Dominic Leighton's Reviews
Monster Hunter Wilds is the best Monster Hunter game we've ever had. The best storyline, the best visuals, and changes to the combat that revolutionise the way the game plays. That said, striving for the widest audience yet has dulled some of the series difficulty, and you may have to wait for the toughest parts of Wilds to fully reveal themselves.
Dog Man: Impawsible Mission is a light and breezy platformer that will keep fans of the books happy for a number of hours. However, parents might need to be on hand to get past some of the trickier sections.
Avowed is an incredible RPG. Its vibrant world and stellar cast make every moment a joy to take part in, enhanced by a script that gives equal measure to drama, action and humour. Coming hot on the heels of Indiana Jones and The Great Circle, Microsoft's software revival is well underway.
Eternal Strands weaves its myriad influences into something memorable, beautiful and utterly enthralling.
Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap is a blast with friends, but returning fans may find that not enough has changed to warrant a return visit.
IDUN – Frontline Survival is an RTS/Tower Defence hybrid that sells the concept incredibly well. While there's a few rough edges, if you're a fan of either genre, it's an edge-of-the-seat blast.
Freedom Wars Remastered offers one of the more intriguing visions of the future, but where its setting is thoroughly futuristic, its gameplay remains firmly in the past.
It’s fun and knowing, and it’ll put a smile on your face while giving you something to think about, which is what good comedy is all about.
Songs of Silence is a beautiful and engaging 4X auto-battler blend, whose unique approach will sweep you up for hours on end.
Snow Bros. Wonderland is a delightful wintry adventure, with bags of old-school charm.
Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island offers a heartfelt and companionable experience that puts the focus on friendship, memory and community. It's a charming adventure, and a perfect island-based break from the cold winter and its charmless blockbusters.
The most disappointing thing with Infinity Nikki? That all of my review period progress will be reset. This is a genuinely enthralling free-to-play RPG that will delight those looking for a magical fantasy world to be swept up in.
Frontier's park-building sequel is a vibe, it is a mood, and it is sunshine wrapped in a very bright bow. Minor control frustrations aside, it's the best theme park builder out there, with impressively deep customisation, beautifully detailed visuals and the ability to make hours of your life melt away.
Lego Horizon Adventures definitely gets a lot right, but it also lacks the creative flair of its forebears. Fundamentally, it nails the style and tone of Lego, but seems to forget what it's actually used for.
I love what Dotemu and Leikir Studios have achieved with Metal Slug Tactics. The unlikeliest pivot for a franchise aside, it mixes interesting tactical action, Roguelike progression and brilliant visuals into an indie title that nails the balance between nostalgia and modernity.
Beautiful, contemplative and engaging, Empire of the Ants is a unique hybrid that will delight fans of the natural world.
I'm still none the wiser who Funko Fusion is for. It's a kid's game that's too adult for kids, with a batch of franchises that only older fans will really appreciate, but then they've dialled down the difficulty, presumably to appeal to younger players. The shame of it is, with the right characters, this is a great kids game, and the Jurassic World levels only highlight that. Funko Fusion offers plenty to like, but just like its plastic-melting antagonist, it fuses too many of the wrong parts together to feel cohesive.
While the release schedule is packed with holiday season blockbusters, it's indie delights like Caravan Sand Witch that are the true pioneers of gaming, Sauge's adventures across Cigalo mirroring Plane Toast's exploration of the human spirit.
Charming, gorgeous and tonally perfect, The Plucky Squire is easily one of the indie highlights of the year.
The best rendition of the Warhammer 40,000 universe we've ever seen. Bombastic, brutal and brilliant fun from start to finish, though those who are already invested in Games Workshop's sci-fi world will get the most out of it.