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.

Hotel Barcelona is an underwhelming roguelike with lopsided design that simply doesn’t nail the fundamentals that make the genre popular. Head-scratching design choices regarding stingy mechanics that are almost tailor-made to extract joy from your life, mixed with a lack of fluidity and unity of vision make this a hard sell. Even in you love Suda51 and Swery 65, this is not what you hope it will be.

Nudging into pole position for this generation of the kart racing genre, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is all gas, great gimmicks and most importantly, great fun.

Techland has spent more than 10 years refining its open-world zombie-slicing sandbox blueprint, and there’s no doubt that The Beast is best rendition of that. Techland has clearly been listening to its fans on what they love about the series, as The Beast is a mix of everything that Dying Light has been made of thus far, but all the good bits. It’s got the survival horror of the first game, the heavy action approach of Stay Human and the vehicles of The Following. Castor Woods’ more condensed layout allows for the gameplay strengths to shine, with tight parkour mechanics, brutal and satisfying combat and a terrifyingly tense night time (even if it feels a little unbalanced) makes for a thrilling and comforting experience. It’s great to see Crane return and the story has some good moments, even if it’s a little plain and predictable. Regardless, Dying Light fans will be happy here.

I miss the Virtual Console days, when your new Nintendo console came with a potentially vast library of classic games at very approachable prices. Now, we’re caught between paying a subscription fee for drip-fed retro catalogues, and paying top dollar at retail for games considered too new for Nintendo Switch Online but old enough that they need retouching. Thing is, I’ve been ecstatic at being able to jump back into these games – Super Mario Galaxy 2, especially – and what’s here is a perfectly fine way to play or replay them. I think we should just be glad that Nintendo is (rightly) averse to the whole Unreal Engine 5 remake path.

Hell Is Us has a unique tone and setting that complements a deep combat system and exploration puzzle elements, but its complex layout and crisscrossing sidequests may have you begging for a map that the game proudly withholds.

Ghost of Yōtei is an improvement on Tsushima when measured by almost any metric. The beautiful open world is dense and invites exploration, the combat is tighter and more varied, but it’s Atsu’s personal, honest story of revenge and self-reflection that makes this an unforgettable masterpiece.

Progress is hard fought in Final Fantasy Tactics, arguably the hardest of this isometric strategy sub-franchise. At the same time, it wastes none of the player’s attention, rewarding us with an incredibly un-Final Fantasy setting and characters. Its story is the biggest winner from this pseudo-remaster, with the professional voice cast offering their dramatic best. The themes hit so much harder this time around. Its main players are far more sincere and tragic for the emotion well voiced through the often overwhelming, but nevertheless compelling, writing.

Part physics-based, slapstick open world walking sim, part satire of the worst parts of modern gaming, Baby Steps is a stumblecore banger that only those with a penchant for punishment and hyper-realistic donkey dicks will manage.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar offers steady and reliable gameplay with an excellent balance between consistency and novelty that keeps you engaged through its many hours of content. There are plenty of small details and design choices which help to elevate the experience, and while, equally, some of the game’s systems could use a few tweaks, it’s an easy recommendation for fans of the genre.

Cronos: The New Dawn is easily Bloober Team’s best original work, delivering a challenging sci-fi survival horror experience with brutal combat in an immersive and tense setting. It’s just a shame that it doesn’t quite nail the resource management that would elevate it to greatness.

Borderlands 4 realises the full potential the series has always had, delivering that unmistakable Borderlands experience but with a ton of modern sensibilities to establish itself not simply as a fun co-op shooter, but as the definitive example of what a fun co-op shooter should be.

Rosewater combines the Wild West and traditional point-and-click mechanics with relative success, taking players on a road trip that is more about relationship building than the trip’s purpose. Which is both its biggest selling point and frustration. Rosewater is full of well-written and performed characters, but it’s hard to care about all of them when they’re not your headline.

Fully invested, second screen, or idle in the background, no matter how you interact with Cast n Chill it calmly meets you on your own terms and provides a serene, relaxing experience.

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.

Despite some grave issues, I want to affirm that Killing Floor 3 is not a bad game. It’s certainly a bad time if you’re on PlayStation 5. Rather, the low ceiling for gratification that the Killing Floor formula offers has seen some exciting improvements and controversial tweaks this time around. The itch is scratched, slow-mo hyperviolence intact. I’m just unsure where its confidence has gone, as it has unnecessarily overcomplicated every aspect of the otherwise casual horde shooter into a bafflingly opaque mishmash of its competitors’ form.

Undoubtedly the best Gears of War has ever looked, the continuous finessing of the title has only set to highlight some of its eccentricities in an unflattering light. Charming jank of yesteryear is instead jarring to behold by modern standards, even if the gameplay experience still nails the brief in the lofty year of 2025.

From start to finish, the resurrection of the Shinobi franchise is one well deserved – with gorgeous visuals and a stellar ninja power fantasy that confidently (and silently) stands on its own two feet.

With Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Konami has crafted a visually arresting re-release so fawning and reverent that it reads entirely incurious. Fans of the source material will no doubt relish the opportunity to play a more modern-feeling take on a generational piece of art, but such a seemingly important work should inspire more.

Herdling's brisk walk through a wild world manages to charm from beginning to end, with just enough drama and beauty to make waving a makeshift cane at a horde of hairy beasts into an unforgettable journey.

A clumsy and mechanically inert effort to capture the majesty and thrills of mob cinema, Mafia: The Old Country finds no promised land in either its routine tale of crime or its linear, hyper-focused gameplay. Impressive facial capture and a unique setting can’t sustain this poor, if well-intentioned, emulation of far greater works.

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.

Wheel World is an enjoyable enough game that gets right to the point of riding a bike and saving the world. The cycling challenges and narrative require nothing but a desire to work away at customising your bike to best go up and down hills, slide around corners, and jump ramps. While its creativity and riding mechanics are minimal, its vibe-based world is perfect for a casual player who likes the premise of a bike-based society.

MakeRoom is a simple interior designer sandbox that allows you to explore three distinct modes. Despite having no story, the endless creative freedom will have you hooked for hours, all while providing a cozy, stress-free experience.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers may not be overly impressive out of the gates, and could at first glance appear like just another Soulsborne ripoff. But persist and the game will open up and demonstrate its true character, with plenty of freedom to build and customise your skillset and exploit some of the unique mechanics at the core of the experience. Some of the level design is a little obtuse for its own good, and a handful of bosses need to calm the fuck down, but this is a competent and mostly confident opening foray from a development outfit that should now firmly be in the gaming’s public eye.

I didn't think it was possible, but Ready or Not’s unique thrills and overwhelming controls have adapted well to the PlayStation 5.

Misc. A Tiny Tale is not a game I enjoyed. The narrative tone is awkwardly patronising to play through as an adult, and while the level design has its occasional moments, the relatively bland gameplay does not make up for this. While the game mostly handles sensitive topics around mental health in a way that is appropriate for young children, some of the supplementary material is at odds with this otherwise child-friendly tone, and it’s hard to recommend to any age group.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is still a Tony Hawk game at heart, and as expected, plays brilliantly. As a package, the plethora of content on offer is easily the best way to revisit the masterful skating experience that was THPS 3, even if it entirely overshadows the meek representation of THPS 4 within the title.