Expansive

“Goosebumps: Terror in Little Creek does a solid job of building an original story in R.L Stine’s universe that pays homage to the classics and builds up a nice amount of tension with some decent puzzles and surprisingly good voice acting. It even has multiple endings. It is a tad short though, and at the current price tag, can be a little bit of a tougher proposition to swallow. It is also pretty easy to breeze through, though the game never feels overly padded and is paced well enough to mostly be enjoyable and the combat’s a bit of a slog. A good first time horror for kids or super fans of the Goosebumps world, despite a somewhat surface level substance.”

“Heartworm is a very self-aware, intelligent take on classic survival horror franchises, that utilises some really clever ideas and will find ways to connect with the player through its themes, setting and mechanics. It’s rough around the edges at times and it’s style won’t be for everyone with the way you get around, the look and even the gameplay feel, but for those who grew up on the origins of the genre or those who look at it fondly and with respect, Heartworm is as good of a modern interpretation of it as has ever been made.”

“Achilles Survivor is a fantastic addition to the horde survivor genre with its focus on risk vs reward, brains and brawn and stunning visuals. The loop is solid, the variety is great and it all contributes to a title you can spend many hours on. The run length does drag on a bit at times and there is a sense of repetition in the battles that can be tedious at times, but for the price, value and quality on offer, you’d be hard-pressed to pass on this one.”

“The Wandering Village is a stunning colony sim that is at once approachable for any player but at the same time offers some complex challenges to contemplate and consider. Limited by just its story mode, as well as a finite space which to build and some frustrations in the game’s core systems, it’s not a flawless game, but it is one with heart, with life, and with an enjoyable loop that you will long remember after finishing.”

“My Friendly Neighbourhood is a surprisingly enjoyable romp with a beautiful style, good comic humor, sensible puzzles and design and engaging narrative. Its combat can be a bit hit and miss and there is a sense of back-tracking and auto-piloting that happens as you play, causing you to disconnect from the experience at times. But if you’re looking for something a little different in the vein of Poppy Playtime and the Bendy series, you’re going to have a great time with these puppets.”

“Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo is a kind-hearted, warm and fulfilling adventure with a lovely papercraft aesthetic, stunning sound and a really enjoyable gameplay loop with a clean UI and satisfying puzzles and storytelling. The words are simply beautiful and the messaging around it really stuck with me long after it ended. 2025’s truly surprise treasure.”

“Islanders: New Shores takes everything that was good about the first game and smartly builds upon it so that it’s never too overwhelming or doesn’t become tedious or frustrating. The same zen, relaxing vibe that was present before is still very active here but slightly more gameified to add longevity and extended interest. All with the added promise of an extended roadmap. If you loved the first, you’ll adore this. And if you need something extra and chill to break up your patterns, this is a perfect palette cleanser.”

“Nobunaga’s Ambition Awakening Complete Edition is the best edition of arguably the best instalment in the series to date. With Switch 2’s JoyCon Mouse 2 support and the extra processing power and visual output, you now have the best way to play a very deep and complex strategy classic. If you want a really challenging, intricate and involved scenario based campaign, this is definitely one of the most interesting games for Switch 2 out there.”

“GEX Trilogy is a very faithful restoration of each of the classic games through the Carbon Engine. Each one shows the development and evolution of the franchise through iteration and the references, themes and humour are a massive product of their times. That often makes this one difficult to love as the genre has moved on enormously since but the presentation of this package, the options, and the nostalgia of it all mean this is the absolute best way to experience these games. And in terms of preservation, it cannot be overstated that games this good should never be lost to time, even if their essence is so deeply rooted in it.”

“Despite the mouthful of a name, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Nintendo Switch 2 Edition is absolutely the definitive experience of a masterpiece. There are few launch titles that are as important and impactful as this one and to re-release it with Switch 2 is not only a masterstroke, it completely transforms the game with silky smooth feel, stunning visuals and a lovely novelty Notes upgrade that adds to the game rather than takes anything away. While the game does show some age in some areas, this version also shows us a timeless product with a high quality bar, making it comparable – and in some cases better – than anything we’ve seen in the last eight years. And somehow still making us gasp in wonder at its scope. An absolute must-play whether it’s your first time and third.”

“Glover is still a cute little game that really brings back that vintage N64 Platformer vibe with vibrancy and charming music and, at times, really showcases some clever level design and puzzle elements. But it has technical issues and a control scheme that just does not gel well with modern platforms. Couple with frustrating camera angles and some really tedious sections, this one soon becomes very tough to handle.”

“Luck be a Landlord is an enjoyable roguelite to play in waves and blasts but it’s not necessarily the best use of a PS5. More a natural fit for handheld devices, LBAL has a core loop you’ll find yourself keeping coming back to, even when the odds keep stacking against you and the RNG is never in your favor. With ways to customise the experience and a variety of symbols at your disposal, the game has bountiful possibilities, but you’ll feel like it’s stretched to its limits after a while and it no longer enchants so much as it feeds a short term fix.”

“Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is an absolute delight, chock-full of optional extras that fans will revel in, and a narrative journey that takes fun and fascinating twists and turns. Delivered with an unmatched tone and energy, an impressive, evolving art style that enables players to see how the franchise evolves in real time, and some smart mechanics that have been well adapted from handheld systems, this collection is a must for first timers, new fans or old school fans with its variety and consistent quality.”

“Trolls: Remix Rescue fails at almost every hurdle. The awful camera and brutal bugs make it borderline unplayable at times, but equally it’s underwhelming and generally boring as you traverse its unfinished looking environments and repetitive, simplistic gameplay. Even its rhythm based action, local co-op and soundtrack can’t really save this one from being a washout, whether you love Trolls or not.”

“Dreamworks All Star Kart Racing is the best alternative racer in the genre for a long time. There’s a great roster to choose from, kart variety and garage customisation lets you tweak your vehicle how you see fit, and it all looks really well presented and polished. Track variety is a little bit limited and repetitive with only one or two memorable standouts, multiplayer modes could be a bit more varied and the voice acting grates after a while, but this is a really promising start for, what we hope will be, an ongoing franchise with more games to come.”

“Dolphin Spirit – Ocean Mission offers an infectious, important message, the game is calming and relaxing enough to just play casually, and it’s a nice easy going game you can breeze through pretty quick. You can even ride on a dolphin! It’s not always great, it doesn’t play the best on Switch and is a bit of a throwaway experience, but there’s still quite a lot to take and draw from it.”

“The Isle Tide Hotel often tries to be too clever for its own good and it ends up harming the overall experience. It’s hard to care much about the characters because half the time you don’t know what they’re talking about, the UI keeps slowing you down and breaks momentum and pace for the game at almost every key decision, and despite offering ten different endings, you might not even make it to seeing one because the game rarely fails to grip or interest.”

“Rise of the Triad Ludicrous Edition is brutal and a stark reminder of the challenges of shooters from the 90s. It’s also a very full and fulfilling package with four episodes, full 4K support, controller rebinding and even some online multiplayer. At an attractive price point, this is fantastic value for money, but it definitely won’t be a game for everyone. Regardless, Night Dive Studios have yet again proven their understanding, care and attention to detail for the classics and making sure everyone has the opportunity to experience them at their absolute best.”

“Operation Wolf Returns: First Mission doesn’t set the groundwork or foundations for the genre like its predecessor did all those years ago. In fact, it doesn’t seem to have learned anything from the original, despite the modern day revamp in VR and inclusion of haptics. Its problem often is that it was a game designed for VR and the porting to flat just hasn’t gone well between controls and technical issues. It’s passably fun with a buddy in co-op, but once you’ve played through the first mission, you’ve got a pretty good idea of everything the game has to offer. Which is, in all honesty, not that much at all.”

“AK-xolotl is the most entertaining roguelike I’ve played since Nuclear Throne. It nails that sense of pacing, it adds some suitably fresh quirks to differentiate itself and it’s full of belly-busting humour that is rib-cracklingly hilarious. This is an absolute triumph and must-have looter shooter that’s one of the best indie games of the year.”