Those who delve into the survival horror genre and Cthulhu enthusiasts will be able to scratch their Cthulhu-shaped itch with the experience Edge of Sanity offers. Despite its predictability, it is an addictive, fun and spooky eldritch horror that will keep you entertained for hours as you endure monsters on each run and manage your resources for survival. It’s safe to say that Edge of Sanity is yet another great addition to the Cthulhu-inspired eldritch horror genre.

There are definitely moments that feel like you’re playing a game that could have come out 10 or more years ago, but the point-and-click genre is one that can accommodate such design choices if the narrative is good enough. In the end, Asylum’s narrative is solid with some great atmosphere that makes it a point-and-click adventure worth checking out if you like games with horror elements.

Aping great co-op shooters like Left 4 Dead but in the VR space, After the Fall provides a fun yet fleeting experience that could do with more to do.

A blast from the past that appeals even in the modern age, It’s easy to be grateful that this experience has not been lost to the sands of time.

South of the Circle beguiles with its polished presentation and top-notch performances but often forgets to make itself a compelling game in the process.

The beating heart of the Call of Duty experience in terms of multiplayer feels like a solid return to the classic formula, but abundant technical issues make this a worrying stumble into a new generation.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity impresses with its narrative and fun hack and slash action from the offset, but dreadful performance and repetitive gameplay ultimately stifle its impact.

Raidou Remastered is an enjoyable MegaTen curio that needs a few more ideas to give its real-time combat any lasting appeal.

If a challenge is what you’re after, you’ll find it within Aeterna Noctis. There’s still plenty to appreciate and enjoy if that’s up your alley, but it doesn’t do enough to allow its concept to stand out from the competition.

Though it can be a relatively shallow and imperfect game, Minecraft Legends offers a fun and unique experience that feels befitting of a Minecraft spinoff.

Akka Arrh is a relic from a lost time, making itself quite at home with a modern player through overwhelming visuals and a gameplay loop that seeps into your gray matter.

Mario Golf Super Rush is competent, and it shows flashes of creativity in its Speed Golf and Battle Golf modes, but the package ultimately loses momentum a little too quickly. Still, with friends it's a blast, so if you've got a good group of friends that're ready to don some plaid plumber's overalls you're in luck.

The Library of Babel takes its short story inspirations and runs, crafting a compelling, strange sci-fi world that isn’t always as fun to explore as it is to read about, or just simply vibe in.

Keeper and its endearing story of friendship and nature hits every artistic mark you would expect out of Double Fine, but its unengaging gameplay and lacking puzzles keep it from joining the studio’s top-shelf hits.

If you want to get your heart pumping and your clickin’ fingers firing, Rayze will get you on track and blasting off.

Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE could have used its inventiveness more concisely, but what’s here is still an enjoyable first entry for a new IP that holds plenty of promise now and hopefully into the future.

Unreliable performance and some underdeveloped mechanics do hurt the impact and atmosphere of After Us, but its intriguing post-apocalyptic world and satisfying movement still make for a worthy adventure.

Ubisoft have built upon the foundations of its immensely satisfying city-building blueprint with a winning retheme, but a few too many technical and interface issues mean Anno 117: Pax Romana falls just shy of a recommendation.

Scars Above is an enjoyable, if simple, entry into the sci-fi shooter genre. Although elements of the game feel a bit rushed or unpolished, none of that will detract from the overall experience. If you have a few hours to spare and you like mysterious adventures on far-flung planets, I recommend giving this one a go.

A simple, yet enjoyable puzzle platformer, Scarf is a beautiful title that plays around with the tried and true tale of the hero defeating evil.

Repetitive combat and exploration pad out this wonderfully remastered cult JRPG experience that falls just short of a recommendation.

Lego Horizon Adventures will find an audience in its target demographic of young kids wanting something easy to pick up and play. But a short campaign and a lack of originality hurts the finished product for everyone else.

DOOM 3 VR Edition is a welcome addition for AIM Controller owners, but a little too late to the party.

As is sometimes the way, after reading my thoughts back I get a sense that perhaps I have been a little harsh. This remaster is undeniably beautiful, and faithfully recreates the experience of the original Ninja Gaiden II and its Sigma version on modern consoles – this much is certain. But despite its gruesome and oft entertaining spectacle, many aspects of its design, be it the one-note linear structure or godawful camera, mark it with a certain quaintness that isn’t entirely becoming. It was fun to replay this moment in time, but I don’t see myself going back for more. I’m watching very keenly to see what the extraordinarily talented people at Team Ninja and PlatinumGames can cook up with Ninja Gaiden 4 – hopefully we’ll see what a true modern reincarnation of this legendary series looks like.

Age of Empires IV is a worthy return of an iconic series, but is difficult to recommend over older remastered entries. Newer players, and some returning ones, may find use of its new gameplay features but will probably end up scrapping them as they grow more experienced.

Kardboard Kings is a relaxing and beginner-friendly management sim game with a quirky cast of characters and a story that, while interesting, struggles to reach its full potential.

Within The Blade is a love letter to the 'hard ninja game' tradition, drawing inspiration from titles of the pixel age in particular. While it may take some getting used to, the game's difficulty curve becomes more rewarding than not...sans a few minor setbacks.

While the needle wobbles between fun and frustrating, Camped Out! is still a memorable multiplayer title that easily captures an undiscovered need to be the very best at camping anywhere you can, be it an abandoned mine or a spooky beach.

Near-Mage is an intriguing story in a stunning Transylvanian setting that doesn’t quite live up to its potential due to its underutilised magick mechanics and lack of difficulty. Some adventure fans may appreciate Near-Mage’s simplicity, while others will wish it had more of a challenge.

Repeatedly reliving Armageddon may not sound like an appealing prospect, but when it looks and sounds this pretty, I can understand. The audiovisual identity of Wizard with a Gun may be its strongest ally, but that shouldn’t discount the enjoyable gameplay loop and inventive combat options. The mismatched difficulty, unenthusiastic base building and some occasional technical hiccups stop me from fully investing in this world, but I certainly appreciate the more bite-sized survival offering that Galvanic has provided.

This third-person action game is a little rough around the edges and tries a little too hard to be serious, but its premise and combat is compelling enough to get the job done.

People of Note is an ambitious turn-based RPG which shines in many ways but ultimately fails to hit all of its high notes. While the soundtrack and turn-based combat are individually strong, there’s a persistent disconnect between the gameplay experience and the power of song that the narrative is trying to sell you, leading to a weird sense of musical emptiness that undermines the core selling point of the game.

Born Punk is a solid point-and-click adventure whose overly faithful homage to the classics slightly hinders its enjoyment.

Worth milking every drop – the steaks have never been higher.

With revamped combat and a slick presentation, Super Mech League is a vast improvement over the original in many ways, though a lack of content might limit the amount of time you spend with this robot rumbler.

A relatively quaint expansion that doesn’t really strive to do much beyond adding some Pokémon and telling a small, nice story. Still, it is victim to the horrendous technical woes that plague the Generation 9 games, as well as some strange balance choices that make the early periods of the expansion feel quite weird.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game – Complete Edition is the same game that everybody lamented when it was lost six years ago. The progression-based game flow, the fantastic visuals and soundtrack, and the same problems bar one. While it’s nice to have back what’s become something of a legend in its absence, you know what they say about meeting your heroes.

A decent tactical challenge flanked by a wealth of content, Door Kickers is let down somewhat by a poor tutorial and a messy control scheme.

Super Meat Boy Forever is a sequel not afraid to shake things up, but in doing so it fails to capture much of what made the original so amazing.

This spooky age of piracy has charming supernatural characters and visuals, but the hardcore stealth action on offer is an uncompromising, often unwieldy beast.

Expanding on the already fun combat while offering a new and improved endgame mode, Worldslayer is worth heading back to Enoch for, even if the story told on the trip is a forgettable one.

While this remake is a welcome look into Nintendo's diverse game productions and provides a story that'll satisfy most thriller buffs, some aspects hold it back from being a must-buy.

While this remake is a welcome look into Nintendo's diverse game productions and provides a story that'll satisfy most thriller buffs, some aspects hold it back from being a must-buy.

A solid strategy experience isn’t quite enough to elevate Days of Doom past its more varied competition on the indie market, but there’s just enough meat on the zombie bones.

As someone who plays EA Sports FC casually and just wants a solid football game, EA Sports FC25 ticks the boxes. Career Mode has had some nice additions but it still pales in comparison to its competition, but the new Rush mode is a blast. But as the years go on and the changes get less meaningful and more buzzwordy, it’s hard to argue against the idea that this could be a DLC pack that EA charges for a fee much less than a full-priced product. However, the shareholders would likely give that idea a red card.

The team at Outerloop Games exudes confidence and style with Thirsty Suitors, a delightfully approachable palate cleanser that anybody can enjoy in this year of incredible releases. With its heart on its sleeve, a charming cast, and constant nailing of intimacy and culture, Thirsty Suitors comfortably ollies its way into your heart and makes for one of the year’s best depictions of desire, culture, and vulnerability. Jala’s skateboarding odyssey of growth is worth beholding, even when the surrounding gameplay doesn’t quite meet the standard of its writing and visuals.

With a gorgeous world and story to match, Assasins’s Creed: Dawn Of Ragnarok expands the scope of the original game in a direction that is quite fantastical and is bound to pull you in one last time.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football excels on the field, but it struggles to make a compelling offer for solo players or anyone not willing to invest time in forming and maintaining a Strikers Club. It's just pick-up-and-play enough to work as a party game with mates and it's compelling to watch in action, but the lack of embellishments is sure to hurt its long-term appeal.

Trek to Yomi uses incredible cinematic stylings to tell a surprisingly strong story of revenge, but its 2D combat that doesn’t always strike true.

Demon Skin cherry-picks mechanics from your favourite games and presents them in a deliciously gory fruit salad.

While it may be far from perfect, Sonic Frontiers is a colossal step in the right direction for the future of the neon blue needlemouse. Its issues are more stumbles than falls, with the action and exploration creating a memorable experience for everyone's favourite Hedgehog.

A fresh and emotional take on the Sherlock Holmes property creates the best narrative in the series yet, but it’s let down by some ambitious design choices.

Cavern of Dreams may not reach the heights of the juggernauts that inspired its creation, but it still provides a solid adventure with plenty of nostalgia.

This long dormant franchise gets a rebirth on the Switch, and while it struggles to consistently hit that tough but fair sweet spot, there's enough charm in this brutal old-school platformer to warrant a look in.

A stunning One Piece game great for fans and JRPG newbies, but one that won't satisfy hardened min-maxers.

Sumerian Six is clearly going to excite that contingent of weird and wonderful people who love to solve puzzles in a murder-y way. The aesthetic on offer, combined with the fun and fanciful tale of the Engima Squad meeting up and working together to take down a magical Nazi warlord, is plenty to grab you and hold tight. Just keep a pocketful of patience for any silly shit that happens while you’re save scumming your way to victory.

Look, maybe I don’t know anymore! It didn’t feel like I was actively having a blast while playing To a T, but now, looking back, I do feel a warmness for it. Some kid might play it and feel less shameful about their own unique shape or way of being in the world. Or it might inspire them to attempt a feat of heroism to win over their bullies. Maybe some fully grown person will become slightly less sad whenever the dog licks their face or dresses them in school uniform. All I can say is that when Giraffe sings ♪ I wake up at 3 every morning to bake the bread for sandwiches ♫ this cute stupidity feels close to perfection.

It’s a chaotic push and pull between ecstatic fun and dull annoyance that honestly drives Soulstice, but it’s nonetheless worth checking out.

While Final Fantasy XVI didn’t meet this fan’s expectations for a new series entry, newcomers to epic fantasy and action games will be swept away by the eye-melting combat and enormous-yet-approachable scale.

ICARUS is a fantastic game, but the console experience is let down by frustrating UI and controls. If you have likeminded friends, the limited multiplayer will still deliver hours and hours of fun and satisfaction, but if you

The Ascent nails the cyberpunk aesthetic but doesn't really attempt to capitalise on its themes of corporate slavery. The solid audiovisuals and competent action-RPG twin-stick shooter hybrid gameplay manage to glue the experience together, even when glaring flaws such as lacklustre quest design and an overreliance on backtracking threaten to derail it.

Short and sweet, Is This Seat Taken? manages to make a joyful puzzle game out of classically uncomfortable social situations. It could have done with a bit more variety, even in its short runtime, but this is one that will speak to a lot of folks.

Need for Speed Unbound sees Criterion put its spin on the formula laid down by its predecessor and the result is a stylish racer that is mostly fun but sometimes frustrating.

Steelrising makes some welcome changes to the genre formula but its best qualities are blurred by its lacklustre writing and world design.

Call of Duty: Vanguard unabashedly apes the style of 2019's Modern Warfare, with a multiplayer that is fun though familiar, but featuring a campaign that largely misses the mark.

Monster Crown is chock-a-block full of monsters and retro charm but you might want to wait for some of the bugs to be squashed first.

Some devilishly clever puzzles shine in a unique take on the point-and click genre, but the game waits to the end to make its story truly interesting, which might be a little late if you're looking for an emotional investment to get you through some of the more tedious moments.

Silt feels reminiscent of iconic puzzle adventures like Limbo and INSIDE, but its lack of originality and story see it fail to be as memorable.

Despite the game’s issues, many of which I haven’t the space to detail, I could not help but keep playing. Although it feels like Guardians of Azuma would have benefited from a bit more development time, there was enough satisfaction and enjoyment in the steady cadence of explore-build-socialise-rinse-repeat that I simply didn’t want it to end. In good news for anyone sharing these sentiments, to a certain extent it doesn’t end; you can continue to explore, expand your villages, and develop your relationships in the post-game. The main gameplay components fit together like jigsaw pieces, and, if you can look past the issues, on the whole it’s a bit of an unpolished gem – multifaceted, perhaps a little scratched up, but ultimately with some value under those surface imperfections.

While it does not dramatically change the radical dinosaur that is Serious Sam 4, it does provide more unbridled carnage that defines the series – just now with a distinctly Russian flavour. Blasting enemies with dual-wielded AK-47’s and joking about vodka define the experience, and while it may not appeal to everyone, I know a lot of us will get a kick out of it.

Ubisoft’s XDefiant is a compelling live-service offering that is remarkably substantive in its free-to-play offering. As a competitive shooter, its blend of satisfyingly agile movement and liberal lifting of modes and map philosophies from every other shooter makes a strange first impression. There is nothing new or surprising about what XDefiant offers. But those curious few eager to go through the initiation hellscape of purely random-skill matchmaking will find a clean and well-structured shooter that should broadly impress anyone who doesn’t mind their competent online shooter to be a personality-lacking, serials-filed amalgam of all its best competitors. Flaws and all, I was continually drawn back in the hopeful search for any active, local lobby.

While Until Dawn remains Supermassive’s best rendition of its choice-driven horror games, this remake (a term that feels generous) feels like nothing but a cash grab and a move to fatten the PS5 game catalogue given you can buy the still perfectly fine original for $25 and there’s no upgrade option for existing owners. However, if this is your first night on Blackwood Pines Mountain, this new version is a great way to experience the game, but it will come at a cost.

I really did want to enjoy Ann’s story, it’s visually beautiful and has some clever little in-game tricks to its aesthetics. It’s just a damn shame the narrative couldn’t quite keep up, leaving ANNO: Mutationem a visually stunning but muddled, confusing game.

Positively overflowing with meaty, tactical combat and terrific character writing, Trails of Reverie is held back by its dated presentation and sky-high barrier to entry.

High Isle offers a number of fun, entertaining experiences. However, it focuses on mostly delivering more of the same rather than building and properly expanding on the game’s core ideas. It’s completely fine that it does this, but I just personally wish it strived to be a little more.

Another Code: Recollection is a solid repackage of two classic adventure titles that manages to celebrate the Cing games despite some lacklustre puzzles and clumsy camera controls.

Nobody Wants To Die is a bit of a surprise package. I was ready for the crime fiction-infused future noir tropes and the cool post-human sci-fi musings that go with the genre, but I wasn’t ready for the sheer beauty and precision of the visual presentation. With a little polish on the dialogue and narrative tone, plus some deconvolution of the story elements, Nobody Wants To Die could have achieved greatness, but at the very least it’s indicative of a very talented studio with infinite potential, and one that should be watched with a keen eye.

Ritual of Raven is a cosy, witchy farming simulator that attempts to offer a fresh take on the genre. While the game has technical glitches and a couple of subpar design choices, it does enough right that it is hard not to enjoy one’s time with the game.

With some light visual touchups, Adol continues to dominate his PS2 era. The new sea air is good for his crimson hair, but the breadth of exploration can occasionally feel as broad as the Suez Canal.

A glossy and streamlined remake of a cult classic faithfully updates the experience for modern audiences but struggles to make much of an impression nearly twenty years after the original release.

Game Builder Garage is a novel and wonderfully-designed visual programming suite, but its tutorials are far too rigid and there's little else to do outside of them if you find your creative juices have run out. It's got the Nintendo charm in spades though, and it's definitely something that parents of budding bedroom developers should see good value in.

Generic boomer shooter gunplay and a stretched-out runtime could be make this a cold case for some, but the incredible rubber hose aesthetic and entertaining noir setting should help see most detectives through to the end.

Rose is a fascinating character that deserves her own, full-blown sequel, but for now Shadows of Rose is a worthwhile adventure for those looking for a little more from an already brilliant Resident Evil tale.

Gungrave G.O.R.E is a thorough examination of what games offered us before they transformed into 40-hour cinematic masterpieces. While its appeal may not be broad enough to interest everyone, it establishes itself as a love letter to a time when your gaming experience was absolutely about bombastic style, personal fantasy and massive high scores.

Dead Island 2 is every bit the gory zombie slasher it wants to be. But as enjoyable and solid as it is, issues with repetition and the gameplay loop stop it from being the game it perhaps could have been.

Godstrike’s brevity is counterbalanced wonderfully by its intensity at the cost of being a little rough around the edges.

This earnest, occasionally awkward epilogue to Tales of Arise isn’t essential, but it packs enough delights to reward returning fans.

An intense atmosphere and intriguing story which is unfortunately marred by the age the game was created in. Looking past the clumsiness of the movement, it is still one of the most accessible and fun Project Zero games.

Outlaws will feel familiar because it is familiar. The gunplay is good, the mission structure is good, the stealth mechanics are good, the traversal is good. Individually, the components that make up Star Wars Outlaws are varying degrees of alright, but it come together to be more than the sum of its parts. This rendition of the often-explored sci-fi-fantasy universe is authentic and immersive, our protagonist is likeable and energetic, the narrative is colourful, and the syndicate shenanigans are entertaining. There are plenty of flaws to point out, and I have, but when it comes down to it, I keep on coming back to one word to describe Outlaws: fun.

Fire Emblem Engage is enjoyable but leaves little impression. If the narrative was more compelling, if the character relationships were deeper and more interesting or if combat was more varied, there’s every chance that Engage would have felt more robust and impactful. In the absence of those things, Engage just feels…fine.

Twinkleby is a cozy, light-hearted, dollhouse-like decorating game that will capture you for hours as you house the many characters that come to your islands. Despite its quirks, it features relaxing gameplay in an adorable, customisable environment.

Knuckle Sandwich is a unique and stunningly vibrant and gorgeous pixel-animated RPG that will test your resolve with its mini-games and turn-based sequences.

It may seem harsh to knock a game for doing what’s already proven to work, especially when I had praise for all of the same qualities when I reviewed Little Nightmares II, but we’ve been here before. Twice now. And a fresh set of eyes and hands could (and should) have resulted in something more. What’s here is perfectly fine, enjoyable and comfortably familiar, just not at all essential.

TRON: Catalyst is a solid game for TRON fans to experience. Despite the back-and-forth, the game features a detailed story that is satisfying to uncover as you explore the Grid and factions. The looping glitch is a great addition to the story, and the abilities you unlock throughout the game make the fast combat and gameplay more interesting. And of course, the Light Cycle is fun to use. Ultimately, TRON: Catalyst gives you more insight into the Grid life and what it’s like to be a program.

A general lack of polish and quality assurance has become a somewhat endearing shortcoming of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience. We joked about it and expected it for the sequel, especially given the endurance of a developer currently facing tragedy at home. GSC Game World’s extraordinary ambition in delivering this long-awaited follow-up is buoyed by some frankly impressive world-building and narrative developments that fully commit. The extraordinary scale of this world, the generally satisfying gunplay, and the ambitious story are always contending with the player’s growing anticipation that their experience is about to break down at any moment. The magic circle that is so crucial to the successful immersiveness of this series is, currently, fractured by the extent to which the many promising aspects of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 simply don’t reliably function together.

Thymesia understands the core of what makes the action genre so satisfying but fails to meaningfully execute on its ideas and world.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet offer a unique and incredibly engaging experience that the series has desperately needed since its transition to 3D back in 2013. Unfortunately, it has also been released in an incredibly unoptimised state which sours the whole experience.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet offer a unique and incredibly engaging experience that the series has desperately needed since its transition to 3D back in 2013. Unfortunately, it has also been released in an incredibly unoptimised state which sours the whole experience.