Whether you're a series veteran or a newcomer, Anno 117: Pax Romana is a delightfully deep time-sink of a game. This gripping historical(ish) city-builder will have you hooked thanks to its complex drama and engrossing gameplay.
Grocery retail may seem like an odd subject for a sim game, but Supermarket Simulator absolutely pulls it off. It's seriously satisfying to see your store go from strength to strength, though it's a tad frustrating you can't delegate ordering.
For a game set in a jail, Back to the Dawn offers an impressive amount of freedom. Coupled with a conspiracy-minded story, and more side-quests you can shake a shiv at, you'll be hooked.
If you've got a taste for the macabre, you really can't go wrong with The Necromancer's Tale. It makes you work for your necromantic powers but its gripping story will have hooked from beginning to end.
If you have a taste for horror, you'll be right at home with Deck of Haunts. This deckbuilder may be light on story, but how many other games can you say cast you as a haunted house? Its core game loop of dispatching hapless intruders will have you grinning.
Old Skies is a time-travelling point-and-click adventure with a compelling narrative that drags you in deeper with each questionable, time-altering decision. It's not short on heart, either, though you'll have to play to discover if protagonist Fia gets the ending she deserves.
Frostpunk 2 takes the already excellent original and improves on it in some suitably satisfying ways. It's an excellent city-builder, especially if you're prepared to take lessons from failure.
Grapple Dog: Cosmic Canines improves on the original in every way. It's one of the best platformers we've played, and a superb buy whether you've tackled the original or not.
The Crimson Diamond is a pixel-styled point-and-click adventure where your would-be-detective is only as smart as you are. Its tale of greed and murder will have you hooked — and even if you fail to dig up every truth, it's still a joy to play.
Set in a a thoroughly unique dystopian world, 1000xRESIST is a gripping sci-fi adventure exploring weighty themes, ensuring you're thoroughly invested in your fate and that of your flawed world.
Part management sim, part roguelike, Undead Inc. has a few rough edges but it's still a treat for wannabe Umbrella Corp CEOs. Just remember to leave your ethics at the door.
You can finish the game in two to three hours, but it’s just the right length for this slice of suspense (and the game’s £8.49/$9.99 price tag). Engaging and shocking in equal measure, Bahnsen Knights is a wild ride you won’t regret taking.
Throw in additional unlockable Crumblings (and the promise of more), and you’ve got a game that’s wonderful wall-to-wall whimsy. Crumbling is best enjoyed in bites – you’re not going to spend an entire day pottering around the toy shop – but it’ll leave you with a smile every time. If you’ve got so much as a single action figure, Skylander or Amibo sitting on your shelf, Crumbling is for you.
As a whole, Home Safety Hotline doesn’t outstay its welcome, and it’s an absolute treat for lovers of folklore or fans of the uncanny. I never thought I’d say it, but this is one call centre I’ve absolutely loved clocking into.
If you’ve got a creative streak and a taste for vengeance, Meet Your Maker will have you cackling, plotting and cursing well into the night. You’ll shun daylight, surrounded by an ever-growing field of 3D printed skulls, each representing in in-game kill. And at the end of the day, isn’t that what gaming’s all about?
If starting all over again drives you up the wall, then Lone Ruin probably isn’t for you. For everyone else, it’s a frenetic, fun and highly replayable outing that’ll have you coming back for more. But if you do find a strange meteor in your backyard, do the sensible thing and toss it in next door’s wheelie bin.
Dwarf Fortress is, initially, a little daunting. Not because it’s inaccessible, but because you just know that it’s going to turn into a real time-sink. Is it the prettiest game around? No, but it’s wonderfully, ridiculously deep and a sheer joy to play. If you’re prepared to put the time in, Dwarf Fortress will drag you into its depths and you won’t regret it for one second.
But if you’ve played Saints & Sinners, and can forgive the Quest 2 version’s occasional graphical shortcomings, you’ll be in zombie-wrangling heaven with this follow-up. Being knee deep in the dead has rarely been this much fun.
Is Iron Man VR the best VR superhero game out there? No – that honour has to go to Megaton Rainfall. But it’s still up there, and thanks to the Quest 2’s superior tracking, this is a much better experience than it was on PSVR. And so, you’re a Meta Quest 2-owning Marvel fan, you won’t regret stepping into Tony Stark’s iron underpants.
Should you buy Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord? If you’ve got the slightest taste for big battles or an interest in medieval conquest, absolutely. Don’t expect the depth of, say, Crusader Kings III, but for fans of medieval warfare this is a real winner.