Dominic Leighton's Reviews
Assassin's Creed Nexus VR is an outstanding interpretation of the series' iconic action into virtual reality, bringing the franchise to life like never before.
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm of Ruin is a great-looking, well-tuned RTS that will keep Games Workshop fans happy for many hours.
Powerwash Simulator VR is the ultimate evolution of Futurlab's astoundingly satisfying smash hit, effortlessly translating the calming clean 'em up to virtual reality.
Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord proves that VR 'bustin makes you feel good. It'll feel even better with a group of friends though.
Retro Drive Revamped is a great-sounding blast from the past, and while its old-school arcade-styled mechanics might frustrate, this is a soundtrack you'll want to return to no matter the decade.
Dreamworks All-Star Kart Racing is a better kart racer than you're probably expecting, but its low production values mean it can't come close to Nintendo's genre-defining franchise.
If you're looking for a fully featured and great handling rally game, EA Sports WRC is the undisputed champion this year, though PC players need to be aware that some technical bugs still need to be ironed out.
Endless Dungeon is a dungeon-delving delight, shaking up a batch of mechanics and turning in a heady cocktail that's as good at home as it is served up in a space-station saloon.
If you're tired of Madden's raft of bugs and incremental improvements, Wild Card Football offers a completely different take on the sport that's simply focused on fun. Given the choice this year, you'll find me on Wild Card's field.
Hellboy: Web of Wyrd will delight fans with its visuals and Mignola-certified tale, but its roguelike nature and slow combat don't make the most of the source material.
Spider-Man 2 is a fantastic sequel, building on the excellent foundations of its forebear while delivering a story that drives these beloved characters forward.
Gazzlers is a fun-filled arcade blast that gives VR fans the perfect opportunity to switch their brain off. It's not the kind of thing you'll want to play in one long sitting – few VR games are during a rather summer-like October – but returning to it day in, day out, is the perfect way to get your daily endorphin hit.
The Crew Motorfest provides plenty of fun arcade racing, though it does very little to break new ground for the genre. There's plenty to get your teeth into, but there are some annoying design decisions and a few technical issues that take the shine off it. Still, I can see it finding plenty of fans, particularly on PS5 where the only competition from a 'Horizon' game involves robotic dinosaurs.
Baldurs Gate 3 is an exquisite example of a role-playing game, and an incredible recreation of the Dungeons & Dragons experience. It is, in a word, unmissable.
Madden 24 takes some big steps forwards in terms of the underpinning technology, and it continues to play a good game of American football. For all those steps taken technically, it feels as those the rest of the game has stayed firmly in place, and there are far too many bugs to hinder the experience at launch.
Legend Bowl is a fantastic retro-infused football game with a host of fan-friendly ideas that truly shows the passion of its one-man development team.
Remnant II is a fantastic fantasy shooter, offering a dark and enticing series of worlds to explore, loot and conquer. Whether you're playing solo or in co-op, this is easily one of the game experiences of the year.
Exoprimal is a multiplayer shooter with bags of potential. A good round has all the thrills of Overwatch's PvP wrapped up with the brain-massaging mayhem of Earth Defense Force or Dynasty Warriors, but it's so slow about getting you invested that some players might simply never get there.
Thumper remains a true VR classic, and its upgrade for PSVR2 makes it the best place to experience its violent audio charms.
Despite its simplistic setup, Kingdom Eighties will hoover up hour after hour of your time. There's a captivating quality to its pure, focused strategy, and combined with its more narrative-driven focus Kingdom Eighties is a must-play game in 2023.