Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream Story Mode acted more like an extended filler episode than anything. Nothing to “Wow” a casual SAO enjoyer and nothing I’d personally believe would make a hardcore fan’s jaw drop.

All in all, Bright Memory Infinite might not quite live up to the hype it built up two years ago, but it’s still a solidly made and presented shooter. The action is fast and hectic, and the sword and glove powers are great fun to use and upgrade. A few niggles aside, you should consider checking this out if you’re after a bit of fun but brainless shooting.

The Raven Remastered isn’t a bad game. Besides its sub-par control mechanics and linear feel, the game actually has a compelling story with interesting characters. It’s no Sherlock Holmes, but it does have its good points and may well appeal to fans of such games as Black Mirror.

ToeJam and Earl: Back in the Groove is a very faithful comeback. However, outside of some lovely looking visuals, things haven’t really kept up with the times. It’s fun in short bursts, but be prepared for things to get a bit too repetitive, a bit too quickly, especially in solo play. The soundtrack, on the other hand, is as brilliant and as funky as it ever was. When all is said and done, die-hard fans of the originals will find the most value here.

Overall Antigraviator is a nice, smooth experience of high speed, futuristic racing. I wish it had a few more tracks as even with reverse and mirror modes it’s really only 18 courses, which would have been fine 20 years ago, but I believe players expect more in this day and age. Another thing on my wish list would have been some kind of combat element with limited ammo per lap. The random trap activation’s are fine but I want more control over my opponents demise. Plus it would give a greater sense of your own personal danger. Still the racing is intense and fun so I can’t really complain too much.

Raji: An Ancient Epic is a unique game that reminds me of the great Prince of Persia, her journey following a similar arc of learning God-given powers to help her people. Platforming can be a bit off a times, the forced perspective camera not helping here, though across the board Raji is more forgiving than most, letting us pick back up where we left off quickly. It’s a shame that we can’t level select to mop up collectibles/achievements as otherwise replaying can be a bit of a drag. Some great audio visual work eases this pain, but as it is I’d suggest that waiting for a sale down the line might make the journey feel more worth your while.

Despite some eye-catchingly colourful visuals, Flowing Lights is unlikely to keep you around for long. Too many niggles in the moment to moment gameplay mean that any fun we might be having is quickly undone by frustrating failure.

Overall and if you’re looking for a game that is great to play with a friend and can frequently keep things interesting then Struggling is sure to keep you entertained. It holds enough challenge and difficulty to keep things engaging without ever going too far as to make things inaccessible. Whilst it’s likely to be one of the weirdest games you’ll play in 2021, it’s up there with one of the finest indie games too.

The return of Kao The Kangaroo after a prolonged hibernation is both a blessing and a curse. Blooming with colour, bolstered by simple pick up and play stylings, and presented as a glittering throwback to the golden age of platformers, all help Kao to blossom beautifully. Yet Kao’s greatest strength is also its greatest weakness, as it fails to bring anything new to a grounded genre formula, nor is it long enough to stay ingrained in the memory as it’s over all too soon. You might think it impolite to ask why of all classic platformers did Kao have to come back after all these years, and even though you might still ponder this upon completion, you may just find that this return was well worth investing time into.

The Valiant recovered from almost making me put my controller down to blossom into a decent entry in the RTS genre, it’s different take on the traditional RTS mechanics could well make it stand out against it competitors, but time will tell if The Valiant can turn into a franchise for THQ Nordic or be a one and done title.

Star Overdrive is a big open world, with big ambitions, but lacks a little bit of synergy in my opinion. I think comparisons to the giants of this type of game are fair and some of what Star Overdrive does different, like the hoverboard, are great, but I don’t think they mesh together in one package that presents a game that I want to spend a great amount of time with.

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

Overall, we came away pretty underwhelmed with The Last Case of Benedict Fox. While there are seeds of good ideas here, the package as a whole just throws up too many hurdles for us to look past in order to seek them out.

Ra Ra Boom is a fun, colourful scrolling brawler/shooter that has plenty of charm and good replay value. Some small niggles in the combat and early game power levels aside, this is one for those looking for some couch co-op brawling good times.

Breathedge is an uneven experience: the space exploration/survival is genuinely delightful, but workman-like approach to presentation and the humour drags the experience down, undoing the oppressive atmosphere with dated references and ‘gags’. I would recommend this game to fans of the genre who have exhausted their choices, others will do better to start elsewhere.

All in all, YesterMorrow is a fine platformer with a decent story. The progression of the main character feels timely and challenges satisfying. Although the mapping system could use a redesign, I would recommend YesterMorrow to any 2D platforming fan.

Overall, Daymare 1994: Sandcastle is in a unique position in that it isn’t a game I would recommend to people over the likes of the aforementioned Resident Evil games, as it doesn’t do enough to feel unique in its own way, but instead I would recommend it to someone who wants more of those same experiences. Maybe in the future, we can see something to make the series become more of its own but for now, Daymare is a great option to delve into if you want more Resident Evil whilst you wait for more Resident Evil.

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.

Tracks is simple pick up and play game and if you have kids who love trains this is something they may enjoy. I still prefer playing with the real thing with my son but if you want to get your creative juices flowing and love trains this is a no-brainer for you.

Overall, if you want to experience all the highs in the life of a bus company without any real punishments to worry about then Bus Simulator 21 is the game for you. It’s a surprisingly engaging experience when it all runs smoothly and there’s definitely fun to be had here as you begin connecting routes and districts together. It must be said the multiplayer experience isn’t fantastic right now thanks to consistent connection issues, although should they not be present at any point the experience would certainly be enjoyable, but this isn’t a game that requires friends to enjoy and whilst there are some questionable occasions that arise, the general experience brings a believable and enjoyable life in the life of a bus company.

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

Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix is obviously a game aimed directly at children. To be fair though that shouldn’t be taken into account when deciding my verdict on the title. At times the game can seem fairly simple, but at others be a frustrating mess considering all the items and abilities that can screw you over in a race. It just doesn’t have that racing vibe that I’m used to seeing in racing games. It feels more hectic and chaotic more than anything. Without a doubt in my mind, my younger self would probably love this game and everything it has to offer. Taking off my nostalgia goggles Kart Racers 2 just isn’t the game for me and that’s OK. I know that the target audience would get a kick out of it and play it for hours on end. I’ll stick to Mario Kart 8 for now.

Writing off Cloudpunk as nothing but a visual attraction will be doing it a great disservice. Sure the splendour of the cyberpunk voxels and the glitz of all that billboard electricity is magnetic, but there’s also a great undercurrent of mystique that you will be spending time peeling away at that Cloudpunk becomes much more than eye candy. The unchallenging basicness may be off-putting, and coupled with stymieing technical issues Cloudpunk can be a bit of a mess that you may fail to forgive. Stick with it though and there is a tasty and indulgent piece of cyberpunk intrigue in here that will please those thirsty for something futuristic and adorned with lights in the night sky. Flawed but fascinating, Cloudpunk is short and straightforward but its elegance and its world should be enough to suck you in for as long as it lasts.

While a few tweaks could have seen it reach the next level, what we get within Scars Above is a fun, challenging adventure that we could quite happily have seen stretch on for a few more hours above our 11 hour playtime. The use of various offensive elements that can be combined is great, while the gadgets generally are good to use as well. Wrapped up in a world that feels vast without actually being too big, this is a solid title for those looking for a little challenge over the course of a few evenings.

Disco Dodgeball Remix has a lot of potential, but is massively held back by its awkward sluggish controls, headache-inducing visuals, poor gameplay mechanics and puddle-deep functionality. There’s no denying that it has heaps of interesting and diverse modes on offer, though, this doesn’t really amount to anything when the core formula constantly fails on almost all fronts.

This is the Police 2’s constant flurry of management objectives helps to keep players on their toes, but there’s no denying that this loop becomes fairly tired before too long. The addition of its strategic battle sequences helps to alleviate this to some degree, but when all is said and done, it’s hard to overlook its repetition. Still, for those that enjoyed the first game, the sequel offers a more refined and better structured experience.

No Strange Roads presents something of an oddity – like a contradictory A-side and B-side. On the A-side you have a superb visual feast to experience, characterised by superb characters and bosses, coupled together with a solid soundtrack and a compelling yet simple premise that makes you want to ascend to the top of the music mountain. Unfortunately NSR’s B-side aggravates with unfair check-pointing, a tepid tutorial, a harsh opening level and a half-baked gameplay experience. Whether you can resist the ailments of the B-side depends on your tolerance for its shortcomings, but No Straight Roads still delivers a satisfying stage rush if you can avoid its pitfalls.

The Long Reach’s drawbacks sit with the game’s lack of structure, its counter intuitive puzzles and its infrequent readability issues. Though, even with those frustrations in mind, the game still provides creepy, simplistic entertainment. The game’s atmosphere rarely wavers, which is upheld further by its beautifully crafted pixelated visuals. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, but it does enough to stand out.

So to some up, The Blackout Club is a Fun, addictive 4 player co-op horror with a Stranger Things atmosphere and lots of paranormal paranoia. Fans of the genre will dive for this and its nice to see a brave new attempt at the horror game. With the new enhanced horror system being a plus I can see people are going to be very curious about this title.

Overall, if you found yourself a fan of Deliver Us The Moon and wanted more, Deliver Us Mars will no doubt have you feeling thrilled. If you’ve yet to play that however then this is still a perfectly enjoyable title in its own right too, and whilst the opening hour can feel like it’s dragging a little, the story soon picks up and feels compelling enough to get you through to find out just what’s been going on. There are noticeable improvements here too and whilst there is still some stiffness and clunkiness to work around, Deliver Us Mars is a game well worth a look if you want something memorable.

AO Tennis 2 is a greatly improved second instalment to the franchise. Trying to overshoot your hits is a satisfying experience. Career mode is the best part of the game, building your character to be a dominant force and trying to get that world number 1 ranking and winning all 4 Grand Slams. If you are a tennis fan, I would recommend buying this game as you’re unlikely to be disappointed. It’s a shame more big tennis players didn’t put their name into the hat, but with the brilliant editor and the ability to publish your creations this can be overlooked.

Man of Medan is an absolutely brilliant take on the interactive horror genre, with excellent acting and story telling, amazing visuals and plenty to warrant multiple plays. The fact that you can now also do this with friends adds to the experience greatly, lending an extra air of uncertainty to proceedings. Some slight technical and presentation issues aside, I’m glad that more people get to experience Supermassive’s work. Here’s hoping the rest of the anthology can keep up the good work.

Earth Atlantis’ blend of exploration and side-scrolling shooting remains tense, invigorating and well paced throughout the entirety of play. Its unique old-sketch visuals provides a theme that widely sets itself apart from its peers, ultimately producing an adventure that’s as fascinating as it is enticing. There’s a few niggles here and there, but these are easy to forgive in the face of everything that this game gets right.

Sea of Thieves offers a stunning world for players to explore and uncover its secrets. It’s fun, often hilarious, and unique. Though, the lack of meaningful structure and its simplistic gameplay really do hurt the experience. The game needs to offer more than cosmetic stature and acquisition if it wants a lengthy lifespan. Still, this is one of the few exclusives that Microsoft can, and should, be proud of.

The Spectrum Retreat’s greatest achievement is how engaging, challenging and unnerving the whole experience can be. The drawback however, and the bane of most puzzle games, is that there really isn’t much longevity to it. That said, Dan Smith’s debut project is certainly a game that any fan of the genre should try out, and for his first attempt, Dan shows a great deal of promise for his future in game development.

Aftercharge’s fun and unique cat and mouse-like concept is both neatly structured, and finely balanced. However, whilst the game offers a decent amount of depth through its well designed and diverse cast of interesting characters, it’s greatly held back due to its lack of gameplay variation. The bottom line here is that distinction alone will only go so far, Aftercharge needs to cover more ground, and soon.

Bleach: Rebirth of Souls had the potential to be a great game for fans of the anime, but it falls short in several key areas. Way to many cutscenes disrupts the flow of gameplay, and the combat, while solid, lacks the depth and excitement needed to keep me wanting more. It’s a game that might appeal to die-hard Bleach fans just to try it out, but for others, it may not be worth the time. Watch the anime instead, it’s so much better!

The Occupation’s compelling story sits rather well with its intelligent framework. This is, for the most part, an intriguing real-time detective game that sports some solid features and robust mechanics, collectively putting forward a tense and constantly exciting affair. Indeed, there’s a few persistent technical flaws present that tend to interfere with the game’s flow, but in the face of everything that The Occupation gets right, they’re easy to overlook.

Blacksad: Under The Skin is an enjoyable detective game and the gritty noir story is very gripping. You care what happens to your cat-man detective and you’ll want to get to the bottom of the crime. All the other characters in the game are interesting and varied and the fact they are animals makes things a bit more entertaining. But the controls when moving Blacksad are so slow and clunky that they let the game down a tad, ruining the will to explore the world fully.

All in all, REKT! is a fun, arcade style stunt game that is best played locally with others. Solo players have a lot to unlock but the repetition might mean that it’ll take some time to get everything available. Snappy, easy to pick up controls and fun level design mean that even then, it is still fun in short bursts.

The Crew 2 is much bigger and much better than its predecessor. It’s not perfect by any means, but it does tick many of the boxes that it desperately needed to, nevertheless. Issues with the lack of map engagement and the T-800 AI to the side, The Crew 2 offers a robust and gorgeously detailed racing experience. It’s accessible, fairly deep, well rounded and thoroughly entertaining, for the most part.

Odium is one hell of a challenging side-scroller, so much so that it walks a very fine line between being fun and being irritating. That said, Odium does a wonderful job at keeping its gameplay fresh through the steady flow of new, tricky additions. Furthermore, the game offers quite a decent chunk of replay value, and, thanks to its gorgeous monochromatic art style, together with its epic techno music, it rarely grows tiresome.

Cinders is a stunning game with colorful characters and deep storyline to immerse yourself into a newly constructed version of a beloved fairy-tale. With many paths to take and choices to be made, will you wear the slipper, or throw it all away? The choice is yours.

My Memory of Us, despite its stellar narration and its wonderful visual design, is a game that’s far too simplistic for its own good. The game’s puzzles rely on tired concepts that take little more than common sense to overcome, with added stealth elements that remain equal to that. The end result makes for a journey that aims to be both deep and emotional, but ultimately fails to meet its intentions.

I think that the biggest thing that will hurt this game is the versions that came before it. I’m not sure people will spend the money on the latest edition if they’re still having fun on the last few entries. The career mode is worth the jump I think, and the more people that do will ultimately find themselves filling up multiplayer lobbies too. While the base price of the game is $49.99, ten dollars cheaper than most triple A titles, it should be an easy buy if you haven’t played a NASCAR Heat title before. But if you’re still having fun with any of the previous iterations you may choose to wait for a sale.

Final Vendetta is exactly what it wanted to be; a side-scrolling beat-em-up that can sit with the likes of Streets of Rage and Final Fight. And it does a pretty good job in doing so. The graphics have a great retro feel, the music is great, and the characters have different and interesting moves. It’s just a shame it’s so hard, missing continues and lacking online play.

It might not live up to its inspiration, but Doublehit Games have gotten pretty damn close. Some slight stodginess on the controls can lead to unwarranted failure at times, but it’s a small slight on an other wise charming, dark, and enthralling puzzle adventure that gives those heart strings a good old tug.

Heartworm is a love letter to survival horrors of the 90’s, with a great look and feel that apes those older games brilliantly. Boring boss fights, an uninspiring tale, and some user interface niggles stop this being a full-hearted recommendation, but if you’re in the market for old school Resident Evil-like gaming, then this should fit the bill nicely.

Raging Justice comes tethered to a particularly steep difficulty curve, yet ticks many of the boxes that it needed to to stand out as a solid beat ’em up experience. This may not be the next Streets of Rage II, but it’s certainly worth a visit if you’re on the market for a modern day version of that formula. It’s fun, brutal, often unfair, yet ultimately satisfying in the long run.

GRIP isn’t a bad racer by any means, but it could have been a lot more than what it is had the developer spent more time refining track consistency. Furthermore, the campaign itself feels nonsensical by design, and there’s certainly some population needed for its online component. Nevertheless, and despite those faults, GRIP is one of the most fun, intense and unique combat racers in recent memory.

I had high hopes for the original game but came away underwhelmed. Danger Zone 2, however, rights some of the issues with a much better visual style and far more interesting courses. Some wonky physics, repetitive, bland background detail and a lack of things to do, lets the game down on occasion. Though, the core gameplay loop is still as fun as it’s ever been, smashing through traffic and causing carnage is a blast.

Combat is hard, often unfairly so, but get into the groove and it’s also very satisfying. Exploring the environments can yield extra challenges, with powerful rewards for success, but a few more tantalizing glimpses of areas beyond your abilities wouldn’t have gone amiss. If you enjoyed the previous entries and have been waiting to see what Fury can do, you’ll find the wait has mostly been worth it. Just be prepared for a challenge.

Overall, if you like Overcooked! and are looking for more of the same that isn’t cheap and nasty like the several other options currently available on the store, Cannibal Cuisine isn’t a bad shout. It’s not overly priced, it’s got a fair challenge to keep you going for a while and the co-op play is seamless. Sure, meal variety could have been a little more exciting but for what it is, it’s not a bad effort and will certainly do the job until we hear from Overcooked! 3 at some point.

Serial Cleaners expands on the original game nicely, with a good variety of missions and characters to play. It has its niggles, but for the most part this is a fun way to spend a few hours.

Monster Energy Supercross isn’t the best game that we’ve seen from Milestone, but it’s certainly well worth a visit. Despite some problems with the framerate, and issues with the difficulty of play, there’s hours of fun to be had here. That being said, this is a game that demands perseverance. Lesser patient players may find this more frustrating than it’s worth.

Although somewhat unusual in its theming, the level of detail and extensive research that has gone into the making of Felix the Reaper is vast and perhaps this is why it stands out so significantly. If anyone was wondering how to incorporate the artistic portrayal of Death in a mentally stimulating puzzle game with humorous and light hearted theming, they certainly need look no further than Felix the Reaper.

As narrative adventures go, Last Stop is easily one of the best I’ve played. From setting and characters, to story and presentation, it is a joy to experience from start to finish. Whether you’re a Game Pass subscriber or not, this is one title not to miss out on.

Hellpoint is a challenging and interesting RPG in a similar vein to Dark Souls, but maybe not as difficult. It is still unforgiving though, and best played with others to stand a real chance of progressing. The online multiplayer needs some work to iron out some issues, but if you like games that pose a real challenge then this could be for you. The fact that I couldn’t find any real strategy to take down difficult enemies made this hard for me to play by myself.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood may not be quite what I expected in a new entry to the series, but damn, if it isn’t good. The ‘live service’ additions detract slightly from the experience, but that glorious combat more than makes up for it. Add in some wonderfully crafted play spaces to explore (if only there was a couple more) and you’ve got yourself a great way to spend a weekend. The main campaign will be over quick, but while it lasts, it’s great, wholesome, Nazi killing fun.

Warriors Orochi 4 has a lot going for it, but its sheer lack of difficulty is hard to overlook when taking its widely interesting gameplay mechanics into account. Still, with its needless simplicity to the side, the game delivers on its promise to be the most fun and diverse entry in the series so far. Furthermore, in contrast to Dynasty Warriors 9’s launch, Warriors Orochi 4’s technical performance is top-notch.

Torchlight III has come a long way from the original game. The graphics stay true to the series but look a lot more refined. The options for characters have been compacted, but the introduction of relics allows you to mix and match for variety without suffering from choice overload. It stands shoulder to shoulder with games like Diablo as a fair alternative, but I feel playing with friends is a must as you may lose interest just playing solo.

As a big Kevin Smith fan, I was looking forward to reviewing this game as I thought it might be reference heavy. It was, but some were more subtle than others and required you to know about most of his catalogue to get the references. It was an OK playthrough but that was more because I enjoyed the Double Dragon nostalgia feel. This feels halfway between a hard-worked fan-created effort and a cash grab of reskinning an older game.

Is it very memorable? Not really.

A must have for any fan of horror. The game’s eerie atmosphere makes for some great scares, with its gory cutscenes and psychotic characters collectively relaying a truly 90s-esque horrific experience. The controls are clunky at times and enemy position isn’t always made clear, but with most of the other bugs now remedied ahead of release, I highly recommend giving this a go.

Haimrik’s interesting concept is ultimately held back by its weak story and some poor gameplay elements. The game is certainly distinct, that much goes without saying, but its mechanics often fail to blend together particularly well. This isn’t a bad game by any means, on the contrary, it’s actually quite a competent puzzle-adventure game when it wants to be, but it’s hard to overlook these issues when they’re frequently in your face.

Beat Souls is an interesting take on the musical rhythm game genre. They have managed to inject platform game elements into it which work pretty well and are tricky to master. The bright colours and animation are very vibrant and immersive but I feel it was let down by the audio as the sound effects don’t blend with the music and the music itself is pretty bland.

Cuisineer is a cute, comfy social sim with some Action RPG added in there. That said, this might be one of the most transparent versions of the genre, which does not feel rewarding to unlock new content.

In my opinion, I feel that Destroy All Humans 2 should’ve been remastered instead since it was made and released at a later time period in gaming. While first time players might find it a little stale, bland, and repetitive, old players regardless will have fun with the game as it throws them back into a more simpler time period than the one we’re living in now.

Slitterhead is a fascinating game, with an over-the-top plot, routed in strangely grounded characters. The combat is good, with some genuine new additions to the character action genre. However, it goes on for just a bit too long.

This may seem like an easy cash grab scheme to re-release the same game and play on the nostalgia people have for the Ghostbusters. But they have done a lot of work to upscale the graphics to make it feel like the game belongs on the Xbox One. It is still a good fun game and it does feel like a continuation from the movies and great that you feel involved in the story. If you can ignore the few minor annoyances, then this game still holds up as a decent game for anyone and not just long-time fans.

Way of the Passive Fist is fun to begin with, and indeed offers a unique twist to the typical brawler formula. That being said it rapidly becomes repetitive, and the lack of content outside of the campaign leaves much to be desired. It’s a one-and-done sort of experience, one that doesn’t particularly go to great lengths to intrigue or innovate.

NBA 2K24 is an overall disappointment compared to not only NBA 2K23 but past NBA titles too. To see how far it’s fallen, all the past great features no longer included, it hurts to see that the only thing that matters is how much VC someone spends on a game. This is the first year that we’ve seen 2K blatantly be VC-heavy and it won’t be the last. Nobody should have to purchase a game that expects you to pay more on top of that. NBA 2K24 is the perfect example for game developers everywhere of what not to do in the gaming industry unless you’re greedy and don’t care about fans.

Warhorse have developed a game that’s not only massively in-depth, but equally as intriguing and captivating. Their care and attention to detail pulls through in each and every sequence within. This level of realism isn’t going to be for everyone, but for those that want the authentic experience, Deliverance delivers, and then some. It’s engaging, it’s deep, and it’s thoroughly entertaining.

All in all, The Ascent is a lot of fun at times, but there’s just something about it that doesn’t quite stick for me. Combat is fast, with the three height system technically offering up more options for arenas, but I found this aspect to be generally underused. Initially complex looking, the upgrades and skill trees are simple to follow, albeit underwhelming in use. But there’s no denying just how pretty it all is, and as a next gen showpiece it delivers here. I just can’t see myself being drawn back to it long in the long term.

The Aquatic Adventure of the Last Human is as basic as they come. The theme and setting may well be intriguing in concept, but much less so in delivery. Nearly every gameplay element within has been tried and tested to a better degree elsewhere. It’s not a bad game by any means, but it doesn’t do much to separate itself from the crowd.

Switch: Or Die Trying is a game for those who relish a challenge, though oftentimes the challenge comes not through design, but lack of polish. If you are looking for something to scratch that Meat Boy itch, you’ll find some fun here, but be prepared for that to quickly give way to frustration.

Whilst I take issue with the game’s pacing and its hit and miss AI, there’s little else to scoff at here. American Fugitive is a love letter to fans of classic Grand Theft Auto. The game’s stunning world is full of varied activities and events, with no shortage of choice to take to throughout each and every aspect within. This is all held together by remarkably fluid gameplay, putting forward a sandbox that’s deep, robust, and constantly action-packed.

Exception doesn’t hold back when it comes to the core gameplay. The responsive, smooth controls allow you to really sail through stages at somewhat breathtaking speed. It can get a little much if played for too long (and that soundtrack is… a bit much) but in short bursts, there’s a fun arcade platformer here.

Lost Ember has so much potential to be a real gem but is let down by it’s overwhelming performance problems. There are glimmers of the experience that could have been, if these problems were to be ironed out, especially as the game progresses and the story gains momentum. Lost Ember is well suited to players looking for a casual experience with simple mechanics and an intriguing narrative but only if they are also able to overlook some of the game’s unfortunate issues.

There’s a lot of potential with the groundwork Keen Software have set here in Space Engineers. However, it’s an incredibly obtuse game to get into, not helped by a lack of clear, legible information in game (relying on YouTube links instead). If you’ve the patience to get stuck in though, the scope of what can be done will likely surprise and amaze you.

As inspired as it is irredeemably middling, Empire of Sin has the style and the moxie to put on a gangster-like epic, but the overblown micromanagement aspects, repetitive and unrewarding strategy mechanics and its half-baked presentation do much to sully the game’s promise and dim the lights on its bright spots. You may summon some enjoyment from Empire of Sin if you fancy taking on the role of a gangster kingpin and managing all the busywork that comes with it – it’s just a shame that this mobster gets too bogged down with its own systems to truly make an impact.

Broken Mind is not a long game but it is fun and refreshing to play. I enjoyed my journey, and even though I am a big wimp when comes to survival horror I still really enjoy my playthrough of it.

Despite the clear inspiration it has taken from Mario Kart and other kart-racing games, Nickelodeon: Slime Speedway is an energetic burst of kart-racing action you will find suitably engrossing. It’s not pushing any boundaries, nor does it always feel compelling to drive – but it will likely steal your evenings with the little ones, and there’s a cast of characters here that will delight those little ones who grew up in the 90s. All told this is a solid effort that will go down well like Garfield’s lasagne – just don’t expect it to get Squidward’s approval.

Greedfall II had a big ask to follow on from the original which I enjoyed a lot even if it had its annoyances and limitations such as repetitive dialogue choices. Greedfall II feels much more refined in terms of graphics, story and dialogue. The new combat system was a bold choice but it’s a risk, allowing players to try their hand at both real time and tactical styles. Returning players will find a lot to enjoy here, but newer players will be able to pick things up easily enough as well.

Who doesn’t enjoy a bit of crazy golf in either a virtual or real sense? It’s definitely better played online in a simultaneous manner and preferably with friends though. The many different themes are interesting, and the variety of tweaks and modes do keep things fun for a while, but the pacing of the game or loading times may cause many to lose interest, unfortunately.

Simple, solid fun from Double Fine’s multiplayer brawler, with a charming and easy to use creation suite to boot. Matchmaking can take some time, and playing with random players is far less enjoyable than with a group of buddies, but this is still an easy recommendation for those looking to add a new game to the game night rotation.

TT Isle of Man will no doubt impress those that can forgive its lack of content and bond with its hardcore mechanics. This is certainly one of Kylotonn’s better efforts, but it doesn’t come without fault, namely rendering and camera issues. With that to the side, this is a decent racing game, but it’s far from on par with the best.

If there is one thing I love almost as much as sequels, it’s spiritual successors. Especially if those spiritual successors have turned into a metroidvania. Listen, I had a decent time with Yars Rising but in the end, it has been a bit forgettable. Little things like waiting for loading screens, having to rewatch animations and dialog due to dying, and just okay platforming have soured me just a bit hence my score. I honestly started the game higher than when I ended. I think there is something here however and would absolutely play a sequel to this game if one comes along. Metroidvania enthusiasts should give it a go if they are looking for shorter experience to add to their gamer résumé.

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.

We’ve been wanting to see more co-op puzzle titles and The Past Within is a fantastic entry to the genre. Smart pacing and an interesting premise and set-up make for an evening well spent with a friend.

All in all, SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake is a middling effort that is helped along by the titular protagonist’s whimsical humour, the sparklingly colourful Wishworlds and the jolly soundtrack. Unfortunately, The Cosmic Shake spirals down from its promising state as an original SpongeBob adventure because it feels like any old-school platformer from twenty years ago. Sure, the kiddies will find The Cosmic Shake to be a simple and satisfying slice of SpongeBob silliness to savour, but without an impactful zest to it, there’s not enough to make it stand out from previous outings. There’s a woeful dearth of depth here that ensures The Cosmic Shake flounders adrift in the high seas of averageness, instead of soaring into the skies of sensation. It’s an adventure that will do in a pinch, but SpongeBob fans know this could have been so much more.

Excellent atmosphere and horror tricks and an initially intriguing tale can’t make up for the lacklustre pay off and slow, tedious plodding back and forth around the hotel. Fans of titles such as Gone Home will likely get the most enjoyment out of it, but it also falls far short of that high bar unfortunately.

Arkanoid Eternal Battle is fun for a while but can get frustrating very quickly. With no option to save your progress, this hampers my score. I wish there was an option for an offline/easy mode, a bit like Tetris 99 has, but otherwise it’s a solid title if you loved the original. I would, however, recommend waiting for a sale.

Daymare: 1998 will push your nostalgia button for horror shooters of days gone and is an enjoyable experience provided you keep your expectations in check. The developers almost certainly could have gone the easy route and built a by-the-books zombie FPS (it was built using Unreal 4) but decided instead to create something uniquely theirs. These choices come together well. I for one appreciated their vision.

Tohu draws from its inspiration well, using excellent visuals, animation, and audio to really craft an enjoyable tale. It’s some of the actual puzzles that let the side down a little though as they can be just a bit too obscure for my liking, bringing back the days of seemingly random items used in bizarre ways. With a little help, I still managed to enjoy my time with Tohu though, and if you’re more point and click inclined then I’d highly recommend checking this title out.

Despite some occasionally poor bot behavior, there’s a lot to like about Hyper Jam. This is every bit as addictive as it is exciting, with accessibility and short-burst functionality serving as forefront aspects. The game’s fluid and fast-paced action sits well alongside the game’s unique perk stacking system, with each and every passing round becoming more tense and frenetic as a result. If you’re looking for a new arena brawler, this is one to consider.

The Complex is, quite simply, fantastic. Some dodgy CGI and a few plot holes aside, the story being told here is gripping, the characters well acted and brought to life and there’s a ton of variety on offer through the many choices we make along the way. A brilliant example of an interactive movie, and one that you’d be well off to play.

Retro gamers or those of a certain vintage will find something to enjoy here, but if you’re outside of that demographic this is a title that’ll likely not last a long time on the hard drive.