Unfortunately, although Hell Let Loose has gone full release, this game is not ready. Using in-game chat is frequently buggy, with it being unclear who can hear who. Getting into the game proved to be very challenging pre-release, and a nightmare during the launch date, with frequent drops, long loading times, and regular crashes and hangs.

Chicken Police is a must pick up title if you are heavily invested into the crime/suspense genre as much as I am. Even though the game has a unique set of characters and settings doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t give it a shot. Well worth it in my opinion.

For cat-lovers and Xbox lovers, Stray is a pleasant and uncanny feline-centred adventure game that’ll be purr-cisely what many will be looking for. The various cat behaviours are cool, the dark alleyways and neon evoke a particular kind of foreboding atmosphere, and there simply isn’t another game out there quite like Stray. However, Stray’s presentation is a mask for routine gameplay dynamics, and the overarching dreariness of the dystopia setting doesn’t mesh convincingly with the playful moments found dotted throughout. There’s a sense BlueTwelve Studio wanted a big-time mainstream experience condensed down to the length an indie title, and they’re successful in achieving that, it’s just the world they created could’ve been cheerier and less predictable. Thankfully though, this cat game never outStrays its welcome.

I can’t say that Sparking! Zero is the best Dragon Ball game ever made, as my track record is on the lower side, but it’s the best anime arena fighter I’ve played in a while. The bar has been set, and it’s incredibly high. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to train in the hypersonic lion tamer.

All in all, Still Wakes the Deep has been a fantastic horror experience. It looks and sounds great, the sense of tension and fear is very well handled, and even the few moments that drop the act don’t give us enough time to catch our breath before things go sideways again. Topped of with a touching story and well rounded characters, Still Wakes the Deep is not one to be missed.

The Onion Kingdom is bigger, better and more detailed than ever before. Overcooked! 2 takes its compelling concept to the next level through added mechanics, new additions and heaps of clever functionalities. The game’s difficulty may spike from time to time, but nevertheless, it goes without saying that Overcooked! 2 offers a robust co-op centric experience that rarely gets old, with online multiplayer to boot.

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.

Rune Factory 4 Special is a mammoth game with tons of content for those that are fans of the genre. It is hobbled by some strange High-definition upgrade choices.

Despite a few odd technical issues, Wreckfest is really rather fun to play. The sheer carnage on display as you smash and crash with your fellow racers is quite the sight, especially in the destruction derby style modes. Those looking for a racer with a little extra edge will no doubt find it here.

Forgotton Anne houses a gorgeously fitting art direction that’s not too dissimilar to Laputa: Castle in the Sky. This design sits extraordinarily well with its carefully crafted platforming and puzzle elements, collectively putting forward a wonderful adventure that never loses its grip. The dialogue may well be hit and miss at times, but the overarching plot is captivating, well paced and thoroughly entertaining.

Overall, there’s a lot to like about Resident Evil Village. The story and characters are great, most of the scenarios are fantastic fun to play, and when it hits best it rivals the top tier of the franchise. It’s a little too action heavy for my tastes, but even so that action is generally a lot of fun. Is it the best in the series? No. Is it still bloody good? One hundred percent. I’m cautiously excited to see where we go from here, and am already looking forward to a second playthrough.

REANIMAL is a great step in the right direction for Tarsier’s portfolio, though with all the improvements there are still some problems with its execution.

Red Dead Redemption is a bona-fide gaming classic that until now had missed the PC crowd baying for it to come to the platform. If you’ve yet to play it, this is simply the best way to play if you have even a passable PC or laptop, and puts a shine on a game that we can’t recommend enough.

In VF5: R.E.V.O. the gameplay and content have never been better. This version feels like the complete package, even if visually it is starting to look long in the tooth.

All in all Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is a stellar game and I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy every minute of it. Despite being tough as nails at times, the brutal challenges are optional so newcomers or those with lesser skills can still enjoy the great storyline and main set of levels.

What you’ll find here isn’t the next game to join the contest of who can be the biggest FPS hit of the year, but rather a game that focuses on realism, action, and teamwork. It trades the big-budget effects for the nitty-gritty darkened warfare and it does this in a way that feels believable and enthralling, whilst managing to scratch that one-more-go itch as each round concludes, and for the efforts, it might just be the surprise big hitter of the year from the FPS genre after all.

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.

DIRT 5 is superb and will quench the thirst of anybody who believes racing games have become too sim-heavy and boring. Some will lament the lack of true rallying and the ostentatious Americanised presentation but why complain when you can fully embrace the arcade richness on display here. Simply put, DIRT 5 is excellent and will leave you craving for more – now go out and there and drink it up.

Lego Voyagers is equal parts lovely to look at, simple yet engaging to play, and an all round good time for co-op players no matter their skill level.

While there are improvements that could be made, there’s no doubt this is an excellent way for fans of the graps to get even more enjoyment out of the sports entertainment lifestyle. There’s so much to do across so many modes, such a hefty creation suite that is all but limitless, and underneath all that a fun if sometimes frustrating gameplay system that will serve perfectly well until the next time out.

I am glad these games are back, as there is a lot of joy to be had in these D&D based RPG’s which both newer and old RPG fans can enjoy. The controls designed for the Xbox controller make the game much quicker to steer and feel more fluid. The game flows a lot quicker than it did in the past too, without all the restrictive loading times associated with CD’s. If you are a big fan of in-depth story lines and interesting plot twists in your RPG’s, then this collection will be something you’ll love.

Like I mentioned this one was not on my radar, no pun intended, and I was pleasantly surprised. A few glitches with the enemies soured the experience a little but not enough for me to not recommend the game still. Even as someone who doesn’t gravitate to stealth games, this one was successful in integrating a system simple enough to pick up and swap between characters easily and make you feel satisfied clearing an area whether by yourself or through an automated, planned team effort. It has a thorough save system to boot which absolutely helped make the game more enjoyable with my trial and error. For sure, I recommend it as a really solid game.

Starfield for me is very easily the game of the year, it would take something phenomenal to knock it off the top. Is it perfect? Not by any means, there are bugs and exploits to see but you have to go out of your way to do so, albeit to the detriment of your own experience. I think calling it Fallout in Space with Mass Effect tones and elements of No Man’s Sky is a cheap description. I think this is the massive space adventure we have needed and I am addicted to it and with so much content I feel very spoilt. It is so much fun and an RPG lovers fantasy to explore and I cannot recommend it enough.

It’s been a while since I’ve had this much fun in a cooperative focused title and I think POPUCOM has found a great balance between difficulty and player choice without sticking around for more than it has to. Throw in a lovely presentation and you’ve got a fantastic cooperative puzzle-platformer that can be enjoyed by all.

To the common eye Super Mega Baseball 3 looks like Arcade version of baseball, in the vein of NBA Jam‘s take on an arcade version of basketball. Beneath the mask is a well polished baseball simulation that I believe baseball fans will enjoy. Even if you aren’t a hardcore baseball fan this game still is something to play if you’re just trying to past the time.

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.

Publisher Nacon and developer KT Racing have built a very solid Rally title with WRC 9, even though there aren’t many improvements over the last edition. It’s definitely a worthy investment for Rally fans, especially if you skipped last year’s WRC 8, though I’m not sure it’s worth upgrading straight away if you’re still plugging away at that title. At least not until a good sale comes along. While it does have some multiplayer modes, at the time of this writing I was unable to find any open lobbies. But to be fair most people probably prefer the career mode, because you really aren’t racing head to head anyway.

Natsuki Chronicles is one of the more enjoyable bullet-hell shooters I’ve played in quite some time. It nails the addictive nature of the classic arcade titles, and wraps it up in some gorgeous visuals and excellent level design. While these games are hard by nature, I did feel that Qute took it a tad too far here, with even the Easy setting proving to be rock solid. But those with time and patience on their hands will get no doubt have a great time here, and even if I suck at it, Natsuki Chronicles will be popping up on my playlist for sometime yet.