Arise: A Simple Story is a beautiful, moving experience I couldn’t stop swearing at. The game delivers a lovely yarn and some clever level design, but clunky controls and an infuriating camera leave this platformer stranded in purgatory. Arise’s story may be worth your time, but only if you’re the patient type. Simple as that.

Blacktail offers so much with a strong tone throughout. While some areas could have had more polish, what we get is still fantastic.

Catherine is a genuinely funny, fun and altogether unique experience, even now. It merges brilliantly challenging puzzle gameplay with an Animé adult-romance story that is as equally compelling as it is entertaining. It features interesting and deeply flawed characters, particularly the protagonist whose emotions directly affect the challenges he'll face. All of this contained within a game that has aged particularly well due to the colourful and Animé-style design.

Mario Party Superstars offers a selection of completely revamped boards from the earliest days of the franchise. It might not offer much new, or change much, but it looks and feels as wild as fun as you remember.

Ys Seven is the first entry in the long-running series to feature a variety of features and mechanics that have become a staple of the series, such as a bigger focus on the story and the party mechanic. While the renewed focus on story slows down the pace a bit, especially with its slow first few hours, the game's fast-paced combat system, engaging dungeon exploration, and fun boss battles make Ys Seven one of the best action role-playing games released in years. With some technical enhancements and a 60 FPS frame rate, the PC version is the definitive edition of Falcom's excellent RPG.

Not even attempting to hide the massive influence Bloodborne has had on it, Lies of P is a solid imitation of the game developed by FromSoftware. While it lacks the same combat and world design finesse of its illustrious inspiration, the action role-playing game by NEOWIZ is among the most accomplished soulslike game released this year, thanks to its dark retelling of the story of Pinocchio, combat and character customization tweaks and great enemy design.

Cities: Skylines - Natural Disasters is a good, albeit slightly expensive addition to the core game. One of the huge features being given free as part of a patch detracting from the DLC seems unfair to say, but it's true nonetheless. However, the disasters add a whole new element to the game and the addition of helicopters make for a very interesting and useful expansion to your emergency services.

WRC 9 is yet another step ahead for the WRC series from KT Racing and Nacon. However, unlike last year's outing which was a massive leap, this seems to be content to simply refine. In keeping with that, the visuals, audio, and general racing have seen improvement, as have the physics, and although there are a few bugs here and there, they're fewer and further between. There's no doubt that WRC 9 is a strong contender and should certainly be on the list for anybody who wants a great rally game.

Although the bullet hell action can be too intense at times, those that persevere and see Erina's adventure to the end will be rewarded with one of the best titles in the genre.

Ys X Nordics stands as one of the best entries in the series, second only to the excellent YS VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana. With a cast of charming characters, an engaging story, and fast-paced action gameplay powered by some interesting mechanics that force players to balance offense and defense, the franchise by Falcom has taken a decisive step forward, delivering a highly polished and satisfying experience.

Paper Mario: The Origami King is the best Paper Mario game I've played in over a decade, and yet I'm still feeling let down. While it's incredibly endearing and genuinely funny, it's also painfully boring and the thought of playing it again puts me straight to sleep. There will undoubtedly be massive fans of Paper Mario: The Origami King, but I can't say I'm one of them. A lovely action adventure game, but essential for no one.

Mandate of Heaven is a strong DLC for Total War: Three Kingdoms, offering a selection of new mechanics for particular factions, a host of new units and a brand new scenario for you to begin with, one that seamlessly fits in with the rest of the game. There are a few issues that have been exasperated, such as diplomacy and the AI can't seem to handle the new mechanics well, but overall the DLC is still well worth picking up as for the most part, it offers even more engaging stories that allow for emergent gameplay and just more of Total War: Three Kingdoms, one of the best strategy games ever made.

Though some of the changes and the performance issues will inevitably turn some players off, there's no denying that the fourth entry in the series couldn't have made its debut on modern gaming platforms better than it did with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Updating the experience where required while keeping true to the original, Virtuos has developed an amazing remaster that does proper justice to one of the most beloved role-playing games ever released. PC players can also tweak it further to their liking thanks to the many mods already available on Nexus.

Knockout City plays with some interesting ideas to turn Dodgeball into a simple competitive shooter, but it's clear Velan Studios has spent more time building a robust microtransaction system than appealing content.

With a fantastic combat system and a good story, Tales of Berseria feels like a return to form in a lot of ways, despite being more adventurous with the combat than ever before. A great series making a triumphant return.

Building upon the accomplishments of its predecessor and wielding the influence of The New Ring, Middle-earth: Shadow of War should be remembered as Talion's greatest adventure to date.

Layers of Fear: Legacy is a scary reflection of humanity, but perhaps not as scary as your own reflection on the Nintendo Switch's screen.

Judgment is an excellent Japanese adventure that feels incredibly familiar, yet engrossing all the same. With Judgment, RGG Studio has managed to create an excellent entry point for the Yakuza series, and a fantastic standalone adventure. While it's familiar to myself and Yakuza fans, if you're new to the series this might just be the very best place to start. A wonderful, though sometimes slow, adventure from beginning to end.

Visually the game looks fantastic, with each ship showcasing a remarkable amount of detail as they majestically glide across attractive landscapes. Sadly, progression currently feels quite slow and this, combined with the lack of active players could deter those that have recently joined from sticking around. Although the game has the potential to be really fun for a group to play, I didn’t have as much fun as I had hoped and I have no inclination to continue playing on my own. Nonetheless, if you have some time, a lot of patience and a few friends, Fractured Space is well worth a try.

First Contact Entertainment has shown they know how to make a team-based shooter work in virtual reality, Now, they need to show that Firewall Zero Hour is more than just a proof of concept by adding in more content before the player base dries up.

Doom Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One is a solid, meaty, and strong piece of DLC for Doom Eternal. It removes some of the chaff, cutting needless exposition, and makes some strong steps in gameplay. However, strange inclusions like enemies that kill the pace of combat, as well as even more ultra-precise platforming sections can throw off the whole "Doom" feeling of Doom Eternal. Also, and this is more of a subjective gripe, it's just too difficult right out of the gate with some combat sections feeling like they last forever.

Although it might not be as strong as Episode One, Episode Two builds in confidence and understands exactly what we want out of this story. Sad, happy, heartwarming and heartbreaking, Episode Two is an emotional experience.

Some of PlatinumGames' best character action to date is muddled with a bloated first half and an otherwise uninteresting protagonist. However, as the narrative picks up, this ninja doesn't stop until long after the credits roll.

Trepang2 offers a lot of choices in terms of customization, gameplay, and mechanics for players. While the enemy AI isn't that clever and the difficulty surrounds changing damage values more than making enemies smarter, it more than makes up for it with its memorable set pieces, gun variety, and incredibly chilling horror moments.

EarthNight has some novel ideas when it comes to making an auto-runner worth coming back to time and time again, but the inconsistent difficulty spikes and RNG elements can quickly put an otherwise good run into freefall.

The game is excellent in terms of gameplay mechanics, graphics, and music. Unfortunately, there isn't much variety anywhere else to warrant a higher score. This game knows that it's essentially here for versus matches and as such, will only be engaging for players who are going to play against each other locally or online.

Despite a huge lack of innovation, bearing more than a passing resemblance to Zelda: Breath of the Wild's central mechanics, Immortals: Fenyx Rising is a great open-world game featuring a light-hearted, humorous tone, great combat, tons of content, and a well-designed main quest. It's also reminiscent, in a good way, of 3D puzzle games from the PlayStation 2 and GameCube era. Sure, the game does suffer a bit from the usual Ubisoft open-world design bloat, but do not let this put you off: Fenyx's journey to save the Greek Gods and restore the world to its former beauty is one worth experiencing.

Much like a shart, The Fractured but Whole continues to surprise as the game of superheroes goes darker and cruder than anything else the kids of South Park have experienced.

DNF Duel is a broken fighting game that lives by the philosophy of "Everyone's busted, so it's balanced." The game is going to push the right buttons for a lot of fighting game enthusiasts. At the same time, its mechanics are easily approachable for casual audiences who want to see cool moves executed easily. I believe that the game will be in the same category as games like Fantasy Strike in terms of accessibility (it will also be better than Fantasy Strike overall).

Rollerdrome produces some badass moments with its combination of X Games action and bullet-time violence, but it doesn’t replicate what made the OlliOlli games such Zenlike fun. Those looking for a challenge will find it here, but given Rollerdrome’s bland presentation, imperfect controls, and grueling approach to level design, many players will quickly skate on to something else.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is one of Nintendo’s more expansive “Deluxe” Switch repackaging efforts, offering a slick visual makeover and a slate of new content. That said, all the additions don’t really raise Kirby’s Return to Dream Land above its status as a fun yet somewhat unremarkable game from one of the pink guy’s less ambitious eras. There’s plenty of charm on display here and younger players are likely to enjoy themselves, but this wisp of a game can only be puffed up so much.

Yoshi's Crafted World is a game utterly dripping with charm, but not that much challenge. It definitely can keep experienced and younger gamers occupied for hours, but this isn't a Switch essential. If you've got a soft spot for the green dino, then this might be worth your while. A great game for kids and younger gamers, but if you're looking for a challenging 2D adventure, this ain't it, chief.

Pokkén Tournament DX is a bit odd, because although I can’t help but sing its praises, not much here is new, and I don’t actually know who was asking for a resurgence. Still though, the Pokémon fighter is loads of fun and still looks like a great spectacle in motion - the supers just look fantastic. But if you’re looking to play this by yourself, you’re likely to be very disappointed.

Subsurface Circular is a lovely, short exploration game on the kind of people you might sit next to on a metro. It's thoughtful, engaging and thought-provoking.

Dynasty Warriors Origins provides a compact narrative from the Yellow Turban Rebellion up through the Battle of Chibi and the formation of the Three Kingdoms. While the amnesiac protagonist is about as interesting as a brick, his prowess to change the tide of battle is a true force to be reckoned with.

New Pokémon Snap offers a great chance to explore the Pokémon world, with beautiful animations and designs, thrilling levels, and a sense of calm throughout. You'll struggle to not enjoy your time with it.

Alaloth: Champions of the Four Kingdoms is one of the most intriguing role-playing games released in recent years. While some design choices, such as the Soulslike combat system that doesn't work too well with Diablolike enemy encounters in the current version of the game, impact the experience, Gamera Interactive blended elements of both traditional and modern RPGs rather well, creating an experience that is more than worthy of any RPG fan's time.

My nostalgia for this series is strong and could've destroyed the fun I had with Pokémon: Let's Go Pikachu and Eevee, but instead galvanised it. This is the classic original generation of Pokémon, but it looks better, plays better, and feels incredibly refreshing. Pokémon on Nintendo Switch isn't just a Pokémon GO companion piece, it's a fantastic RPG in its own right, and with any luck, will spawn its own series of Pokémon games for the future. A great Pokémon game for veterans and newcomers.

The hunt for elusive Bugsnax is an interesting tale, requiring the patience of a fisherman and the experience of a Pokemon Snap master. This is one delicious adventure, though it might be an acquired taste for some.

ROUTINE is an excellent puzzle-focused first-person horror game that, despite its slow pacing, is able to keep you at the edge of your seat for 10 hours straight, with a tense, rich atmosphere created by wonderful execution of its retro futuristic aesthetic and stunning soundscape that immerses you in its world and gets you listening for the sound of a pin drop to avoid getting caught. It's narrative may be unable to shine through, but at the end of the day it is altogether an interesting game, a game worth playing again, and the game that Alien: Isolation fans should play while we all wait for Alien: Isolation 2.

With witty writing, colorful presentation and smooth and varied gameplay, A Hat in Time is one of the best platform games released in recent years. While the game wears its influences right in the open, it's never bound to them, offering features that do manage to make it stand out from the best classic games. Yooka-Laylee was meant to bring a new golden era for the genre, far from the spotlight for too long, but it's a small spacefaring kid and her trusty hats that may finally be able to do so.

Assassin's Creed Shadows is one of the finest entries in the series, successfully bringing back stealth-oriented gameplay while retaining the RPG mechanics and refined combat mechanics seen in previous entries in the series, seamlessly integrating them with the dual protagonist setup and a well-paced story that doesn't overstay its welcome. While the game still features way more content and gameplay systems than necessary, its rendition of Feudal Japan is among the best ever seen in a video game, and it is well worth experiencing for the vast majority of players.

It makes me feel like I never left KOF behind, to begin with. I am ready to start my journey in fighting games once again and live to fight another day.

Dying Light: The Beast's parkour mechanics and crunchy melee combat are the two load-bearing pillars that make it a game worth leaping into, with support from a beautiful world to explore (minus the infected) and a tense day and night cycle that greatly raises the stakes on its survival elements. Beyond that, the mechanical and narrative pacing, inconsistent writing and narrative tone, and world design choices that feel antithetical to the series in the first place all bring it to a fairly uninteresting experience that is only worth it for however long you want to turn your brain off and enjoy watching digital infected brains go *splat.*

Hob is an action adventure with a stunning visual style, engrossing world and enjoyable combat. It is a standard bearer for what the genre can achieve at this level.

Metal: Hellsinger offers a great variety of metal songs that will make your journey through hell a very pleasant one. Combined with the relentless enemies and dynamic gameplay, this game is sure to give you hours of entertainment so long as you know how to stay on the beat.

Sackboy's first foray outside of the Media Moleculeverse without an editor to guide his way is not only a fantastic 3D platformer for all ages but also one of the best PlayStation 5 launch titles for younger audiences.

Giving Goro Majima his own game to do whatever the hell he wants and it turning into a pirate adventure on the high seas might sound like an amazing combination, but this is one boat ride that's trapped in the conventions of the Like a Dragon series and doesn't take enough risks to be a must-play standalone title.

It offers a lot of fun and a few shiny new toys (such as the buggy) to everyone else who greatly appreciated Dying Light, and it does so with great value thanks to a strong longevity for its price. Unless you really dislike zombies, The Following is a worthy purchase.

The Quarry is yet another impressive title by Supermassive Games. While it doesn't veer away from their previous titles, their ability to write an interesting story with compelling characters is only improving. Featuring several red herrings and twists, The Quarry will keep you guessing and gives you an ever-increasing impact on how the story turns out. There are still a few niggles here and there, such as the sloth-like character movement and a few facial animation and audio quirks, but this looks better than ever and features an excellent soundtrack. If you're a fan of Until Dawn or The Dark Pictures games, you'll like this; particularly as the larger budget comes with a much bigger cast and a much larger and more branching story.

As an online and local multiplayer game, PES 19 is definitely worth playing thanks to the excellent gameplay. However, the AI problems are so bad that you probably shouldn’t even consider purchasing the game until these issues have been addressed. Football fans will need to wait for a patch or just wait a few weeks until FIFA 19 comes out.

The Outer Worlds 2 is an improved, more refined version of The Outer Worlds and is an all-around better game than its predecessor, with a well-executed Flaw system to keep gameplay interesting, improved gunplay, stunning visuals, and excellent character writing, voice acting and animations. It's held back by a lacking plot that fizzles well before the end, progression pacing that's all over the place, and an abysmal menu system, but those elements don't make it a game you should skip, whether you were a fan of the first game or not.

It makes for a better fighter than J-Stars Victory VS.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is one of the most unique titles ever developed by FromSoftware, and arguably one of their best to date. Adapting the traditionally slow-paced Souls formula into a fast-paced, co-op-focused experience with roguelike elements was no easy feat, but the Japanese studio has fully delivered, once again proving why they remain masters of their craft.

Cat Quest does exactly what it says on the tin - this is a full RPG experience, condensed into a few hours of play, stuffed to the brim with adorable kitties and cat puns. If you want a short but sweet RPG with plenty of moments that will make you smile, Cat Quest can be a great choice, especially for kids.

Echo offers something that I don't think anything else has done. It's creepy and imaginative and despite some flaws that come with the limited budget, it offers a lot of engaging, memorable and unique moments.

Resident Evil 3 is the franchise’s best action-driven entry since the glory days of Resident Evil 4. A beautifully-balanced combination of white-knuckle mayhem and satisfying old-school tension, Resident Evil 3 is compulsively-munchable popcorn entertainment that, unfortunately, disappears all too quickly. If you’re looking for value, there are certainly meatier games out there, but few that will leave you licking your fingers as happily as this one.

DOOM on Nintendo Switch runs a fantastically fun, playable version of our favorite console shooter, but it can’t be denied that optimizations and the lower framerate make for a less pretty, slightly rougher version of the game. Despite that, if you want a handheld version of DOOM, I still can’t help but recommend it. It plays well for the most part and is still loads of fun and a refreshing experience, even a year and a half later.

Temtem is a fantastic game when you look at its story and gameplay mechanics alone. However, when you see the variety of activities it has to offer and the way its economy is structured, it will make you second-guess your stay after the main story campaign is done and over with.

Kirby Air Riders serves up a varied platter of quirky modes and features, but Sakurai’s buffet may not satisfy long-term unless you’re up for chasing down every last crumb. That said, while a bit lightweight, Kirby Air Riders' unconventional and surprisingly intense approach to racing certainly sticks out, even in a year with a lot of karting competition, which may be enough to blow folks looking for something different off their feet.

Nobody Saves the World is a lively, funny, and original take on the well-trodden Diablo-style action RPG that’s held back only slightly by a few sticky structural issues. Nobody Saves the World won’t completely change your world, but it should brighten it a bit.

NBA 2K21 makes a solid debut on next-gen consoles, but may fall short of some fans’ razzle dazzle expectations. The game looks impressive, if slightly uneven, and new animations make for silky-smooth on-court action, but a lack of unique, worthwhile content holds the overall package back. If you’ve been waiting for NBA 2K21 on PS5 and Xbox Series X, or bought the Mamba Forever Edition that comes with a free upgrade, this is certainly the best version to play. That said, if you don’t have access to the upgrade (or a PS5 or XSX for that matter) you don’t need to feel too bad about sticking to the G League this year.

The first three Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters are a somewhat solid remastering effort that could have been so much better with a few tweaks. While the amazing rearranged soundtracks sound great and the balancing tweaks make the three games still feel great to play, the divisive overhauled visuals reminiscent of the 16-bit entries, technical issues like the lack of a V-Sync toggle and display settings not saving and lack of additional content found in prior remakes make these remasters a truly worthy purchase only for those who live and breathe Final Fantasy.

The King of Fighters XIV is a solid entry that’s sure to be played in tournaments for the next couple of years and establishes a foundation for newcomers to pick up a controller and learn what the hype is about.

Star Wars: Squadrons is a mostly-successful throwback offering impressive sights, intense action, and the opportunity for fun multiplayer throwdowns. Some mechanical quirks, a couple irritating missions, and a lack of depth holds Squadrons back from being a true bullseye, but those who have missed blasting TIE Fighters should find the game worth the ride.

For those willing to put their life on the line and set foot in the mysterious dungeons, Shiren the Wanderer marks one of the finest entries to date.

One of Akitoshi Kawazu's most experimental titles from the Super Famicom, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven shows that a classic JRPG can be given a complete overhaul to turn into something brand new while still retaining its unique quirks and charm.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment does a lot to address the story and technical shortcomings that held back its predecessors while making some modest yet welcome tweaks to the series’ combat. Age of Imprisonment remains relatively shallow compared to core Zelda games, but that’s largely inherent to the Musou genre, and those happy to bliss out while bashing Bokoblins will find a well-told tale worth tussling with long term.

Trials Rising dishes out the tricks we’ve come to expect from the series. Developer RedLynx steps up their level design and delivers more content than ever, but overly-familiar mechanics and unseemly microtransactions make it hard to get too excited about the game. If you’re hungry for new Trials action, this game delivers, but don’t expect it to rise to the occasion if you’re already weary of the formula.

With a frenetic gameplay experience, a vast array of customization features, engaging online multiplayer, a good amount of content and very solid performance, Alienation is one of the best shooter games released this year on all formats.

Omega Strikers is a fun experience with an excellent presentation. While the game doesn't have much else besides its standard versus modes, it's an incredible game that's very easy to get into and tough to master. The game's free-to-play structure could use some work in terms of the kinds of goodies you get for free, but other than that, it still can be a fun time for most players.

With its Three Kingdoms setting, fast-paced combat centered on the Deflection mechanics, improved level design, and renewed focus on action gameplay mechanics, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is another solid action role-playing game by Team NINJA that all fans of the genre will enjoy. While the complex RPG mechanics and loot system of the Nioh games have been toned down for a much more accessible experience for newcomers, they also make the game easier than most of the studio's previous games, something that will undoubtedly disappoint those looking for a real challenge on their first playthrough.

Ashes Cricket offers the very best cricket game so far. As well as being the most realistic, it offers more approachable gameplay to help draw you in and looks excellent, particularly the licensed players and major stadiums. While it has a few bugs here and there, it also features an extensive customisation system and a number of game modes. There's a lot to love and keep you engrossed.

While not Homeworld as we know it and featuring bugs and a few issues, Deserts of Kharak is still a strong entry for the franchise and a strong RTS. Offering variety to the fast-paced twitch strategy games that are prevalent, the slow paced, tactical approach on offer here is a welcome change.

Alan Wake Remastered is the perfect way for PlayStation 5 users to experience the story of Alan Wake. However, players looking for a refreshing experience might find themselves with a bit too much of the same thing that's been seen in previous versions of the game. At the end of the day, I am recommending this game for what it is over what the remaster offers.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a solid remaster that enhances the original game with some welcome gameplay and quality-of-life improvements that go a long way to make the experience more enjoyable than ever. However, the remaster falters in the visual department, with dull colors that pale in comparison to the vibrant visuals of the original. Still, there's plenty to like in the Deluxe Remaster, as Frank West's journey to Willamette remains as engaging as ever, though the mostly faithful recreation of the original gameplay feels a little dated compared to its sequels.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is possibly the best shooter campaign available on the Nintendo Switch, with some impressive graphics. The image can be occasionally blurry, and the game definitely runs better elsewhere, but this is a great example of technical wizardry on the behalf of Panic Button, not to mention a brilliant shooter for all Nintendo Switch owners to enjoy.

Much more than a fresh coat of paint, Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a new classic nearly thirty years in the making and truly a project of passion for Lizardcube.

The Capcom Fighting Collection is a nostalgic trip through fighting game history enriched with new features like online multiplayer and an extensive Museum Mode that breathe new life into these all-time classics. The lack of cross-platform play and the extremely limited single-player modes, however, make the collection a worthy purchase only for those who live and breathe fighting games.

The Last Autumn is new but difficult. With more challenges to overcome and new systems to wrestle with, The Last Autumn manages to capture the exact same feeling of Frostpunk without feeling like it's rehashing old ground.

Spellbreak deserves a place among the other Battle Royale greats. It breaks away from the others in the genre and does so with amazing polish, thoughtful design, and is most importantly just so much fun to play.

While its premise, story beats and main characters echo Suikoden II a little bit too much, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes manages to stand on its own with a compelling tale, excellent characterization, classic JRPG gameplay and great presentation, which make it easy to look past some of its shortcomings, such as balancing and minor gameplay issues. The world of Allraan may never get into the spotlight again due to the unfortunate departure of its creator, but it is undeniable that it couldn't have been introduced to JRPG fans in a better way.

Civilization VII is a great game, that's the simple answer. With an improved city-building system, terrain features, and diplomacy, there is much to like in the new release of the three-and-a-half decade old franchise. However, long-time fans of the series will find some of the omissions, such as the ability to turn off victory conditions other than domination, limiting. This, and the rapid nature of the ages, will also leave some feeling that the epic nature of some longer games is altogether missing. Still, even with the games feeling a little rushed, the one-more-turn that makes Civilization one of the best series ever remains there.

Wild Hearts couldn't have been a better start for a new IP. While the experience shares more than a few similarities with that of the Monster Hunter series, the unique monster design, the great weapon variety and the Karakuri crafting mechanics give the game a unique flavor that makes it stand out easily among similar games. Performance issues, sadly, impact the experience considerably on all formats, preventing it from reaching greater heights, but even in its current state, the game is a more than worthy purchase for fans of the genre.

Rise and Fall is an expansion about strategy, storytelling and is an absolute dream for anybody a fan of long-termism.

Amazing art style, tedious battle system and a difficulty that's aimed at young children - not one for Monster Hunter fans, but maybe their kids. If they like Rock, Paper, Scissors, that is.

Call of Duty WWII doesn't have 'quite enough' campaign moments to really leave you feeling like a war hero when it's finished, just like there's 'not quite enough' multiplayer content with the map count at a series low. What you do get in the box though is a fantastic return to form for Call of Duty with a solid multiplayer that will hopefully grow and evolve in future map pack updates.

A psychological thriller from beginning to end, Raging Loop takes the deduction out of the players hands and leads them on a visual novel that ranks among Uchikoshi's notable works.

Curse of the Dead Gods is a fun, polished, and mechanically-sound roguelike with a few smart twists. Unfortunately, a lack of personality and variety means it’s also a game that gets less interesting the longer you play it. Hardcore roguelike fans will enjoy their time with these Dead Gods, but less dedicated players may find themselves praying for relief.

FPS fans, Shadow Warrior 2 is just brilliant, dumb, fun. You won’t regret investing your time and money in o this raunchy and a bit outrageous shooter, believe me.

This War of Mine: The Little Ones adds more to the game that makes it both wholeheartedly enjoyable and deeply distressing. Its survival mechanics are impressively weighted, and the events throughout the war are harrowing.

Xanadu Next is a literal blast from the past, a 2005 action role-playing that manages to be incredibly engaging still today thanks to several spot-on features, such as the excellent mix between RPG and puzzle games elements, action combat system and the evocative soundtrack.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands offers some new aspects of the series, with more of the classic, almost unbeatable gunplay and wild combat encounters. It is a vibrant, slightly disjointed world ripe for exploration and trouble. Although it misses a few marks, it’s a spinoff series fans will enjoy and high fantasy fans will inevitably laugh or roll their eyes at.

There are some great story paths to Detroit: Become Human that can lead to different outcomes, but it's still a Quantic Dream game through and through. Expect a convoluted story that reveals itself through repeated playthroughs, characters that you grow attached to and fear to lose, and enough QTE-driven fights to make your thumbs bleed.

Once again, Uchikoshi has come out of nowhere with an utterly crazy murder-mystery that explores the link between witnessing horrific trauma and how it affects how victims dream.

Lost Ember is a game that wants you to take your time and take in the beauty around you, and it absolutely nails these goals. The entire design of the game is used perfectly to awe-inspire the player and give them the chance to explore at their own pace.

A Way Out is an impressive achievement that definitively proves creativity matters more than bloated budgets and big-name franchises. A technically accomplished, endlessly inventive co-op masterpiece, A Way Out will surprise and excite you from beginning to end. This one deserves to be a breakout hit.

Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana was clearly designed to bring the remake of the third entry in the Falcom series to modern consoles, and in this regard, it fully succeeds. The game delivers a fast-paced, no-frills experience that remains engaging from start to finish, enhanced by new features, improved visuals and quality-of-life improvements. However, compared to more recent entries in the series, Ys Memoire: The Oath in Felghana is a more straightforward game with a relatively simple story and combat system, which may not appeal to those who were introduced to the series through its modern installments.