frightening, truthful and so well observed. A bit like 1984, a bit like Papers, Please, it also provides a chilling verdict on live service gaming.

Crow Country is an excellent homage to the games found in the early survival horror market. But it still manages to do its own thing, and I like the way it opens up the experience for all gamers, from hardened players to newcomers.

There's no doubt that ArcRunner is a fun blast. It isn’t wildly new or unique, but what it does it does well. As a roguelike shooter with a cyberpunk skin, there is enough about the gameplay loop to keep you coming back.

FRONT MISSION 2: Remake is a game worth checking out if you like the genre. For rarity alone, it has to be worth a try. The conversion isn’t flawless, and there could be a good deal of tweaking to make it work better with a controller, but you should find yourself enjoying what is on offer in FRONT MISSION 2: Remake.

What we have with Lunar Lander Beyond is a brilliant reimagining of an old classic. If you have any memories of Lunar Lander from years past, then Beyond will drag them up immediately.

Awesome Pea 3 bears all the hallmarks of the many, many platform games that came before it. That doesn’t prevent it from being a solid couple of hours of fun however, and possibly the best in the series. It’s always good to go out on a high.

Despite the noticeable jump up in overall presentation, this third outing for the Shockmen is also their weakest. The novel approach of the first game, and the crazy boss designs of the second, have both been replaced in Cyber Citizen Shockman 3: The Princess from Another World, leaving an incredibly generic 2D side-scroller.

Roofcats Band - Suika Style is a shabby, unruly little tomcat, and won’t do quite what you want it to. That makes sense when it comes to cats, but when you’re trying to enjoy a Tetris-style puzzle game, the lack of precision is harshly felt.

It’s fair to say SAND LAND is an alright anime-based action-RPG that fans of the series might enjoy. But it pales in comparison to something like Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot.

Little Kitty, Big City is an utterly charming adventure while it lasts. No matter whether you are a cat lover or not, there’s an unrivalled sense of joy gleaned from the escapism of something as simple as experiencing life as a cat.

The Fall of Elena Temple has got a killer idea and no qualms about exploring every facet. A bad game wouldn’t have been worth the effort, and a bad game this is not. The Fall of Elena Temple is worth every drop of your blood, sweat and tears.

The Rewinder may well transport you into a different world and culture. I doesn’t explain too much, but does provide a great piece of storytelling with some excellent world-building.

Argonauts Agency 6: Missing Daughter - an impossible challenge for any level designer. Can you create something new with no new materials? Can you deliver something fresh when there have been five previous games that have used the same ingredients as you? The answer is, inevitably, no. The problem was in the question. There was no way this was going to be anything but a chore.

For the amount of puzzle solving included, and the low asking price, Tales From Candleforth will appeal. Those with a taste for dark fairy tales will be well catered for, but on top of that is a game that provides some great puzzles mixed perfectly with point and click elements and escape room mechanics.

To like Metro Simulator 2, you’re going to have to be a massive train sim fan. It has some authentic-looking trains, as well as the locations you would expect from Moscow's massive metro.

Not that you ever needed an excuse to return, but with the series arguably as popular as it has ever been at the moment, now was the right time to release the Fallout 4 Xbox Series X|S update. It just could have been more.

Whilst the transition across languages hasn't helped the writing in places, you should enjoy your time with The World After.

Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is a good second entry into The Falconeer universe, offering up something different. There is a lot to admire here, particularly in the simplicity and relaxed nature.

Inescapable: No Rules, No Rescue isn’t a bad game, it’s just that others of a similar ilk, like Danganronpa, do the social thriller visual novel concept much better.

You’ll find the most fun of PERISH in co-op, having a blast with a few friends. It’s that which will make the gameplay loop more enjoyable, the challenge more satisfying, and the roguelite elements much more fun overall.

There’s certainly room for improvement, but Sker Ritual is an enjoyable zombie horde shooter that will appeal to fans of the genre.

Ratyrinth is an enjoyable game, with only some weird input lag spoiling the party. Get used to that and there is a lot of content to go at. It may not be the best looking game out there, but there’s no doubt that there is still some fun to be had.

Another Crab’s Treasure is an outstanding game, only let down by a dodgy camera and some unfortunate scenery issues. The combat is hard but fair, capable of being tweaked to your liking, and that means exploring a vast underwater world as a small crab has never been such fun.

Pick Dreamland Solitaire: Dark Prophecy up if you somehow need more Spider Solitaire after the first two Dreamland games. Otherwise, this can sit cozily on a wishlist for a while.

The annoyances of Glorious Savior are pretty much balanced by the new mechanics, and as a result this is a very middle of the road game - it never quite tips over the edge into greatness, but neither does it fall into the pit of oblivion.

Grandia HD Collection may not appeal to everyone, but those drawn to it will find this to be a great package.

It is likely that Dead Island 2: SoLA is the last major update for Dead Island 2. It’s a shame then that it’s the weaker of the two post-release add-ons

Flying from feather to feather just isn’t fun or relaxed when those feathers seem placed at random. In pure gameplay terms, we think Aery - Cyber City might be the least enjoyable of all Aery games.

SokoFrog is a breezy and well presented Sokoban that would serve as a good entry point to the genre. But it’s also deathly worried about being challenging or remotely complicated. If it took more risks, it could have been a meal: as it is, it’s just a frog-leg snack.

Perhaps you shouldn’t come to SteamWorld Build looking to pile in hundreds of hours, but this is an extremely likeable, bite-sized city creating adventure.

It’s got an unhelpful streak, and the graphical scrappiness stops it short from being the next Hollow Knight or Ori. But you know what? That’s a ridiculously high bar to set, and Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan confidently walks underneath it with its head held high. As a retro-leaning, budget Metroidvania, you can’t do much better than this.

A little voice is grumbling in my ear saying that Dreamland Solitaire: Dragon’s Fury only represents a tiny step forward, and they would be right. But, for now, we are warm to the idea of a second instalment. This represents 200 levels of watertight, overblown solitaire levels, and the satisfying flow of clearing cards, setting off explosion after explosion, has lost none of its charm.

Hidden Cats in New York is an absolute steal. A little over £2 nets you two hours of hidden cat enjoyment, perfectly wrapped up in a black and white bow. The presentation is adorable, the art even more so.