Richard Seagrave
Everybody's Golf is back, and though this latest entry is by a new developer, it's everything you'd expect. The three-button shot system makes a return, keeping the action accessible, but Everybody's Golf Hot Shots still requires a fair amount of skill. The main negative here is that progression is slow, so it'll take a while to unlock things like additional characters.
It's challenging, and it might take a little while for you to warm to its world and protagonist, but Cronos: The New Dawn is yet another brilliant survival horror game from Bloober Team. You'll be on the edge of your seat throughout this tense and atmospheric adventure, hopping between the past and the future while blasting enemies that grow more powerful if they manage to merge.
Part Ghostrunner, part DOOM, and part Metroid, Metal Eden is a fast-paced first-person shooter that is sure to get your adrenaline pumping with its core-ripping action.
With its sometimes chilling civil war setting and general lack of guidance, Hell is Us isn't a game for everybody. Those who embrace its hands-off approach, however, will likely find it an incredibly compelling experience providing they can tolerate its occasionally frustrating combat. And it's ever so rewarding being a force of good in such a dark world.
A music rhythm game with roguelite elements, there's genuinely nothing else out there quite like Fresh Tracks. Its intuitive controls and mechanics make it easy to pick up but hard to master. And while all of its songs are original, they're of very high quality. For fans of both genres, this is a genuine treat.
It's showing its age now, but Gears of War: Reloaded finally allows PlayStation gamers to experience one of the best campaigns in the previously Xbox-exclusive series. It's just a shame you'll likely run into AI issues if playing it alone. Needless to say, this is a game best played with others, either enjoying the campaign in co-op, or engaging in its competitive multiplayer modes.
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance once again puts us in control of the legendary Joe Musashi, and it's a genuine treat. Fast and fluid combat meets slick platforming and traversal, and when you add in the game's stunning art and excellent soundtrack, you're looking at game of the year material.
While fans of the anime will no doubt get the most out of Space Adventure Cobra: The Awakening, its engaging mix of run 'n' gun gameplay with platforming and Metroidvania elements make it suitable for all. The unique Psychogun with its guidable bullets is the standout feature here. It's just a shame that the overall experience is brought down a little by some minor issues that can cause frustration.
With Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Konami has achieved what it set out to do: breathe new life into a classic while keeping it as authentic as possible. With that in mind, its only real faults are some mechanics which now feel a little awkward and dated. The visuals here are phenomenal, bringing more nuance to the game's cutscenes, and the new modern play style is great for newcomers and those annoyed by the restrictive camera of the original game.
Available at a budget price, Drag x Drive is a unique sports game that doesn't boast a great deal of content. Still, it's fun to play as long as you can get along with using your Joy-Cons like mice, though performing some advanced manoeuvres can feel a little hit or miss.
This long-lost chapter of the Shantae series provides more of the hair-whipping and belly-dancing action that it's known and loved for. Some might get a little frustrated by the amount of backtracking that's required, though, as well as navigating some of its maze-like locations without a map.
It's not the deepest or most expansive online multiplayer game, but you can have a lot of fun with Midnight Murder Club, especially when playing with friends. Sneaking around a pitch-black mansion armed with just a flashlight and a revolver can be a tense affair. And thanks to the Guest Pass system, just one player needs to purchase this bargain offering to play with up to five others.
Heavily inspired by Streets of Rage and Final Fight, Fallen City Brawl is a retro-styled side-scrolling beat 'em up that has some some unique ideas but ultimately falls short in a number of areas.
A side-scrolling beat 'em up in which it's feasible to simply shoot your enemies rather than actually punch and kick them into submission, Ra Ra BOOM stands out in what is inexplicably becoming a crowded genre. It has some issues that bring it down, though, including poor balancing and some technical woes on PS5 Pro.
Enhanced for modern consoles and PC, Heretic + Hexen bundles together two first-person shooters that still manage to feel somewhat unique three decades after their original release. These truly are the definitive versions of these games, with Nightdive Studios even taking steps to alleviate Hexen's hub level woes.
A roguelike first-person shooter with a brinepunk aesthetic, Abyssus provides a lot of frantic fun, especially if played in co-op. Its progression could do with a little work, though, with you needing to grind Soul Fragments to unlock basic upgrades that feel necessary for your survival, alongside some pesky difficulty spikes.
While the gameplay throughout Mafia: The Old Country is nothing special, generally being a mix of basic stealth and action-packed shootouts, it has some highlights. It's the game's gripping story and sumptuous visuals which will really win most players over, making this one of the most enjoyable Mafia games yet.
Gradius Origins not only bundles together the first three Gradius games and makes multiple versions of them available, it also includes a trio of Salamander games and Life Force. These spin-offs dramatically boost the collection's value, especially with Salamander 3 being a brand new game that's been developed by M2. Add in plenty of options and museum-like content, and you have a genuine treat for shoot 'em up fans.
Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights has all the ingredients to make it an enjoyable cyberpunk-inspired car combat arcade racer, but ultimately it's a let-down. The handling is awkward, there's no real sense of weight or impact, and on PS5 Pro performance is terrible. Things could be turned around with an update or two, but until that happens this is best avoided.
Thanks to its stunning visuals, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers certainly makes a good first impression. Its gameplay is what will keep you hooked in the long-run, though, even if it is perhaps a little too derivative of the early Souls games by FromSoftware. Still, being able to freely respec your character here is a fantastic touch, allowing you to experiment if a boss is proving to be a tough cookie to crack.