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Much like the Halloween horrors Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek is based on, it’s a mixed goody bag of treats, yet more often than not, tricks. This potential classic is plagued with repetitive gameplay based on a thirty year old ancient foundation, and “puzzles” that rarely take much thought.
It means that Squish Machine is fine, for a time. It’s able to provide reasonably easy gathering of Gamerscore, as well as a fun flap through trap-filled stages, ushering up memories of times gone by and the thrill of Flappy Bird ideas. Whether you’ll find enough to continue on through to the bitter end though, will be up for debate.
Bad Cheese is a creatively important game and one that many will love, especially those who enjoy the 1920s cartoon visual style. I do think the gameplay gets a bit samey, doesn’t quite click at times, and feels a bit stiff. But the number of tasks you can action, and the machines that you get to operate and play with, are a lot of fun.
HELLDIVERS 2 on Xbox Series X is a triumph of co-op design featuring resourceful, percussive, and dangerously fun gameplay. The missions strike a sweet balance of duration and intensity, loadouts reward experimentation, and team synergy just works.
I was initially unsure of Cronos: The New Dawn, and after the first few enemy encounters, I had a feeling that we just weren’t going to get on. This is a hardcore game, and at times you’ll be left frustrated, annoyed, and want to cry. BUT when it clicks, when you beat an enemy or a boss, and when you make progress, Cronos delivers a brilliant feeling.
Besides some slight performance issues and the difficulty maybe being a bit easier than expected, Black Myth: Wukong is consistently fun.
Madden NFL 26 has a clear shot at the playoffs and a chance to be a Super Bowl contender.
Grit and Valor – 1949 is extremely interesting, as well as being pretty fast paced. While it isn’t, strictly speaking, an RTS, it’s close enough for me, and that means it is more than worth a dabble.
The foundations of Hell is Us are rock solid. A follow-up game would allow for the combat systems to be refined, and for the story and world to be built out more.
What’s not to debate is that if you are on the hunt for a nicely designed, well crafted puzzler, and are itching for a little test of the mind, Square Logic is easily capable of providing it. It works exactly as intended, with no fuss and no bother. If you get it, Square Logic will deliver in spades. But if you don’t…
If your eyes are set on an indie platformer to give you a challenge, I’d recommend the likes of Celeste or Super Meat Boy. Had you played these, and only then, you might just find something in Journey of Johann: Snowy Mountain that is enjoyable.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown is a solid but limited experience. The core of the game is a joy to mess around with even if it fails to fully capitalise on the systems given to you.
Heading Out delivers a unique gaming experience, and a powerful piece of storytelling. It has the strangest mix of gameplay elements and mechanics I’ve ever seen, and whilst it probably shouldn’t work, it does so well.
Oxide Room 208 is a savage, unforgiving horror symphony whose technical flaws occasionally jar its brittle beauty. But for the brave, it is unforgettable.
If you are a fan of Cobra, this is an easy sell, but even if you are not, Space Adventure Cobra – The Awakening is more than decent enough in its own right.
When CORE.SYS is firing on all cylinders, you are dodging Firewalls left, right and centre, praying that the next checkpoint hurries itself up. At that point, it just about becomes good enough to warrant a purchase. But until you get that far…
You can see the love poured into The Knightling. It has lovely visuals and a great family-friendly story, complete with Zelda-like vibes. The shield riding is a great touch, as are the other abilities you gain. The combat is fine too, and you’ll enjoy taking in the multitude of quests present.
The Rogue Prince of Persia may never be heralded as the greatest in the series (my money would be on Sands of Time) yet what once was a twilight of dark sands, has awoken to a golden dawn filled with new beginnings and hope for the franchise. It’s without doubt a worthy title bound to please fans of the series and newcomers alike.
GRADIUS ORIGINS does what it says on the tin. It allows us to play all the Gradius and Gradius adjacent games in one place, either toughing it out or wimping out with the new features.
Call it cosy, call it chill, but Dorfromantik is something truly special. It’s a game that is able to be both challenging and relaxing. It does the latter through beautiful visuals and a sublime soundtrack, but builds the challenge with a bit of depth and strategy. And also to resist the temptation to just keep playing until the real-life birdsong starts outside your window…