Metro Exodus proves that you can have atmosphere and tension in above ground, open areas, but it still shines best in confined, dark spaces. Despite all the modifications, most weapons end up feeling very similar, and you will probably stick to the weapons that you can craft ammo for in the field anyway.
Mutant Year Zero is full of fun and tense moments. If you enjoy being challenged at almost every turn, this tactics game is something to cut your teeth on. If not you might find the game too frustrating as you hit the load game button once again.
Rise of Shadows makes Hearthstone feel more interactive again, but that might just be certain sets rotating out. While the new mechanics aren't great enough to build decks around, several cards add great value to existing archetypes.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night shows how the Metroidvania genre can appeal to both purists and more modern players, offering something new while giving hearty nods at its roots.
This game is so minimalist, yet so full of dark, foreboding atmosphere that I spent the whole time hunched over, tensed up as I made my way through this science fiction horror.
Yoku's Island Express delivers on an idea of pinball for platforming and doesn't ever veer too far off course. Great graphics and catchy tunes will keep you playing, even if the game sometimes puts you in a table that feels impossible.
In a market full of fighting games that deliver nuanced single-player and multiplayer modes, having a solid fighter just isn't enough to rely on. While the fighting is fun, fast and full of varied technical layers, SoulCalibur VI doesn't offer enough beyond the core vs aspect to set it apart as something special.
If you ever wished you could be more like Wall-E, or perhaps the idea of massive, throbbing phallus-shaped Star Plants growing as your direct and ram their heads into glowing rocks excites you, you should give Grow Up! a try
Can you go from loving to loathing something in two hours? Apparently you can, if it overstays its welcome.
In the end Styx: Shards of Darkness isn’t a terrible game. Sadly several elements stop it from reaching the greatness it could have had, like bad platforming, AI getting stuck during patrols, a story that doesn’t engage and wobbly voice acting all keep Styx in the firmly good section
I am torn. A part of me is enjoying reliving through Skyrim and making different choices this time around. However every time I bump into an old bug or the game crashes on me, I sigh and the whole thing seems a lot cheaper. Why are all the listed changes to the game cosmetic improvements to lighting? It leaves a slight taste of making a quick buck while everyone waits for Elder Scrolls VI.
If you dream of being on a Starfleet vessel, commanding the starship or punching it into warp, you won't find any better alternatives.
Part crazy fighting game, part pachinko machine, ARMS could be the distraction you want in your life, if you can be bothered to learn the many intricacies by yourself through experimentation.
From weapon skins to just spying someone doing something weird in a penthouse suite, there is a lot of fun to be had just exploring and enjoying the candy colours and music and getting lost in the crazy world of Tokyo 42.
The Station has heart but seems to end just as things are getting interesting, almost rushing to the climax instead of enjoying the created space for a short while longer.
Battlefield V is a level playing field, with no gadgets in boxes to buy to be better, no map packs to fracture the player base. Great gunplay, fun maps and enough guns for everyone to find a favourite will keep players coming back for more, especially if they have a squad that can take advantage of all the new features.
Strange Brigade's humour and witty writing have a lot of charm, but some camera issues bland boss fights and inconsistent gunplay take away from the experience, leaving it as something fun to do with friends while turning into a slow grind alone.
Come for the VHS horror, stay for the twitchy line of sight strafing shooting as you take on armed forces in an experiment gone horribly, horribly wrong. GARAGE: Bad Trip is a B-movie, right to the dialogue and tongue-in-cheek humour.
Guacamelee 2 gets lost trying to be too edgy, too funny and referential, falling into the pitfalls it tries to mock. Fun combat and smooth platforming lose their energy when you don't unlock any more abilities and end up doing exactly what you did in the first game.
Conan Unconquered presents some cool ideas but doesn't provide enough weight or substance to keep you coming back for more punishment.