Superliminal pulls us in with a fun looking gameplay hook, holds our attention while it twists our expectations, and brings us out the other end with something to truly reflect on. Easily one of the best puzzlers out there, and one that deserves all of the success in the world.

I was very surprised by Endling – Extinction is Forever. I enjoyed it for the most part, with a lovely visual style and story, although the gameplay felt a bit repetitive at times which held it back slightly.

Pirates Outlaws is a solid deck-building roguelite that adds tons of content and lots of interesting spins on familiar formulas, it is an easy recommend for fans of the genre. For those that are new to this style – there are better places to start.

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

Young Souls is a scrolling beat ’em up with a few more ideas thrown into the mix. You can change the path you take slightly, and you have to earn your increase in stats. The twin’s functionality is a cool touch and playing with a friend is way more fun than by yourself. The game is meant to test your skills and patience but the added option to make it an easier ride will make it more accessible.

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

It would be all too easy to compare this to the Souls series, but in truth, Salt and Sanctuary deserves a spotlight entirely of its own. It’s a dark and twisted journey that constantly relays a remarkable amount of depth, variety, innovation, and detail. Its greatest achievement, however, is not that of its outstanding structure, but its ability to frequently entice its players, despite how often it screws them over. This, is a punishing must have.

Lost Judgement is in my eyes a superb addition to the Yakuza series and is jam-packed with content. The graphics are great, the voice acting is great and the amount of activities that will distract you from the main quest is mind-blowing. It used the same formula which made its predecessors so much fun to play and improved on it. Even as dark and gruesome as the main story is there is always something around the corner in this game to put a smile back on your face.

You can tell a lot of time and effort has gone into making F1 Manager to be as polished and as detailed as it is, I genuinely wasn’t expecting this much detail and depth as a first entry into the series. F1 Manager can easily be labelled as the best F1 Management game ever and I hope all fans of management and strategy games pick this up and enjoy it as much as I am!

Omega Strike is fun, thrilling and more importantly, rewarding. The game’s well designed interconnected map gradually opens up as progression is made, which further bolsters the game’s steady pace. More encouragement to swap between characters would have been welcoming, though overall, Omega Strike is a well rounded action-platformer that’s jam-packed with varying enemies and challenges throughout.

Slime-san: Superslime Edition is packed full of exciting and diverse content. Not only does this game cater for those that relish a 2D platforming challenge, but it offers a decent learning curve that’s suitable for newcomers too. The controls are tight and responsive, the game’s mechanics are unique and function well, though above all else, it’s fun, thrilling and addictive. For its price, this game is an absolute steal.

The shame of all this is that without these practices, NBA 2K20 can stand tall as the best basketball sim available. Even running unopposed with the retirement of the NBA Live franchise, it continues to get better and better on the court, but serious issues surrounding that experience leave it feeling less and less impressive year on year. Here’s hoping 2K can end that trend.

As overGame put in their email to me, Gaijin Charenji 1 : Kiss or Kill is more of an experience than a traditional video game. If you are up for an hour spent questioning what you see before you, before having your mind melted by the mad antics on display, then absolutely pick it up. I fear many people won’t be willing to give it a chance however, and that’s a shame, as it is a unique experience that will stay with you for some time.

As unlikely as it may appear, New Super Lucky Tale is a punchy and polished platformer that does a great job of thrusting you into its luscious worlds. While there’s nothing truly astonishing here, New Super Lucky’s Tale does a splendid job of giving its players a joyful and fun platforming adventure game with lots of puzzles and challenges to keep one busy for the duration of its six-seven hour runtime. Youngsters will certainly find a lot to love here and in this vein New Super Lucky’s Tale is a triumph. Everyone else will find a nice and pleasant platformer but might want more excitement and memorable moments that they probably won’t find here. Ultimately Lucky’s tale is one worth taking in no matter your age, just keep in mind that you may not find enough excitement or story for your liking.

Islanders is effortlessly sublime. A city builder that is easy to understand and continues to grow with each playthrough.

Despite its flaws Miasma Chronicles is a good but not quite great game that sucks you back in for more and will be a decent pickup for anyone who enjoys tactical turn-based games.

Simply said fans of Moving Out should love Moving Out 2. This is everything a sequel should be. Doesn’t over complicate the formula that worked so well in the first game and in a sense is just more of it which is what I personally want most of the time. With its wealth of accessibility options, it’s a great game for newer gamers and veterans alike. I can’t wait to play more of this game co-op via online play with friends.

Crow Country is top-tier retro survival horror. It has fun, engaging puzzles, some excellent presentation work, and is a tightly paced affair that keeps the gameplay flowing nicely. Easy recommendation for players familiar with the genre and new players alike.

KING OF FIGHTERS XV may not be the best game when it comes to the story but the fighting aspect fills those missing holes. Being able to feel this excited about a fighting game almost feels unreal in a way. With my little experience with the genre, KING OF FIGHTERS XV makes me want to improve in every way that I can. The fluidity of the combat, the strategic big brain plays, the beautiful and handsome character designs, it all comes together and shatters all my expectations I had going into KING OF FIGHTERS XV and I look forward to putting more countless hours into the game.

Far Cry 6 is as Far Cry as Far Cry gets. It may be cut from the same cloth as previous entries almost identically, but when the action is this fun and the world is this expansive and full of things to do, I’m not going to complain. The title alone will let you know if that’s for you, but if it is, you’re in for one hell of a ride.

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.

I’ve used the term fun a lot in this review, simply because that is the most accurate work for Hotshot Racing. I had an absolute blast playing it, and appreciated its retro arcade feel and looks. Those looking for more in depth racing might come away wanting, but then that is pretty much the opposite of what Hotshot Racing sets out to do – this is pure, simple, captivating gameplay, and a title you can’t miss out on, especially as it’s in GamePass!

While I wouldn’t say Little Nightmares 2 is a ‘fun’ time, it’s certainly an entertaining one. Creepy visuals and audio suck us in, and some smart, well-paced puzzles and set pieces keep us hooked for the duration. A few of these teeter on annoyance at times, but are also short enough to never actually make us want to stop playing. A strange, creepy delight of a game, Little Nightmares 2 deserves to stand out as one of the best releases of the year.

The chill nature of the gameplay, the exploration of the oceans, finding new fish and completing quests for the townsfolk meshed together to make a really rather enjoyable time. Moonglow Bay is the perfect palette cleanser in between other grittier titles, and another solid addition to the Game Pass service.

Amnesia: Collection is a must have for horror fans. The game’s performance remains on point throughout, and although the visuals are somewhat dated, this surprisingly adds to the game’s eeriness in the grand scheme of things. The bottom line here is that for its asking price, you’re getting plenty of terrifying content in return, content that’s arguably a staple for survival horror as we know it.

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

Boy, did I enjoy A Juggler’s Tale. It was a palate cleanser of a game that in my mind only suffers from it’s longevity – or rather lack there of. From the voicework, to the music and the gameplay, it was all well done with care from the developers, and something that you can experience in just a couple of hours. A definite recommendation to new gamers and veterans alike.

Overall, I had a great time with Cursed to Golf. The golfing mechanic is simple to learn, but between the random course layouts, hazards, and Ace Cards, actually beating a hole is anything but. Constantly fun, with the only drag being the boss battles, this is an easy recommendation.