Immortals of Aveum boldly attempts to deliver an epic cinematic experience about a war involving magic, and it succeeds in its ambition. Fast-paced combat that places the game firmly in the shooter genre combine with satisfying platforming and puzzle-solving to make for an adventure that stays focused on its linear story while offering extra secrets for those who want to explore beyond its core narrative. There's some repetition here and there that can be frustrating, but when you're blasting colourful magic spells across battlefields of enemies like a violent fireworks display, it's hard not to be impressed. Visually stunning with an excellently committed cast, Immortals of Aveum is a satisfying adventure and an impressive debut from a studio clearly not afraid to defy expectations.
With devilish puzzles under the theme of learning language, and being a new person in a series of unfamiliar places, Chants of Sennaar nails its concept. Piecing together different dialects using visual cues makes for a compelling mystery to solve, as you look to reconnect different communities through universal understanding. It stumbles a little bit however with stealth sections that feel out of place and some confusing backtracking that could leave you stumped. With gorgeous visuals that leap off the screen, not only is Chants of Sennaar one of the prettiest games we've seen this year, but it's also one of the most clever, no matter what language you're speaking.
The Crew Motorfest very much wants to be the next Forza Horizon 5, but in forcing us to compare the two, the blemishes that hold this Hawaii-set racer back are made even more obvious. The Playlist system gives a sense of variety and scale that is exciting initially, with genuinely interesting romps through automotive history and a wide range of vehicles keeping things interesting. But the uninteresting open world that connects them all and limitations around how you unlock more of them could have you putting on the brakes sooner than you might expect. Even so, The Crew Motorfest is visually lovely and has an incredibly solid racing foundation, so it warrants a pit stop at the very least.
A surprisingly well-rounded package, Fate/Samurai Remnant has lots of ideas, and somehow makes them all work together well. It manages to satisfy both musuo-style combat aficionados and tactical strategy folk alike, with fast-paced slasher combat mixed with numerous abilities and an overarching territory control component that is deeper than it looks at first glance. The Fate history and lore can be a lot to take on board, and long stretches of dialogue feel like a burden to the pace of things, but an intriguing cast make this a solid entry point for newcomers with enough content to make long-time fans incredibly satisfied as well.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is an incredibly strong follow-up that really sets the standard when it comes to superhero games. Its story is heartfelt and delivered by a genuinely likable cast of characters, and when it comes to traversal and combat, you won't find a slicker experience out there. There's still simply no better feeling than web-swinging through New York City. With an open world full of fun distractions and a level of polish by Insomniac Games that is unrivalled, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 really will make your senses tingle in the best way possible.
Alan Wake 2 is devilishly compelling from its weird opening all the way through to its astonishing conclusion. A completely bonkers horror tale with intertwining narratives, a masterful mix of multimedia and some entirely unique storytelling moments combine here to make for a thrilling escape into a dark, twisted world that I feared being in and at the same time never wanted to leave. Remedy has creatively let loose and created a true benchmark of quality in the horror genre. We can only hope that our next frightening visit to The Dark Place comes along much sooner.
Survivor: Castaway Island takes one of the most popular TV shows in history and turns it into a boring, repetitive video game with very little in the way of redeeming qualities. Trying to strategise with tribe members sucks, challenges are lame, the production values are subpar and the game even goes as far as to make changes from the TV show that make the experience even worse. I've kept hoping and praying that one day somebody would capture the feeling of Survivor in a video game. Today is not that day.
Maintaining what made the original so special, Super Mario RPG provides a glow-up to an absolute classic RPG experience, with smart tweaks to combat bringing it firmly into the modern era. It's an utterly charming experience that sucks you into its gorgeous, colourful world. Still, in sticking firmly to its roots, it just doesn't provide the challenge or open-world gameplay to elevate it to the next level. If you're keen on a breezy nostalgic RPG with simple yet satisfying combat, the iconic Italian in a red hat has you covered.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden heavily leans into the premise of challenging decisions with dramatic consequences, and manages to pull off an emotional and haunting love story where those choices do feel like they truly matter. Red and Antea feel like fully-fleshed out, interesting characters, forever linked to one another but struggling to let go. New Eden is full of communities plagued by supernatural creatures and dark secrets that make each of them intriguing to explore. An over-reliance on combat and a little too much hand-holding when it comes to solving cases is disappointing, but Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden can still be chalked up as yet another storytelling triumph for DON'T NOD. Life for the living. Death for the dead.
The Thaumaturge is a riveting mix of investigating gorgeous environments, weaving together narrative threads and battling through punchy, stylish turn-based combat. It's a story where it feels like the choices do matter, and that makes decisions feel weighty as you progress through the twisted and memorable supernatural setting. Some of the investigations hold your hand a little too much, and it's lacking some overall polish in some areas. Even so, The Thaumaturge absolutely nails the brief in every other way, making for a compelling RPG that stands on its own as unique, visually impressive and deliciously dark.
It's great that the WWE 2K series is in such a good place, where it doesn't need to change much and still remains a must-have for wrestling game fans everywhere. When the bell rings, WWE 2K24 still continues to have the best in-ring action, with a broadcast-like presentation that very much looks the part. It's filled to the brim with content that will keep you busy until Wrestlemania 41, but its Showcase mode, the key feature of its marketing campaign every single year, needs a serious rethink, as it's holding the series back from legendary status. It might not Finish the Story, but it's another damn good chapter.
Princess Peach: Showtime! finally gives our first Nintendo Diva the spotlight she has long deserved, and almost shockingly, once again brings us a Nintendo experience that feels both comfortably familiar and thrillingly different. Despite some weird frame-rate issues and a few costume changes that are less memorable than others, the amount of charm and satisfying simplicity oozing out of Princess Peach: Showtime! makes it a stage performance worthy of applause and adoration. Let's hope this first true starring role for Peach isn't her last.
Stellar Blade bursts out of the gate looking stunning, full of jaw-dropping set pieces, intense action and gory violence, and maintains that pace throughout. Underneath this flashy action game are a lot of systems that we've seen before, but despite what can feel like a lack of innovation at times, it never feels stale or unenticing due to its overwhelming sense of style and polished, gratifying combat. For every familiar puzzle or annoying platforming section, there's a brutal boss battle or incredible over-the-top sequence that pulled me back in. Stellar Blade is a joy, a deliciously crafted adventure jam-packed with dramatic thrills.
Not many experiences will take you on an emotional rollercoaster in the way that Lorelei and the Laser Eyes does. Like the best in the puzzle genre, it makes you feel unbelievably dumb one moment and like an incomparable genius the next. Its dark narrative takes you on a journey full of twists and turns, as its giant hotel full of riddles tests your resolve and brainpower in thrilling, unique ways. Lorelei and the Laser Eyes is a game that will stick with you, cementing Simogo as one of the most compelling and fascinating developers in the industry. Don't miss this one.