Joshua Thompson

“Heartfelt, charming and very on-brand for Keita Takahashi, to a T is a fun episodic journey of a teenager stuck in the T-pose. However, with an emphasis on narrative and cut scenes, the gameplay takes a backseat, making those fleeting moments of T-posing minigame shenaginans feel less impactful as a result.”

“Full of genre familiarity that subverts expectations, Into the Restless Ruins proposes a new challenge for those into roguelike deckbuilders. With resource management, strategic placement of your cards acting as dungeon rooms, as well as hordes of enemies to autobattle, the game has all the addicting traits to keep you hooked. It's on the shorter side, alongside being visually uniform across the levels, but the core gameplay is what kept me restless to jump back in time and time again.”

“Labyrinth of the Demon King is a nostalgic and pummelling entry into the survival horror/dungeon crawling genre. The Feudal Japan setting and atmospheric level design sets itself apart from its contemporaries but doesn't quite sustain its thrills in story or puzzles. Whilst the combat is rigid and slightly unfair, it's a core element to it's differing approach of retro style PS1 horror.”

“Lushfoil Photography Sim didn't quite end up being the photography escape I was hoping for. With a few bugs, a side step from photography to pick up collectables and a full photo album halting my progression, I couldn't help but lose my zen whilst trying to get lost in the game's stunning locations. The photography mechanics are perfect, with some particular attention to how holding a camera feels with the DualSense, as well as the levels being gorgeous themselves. However, I couldn't really get over the hurdles that took away from the photography experience.”

“Centum is thought provoking, unflinching and maybe a little verbose. It's a minimal point-and-click where the messaging is the importance, with the gameplay taking a slight backseat to deliver the story. A rare gem for the medium that I couldn't recommend to everyone either.”

“Sorry We're Closed presents an unequal challenge in its gameplay as it flourishes in exploration and combat but slightly let down by its simplistic puzzle design. With that said, the game's story, themes, world building and style makes it one of the great nostalgic survival horrors of recent years.”

“Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip is a hilariously heartfelt sandbox adventure that simplifies the genre's scope to pack a mightier punch. Everything is purposeful in the search for its collectathon gameplay and the world is a joy to explore, making it a tiny but terry-fic trip.”

“On the surface, World Championship Boxing Manager 2 lets you get into the minutiae of managing fighters time, training and career. However, even the 32-bit pixel art can’t quell any shallow grind that’s persistent making it an unfulfilling, rewardless management sim.”

“NotGames have commandeered the airwaves with Not For Broadcast. An immensely funny satirical romp through the lens of news broadcasting that really hasn’t been done before. Its specifically British tone might not click, but the surreal and poignant narrative is one to admire. The gameplay is overwhelming and it doesn’t develop, leaving me wanting more. However, if you like your FMVs and branching narratives, this one has it in spades.”

“Mayhem in Single Valley’s components themselves don’t stand out. However the culmination of all the over-the-top apocalyptic retro inspired elements makes a game about saving the world a decent time. The levels are fun to explore, the comedy is bashful and the music a true highlight; there just maybe not enough mayhem.”

“This is one of the most accessible Metroidvanias to embark on. Pronty’s underwater excavation in a city, crawling with well-designed bosses is one for both newcomers and seasoned players of the genre. Combat is lacklustre and it doesn’t reinvent in any game-changing capacity, but it sure is a world worth diving deep in.”

“Dust & Neon may be a diamond in the rough for those looking for a unique sci-fi western cover-shooter. However, the roguelite systems do a disservice to the twin-stick shooting gameplay, making it far from the most wanted.”

“It’s a tonal hodgepodge, almost completely unfunny in every attempt, but a half-decent metroidvania structure is Clunky Hero’s saving grace. Don’t expect to find magic in this fantasy land, but you can enjoy the game for how it plays.”

“A little rough around the edges, even for the lo-fi approach – Chasing Static is a decent time if you’re looking for a short sci-fi horror story. The PSX art style lends itself into being an aesthetically memorable experience that might please fans of that era of horror games. Despite the game’s title I wasn’t necessarily guided by the static, resulting in a missing trick. However, the decent albeit a little vague story made me want to stay in the game till the end.”

“Hello Neighbor 2 is a mixed bag when compared to the rest of the franchise. The AI still needs to show more intelligence and the performance isn’t spectacular – even on PS5. The story may put off newcomers but fans of the series will hopefully enjoy what it has to offer in its mystery. Puzzles have been greatly improved which makes a good chunk of your playtime more accessible and enjoyable, but the counterparts keep it down from being great.”

“Railbound is a quaint, confident and colourful puzzle game that’ll charm your socks off if you let it. The presentation is welcoming, while the puzzles are challenging, all chocking up to a well-designed puzzler that’ll keep your brain boggling for hours.”

“No coins are necessary when taking on the difficult challenge that is Battle Axe. It’s visually and audibly stellar, likely to please anyone looking for a hit of nostalgia. However, the promised features and improvements of the PS5 version are missing and half the game doesn’t work as intended. With that said, the core gameplay is adrenaline fuelled and satisfying, hacking up the overall fun factor.”

“A rough start that continues for hours may put some off, but if you love the Jurassic franchise then this could be for you. The stealth isn’t translated well from VR but it’s serviceable albeit one-note. However, the presentation and music compliment the franchises ethos exceptionally, making it a competent Jurassic experience.”

“Tanuki Sunset is fun to play if you take it as seriously as a Raccoon on a Longboard. The visuals and colour palette pop and there’s a nostalgic but limited soundtrack to shred into the sunset. Those looking for a mechanically sound Arcade game won’t find it here however, with a little too much randomness bouncing off rigidly set challenges.”

“Confused puzzles, a convoluted story, poor use of lighting and no real scares makes Charon’s Staircase a good reason for taking the escalator instead.”