While Mosaic is on the short side, what’s there is done really rather well. It get’s the message across well, not overstaying it’s welcome or labouring on a point. If you’re in the mood for a one and done experience of an evening, Mosaic will fit the bill nicely.

Kombinera is a hell of a challenge, though at the same time its also quite fun to put ourselves to the test to try and best it. For such a simple premise, Graphite Labs have packed this charming puzzler with enough challenge to last us a long time indeed.

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?

Darksiders: Genesis redeems the series after the disappointment of the 3rd entry last year. It manages to capture the essence that makes Darksiders what it is, while transposing it in to a new genre. Top quality action, over the top powers and spectacle and a fun core loop that provides challenge without too much frustration. Removing the series staple platforming wouldn’t have hurt, and at times solo play can be a little bit attritional, but overall you’d be hard pressed not to have a good time with Genesis.

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.

MechaNika, although short, is one of the funniest puzzlers in recent memory. There’s next to no difficulty as far as its gameplay loop is concerned, but this game is much less about complexity and much more about the journey at hand. On that score alone, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any game of the like that remotely relays as much character and wit as MechaNika does.

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.

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.

All in all, The Run is another excellent FMV title from Paul Raschid and his team. The performances are great, the choices present some real dilemmas, and the conclusion is satisfyingly surprising.

A beautiful and wonderful surprise, South of Midnight is a delightful fantasy adventure title that crafts a uniquely southern story about connection and rebuilding harmony in a way that’s rare in videogames today. Hazel and the cast of characters are pleasant, the powers and abilities Hazel uses are plentiful and pleasing, the world is rich with engrossing natural environments, and the breeziness inherent within the game’s storytelling and accessibility makes it a stunning experience. The repetition does grate, and scrapping against haints could use more sparkle and empowerment, but otherwise South of Midnight is one of the best games this year and thoroughly deserves your attention.

Warm, inviting and pleasant, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus And Butterfly is a wonderfully accessible and gentle graphic novel game with a beautifully well-meaning heart. Changes from its predecessor are minimal, but Hibiscus And Butterfly encourages you to discover an array of comforting drinks, while the cast of fantastical and not-so fantastical characters tell you about their life predicaments, their perils and their successes. Much like a good pick-me-up, Coffee Talk Episode 2 is as easy as you’d like but has space for you to master the fine art of being a top-tier barista in a busy bustling café. The addition of Hibiscus And Butterfly Pea brings a classiness and a radiance that will lighten your day, and there are reasons to replay the story several times through to see everything it has to show for itself. There’s still plenty of room for Coffee Talk to grow and flourish, but this sequel is well-worth diving into if you just want to take a pew, grab an eye-opener and relish in a bevvy of stories.

The Vanishing of Ethan Carter is described as a game that sets itself apart from other walking simulators due to the addition of puzzles and engagement. It’s a shame however that these very additions are easily the weakest points in the game. The story may well be interesting and it’s certainly a stunning experience, but it takes a lot more than that to truly stand out.

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.

Unfortunately, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre loses its appeal gradually when you find yourself performing the same actions over and over again, where every match plays out in the same way, refusing to change things up to keep the drama ticking along. The lack of time limits can make matches drag on laboriously too, so it’s easy for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to wear out its welcome. Ultimately it’s a cool PVP game, but it doesn’t have the fresh ideas to contend with its contemporaries.

As Dusk Falls is a stellar example of the narrative adventure genre. A fantastic cast of characters are used brilliantly throughout, with twists and turns galore. The sheer breadth of choice and consequence mean there is scope for several playthroughs, and even when we’re bouncing between characters there’s cohesiveness to the story rarely found in gaming. Top it off with a stunning art style and soundtrack and we have not only one of the best examples of the genre, but one of the best titles of the year so far.

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.

The epitome of FPS bullet-hell. Despite minor issues with the game’s framerate, this is a shining example of how several gameplay elements can be seamlessly slapped together to produce a near outstanding outcome. The game’s action-packed structure rarely buckles, which when grouped with its fantastic design and uncertainty, makes for one of the best shooters in recent memory.

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!

Grim Legends 3: The Dark City is a fitting end to the trilogy. The gorgeous artwork and varying puzzles remain engaging throughout, upheld by a decent story that helps to maintain player immersion. Sadly, issues with poor voice acting and its lack of a steady difficulty curve pulls this down from greatness. Though, even with that in mind, this adventure is well worth a visit.

Being an FMV means that much of the game’s weight is resting on both its writing and its acting. Unfortunately, the quality here tends to fluctuate. There’s also some odd design choices that hurt the game’s otherwise decent pacing and structure. That being said and overall, The Shapeshifting Detective is just about entertaining enough and interesting enough to recommend.

Disjunction boils down core elements of stealth games past in a brilliantly effective way. There are a few niggles, sure, but overall the gameplay is satisfying, easy to read and overall just a lot of fun.

PUSS! looks and sounds utterly bizarre with its various trippy A/V themes, but underneath there is a fun, yet very hard, gameplay core. I’m not a big fan of having to restart completely each time I boot it up, but those looking for something eye catching to have fun with (or stream) will likely get quite hooked on this title.

Bold and chaotic, Paint the Town Red is an excellent first-person brawler with a ton of content for both beginners and pros.

SCHiM is a delight of a game. Taking a concept that some of us may have played out in our heads as kids, imaging something jumping across the shadows or us jumping ourselves, and have turned that into a beautiful game. Without words, without facial expressions, and limiting color palettes, SCHiM manages to make something really unique.

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.

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.

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.

I am already a fan of the Koei Bandai Namco Warrior games and this style paired with the One Piece anime works great. The wildly random characters and story line are very interesting and gripping and if you enjoy smashing slews of enemies with quirky comedic moves then you will enjoy yourselves here. The format can become quite repetitive after a while, but I feel there is enough variety in characters, moves and enemies along with the fun story line to make this a good game.

I am more than a little surprised at just how much I enjoyed Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Having skipped the series for a few years due to being a bit burnt out on it all, Cold War manages to feel fresh and exciting while familiar at the same time. The solo campaign is over too soon, but what’s there is excellent and offers more than a simple rollercoaster of action. Multiplayer is as solid as ever, with a great variety of modes to dip in to. The combat feel is still among the best out there, making even the worst defeats still enjoyable. Zombies has great potential if you’ve a crew to play with, and brings some welcome levity to proceedings. An excellent all round package then, and well worth a look.

Hide and Seek is a small step-up from The Mad Ones, though we do need to see more locations and opportunities to utilize its mechanics in subsequent episodes, in comparison to this. The minor issues with its frame-rate and character animations don’t persist as much as before, but they do hinder the experience to some degree. Regardless, The Council remains unique and interesting enough throughout.

Legacy of Kain™ Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is one of my childhood games brought back to the modern day but just not in the way I imagined. With such a cool story and concept, a remake combining the two with modern controls and a bit more direction would have made this awesome. But just a graphical touch up isn’t enough to bring these games to the modern era. It needed more love and for me that’s a shame.

Candle: The Power of the Flame delivers a gorgeously detailed and thoroughly well executed puzzle adventure. From start to finish, the game does an excellent job at keeping the player engaged through its clever functionalities and environmental mechanics. There’s some issues with slow, sluggish movement, but in the face of everything that Candle gets right, this one problem is easy to overlook.

Saints Row The Third Remastered has done a good job of touching up the original. All of the DLC content that has been added to the title should encourage those interested to pick this up. Fans of the series that missed this one would definitely enjoy this instalment. Those interested in GTA style games should give this game – or at least this series – a try as there is a lot of fun to be had here.

While the addition of the extra dimension brings a few niggles to the precision platforming that simply weren’t there in the original, overall Super Meat Boy 3D retains a lot of what made the original game great – with snappy restarts, generally tight controls, tricky challenges and a lot of reason to go back and beat personal records or find hidden secrets.

de Blob 2 suffers from repetitive gameplay and wonky camera issues. However, if you can overlook these niggling problems, there’s a surprisingly lengthy and endearing platforming experience within. It’s not a groundbreaking game, but it is accessible, and will surely be appreciated by fans of the genre and newcomers alike.

Deliver Us The Moon nails the feeling of being in space, and the tale being told is interesting enough to keep up gong through to the end. It’s slow and repetitive at times, and the linear nature means we often pass by seemingly perfect opportunities to explore, but I still enjoyed my time with it.

Fairly small nit-pick aside, Bonkies comes highly recommended, especially if you’ve a house full of gamers that fancy something in the vein of Moving Out! or Overcooked. The action provides plenty of laughs to counter and annoyances, and some of the stage designs will really test even the most ardent of builders.

As a fan of old-school beat ‘em ups like Streets of Rage, I have to say that anyone who enjoyed those games in any capacity will enjoy this game. I was initially turned off by the steep learning curve when I was dying far to easy, but the more I gave it a shot and the more I played, the more I wanted to unlock different characters and endings and give it a go.

A cursory glance at Peaky Blinders: Mastermind might fool you into thinking that it’s a cheap, defective product that rides on the popularity and success of the TV show on which its based. The positive reality though is that once you get your head around its gameplay quirks, you will find a decent but brief foray into a post-World War I plunge into the sneaking thievery of the Peaky Blinders. Yes there are a lot of basic and unfulfilling design choices, and more could’ve been done to immerse you into the Peaky Blinders universe, but what’s here is executed sufficiently well enough to provide several hours of entertainment. You won’t be blown away and you would wish and crave for more substance and intrigue, but Mastermind – whilst not a master – is certainly a handy companion.

OkunoKA Madness is not for the casual platforming gamer. A certain level of skill is needed to remotely get close to beating this game. Once through the levels, the game relies on ranks and time trials for replay-ability so I hope you enjoy what is given. OkunoKA Madness is guaranteed to drive you mad at least a few times as you will die a lot. Overall the game is a relatively short experience, skill depending, and could have tighter controls for the genre that it is.

WRC 8 is super challenging even if you’re an experienced driver. I recommend taking your time to learn the courses. It will lower your frustration levels and add to the overall replay value of the game. Again this is definitely going to be difficult for the casual racer but well worth the effort to “git gud”. Wheel users will get the most out of this game as the normal controller just does an ok job.

Rival Megagun’s competitive spin on the shmup formula is a bold move indeed, and although it pays off for the most part, the game is not entirely without fault. I take issue with the game’s lack of depth, its desolate online component, and its inconsistent damage detection. That said, its aggressively fun concept, its thrilling local multiplayer, and its decent character selection, collectively makes this a fairly worthwhile shoot ’em up.

Truberbrook effortlessly stands out on the merits of its uniquely gorgeous presentation, its stellar voice work, and its overall decent writing. Unfortunately, the whole ordeal religiously falters as far as its core functionality and its puzzle design is concerned. The end result makes for an adventure that seemingly looks like nothing else, but largely plays like a poor imitation of any given point-and-click game worth its salt.

Dead or Alive, for better and for worse, attempts to do things a bit differently with its sixth mainline entry. The game’s fluid and weighty combat is its high point, together with its depth of content and its diverse selection of modes and unlocks. Unfortunately, the game is held back quite a bit by its convoluted campaign, its unnecessary costume grind, and its lack of stage refinement. Bottom line? DOA6 is a competent fighter, nothing more, nothing less.

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.

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.

Octahedron isn’t your average platformer. The solid design, wonderful soundtrack, and clever functionalities, go hand in hand to produce something fun and exciting. Though, with that being said, the floaty controls and repetitive gameplay often hinder this otherwise decent loop. Different it may well be, but it’s hardly groundbreaking.

Like a popcorn popping Hollywood blockbuster, My Friend Pedro offers a bullet-bonanza ballet that’s hard to ignore thanks to its slick moves, combining a great sense of fast food action gameplay that escalates in challenge as you grow accustomed to the many flourishes it adds throughout. Regrettably the characterisation and story falls short, but in all likelihood these fundamentals won’t matter if you’re looking for an action-packed thrill ride, and boy does My Friend Pedro offer that in spades. If you demand something more in-depth or intricate you won’t find it here, but everyone else will find that My Friend Pedro scratches an impulsive itch that’s able to impress with its penchant for grace and unabashed style.

Deceive Inc. is a title that gamers haven’t seen in a while. Fresh off launch there are improvements that of course can be made but I’m willing to go on a stakeout to wait and see what happens with the title.

DC’s Justice League Cosmic Chaos was surprisingly a game I enjoyed and wanted to play repeatedly. I was going through a very big gaming funk, not knowing what to play, and jumping between games, which could hold my attention span for long. Then I started playing DCJLCC and was slowly sucked into a fun world, with many things to do. If I was bored playing the main storyline, I could farm some shells and coins to upgrade my superhero, find a dungeon, find some gadgets, even explore Happy Harbour, and find comic books hidden around the land to unlock my favourite superhero costume.

I had a good time with Mr. Run and Jump, with the feel of the movement and inputs coming across really well. It’s challenging, but rarely unfair. The retro neon visuals also really drew me in. The levels can feel a bit overlong, though thankfully when you die you don’t get set too far back. One for those looking for something to dip in and out of.

Paul Raschid has been in the FMV game for a while now, and though The Complex still remains a firm favourite at Tavern Towers, Hello Stranger is a strong contender for some of his best work yet thanks to a snappy playtime, great performances and plenty of replayability.

While it may be generally the same game as last year, If you skipped out on last year’s edition of NBA 2K this may be the year for you. Mechanically the game has improved and other than having to pay for VC to compete against other players I think you’ll find some enjoyment in playing My Career games or just with some friends.

Dying Light 2 is an even better-looking game that the previous instalment in the series. I can quite easily see myself spends hours hunting down resources, exploring the game during the night and just finding everything that Dying Light 2 has to offer Not to mention that the story has layers upon layers, so you really do see and feel the consequences of your choices and actions. The game is so unique because of having such an expansive and multi layered zombie survival expereince. If Dying Light got Techland noticed, Dying Light 2 puts them squarely on the map as a big-time developer! If the game can live up to what I have experienced so far then we have a new benchmark for ambitious open world RPG-like Zombie Games.

If you’re able to power through the annoyances, there’s a lot to like about 7th Sector. It looks and sounds great, the atmosphere is built wonderfully and it feels like there’s always something new to see as you progress. But some obscure puzzles and a lack of an easily parse-able story may well end up putting more people off than not.

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.

Rollercoaster management games are few and far between these days but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great games out there for the category. Luckily Park Beyond is coming out swinging as this is a really fun entry in the management genre. It offers some crazy impossibilities to the theme park rides that make the experience so much fun. Unfortunately the launch hasn’t been the best for me with crashes and technical issues with the AI, however I have the upmost confidence they will be fixed in the near future. You know if this type of game is for you and if it is, Park Beyond isn’t a bad one to take a try on.

Star Wars Outlaws is by no means going to be in the conversation for the game of the year but I don’t think it’s as much of a bomb as others are making out. There are a few bad choices which do make the game look dated but there are also some interesting elements to the game. It does feel as if Starfield and Jedi Order had a lovechild that was born 5 years ago but some people enjoy those games and I am sure they will enjoy this game for what it is.

Ghostrunner is certainly worth a look and will definitely click with those endeared by its speed and momentum, but potentially alienates those who just want a kick-ass action game to delve into. In this sense, Ghostrunner is as much a success as it is a failure.

If you were already a fan of the base World War Z then I would have no problem recommending Aftermath to you. Although some aspects of the game could have used a bit more attention, blasting through zeds in the first person was still an enjoyable experience, especially with the addition of friends.

We cleared all of the rooms in roughly 5 hours over a couple of nights, and we had a blast doing so. The lack of replayability aside, there’s a lot to enjoy within Escape Academy. Each room feels different enough, even when all we’re doing is finding another four digit number or word, and the fluffy tale underpinning the affair is easy enough to just sit back and enjoy without too much thought. Launching into Game Pass was a great choice, hopefully exposing it to more players, and whether you play it alone or in co-op, this is a great way to spend an evening or two.

This collection offers a nice selection of distinctly themed classic beat’em ups, including two console debut titles: Armored Warriors and Battle Circuit. It’s a shame that when playing online with more than two players the game’s framerate dramatically spikes, but with that to the side, there’s little to scoff at. When all is said and done, the Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle is a must have for fans of the genre.

These slight performance hitches aside, I really enjoyed my time with The Last Cube. It offers a different spin on puzzle platformers that manages an excellent difficulty balance throughout, giving the old noggin a good workout without making things too hard despite the potential for doing so.

Eternal Strand is an immense start for Yellow Brick. There are so many perfect parts in this tapestry of ideas from other games, and its approach of letting players explore and figure out ways to use their powers is amazing. There are a few glaring flaws here, but I think it is a case of the rest of it being so good that those weaknesses are put into stark contrast.

As a remaster, it’s well done if basic; some upspuffed visuals, a few QoL improvements, and an easier way to revisit the game. But unfortunately the game itself is showing its age, with obtuse objectives and maps and combat that rarely feels fun or exciting to engage in. One for old fans, and cautious new players looking to see what the series is all about before the new Onimusha: Way of the Sword next year.

I had a rather great time with Journey to the Savage Planet. With bright visuals full of colour and character sucking you in and some funny, engaging writing encouraging progression, Typhoon have done a solid job on their first outing. Great exploration and combat are just the icing on the cake, with more than enough to do to keep you coming back for some time.

Carrion is one of the best pixel made horrors I’ve ever seen and deserves praise from horror and gaming fans alike. With impressive controls and visuals for a game of this nature, this title is a must for any horror or gaming fan with a thirst for blood and anyone who loved the movie “The Thing”.

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.

Hunt: Showdown is an amazing game and I’m glad Crytek have persevered over the years because this needed to happen. Anyone with a fetish for horror should pick up this title. The stealth and PvPvE work well and the game feels like a shot of adrenaline when a gunfight breaks out between players.

Early feelings of frustrations aside, Surviving Mars offers numerous challenges and satisfying feelings of success with each play through. Definitely not a one and done kind of game, the replay value is quite high. Surviving Mars is well worth the investment if you fancy city builders, and both Paradox Interactive and Haemimont Games have experience on their side.

All in all, 505 Games and KUNOS Simulazioni have a great simulator for wheel users. It provides excellent feedback and is the way the play, if you’ve the right set up. Controller users can still find enjoyment if they take the time to tweak settings, but they will definitely miss out to a degree. Those less experienced with racing games should probably be wary of jumping in here too, as the sim style of racing could be a turn off until they “git gud”, as they say.

As I stated before Formula Retro Racing is a straightforward game. Coming into this game I twas expecting a better, newer version of Virtua Racing – and I was right. It doesn’t need to have a bunch of new features to top the older game. All it needed to do was visually enhance it and to keep the same charm that the game had in the ’90s. If you haven’t played Virtua Racing, or just want to play a fast-paced arcade racing game for a reasonable price, then Formula Retro Racing is the game for you.

RAD is actually quite a fun game to play, the different mutations keep the game interesting and, as the game doesn’t give you much about the story, a lot of things are a mystery, and enjoyable to discover. The long loading screens when you start or when you die do ruin the games flow a little bit, but there is enough content, and it is challenging enough, to keep you interested for a while.

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.

A fantastic cast brings a very real light to harsh realities of the entertainment industry, accompanied by some brilliantly realised puzzle/horror gameplay that oozes tension and atmosphere throughout the entire 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.

It happened, it finally happened! It’s been too long since I’ve enjoyed a good TMNT game but I am so happy to say Splintered Fate delivered a good time. Roguelites have been hot for a while now and throwing the TMNT skin on top of one makes a lot of sense. I think more recognizable IP’s should branch out and try new genres like Splintered Fate here. Easy recommend for Turtles fans and roguelite enthusiasts alike.

Immortals of Aveum is impressive and feels unique enough to stand out on its own in the FPS genre. The fact that it dabbles in the RPG and Puzzle areas makes the adventure a more fun and interesting experience. Every area is a delight on the eye and the voice acting and acting in general keeps you gripped like you are playing a part in a movie. With lots of various magic tricks to learn there is plenty to enjoy here. It’s just unfortunate that its release was so close to Starfield, as otherwise this could have received much more deserved attention.

Jurassic World Evolution is an outstanding management sim. Frontier Developments’ carefully crafted and well balanced gameplay mechanics ensures that it’s accessible for genre veterans and newcomers alike. The game does an excellent job at keeping the player engaged through its diverse sites, which is bolstered further by its great pace, its decent progression system and its vast amount of options.

Newcomers and vets of the series will probably find the Serious Sam Collection to be of good value and a reasonable HD port. The added frame rate and graphic options are a nice touch for this classic series.

This next gen, upgraded version of Warhammer: Chaosbane Slayer brings the fun of a Diablo-like experience to our shiny new machines. There’s a lot to play and experiment with, with a good range of characters and abilities. Fighting mechanics feel good, though easily switching weapons with the right stick in combat can feel a little too tricky at times. After a fairly standard feeling initial load, the Series’ SSD really shines in game, letting us move about in game super fast!

A visually busy game, ArcRunner is a good multiplayer Roguelite/3rd person shooter. However in singleplayer the grind can be too much to bear, with unlocks and progress a chore to get to.

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.

While I was disappointed by the horror aspects in Close to the Sun, overall I found my time with it to be quite engaging. The story and characters get their hooks in just enough to keep you playing, and the world building – from the gorgeous visuals to the incidental details and notes left behind – is brilliant. That it keeps its run time brief is to the games credit too, as yet more chase sequences would definitely have harmed the experience.

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.

I personally loved playing Slipstream, it grew on me with a bit of time enjoying the art and music designs. What was even more impressive is that this Indie title is from a one-man team and this is his third game, but first on console. Sandro Luiz De Paula is the man who made this masterful homage to classic arcade style racers and should be proud. It’s a simple game, but works with no issues I found. The variety of difficulty options allow for the player to establish their playstyle letting them pick the pace. The art style of colorful exotic levels makes it fun to race through over and over switching paths up each tour finding different exits. The game doesn’t offer a lot through variety of cars or customization options; however, it doesn’t need to. The game is relatively cheap for what is being offered with stunning visuals and audio design.

Flat screen or not, The Last Worker had us hooked from start to finish thanks to excellent writing, a charming art style, and constantly changing gameplay and mechanics that rarely outstay their welcome.

Phasmophobia has hit the Xbox and brings all its scrappy charm along with it. I think there are people who are going to love this multiplayer horror game, but once the scares wear off, there isn’t a lot to keep coming back.

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.

The Jackbox games have always been a great accompaniment to a party with friends. It is an icebreaker and way for all your friends to get involved and have a laugh. However, some of the games really do only work with people of a specific personality, and its rare everyone is that similar at the party. While I’m not overly keen on Talking Points and The Devils and The Details, I think Quiplash, Champ’d up and Blathers are going to be the main winners here to encourage fans to buy the new pack, making the price of entry worth it – especially if you’ve got a gathering (virtual or otherwise) coming up soon.

Tempest 4000’s price-tag is wildly unforgivable when you factor in the meager content that you’re getting in return. This is greed at its absolute finest and despite the series’ fame for being colorful and fast-paced, which indeed the game is, there’s just not enough content within to justify its cost. Easy to get into and nostalgic Tempest 4000 may be, but it ultimately becomes bland and uninteresting quite quickly.

Wuppo is a sensational experience that’s packed with content, charm and an endearing soundtrack that runs deep in the colourful design. I found issues with the difficulty spike during boss encounters, and I was a bit let down by the lack of a solid story, but these small faults are not enough to pull the game down from greatness.

Mercenary Kings will no doubt appeal to those that are fond of the Metal Slug series. However, the gameplay doesn’t prove to be quite as frantic or energetic. This is a game that’s better when playing with others, and the added crafting and looting system certainly helps it to stand out. That being said, players will be enduring some poor design choices and irritating combat mechanics throughout the entirety of play.

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.

Void Bastards is a serviceable first-person shooter, at best. Whilst intriguing, initially exciting, and quite deep as far as its crafting goes, the game’s lack of play depth and environmental variation makes for a very repetitive trek overall. On top of that, its unrefined combat and its lackluster AI proves to be a further hindrance throughout. Still, there’s certainly some fun to had in this loot-fueled space romp, it’s just very fleeting.

It seems so rare to come across a game that can truly achieve its objective, but with the combination of tranquil adaptive music, beautiful scenery and the mesmerising, flowing movements and colours, Lumini seems to genuinely allow the stress and worries of life to melt away.

Airoheart is one of the better Zelda-likes I have played and working my way through the game has been a trip down memory lane. It borrows so much from the Link to the Past formula, but also adds in plenty of its own ideas and mechanics. Perhaps the biggest issue I have with the game is its price point, $40 is way too steep for this game. I think if it was $20-25 it would sell many more copies and find a much larger audience. There are a handful of other issues, but most of those could be addressed with a patch. If you’ve been looking for a game to satisfy your classic action-adventure cravings then Airoheart could be your game, at the very least you should put it on your wishlist so you can pick it up if the price changes or it goes on sale.

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.