This is a game that wears its heart – as well as it’s influences – on its sleeve, and will charm you throughout.

The puzzles are very simple and the set-up and plot have all been done before. The lovingly-crafted animation, uncluttered play, and warm, sharply-written characters could have converged onto a winner here. Sadly, though, there is the distinct feeling that Pewter Games have made a test balloon, a game that teases something bigger yet to come. For all the fondness you might have for it, when the credits roll after what feels like the end of part one, the game is regrettably very aptly named.

Let It Die feels pretty damn polished for a game that costs nothing to play. In spite of the terrible menus and potentially broken PVP aspects, Let It Die is still very much a fun roguelike action RPG you can easily sink hours into.

The game can be finished in a single sitting. It’s $4.99 on Steam; it’s $2.99 on iOS and Android; and it’s an odd one to recommend to people, because it will divide. There are some hilarious reviews from miffed players complaining about paying money to tap their phones occasionally and stare at odd images for an hour or so. It’s difficult to argue with that complaint not only because that is what’s going on, but because if this game resonates with you you’ll have a tough time explaining to people why.

The developers deserve credit for trying something different instead of just being another SSX clone. If you are willing to fully embrace and appreciate what makes Steep unique, namely its take on group play, the ability to create your own authentic looking videos, and freedom to explore a mountain at your own pace, your trip to the Alps will have been one worth taking.

Even though the game basically pulls you from one remarkable situation to the next, that is kind of the point, and I really enjoyed my time with Maize. It has that self-aware LucasArts ridiculousness that is wonderfully endearing, and seeing as we’re currently lacking in adventure games, Maize is a welcome breath of fresh air.

If you’re a big fan of Cities: Skylines, this expansion is one you should at least have on your radar. It increases the difficulty, introduces some pretty long, unique scenarios, and lets you feel like a malevolent god with the ability to just drop a meteor right on the city center, if you wanted to.

Final Fantasy XV was quite different from everything I had ever expected an entry to be, but it turned out to be exactly what I had been looking for.

Regardless of the lack of new content, this game was and still is a seriously funny, perhaps underrated title from the PS2 era. The gameplay still feels solid on a fancy new controller, and it’s always going to be an interesting premise, in this case executed well. If you’re looking for a nostalgic way to pass the time, I’d like to think this is the game for you.

Pokemon Sun and Moon does more than just appeal to players’ nostalgia; it harnesses and combines it with new experiences to provide something that feels both familiar and fresh. The new experiences are bursting at the seams with new content and creatures, and it’s undoubtedly one of the best experiences available from the 3DS’ library, and the best Pokemon games to release since the beloved era of Gold and Silver.

Pokemon Sun and Moon does more than just appeal to players’ nostalgia; it harnesses and combines it with new experiences to provide something that feels both familiar and fresh. The new experiences are bursting at the seams with new content and creatures, and it’s undoubtedly one of the best experiences available from the 3DS’ library, and the best Pokemon games to release since the beloved era of Gold and Silver.

It’s difficult to ignore the lacking story and largely dead play areas. If you’re a fan of Dragon Ball in general you’ll find smiles and some fun here, but if you’re looking for an amazing RPG experience, you may want to look elsewhere.

Clocking in at about an hour and a half, episode four did what it had to do to drive the story along without overstaying its welcome. While I would have liked a little more explanation from one of the plot points that was skimmed over way too quickly, Guardian of Gotham was otherwise a prime example of Telltale’s character development and relationship expertise.

The main ailment that plagues the Amnesia series is its subject matter. It sounds far more damning a criticism than it ever ends up being, given that the games are there principally to scare you and impart a mood, a tone. The plots and characters are stretched to breaking point in more ways than one.

Small Radios Big Televisions isn’t a bad game by any means, its beautifully animated style, coupled with a synth led soundtrack, creates an amazing environment in which to explore its well-thought-out puzzles and interesting level design. At times though, it just lacks direction.

Mario Party: Star Rush has some fun and original mini-games, and looks great. Toad Scramble’s new fast-paced simultaneous is enjoyable enough, but it’s too bad it can’t be played online. What is also unfortunate is that luck plays way too much into who wins and loses and will inevitable frustrate players. Some minor tweaking along with the inclusion of online play could have made this one of the best entries in the series in a long time, but instead, it’s another disappointment.

When it all clicks Killing Floor 2 is a fantastic, thrilling experience that delivers tense gameplay moments in a brilliant bloody display.

The game is beautiful, yet minimal in its art direction. It provides so much, yet it’s all so easy to work. The rides can be as intricate or as simple as you’d like. You can create custom monstrous coasters and buildings, or you can use pre-built ones. You can hire staff and keep supplementing the turnover, or you can train them and keep them happy for the long haul. It’s all just done so well that this is a must have for any management, RollerCoaster Tycoon, or generally good PC game fan.

It’s great to see how far the games have come in terms of managing all those damn menus, presenting an experience that is true to the source material, and figuring out how to take the combat system and make it fun and fluid. But in the end, it feels a bit too safe.

They managed to retain that core ambition that they had the first time around, but adjusted quite well to the criticisms levied against their project. What resulted is a game that is the same at heart, but is alive with variety and a hero we could actually stand behind without question. Watch Dogs 2 is what a sequel should be in every sense. A bigger, better, bolder take on what the first entry only treads.

If you walk into Tyranny ready for a one-of-a-kind role-playing experience, then you’re in for an unforgettable journey.

Dishonored 2 is the bigger, badder, and bolder version of the original game, thanks to its densely packed world and wonderfully enjoyable mechanics. Even though the experience only has nine main missions, the amount of replayability and exploration offered allows this title to always feel exciting. This is only enhanced by the interesting characters and story that string each level together.

Robinson: The Journey was one of my most anticipated VR titles and the final outcome is incredibly disappointing. The control scheme feels like an afterthought, motion sickness plagues the exploration and puzzle-based gameplay, and a number of technical hiccups lead to things taking far longer than they really should or, in some cases, so infuriating you’ll feel like giving up.

2017’s iteration of Football Manager is still the irresistible management sim with a seemingly endless number of statistics to track and players to look after.

BlazBlue: Central Fiction is a game that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t attempt to be anything more or less. It just so happens that what it is, is an experience no one should miss out on. I’m certainly glad I didn’t.

When there are games out there like Rez and Geometry Wars that reinvent that chassis, it’s difficult to play something like Xenoraid and feel… well, much at all.

Though I wasn’t sold on the futuristic setting for the campaign, it still showed promise for the future of the franchise when it comes to storytelling and character development. And while its multiplayer feels far safer than the disappointing experience to be had in Ghosts, Zombies in Spaceland is one of the most enjoyable incarnations of the mode since its inception both when you’re playing with friends and alone. It’s not the quantum leap fans may have hoped for, but it’s a solid starting point for future expeditions.

Despite it bringing classic issues along with it that can lead to a rather inconsistent difficulty, I quite enjoyed my time with Super Rad Raygun, although it could have been a bit more fine-tuned and polished.