Overall, if you want a game that brings back the type of horror that seems to have become lost to time in recent years, Tormented Souls will definitely provide. It’s creepy, it’s dark and it has an enjoyable story within its moody setting. Sure, it essentially rips off the features of the classic experiences, but it also feels like a fresh new experience thanks to a surprisingly enjoyable story that holds its own. If you’re missing an experience that properly gave you a thrill, then Tormented Souls should be able to reintroduce that excitement in your life.

All in all, this year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 had a lot riding on its shoulders; big return after a poor showing last year, and the first big release straight into Game Pass. That it has come out this well in campaign and MP is no small feat, and no matter if you buy it or play on subscription, you’re almost guaranteed to have a good time. The campaign is the usual action blockbuster but shows promise for the future in its slower, more open-ended areas, and the MP is the best it’s been (in my casual eyes) for over a decade.

Biomutant has ticked a lot of the boxes needed for a wide-open adventure RPG like this. Lots of customisation, wonderful graphics, interesting characters, humorous elements, free-roaming and combat that you can handle in different ways without being restricted. One could say they also ticked boxes that didn’t need to be there like the light and dark auras, as I didn’t feel it offered much to the game. But don’t let that detract away from the experience as is was massively fun to play and there are so many side quests to complete that you could have just as much fun exploring as playing through the story.

Overall, whilst the combat could be improved, and if I’m being picky the enemy types could have been expanded upon, the 10–12-hour playtime is worth investing if you enjoy horror and want something refreshing to give you a scare. There may have been multiple horrors to have arrived recently, but this one certainly stands up there as one of the better releases of 2022, whilst the story is one that sticks in the mind from the opening moments and continues after the controller goes down at the end of the evening.

A step up from its already impressive predecessor. Despite the occasional bug throughout play, the game offers up a refined experience that never wavers its pace nor its excitement. This is everything that a sequel should be, which is to say that it takes what worked in the first game and makes slight, yet notable improvements to maintain its distinct allure. Vermintide 2 is a must have.

Super Animal Royale has exceeded my expectations. The title is just so cute and enjoyable and the fast-paced gameplay is truly addictive and I can gladly say it’s a game that I almost play daily. Even if it’s not that kind of game for you it definitely can be something to play if you find yourself bored. It’s even more of a blast if you play with friends. I can’t stress enough how cute and adorable the game is and how far it’s come since its early stages. Super Animal Royale still gets the Varnell Harris seal of approval.

Clash: Artifacts of Chaos is glorious to look at with an endearingly oddball approach to character design. A combat system that rewards and a story that goes deeper than the ornery main character suggests.

Power Ranger fans have had their share of hits and misses when it comes to the videogame space but with Rita’s Rewind, I feel the best is here. I had a smile on my face the entire time while playing this one. Upon initial completion my only negative was how short it was because I craved more. Are there areas of improvement, sure and do I wish I could more easily play with my online friends, yes but that has barely taken away the enjoyment I can get with this game as is. Don’t miss out Power Rangers fan, this one is worth the play. Gamers in general, this is one to look into as well!

LEGO Party! is a solid, fun party game for families or friends. The boards are well designed and offer enough differences to make playing them repeatedly interesting, and the minigames are just the right balance of chaos and execution to be laugh out loud fun. A bit more chaos at the end of a game with bonus bricks would have been welcome, but otherwise this is a great alternative to Mario and his pals’ boardgame shenanigans.

Lords of the Fallen successfully builds upon its predecessor, delivering a dark fantasy epic that captivates for much of its playtime. With its refined mechanics, exquisite art style, and an atmospheric world full of intricately designed levels, it stands as a worthy entry in the action RPG genre and is more than deserving of its “Soulslike” label. Despite a few minor challenges for newcomers, the game’s immersive experience and depth make it a must-play for fans of the genre.

Don’t you love when a game delivers on the hype? I certainly do and The Plucky Squire lives up to its promise. I was grinning the whole time playing it and really enjoyed what it had to offer. This is a game that while not providing a ton of challenge in the combat arena, it brought forth some clever puzzles that sometimes made me stop to appreciate what I had to do regardless of if it was actually difficult to figure out or not. A game like this comes around only so often and it is actually one I’d recommend to all gamers.

Vampyr is an ambitious experience that’s packed with atmosphere and personality. The game’s greatest achievement, however, is how well all of its systems come together to produce constant catch-22 dilemmas. It’s a game that truly puts the narrative power into the hands of the player, which ultimately results in a deep and immersive journey through a dark and compelling plot.

If you’re a lover of story games this is one for you! Unlike many story games Afterparty has many twists – and just as many types of drinks to consume. The gameplay is simple but because the focus is on the story this actually is to the titles benefit. You can play it multiple times with a different experience every time! The characters are brilliant and it’s probably one of the best story driven games I’ve come across this year.

All in all, Pacer is about as close as we’re likely to get to a new Wipeout; that is to say, its fantastic sense of speed and style evoke the same feeling I got when playing the 1995 classic. Even on the slower speeds things move briskly, but up it to the Elite class and we’re in for a eye-wateringly fast racer that looks great and controls perfectly. A few confusing UI elements aside, this is well worth a look.

Roguelike fan or not, there’s a lot of fun to be had in Deadlink, with explosive action that encourages us to experiment with the full arsenal, and makes even our failed runs feel rewarding simply by being so damn joyous the play.

Overall and with no real negatives to speak of, Psychonauts 2 is certainly up there with the best games to have been released in 2021 so far. It maintains a strong showing throughout whilst keeping players engaged with fresh and unique environments, and with satisfying gameplay and a wacky story to boot, there is plenty to sink your teeth into throughout the 15-hour runtime.

Lake is a wonderfully chill adventure. The sense of place is great, the characters we meet are all interesting and entertaining, and I found it to be a great way to unwind after a long day – the way it should be. Well worth checking out, and an adventure I’ll come back to time again.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is an enjoyable family-friendly alternative to Assassin’s Creed. The story is enjoyable and if you know a bit about Greek mythology it’s pleasant to see they took the flaws and cruel sides of the Gods rather than glorifying them. The narrative between Zeus and Prometheus is amusing and is a great accompaniment as you progress through the story. There are plenty of different puzzles outside of the main story to keep you busy and makes traversing the open land more enjoyable. The game could have done with more variety in enemies and puzzles to keep the feeling of monotony at bay though.

In conclusion Kaze and the Wild Masks was a game I was hyped for …. And it delivered. This can be compared to Donkey Kong Country 2 from back in the day. Platforming fans and gamers that take a shine to retro-styled games will like this. The easy mode makes it more accessible to those who might have more difficulty with platforming while not penalizing the player for choosing it. Kaze and the Wild Masks is quality 90’s gaming … today.

Roll7 has gone above and beyond with their third skateboarding entry, OlliOlli World. It’s bursting with content and more is on its way. This game is perfect for veterans and newcomers alike, and the character customization is next level. What are you waiting for? Drop-in and ride.

A stunningly presented psychological horror title with some excellent twists and turns that is only let down by a few obtuse puzzles, Luto is a strong debut title and easily makes its case as one of the better indie horrors in recent times.

Despite being a hell of a challenge, the speed of the action combined with some awesome heavy metal music made Grood a hard title to put down. I’ll likely never see the end of it, and yet I can see myself coming back for a quick session in between other titles simply due to how fun and frantic it is.

Low-poly horror is all the rage it seems, but few titles pull it off as well as Janitor Bleeds. Smart pacing, clever use of mechanics, and an excellently crafted atmosphere combine to make a great indie horror title.

Habroxia 2 takes my love for old school arcade shooters and gives it a fresh, modern spin. It can be difficult early on, but I always felt I was making some progress thanks to the upgrade systems. Having a full 360 degree of attack movement is a breath of fresh air, as it being able to equip a couple of special attacks to help out. The 16-bit visuals are great (as is the soundtrack), the gameplay feel is spot on, and it doesn’t over stay its welcome at all.

The combination of gunplay, fast movement, upgrades, weapons, and some frankly kick ass dynamic music that reacts to our gameplay has won me over these past few nights. The classic ‘easy to play, hard to master’ mantra is very true of Go Mecha Ball, but importantly it’s never less than a blast to play.

There’s hours upon hours of entertainment here bolstered by satisfying combat and a story that will engage throughout, although the addictive nature of playing Valhalla often overwhelms the enjoyability – there are so many distractions and enhancements that make it a fully bolstered adventure that you’ll find yourself lost and entrenched in time and again. Valhalla swings for the fences and lands a satisfying and devastating blow that will certainly be felt by most players who experience it, just don’t go looking for a game-changer.

It’s been a long wait for this latest LEGO title, but boy, was it worth it. Updated gameplay and controls feel fresh, while the visual and audio work do the LEGO Star Wars name justice nicely. With plenty of thigs to see and do, this could well be the ultimate LEGO game when all is said and done!

AAC is a great game visually and playability wise, smooth and enjoyable but also filled with signs of frustration. If you’re a fan of these types of games you will have a ball, if you’re not then you may find a controller embedded in your T.V. set quicker than you think.

With a fresh take on the Aliens game franchise and a deep understanding of what made that movie tick, Aliens: Dark Descent is a great Real Time Strategy.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest managed to capture what I enjoyed about the choose your own adventure games of childhood and wrapped it up with an engaging tale, full of interesting scenarios, characters, and outcomes. There’s minimal visual/audio presentation, but what’s here still helps to craft a great atmosphere in addition to almost 120,000 words full of thousands of variations. If you’re after something along the lines of Telltale’s best work, then Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest comes highly recommended.

I had a fun time with Blacksad: Under the Skin. The immersive soundtrack and engaging story never out stayed its welcome and for me I’d say it rivals Telltales The Wolf Among Us as one of the better detective story games out there.

If you loved the original form of Shin Megami Tensei V, then Vengeance is a fantastic complement to it, with a strong second story arc, excellent quality of life improvements, and a generally refined and improved JRPG experience fans of the genre will lap up vigorously. Yes, it’s still perhaps existing in the shadow of the Persona series with its litany of similarities, and doesn’t quite have the grace and style of its brethren, but it’s a hardcore RPG that blazes its own path (mostly), and does so with conviction and poise. Vengeance is therefore fully worthy of your attention and the amount of hours you’ll no-doubt pour into it.

Despite some niggles, TT Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2 is easily the best feeling racer I’ve played in quite some time. The sheer sense of speed and place in the thick of hurtling along the track is almost overwhelming. Some more shorter races would have been nice, and it’s all too easy to fall to the back after a single mistake, but put a bit of time into grasping the delicacies of the handling and you’ll find an incredibly satisfying racer.

Green Hell is an absolutely fantastic survival game. The way the jungle pulls you in with its beauty at the same time as punishing you for even the smallest of mistakes. Creepy Jar have done a great job making you both feel consumed by the jungle as well as adding the psychological strain of being stranded alone. The game makes no excuses for its learning curve, but it doesn’t need to because of how great the overall experience is. In the famous words of Axl Rose……… Welcome to the Jungle!

Double Dragon Gaiden: ROTD is a perfect addition to the series keeping what made the originals memorable and enhancing the experience without going fully 3D. The fast-paced action and different play move sets keeps things fresh as well as playing the stages in a different order to enjoy new challenges. I appreciate the effort that has gone into keeping the game fresh with the rogue-lite elements, the unlockables in the shop and the variety of characters you can play as I think this is well worth picking up.

An amazing game and a joy to play. Is Underhero perfect? No, but there’s little to dislike, and similar to the crush phase of a new relationship, the game’s faults are extremely easy to overlook. The many diverse gameplay elements of Underhero mesh well and add benefit to the game rather than retract from it. It’s charming and highly recommended.

All in all, I’ve had a..blast… playing Marble it Up! Ultra this past week. There are a lot of levels to work through, the times are truly a challenge, and some of the designs are masterfully done. Add in the weekly challenges and multiplayer and we’ve got an easily recommended arcade title that should provide entertainment for some time to come.

Cat’s Quest III is a worthy sequel. Fans of the previous game will have a blast and enjoy being back in the world of cat-puns.

Whether you’ve come for a good yarn, intense drama, or intriguing puzzles, American Arcadia has you covered nicely without ever overstaying its welcome. Experiencing Trevor’s story and the interplay between Trevor and Angela is engaging and high-quality entertainment. It’s brief, and the characters aren’t particularly interesting, but American Arcadia is a game with plenty to say – an inspired, brief, but pleasurable title that deserves attention.

Isonzo commits to the WW1-era faithfully, with the pro’s and con’s that come with dealing with that time periods battles. I enjoyed the slower pace and more methodical approach to combat and objective capturing, and hope to see it continue to build a community of players willing to invest the time into the long battles.

Overall, if you enjoyed previous Forza Motorsport titles then you’re again going to enjoy this one too. It has plenty of racing, lots of tracks, and even more cars to be getting involved in. Forza Motorsport is slowly pushing more and more towards that sim racer but there is still plenty of the arcade feel to keep things accessible to newcomers and being an Xbox Studios title you can guarantee long after you’ve finished up the single-player content, there will be countless weekly additions of multiplayer events to keep you coming back for more should you wish to make this your number one go to racer. For me though, it’s simply just more Forza.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a great game and a lot of fun for the older generation. With an awesome realistic look and gameplay I found myself enjoying it right up to the end. With a strong following I hope there will be more Zombie Army games to come, because why not right?

It is hard to find negative things to say about Pizza Possum. It’s length I suppose as I wish it was longer or had more levels. There’s hope for a sequel at least. That said, Pizza Possum delivers a fun and accessible game. No run ever feels like a waste of time with its item progression and the more you play the easier those items make the game. If you are in need of what I like to call a “palate-cleansing” game, I hope you give Pizza Possum a thought!

I’ve very much enjoyed my time with Freshly Frosted. It’s proven to be a nice game to unwind with after the work day, with challenges that are pitched just about right for the most part. Wrapped up in a cute and whimsical story and art style, this is a refreshing puzzler that stands out from the crowd.

Sheepo is sort of a goldilocks game, every aspect of the game feels “just right”. The level design and game world are well designed, the difficulty makes the game approachable for many players, and the game doesn’t overstay its welcome thanks to its playtime which is on the shorter, more reasonable side. Whether you’re a platformer fan, a Metroidvania veteran, or a newcomer, Sheepo is a game you should try (and if you do, maybe you could tell me what type of animal you think he is).

If you’re looking for something different and unique then Signs of the Sojourner deserves your attention. Its simple-to-learn card game mechanic does a fantastic job of symbolizing a lot of the core concepts of communication, and once you learn the best tactics to use you’ll want to experience everything the game has to offer. The game has a high replay value, each time you play you will find something new, meeting new characters, discovering a hidden city, or maybe learning about your character’s past. Or you can blaze your own trail and try to unlock one of the many alternate endings. Even if you don’t normally play story-focused games or card games, Signs of the Sojourner should have something for you and is definitely worth checking out.

As a lifelong Sonic fan, I’m glad I was finally able to play Colours, and in the best possible fashion thanks to the nice audio/visual upgrade. The core gameplay is great, and the Wisps add far more than I thought they would to proceedings. Some of the classic issue with 3D Sonic games remain, but these are limited in what is otherwise a great time.

My time with The Surge 2 is far from over. Lessons from the original have clearly been learned, with the whole production having a better feel to every aspect, from combat through audio/visual presentation. While in some parts the difficulty spikes to an almost frustrating degree, it’s worth persevering with. An absolutely brilliant entry into the Souls genre, and well worth picking up.

For fans of titles like Silent Hills (P.T.) and Amnesia this is a must. Great atmospheric surroundings provide a truly horrific experience. With photo realistic graphics, great sound and tense moments that make you freak out, Infliction: Extended Cut does a fantastic job and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this rising indie team.

Laser League has the potential to stand just as tall as other competitive multiplayer experiences, such as Rocket League. It’s fun, fast paced and constantly exciting throughout. The fact that it’s so easy to pick up and play makes it widely accessible, bolstered further by its unique and articulate foundation and design. This is a game of chaos, strategy and speed, unifying to produce a game that’s truly like no other.

State of Decay 2 is a huge step up from its predecessor. There’s a large and diverse variety of content within, all of which is upheld by well developed systems, fluid gameplay and easy to understand functionality. This isn’t going to be for everyone, however, there’s no denying that despite its niggling issues and bugs, it’s easily one of the best Microsoft exclusives in recent memory. It’s tense, action-packed and thoroughly entertaining.

Creaks is a bizarre, yet engaging, puzzle platformer that manages to play with its rule-set in clever – though also a little too repetitive – ways.

All in all then, I had a really great time with Archaica: The Path of Light. The puzzle difficulty is pitched just right, it allows us to solve puzzles at our own pace and it has a brilliantly executed hint system that still encourages thinking about a solution rather than just giving us the answer. Some minor control issues aside, I’d highly recommend picking this up, especially if you’re after something to unwind with after a long day.

Don’t let the name of the game or the simple match 3 gameplay throw you off. Crazy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 (CRDM3) is a wild and fun ride through an actual videogame and what some of those characters are learning and figuring out. It’s a story I wasn’t expecting but quickly wanted to keep going to unravel it more.

Core Keeper is an excellent addition to the sandbox survival genre. The cleverly interlocking systems, the levelling up, and the promise of something new around each corner is going to cause it to consume a lot of people’s times. A must-have for all players.

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes takes a simple concept and makes it something that’s hilarious, tense and massively entertaining. It helps that the game is very accessible and easy to understand for both the direct player and the off-screen participating helpers, alike. This is undoubtedly the best party game in recent memory, one in which losing is every bit as fun as winning.

Overall, if you’re after a new co-op shooter to play with friends, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Extraction isn’t a bad way to go. Sure it’s difficulty will be enough to turn some away, but should you stick with it, formulate a plan and not mind the frequent MIA operator in need of a saviour, what you’ll find is a competent multiplayer shooter that brings fantastic visuals and challenging gameplay to an already beloved franchise and with plenty of returning characters that players will know from before, this doesn’t feel like yet another game that you’ll need to learn from scratch. Is it worthy of being a fully-fledged game? I’m not so sure, but with it currently available on Xbox Game Pass, there is no reason to avoid checking out what is likely to be one of the years biggest shooters.

A wonderful surprise mid-year. Nobody Wants to Die is a tightly woven walking sim, with gorgeous environmental art and a compelling story. Anyone interested in this kind of story telling should definitely pick it up.

When all is said and done I believe Blasphemous 2 will sit high atop the Metroidvania Pantheon. However, throughout almost my entire time with the game, I couldn’t get the first game out of my mind – thinking how I should go back and play it again or finish off all of the free bonus DLC. The new weapon system with its three separate weapons gives this a good amount of replayability and allows for many different playstyles which is great. As a whole, the sequel is much more approachable for new players to the genre, and while there are plenty of improvements and quality-of-life additions, I can’t help but feel that Blasphemous 2 is the inferior product. Hopefully, the Game Kitchen plans on adding additional content here as they did with the original. I enjoyed my time with the game, but it needs something more to really draw me back in.

It’s hard, but in that perfectly pitched way that encourages one more go, time and time again. Some excellent audio/visual work helps tremendously, and the extra modes are a neat, if slightly unneeded, addition. Great fun to play all round, and highly recommended.

The game is marketed and discussed as an evolution of the CRPG, but I think fans of story-heavy adventure games and the old point-and-click classics would also feel right at home in Disco Elysium: Final Cut.

Now, as I mentioned briefly at the start, the trailer didn’t quite sell to me the whole psychological horror tag that has been applied to In Sound Mind, and even now after having spent some enjoyable hours running through it, I wouldn’t quite point fully towards the horror genre for placement with In Sound Mind. Sure it has a few horror elements, however, should you be willing to accept it as a psychological thriller, then I for one would certainly assign that as amended tag, whilst also raising the expectation that In Sound Mind is a game we’ll likely see mentioned in the same breath as previously mentioned classic Condemned, in years to come.

Despite very slight niggles over control and getting myself lost, the reality is that Piccolo Studio have delivered an incredible debut full of rich storytelling, tear-filled beauty and unforgettable moments. Their own attention to detail and the obvious love they have poured into this game lift it far beyond the heavens their hero seeks. Whether a debut outing or otherwise, the game is outstanding. They may have also just delivered my game of the year.

I am Your Beast is lean, well paced, and full of style and humour. An essential purchase for anyone that loves to chase a perfect murder run.

Strategy fans looking for a meaty title to sink their teeth into will be disappointed, especially if they aren’t good at platforming games. On the other hand, 2D platformer fans should definitely give this a try. They’ll certainly be happy with half of the game and they might end up getting some enjoyment from the strategy part of the game as well like I did.

Deep Silver Fishlabs has spent a lot of time developing space-combat shooter games; they also developed the Galaxy on Fire series, and I think all of that time has culminated in a stand-out product here in Chorus. Taking the gameplay elements found in a typical 3D action RPG and applying them to a space flight game works tremendously well. Flying around the levels is a blast, the combat is enjoyable, and the story is more substantial than I expected, which was good and bad, as sometimes I wished the characters would shut up so I could get back into the action. If playing a space-combat shooter with an action RPG structure sounds at all interesting then you should consider checking out Chorus.

While I may not be fit to rule the new world, I sure had a depressingly great time with Frostpunk. The difficulty will no doubt put people off – especially those going in blind – but persevere and there’s a deep, rewarding strategy title here that will get it’s hooks in, and drag you down with it.

I still really enjoyed my time with Obduction, even despite getting severely stuck at points. It looks great, there’s a compelling tale being told and for the most part the puzzles are just the right balance of difficulty, rewarding our time spent invested in exploring the world. A little more guidance – even an optional hint system – could have kept me from visiting Google, but the fact I still wanted to continue means it must be doing something right.

Hidden Through Time has the secret sauce for what makes a game universal. It’s uncomplicated, fun, appropriate for everyone, and can be played in small chunks. For a hidden object/person game, I don’t see it being better than this. Crazy Monkey Studios does a great job of landing exactly on target on delivering exactly what you see, of which not all companies can boast. Highly recommended.

I really quite like Tannenberg. It’s committed to presenting WW1 in a pretty chilling way, yet still manages to be a fun, challenging online multiplayer shooter. The levelling progression menus are a bit confusing, and there’s not all that many people playing it yet, but get a good squad to go into battle with and I think you’ll be won over.

Ace Team have released their best game yet, a fusion of survival, exploration, and platforming. The world is stunning and begs to be explored.

I came away from Re:Turn – One Way Trip having had a great time. I really dug the 2D, 32-bit aesthetic that managed to get a good, creepy atmosphere across without relying on all the usual flash and pomp we’d expected of a horror title. The story is constantly engaging and well written, complimented by some great audio work. Some minor niggles in the constant back tracking and lack of helpful direction can lead to some frustration, especially if played across a few nights, but it doesn’t take too long to get back into the swing of things really. If you’re after a solid start to the Halloween season, this comes highly recommended.

Overall, if you like the world of Sherlock Holmes, enjoy a good investigative adventure, or have enjoyed any of the previous games in the series, either new or old, then Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is likely to be a game you will thoroughly enjoy. It has charm, wit, excitement, and plenty of harrowing crimes to chill you to the bone as you explore the picturesque locale of Sherlock’s childhood stomping ground. This is what I always want a Sherlock game to be.

Song of Iron is possibly one of my favourite games of 2021. It has a perfect playtime with just the right amount of difficulty to leave you at times pulling your hair out and feeling a brilliant sense of accomplishment when you have killed an enemy or a boss. Song of Iron‘s music is a great accompaniment, the Nordic feel pulls you in and immerses you completely. As you’re going through the game you pick up powers which include faster running helps you jump over those big gaps, fire and electricity for your sword and arrows as well as my personal favourite: calling back your sword after you’ve thrown it into an enemies head. At just a couple of hours long, this comes highly recommended.

Overall if you want a refreshing bike racer that elevates the usual tropes and exceeds in all the key areas, then RiMS Racing is the experience you need. Whilst it might falter slightly with some questionable A.I. aggression, and it may not have quite the number of iconic locations as some racers out there, there is more than enough to get lost in with this two-wheeled dream ride. The petition for RiMS 2 starts here!

Sumo have made some stellar efforts in the past, but Team Sonic Racing is, needless to say, their best effort by far. What’s here is a love letter to all things Sonic, not just in character variation, but stage design, audio presentation, and much more besides. Despite some online teething issues, some questionable AI behavior, and the odd poor design choice, you’ll not find a better kart racer this side of a Nintendo system.

Two Point Hospital is a familiar yet refreshing take on the PC classic that will satisfy veterans and newcomers alike. With its Dad humour and simple but deep gameplay, the game will keep you trying to achieve those perfect star ratings for hours on end. If you’re missing the 90’s nostalgia of management sims such as Theme Hospital, Theme Park and Rollercoaster Tycoon this will certainly cure that longing for the glory days.

A gorgeous and immersive first-person survival game that takes all the best the series has had to offer, and runs with it. The slow pace can take a little getting used to, but that visceral heft to the game really helps to place you in its world. The open world is a nice addition, but the game still plays at its best in its claustrophobic smaller areas. If you’re seeking a palette cleanser after years of breakneck shooters, Metro Exodus is a great choice.

While it may seem like an odd pairing on the face of it, Atomicrops blend of farming, rogue-like elements and bullet hell shooter make for one incredibly fun game. Starting from scratch upon death still isn’t my favourite thing in the world, but Atomicrops is definitely one of the better examples of this system.

Despite some very minor issues, F1 2018 is the best of its kind, and certainly the best in the series so far. The high level of visual and audio detail, grouped with the care and attention to authenticity, collectively makes for an experience that’s robust, faithful and deep. Codemasters’ subtle yet noticeable changes over F1 2017 takes an already distinguished racer and makes it bigger and better than ever.

All in all, Space Moth Lunar Edition is a great modern throwback to the arcade Shmups of old. It has some clever systems to encourage high score chasing and repeat plays, it looks and sounds lovely, and is, most importantly, a lot of fun to play. If you’re a fan of the genre or just curious to try a title like this out, you won’t find much better than this.

Radiolight is an enjoyable sci-fi adventure where we’re constantly wanting to see what’s next, with great performances pulling us through to a solid conclusion.

As I mentioned earlier I’ve played everything Warhammer from the Xbox 360 on and I can recommend most of them, but this is the first title I can recommend for both Warhammer enthusiasts and novices alike, as there’s enough story and lore content and plenty of interesting and challenging gameplay to satisfy both groups.

Rain on Your Parade is a hilarious, reference filled adventure that gamers young and old could enjoy. It provides variety and options for how much you want to get out of the game and is never too challenging for any one person.

The Gap is a stunning looking, well written, and engaging puzzle game, one that will have its hooks in within minutes and not let go. It can be a bit obtuse with the goals we’re looking to achieve (especially if your play sessions are spread out or get interrupted) but if you can keep in the zone, The Gap will reward you with a fantastic gaming experience.

Overall I am blown away at how much I have enjoyed playing MLB The Show 21. I had a mild interest in baseball but I can see myself following the sport a lot closer based on how much fun I have had so far in this game. Sure it has flaws and it’s not the easiest to just pick up and play, but that all pales in comparison to the satisfaction of crushing a pitch clean out the field.

Overall, if you are looking for a game that can provide a high-quality storytelling experience, whilst remaining engaging throughout, then there will be few better than The Letter – A Horror Visual Novel. Sure, you can blast through it with skip-text options and auto-play if you’re just here for the Gamerscore, but if you want to make the most of that money spent, then this is not a game that will disappoint. It brings classic horror to a complete narrative adventure, and it does it in a way that even few books manage to achieve. This is the first time a visual novel has left me anything but resenting its existence, and somehow this one even manages to be impressive. Hopefully, we see more horror visual novels given this same development effort.

The Golf Club 2019 is as close to real world golf as you can get. HB Studios goes above and beyond to strike a fine balance between accessible and challenging. With its repetitive commentary and its plastic avatars to the side, there’s very little to scoff at. The game’s functions are remarkably fluid, precise and deep, allowing players to immerse themselves in an authentic and faithful representation of the sport.

What can I say? SteamWorld games don’t miss (with me at least) and SteamWorld Heist II is no exception. This is a special treat for the Xbox ecosystem, as this is our first foray into SteamWorld’s take on the tactical strategy genre. Thunderful have made another game to show and help gamers how to branch out into other types of genres that they may normally not play. If you like this universe but do not typically like this type of game (or don’t know if you do), I would still implore you to give it a chance.

Double Cross is a great game that sports quite a lot of variation. Whilst the detective mechanics, although solid, are perhaps a bit too simple, everything that pertains to the platforming remains diverse and engaging throughout. The end result makes for an adventure that’s not only interesting, but thoroughly entertaining, and although the dialogue can be too invasive at times, the game goes on to get a lot more right than it gets wrong.

Hitman 2 is surgical – it’s a focused experience that knows what it wants to achieve and exactly how to do it, much like its protagonist. All six maps are wonderfully replayable, and in reshuffling older content, IO seems to be on the cusp of the “games as a service” wave in a way not attempted by other developers. More locations would have been welcome, and Hitman 2 feels like somewhat of a supplementary package to its episodic brother at times, but there is nothing else out there like it.

Despite the slow start and the weak melee combat, I will go out of my way to recommend Phoenotopia: Awakening. The developers went above and beyond building a captivating world that will suck you in. There are funny characters, interesting locations, unique puzzles, and satisfying platforming. What are you waiting for? Grab your fishing rod, frying pan, bomb sack, spear, and dust off your flute, and prepare for an adventure.

Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition is one of those games where you feel yourself getting better the more you play, and I usually enjoy games that give me that experience. Once you get an understanding of the gameplay it’s a very rewarding and fun game although getting to that point can be a bit unconventional. Discovering everything on your own can be a fun endeavour but I also understand why some players might abandon the game because of its obtuse nature. It starts out slow, and you have to build up your arsenal and inventory, but overall the journey is very fun. It can feel somewhat grindy at points, especially the end game, and it would be nice if there were one or two more levels and/or some boss variety. In the end, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of roguelite platformers, especially if you like shooting tons of Gunz and exploring an exquisitely designed morbid pixel art setting.

DiRT Rally 2.0’s relentless difficulty truly knows no bounds, making it an experience that’s clearly been designed exclusively for rally sim enthusiasts. The game packs a respectable variation of tracks, vehicles, and modes, with a plethora of customization options present to aid you in finding comfortable handling. Despite its few technical issues, it doesn’t get much better than this. It’s tense, it’s engaging, and it’s constantly exciting.

Although not quite as refined as one would have hoped, Dark Souls Remastered takes the critically acclaimed 2011 game and brings it back for a sharper, more fluid experience. Bugs and annoyances occur infrequently, but in the face of its stable framerate, its improved lighting and effects and its inclusion of Artorias of the Abyss, this is easy to overlook. Simply put, this is the best version of the game to date.

Between its fairly deep serving of content, its multi-tiered progression system and its innovative community death mechanic, Next Up Hero is certainly one of the better dungeon crawlers to release in recent memory. Its steep difficulty may not be for everyone, but if you relish a heavily challenging experience with heaps of replay value, this game should most certainly be on your radar.

With improved movement mechanics, new dog Luna’s abilities, and a lot of content to get to, Grapple Dogs: Cosmic Canines is a better overall game than its predecessor. The optional levels are a bit easy, and Luna makes playing as Pablo feel a bit weak, but this is still an easy recommendation for anyone looking for some pure, fun platforming action.

Cult of the Lamb might not have the most complex systems, but it has a magnitude of quick and fun activities for you to engage in, and everything fits together wonderfully. The management system can feel a little frustrating at first while you learn the ropes, and there were many times when I just wanted to get back to the frantic action of the dungeon diving portion, but once you understand the best ways to proceed you’ll have a ton of fun just like I did. Massive Monster have created a winning combination here and they plan to add more content in the future so I’ll definitely keep my eyes open for it because I would love to continue my tenure as a cult leader.