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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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