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Shadow of the Ninja - Reborn looks the part, this is a sumptuous 2D scroller that clearly loves the 1990s with unabashed and borderline obsessional desire. It effectively emulates the experience of playing a game from that era too. The problem is that includes dodgy controls, plentiful gameplay frustrations and difficulty spikes so sharp they'd make a 42-year-old man cry. And they did.
Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Party Dash is an absolute gift for horse girl fans everywhere. The game isn't without fault, though, and there's some technical issues and slightly underbaked gameplay, but fans will probably come galloping anyway.
With an engaging lead, amusing story, crunchy combat, thrilling platforming, and a fascinating world to explore, Crypt Custodian is a near purr-fect metroidvania. Litter-ly one of the best I've ever played.
Gori Cuddly Carnage is a really fun game that offers a decent mix in its levels and challenges. I did play through levels a couple of times because I enjoyed the gameplay and the humour of it. While there are some issues, namely the camera and a couple of platforming bits, overall Gori Cuddly Carnage is a fun, gory, time.
Star Wars Outlaws is an open world scoundrel-'em-up that clearly builds on Ubisoft's familiar format, but that's not a bad thing. The rep system in particular is interesting, as the constant fluctuations belie any kind of loyalty you might show otherwise, but most importantly, this game lets you just be in the enduring Star Wars Universe. It's not perfect, but stealing for crime syndicates, fighting the Empire, speeding across alien landscapes, and so much more is a dream come true.
Core Keeper is a clever, challenging, and immensely enjoyable sandbox mining game that's a blast to play. You can completely change how you play for a new experience, there are a lot of bosses and areas to explore, and the joy of finding a new item or new area is never lost. If you like games in this genre, then you'll love it, and even if you don't like games in this genre, this could be the one that converts you.,
A game about racing massive trucks that look like dinosaurs should not be boring, and yet Monster Jam: Showdown achieves the seemingly impossible; this game is an absolutely slog of an experience. Best avoided, even for Monster Truck loving aficionados.
WitchSpring R is a cute, comforting, and delightful RPG packed full of charm, passion, and so much stuff to do. I'm excited to see what's next for the series.
Tavern Talk is a wonderful window into a high-fantasy world that I never wanted to leave. Despite some repetitive gameplay, the unique tabletop spin on world-building and character interactions was an absolute delight.
Black Myth: Wukong is a stunning game to look at, but the exploration is lacking, and the fighting is just sort of fine for the most part. It's just a bit uninspiring, and isn't a game that I'm expecting to stick with me for any length of time now that I'm done with it.
Sam and Max: The Devil's Playhouse is exactly what you want from a remaster. It has been faithfully rebuilt, adding improvements and things that make sense, and tightening the things that were a little leaky. I loved stepping back into Sam's (lack of) shoes and holding the world to rights as a newly psychic Max. If you don't mind a bit of juvenile humour, this is still one of the funniest point-and-click adventures I've ever played, but a little prettier than I remember.
Magic: The Gathering – Bloomburrow is a fantastic set for new players and those who dip in and out of Arena, or are looking for an easy entry point. The tribal nature means you can build decks with the safety rails on, and the relatively simple mechanics introduced in the set make for a relatively shallow learning curve. Plus, did we mention the cards are adorable? All of this means that there hasn't been a better time to start learning Magic in the past few years.
Tombi! might just be the most 8/10 game ever, and absolutely no higher than that. I personally love it; but the esoteric quests, remarkably easy boss fights, and slightly wonky controls at times do make it a hard sell. However, if you want a daft and weird little curio to spend some hours in, this will keep you as happy as a pig in – well – you know. Oh, also, if you loved the demo on the demo disc, you owe it to yourself to see what's beyond the 100 Year Old Man, believe me.
In a crowded genre, Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, stands out with its wonderful hand-drawn visuals and rewarding platforming focused gameplay. The demanding difficulty won't be everyone's cup of tea, but for those after a challenge, it's well worth seeking out.
With its piratical new setting and boatylicious battling, Cat Quest 3 is another fun and light sequel in probably the cutest action RPG series out there.
Frontier Hunter: Erza's Wheel of Fortune would be easy to appreciate as a unpolished but obviously heartfelt metroidvania experience, if it weren't for the poorly executed and far too frequent cutscenes.
EDF 6 is, without a doubt, the very best entry in the series so far. Tremendous fun from top to bottom, from beginning to end, it is everything an EDF fan could have hoped for.
Supremely satisfying side-scrolling strategy resurfaces in SteamWorld Heist 2 for a sea-faring sequel that refines and expands on the original.
Deadlink is a great arena shooter with fast-paced action and a banging soundtrack. You'll be speeding around arenas as hordes of enemies give chase, and you will be challenged. Things can get repetitive, but you'll probably be having too much of a good time to care.
F1 Manager 24 captures the true essence of the sport, focussing on strategy, manufacturing and just how far you can push your tyres. If you're a fan of F1, this year's outing is an essential accompaniment to the season thanks in no small part to the addition of Create A Team.