Black Mirror does a great job setting up an unsettling atmosphere and telling a story filled with mystery and intrigue, but it falls short in creating challenging puzzles and memorable gameplay moments. It’s a case of good storytelling bogged down by uninspired gameplay. However, if you like macabre tales and ugly family secrets being dragged out, it’s got a great story to tell.
Outcast: Second Contact, is a great throwback to a classic title that didn’t get nearly enough attention when it was first released. Unlike other remakes, the game has aged fairly well, and it’s clear that the game’s design was ahead of its time. It’s still got some rough edges, but it’s a great underrated classic, and it’s worth a spin
Demon Gaze II is like a penitent student that carefully notes all the mistakes its predecessor made and avoids them altogether. It’s still got a lot of the typical issues that jRPGs face, but it’s done a great job of cutting past those shortcomings and delivering a tight, focused action RPG
Worms W.M.D offers a fresh take on the classic Worms games that manages to update it for the modern age without changing the gameplay that made the series such a hit. It's a great title for fans and newcomers alike.
Hob is a game that really works on immersing you in its world, and the end result is an experience that feels memorable and moving. It’s not as big on gameplay, but in terms of world-building, Hob is one of the classics.
Call of Duty WWII manages to bring the series back to its roots and inject classic Call of Duty gameplay with slick new visuals and intense, atmospheric set pieces. Its new war mode gives the action a much more powerful feeling, and the campaign creates some truly memorable moments. Fans of the classic will be proud.
While the classics can never be topped, DOOM gives us a solid ultraviolent shooter for the modern age. The PC and Xbox One version was already great, and the Nintendo Switch port now brings the Japanese console closer to a mature audience.
Assassin’s Creed is back in fantastic form, and Origins it’s a title that any fan of open-world adventure titles shouldn’t miss. Assassin’s Creed: Origins brings a lot of new ideas to a tried and tested formula, and while it downplays classic elements like stealth, it refines most of the core gameplay with expertise, creating a memorable experience.
The Evil Within 2 is a love letter to classic Japanese horror games, with a dose of new blood. It’s almost like a cover album of horror hits, and that cuts both ways – at times it can feel dated and derivative. However, for the most part Evil Within 2 manages to improve all the flaws from the first game and deliver a solid modern action horror title.
RUINER is a game for fans of brutal action and mayhem, and it’ll appeal to your inner psycho quite nicely. It’s not really as memorable in terms of storyline, but its thumping soundtrack and vibrant visuals make it a modern classic
A must-have for any fan of the series, Fractured But Whole builds on the concept of Stick of Truth and provides an RPG experience that will please even the pickiest of South Park addict. It’s a licensed game that truly understands the source material and brings it into the game world. While the underlying RPG mechanics are solid, this is still something that will probably appeal to folks with Cartman t-shirts more than other gamers, so if you don’t like the show’s crude yet incisive humor, this may not be for you. But if you hum ‘Whamola’ in your idle moments, this is a must-have.
You can’t go wrong with giant robots, and Gundam Versus shows us just how fun the buggers can be. It’s a solid arena fighter that can quickly turn chaotic, and it’s great fun for fans of Japanese-style arena action titles. Some parts are repetitive, and there’s a fair bit of grinding, but it’s a pretty underrated fighter.
Absolver is a love letter to martial arts, and fans of melee combat will love its complex and rewarding combat system. The game can be a little grindy at times, but it manages to offer some great bone-crushing moments, so it’s a great addition to any beat-em-up collection
Atomega takes the classic multiplayer fps formula and makes it ridiculous (in a fun way) by adding a levelling mechanic based on collecting resources. It’s a little light on maps and modes, but even with its limited content it serves as a powerful reminder to the bigshots in the FPS world that sometimes it pays to prioritize fun
Observer manages to construct a truly disturbing Orwellian reality and put the player at the heart of a sinister plot that’ll definitely creep them out. It borrows a lot from cyberpunk classics, and while it feels derivative at times, it manages to create its own cyberpunk experience and deliver a fresh take on horror gameplay
The Escapists 2 offers gamers a chance to be creative in the way they approach challenges, and in the sequel you have a chance to tackle challenges with friends. It can feel a bit grindy, but that’s very much intentional considering it’s meant to reflect the life of a convict trying to slip out.
Lawbreakers has some rough edges and it’s had a bit of a bumpy launch, but under the issues is a really solid arena FPS that has wacky, chaotic, and fun moments. It could use more players and some tweaking, but it has the makings of an FPS classic.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice manages to immerse its players in a scary and dangerous world, and it manages to effectively put them in the shoes of its troubled protagonist. The game has some great action, but its story makes it a gripping adventure that has a surprisingly accurate take on mental illness
White Day: A Labyrinth Named School offers gamers an updated version of a Korean survival horror classic. The jumpscares can be a little hackneyed, and the plot a little clichéd, but the game offers a surprisingly deep and unsettling experience to those who are patient and willing to deal with the occasional bug.
Nidhogg 2 offers plenty of new content for fans of the original, and while its new art style isn’t for everyone, the game manages to build on the original’s level design and make for much more challenging melees that test your reflexes and friendships.