James Wood
Kynseed is a shockingly robust and fully realised fantasy farming-sim that may overwhelm at first but rewards patience with its countless interlocking systems.
Wild Hearts is packed with creative mechanics and delightful flourishes that make it a welcome and exciting addition to the monster hunting genre.
A smart, compelling, and deeply warm examination of memory and identity, The Wreck gives players the tools to turn tragedy into catharsis.
Starfield is a magical, if a little clumsy, first journey to the stars for Bethesda, the RPG maker reminding us of the power of player freedom, engaging writing, and just a little jank.
Saltsea Chronicles crafts a striking storybook world and populates it with deeply human characters on a fantastical journey into the unknown.
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 1 is a comprehensive and considered omnibus that, despite dearly missing its creator's input, makes for a definitive way to play one of gaming's greatest series.
Polished, functional, and visually stunning, The Last of Us Part II Remastered is every bit the product it sets out to be, betraying the game's art and dealing a blow to its dignity in the process.
Eternights is an ambitious and mostly successful swing at the dating-sim/action genre that delivers a cool world and likeable characters with robust combat options and a refreshing take on who you can love at the end of the world.
Thirsty Suitors is a little thirsty with its mechanical ambitions but never fails to charm in one way or another. With a beautifully diverse cast, mature writing, and unmatched expressiveness, it breathes new life into the genre.
This is your adventure, your journey as an Arisen, and while it is not free of technical hiccups, the game well and truly earns its reputation as one of the best fantasy games of all time.
The ambition of Unavowed is immediately evident and the game rarely puts a foot wrong
Fans of Travis’ previous adventures may be disappointed by this down-scaling but in reducing the size of his vision, Suda has been able to finally begin adapting it for a modern market.
It’s just all so captivating and lovely, rising above small annoyances or shortcomings to prove why it has been held up as a classic for so long.
The (dry) bones of Super Mario 3D All-Stars are impeccable - three of the best games ever made, spruced up for one of the best consoles ever made.
Push through the desire to cringe in its face and Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin delights with gauche earnestness and one of the most rewarding action combat loops on the market.
Assassin's Creed Mirage is a gorgeously crafted love letter to the memory of the franchise, establishing a vibrant new world but coming up a little short on ideas to match it.
Super Mario RPG is a gorgeously realised remake that brings the classic turn-based adventure to modern audiences but stops just short of recapturing the magical uniqueness of the original.
Sonic Frontiers is an unsteady first run at the open-world genre for the blue blur but Sonic Team has crafted something endearing and immensely enjoyable all the same. Its core systems are fun, making Sonic's iconic speed an integral part of traversal and combat alike while paying homage to what has come before in its Cyber Space levels. It's not perfect, but it tries its heart out and I come away with warm memories of an uneven game.
Moonscars brings a deeply satisfying core combat loop and exciting art direction to the Soulslike genre, even if it has some teething issues with its overlapping systems and narrative.
A Little to the Left perfectly captures the cosy and softcore vibes you'd want from a game primarily about the cute-ification of everyday cleaning tasks, with great approachability options and puzzle variety to boot. But its simplicity may leave you feeling a bit listless in the end.