A masterful, methodical journey through the shadows of Edo Japan – brilliantly polished and perfectly paced, my only real sadness is that there was not more of it.

The Smurfs: Mission Vileaf is a bright and colourful adventure suitable for all ages and skill levels. As a platformer, the areas have fun designs and provide a good variety of interactive elements to keep the game feeling fresh. While the crafting mechanics in the game miss the mark, Mission Vileaf is still enjoyable to play and is sure to warm any Smurfy player’s heart.

A disappointing revisit to something fondly remembered, Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition struggles to remind you of what made these games so memorable in the first place.

Built by veterans of the genre, Beyond a Steel Sky may not be a revolutionary adventure game, but its clever writing and intriguing story make it a solid entry.

Solar Ash will go down as an absolute triumph of form and function, a storytelling masterclass amongst a perfectly crafted visual and audible feast. They left it to the last moment to drop right near the top of my best of 2021, but Heart Machine should be proud of their accomplishments across the board.

A fun pick up and play experience that is unfortunately held back by its inability to truly innovate on its predecessors and take advantage of the Switch's hardware.

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.

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.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl take me back to a simpler time in Pokémon where Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, and Dynamaxing didn’t exist. It’s a wonderful reminder of how far Pokémon has come and it feels like a love letter to arguably the most formative generation of Pokémon.

Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl take me back to a simpler time in Pokémon where Mega Evolutions, Z-Moves, and Dynamaxing didn’t exist. It’s a wonderful reminder of how far Pokémon has come and it feels like a love letter to arguably the most formative generation of Pokémon.

The Last Stand: Aftermath is a blast from the past and enjoyable rogue-like that is unfortunately infected with bugs.

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.

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

Backed by breathtaking visuals and incredibly visceral combat that holds its own against some of the genre’s elite, Bright Memory: Infinite is a fun and bombastic jaunt for action fans to revel in.

Heading in a multiplayer-only direction, 2042 offers a unique blend of experiences that combines classic Battlefield sensibilities with fresh new ideas, making for a game filled with exciting content to explore whether you’re a returning veteran or a series newbie.

Focusing on having fun above all else, Riders Republic’s excellent open world, great disciplines and a huge amount of variation will keep you shredding snow and blasting through berms for a long time.

Happy Game isn’t for the squeamish or those with any particular phobias, but anyone looking for a short horror experience a la Little Nightmares or something that isn’t just another first-person jump scare fest would do well to chase this one down.

Forza Horizon 5 has carried the tradition of consuming my time inside a genre that normally doesn't interest me. Playground Games has displayed technical wizardry with this game and while it doesn’t change the formula to any significant extent, the experience found within Forza Horizon 5 is killer.

Unpacking is the perfect game to unwind with and provides unique and cosy storytelling through its simple point-and-click mechanics that will keep players wanting more.

Conway: Disappearance at Dahlia View feels like a paperback mystery novel you might find at the back of the bookstore. It’s not exactly a hidden gem but it does contain the occasional glint of something special. Perfunctory writing drags down the tension and a limited range of puzzles and interactivity struggles to pull it all back together. Worse though, Conway’s brutish ways filled me with unease from the first snap of the camera, rather than filling me with the joy of a good detective story, I just felt like an intruder.

Moonglow Bay is an absolute delight. If casual experiences with a colourful cast of characters and mechanics that don’t annoy are something you’re looking for, I can’t recommend this fishing adventure enough. Visit for the emotional beats that will have you on the edge of tears and stay for the pure joy of discovery and quite relaxation. Fishing has never been my thing, until now.

Subway Midnight is a wonderfully wholesome surrealist horror game that stumbles slightly with its replayability.

Mario Party Superstars offers a great package of classic boards and minigames that looks and plays great, but it's also a little too safe and comes with some annoying structural decisions.

Regardless of how synonymous the characters now are with their big-screen depictions, this version of the Guardians of the Galaxy is far and away my favourite. The exceptionally well-written story is backed by a cast of unique and complex characters whose interactions with each other are equally hilarious and heartfelt. The fun and frantic combat may take some warming to, but the reliance on team synergy is thematically rewarding and visually impressive. Looking past the few technical issues and outdated exploration, this is an action game that will appeal to comic fans and gamers alike.

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.

An intriguing premise backed by refined gameplay and an immersive atmosphere makes House of Ashes the best entry in The Dark Pictures Anthology yet.

With like-minded cleaners and a weekend spare, Back 4 Blood is a hoot. Lacklustre modes and a lack of identity dampen its long-term appeal.

Far more than a card game, Inscryption is a dark odyssey into an even darker narrative – commanding your attention in an exciting, gripping manner.