Rock, Paper, Shotgun's Reviews
In the transferral to true roguelike, Darkest Dungeon 2 has got a little lost in the woods. But from what I've glimpsed through the trees, it'll be a handsome coach when it finally arrives, done and dusky. I'll happily hop aboard then.
It could still be friendlier to newcomers, but Age Of Empires 4 is an assured step in a genre whose comeback is long overdue.
A heroic action adventure that's simple, but full of surprises and little details. Unmissable for Marvel fans, but also a solid buy if you're just after a good time.
A little frustrating in places, but Moonglow Bay is mostly a chill fishing RPG that digs into its themes of community, resilience and rebuilding in surprising and consistently interesting ways.
A rough-hewn roguelike that fails to stand out
House Of Ashes gets closer to being a silly 00s survival horror than previous Dark Picture Anthology games, but it's still trying to be too serious for its own good, especially with the paper-thin political theming.
Short of somehow also being a massive box full of toys, secret envelopes, and bears to rummage around in with a group of mates, I couldn't ask for more from this loving and skillful adaptation.
The Good Life is a shambolic RPG that barely hold together, wrapped in the trappings of a rural life simulator. It's tonally stupid and structurally broken, but also surprisingly deep and occasionally self-aware.
Although the playable roster of The Hinokami Chronicles is feeling the lack of demons right now, there's a lot to enjoy from the characters who are there. This 3D fighter delivers on the promise of a power fantasy of Gotouge's manga epic.
A sinister and excellently crafted card game with a darkly comic underbelly
A roguelike shooter that shines when it unsettles, but soon lets the horror leak out through overfamiliarity and a lack of challenge
An essential purchase for puzzle platforming connoisseurs, ElecHead is a thrilling, bite-sized adventure that makes you feel like the smartest person in the room.
ActRaiser Renaissance's plastic look betrays a solid remake with a lot of new content, and plenty of heart.
Mechanically it's a bit undercooked, but deep down Grotto is an artfully told tale about the meaning and limitation of words and language.
Despite bugs and queue times, Amazon Games' new MMORPG is good piratey fun (especially the Faction system), but the early game is very grindy and you will cut down a lot of trees.
Impostor Factory's emotional story might have a slightly tired formula, but it feels fresh and cinematic, and cheerfully posits that a fake, imaginary life can be as fulfilling as a real one.
An initially delightful roguelike, held back from greatness by rough edges and stingy unlocks.
An intriguing concept for a multiplayer shooter that ultimately fails to excite, where you're more creatively constrained than you might initially think.
A charming and surprisingly approachable survival adventure outing for Ace Team's outlandish world and character design, with more under the cylinder than you might have initially expected.
Jett is a game that's equal parts wonder and frustration, an evocative adventure that feels brilliant under the thumbs, but one whose creative systems feel stifled by rigid story-telling.