Reviews

Bugsnax is a very cute game that features a diverse cast of characters, but suffers from very repetitive gameplay.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla streamlines the best parts of Origins and Odyssey while trimming the fat, though is hampered consistently by bugs and technical problems. Still, it's a journey well worth taking.

Strobophagia starts strong by establishing a cool, neon-lit atmosphere, but does not reach its full potential due to pacing issues and a lack of memorable music

Pan Am offers style and class in a route-building nostalgic game

The Falconeer is an interesting take on the aerial combat genre putting players in the saddle of large birds and setting off across a flooded world in search of balance between warring factions. While the story and world do feel incomplete the flight combat does a good job of staying entertaining.

I enjoyed my time with Watch Dogs: Legion but the whole time I played it, I was phishing for more.

Forgotten Waters is a truly awesome experience. It’s wacky and takes a while, so if you want a quick game with a serious nature, then this might not be for you. But those who want an awesome narrative with fast-flowing simple mechanics will find a lot to love. The first game set up can feel like there is a lot going on, but after a turn or 2, everything will flow extremely well and you will be able to simply enjoy the experience. It’s great with every player count, from 1 to 7 and while there is a limited number of story scenarios to play through, each one will take a while and give a huge return for the investment.

Kosmokrats pulls off charming dark comedy, engaging puzzle gameplay, and excellent repercussions for player actions.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon refreshes the action with a turn-based JRPG that retains its charming identity, but it falls into some pitfalls that are emblematic of the genre.

Black Seas is a fantastic system. It has incredible detail, but it doesn't get bogged down in it. There's some complexity in working out how ships move each turn, that might not be for everyone if you just want a rules-light skirmish game, but anyone after a solid system, full of straight-forward realistic detail will find it here. The Black Seas Master and Commander set is incredible value for money. The rulebook and the ships alone exceed the RRP, so the addition of the map, scenery, and tokens make it a great starting point. The ships themselves also offer a perfect foundation for building up a force. The scaling up of detail of the ships is also perfect, and you really get a return for the effort you put in, and a fully painted and rigged ship really pops on the tabletop, and Warlord has done an amazing job of giving players the knowledge and tools in which to begin. The rulebook itself is extremely well presented and full of a crazy amount of detail for the small page count.

The Jackbox Party Pack 7 samples some of the past with Quiplash 3 while managing to revolutionize previous concepts with new twists breathing fresh air into their games. This more diverse collection might not have everything you want, but it likely has something for everyone.

Hello Puppets! is an enjoyably puzzling horror that offers a surprisingly genuine friendship.

There's not as many new Pokémon as I'd have liked, and two-thirds of the legendary hunt is lacking. But, with new features, tons of legendary Pokémon, and a cool new environment to explore, this is an expansion worth picking up.

The Dark Pictures: Little Hope is atmospheric, intriguing, and mysterious. It's not exactly scary, however.

Dirt 5 is an excellent racing game that manages to combine impressive visuals with exhilarating racing.

Monster Camp is a delightful game which breathes life into the dating sim genre witha mix of over-the-top humor and poignant character development

Remothered: Broken Porcelain is a cat-and-mouse horror game with a love story sprinkled in. It looks and sounds great, but is rather short, and bugs can mar the experience.

The Signifier is a sign of something great. Its story is intriguing and the way it conceptualises all its effort is wonderful. That being said, the general presentation lets it down somewhat and the short playtime left me wanting much more.

Paper Beast - Folded Edition is like a well crafted piece of Origami, beautiful to look at, but paper thin on interactivity.

Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice tries its best to keep the lewdness of its titular character intact, but ultimately falls flat on the delivery. It’s great fun as a point-and-click game, though, and—coupled with stellar voice acting, vibrant graphics, and a compelling protagonist—is a breath of fresh air from the seriousness of the world today.

Transient is an ambitious horror game which fans of H. P. Lovecraft will appreciate for its overarching themes and sneaky references.

Hues and Cues is the perfect family game to bring home for the holidays.

Cats Organized Neatly is a fun, short puzzle game. If you're looking for well-designed puzzles and cute kitties to while away your time with, this is a great pick.

Supraland is a charming and impressive action-puzzle game that pulls inspiration from Zelda, Metroid, and Portal.