It’s a vast and fascinating open world asking to be explored, populated by deadly animals who owe their existence to tasty encounters. The fighting is exciting, and the vocations are all excellent options, regardless of how you play. While there will undoubtedly be some learning curves as you gain accustomed to its brutal environment, the heady feeling that Dragon’s Dogma II provides is well worth the effort.

I do love a pixel-art platformer, but the inclusion of RPG elements (which were a little complicated in my eyes) sucked out some of the enjoyment factor from Ginsha. I can see the replayability and the many ways you could customise your character but these just didn’t do it for me. The basic exploration, traversing and shooting is very well executed and enjoyable. The story was fairly interesting however as I kept reading the text I felt myself wandering and losing interest very early on. Some voice acting would really improve the experience and would have also kept my attention for longer.

Welcome to Paradize is not going to set the world on fire graphically, but as far as zombie apocalypse games go this one is pretty fun and charming at times. The zombie hacking feature is pretty neat once you get a hang of it and the game has some length to it to keep you going for a while. I won’t lie it was a bit of a slow start but it did grow on me and is fun to play – something I plan to keep on doing.

After I played enough to write a review I hung up my apron, turned off the grill, and that was the end of Food Truck Simulator for good. It’s a great concept that I’d like to believe would’ve worked without the frustrations and complications and maybe it’s like that on a different platform from Xbox. However, the game I played was undercooked leaving me in anticipation to clock out.

King Arthur: Knights Tale is a good but not quite great medieval take on the tactical RPG genre. The Skirmish and Local PVP modes add value and longevity to a game that can feel repetitive if you stick solely to the campaign.

At the end of the day Outcast – A New Beginning did keep drawing me back to play it whether that be advancing the story (or trying to figure out how) or to get a few more trials under my belt for the limited time I had. So, it wasn’t all bad but definitely nothing I’m going to remember aside from having some fun flying around a colorful and open world. Lastly, to conclude I don’t usually bring price into the equation, but this is one of those games that has broken the barrier of our standard pricing and I think that should be considered with what you get in this game compared to others. At what today can be considered a premium price (for a normal base game mind you) I don’t think you are getting a premium product.

Open Roads is another excellently crafted experience from Fullbright and Annapurna. With a strong, emotional, and well-performed story, as well as plenty of room for fleshing out the tale via the exploration sections, it’s something that had us compelled to play from start to finish in a single sitting – and will live on in our thoughts for quite some time.

Given that STAR WARS: Battlefront Classic Collection is literally a port of the original games it’s surprising that it was botched this badly. Regardless of what price amount it came out to be, it shouldn’t be sold in this condition. It feels like a cash grab and a slap in the face to long-time fans of the series. The title needs to be hidden in a galaxy far, far away.

As a brief but well-crafted Netflix indie title, Highwater hits the mark with its sense of worldbuilding, the interesting flourishes of its combat, and the underlying themes that give it a richness that’s worth exploring. Highwater is held back by stodgy writing, character interaction and a frustrating menu system, but for a few hours of apocalyptic storytelling amidst a flooded world, where you can discover new islands and yank cigar-chomping big men to their doom, Highwater is worth a shot and is buoyant enough to stay afloat despite the threat of capsizing.

Overall, Kingdoms and Castles provides an engaging blend of city-building and strategic challenges, offering a rewarding experience for players willing to embark on the journey of building, defending, and expanding their realm.

Overall, I’ve had a decent time with Alone in the Dark. The Resident Evil reboots are a clear and massive inspiration, and while it might not be quite on their level, Alone in the Dark still manages to entertain with a weird and wonderful experience. The combat sections are definitely a weak spot, but the exploration and puzzle parts are able to balance this out nicely.

A trial by horror if there ever was one, The Outlast Trials does its best to flavour up the Outlast formula with its particular slant on co-operative gameplay. The results are decent alone or with friends, but too many times The Outlast Trials sacrifices its horror potential by implementing its newly-minted multiplayer features, consequently threatening to trip over and compromise the experience. Outlast‘s bespoke brand of horror manages to keep its head above the bloodbath thanks to brimming environments, meticulous presentational elements and its ability to unnerve, but trying to be bigger doesn’t payoff as better with The Outlast Trials, it’s merely good, but could’ve been great if it was smaller and more focused.

Slave Zero X did not grip me with the story, however, the simplistic game mechanics were a nice change of pace. You move along the area from left to right, you can hack and slash your way through the enemies, there are various enemy types each with its unique attack pattern and weapons. As you can see from the video above the graphics are very “retro” but the developers, Poppy Works have added camera shifts as you move along the levels. This gives this 2D game more visual depth. I personally found some bosses very tricky to beat, add the fact they have no health meter, some battles can be are very frustrating. I did find myself on more than one occasion stuck trying to manoeuvre to the next section. The above “issues” did not take away the fact I did have a blast playing Slave Zero X.

All in all, Stunt Paradise isn’t going to move the needle for being your new all-time favorite game, but it does deliver a few fun moments. In what could have been a quick game to get out of the door, it feels like some love went into making it. I was pretty impressed the first time the camera whooshed around as my car was making a turn but in reality, my controlling was just going straight. This is one of those palate cleanser games as I like to call them and it delivers on that promise of being short, decent, and something enjoyable enough to pass the time.

Tamarak Trail’s crime is not that it is bad, just that it is not on the same level as other roguelites in its genre, or even its very crowded subgenre.

A strong start to a potential franchise. Excellent environment art, compelling world and story, The Inquisitor just needs a little more polish in other areas.

Considering how much of challenge there can be in Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, there’s no denying it is a consistently rewarding and satisfying game to play. The three areas on offer are huge but packed with interesting terrain to traverse and conquer, and there are more objectives to tackle than you could ever realistically need. The non-driving parts are a let-down but are brief enough to not sour things too much over all. A niche-but-worthwhile experience awaits those who are willing to tackle the wilds.

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.

I love my metroidvania games and The Mobius Machine is definitely a metroidvania game, however it fell a little short for me. The pieces are there for a decent game but the combination of the slow paced progression, combat, and mapping frustrations actively pulled me away from the game. It’s not often I don’t finish a game but with The Mobius Machine it is just something I will have to try after some time has passed.

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.

If you haven’t experienced Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, this is the time to do so. This remake rejuvenates a hidden gem with excellent visual and audio refinements that make the original seem decades old despite only being a singular decade old. If you take out the remake’s flourishes you’ll still be privy to one of the absolute best indie experiences around with one of the most emotionally arresting games you’ll ever play. The controls may not be ideal for those with co-ordination issues, and are otherwise quite finnicky at times, but their inventiveness more than makes up for any stodginess. A Tale of Two Sons‘ elegant autumnal sheen has been evolved remarkably, and now is the time for the outliers to lie inside and cozy up to one of the most striking and artistically nourishing hidden delights in modern videogames.

Quadroids is definitely not a game I could sit down with for an entire evening of play, but even though I’m pretty bad at it I’ve enjoyed my time with it as something to play for a bit before moving onto something else. Co-op play is available to split the screen real estate with too which is handy, though the need for good timing and communication will still be there as some of the levels are pretty exacting in this regard.

Garden Life: A Cozy Simulator provides a calming experience for garden enthusiasts. Thanks to Stillalive Studios and Nacon, aspiring gardeners now have a new comfort game to enjoy. While performing tasks can be rather tedious there’s much more that the game can offer both visually and creatively.

There is so much negativity surrounding this title, but I don’t care. I have had a good time with it. Does it have faults? Yes it does. But this hasn’t ruined the experience for me. I’ve had fun playing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The first boss fight was bluntly rubbish however the second boss fight makes up for it in my opinion. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League feels like it was meant to be DC’s version of Marvel’s Avengers. I feel Rocksteady did a better job in keeping my attention and making missions easier to follow, even if they do have a repetitive nature to them.

Jujutsu Kaisen: Cursed Clash lacks spirit and depth and is just Hollow overall. Just because the franchise is popular doesn’t mean fans will mindlessly love the game. Its combat and mechanics are interesting, almost touching the soul, but that flame is quickly snuffed out with poor graphics resembling a mobile game, and a lazy attempt as a arena fighter. Astonishingly, this game has a price tag of up to $100.

Promenade is as charming and colourful as it is clever and challenging. It manages to keep the surprises coming throughout, offering more to the player than it has any real right to do.

Solid puzzle game, with a lovely ink style. Howl is a short, bite sized bit of fun.

Sometimes relics should be left in the past, and unfortunately the Tomb Raider Remastered Collection is one of those cases. There is some worth in preserving the base experience of these 32-bit classics for a modern generation of consoles, but calling this collection remastered is negligible, as it’s only claim to such namesakes comes from slight visual improvements and slightly modernised controls. This collection is best served as a history lesson and would do well in a videogame museum, but although it’s pleasantly priced, there are games that cost less that are longer and offer so much more substance than this. Feel free to take the history lesson, but whereas the original three games were celebrated and rightly so at the time, in 2024 it’s a case of history dooming itself in the present.

Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Daemonhunters is another great entry into the Warhammer Universe. With tons of different ways to customize your squad cosmetically and with talents, Daemonhunters has the ability to keep you coming back for more.

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.

Overall a wonderful game to play, very much like Kanata Zero (must play FYI). Graphic were very good, audio was good and controlled well.

All in all, Cannibal Abduction is an enjoyable, if slight, retro horror title. The cannibal gives up a bit too easily at times, but that doesn’t really deflate the shock value when he appears out of the blue each time we start to get comfortable. Add in a secondary, trickier game mode and for horror fans this is an easy recommendation.

Tekken 8 is a game in which I can’t find any glaring flaws in terms of gameplay or online matchmaking. Sure it’s a pain when playing against an opponent at 200 ping, but those are rare for me. With its amazing story mode, graphics, and improved gameplay mechanics, I find myself always coming back for more. No other fighting game has a chokehold on me as Tekken does. Whether you are new or a veteran to the franchise do yourself a favor and enter the ring. You won’t regret it.

Alisa is as retro-accurate as they come despite being a modern release, and it’s a brilliant reminder of how we used to play, though also of some of the limitations we used to work under. One for older gamers who grew up with the birth of survival horror, but also new players looking to get a taste of where it all began.

Bahnsen Knights proves that LCB Game Studios are leaders in their field. A visual novel unlike most others, but also familiar to anyone that enjoys pulp entertainment.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is a wonderful sequel and I can’t speak highly enough about how this game looks and plays. The story plays with your emotions like always, but it keeps you enthralled throughout. Even if you want to take it easy the game just can be played for the side activities which can just as easily keep you busy. The fact there is so much content in here is honestly staggering, and I can see players both new and old finding at least something in here to enjoy.

Given it’s been well over a decade since a new Prince of Persia game was released, it’s understandable for one to be skeptical about The Lost Crown in spite of the development studio’s excellent pedigree. Rejoicefully, The Lost Crown has turned up at the beginning of 2024 and has laid down a remarkable gauntlet for every game to live up to this year. The combat and the electrifying assortment of powers in The Lost Crown makes battles against all of Mount Qaf’s foes a vigorously moreish delight. Yes, the characters, story and lack of charisma and personality bite is a little disappointing, but when you’ve got a joyously raucous return of Prince of Persia on full display here, any disappointment flutters away and returns into the form of pure elation. The Lost Crown is a celebration of the Metroidvania and you’ll be truly glad to come along for the ride with Sargon and company.

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.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s nice to be surprised by a game. Narrative heavy games aren’t typically my style, but this one is humorous enough and the core gameplay mechanic of accepting and denying people entry to the kingdom kept me coming back for more. The concept was simple but the extra mechanic twists were welcomed. If it just had some shorter load times (I don’t know why they were so long!) I wouldn’t have much of anything negative to say. I think fans of the old school Lucasarts point and clicks would really dig Lil’ Guardsman.

Overall, Hidden Through Time 2 has been a joy to play. Finding all the little hidden items is a fun time, especially so with the kids helping out, and there are plenty of humorous moments layered in too. Mouse support would have been great – especially for the custom map editor – but for the most part the controller functions well indeed.

Bish Bash Bots is tight, smartly put together game. A single screen tower defence game, with the wobbly controls of a party game. Well worth the price of admission with plenty of variety in each level.

Turnip Boy Robs A Bank proves there is no rest for the wicked. Turning the series into a roguelite was not the wrong road for Turnip Boy. While not all the features of being a roguelite title weren’t implemented, I had a hell of a “thyme” with the game. Going in guns blazing, paired with the OST provided by James “Jake” Currier, was exhilarating in moments and more claiming and vibey in others. Finding my favorite weapons and talking to the colorful and sometimes disturbing cast of characters only added to that experience. The jokes and humor aren’t for everyone, but even looking past them, Snoozy Kazoo’s experiment paid off, leaving me anticipating Turnip Boy’s next federal crime.

Conquest of Eo, to a newbie such as myself, was deeply accessible with a ton of good variety in its combat, exploration and scenarios. It is a strong recommend for fans of the RPG/Turn-based strategy hybrid.

Shinorubi fits the classic phrase “easy to pick up, tough to master” to a tee. For simple, immediate fun it will fit the bill nicely, but those looking to really sink their teeth (and free time) into a new Shmup, then Shinorubi comes highly recommended.

Baldur’s Gate 3 Is everything I expected from the game and more. I can totally see why it won awards as just for pure content alone it’s top tier. For storytelling, it is top tier and the gameplay is as complex as you want to make it to appease the long-term fans and the newcomers. It is very involved and not some you can play in short bursts. You need to clear your schedule to lose yourself in the game properly.

I had hoped to start the year of with a bit of a lighter game, and The Spy Who Shot Me looked to fit the bill. Sadly, while the jokes and presentation are fine enough, the terrible feeling aiming ruins what could have otherwise been a fun take on retro FPS action.

Ubisoft know they can do much better, they’ve shown that various times in the past, but Frontiers of Pandora is helplessly mediocre, wallowing in better Ubisoft franchises in a vain attempt to conceal the disappointingly stale reality that it’s just not good enough to be anything more.

The mechanics of Berzerk: Recharged are excellent and I can’t fault it. Dowside comes when you’ve played a few levels, they are more or less the same. While playing I was reminded how this would be a wonderful 90’s arcade cabinet game and have everyone queueing up to play. But for a modern-day console game, it does hit all the right shots. Co-op was fun and made the game more palatable.

All in all, we ended our time with Gray Dawn having enjoyed its grim tale, but it’s also not something that will live long in our memory, or have us clamouring for a second play through. One for those looking to sample a new thriller, having exhausted other options already out there.

Rogue Trader is a fantastic narrative embracing the satire, the self-importance, and the pompousness of the Warhammer 40K world. The turn-based combat is not quite a fully fledged but that doesn’t take away from it being a must play.

While Born of Bread was in my top videogames to look at this year with its great art style, the game overall didn’t match that hype. It was fine and I’d recommend it to those looking to get a younger player into games of this style but hardcore fans of turn based RPG’s could easily miss this one without feeling something was lost. It does nothing downright bad but nothing rememberable either.

Make Way offers something new and unique in the racing genre, and is perfectly suited to game nights with a few friends (and a few beers). Camera hang ups aside, the track construction idea is great, and it’ll no doubt be a fixture of our gaming nights for some time yet.

Jumanji: Wild Adventures takes us back into the world of Jumanji as the follow up game from Outright Games. When it came to actually playing it, I found myself uninterested after just a short while unfortunately. The levels seemed to drag on and any kind of upgrades were boring for the most part. I wanted to like it more than I did but sadly that wasn’t the case. Fans of the first game have all of the same reasons to enjoy this iteration but otherwise I’d say it’s a pass.

Nova Lands is exactly what you need if you need a less stressful session of gaming. That is not to say it is not frustrating as at times you will feel like an underappreciated supervisor when the bots are not doing what you are expecting them to do. But you are the master of these bots and they are as only as good as your strategy. It is a neat little game but something you will only play through once.

Alina of the Arena is a great proposition for players that love Slay the Spire and Into the Breach.

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion‘s remaster here is really only going to serve fans of the original release, being as it is a bare bones up-spuff of a game that isn’t all that memorable or worth rushing out to pick up. It’s not a bad shooter as such, just one that has since been outclassed at every turn in the years since.

I loved the SteamWorld Dig games and was excited for SteamWorld Build to give Xbox fans another opportunity to play in this fun universe. SteamWorld Build took what some might consider a niche genre and made it super easy to get into no matter the player’s prior experience. The fun persisted and the progression was constant which made for a great time even in my replays. I recommend this to anyone looking for a chill game to help pass the time.

To sum up Bluey: The Videogame would be to say that a dad had a fun time playing this game with his kids. It may have been a short experience for us totaling up to a few hours for the story and all collectibles, but they certainly had a good time. Our main feedback comes down to the length and nitpicky details like repeated dialog and camera controls when playing with multiple people. Overall I can recommend this game for families of young kids (or fans of the show I suppose) that want to get together around their Xbox together for a few hours.

With the release of Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin, Frontier now has two games released this year that will be in contention for my GOTY. There is so much to do, and Realms of Ruin will keep fans of Warhammer and RTS games busy for a long, long time with Frontier proving you CAN have quality and quality in a video game if done right.

When a game from a beloved film universe is developed with such fervour, everybody can rejoice in it. Robocop: Rogue Legacy is one such videogame adaptation that shows how unremitting faithfulness to source material and devotion towards replicating the look and feel of the films results in a truly immersive and moreish experience. Rogue City isn’t without chinks in its titanium Kevlar, due to its failure to evolve throughout, and a spongey and unnecessarily steep endgame, but if all you’re after is a badass game that does Robocop justice, then Rogue City is mission accomplished.

All in all, Separate Ways is a brief, but worthy addition to Resident Evil 4’s excellent remake. What it skips over in length, it makes up for with meaty combat, and offering an alternate glimpse into the events of the story that once again intertwined Leon and Ada’s paths.

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.

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.

Air Twister is a fun and interesting modernisation of Space Harrier. The music by Valensia although at first seemed out of place suits the 80’s vibe this game exudes with the bright colours and vibrancy. It maintains the tricky increasing gaming difficulty of the older games and throws in some rogue-lite elements to level the playing field and help add some replay value to the game.

Roller Coaster Tycoon Adventures Deluxe is like a county fair. Sure they have some rides and the fairground is decent, but its nothing compared to the official amusement parks and hotspots that were its predecessors. The game comes off empty and shallow, more like a walkthrough for somebody’s first tycoon sim. The game shows little to no consequence while spoon feeding players which in turn gives it no self accomplishment or overall purpose.

Teardown isn’t just a game – it’s an indie gaming masterpiece and probably the best indie game I have played this year (and trust me, I play a lot of them!). Tuxedo Labs has meticulously crafted an experience that not only delivers a thrilling main campaign but also encourages creativity through its sandbox. If you’re seeking a game that seamlessly combines strategic thinking, destruction, and endless possibilities, Teardown is undoubtedly a must-play. The joy experienced by my son and I stands as a resounding testament to the game’s success in providing an unforgettable and expansive gaming journey.

Jagged Alliance 3 has many ups and downs but I ultimately came away frustrated, especially with the combat and the over complicated controls. There is potential there but I’m not sure I can wait around another 24 years to see that potential flourish.

Jusant has utterly wowed me these past few evenings. The simple but effectively done climbing mechanic is supremely rewarding to use, giving us a great sense of accomplishment even though really it’s probably harder to fail than succeed. Combine this satisfying gameplay with a touching, well told tale and some stunning audio visual work, and you have a game that is all but essential playing in my eyes – Game Pass subscription or not.

A ‘roguelite for beginners’ Haunted House has a charm to it, that anyone eager to dip their toes into something different should try. Definitely not for the terminally rogued.

The Invincible is definitely propped up on its art direction and story, both of which are really rather good. Dialogue choices and alternate options mean there should be scope for some replays, though that’ll also depend on how much of Yasna’s slow movement speed you can stomach again. All in all, The Invincible was enjoyable enough to recommend, but I’d hope to see future outings from the team fine tune the character controls and movement.

Stick to the main path though, and The Talos Principle 2 is about as rewarding a puzzle game I’ve ever played. It’s smart and challenging while not being overly obtuse and difficult and the depth to the story and writing is a nice surprise. Trimming some of the bloat down a tad wouldn’t be a bad thing, but as it is, this is yet the latest hit in a stellar year for game releases.

The Grinch: Christmas Adventures is a great holiday game to bring out and play with your kids. I love the fact that you can just have the story read after the fact and having the second player control Max the dog without fear of dying is great for those little ones who want to feel a part of the game with you. Where it lacks in feeling good as a platformer it makes up for it in delivering a fun take on a classic tradition.

Alan Wake 2 masters the art of storytelling, and how that can reshape reality around us and push the boundary of lighting in videogames. The game is physically dark as it is thematically. The story is a lot to grasp, but simple enough with how many times things are repeated, so playing the other connected titles is not required. The developers have already fixed 200+ issues with update 1.0.0.8, most being minor things but some more rare crashes or progression issues. The creators of this game have immense passion for what they do, and it clearly shows in a variety of ways. Onward to the DLC.

Overall, Overpass 2 is a game that looks to bring the world of off-roading to players by offering what developer Neopica believes to be an authentic experience, but it does so without offering anything that truly simulates that experience. At best Overpass 2 is an arcade racer in an off-road setting, with events that slow the pace from the typical racing game, but with controls that don’t allow for a reactive play through, you’re instead left frustrated and bored by the midseason races whilst the visuals take us back to the days of Baja: Edge of Control, and as much as that wasn’t a hit when it arrived again in 2017, Overpass 2 won’t be either for 2023.

Transformers: EarthSpark – Expedition has come and gone and it’s largely an unforgettable experience for me. Transformers are cool and I always enjoying taking control of one and this iteration started out no different. But as the game went along it was too much of the same button mashing patterns with a navigation system that was making me mad having to constantly check. All of the experiences the first time were fine but it didn’t leave me craving more.

Delayed completion aside, I found Anthology of Fear to exceed my expectations, with a solidly build horror foundation complimented with genuine frights and tense moments. With no combat (and very little actual peril) it might not suit everyone, but if you enjoyed titles like Layers of Fear or indeed the P.T demo, then this is well worth a look.

While Sonic Superstars demonstrates creativity and innovation in the Classic Sonic formula, it falls short of reaching the heights set by its predecessors. Some levels are just frustrating and not enjoyable. What we really need is simply Sonic Mania 2.

It may be the same game as the 2019 release underneath, but this upgraded Complete Edition is well worth a look for both returning players and those new to it for the Annihilation Line story mode on its own. There are better shooters out there, but for a bit of AA-style fun, this is a solid choice.

If you want to delve into a soothing farming simulator adventure that doesn’t put the strain on your back with rudimentary activities, Paleo Pines is a nice deviation from the chore-based habits of its forebears. Tending to your the dinosaurs is a pleasant twist to an otherwise generic formula, and the game’s pleasantness gives it a welcoming vibe that’s easy to snuggle up to. Yes, the mini-map and questing is unfortunately derivative, and surprises don’t come all that frequently, but for a little while you’ll be glad to settle down and spend time befriending new Dino pals.

While including the Lüscher color test is a neat idea and actually quite well implemented (in our eyes at least), there’s no getting over that aside from this USP, Finis is a pretty basic and simple puzzle game, where the main challenge comes from the controls rather than some cleverly designed challenges. Worth a punt if you’re looking for something to give an evening’s puzzle action, but keep expectations low.

A loving rendition of Mike Mignola’s world, with excellent voice work (RIP Lance Reddick), but sadly Web of Wyrd is still not the Hellboy game I was hoping for. The score I provided is due to some debilitating bugs and I’d be happy to revisit if this were ever to get a major overhaul.

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.

El Paso Elsewhere is confident in its visual and audio delivery, the combat is great, it suffers from uneven pacing that drags some areas unnecessarily.

As someone who enjoyed Hot Wheels Unleashed I was excited to give Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged a try and it did not disappoint. Is it more of the same? Yes but every aspect of the game has improved. The new modes and individual car upgrade systems really give some depth to what could have been cash grab reskin of the previous game. Happy to say I don’t think that is the case and I look forward to playing this some more and seeing what kind of DLC awaits us as that is something I thought the first game did well.

Offline players can now rejoice as we finally have some new features in career mode. It’s probably the first time in many years that the career modes don’t just feel copied and pasted and long may it last! For Online folk, the best game modes are still here with the same few tweaks to keep the core of what made them fun but add interesting new features to keep you on the hook. It may have a new name but it’s still the best football game out there.

Slaps and Beans 2 deserves to have its day. It is not the best scrolling beat ’em up out there but it does enough to stand out. It has voice acting and animation which the others don’t have. It has some mini-games and puzzling elements which make it stand out. It also tries to add some humour to make the experience more enjoyable. So if you want to play a local beat ’em up with your friend or family then why not pick this up as there is some fun to be had.

Overall, if you want an old cartoon-style game that can give you quality platforming, stick to Cuphead, Enchanted Portals may look the part but it isn’t the part where it counts and it’s real use is to showcase to sceptics what makes its inspiration so good.

Overall, if you want a story set in the gritty era of World War One and don’t want to have to play through a Call of Duty or Battlefield campaign to do so, then Ad Infinitum isn’t a bad way to spend your time. It isn’t perfect and there are areas that clearly need some improvement but for a story that delivers and enemies that offer the chills, this is an experience that’s at least worth the once-over.

After a decade away, it’s disappointing that Payday 3 feels so insubstantial and unwilling to evolve from its excellent predecessor. The heist variety and enemy types are cool, but the predictably rote objective-following and the continuing practise of shooting bullets into police is tiresome and without change-ups to make them entertaining. For seasoned veterans and newcomers, Payday 3 should grant you a worthwhile exhibition of heists across a smorgasbord of locations, but for everybody else, this’ll be an eye-rolling exercise of the familiar and the banal. If you can band together with three mates then there’s some valuable loot to steal here, but what maybe most apparent is how Payday 3 ironically steals your time without the valuable substance to go along with it.

The Expanse: A Teltale Series – Episode 5 ends the season on a spectacular high, rounding off the story with not only excellent beats but non stop, intense experiences. The entire series has been excellent overall, and is more than worth a high recommendation.

Super Bomberman R2 Is exactly what you want from a sequel. It kept everything that made the original game fun and added new ideas to try and build on what works. I may not be a big fan of some of the newer battle modes but I am very glad to see the Grand Prix 64 Bomberman battle return. The controls are simple for anyone to pick up and play and I am very happy this gaming series is still going strong.

There’s no easy way to express it, Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a big puddly mess of good and bad. The setting, the shorted Assassin’s Creed experience, the emphasis on stealth, and the heightened sense of danger gives Mirage worthy ingredients for a small and sumptuous Assassin’s Creed stew, but the seasoning has been left out this time, leaving the latest AC looking disjointed, feeling ineffectual and plagued with a handful of technical blemishes. This isn’t the kind of quality Assassin’s Creed Ubisoft are truly capable of, despite it being a rather welcome one thanks to its reduced length. All told this latest outing has its bright spots but could’ve done with some serious sprucing up.

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

Bang-On Balls: Chronicles is a fun, hectic, and chaotic action title that is fun enough solo, but far more so when paired up in co-op. A few technical issues aside, this would be an easy recommend as something for a couple of nights of fun.

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.

Heavy Duty Challenge is at best just fine, and at worst actively off-putting to play. A dreadful opening might put players off, but the course on the other side of it can be somewhat fine, if not all that taxing. There are better physics-based vehicular games out there to play, though if you’ve had your fill of them, this may fill the gap for a night or two.

When Trepang2 is at its most gory it is a claret-drenched delight. Its attempts to delve into horror are less good.

The Crackpet Show: Happy Tree Friends Edition is a title that I wouldn’t mind grinding for a couple an hours or two. It’s challenging to the point where it makes me want to take a break and come back to a boss later. It does the Happy Tree Friends series justice and makes me reminisce on my childhood days watching the show. Just a jolly good bloody mess all around.