Gareth Chadwick

“Ghostrunner 2 is undoubtably excellent. While it's a tough and challenging game, the quick reloads help alleviate frustration and replace it with the "just one more try" drive to overcome it. There's a handful of small control niggles that might annoy, and if repeatedly dying is a pet video game peeve of yours, it might not be for you, but if the game gets its hooks into you, it's a sheer, visceral delight of dude slicing, shuriken flinging, laser dodging, taking a bullet to the face, reloading, and trying it all again.”

“Baldur's Gate 3 is a masterpiece and a true next generation RPG. Sure it has a handful of small issues, but they pale in comparison to the quality of the writing, the depth in character creation, the sheer wealth of options available to players, the voice acting, the gorgeous world, which are all just exemplary. There's no wonder it has sent ripples through the industry and gathered more attention than even Larian expected, it's got quality and creativity leaking out of every frame.”

“It's not perfect but it is unique and it's a joy to explore the depths of the north sea in your cute little submarine.”

“Atlas Fallen is at its best when you're fighting huge enemies with your carefully constructed (by trial and error) build, but when you're repeatedly fighting the same enemies, when the story falls flat, and the environments blend into one, it starts to get dull and frustrating quickly.”

“Diablo IV is almost shockingly refined, with an absorbing story and addictive gameplay. The shift to always online and connected play might turn some away, and the level scaling can make combat a little same-y, but on the whole, this is still Diablo at its best. It plays very well, offers tonnes of options for tailoring your character and acquiring that all important hunt for better and better loot will keep you coming back for more.”

“The Lord of the Rings: Gollum was conceptually a game with some promise, but from what I've seen so far, it's a mediocre and messy experience that doesn't really come together into a cohesive whole. That is, of course, before coming to the bugs, the crashes and the game-breaking progression issues that make it impossible to complete at this time. Considering that I was actually looking forward to this, this one really stings.”

“Atomic Heart is a bit of a surprise. It's not perfect and the open world is an unneeded dilution, but when you're in the story missions it's always entertaining, despite occasionally dragging things out a little. It can be a bit strange, but it's the self aware kind of strange that can be a bit charming. And the robots are pretty great.”

“Gungrave G.O.R.E is a decent game. It's not the best shooter, but it is often very entertaining if just for the spectacle. It has a few issues, mostly in level design, and the story isn't particularly memorable, but there's plenty of fun to be had in chainsawing your enemies with a transforming coffin.”

“Dying Light 2: Bloody Ties distills all the highlights and flaws of the main game. If you want a little more story and a bunch of new timed trials to tackle, it's only £8, but it won't change your mind about the game. If you originally came to Dying Light 2 for zombies and are disappointed, this won't change your mind, and if you're here because you want to fight like a gladiator in an arena, this definitely isn't the place for you.”

“I adore so much of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, from being able to play as an undead lich, to how the story adapts to that choice like you're playing through an incredibly detailed dark fantasy book. That's why I'm almost devastated by the game's lack of polish. It's unbalanced, there's bugs that forced regular restarts, and the console UI isn't suited to managing a crusade, which isn't as interesting as kingdom management. If this is your kind of game, you're better off trying to play on PC. Otherwise, you can join me in enjoying the game despite itself, or play Kingmaker until this has had some significant patches.”

“Steelrising's Parisian setting and tireless robotic enemies help it to stand out from the growing Soulslike crowd, though its mechanical heart still ticks with the same carefully crafted and unforgiving style of combat. If you want a Soulslike with a bit of a difference, or maybe one that's got an assist mode to help ease you into the genre, Steelrising is well worth considering.”

“Whether having to stare at the ground for extended periods of time, shoot what should've been a hit but inexplicably doesn't leave any blood behind, or even just getting around with an unsteady frame rate and graphical glitches, there's something here to disappoint everybody. Perhaps if you are hardcore into trophy hunting you could extract a droplet of enjoyment out of Way of the Hunter, but doing so will be an uphill battle against the game itself.”

“Spellforce 3 Reforced is a relatively successful combination of two genres. Though each of them separately might be a bit too simplified to please die hard fans of them, they complement each other well. They also tell an interesting story in a world that's pretty interesting, even if it isn't that novel. If you're in need of an RTS/RPG on console, you could do much worse than Spellforce 3. If you've got a PC though, you're probably better off playing on there.”

“Remote Life is a great shmup that's as creative as it is tense and challenging. The story and art direction are dark and grim, with more presence than is strictly necessary, but enhances the game's aethestic. If old school shooters are your thing then Remote life is one to check out.”

“Nobody Saves the World is a funny, inventive, but repetitive action RPG. It's fun to explore the class customisation, but that comes after repeatedly grinding dungeons to level up new forms. You'll have to ensure you really enjoy silly jokes and cooking up custom classes, which are definitely the game's biggest strength.”

“Moss: Book 2 expands and improves on its predecessor in every way. Whether it's the emotional attachment you develop with Quill, the surprising twists the story goes through, or the inventiveness of the combat and puzzles, Moss: Book 2 is creative in a way that delights at every turn. If you've got PSVR, it's pretty much essential.”

“FAR: Changing Tides is a mysterious, intriguing game. It builds off the inventive mechanics of managing a ship, the adventure you face taking on a vaguely unsettling tone at times. It's also fairly short – I finished it in about five hours – but that means it also doesn't try and stretch out its ideas until it outstays its welcome. This is an original and artistic game that deserves a little appreciation.”

“After the Fall is a fun co-op zombie shooter in VR, but with a lack of content at launch, awkwardly randomised attachment unlocks, and constantly separating parties between levels, it's not without issues. I really want to love After the Fall and, honestly, I would be at peace with all of its flaws if it had more content.”

“Solar Ash is one of the best games of the year. It looks gorgeous, its story is pretty unique and surprising, and its set-piece moments get really intense, as you might expect from skating along the back of a black goo and bone dragon. It's a nice surprise to end the year with that any "skating combined with combat and gigantic monsters" enthusiasts, which is definitely already a thing.”

“Winds and Leaves has potential, but the waggle-to-walk controls, the constant jaggedness and morphing vegetation on PSVR, and the detached climbing mechanic cover up most of it. provided you're at peace with the issues it has, It can be a relaxing and meditative experience, but there are better options out there.”