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Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the perfect island escape, drawing you in to play day after day. All of the charms of the series' previous games are here, but with gorgeous new graphics, DIY crafting and the eventual ability to remodel your island, you can really create the island settlement of your dreams.
Neverwinter Nights remains a fantastic RPG, but the Enhanced Edition on PlayStation 4 fails to recapture that magic. If you can look past the incredibly dated graphics, there's tons of classic role playing to get stuck into, but playing it with a controller and clunky UI is not particularly pleasant. Considering that this is playable on pretty much any computer you can lay your hands on, or even on your phone, I'd steer clear of this particular version unless you desperately want to sit on your couch with a controller to play.
I'll admit I wasn't keen on Hunt: Showdown to start with, but after the first few matches I realised there's something special here. This is an unusual entry in a genre ruled by far snappier shooters, and it takes time to get your head around Crytek's clever twist on the formula. Stick with it and you'll be rewarded with a uniquely engrossing multiplayer experience.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps builds on its predecessor's near-perfect Metroidvania platforming and grows the concept to wonderful effect. A game that's as much about rebirth, hope and wonder as it is death and decay, Will of the Wisps is a beautiful, enchanting piece of fantasy, and an instant classic.
Nioh 2 builds on the excellence of the original with a fistful of new twists and ideas, from new Yokai abilities to full-on co-op through the entire game. Nioh 2 might well be the best Soulslike that isn't a FromSoftware game, and it's easily one of my personal contenders for Game of the Year.
Granblue Fantasy: Versus is an interesting game, both mechanically sound and simple with a diverse roster. Absolutely gorgeous to behold, and mostly pleasant to hear, this is the sort of fighting game esports was made for. It's such a shame then that the single player content doesn't hit the mark, especially the often frustrating RPG Mode.
A pulse-quickening, reaction-testing and sweat-inducing piece of fitness software, BoxVR is amongst the best VR experiences out there for those looking to get active.
Pandaball is a silly idea that plays ok but is just too lacking in content to really recommend. There is fun to be had here but I don't understand the decisions not to include multiplayer tournaments or online play. The end result is a game that will prove mildly diverting for younger players but has little to no long term substance. Unfortunately for these pandas, the game itself is more boo than bam.
Woven could have been a welcome addition to the family friendly game catalogue, but the finished game just lacks any kind of polish or fun. The controls are unresponsive, the design decisions at odds with the presumed audience, and the few moments of interest lost in a sea of mediocrity and meandering backtracking. Unfortunately, Woven is just knit very good.
There's a satisfying strategy experience to be had here though one that comes with quite the learning curve. Even once you have a grip on the basics, tangling with ROTK's new grid-based system and overall pacing can often put a few awkward steps between you executing your next cunning plan.
Despite the fundamental changes to the series' viewpoint, Darksiders Genesis feels like a true Darksiders game, and banishes any memory of the lacklustre third entry.
Look, I'm going to be honest with you, despite its flaws I still really like One Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows, it's just so far removed from what it feels like it could have been. There's a vast gulf between the unique ideas that make this feel special and the basic gaming stuff that it doesn't quite get right. It's a real shame because this could have been one of the best anime games to date.
You will swear at the screen a lot when playing Bloodroots. Mr Wolf will die hundreds if not thousands of times throughout your run, and sometimes you'll just need to put the game down and walk away. Yet Bloodroots can sink its claws into you in a way that few games do. It is a challenge put in front of you that you will want to prove you can overcome. Freaking Bloodroots, man.
If you like video games, have a sense of humour and remember the mid-90s, there's far worse things you can do for half an hour. Just don't buy it on its own.
Overpass is a unique style of racing game with solid foundations, but it feels like there wasn't enough time or budget to give it the polish it deserves. That's a shame. There's a niche here which I'd like to spend more time in, but some of the frustrations run too deep for me to return anytime soon. Overpass remains a novel concept with some rough edges.
Draugen might only last a few hours, but it leaves a lasting impression as you're drawn into the mystery of Graavik and the relationship between Edward and Alice. It can be a little overacted and you can see some story beats coming, but as a first person adventure title it is an enjoyable experience.
Whether you want to whet your appetite before Animal Crossing: New Horizons comes out or you're looking for your next fix after blowing through everything available in Stardew Valley, Rune Factory 4 is the perfect second-life for you. You might feel a bit overwhelmed at first, but once you manage to find your focus the addictive gameplay lets you wash away hours of your day in an instant.
The Touryst is an absolutely stellar action-adventure game that sends players on a whirlwind journey of mini-games, puzzle solving and scenic vistas all bundled in one of the most visually impressive engines to date on the Switch.
As a collection, or individually, Bayonetta and Vanquish remain perfectly formed examples of PlatinumGames' exquisite mastery of action gaming. Here, in 4K, they've never been better.
Double Dragon & Kunio-kun Retro Brawler Bundle is a great piece of video game history for beat-em-up enthusiasts the world over. The once niche and Japanese-exclusive library of Kunio-kun games are playable in English for the first time, and while some of them haven't aged well enough to warrant extended play sessions, the in-game achievement system and Online Play add oodles of replayability to otherwise minorly novel Famicom classics. The lack of a gallery mode and alternate console editions of each game keeps the collection from being perfect though.