Dominic Leighton's Reviews
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.
F1 Manager 24 captures the true essence of the sport, focussing on strategy, manufacturing and just how far you can push your tyres. If you're a fan of F1, this year's outing is an essential accompaniment to the season thanks in no small part to the addition of Create A Team.
Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess offers a stunning and memorable aesthetic that matches well with its unusual, but compelling mix of different genres. Capcom has proven why they're one of the most successful and long-running developers and publishers out there, and that they're still willing to push the boundaries once in a while.
SCHiM is an adorable and delightfully unique game, and one that feels both gloriously clever and easy to pick up in equal measure.
Infinite Inside is an enchanting mixed reality puzzle game, and one which merges the real world and the virtual in stunning, evocative fashion.
Zenless Zone Zero is a stylish and incredible-looking blast of anime goodness, and even when it's deliberately slowing the pace down, another frantic bout of the stellar combat won't be too far away.
Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble is a short and sweet addition to the Monkey Ball canon. There's plenty of Monkey shenanigans to indulge in, and fans will no doubt love the new online modes, with the only true caveat being that this is still, unequivocally, more of the same Monkey Ball.
EA F1 24 is the best rendition of the sport yet, and a fantastic simulation of the iconic motorsport. If you want to forge your own Drive To Survive-style superstardom, this is the perfect place to start. If it's good enough for Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, then it's good enough for the rest of us.
The Land Beneath Us is a cool indie Roguelike that boasts that essential ‘one more go’ outlook, keeping you coming back for more.
Fabledom offers one of the most well-rounded takes on the city-builder genre, mixing addictive kingdom-building with a fun and unique dose of fairytale shenanigans.
Just like its forbear, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is an oppressive, powerful and haunting example of the power of video games, and one that sets its own parameters for what a digital experience can be. It is a game that must be experienced, not least because, there’s nothing else quite like it.
Sand Land is all set to be your new favourite anime, with compelling characters, enjoyable combat and great anime visuals in video game form. You might just find that Akira Toriyama has saved the best for last.
Everything about Endless Ocean: Luminous makes it a particularly Nintendo game: the chunky menu layout, the soothing AI voice, the tranquil music and the laidback vibes. That's emphasised by the notion that this is a deeply unusual piece of software, and one that you wouldn't find coming from the other major console manufacturers. It's a shame then that, unless you're an avid fan of marine facts, it's interminably dull.