Yoku’s Island Express is an achievement in itself, effortlessly mashing up two polar-opposite genres that ultimately goes hand in glove to wonderful effect. This excellent foundation is upheld by its endearing, well developed and interwoven locations, bolstered further by a cast of lovable characters and a warming story. Minor frustrations regarding traversal to the side, this is a perfect example of meaningful innovation.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is very enjoyable and should appeal to many with its distinctly memorable characters and almost limitless customisation opportunities. It certainly has a high entertainment value bringing a more up to date and fresh approach to a genre that other developers have tried to revive with somewhat less success. The music is exciting flowing seamlessly through different areas and never becomes irritating. No part of play gets frustrating because of the ability to skip or customise levels and the depth of design in every character and their dialogue brings it all together so seemingly effortlessly. A confident thumbs up.

Cocoon is a well-crafted puzzle box with some of the best thought out puzzles I’ve seen in years.

An outstanding conclusion to an epic trilogy. Stoic has once again showcased their care and attention to detail across a range of the game’s features, visuals and mechanics. It’s compelling, distinct, oftentimes daunting, yet wholly captivating. The end result is one that will stay with you for years to come, and although it’s hard to say goodbye, The Banner Saga goes out with an emotional-toying bang.

If Rise of the Third Power was a ‘AAA’ game, critics would be shouting from the roof top telling you to play this game, so this is me SHOUTING FROM THE ROOF TOP, telling you to go play Rise of the Third Power! It’s only April but I’d be surprised if any game released this year knocks this off my number one spot for game of the year.

Despite some audio sync issues, Full Metal Furies is every bit as satisfying as it is addictive. It’s a game that constantly rewards you for your effort, win or lose, and never quite manages to become stale or repetitive in the process. The characters, locations, and enemy variants remain diverse and interesting throughout. The same can indeed be said about the progression system, which only further promotes the already massively fun experience.

Active Neurons: Wonders of the World is, as I keep saying, a wonderfully chill puzzle game. It offers up just the right level of challenge while also giving us easily accessible help should we need it at the press of a button. Highly recommended as a title to wind down with, or as a palette cleanser between other, more stressful, titles.

Freedom Finger is a brilliantly surreal, challenging, vulgar and plain fun arcade shooter. While difficulty spikes can get a little frustrating, overall I enjoyed the style, story and gameplay more than enough to keep me going.

Ravenswatch is a superb. Complex, innovative, and just downright satisfying to play.

Dead Space is back with a fantastic reimagining of the 2008 original. The game plays just as well as it did before, but now comes with a host of visual, audio, and general gameplay improvements that make it one of the best survival horrors out there. Here’s hoping should we get further iterations they use this as the baseline and steer clear of the issues that plagued the series later on.

It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun in a cooperative focused title and I think POPUCOM has found a great balance between difficulty and player choice without sticking around for more than it has to. Throw in a lovely presentation and you’ve got a fantastic cooperative puzzle-platformer that can be enjoyed by all.

Relicta offers up some clever, challenging puzzle scenarios that use physics in a way that feels natural while also embracing the sci-fi elements of its presentation. The difficulty can occasionally spike, and the story elements, while entertaining, definitely take a back seat to the actual puzzle solving gameplay. But when that gameplay is so good and rewarding, that’s no bad thing.

Insane Robots is an excellent card battler that doesn’t demand too much from the player. Perhaps its greatest achievement, however, is how it manages to blend together so many simple and fun ideas to produce a compelling and diverse experience. With its abundant loading screens to the side, Insane Robots provides a vibrant and energetic journey that never loses its focus or charm.

Much in the same way as the previous two Two Point entries, Two Point Museum is a delightful and cheeky, yet deliciously approachable management sim that’s top of the class when it comes to comedy, irreverence and accessibility. While Two Point Museum continues the series momentum rather the delving into something entirely unexpected, it still contains many subtle and not-so-subtle new features that improve the entire Two Point franchise. The variety of exhibits, the discoveries and treasures you can uncover from undertaking expeditions, as well as items, structures, personnel, and children, keep Two Point Museum plodding along as an entry that fascinates as memorably as attending a real museum. Although you’re continuously extinguishing the problems of running a successful gallery of grand exhibitions, you’re rewarded with unlimited progression, and you can move along at a pace that serves you more than ever before. Now that’s the third great Two Point experience in a row to savour. Undoubtedly, Two Point Museum is a Jurassic success.

Aesthetically, Neon Abyss is beautiful – the neon 16-bit retro look takes me to the warm fuzzy feeling of playing SNES as a young boy. The controls very good, though I’m not a big fan of having jump on LT. I can see why this is the case, but it’s a shame that I couldn’t remap this as I could with most other buttons. I enjoyed some of the great features like passive abilities, different guns including a cat gun, unlockable characters and eggs, which follow you and have the chance to hatch into buddies that help you.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about Resident Evil Village. The story and characters are great, most of the scenarios are fantastic fun to play, and when it hits best it rivals the top tier of the franchise. It’s a little too action heavy for my tastes, but even so that action is generally a lot of fun. Is it the best in the series? No. Is it still bloody good? One hundred percent. I’m cautiously excited to see where we go from here, and am already looking forward to a second playthrough.

While there are improvements that could be made, there’s no doubt this is an excellent way for fans of the graps to get even more enjoyment out of the sports entertainment lifestyle. There’s so much to do across so many modes, such a hefty creation suite that is all but limitless, and underneath all that a fun if sometimes frustrating gameplay system that will serve perfectly well until the next time out.

A Hat in Time is a sensational platformer that boasts hours upon hours of inventive and diverse fun.

Brutal, deep, and stylish, God’s Trigger is without a doubt one of the most compelling top-down shooters of the gen. The game’s depth and variation, together with its one-hit-death mechanic, collectively ensure that the experience remains constantly fresh and engaging throughout. The only drawback is that it’s too easy to circumvent much of the difficulty, but even then, the fun rarely gives up. If you enjoy the likes of Hotline Miami, you’re going to love this.

It might hit the camp button a little too hard at times, but overall Dark Nights with Poe and Munroe is an enjoyable live-action adventure. The episodes are short enough to get through in one sitting and are packed with replayability in the different outcomes of our choices, as well as entertaining tales told within. Live-action games have had a bit of a resurgence of late, and this title easily rides high as one of the best.

I came into Spellbreak hesitant for yet another entry into the Battle Royale genre and yet I’m sitting here writing this a convert; it looks and sounds great, and the core gameplay is unique enough among its peers that it is easy to recommend if you fancy something that doesn’t rely on traditional gunplay. Of course, the usual FTP monetisation is present, but it’s a small (optional) price to play for what is an incredibly fun game.

The gameplay and strategy behind it, the scenery and the music is everything I expected from Neon City Riders when I first saw the trailer. Even though it’s not a 2-D side scroller I picked up major Scott Pilgrim VS The World and River City Girls vibes, which are my two favorite games. When any game reaches that level it’s without a doubt considered a masterpiece in my book. Please, suit up, indulge yourself in the 90’s vibe, and clean up the streets and take back Neon City.

All in all, Still Wakes the Deep has been a fantastic horror experience. It looks and sounds great, the sense of tension and fear is very well handled, and even the few moments that drop the act don’t give us enough time to catch our breath before things go sideways again. Topped of with a touching story and well rounded characters, Still Wakes the Deep is not one to be missed.

It Takes Two is a game that all gamers should play. The co-op only aspect could turn some people away, but they make it very easy to play the game with others. You can play split-screen locally or online with anyone on your friends list even if they don’t own the game. And the co-op gameplay is what really makes the game shine, the expertly crafted levels are so much fun to explore, traverse, and complete. The seemingly never-ending flow of new mechanics makes the game feel fresh and makes playing as each character a unique experience. Hazelight Studio seems to have mastered the art of making co-op games, each game they create gets better and better. I can’t wait to see what they’re planning next.

It’s easy to compare this game to other Metroidvania’s like Hollow Knight, Bloodstained or Blasphemous, though while it doesn’t quite reach the same lofty heights as those games, yet Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a fantastic experience from start to finish that can be enjoyed by more than just fans of the genre. It can be challenging at times but a few quality of life features make it more approachable than some of its genre brethren. It’s a solid action adventure with satisfying combat, a stunning art style, and a huge detailed world waiting to be explored that tells a rich yet sorrowful story.

Killer Queen Black is pure, joyous fun. Get together with a group of friends and you’re guaranteed to have an absolute blast. There’s not too much to learn in terms of mechanics, but that doesn’t stop each game feeling fresh and different. It’s on Game Pass, and features cross play, so I’m hoping it can gather more of a community that it seems to have now. If it does, I can see KQB having a long life. Please, please check it out!

Overall Dakar Desert Rally is a diamond in the rough. With the upcoming features adding another layer to the game and a little bit of rounding off and Saber Porto/Saber Interactive have come up with a winner. Newcomers and casual racer fans will love how the game looks and have plenty of fun in sport mode while hardcore fans or players who love a challenge will have a great time mastering.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a solid action-RPG with an intriguing world full of worthwhile stories and characters to meet. Combat is a weak point (though upgrades help somewhat) and for as well written as the Haunting cases are, they all follow a very similar template. However, it’s a testament to DONTNOD’s skill that even despite these foibles, we had nothing less than a great time with Red and Antea. It’s not as flashy or as deep as some other titles out there, but for our money Banishers is more than worthy of your time and money.

To the common eye Super Mega Baseball 3 looks like Arcade version of baseball, in the vein of NBA Jam‘s take on an arcade version of basketball. Beneath the mask is a well polished baseball simulation that I believe baseball fans will enjoy. Even if you aren’t a hardcore baseball fan this game still is something to play if you’re just trying to past the time.

As you can hopefully tell, I very much enjoyed The Innsmouth Case. It’s easy to pick up and get into, full of interesting and witty writing, plenty of alternate routes and options, and even surprisingly decent in the audio/visual department. Fans of the choose your own adventure style books of old should absolutely be checking this one out.

Black Ops 4 is the complete multiplayer package. Some design choices lack originality, yes, but Blackout has all the tools to be as big a multiplayer shooter as Modern Warfare was eleven years ago, while also offering a solid complement of competitive and cooperative modes.

Other than some awkward controls at times, Homebody has risen up the ranks to be one of my most enjoyable gaming experiences this year. The time loop/puzzle/survival horror combo is smartly put together, with a fantastic sense of progression constantly. Combined with the retro presentation and well written, engaging tale, Homebody is an easy recommendation to make.

I can’t say that Sparking! Zero is the best Dragon Ball game ever made, as my track record is on the lower side, but it’s the best anime arena fighter I’ve played in a while. The bar has been set, and it’s incredibly high. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to train in the hypersonic lion tamer.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice’s most riveting achievement isn’t how well it functions, nor how well it’s written and voiced, nor how well it looks, but how well all of that unifies into such a dark and compelling experience. The constant tension throughout the entirety of this unique and engaging journey will disturb you, intrigue you and stay with you, long after the credits roll.

The distinct art style and visual palette is as dominant today as it was eleven years ago, and it’s aged incredibly well as a result.

Overall, I’ve had a blast playing A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead. It nails the sense of dread and atmosphere, and regularly did I find myself on the edge of my seat as I just evaded the creature again. The use of Alex’s asthma is handled well, albeit a bit over-done at times, but it adds to the fear and horror of the experience. The use of a mic in real life is a short-lived gimmick, but other than that this is a great survival horror stealth title that makes tremendous use of the Quiet Place setting.

Overall should you play Overwatch 2? The answer is a resounding yes considering that the game is free. While it isn’t something that I would necessarily play for long hours into the night, it’s definitely a game that’s up my alley and it gives me something else to play with friends, which is always my number one favorite aspect in any game that I play. At the end of the day if you don’t like it, you can always uninstall it and move on to something else with no regrets whatsoever.

Wizard of Legend is easily one of the best dungeon crawlers of this gen so far. There’s a plethora of challenging content to get through and no shortage of magical combinations to enjoy. The gameplay itself, despite the occasional minor drop in frame-rate, remains fluid and precise throughout. This is further upheld by its natural charm, its energy, its general depth and its vast replay value.

Genesis Alpha One is a tremendous roguelike that rarely holds back. Its many systems are well balanced, its plethora of unique objectives remain fresh, and its random generation solidifies its already impressive variation. There’s room for minor improvements, and there’s some slight visual blemishes across the entire board, but this takes little away from the constant uncertainty that the game relays at a tense and frequent rate.

Nine Parchments is an excellent co-op adventure game with a fantastic combat system, beautiful environments and a wonderful melodic soundtrack. There’s a lot to see and unlock, and just trying out different character and spell combos will take multiple playthroughs. This game will surely be a popular choice for group play.

Strange Brigade is a treat. One that’s jam-packed with action, charm and personality. Everything from the game’s multi-branching level design, to its impressive variety of enemies and weaponry, rarely fails to excite. The game’s mashup of heavy combat, puzzle solving and collectible-seeking, makes for a gorgeously detailed adventure that’s constantly fun and dynamic. This is among Rebellion’s finest work to date.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is grim, dark, and constantly provocative, and yet, it effortlessly manages to remain emotionally radiant throughout. This isn’t just another survival game, it’s a tale that consistently and articulately interlaces beauty with brutality to excellent effect. Whilst the gameplay could have benefited from a bit more depth, the overall journey is mechanically well balanced, and to its credit, unlike anything else. This, is a must have.

A Little to the Left has proven to be a great ‘night cap’ game for us these past few days, one to play for half hour before bed to unwind. It’s also been a nice palate cleanser in between other, more action heavy titles. It’s the kind of game that will suit almost anyone, offering up a fun, chill, satisfying experience.

Technical issues aside, we’ve had a great time playing The Alters. It poses tough choices and requirements to the player, and gives us a tight time limit and a thousand other things to keep track of, all while teasing us with new exposition or areas to explore that we’ll never get to in one sitting. It’s a tough game, but give it the time it deserves and you find yourself deeply invested in Jan(s) home.

Worms Armageddon Anniversary Edition was already packed with enough game to last forever, but the recent update adding even more wormage to the deal is too hard a deal to pass up. An excellent game packaged in a loving way by Digital Eclipse as only they can.

All in all, it’s fantastic to see Super Monkey Ball back after all these years. This Banana Mania collection brings the classic games back to the fore, with hundreds of stages to play, a dozen mini games, lots of cosmetics to unlock and more. The gameplay is as challenging – and fun – as ever, and will no doubt garner a new audience of fans that still have youth on their side.

It looks utterly gorgeous, has an oddly stirring soundtrack, and the core gameplay loop is simply fun to engage with. Traversing the digital landscapes as they fill in and focus in front of us is a treat, and even though they may look initially daunting in size, there’s a smart logic to how they unfold every time. Each new power up comes along at just the right time (well, mostly) and clocking in at around 8-10 hours it’s not an overly long title to get through. Plus, there’s a genuinely interesting story to weave together throughout, and as noted above it’s well worth going back and hunting any missed logs to get the ‘true’ ending. Some weak combat and fiddly UI are the only real blemishes on an other great title, and I can confidently recommend this as something to check out.

In VF5: R.E.V.O. the gameplay and content have never been better. This version feels like the complete package, even if visually it is starting to look long in the tooth.

Sequels often tread in muddy water, either playing it too safely and failing to innovate, or, stepping too far from the concept of their predecessors at the expense of their identities. Rarely do we see a sequel that truly builds upon what came before it, whilst staying faithful to its roots and its character. Guacamelee! 2 is of the latter, delivering an adventure that’s remarkably fluid, constantly enthralling, and thoroughly entertaining.

All in all, chances are if you enjoyed the cozy puzzling of A Little to the Left, you’re absolutely going to enjoy Seeing Stars. The new levels are all brilliantly designed, offer multiple tough solutions, aided by a generous and fairly implemented hint system.

WWE 2K23 is worth the pickup for any hardcore or casual fan of the wrestling franchise. Is it something that you’ll play for weeks on end? Maybe for about a month or two sure. Burnout is definitely there if you don’t let your imagination flow. WWE 2K23 is one giant wrestling sandbox waiting for you to jump in. You won’t be disappointed in what you get yourself into.

All in all, it’s great to have The Dark Pictures back with us after an extended break. The Turning Point feature is fantastic (we’d like to see the older games retrofitted with it), the story is full of interesting twists and turns, and the extensions of more traditional gameplay are welcome. Some choices still leave us screaming at the screen to meet in the middle, but on the whole Directive 8020 maintains the series high bar.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion is a shining example of the scrolling shooter genre, with explosive action, over the top bosses, and one of the most exhilarating soundtracks in a game I’ve ever played. Crank up the volume, grab a beer, and this is an evening of gaming well spent indeed.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a game that you expect quality, and it delivers. When you aren’t crafting and battling with your deck of hero cards there is a deep story to progress and a world to explore. Not only does the exploration feel rewarding but so does the relationships you will be building with your fellow heroes. The best part is these relationships are optional if you are in it just for the card-based battling system, however I implore everyone to give that half of the game a shot. The missions you will be going on are where the game shines the most though. Gathering your favorite heroes and building their decks to work off of each other to pull awesome combos and KO as many enemies in one turn as you can is just so much fun. Very rewarding feeling when you win. Very little in terms of negatives and Marvel’s Midnight Suns is definitely in my game of the year conversations!

I’ve used the term fun a lot in this review, simply because that is the most accurate work for Hotshot Racing. I had an absolute blast playing it, and appreciated its retro arcade feel and looks. Those looking for more in depth racing might come away wanting, but then that is pretty much the opposite of what Hotshot Racing sets out to do – this is pure, simple, captivating gameplay, and a title you can’t miss out on, especially as it’s in GamePass!

After being drawn in by some eye-catching artwork, Leila backed it up with an engaging story and fun puzzles, albeit hampered by controller inputs rather than a mouse. This niggle aside, Leila is an easy recommend for those looking for an evening of puzzles alongside some heartfelt, thought-provoking storytelling.

WWE 2K19 is a wrestling fan’s dream. It’s a treasure trove of modes, wrestlers and customization options, and each is equally worth your time. The return of Showcase mode is welcome, while MyCareer is a huge step up for the franchise and brings it closer to 2K’s NBA efforts. Quite simply, this is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there will be – until next year, at least.

The We Were Here series is in a class of its own, and Forever is the best entry yet. Grab a buddy and get ready to test both your brains over about 15 hours of gameplay that constantly impresses and brings new things to the table.

The Division 2 feels like a watershed moment for the loot-shooter sub-genre. Its mechanics are solid, its performance is great (aside from some minor glitches and bugs), and its content is bountiful. These things make it a rarity in the genre, an outlier from games that launch half-finished and limping from patch to patch and DLC to DLC. The Division 2 is the new gold standard for games-as-a-service – D.C. really is lovely this time of year.

No More Heroes 3 is a solid return of the cult classic series, and one that fans will not want to miss out on. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but give this geeky assassin a chance and you might just be won over.

We Were Here Forever has taken everything about the series we’ve loved so far, and has upped the ante at every turn. Bigger, more intricate puzzles that are incredibly satisfying to solve, and now with cross platform play, there’s even more chance to find a buddy to play with.

Taken as a finished product, Apex Legends feels like the Battle Royale craze growing up. The possibility of new modes and options to be added is an enticing prospect, but what is here is well worth the asking price. That asking price, of course, is free – and Respawn should be commended for its risky approach to a rapidly oversaturated market. Apex Legends is an excellent shooter, and an excellent Battle Royale title.

We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is an excellent entry point into the We Were Here series, offering up something a little different for returning players and a great taste for those looking to try it out for the first time. The puzzles are – as ever – brilliantly crafted, and require good team work to get the best results, but it’s also just as funny when things go wrong too.

I was pleasantly surprised by many aspects of Pragmata. First, the constantly evolving and engaging hacking mechanic, then, the creative level design and puzzles, and finally the emotional bond forming between Hugh and Diana. Hopefully we’ll see more from this new, innovative IP in years to come (hopefully with a much-improved map).

Overlooking the occasional technical fault, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is well worth your time and attention, especially if you’re a fan of the series. The game bundles together the core experience and all its pre-existing DLC, complete with additional extras and wonderfully remastered visuals. Comparing it to its original version is truly night and day, and it remains every bit as deep, as action-packed, and as brutally delicious as it ever was.

If you loved the original Destiny, you need to play Forsaken. If you loved Destiny 2 at launch but fell off (as I did) because of the disappointing endgame and dumbing down of the core mechanics, then you need to play Forsaken. The only thing more surprising than the turnaround Bungie have achieved is that they have done it twice now – lets hope they don’t need to do it a third time.

The devil you know is back, and it’s more diverse, more energetic, and more stylish than ever before. Devil May Cry 5 is quite simply enthralling across all aspects of its fast-paced and varied gameplay, and comes with a story that’s not only interesting, but well written and superbly voiced. Despite some minor issues with delayed rendering, the Sons of Sparda saga couldn’t have concluded in a better way.

However, slight technical issues aside I feel confident in saying that Martha is Dead is one of the best titles I’ve played this year. Its gameplay mechanics are simple but put to use effectively, but it’s the narrative, themes, and the way this is all tied together that really stand out. It’s gruesome, grim, and will be hard to stomach for some people, but if you’re up for a truly gripping and thrilling tale, then Martha is Dead is a must play.

With the new handling model, Braking Point 2 and F1 World, F1 2023 has the fresh coat of paint the series has needed for some time. For the first time in a while, I can see myself dusting my wheel off and racing rather than settling for just commentating.

Maquette has utterly wowed me these past few nights, with an excellent concept realised brilliantly. Graceful Decay make smart use of the time allotted to a playthrough, and keep things fresh and interesting throughout. That even the story got me properly hooked is a testament to Graceful Decay, and as such Maquette comes highly recommended indeed.

Far Cry 6 is as Far Cry as Far Cry gets. It may be cut from the same cloth as previous entries almost identically, but when the action is this fun and the world is this expansive and full of things to do, I’m not going to complain. The title alone will let you know if that’s for you, but if it is, you’re in for one hell of a ride.

Offers a wonderful compilation of classics. Each game performs as well as you would expect, upheld further by neat additions such as online play and a range of filters. That’s not to mention its interesting history-rich museum mode. Sadly, not all of the games within get to enjoy these modern features, though with that being said, there’s absolutely no denying its value for content.

It’ll be over in a few evenings, but what a few evenings it’ll be with KinnikuNeko SUPER MUSCLE CAT. The anime styling is very cool, and only enhances a solid set of levels and abilities that we have to play with. A few more opportunities to switch between buff and cat Neko at will would have been great, but as it is KinnikuNeko SUPER MUSCLE CAT comes very highly recommended indeed.

All in all, Watch Dogs: Legion is a brilliant third instalment to the franchise. I am loving the fact you can play as pretty much anyone, but I have yet to find my favourite character that I 100% want to always play. But with so many to choose from I think I will be constantly changing. The story is interesting and the hacking is smooth and rewarding. For me, this is a must-play.

I’m encouraged by the work that has gone in to improve and launch My Team 2.0, but I can’t help but feel short-changed with too many customized options being locked behind a paywall. That being said, I can see myself putting a lot more hours into F1 25, exploring the different outcomes in Braking Point 3 and delving into a long-term save in My Team.

For spoiler’s sake, I won’t go too much into the secret of what exactly is going on at Happy’s Humble Burger Farm but what I can say is that it is definitely an experience I enjoyed. A mixture of horror and a fast food simulator proved itself to be a very nice combo and I think any fan of horror games will thoroughly enjoy themselves.

Following Crash’s epic comeback, Spyro’s Reignited Trilogy faithfully brings back the purple dragon’s first three games with an outstanding level of care and attention to detail. With some minor issues to the side, this trilogy is a treasure trove for any fan of classic platformers. There’s a vast amount of exciting content on offer here, content that will keep you entertained for hours on end, and then some.

Based on all the praise and awards Hades has received over the past year, the bar was set pretty high, some might say as high as Mount Olympus (I had to include one bad pun, sorry). I’ve tried to set this aside as I played the game and write this review, but it’s been difficult. Hades is a great game, and I feel safe saying that it’s in the upper echelon of roguelike/lite games, but in the end, I think there are a handful of issues that hold it back from being immortal (sorry, one more).

Pico Park 2 is fun, annoyingly moreish, and hair-pullingly frustrating yet hard to put down all at once. With a good group of friends it devolves into utter chaos, where we’ll be laughing and swearing in equal measure. One for those nights where you just want to have a good time with pals – the more, the merrier.

Camera control aside, Tin Hearts has been an utter joy to play. It’s charming, clever, looks and sounds lovely, and has just the right puzzle difficulty to have us looking forward to coming back for an hour or so each night.

What makes this game particularly entertaining is how it manages to withdraw a wide range of emotions from the player, via delivering an overarching story through the lens of two individual characters with distinct motivations and outlooks. The end result make for a stunning, fascinating tale that never quite loses grip throughout. 11-11 Memories Retold isn’t just a game that you play, it’s a game that you feel.

Outside of these rarer occurrences, the actual meat of Season’s Greetings is yet again one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in gaming this year. It’s been a joy to head back to P.O and catch up with new and old faces, the chill atmosphere and pace is a welcome change from some of the more bombastic games I’ve been playing recently, and it has almost – almost – achieved the impossible task of making me excited for Christmas.

After laying dormant for a while, Armored Core has returned to light up the stage on hardware that makes the most of its grandeur. Fires of Rubicon feels exciting to play, it looks superb, it’s fast and furious, it’s devastating and badass, it’s all you could imagine a modern Armored Core game to be. Sure, humans are absent and all the codenames and straightforward characters make it rather unrelatable, but when you’re caught up in thrilling tussles with all manner of mechanised robots, nothing else will matter. If Fires of Rubicon is a glimpse at what the future holds for Armored Core, it’s a very exciting one indeed.

The long and the short of it though is that Beyond Good & Evil is still a bloody fantastic game, from its setting to characters, story, gameplay mechanics, and everything else. It’s showing its age in some quality of life aspects, but there’s nothing here that should prove too tricky for anyone to get over. It has become the best way to play BG&E, and we can only hope it spurs on any news at all of what comes next.

I am impressed with Dead Island 2. The first Dead Island didn’t grab me as much and it was only when I tried the demo at the recent WASD event that it piqued my interest. There is a lot to enjoy about Dead Island 2. It looks stunning graphically, the story – although surreal – is gripping enough and the skill card level progression is refreshing. The combat is the feature that feels familiar and could have been quite dull over time, but Dambuster have introduced many things (such as curveballs) to keep things interesting. Fun solo, but even more enjoyable with a few friends, this long awaited zombie slasher comes recommended.

Narrative based adventures are always enjoyable, and the FMV variant has really come into its own lately. Night Book is another solid entry from Wales Interactive, with a fun, spooky tale and great acting that really sells the experience. It’s short enough to play through in an evening, and repeat plays are enjoyable thanks to the number of scenes and endings available to find.

Detective games usually shoehorn players down prescribed paths and direct you to what needs doing and when. Paradise Killer rejects such linear design and instead counters it fantastically, offering up a substantial level of freedom in both how you tackle your enquiries and the way the conclusions pan out. The agency Paradise Killer offers players makes you feel like the godmother of all gumshoes, and it looks ravishing to boot. You might be put off by its text-ample nature and exploring can make you feel like you don’t know where to go at times, but such criticisms are folly when the freedom at your disposal is so enticing. Unlike Eddie Money’s hit you only need one ticket to this paradise, and you should certainly take it.

Sonic Origins is a great example of packing classic games together and improving them for a modern audience. The added mission modes are the stand out, but the games themselves still play just as good as ever, especially with the new Anniversary mode. Pre-order lock out nonsense aside, this is a fantastic way to experience the classics.

DIRT 5 is superb and will quench the thirst of anybody who believes racing games have become too sim-heavy and boring. Some will lament the lack of true rallying and the ostentatious Americanised presentation but why complain when you can fully embrace the arcade richness on display here. Simply put, DIRT 5 is excellent and will leave you craving for more – now go out and there and drink it up.

Unlike me, if you’re an achievement hunter then you’ll find yourself putting a couple of hours in Brunch Club trying to complete all the level difficulties and challenges while trying to get the best time on the time trials. It’s honestly kinda addictive. Brunch Club is a game I really can’t point out any visible flaws. The game itself is stuffed like a turkey in content and has the variety of a BLT sandwich – food puns intended. It’s bright and colorful and straight to the point, whether you’re with friends or running solo fun, and tasty times are ahead of you.

Marvel’s Avengers is a well accomplished game and a must have for Marvel fans. All the characters are fleshed out in their personality and fighting styles and the campaign is a ride any fans of comic book movies will enjoy. I didn’t fully enjoy the combat in this game but I can get past that in order to enjoy the rest of the experience. I am sure they have left plenty of room to expand the game further with extra characters and missions to extended the longevity of the game.

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is a brilliant follow-up to Downhill, refining the flow of the gameplay and ironing out most of the issues we had with that game. A perfect blend of chill and rage inducing gaming that we can’t seem to put down.

Overall, I’ve had a great time with Forgive Me Father. It takes what is great about the older generation of shooters in the speed and simplicity of its action, adds a small amount of modern concessions, and packages it up in a really rather good looking game. Shooter fans should definitely be asking for forgiveness if they pass this one up.

Teslagrad 2 is a step up in every respect to its previous installment, a fantastic platformer with a wonderful set of auxiliary gameplay elements anyone that loves 2D platformers should play this.

Not what many people expect from an RPG Maker game, Ara Fell is a charming and engrossing game filled with story, exploration, fighting, secrets, and puzzles to spare. Anticipation about discovering what’s next makes it a hard game to put down at the end of the night. You can’t go wrong with Ara Fell.

This “Rebrush” of Epic Mickey paints a successful picture for the iconic mouse, simultaneously celebrating the brilliance of the original game, whilst lifting it up to modern videogame standards in what is a really beautiful remake that is delicious to look at. If you squint, you may find undesirable remnants from its original existence on the Wii, but otherwise Epic Mickey is preserved and improved lovingly here. The reworked controls, revamped visuals, and the numerous ways Purple Lamp have refurbished Epic Mickey shows you the true love the developers have for what they’ve created, and it shines through in just about every way. Platforming can be a tad stodgy at times, and the morality system is a bust, but otherwise this is a real treat for fans of the original game, and an even bigger treat for new audiences, so go and give this gem a shot and you should fall in love with its painterly aesthetic without it wearing thin.

With its vibrant visuals, addictive gameplay, and familiar Lego theme, Lego 2K Drive is a must-play for Lego enthusiasts and racing aficionados. There are a few missteps and they might have borrowed heavily from other arcade racers, but overall, I highly recommend this game for anyone looking for a fun and engaging open-world racing experience.

With dedicated solo and co-op level campaigns, Puzzle Parasite offers a great entry point into the puzzler genre, one with a good balance of difficulty and a decent selection of levels to play through.