I could talk for ages about Twelve Minutes as I loved everything about it, but there’s not much that can be said without spoilers. The voice acting is fantastic and the gameplay is very enjoyable. It’s a fantastic title and the fact it comes straight to Game Pass is brilliant. I can’t recommend this enough.

And really, Star Hunter DX nails the Bullet Hell Shmup package as a whole. The gunplay is fast, fun, and energetic, the visuals and audio are fantastic, and even though I am terrible at it I cannot stop playing. Shmup fan or not – you need to check this out.

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.

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.

Kings Bounty 2 have tried to add a compelling story and RPG element to this game and it hasn’t been executed very well. The slow-moving character is morale-sapping at times and it is only the strategy battle element that saves it. But considering I got to a point where the enemy is so much stronger than me and there is no way to grind or lower the difficulty, I suspect others may also find themselves giving up in frustration well before the end.

Barry the Bunny does nothing spectacular here for gaming but you probably didn’t expect it to. It looks like a very basic game and plays as such. Not much meat to this bone but if you are here for achievements or trophies, the completion is just a short game away.

If you can put up with the unresponsive controls for long enough, there’s a decent puzzle title in Tetragon. It’s just a shame that almost every turn of the world is met with frustrating UI and inputs.

Mayhem Brawler on looks only seems like a standard clone of a side-scrolling beat-em-up. But there is more than meets the eye and that is not just because of the supernatural setting. The story variation with the choice system and the comic strip storyline does make it interesting. It really could have done with online co-op mind, as playing this alone is very tough. Even having a block to use didn’t make things much easier, and it’s something you’ll need to get to grips with quickly if you’ve much hope of completing it.

Overall, The Vale: Shadow of The Crown is a game that brings to light a rarely experienced disability for many gamers whilst also showcasing just how much audio can bring a game to life. With fantastic storytelling, engaging gameplay and a story that keeps things fresh from start to finish, this is certainly one of 2021’s standout titles and will no doubt spawn new audio focussed titles in the future.

At this point I can easily say I’ve found my groove with Fort Triumph. It went from being something I was struggling to motivate myself to play to not realising I’d spent an entire evening working through multiple missions. I’m still getting beat up quite a lot even on Easy, but now I’ve learned the ropes a bit better I can feel another restart on the harder difficulties calling to me. Whether I ever get to it or not is another thing, but it really is very good. If you’ve the patience and time to learn the mechanics properly, then Fort Triumph will be one of the more satisfying turn-based strategies you could choose from.

Deadly Days isn’t a game that I would be dropping hours of time into or would be playing on week’s end. There are elements that do make the game work such as it’s fasted paced gameplay, a variety of weapons and characters, and a story that involves the zombie virus being spread from a contaminated hamburger. There’s even story progression in the game which actually surprised me. The RNG aspect of the game is a bit frustrating along with the constant micromanagement of my team of survivors. I just feel like aspects like these shouldn’t belong in a Rougelite game. If you wanna a game to kill some time then I would gladly recommend Deadly Days, but if you want something long-lasting this may not be the game for you.

It looks utterly gorgeous, has an oddly stirring soundtrack, and the core gameplay loop is simply fun to engage with. Traversing the digital landscapes as they fill in and focus in front of us is a treat, and even though they may look initially daunting in size, there’s a smart logic to how they unfold every time. Each new power up comes along at just the right time (well, mostly) and clocking in at around 8-10 hours it’s not an overly long title to get through. Plus, there’s a genuinely interesting story to weave together throughout, and as noted above it’s well worth going back and hunting any missed logs to get the ‘true’ ending. Some weak combat and fiddly UI are the only real blemishes on an other great title, and I can confidently recommend this as something to check out.

The De Vespe Conspiracy is a great addon to the Greedfall base game. The unravelling of the tangle of lies and mayhem caused was fun to play through. The missions and side quests were interesting and varied enough and it played through like a fun episode. It’s unfortunately too short for my liking and is not likely to bring back old players, but those new to the game would do well to add this to their playthrough.

Overall if you want a refreshing bike racer that elevates the usual tropes and exceeds in all the key areas, then RiMS Racing is the experience you need. Whilst it might falter slightly with some questionable A.I. aggression, and it may not have quite the number of iconic locations as some racers out there, there is more than enough to get lost in with this two-wheeled dream ride. The petition for RiMS 2 starts here!

Based on all the praise and awards Hades has received over the past year, the bar was set pretty high, some might say as high as Mount Olympus (I had to include one bad pun, sorry). I’ve tried to set this aside as I played the game and write this review, but it’s been difficult. Hades is a great game, and I feel safe saying that it’s in the upper echelon of roguelike/lite games, but in the end, I think there are a handful of issues that hold it back from being immortal (sorry, one more).

Overall if you want something a little different that doesn’t take itself too seriously as you wait in anticipation to see what the next WWE title can offer, then Action Arcade Wrestling certainly isn’t a bad way to go. Whilst it would have been nice to see a Career mode option available and maybe a few more unique character designs, for the price point Action Arcade Wrestling isn’t going to be a game you’ll regret spending your time with.

Lawn Mowing Simulator did something to me that I didn’t think possible by grabbing my attention so well I didn’t want to play other games for awhile. While obviously a niche game Lawn Mowing Simulator does what it says it will do and does it well. If you have the slightest amount of curiosity about the game, I’d recommend it for sure.

All in all, I really enjoyed Faraday Protocol. The puzzles are paced really well, introducing new approaches and ways of thinking constantly, and the later added twists are a welcome change at the right moment. The visual aesthetic can get a little too repetitive – though it is technically very well done – but as something to play in short sittings over a few nights this is a great puzzle game.

Overall if quick and easy are search terms you’d use to find your next gaming adventure, then Bone Marrow is going to be one you’ll want puffing its chest amongst your collection. If you’re after a meaningful experience that you can invest any serious time and effort into, or gain any real enjoyment from, then there are certainly many better options out there.

Apple Slash is one of those simple games where it feels like the developers have put a lot of effort and love into making it and you’ll feel it when you play. I actually wish there was more to play and do. I’m hoping that Agelvik will take what they’ve learned here and bring it to an Apple Slash 2.

Foreclosed excels with the visuals making this a unique experience I haven’t seen elsewhere, but could have used more work with voice recording and mixing with game audio. Fans of third person shooters or people searching for an interactive fun comic book game will enjoy this artistic title. It’s also a great selection for those who like Max Payne or Deus Ex as described by the developers.

I was pretty much sold on Art of Rally the first time I saw it, but perhaps what might have truly sealed the deal was the line the large buddha statue laid on me in the intro, “we are in a parallel universe, where Group B was never cancelled”. Art of Rally is coming to Game Pass and there’s no excuse for anyone not to give it a try, unless you absolutely loathe racing games. It should appeal to any one with even the slightest interest in racing games, but will also satisfy the racing game veterans. The art style is sublime – I know some players might not be into the non-realistic graphics. It doesn’t get better than this in terms of pure art, and overall fun, and Art of Rally is both.

Button City is the epitome of chill. Even when the tales touch on heavier subjects, it’s both handled sensitively while also never really getting us down. A great way to spend a few evenings, you’ll leave Button City having made a bunch of really cute new friends!

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.

Overall and If you want a challenge, then Loopindex may prove a little too easy. If you’re after that satisfying Gamerscore increase, then you’ll likely be in your element, as an hour is no gargantuan task for any player. As for general quality, Loopindex isn’t a standout performer. It gets the basics completed but you shouldn’t hope for anything more.

Get Packed: Fully Loaded finally makes it’s debut outside of Stadia exclusivity. In what is a humorous story that places you into chaotic situations of moving items, you can finally invite friends to play with you in a variety of modes to increase the chaos! If partying up isn’t your jam, the single player story is there and will offer hours of entertainment as well.

Blightbound is a couple of fixes away from being the new hardcore favourite – mechanically demanding, it plays more like a precise competitive multiplayer game than a dungeon-crawler. It is let down by copious crashing and poor pathing from the AI.

Trigger Witch is a middle-of-the-road game. I had a decent time playing through it, but just like much of the land in which it takes place, Ozryn, the game lacks any real magic. The action is fun and chaotic at times, the story has some charm, and the world is colorful but the game lacks any real staying power. It’s somewhat unique to see a combination of Action-Adventure RPG with Twin-stick-shooter in a retro-styled setting and if that sounds interesting then it might be worth a look once it has its first sale.