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Floodland rises above the surface when the depth of its mechanics are given the space to breathe. It strikes a brilliant balance between complex systems that are slick and accessible, while offering a satisfying level of micro-management gameplay. For all of its wonders however, this bristling settlement sim can run aground of stagnated progress and unwieldy inter-clan mechanics on occasion, but nothing should stop you rebuilding humanity in this beautifully desolate world.
Holding up a fun house mirror to the worrying trends in real world technological, labour and societal practices, Flat Eye is a game with a message. By combining a resource management game with Black Mirror-esque storylines, it manages to stay both entertaining and stimulating through its 10 hour length. While it’s in need of a bit of TLC right now due to some bugs, Flat Eye is a patch away from being one of the most unique gaming curios of 2022.
A delightful refreshing new story for a cosy sim blends with an extremely creative puzzler in Lonesome Village, which features a cute art style and relaxing vibes throughout. With a few patches to address crashing, it could be among the best in the genre. Even with these issues though, the game gets my recommendation with a caveat to save often so you don’t lose your progress.
A rough start that continues for hours may put some off, but if you love the Jurassic franchise then this could be for you. The stealth isn’t translated well from VR but it’s serviceable albeit one-note. However, the presentation and music compliment the franchises ethos exceptionally, making it a competent Jurassic experience.
While the path might be pleasant to look at, the traveller isn’t. While the road can be interesting, it can be equally as dull. While the ability to conjure rain with music should be an interesting hook, it’s used too infrequently. A Winding Path is a short, sincere but decidedly mediocre adventure that’ll leave you wanting more.
A vibrant and violent affair, Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef is a slice of arcade fun. It’s not aimed at Warhammer veterans, and rightfully so, more for those who like their run-and-gun to be over-the-top. A bit lacking in extra content and polish, but still enjoyable nonetheless. Highly recommend it with friends though.
A Little to the Left has quaint, cosy design married with a multitude of gratifying puzzles and a mischievous cat. If you have an eye for organisation and live for the order of the everyday things in life, this’ll tick your boxes.
While elements of The Chant are clichéd or clunky, there’s a surprisingly fun survival thriller nestled between its flaws. Creative monster design and excellent use of lighting (or lack thereof) can make for some nerve shredding moments too.
Despite its awkward plot and missing track editor, Kovox Pitch is still worth playing on PlayStation. This a quirky rhythm game with a unique vibe and utilises the rarely used post-punk genre to great effect. While it’s not quite a home run, it’ll keep rhythm game fans entertained for a few evenings.
The Entropy Centre is a masterclass in intuitive, creative and exciting game design. From the first puzzle to the last you’ll be staggered by the imagination on display, and as you rebuild the world around you you’ll have a few chuckles along the way, too. A truly excellent first-person puzzle that deserves to be played by absolutely everyon
Despite a few niggles, Modern Warfare 2 is a real return to form for Call of Duty. A masterfully crafted multiplayer experience and an excellent campaign mode that pays homage to its predecessors while simultaneously feeling like its own thing come together in one of the best big budget shooters for years.
Tanuki Sunset is fun to play if you take it as seriously as a Raccoon on a Longboard. The visuals and colour palette pop and there’s a nostalgic but limited soundtrack to shred into the sunset. Those looking for a mechanically sound Arcade game won’t find it here however, with a little too much randomness bouncing off rigidly set challenges.
Set in a picturesque village inspired by real world French Brittany, Broken Pieces is an adventure thriller game with a great foundation. The premise, visuals and soundtrack are all interesting and make a great first impression. The execution of everything else however is a bit rough around the edges. With questionable combat elements, convoluted puzzle mechanics and a story that feels incomplete, Broken Pieces feels a little too much like its title.
Aquarist is a fine addition to the career simulator genre, although there are some optimisation issues on the Switch with some ill-fitted control problems and and fiddly mechanics. Behind these flaws though there is a casual, fun game that has a lot to offer.
Confused puzzles, a convoluted story, poor use of lighting and no real scares makes Charon’s Staircase a good reason for taking the escalator instead.
Saturnalia should be on any horror fan’s radar this year. A twisted story combined with a superb art style, nerve-shredding gameplay and expertly crafted design will have you praising and cursing the creative genius to put roguelike mechanics into a horror game. This Italian town has a horrific history you’ll both love and hate to venture into, but you’ll be compelled to uncover it nonetheless.
New Tales from the Borderlands is a sequel that seemingly forgets everything that made the original so special and shoehorns in a story that simply doesn’t keep you engaged. Whilst it’s visually lovely and feels like it’s a Borderlands experience, it’s all style and no substance. Without heart or humour, this feels like a cash-in, and for a sequel to one of the greatest narrative games of all time? That’s just not good enough.
I See Red promises high-octane and snappy action which, by and large, it delivers on, aside from some mechanical looseness. What slows this violent rampage down to a meek crawl however is the repetitive corridor traipsing, bullet-absorbing late-game enemies and blunted visual style. You’re better off replaying Ruiner to enact bloody vengeance.
Victoria 3 is an excellent addition to the Grand Strategy genre that I think will very much live up to expectations. There are a few issues but it does many more things right than it does wrong. Victoria 3 is a highlight amongst strategy games released this year, and I’m extremely impressed by the developers making peace just as fun and engaging as war. This is a must play for anyone who likes grand strategy titles, but wants to play something a little different compared to its competitors.
A strong third main entry in this insane series of brawlers, No More Heroes 3 is both accessible to new fans and daunting at the same time. A lot of it will make sense to fans, naturally, but may put off those just treading water. That being said, the main story is practically standalone, with some of the most colourful and creative bosses outside of a Souls game.