Horizon Forbidden West pulls players along on a breathtaking journey – one so lifelike and human it’s almost unbelievable just how good it really is.
Challenge and satisfaction go hand-in-hand in this sim, making each choice anxiety-induced and rewarding in equal measure. In that regard, Two Point Campus gets so much right about university life – and the management simulator genre.
Sparks of Hope has a real sense of twinkling charm – one that could pull a smile from even the most hardened heart. There’s a vivacious, beating heart at the centre of this adventure, and it makes every new world, and every new fight a veritable joy to complete.
While its ideas may be supernaturally-charged, and inspired by one of the strangest periods in Marvel Comics, it remains grounded and personal – imbuing its excellent tactical combat with high emotions and stakes. In dark times, light can still shine – and in Marvel’s Midnight Suns, you and your team of heroes are that light.
Like its predecessor, Burning Shores tends towards more abstract sci-fi elements, particularly in its final stanza – which includes one of the largest and grandest scale fights in Horizon – but in focusing on character and human relationships, this unique expansion successfully charts tricky waters.
At times, the game devolves into weirdness, but that’s part of its charm. As a colourful and creative entry in the racing game genre, it’s bursting with fresh ideas that keep its engine humming with every boost-powered turn.
It’s pure magic to bring up a quest line or character, and realise that you, and you alone, have stumbled onto their path by chance. It’s magic to realise just how far the game’s plot can stretch, and how it can account for even the smallest choices made along your path. In the same way Dungeons & Dragons allows you to live out a self-guided fantasy, Larian Studios has managed to capture and bottle a slice of that magic, in rare video game form.
As a sequel to one of the most impressive games of its era, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was weighed down by expectations. But Insomniac Games has turned these expectations on their head, spinning a Spider-story that brims with confidence, style, and most importantly – an essential human touch.
Alan Wake 2 almost feels mad in its approach, with an overwhelming array of threads in the tale that threaten to collapse under pressure at any moment. Yet with clear and incisive logic, matched with a devotion to delightful absurdity, the team at Remedy has managed to craft a breathtaking story – one that plays out in clever, fascinating, and horrifying ways.
If this is the future of the franchise, it’s a very welcome change – and while the game is certainly in need of some visual improvements, there’s promise and excitement here that shines through every pore.
With a great collection of classic mini-games and a surprising level of challenge, even for experienced players, there’s plenty to love about Mario Party Superstars.
While you will need to shrug off your preconceived ideas of who the Guardians are to fully immerse yourself in all the action, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy does a bang up job showing you why this version of the Guardians story is worth telling.
While WWE 2K22 does suffer from content bloat, it’s a vast improvement on WWE 2K20, and one of the best games of the entire WWE 2K series. With a number of smart fixes, streamlined action gameplay, and a handful of engaging, well-designed modes, it has successfully shed the franchise’s bad reputation.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands boasts impressive sights, sounds and characters, with gorgeous worlds illuminated by the polish and performances backing the game.
It doesn’t quite tread new ground, but its slick gameplay and sense of oddness makes it a fascinating and engaging platformer that really makes you wonder why it took so long for Kirby to journey through the 3D realm.
Even as somebody who’s bounced off Lego games in the past, I was enthralled by every narrative hook, every blue brick challenge, and every new story quirk. From individual character combat, to the game’s vast locales, and every puzzle that fascinated and challenged me along the way, I was drawn into the game’s funny and weird little stories.
Integration with existing packs like Vampires is an added bonus, but Werewolves effectively stands on its own as furry good fun – and a fantastic addition to the supernatural world of The Sims 4. With a well-designed progression system and new abilities worth nabbing, it’s a game pack that earns a hearty howl at the moon.
Come for the sweet treats, and stay for the cutthroat action as each ginormous Kirby wobbles and rolls its way down pizza and ice cream highways to victory. This party royale is finger-lickin’ good.
Beacon Pines is an unexpected horror-filled romp – one that’ll keep you locked in suspense for as long as loveable protagonist Luka is in danger. Keep your mind on the branching paths, and eventually you’ll discover a way out of this strange, body horror-infused nightmare. But be wary – the paths off the beaten tracks will stay with you long after the game is over.
As a slower-paced story, it lacks the action and zaniness of its predecessor – but by opting for a quieter, more intimate tale, New Tales from the Borderlands carves out a deeply heartfelt, character-driven adventure that highlights the power and potential of friendship in a barren land.