There's some significant problems, for sure – especially in level design and signposting – but we're confident that the developers could easily evolve beyond these hiccups in the future. The Star Wars gaming universe is in pretty safe hands with Respawn – provided EA keep giving the studio enough opportunities.
For a game featuring lifeless wooden blocks and figures on a big white void of a background, Tracks is a strangely heart-warming game – if you even want to call it a game.
Nostalgia can only take you so far. This repackaging of two classic 90s Disney tie-ins should feel wonderful, but thanks to lacklustre additional features and frankly, some rose-tinted memories, Aladdin and Lion King both come off as shallower, meaner than their original players may remember
Plants vs Zombies: Battle for Neighborville isn’t a huge evolution for the series — but it is mostly an improvement, and appropriately prepared for the persistent multiplayer culture we find ourselves in.
Players will probably find themselves rattling through the game just to see things through, and might even get a kick out of tweaking some outcomes – but the first Dark Pictures tale is unlikely to linger in the memory for long.
Ultimately, this pack can make a player's city look the part of a modern capital trying to tread a difficult ethical line between industry and eco-friendly practices; it's just a shame that there isn't more of a progression and reward incentive for all players to properly interact with it.
Despite its name, Layers of Fear 2's main problem is that there isn't anything going on under the surface
Shadowgate is very easy to recommend to fans of the original game or of the early days of point-and-click in general. For modern genre enthusiasts, it may be a tougher sell thanks to basic presentation and lots of opportunities to get a game over. Regardless, this is the best updated version of a thirty year old game that one could hope for, and it should leave nostalgic adventure gamers hopeful for more classic revivals in the same vein.
Dangerous Driving aims to be a clone of a classic yet sorely outdated driving franchise, and it succeeds in that mission to an extent. PS2-era design methodology is present throughout, and adrenaline thrills take centre stage over fluid design, creativity or accessibility.
Die-hard fans of the game will jump at the chance to fine-tune and beautify their creations, but the casual city planner probably won’t find enough here to be worth the investment.
If you didn't enjoy the base game this DLC will do absolutely nothing to sway you. If you were a fan, though, this is an easy recommendation. Kick back in the tropical sands and have a little fun, and here's hoping Lucky gets a few more little outings in this format in the coming year.
de Blob 2 is absolutely worth playing if you have any fondness for 3D platformers.
There are far more brilliant games in this genre to recommend, but Fe will certainly do you no harm over its short play time.
Fans of tricky platformers will find much to love in the game's design, but it's also a perfect starting point for anyone new to the genre — perhaps even those actively averse to it. In short, it's a bit of a masterpiece.
Only die-hard Sims fans should go anywhere near this and even then you should strongly consider sticking with The Sims 4 on PC — or better yet, The Sims 3.
Super Lucky's Tale succeeds in several ways. For anyone looking for a quick and simple platforming break, or introducing their kids to the world of gaming, this charming, beautiful and largely competently designed world will likely keep you entertained throughout.
Morphite's attempts to capture the adventurous spirit of the final frontier mostly fall flat, but its simplicity of approach may win over the casual gamer — possibly more so in its mobile ports than on home consoles.
Thimbleweed Park is a strange ride. It's compelling throughout, with a strange story full of eccentric characters coupled with some very competent and rewarding puzzle construction; arguably the best of its kind, even including the LucasArts classics.
Death Squared is a decent co-op puzzle game that works best when playing with friends in real life. It manages the perfect mix of simple and intuitive controls with complex and challenging level progression, and it really stands out as a game with which non-gaming friends and family could easily get involved.
Sublevel Zero Redux is one of the standout shooters in the indie scene. Fusing "six degrees of freedom" shooting with permadeath, procedural generation, and crafting makes for a tense and unpredictable adventure each time you play.