A fast-paced combat system and operatic soundtrack from Motoi Sakuraba aren't enough to save Valkyrie Elysium from a fate worse than Ragnarok: mediocrity.

Just Cause 4 delivers a truly astounding open world that lacks much to do beyond “blow up more gas tanks.” A shallow story, an absence of interesting NPCs, and frustrating mission design make for an uninvolving game that sometimes feels like a job to play. There is fun to be had in Just Cause 4, but only if you stage a revolution against what the game wants you to do.

Red Solstice 2: Survivors is, at best, a slightly above-average game. For every fun aspect, such as the genuinely fun action-packed nature of the run-and-gun gameplay, there are downsides such as incredibly repetitive missions outside of the core campaign. However, you then find an excellent range of creatures and a good amount of character customisation, really boosting the game, for it to then be let down by the base and region-building feeling tacked on, and then the game is impacted by a fair few bugs. If you liked the first Red Solstice, and other similar shooters, you'll enjoy this, though arguably in shorter sessions or with other people online.

Conarium is an enjoyable first-person adventure game featuring a very nice atmosphere, an interesting story featuring core themes from Lovecraft's works and unusual spin on game progression reminiscent of Metroidvania games. The game, however, does very little outside the usual for the genre, so if you're not into Lovecraft-inspired games there isn't anything unique that Conarium can offer you.

Steel Seed may not be the most original game around, but its action-adventure formula serves as a solid tribute to the Uncharted and Star Wars Jedi series, offering an intriguing story and setting, engaging traversal and stealth mechanics, and impressive world design that captures the scale of a world overtaken by machines. Unfortunately, the lack of originality, along with a general lack of depth, does impact the experience, as the gameplay starts to feel repetitive a few hours in. Still, Zoe’s journey is one worth taking for those seeking an experience in the vein of Naughty Dog’s beloved dormant franchise.

Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts offers a completely unique shooter, far better than its predecessors and absolutely noteworthy in the FPS genre as a whole. But players will need a love for stealth, slow gameplay, and the patience of a saint in order to properly enjoy it.

Dynasty Warriors 9 has finally entered the next generation of gaming, bringing the series' tried and true 1-versus-1,000 fights into a massive open world while sticking true to its roots, for better or for worse.

MachiaVillain has a decent amount going for it, there's little doubt there. The concept is fun and one that isn't explored enough, with the added twist of a Cabin in the Woods vibe only helping matters. Once you get into it, the gameplay is engaging, particularly building. It does turns into a bit of a slog as you advance through the ranks though. A lot is also buried beneath the large amount of micromanagement.

Aragami 2 is another enjoyable sneak ‘em up and a solid improvement over its predecessor, but an overfamiliar world and mechanics make it hard to get too excited about the game. Aragami 2 gets the job done cleanly and efficiently, and is worth a shot if you’re into old-school stealth, but its memory may quickly fade into the shadowy recesses of your mind.

Kao the Kangaroo is a mixed bag. Far from bad, it offers decent platforming across several well-designed levels, though some issues hold it back. Some bugs certainly impact gameplay, with camera control also a gameplay-inhibiting factor. The lack of real challenge throughout most of the game will also be a limiting factor for replay value, though there is a level of exploration and several collectibles to find. While certainly not up there as one of the best platformers, Kao isn't a bad way to pass your time, and it's fortunately not priced as high as most new releases.

Morphite is impossible to play without thinking about No Man's Sky, but it is by no means a mere imitation. Morphite has its own ideas and despite some minor faults, executes them very well.

Star Wars Battlefront 2 has the potential to be an amazing game, however, it is unlikely we’ll ever get to play the real game as it's hidden beneath microtransactions. In an ideal world, EA would remove the Star Card system completely and replace it with something that doesn’t interfere with the gameplay. If you are on the fence, maybe wait a few weeks to see how EA deal with the progression system beforehand. That being said, even with Battlefront 2’s flaws I’d still say it’s worth playing.

As long as you don’t take the “Serious racing on Switch!” pitch too seriously, you’ll have a lot of fun with Gear.Club Unlimited. This is an engaging, retro arcade racer with a rewarding structure that puts bigger-name games to shame. I’ve reviewed most of this season’s major racers, including Gran Turismo Sport and Need for Speed Payback, and I can honestly say Gear.Club Unlimited was the most entertaining of the bunch. Gear up for a good time, Switch owners.

With its excellent side-scrolling platforming based experience, smooth battle system, intriguing narrative style, excellent graphics and high replay value, Shadow of the Beast is definitely a quality product. The lack of originality and somewhat unresponsive controls will be issues for some, but the well designed experience makes it easy to get past them.

With an engaging story, amazing lore and worldbuilding that fit nicely with what has been established in the main campaign, and a huge number of new well-crafted additions, ranging from a new location to new mechanics, new enemy types, and gear, Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning - Fatesworn is a great way to end the story that started back in 2012 and a very good reason to journey back to Amalur one more time. The new content doesn't stray too far from what we have already seen, however, so only those who did fall to the dated charms of the base game will find it truly worthwhile.

Although redesigned for a modern audience, much of The Silver Case is left behind in the past. The avant-garde storytelling and newly added chapters are the only things to properly stand the test of time.

Crytek's expertise of crafting visually stunning experiences holds true in Robinson: The Journey. Robin’s tale of survival is the greatest yet on PlayStation VR, even if some control issues keep it from being a perfect experience.

Adapting the final explosive story arc of the original story, Fairy Tail 2 is a game that goes straight to the point, featuring charming characters and a well-crafted combat system that makes fighting the forces of the Alvarez Empire incredibly fun. The lack of any involving side activity, lackluster world design and very short length, however, limit the appeal of the experience only to fans of Hiro Mashima's works, as there simply isn't enough for those who are already in love with Fairy Tail to justify a purchase.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is a very good GPS based AR game, but it borrows so much from the likes of Pokémon GO that it is left without a distinctive hook or personality of its own. It feels like a Pokémon GO reskin. A damn good reskin, with a lot of effort put into it, but a reskin nonetheless. This is unlikely to inspire the fans of other GPS AR games to jump on board, but if you're a Harry Potter fan that likes to go on walks, there is no reason not to try it out.

Kerbal Space Program is a game that makes you feel dumb before it makes you feel smart. That is its appeal. There are some issues with its presentation on console, but if you want to feel smart and have the time to learn (and don't mind the annoying controls and menus), this is the game.

God of War: Sons of Sparta is a perfectly fine Metrovania on its own, but it doesn’t live up to the Kratos lineage otherwise. Either temper your expectations for Kratos’ origin story, or go into this one with an open mind that it’s another generic Greek adventure, and you won’t find your time in Laconia to be a tragedy.

Like the promotion it’s based on, AEW: Fight Forever can be a bit rough around the edges, but the game is also a welcome breath of fresh air. Fun, approachable in-ring action and an endearingly-quirky career mode largely make up for scruffy visuals and some missing content. AEW: Fight Forever won’t be for everyone, but if you’re looking for an alternative, feel free to push your chips All In.

Your enjoyment of Little Town Hero will largely depend on your patience for quirky JRPG systems. The game’s battle mechanics are unique and surprisingly deep, but can be frustratingly random and time consuming. Add in a story and world that have their charms, but are ultimately rather simplistic, and you have a Little Town that will only appeal to select tourists.

Fated: The Silent Oath is a brief Nordic experience that teases something greater, but will ultimately leave the player wondering if there is more to come.

Earth Defense Force 4.1 is a strange game that will likely get judged harshly from the outside, simply because it doesn’t look good. But, my word, does it ever play magically. Not only do I recommend it, I fully endorse it. Earth Defense Force 4.1 is the perfect B-movie video game, and essential to play for all who may be interested in such a thing.

Despite a few minor hiccups, Yonder offers a beautiful world to explore at your pace. You won't be fighting legions of demons to save the island, but you do collect cats and the likes.

Influenced by adventure-platform games of the past, Rise & Shine manages to enrich a classic gameplay formula with a tight mix of different genres, interesting combat depth, and varied puzzles. Shooting controls can be a bit uncomfortable on a gamepad, but this is the only gripe in a game that's objectively very well put together. Highly recommended to fans of Another World and Flashback as well as to those looking for a quirky and fun experience that doesn't overstay its welcome.

More action than RPG, Fallen Legion: Sins of an Empire focuses everything on the battlefield: story, character development, and the choices that will affect the entire kingdom. The unique take on ATB combat is perhaps Fallen Legion's greatest strength.