Nick Gillett
A polished Metroidvania infused with Africana, whose linearity and overreliance on rote-learning action sequences undermine its otherwise high standards.
A barely-interactive movie that follows a mother and daughter road trip that is disappointingly short on both drama and meaningful choices.
An entertaining open world action role-player, with an interesting approach to AI-controlled companions, but which proves disappointingly similar to the 2012 original.
A polished, beautifully rendered Metroidvania with a huge map, plenty of upgrades, and moments of intense frustration.
An expertly constructed and intricate roguelite deck builder that draws on the language and concept of poker, before twisting it with an infinity of modifiers, unlocks, and delicately balanced risk and reward.
Somewhere between a non-interactive VR experience and a half-baked licensed game, the latest Stranger Things VR experience has neither a coherent storyline nor proper action.
A gloriously colourful VR flight simulator with a wealth of content and things to do, that never takes itself too seriously despite its dedication to authentic flying.
A sprawling action RPG with a poignant love affair at its heart, whose enjoyable combat and supernatural detective work is all in pursuit of a morally ambiguous goal of your own choosing.
A charming and beautifully constructed virtual train set, with an immaculately designed interface whose elegance helps make up for the game's brevity and lack of challenge.
An inspired new take on the 2D Metroidvania concept, whose challenging combat and rewarding exploration is accompanied by some stunning audio and visual design.
A funny and supremely inventive story-driven puzzle game, with a plot based on Greek philosophy that's delivered with the lightest of touches and a goofy sense of humour.
A perfectly paced vertical exploration of a lost civilisation, that offers the most authentic climbing simulation ever seen in a game and retains its air of mystery and discovery right up to the closing credits.
A visual novel set in the world of Roadwarden that offers some degree of choice, but whose real charm comes from its straightforward prose and troubled, authentic-seeming characters.
A succesful re-imagining of the classic 90s interactive movie, that retains the characters and setting but adds some fun new puzzles and VR wonderment.
It's no Sonic Mania, but this is still one of the better attempts to create a modern day 2D Sonic The Hedgehog, with impressive visuals but boring boss battles.
A fabulously detailed racing game with a huge car roster and engrossing single-player modes, slightly marred by forcefully encouraging you to perform practise laps before races.
A wordless and atmospheric puzzle game that's just as ingenious and inventive as Limbo and Inside, but with more substantial gameplay and perfect pacing.
A taut, characterful headrush of an expansion that completes Cyberpunk 2077's redemption and re-establishes it as one of the great open world adventures of the generation.
A pub band cover version of Forza Horizon 5, that despite a few unique ideas doesn't come close to the fun and variety of its inspiration.
A story about loneliness and grief, set in a retro-futuristic 1970s and told from the perspective of a deepsea diver, which is less interested in action than creating the right atmosphere.