Chris Hyde
Even those who enjoy a word puzzle will find Wordhunters frustrating and dull. It lacks any spark, and should be avoided.
Nickelodeon Kart Racers is just about a passable karting game. It feels rushed and bland, meaning there's little here to inspire you for very long.
Football, Tactics & Glory is a simple management sim with a unique footballing twist that doesn't quite work. It needs more depth and polish to really shine.
It's not really about dodgeball, and it certainly isn't super. And the beats are obscured and hard to hit most of the time. Don't let the title deceive you.
Headspun's mix of management sim and FMV narrative is fairly unique. However, repetition and buggy gameplay mar the game's potential.
Giga Wrecker Alt is an interesting idea let down by frustrating control issues and poorly executed physics.
Forever Forest looks and sounds nice, but that unfortunately masks a game with performance issues and repetitive gameplay that will put many people off.
Vane has some good ideas, but in stretching them out for too long across a pretty empty world, it soon becomes tiresome and frustrating.
Chimparty will appeal to children initially, but its over-simplified controls and odd way of rewarding victory in party games will even put them off before long.
Knowledge is Power: Decades is how not to do a sequel. The premise is still fun, but should only be purchased if you can't get access to the original.
Sixty Four starts off well and its air of mystery is engaging, but a lack of guidance or support and lengthy time-sinks to progress will put most people off.
Necromunda: Underhive Wars has potential, but never quite lives up to it thanks to slow-paced battles and dodgy AI.
Terrorarium borrows heavily from other larger titles, and due to poor execution and lack of polish, never really steps out from those shadows
Bubble Bobble 4 Friends will appeal to younger audiences. Older players will have to have very rose-tinted specs to appreciate this over previous versions.
There's a decent story to uncover here. but the puzzles and technical issues you'll endure to reach it will likely put you off.
There's too much packed into Warriors Orochi 4 making it an over-complicated mess. It's fun at first, but you'll lose interest as the challenge wanes and you get burdened with micromanagement.
1954 Alcatraz is a competent Point & Click game, that through it's non-linear storyline approach and decision element offer an experience that is fun and varied. Throw in an attention to detail to visuals and music and you have a nice little package. The experience is marred however by a lack of creativity in the puzzle department, and plot problems that are caused by it's non-linear design. It's still a decent game overall, but a lower price may be required to encourage most to take the plunge.
Colossal Cave is a love letter to the 1976 original which fans will enjoy, but newcomers will likely be confused, intimidated, and frustrated by its design.
Immortal Realms: Vampire Wars offers some new ideas and a cool setting to the strategy genre. However, its stripped-back approach may be too simplistic for some.
Shovel Knight: Showdown is a good idea that fans will enjoy in brief bursts. But the restrictive movement options prevent it from becoming a great example of the genre.