The third version of Hyrule Warriors is certainly the best version. The tweaks made to this version help it to be more enjoyable than the original and with all the DLC included, this is an incredible amount of content to work through. Worth playing if you love it, need a good co-op game, or haven't played it, but it won't win over any new fans.
A wonderfully chilled out platformer perfect for those who just want to relax, also perfect for those who want to game with a partner who doesn't normally game. The easy to master controls and cutesy visuals are peak Nintendo and, while the game isn't very challenging, sometimes that is what is needed.
While the game is a lot of fun, it is hard to shake the feeling that if it was a full MMO it would be better. The Co Op mode goes someway to fix this and thankfully there is plenty of content to keep fans of the genre and of the series occupied. Definitely worth playing if you want an anime inspired world to run around in for a long time.
A charming adventure game with a fun spell crafting system. It is a lot of fun to play for the first few hours but suffers due to repetitive combat and a touch of poor pacing. Nevertheless, Mages of Mystralia is a fun one if you need something on the lighter side of things.
Warzone is a fine example of how you can iterate on a formula and improve it, but remove the heart of something by playing it a little too safe.
An unholy union of anime, Dark Souls, and My Chemical Romance, Code Vein is as much about style as substance. If that sounds good to you, then you're in for a treat, even if it lacks some of the polish of the genre's best.Jason Coles
Gangs of Sherwood is exactly what it needs to be: fun for everyone playing it. It's definitely a game you'll want to play with friends for the best possible experience though, so do keep that in mind if you're more of a single player kind of person. I've been having a blast with it though, and if I can convince some friends to join me, I'd imagine I'll be playing it for a fair bit of time to come.
The long-awaited return of FromSoftware's mech-filled series, Armored Core 6 delivers on a lot of what fans will have been hoping and dreaming of. Building and customising mechs is engaging, missions are action-packed and it looks gorgeous, but it's undercut by swings in difficulty for boss fights and an all-too-familiar story.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feel like the awkward second evolution of one of its starters. It's growing into something resplendent, it's showing signs of an exciting second type, but it's got that weird vibe of a 20-something that hasn't quite figured out who they actually are. Add that weirdly stretched feeling to the constant technical oddities and you've got a game that's undoubtedly good fun, but it's still not even it's final form. I can't wait to see what Pokemon becomes, but it's not quite there yet.
While I really enjoyed Lost Judgment, the mishandling of some of the core, and incredibly sensitive themes really did reduce the experience. I still think it's a good game, but my feelings about it have definitely diminished since the opening hours, which I'm rather disappointed about. Still, if you like the Yakuza series and its spin-off games in general, you'll probably love this.
I like playing Curved Space, but I found it most enjoyable when played in fairly short bursts. The ideas and the gameplay are both good, but the level design runs counter to the fast-paced gameplay when you simply can't find an enemy. The music slaps though, so that's a nice touch if you do find yourself enamoured with the strange mix of impossible spaces and bug shooting.
The Ninja Gaiden Master Collection is a solid collection of three games that are enjoyable, but are also showing their age. If you're coming here for a challenge, then you'll likely be very happy with what you find, but times have changed a lot since these games released. As long as you're fine with that, then you should pick up the mantle of the Hayabusa Clan and start chopping off arms.
I find myself a little perplexed by The Falconeer. I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with the game, but it almost felt like I was doing so in spite of how I felt about the gameplay. I do think The Falconeer is going to find an audience that loves it wholeheartedly, but also that there will be plenty of others for whom this falls a bit flat too.
Look, I'm going to be honest with you, despite its flaws I still really like One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, it's just so far removed from what it feels like it could have been. There's a vast gulf between the unique ideas that make this feel special and the basic gaming stuff that it doesn't quite get right. It's a real shame because this could have been one of the best anime games to date.
Black Future '88 is a stylish, stunningly fast roguelite that has a unique setting and world to mess around in. If you love to get your head smashed in by games, then you'll undoubtedly fall in love with this one, but if you need a bit more than that to commit, then you might not find anything here for you. It's a lot of fun, but it does feel a bit cookie-cutter in some places, and the world of roguelites is very competitive nowadays.
Pokémon Sword and Shield is a positive step in a new direction, but one that is held back by a fear of the Unown. It's still an incredibly fun new adventure, and the Pokémon selection and variety is the best it's ever been. That said, it would be incredible to see the Wild Area become the new norm for the series, but as it stands, many of the new features feel more like spraying your sofa with Febreeze when really you need to buy a new sofa. Sure, it smells and feels new, but it's not, and you should really just commit to moving on from what was normal, and forge a new path into a new sofa. Look, just go with it.
Unruly Heroes is a solid game, a good game, a fun game, it just isn't a brilliant game. All of the components are fun, the visual style is lovely, the characters are easy to use and the puzzles don't make you want to throw your Switch at the cat. Those are all good qualities, but it just lacks that little bit extra that would turn it into a great game, a must-play. You aren't going to walk away with a new appreciation of life or Journey to the West, just a feeling of “Yeah, that was a laugh.”
As far as hybrid genres go, this is an interesting one.
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr's final release feels better than it did in Early Access, through a mixture of added polish by Neocore and likely a dose of Stockholm Syndrome on my part. The dark aesthetic and relatively messy combat will likely turn those who aren't fans of Warhammer 40,000 away, but if you do like the universe and have people to play with, then the procedural generation and promise of ongoing support means that this is a game you can sink plenty of time into.
Medieval dynasty is a fun, relaxing survival RPG, even if it's not always exciting.