Paperbound Brawlers is a fun, frantic local multiplayer game that just misses the mark due to one of it’s core mechanics difficulty preventing a quick pick up and play approach. More dedicated groups will no doubt find much to enjoy about it though, and the short single player campaign does a good job of preparing you. The visuals are charmingly drawn, and stage design is great – though some make the already difficulty gravitational aspect that much more challenging.

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.

Odallus: The Dark Call was created in many ways to respect classic games such as Castlevania and it easily surpasses this goal. With an incredible soundtrack, engaging level design and easy to understand combat, the game really couldn’t be closer to the 8-bit gems of old. For gamers who want to enjoy a classic experience in a new game, Odallus: The Dark Call is certainly the game to do it.

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.

While the need to get a handful of players together locally might hinder your ability to play Demons With Shotguns regularly, when you can it will likely fast become a game night favourite. The action is quick, violent and wonderfully fun, the visuals and audio compliment the gameplay brilliantly and, despite the simple premise, things don’t quickly become overly repetitive. The co-op mode is a great addition that braver and more skilled than I solo players can take on too.

If the waves were a bit shorter, or if there was more variety in the gameplay – and no over-heating main guns – I could probably have stomached more time with XenoRaptor. As it is, before too long I found my mind wandering to one of the many other unplayed titles on my hard drive. In short bursts, XenoRaptor is fine, but there are far more enjoyable examples in the twin stick shooter genre already out there.

Shovel Knight Treasure Trove is a great collection of games, each of them enjoyable in their own way. The character designs are fun and there is enough variety in characters, enemies and attacks to keep things interesting. The games are almost easy enough for the more casual players to progress, yet there is enough challenge to keep the hardcore players busy too.

Iro Hero is everything you expect with a vertical shooter in that it’s tough, fast-paced and repetitive. The extra mechanic of changing colour is fun to use, and it does test your reflexes and gives you a bit more chance of completing the game. There is not a great deal of content to keep you interested in the long haul, but it still a good enough game for you to jump in straight away and get going.

Pathologic 2, although not as polished as maybe Fallout or Elder Scrolls, still contains all the necessary features for a story driven first player adventure. The games difficulty and time frame can have you sweating under the collar and sometimes become a bit overwhelmed, but you can praise it for its detail to character work and story line.

Weakless is really colourful and vibrant and shows good promise if the team decide to do more work like this. There’s lots going on depending on who you play as which I found great. The contrast in gameplay between the deaf and blind Weavlings forces you to constantly analyse a situation and using them both to overcome obstacles is satisfying and rewarding. Overall my experience was enjoyable, it’s just a shame that it all ended so soon.

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.

Foxyland is a game about a fox collecting gems in the woods. It is very easy to play, takes about an hour to complete and doesn’t require any previous knowledge or experience in gaming. For those who give a fox about achievements, then this game could only have been made for you.

There is some heart in this simple third-person RPG, but with terrible gameplay, infuriating controls, insane difficulty spikes, enemy spam, and repetitive mission design, only the most determined players will find it.

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.

Like a popcorn popping Hollywood blockbuster, My Friend Pedro offers a bullet-bonanza ballet that’s hard to ignore thanks to its slick moves, combining a great sense of fast food action gameplay that escalates in challenge as you grow accustomed to the many flourishes it adds throughout. Regrettably the characterisation and story falls short, but in all likelihood these fundamentals won’t matter if you’re looking for an action-packed thrill ride, and boy does My Friend Pedro offer that in spades. If you demand something more in-depth or intricate you won’t find it here, but everyone else will find that My Friend Pedro scratches an impulsive itch that’s able to impress with its penchant for grace and unabashed style.

Tamashii is an addictive 2-D retro puzzler bringing great design and solid gameplay even though it may fall behind in the graphics department. With plenty of challenging puzzles and a horror theme screaming WTF!. It was a hair pulling experience I enjoyed and hope others find pleasure in this title also.

SuperEpic: The Entertainment War lays its feelings out for all to see on the current state of the big buck chasing corporate side of the game industry. That it does so with enough wit and entertainment factor is commendable; it would have been easy to fall on the wrong side of parody. The core gameplay is fun and engaging, the art is fantastic and – odd typo aside – the writing manages to get the message across in an entertaining way. Undercoders perhaps lent a little too heavily on the MetroidVania aspects with a hard to read map and even harder to keep track of side missions, but overall I had a blast with SuperEpic.

Straimium Immortaly is a very odd game and a lot of it doesn’t make sense, though the weird designs and colourful layout has some charm about it. However, the game is not very fair and is downright tough when you can’t tell on screen what can or can’t hurt you and what is a power-up. The game has an old-style feel to it that you always strive to do better than your previous attempt. But with such childish writing and busy screens it may put a lot of people off.

Demon Pit hit me right in the nostalgia. The classic feel of the 90’s arena shooters is perfectly represented here, with fast, frenetic action that won’t let you rest, at least until you’re dead. It won’t be for everyone, and some may feel a little short changed by the fact that the one mode is all you get. But the replayability of that mode will keep Demon Pit installed on your hard drive for some time to come.

This addition to Beamdogs rejuvenated D&D games didn’t hit the mark for me as the others did. Its slow-paced combat really kills the momentum and is much tougher than its predecessors even on an easier setting. The story itself is still interesting and gripping, but it’s not enough to save the game from its flaws. With it being so slow, tough and not very pretty it will be hard to pick this over games in the same genre. D&D fans, or fans of the original game may still find some joy here, but newer players may not see what all the fuss was about.

Avicii Invector’s visual style compliments the audio. I am not the greatest at rhythm games but I completely enjoyed this. If you’re a fan of the genre, this won’t disappoint. I love the music and I thank Tim Bergling for bringing it to the world and its ability to pick people up. Rest in Peace.

Civilisation VI is very much a marmite kind of game – you’ll either love it or hate it. While I am indeed a fan (of marmite and Civ), I did feel slightly let down by the laggy performance and seemingly slower pace than I remember. The wonderful aesthetics manage to make up for this to a degree though, and if you’re after something to sink some real time into the Civ VI will absolutely be your cup of tea.

Cardpocalypse is a nostalgic blast from the past. Players who enjoyed card games such as Yugioh! will get a kick from this along with a flood of warm memories of the 90’s. The turn based title may have trouble shining through among other titles in the genre, but I can’t knock Cardpocalypse for gameplay and story narrative.

For those who persist with it, Headliner: NoviNews will likely draw you in and surprise you by how the characters react to every choice you make and the multiple ways their fates can be altered come the endgame. The brevity may put some off and the day-to-day repetition will get old fast, but the control you possess is very engrossing and will be the main reason for you to play through the game multiple times. You may not be plugging at it for long, but Headliner is worth a shot because it makes players feel like their actions matter. What with many mainstream games going through the motions of diminishing returns and marginalising your status, a modest indie title like Headliner will likely remind you that players should be placed at the epicentre of control – so thus, we doth our caps to Headliner as it aptly headlines the crucial component of empowerment in video games, even it comes with a side of a few irksome kinks.

The title – Ultimate Racing 2D – sadly belies the actual experience on offer here. While there’s an impressive number of vehicles and tracks, the actual racing part feels flat, uninspiring and, quite frankly, boring. Multiplayer could be good for a laugh, but even that will wear thin before long. Racing fans may be able to eke out some more enjoyment, but for others just looking for a fun little run around you’re best off steering clear of this title.

Story of a Gladiator has an attractive pixelated presentation and has the cool concept of fighting in the arena. It’s a blast and only overstays its welcome in the later stages when progression stagnates. I recommend jumping in with both sandals.

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.

Rift Keeper throws its hat in the Rogue-like genre but unfortunately comes up a little short. There are some solid ideas buried in there and it’s clear to see the team ambitions. but some technical hiccups held the experience back.