The limitless creativity and engaging experience of Dragon Quest Builders 2 easily makes it one of my all time favourite games
Helldivers 2 is a masterstroke, a sensational sequel to one of my favourite games and an absolute must play for people who enjoy simple, cinematic, and irreverent fun. The shift in perspective, the upgraded graphics and sound design, and the hard lean into satirical humour have launched it easily into one of my favourite games of 2024. I highly recommend that you suit up and hit the Hellpods soldier, I'm doing my part, are you?
Horizon Zero Dawn's first and final expansion sees our beloved Aloy heading into an unforgiving new land to fight a rising menace
Dragon Ball FighterZ is an awesome game, and whether you’re a fan of the genre or a fan of the series, you’ll find it packed to the brim with stuff to do and things to love
Break out of prison with a friend in this amazing, heart-wrenching, cinematic masterpiece
Playing Shape of the World is like having a warm bath in a room designed by Peter Alexander while listening to your favourite playlist
Assassin’s Creed’s shift to Ancient Greece also includes a more personal experience, action on the high seas and even deeper mysteries
Icarus boldly stakes its claim amongst giants in the field and swiftly proves to be a worthy contender. Everything I saw in the lead up to the release of Icarus made it seem too good to be true, but my faith and patience was rewarded many times over when I finally got to drop planetside for the first time, and the time after that, and the time after that. Icarus is going up on my list of favourite things to come out of New Zealand, alongside pavlova and Lord of the Rings.
ENDLESS Dungeon is an exceptional example of genre-crossing excitement that offers players an ever-changing adventure in rich surroundings. The love, attention (and Dust) that Amplitude Studios has clearly poured into this title elevates it to a worthy addition to the already-fantastic ENDLESS universe.
Just like the Daewoo Lanos I inherited from my sister when I eventually got my license, Pacific Drive is an imperfect but undeniably charming experience. It's filled to the brim with sensational atmosphere, intriguing mystery and edge-of-your-seat cinematic adventure. If you can buckle up and push through the foibles of this otherwise fantastic survival 'roadlite', I guarantee you won't regret getting behind the wheel.
Bears in Space feels like a game that was lifted directly from the early 2000's, remastered and then released today, and I mean that in the best possible way. With the recent deluge of fantastic retro-flavoured FPS games, I think it's high time for a kitschy comedy 3D boomer (millennial?) shooter renaissance. Though I'm sure it's not for everyone, Broadside Games have delivered a delightfully ridiculous debut title and if you're a 90s gamer kid I urge you to check it out.
Conan Exiles takes a more mature approach to the survival/crafting genre and fulfils all your barbaric desires
Chernobylite weaves together a strong narrative, compelling characters and highly detailed environments to deliver a glowing (pun intended) entry into the sci-fi survival horror RPG genre.
The Big Con is a bright, fun and surprisingly wholesome crime spree through a Saturday morning cartoon version of 90s America. You might develop a compulsion for kleptomania, you might feel bad for picking hundreds of pockets, but at least you'll laugh along the way and feel cool doing it.
Shadow Tactics is a gorgeous, isometric stealth game with a fun and varied cast of characters
I’m actually really glad that I waited to play World to the West on my Nintendo Switch. The easy to play nature and pulp style plot of the game combined with the portability of the console means that I can simply pick it up and play whenever the fancy takes me
LocoRoco 2 Remastered is a merry little jaunt through a storybook world full of colour and music. Fans of the original will find a familiar enjoyable experience and newcomers are welcomed to easily join in on this wacky adventure
As beautiful as Octopath Traveler is, it shows that the quality of stories should come before quantity
Medieval Dynasty is a gorgeous survival/crafting and town management adventure game that satisfies our primal urge to create, build and form a community. After spending a year in early access, the full release definitely has a solid foundation, but some mechanics could have used a bit more time in the oven. If you’re prepared for a long term investment, you’ll reap a fantastic reward.
Almost like an alternate universe cosplay, Ghost Song is a game that aims to appeal to your nostalgia for the old school Metroid series, while mixing in some additions from recent iterations of the genre they spawned. A few minor missteps don't detract from an otherwise sensational package, which has a giant, charming and weirdly adorable heart.