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Waking is a fascinating experiment that tries, but ultimately fails, to combine two radically different ideas together. Less would certainly have been more here, as the clunky and overly confusing action parts get in the way of the interesting narrative and psychological aspects. While I was drawn in by the central conceit and the use of meditation, the end result is more likely to leave you in a coma than drag you into the light.
Summer in Mara is a lovely experience with an abundance of charm and a welcome engagement with environmental and emotional subjects. It makes for a perfect introduction to the genre for younger gamers, and a great relaxing escape from the real world for more mature sorts. It doesn't have the depth of last year's My Time at Portia but is both more accessible and has more developed characters. While there may be little prospect of a summer trip to sunny islands in reality, you could do a lot worse than take a holiday with Koa and explore the wonders of Mara.
Persona 4 Golden remains an iconic and hugely enjoyable JRPG, and its arrival on PC means a slew of new players can discover its delights. It's a shame that there are a few technical problems lurking in the current build, but with the inclusion of both the Japanese and English dubs and the crisp, clear visuals, this marks a fantastic way to experience the game.
The Last of Us Part II is a remorseless epic delivering in its masterful storytelling, nail-biting gameplay and unrivalled production values. Naughty Dog have truly surpassed themselves yet again, crafting a heartfelt sequel that will leave you gasping as they continue to raise the bar for the video game industry. It's yet another must-buy for PlayStation 4 owners, supercharging Sony's unstoppable stable of exclusives.
Desperados 3 is a fun jaunt through the Wild West on a classic tale of revenge. Mixed with stealth strategy with a diverse roster of badasses this real-time tactics game gives rise to a lot of cool gameplay moments. Yeehaw!
House of Da Vinci 2 is a great addition to the escape room genre, and will appeal to genre fans and history buffs alike.
Ys: Memories of Celceta does it's best to put the spotlight on the series narrative, but the adventures of amnesiac Adol barely hold a candle to the fast and frenetic combat of the game. What seems like a mindless hack-and-slash on the surface quickly becomes a palm-drenching test of patience through its punishing and satisfying boss battles. Even if you come to Ys: Memories of Celceta looking for a trip through the lore of the franchise, you'll likely end up staying for that classic, addictive Ys combat.
Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling is an intriguing and beautiful RPG, paying homage to classic Paper Mario games. Some areas, such as the dialogue, feel rushed, but there's a well thought out storyline and plenty of side quests and mini-games to keep you entertained.
Disintegration is a game of, and about, duality. It manages to feel like a throwback while it's fresh genre melding brings it straight into the present. It's an occasionally lifeless, mechanically sound construct, but everything about it has heart. It's a double A game, the likes of which we don't often see anymore, and it's one of the most unique and consistently enjoyable sci-fi shooters of recent years.
Jet Lancer is a great aerial combat game, giving you a real sense of freedom as you fly through the skies battling enemies that come at your from all directions. The story is nothing to write home about, and the timed missions can be a touch annoying, but Jet Lancer is a fun shoot 'em up overall.
At first glance, The Outer Worlds on Nintendo Switch falls massively short of the bar set by other ports to the hybrid console. Everything has been scaled back in an effort to get it working as smoothly as possible on the machine, but there are still major problems with how the game performs. Even so, I found myself still having a lot of fun playing The Outer Worlds on the Nintendo Switch, which is a testament to just how brilliant this game truly is.
Gorn is exactly what it looks like; it's silly, over the top, and hilarious. This isn't a serious melee combat game, but if you're after comic ultra-violence, then this is the best option on PSVR. With a little more content, some gameplay beyond battling waves of enemies, and a touch more polish, this would be an easy recommendation, but it's still worth a shot if you want a bit of a giggle.
Despite its flaws, Red Wings: Aces of the Sky is a decent dogfighting game. The night flight missions show just how tricky it must have been, trying to pick out the enemy against the inky black sky, and the dogfighting is genuinely engaging, if a bit too repetitive and not quite historically accurate. If you're a fan of combat sims and you want to try something different to the modern fighter jets we're all used to, it's worth a shot.
Spirit of the North is a lovingly crafted indie adventure that's let down by some wonky platforming and simple puzzling, while the mysterious explorative adventuring evokes the memory of Journey, just without quite achieving the same emotional impact.
Borderlands Legendary Collection is a fantastic compilation of Gearbox's prototypical looter shooter series. Fans and newcomers can set out to Pandora on Switch, safe in the knowledge that very little has been lost, while the portability and optional motion controls add something meaningful to the experience.
Skelattack is a fantastic platformer with a real sense of character and gorgeous aesthetics. Blending cutesy graphics with challenging platforming and some strategic boss fights, it manages to really stand out and deserves to do well. Here's hoping for more adventures with Skully and Imber in future.
Song of Horror is one of the best indie horror games out there. Taking the key aspects of genre classics like Silent Hill and Resident Evil, and combining these with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the genre in other media, Song of Horror really gets under your skin and, just like The Presence, will haunt the dark corners of your mind. But don't worry, that noise was just the wind. Or was it…
Liberated's comic gameplay style works very well and the game provides some good entertainment. However, the story and characters are not as well explored as they could have been. If you like political thrillers, then this could scratch that itch for a few hours.
Regardless of your history with the series, the XCOM 2 Collection is an enticing offer for strategy fans. With the game bundled together with its sizeable War of the Chosen expansion, plenty of DLC and the option of playing while on the toilet, this is probably the best way you can choose to play XCOM 2.
Still, die hard fans of MK should definitely consider picking Aftermath up. The campaign is short but sweet and the new characters are fun to experiment with. It really just depends on your wallet.