With that said, Melody of Memories is still somewhat enjoyable and the IP it represents is doing the game a lot of favors. Fans will be able to sink several hours into it and I think it is better played in short bursts anyway. I’ll definitely fire the game up again for that couch co-op — even though both parties have to be at the same difficulty level — or to play against my wife or AI to see more of the mechanic that lets the player throw extra hurdles and tricks at their opponent. It isn’t the best game in the rhythm genre (that’s Gitaroo Man), but Melody of Memories is going to entertain a lot of people, make a ton of money, and get fans playing through the whole series again.
A missed opportunity to build upon the better elements of its predecessors, Tennis World Tour 2 is a frustrating experience that will leave players feeling like John McEnroe after a missed line call far too often.
An all-consuming epic, Crusader Kings 3 marries its grand strategy with more involving RPG elements to create one of the best games of 2020.
Fight Crab is an impressively silly game with plenty of fun to offer that plays like a throwback to the Wild West days of the PlayStation 2.
Kingdoms Of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is less of a wholesale remaster and more of a reminder of the original's quality outside the hype bubble and separated from its controversies. With this second chance, Amalur stands on its own as a weird and often wonderful action RPG.
Marvel's Avengers is held up by a surprisingly excellent single-player campaign and let down by its stagnant gameplay loop and widespread technical issues. We definitely can't do this all day.
No Straight Roads is one of 2020's most interesting, quietly ambitious games and a pretty straightforward recommendation for anyone who dreams of the Dreamcast days.
Watch out: Battle Through Time might go down as one of 2020's surprise hits.
Maid of Sker proves there's more to Wales Interactive than many might realise. Their tense horror shines a new light on Welsh folklore while also delivering fantastic audio design and a few effective scares, though it's not without a lobby full of flaws.
Carrion is a lean but undeniably fun reverse horror with plenty of clever ideas that will have you second-guessing meatballs.
SUPERHOT: MIND CONTROL DELETE takes the bullet time brilliance of its predecessor and adds many new toys to its violent chessboard to even more thrilling effect.
While a technical wonder with strong gameplay, The Last of Us Part II tries so hard to disconnect itself from its predecessor that it ends up disconnecting itself from the player.
Featuring a beefy campaign, charming characters, and a daunting yet captivating difficulty, Desperados 3 brings the franchise hooting and hollering back to life — and maybe better than ever.
Do Not Feed The Monkeys surprised me. Whether it’s down to the unexpected depth, variety, or killer tone, I found myself engrossed through my descent into its dingy underworld. If you want a razor-sharp simulation that poses plenty of questions on morality, Do Not Feed The Monkeys will not monkey around with your time.
Someday You'll Return threatens to become a horror favourite before mundane stealth sections and repetitive puzzling that can't support the weight of CBE's narrative ambitions bring it crashing down.
Daymare: 1998's commendable ambition is unfortunately not matched by its budget, creating a jumbled and frustrating trudge through survival horror's past.
Thanks to some clever subversions of a troubling dive into the psyche, The Shattering could go down as a new favourite in the narrative thriller genre.
A Fold Apart stands apart from its indie puzzler peers thanks to a heartwarming story and some truly innovative paper riddles.
Thanks to some poor performances and a serious lack of meaningful player choice, it's not a complex decision whether you should check this one out or not.
Resident Evil 3 is a mostly superb remake of a horror classic with many clever spins on the formula and fluid, enthralling gameplay. I just wish there was more of it.