TheGamerGuide

An enjoyably easy going interstellar hospital management sim that doesn’t take itself too seriously, Galacticare is exactly the sort of game that will gobble up your time without you even realising. With streamlined mechanics and a daft sense of humour, there’s a good dose of fun to be had here. TGG - 7.5/10 Audio 7/10 Some lovely ambient music and gleefully exuberant voice work. Visuals 8/10 Everything runs very nicely and all of the medical machinery is animated impeccably, with all manner of daft weirdness on show. When things get hectic, though, the frame rate can hang a bit. Playability 8/10 A very nicely put together thing, Galacticare is a streamlined and intuitive management sim experience, expertly tailored for console play. Nothing is ever more than a quick button press away. Delivery 8/10 Every one of the campaign levels can be played endlessly as a sandbox, alongside two dedicated sandbox hospitals. This makes for a rather hefty game, stuffed with tens of hours of gameplay. A good one to dip in and out of.

Beautiful materials, enjoyable freedom in sandbox mode, and the addition of a fun minigame in The Floor is Lava all add to the House Flipper 2 experience and make it a game to keep coming back to. TGG - 8/10 Audio 8/10 Well-produced audio, which is very appropriate for the subject matter cleaning and renovating houses. The smooth sounds are relaxing and make it easy to forget that you’re essentially simulating manual labour Visuals 7/10 House Flipper 2 looks much better than its predecessor, which had a more amateurish attempt at 3D modelling. However, the visuals aren’t necessarily the most eye-catching or innovative, at least in their default state. Playability 8/10 With a bunch of different mini games and missions to run through and of course plans for a co-op gameplay mode and additional DLC later in 2024 gives this game an advantage with the amount of playability for the future. Delivery 8/10 Slight teething issues for console and no modders workshop however future support with DLC plans and co-op game plays do bring a good delivery line to set. Anyone who loves decorating and creative design and even those who just love calmly paced, well-designed gameplay will love House Flipper 2.

A bright and vibrant world filled with dull combat and a plodding story. TGG - 6/10 Audio 7/10 Some nice percussion evokes the desert vibe, nothing all too memorable or groundbreaking, but nice enough. Visuals 8/10 A lively art style and some bright cel-shaded colours bring the world of Sand Land to life. Playability 5/10 Some uninspired combat and pretty dull quest design leaves a lot to be desired. Delivery 5/10 The feel of the hand-to-hand combat is stiff and unresponsive, and the vehicle combat, while better, is hardly a joy. Technically, this is polished enough, but overall it feels dull

A remarkably accomplished 2.5D metroidvania platformer, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU melds fluid traversal and combat with an emotional, heartfelt narrative. Its difficulty spikes can be a little off-putting, but it’s worth persevering and pushing through to the end. TGG - 8/10 Audio 8/10 Some really lovely, subtle music from composer Nainita Desai, and excellent voice work from Assassin’s Creed Origins’ Abubakar Salim and a strong supporting cast. Visuals 8/10 Bold and colourful, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU looks fantastic, boasting slick animation and stylish character artwork. There’s no lip sync during cutscenes, though, but who cares? The story is relayed through text boxes and character portraits anyway. Playability 8/10 Smooth and intuitive traversal rubs shoulders with rhythmic, immediate combat. Both are good fun, even if the difficulty is a little unevenly pitched towards the latter parts of the game. ZAU’s mechanics are nice and polished. Delivery 8/10 An expansive world to explore with metroidvania exploration, a range of traversal and combat abilities to master. Again, only those difficulty spikes serve to mar the experience somewhat, making the push to the end a bit of a slog

While Hellblade 2 might not set any new standards with its gameplay, from an audio-visual experience standpoint, it’s frankly stunning. Hellblade 2 is as close to playing the leading role in a big budget movie as you’re likely to get, and Ninja Theory’s continued coverage on the complexities of severe mental health issues deserves to be commended. TGG - 9/10 Audio 9/10 The binaural audio, along with the epic original score and captivating acting means that Hellblade 2 is up there with the best of them. Visuals 10/10 One of the best looking video games of all time, and one of the first times this generation I’ve actually been wowed. Playability 9/10 While the gameplay is fairly simplistic, it perfectly complements the audio-visual experience that Hellblade 2 is clearly meant to be. Delivery 9/10 A cinematic adventure for the ages. With a great narrative, some iconic set-pieces, and fluid pacing, Hellblade 2 makes for a very memorable experience

As remakes go, Alone in the Dark has a hard time measuring up to horror stablemates like Resident Evil. All of the requisite ingredients might be here, but they're poorly realised and implemented, resulting in a game that has its moments, but is hamstrung by shoddy combat, half-baked visuals, and more than its fair share of bugs. TGG – 5 / 10 AUDIO 6/10 Harbour and Comer do a great job in bringing Edward and Emily to life, and the soundtrack enhances Alone in the Dark's eerie atmosphere. Unfortunately, audio cues are a mess, with gramophone music in the world randomly cutting in and out, while gunshots often ring out after a short delay. VISUALS 5/10 The likenesses of both protagonists have been given due care and attention, but the rest of the cast look jarringly different. Environments are nice and detailed, though hampered by minor bugs and frame drops, and some of the monster designs are quite uninspired. Inside Derceto Manor and outside its walls, there are some interesting sights to behold. PLAYABILITY 5/10 Combat and movement is quite janky, exacerbated by the game's choppy performance. Puzzles are the game's strength, although they're not exactly the most complex or compelling examples we've seen in recent years. There's certainly some enjoyment to be had if you can look past the technical shortcomings. DELIVERY 4/10 Take your sweet time with Alone in the Dark and you can plod through it in just under eight hours or so, and you can play again with a different character to experience another side of the story. Secret endings offer further longevity, assuming you can be bothered, of course. Bugs and jank can make each playthrough a slog.

A fantastic roguelite hack and slay game with a fun rhythm twist. Satisfying mechanics that reward smooth and skilful gameplay. TGG - 8.5/10 Audio 9/10 Being a game where the background music is at the forefront, it is imperative for the audio to be good and Byterockers’ Games did a fantastic job. The soundtrack fits nicely with the theme and gameplay flow of the game. Visuals 8/10 The contrast of grungy comic book art style and clean futuristic robots works well in a 90s inspired dystopian Berlin. The character art is fantastic but the environment is not very striking or exciting. Playability 9/10 The unique gameplay mechanics in a roguelite hack and slash makes for a fun and fresh feel. Accessibility options for games who are hearing-impaired. Delivery 8/10 Great gameplay mechanics and will definitely scratch that itch if you’re waiting for Hades 2, but the story elements could be better.

An impeccably made multiplayer dino shooter, Exoprimal has all of the right stuff, but, with only a single mode to play over and over again, it can get quite repetitive rather quickly. TGG – 7/ 10 AUDIO7/10 Somewhat okay tunes that soon fade into the background, perfectly fine voice work, perfectly loud and explosive sound effects and dino roaring. Perfectly fine. VISUALS 8/10 Capcom's RE Engine does the job once again, ensuring that Exoprimal looks quite marvellous as it spawns hundreds of prehistoric beasties into its world. PLAYABILITY 8/10 An immediate, pick-up-and-play shooter that proves consistently enjoyable, even after tens of hours of gameplay. Each exosuit is distinct, helping to mix things up. DELIVERY 6/10 At launch, Exoprimal has only one mode, and the story isn't exactly compelling enough to pull you through. Thankfully, the gameplay will keep you coming back.

After a bit of a difficult start, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth soon manages to hit the gas, its story proving an engaging affair amid an ocean of mini-games and other distractions. This is a massive game, but one you'll want to dive headfirst into. TGG – 8.5 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 As always, Like a Dragon conjures up memorable tunes, although a lot of them have been carried over from previous games. Voice performances (especially the native Japanese language version) are excellent, too. VISUALS 9/10 The series has never been a slouch when it comes to visual loveliness, but Infinite Wealth kicks things up a notch, with rich, detailed character models and environments. Considering the sheer amount of content here, it's remarkable that the level of fidelity is consistent throughout. PLAYABILITY 9/10 If you enjoyed the turn-based RPG action of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, then the evolution of those systems in Infinite Wealth are sure to delight. That's when you're not wrapped up in the myriad diversions peppered across Honolulu and Ijincho, of course. DELIVERY 8/10 You can't have too much **** thing, and that rings true of Infinite Wealth. The issue is that it's all thrown at you during the game's opening chapters. Miss Match dating, dungeons in the Labyrinth, Dondoko Island, Sujimon... It's a lot.

Cutter Slade's long-awaited return has flashes of jetpack-fuelled brilliance, but tiresome missions and a story that fails to engage ensure that playing Outcast: A New Beginning quickly develops into something of a chore. TGG – 6 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 A New Beginning's orchestral score is very good, and actor Luke Roberts gives good snark as protagonist Cutter Slade. VISUALS 6/10 The game's alien world of Adelpha conjures some really lovely sights, but ropey character models and slight performance issues spoil the party. PLAYABILITY 7/10 Cutter's jetpack is never not fun, while the core shooter mechanics are nice and solid. Repetitious mission objectives are not fun, however. DELIVERY 5/10 Long loading times when you die are a pain and there's a dearth of variety when it comes to quests and activities. The story also fails to engage

A fine AA open world action RPG with a compelling story and decent combat, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden might be one of the best games you've never heard of. It deserves more than a ghost of a chance. TGG – 7.5 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 A lack of atmospheric sound seems odd at times, but the voice work is decent (notably Red and Antea's VO) and the ghostly sounds are suitably macabre. VISUALS 8/10 Banishers' slice of 17th Century North America is gloomy and oppressive in places, verdant and bucolic in others. It looks very nice indeed. PLAYABILITY 7/10 The combat isn't the tightest, but the various mechanics and systems are well thought out and executed. Crucially, you'll want to keep playing and pushing forward. DELIVERY 8/10 A fairly expansive world dotted with campfire fast travel points and numerous secrets to uncover. The RPG elements are good, too, but the frame rate is prone to occasional chop.

A fine AA open world action RPG with a compelling story and decent combat, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden might be one of the best games you've never heard of. It deserves more than a ghost of a chance. TGG – 7.5 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 A lack of atmospheric sound seems odd at times, but the voice work is decent (notably Red and Antea's VO) and the ghostly sounds are suitably macabre. VISUALS 8/10 Banishers' slice of 17th Century North America is gloomy and oppressive in places, verdant and bucolic in others. It looks very nice indeed. PLAYABILITY 7/10 The combat isn't the tightest, but the various mechanics and systems are well thought out and executed. Crucially, you'll want to keep playing and pushing forward. DELIVERY 8/10 A fairly expansive world dotted with campfire fast travel points and numerous secrets to uncover. The RPG elements are good, too, but the frame rate is prone to occasional chop.

Dragon's Dogma 2 is a fine follow up to the cult classic original. With some ingenious gameplay and a captivating open-world, it's a stunning fantasy exploration simulator. If some of the main story missions had better structure, and the game didn’t feel so disjointed at times, this could easily be in the conversation to be crowned one of the best action-RPGs of this generation. It's still bloody good, despite that. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 The voice acting is okay, and while the original score is excellent, it could definitely do with some more ambient music to drown out the moments of silence. Also, how are silent protagonists still a thing in 2024? VISUALS 9/10 The open-world is breathtaking at times, and its diversity and scope is one of the game’s selling points. From a character model perspective, though, it’s nothing to write home about. PLAYABILITY 8/10 With plenty of classes to choose from, there's something for everyone here. Plus, there’s nothing more satisfying than climbing up the back of a 30-foot beast and jabbing it in the throat or eye(s). So, so satisfying. DELIVERY 8/10 The open-world is a delight to explore and aside from some wonky main missions, the story is a great excuse to wander around and get lost in the intrigue.

Massively engaging from its first moment to its epic last scene, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is unlike any other remake out there. Not just grand in scale and scope, this is also a deep and involving RPG that's less a chapter in a wider saga, more a sprawling adventure that stands on its own. A fantastic, bravura piece of work. TGG – 9 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 The reworked arrangements of memorable tunes are wonderful, while the voice acting is superb. Something for the nostalgic and newcomer alike. Splendid stuff. VISUALS 9/10 Save for some very minor pop-in, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth looks stunning, rendering its sights in rich, intricate detail. Given its immense scale, Rebirth is an astonishingly attractive game. PLAYABILITY 9/10 Did you enjoy FF VII Remake? Then you'll be equally enamoured with Rebirth, which builds upon the combat mechanics of the previous game, while offering a plethora of new things to explore. And it's all brilliant. DELIVERY 9/10 If you're mainlining the story then you're looking at a solid 30-40 hours. Factor in all of the side quests and various secrets to discover, and you're getting closer to 60-80 hours.

Imbued with a similarly offbeat humour as Starship Troopers and just as gleefully silly and violent, Helldivers 2 also happens to be a fantastic bug blasting co-op shooter, whether played with friends or strangers. It's a thing of beauty. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 Bombastic music, big explosions, zinging bullets, more explosions, chittering bugs, marauding robots. It all sounds perfectly marvellous. VISUALS 8/10 Kick ass armour and beautiful billowing capes, complemented by planet vistas engulfed in swirling fog and hordes of marauding enemies. Wonderful. PLAYABILITY 8/10 Robust and chunk third-person shooter mechanics, backed up by devastating Stratagems that you can call in to help you out in a pinch. Pure, unadulterated fun. DELIVERY 8/10 A decent variety of mission objectives, as well as ample customisation and loadout options for your Helldiver. Thankfully, many of the early teething problems have now been ironed out too.

Cutter Slade's long-awaited return has flashes of jetpack-fuelled brilliance, but tiresome missions and a story that fails to engage ensure that playing Outcast: A New Beginning quickly develops into something of a chore. TGG – 6 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 A New Beginning's orchestral score is very good, and actor Luke Roberts gives good snark as protagonist Cutter Slade. VISUALS 6/10 The game's alien world of Adelpha conjures some really lovely sights, but ropey character models and slight performance issues spoil the party. PLAYABILITY 7/10 Cutter's jetpack is never not fun, while the core shooter mechanics are nice and solid. Repetitious mission objectives are not fun, however. DELIVERY 5/10 Long loading times when you die are a pain and there's a dearth of variety when it comes to quests and activities. The story also fails to engage.

A huge open-world RPG, with brutal combat and an intriguing historical setting. Team Ninja has a winner. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 Inon Zur provides a suitably grand composition to fit the time and place nicely, with some stirring strings. Plus, good sword clangs. VISUALS 8/10 A vibrant and visually arresting setting, with three cities and the surrounding countryside laid out beautifully. PLAYABILITY 8/10 Punchy, savage FromSoftware-inspired combat, with much less of a challenge, and a huge world full of distraction. DELIVERY 8/10 It’s a long game, and at times the diversions throw off the pace, but this is a confident, assured world with plenty to see and do.

Skull and Bones is a dull exercise in checklist progression, spiced here and there with some impressive sailing. TGG – 6 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 Tom Holkenborg summons a suitably piratical score, and the sounds of the sea are all present and correct. VISUALS 7/10 Some arresting sights are spread throughout, but some of the character models are quite ugly. PLAYABILITY 5/10 A lot of Skull and Bones is boring checklist work, peppered here and there with some pleasant sailing. Mainly, it’s dull. DELIVERY 5/10 There is a lot here to keep you busy, as Skull and Bones is a live-service beast. Whether you will want to keep playing is another matter.

As difficult as it might be to go back and discover those games you once loved haven't dated as well as you might have hoped, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is a wonderfully faithful and reverential collection of three classics, and nigh-on essential for new players and misty-eyed nostalgic alike. TGG – 7 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 Aspyr has retained the original soundtrack and voice performances, ensuring this remains the authentic experience you know and love. Those evocative orchestral cues still have the power to elicit goosebumps. VISUALS 7/10 The slick, revamped graphics are excellent, staying true to the spirit of '90s and early-2000s Lara and her adventures, with nice, detailed textures. At the touch of a button, you can also switch between the new visuals and the original games. Nice. PLAYABILITY 7/10 This one's a bit tricky. If, like me, you haven't played those classic TR games since they first launched, then you might be slightly taken aback by how challenging they are. You may have to rewire your brain a bit, and there's no hand holding here. The modern controls are a neat touch, but sometimes, you need the tank controls – thankfully, you can switch at any time. DELIVERY 8/10 Three brilliant PS1-era games, complete with the save anywhere functionality that PC players enjoyed, and their respective bonus levels. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is about as complete a package as you could hope for, lovingly presented. If we're nitpicking, some behind-the-scenes material would have been a nice added extra to have.

An overall wonderful game to play with beautiful environments, music and low-stakes gameplay. It holds a beautiful message about keeping our oceans clean, whilst carrying an energy of warmth and colour. TGG - 9/10 Audio 9/10 Wonderful sound design and music that doesn’t feel too in-your-face or overwhelming. I feel suitably relaxed whilst playing. Visuals 9/10 The graphics are very simple, but the way the environments are coloured and animated make it feel so nice and warm. The effects of the equipment are also brilliant. Playability 9/10 Very easy controls that are smooth and not at all cumbersome. A proper controls menu with the possibility of re-binding would be great, though! Delivery 9/10 A beautifully made game that is very clear in its message but very pleasant to play. A stronger storyline would have been welcome, but it’s understandable that the vibes would have been slightly different with a deeper one.

A fabulous cosy game to play when you just want to let your imagination make up your dream home! TGG - 9/10 Audio 9/10 Simple soundtrack with clear but simple sound design for the environment. Very natural and easy on the ears. Visuals 9/10 Excellent graphics and beautiful environments with great attention to detail. Lots of variation in each scenario. Playability 9/10 Very simple and easy to understand controls. Some abilities can be a little difficult at first but improve over time with the upgrades. Delivery 8/10 A wonderful game, but could use a little more variation with the furniture and décor, as it still feels a little bit limited in choice. But overall an excellent second game!

Persona 3 Reload is an absolutely brilliant remake of a 2006 classic. While the original P3 is effectively where the current behemoth of a franchise marked out its identity, Persona 3 Reload is most certainly the best iteration of that series-defining game that has ever existed. TGG - 9 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 It's Persona 3, but with reworked compositions - what's not to love? The new voice cast will take a while to get used to for veterans, but honestly, I think they're better in the grand scheme of things. VISUALS 9/10 It has the sultry, swaggering style of Persona 5, but somehow looks even better. Persona 3 Reload is basically anime come to life! PLAYABILITY 9/10 Persona 3 Reload plays like Persona 4 using the Persona 5 engine. What's not to love about that? DELIVERY 9/10 One of the biggest criticisms of Persona 3 (and it's spin-offs) was that Tartarus was an immense grind. While Tartarus in Persona 3 Reload has the same number of floors, you can breeze through them in a fraction of the time.

Fluid platforming and frenetic combat, with some lovely spectacle and a dull story. TGG – 7/ 10 AUDIO 7/10 Gareth Coker collaborates with Mentrix to deliver a Middle Eastern medley of strings and woodwind. Exactly the sort of sounds you would expect, though not Coker’s best. VISUALS 7/10 A 2.5-D style and some great spectacle and stylistic flourishes, with some slightly underwhelming character design. PLAYABILITY 7/10 Precise platforming with a pleasing difficulty, and some frenetic counter-driven combat, broken up by some cleverly designed puzzles. DELIVERY 7/10 A polished and nicely paced adventure, with a good blend of platforming and combat, but a dull story.

More than the sum of its parts and some really quite magnificent visuals, Tekken 8 is a truly terrific fighting game, which, in the midst of a resurgence for the genre, is quite something. After thirty years, Tekken 8 proves there's a lot of life left in the series yet. TGG – 9/ 10 AUDIO 8/10 Aggressive techno to complement the aggressive fighting styles and pyrotechnics on show. It fits the bone-crunching action to a tee. There's also a jukebox of tracks from throughout the entire series, which is a nice touch. VISUALS 9/10 Tekken 8 raises the bar when it comes to its graphical fidelity in a fighting game, blowing Mortal Kombat 1 and Street Fighter 6 out of the water. Here, Unreal Engine 5 really showcases how stunning this game is. PLAYABILITY 9/10 Simply superb. 'Special Style' controls mean newbies can get involved, while Tekken veterans can get to grips with new systems and hone their skills with the 'Replay & Tips' feature. Tekken 8 plays like a dream. DELIVERY 9/10 Story Mode, Character Episodes, Arcade Quest, Tekken Ball, a generous online offering, and all of the standard stuff you expect from a fighting game. Tekken 8 is bulging with content and features – there's nothing missing.

Adding No Return and some riveting developer commentary onto what is already an absolutely stellar game makes The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered the perfect package for both new players, and those who are making the upgrade. Just don't expect much of a visual overhaul. TGG – 9 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 The music and acting is still best in class. Throw in the new developer commentary on top of that, and you've got the perfect package. VISUALS 9/10 The Last of Us Part 2 was already one of the best looking games I've ever played, and it still is - even without the massive visual update. PLAYABILITY 9/10 It still plays like a dream, and with No Return, the combat gets a chance to shine even more. DELIVERY 9/10 The developer commentary, Lost Levels and No Return mode, add to what is already a pretty special game.

After a bit of a difficult start, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth soon manages to hit the gas, its story proving an engaging affair amid an ocean of mini-games and other distractions. This is a massive game, but one you'll want to dive headfirst into. TGG – 8.5 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 As always, Like a Dragon conjures up memorable tunes, although a lot of them have been carried over from previous games. Voice performances (especially the native Japanese language version) are excellent, too. VISUALS 9/10 The series has never been a slouch when it comes to visual loveliness, but Infinite Wealth kicks things up a notch, with rich, detailed character models and environments. Considering the sheer amount of content here, it's remarkable that the level of fidelity is consistent throughout. PLAYABILITY 9/10 If you enjoyed the turn-based RPG action of Yakuza: Like a Dragon, then the evolution of those systems in Infinite Wealth are sure to delight. That's when you're not wrapped up in the myriad diversions peppered across Honolulu and Ijincho, of course. DELIVERY 8/10 You can't have too much **** thing, and that rings true of Infinite Wealth. The issue is that it's all thrown at you during the game's opening chapters. Miss Match dating, dungeons in the Labyrinth, Dondoko Island, Sujimon... It's a lot.

Pros Fantastic gunplay: The detailed gunplay is superb from the get-go. Gripping co-op mode: The wide variety of options when selecting or tweaking your squad’s gear opens the door to plenty of tactical possibilities. Varied arsenal: The game offers a wide variety of weapons. Immersive experience: The game really immerses you into the role of a heavily-armed law enforcer, with all the split-second life-or-death decisions that entails. Cons Barebones single-player: The overall package is let down by the single-player Commander Mode. Inconsistent AI: The AI is wildly inconsistent, leading to unfair deaths. Performance issues: The game has been reported to have performance issues since its alpha stage. Controversial content: The game’s focus on depicting real-world events may be too overwhelming for some players. Please note that this review is based on the information available as of December 2023 and the game’s performance and reception may have changed since then. Overall TGG Rating Ready or Not is as an excellent tactical shooter that really immerses you into the role of a heavily-armed law enforcer. However, there are some annoying issues in the single-player campaign and a few conspicuously missing features. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 Great immersive sounds with life like gun recoil and shell drops however slight lack of surround sound and confirmation of where footsteps may arrive. VISUALS 8/10 The game’s visual direction leads to some genuinely disturbing encounters due to its blood-chilling realism but The lighting effects are work very well in bringing atmosphere and providing contrast within each level. PLAYABILITY 8/10 With fantastic gunplay and wide variety of options for you and your squad, a great co op addition and 18 stages to tackle this has hours of great immersive experiences with or without friends. DELIVERY 7/10 With the Lacklustre commander mode and Inconsistent AI meaning this is best played with a lobby full of your friends, however a great immersive setting all around with lots of gore and realism. We can’t wait to see what more they bring in future updates.

Arizona Sunshine 2 shows just what fun the PSVR 2 can be if utilised correctly. I had a blast blowing off limbs of the undead and participating in some extremely satisfying reload animations. It may not win awards for its story, but it's easily one of the best titles to utilise the power and technology of the PSVR 2. There is endless fun to be had alone or with up to four buddies. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 The sound design is equally solid. The zombies sound terrifying, and our protagonist does a great job even though hearing him call every zombie Fred gets annoying rather quickly. VISUALS 8/10 Visually, the game is very impressive. There is plenty of detail worldwide and many more locations than the original, from town neighbourhoods. Hospital buildings and military bases are just a few examples. PLAYABILITY 7/10 Not much of a memorable story, but plenty of fun with Cooperative play and various ways to take down the undead. DELIVERY 8/10 Arizona Sunshine 2 is an absolute blast. With its fantastic and precision gunplay, other titles would do well to follow it in the VR landscape. It may not feature a memorable story, but it’s easy to make your memories with all the various ways to take down the undead.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s true draw is Pandora itself, and while the gameplay can get a little repetitive and samey, there's enough here to keep you engrossed from start to finish. Come for the sights, stay for the sights. TGG – 8.5 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 The perfect complement to Pandora itself, Frontiers of Pandora boasts an original score that oozes class and style at every turn. VISUALS 9/10 Truly one of the most visually inspiring and creative environments you'll perhaps have the pleasure of experiencing. If it wasn't for the odd visual bug, it'd undoubtedly score higher. PLAYABILITY 8/10 Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s gameplay, while not truly outstanding, doesn't match the ambition of Pandora, but is pretty great in its own right, if a little shallow. DELIVERY 8/10 Ubisoft Massive has done a sublime job in bringing Pandora to life and filling it with enough opportunities to truly experience one of the must-see open-worlds. The game's story is thoroughly enjoyable, too, with some great visual set pieces to get swept up in along the way.

A disappointing campaign and a Zombies mode somewhat lacking longevity and in need of a couple of updates, the new entry of Call of Duty intends to aid those thirsting for more multiplayer action and they will enjoy that factor. For anyone who plays for the campaign or is stuck on round based zombies only then maybe Modern Warfare 3 is not for you. TGG – 7 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 Nothing unusual here. The same brand of orchestral pomp, loud gun sounds, explosions and all that. Everyone is gruff and gravelly, too. VISUALS 8/10 Call of Duty always goes big when it comes to visual presentation and high production values, and Modern Warfare 3 is no different. PLAYABILITY 7/10 You've played a Call of Duty game, right? This offers the same kind of tight, intuitive gunplay for which the series is renowned. DELIVERY 6/10 All of the usual modes you'd expect, only, it's all starting to wear very thin indeed. Campaign falls short, and Zombies, although I enjoy it, this is still a dull open world with much more needed. Multiplayer remains robust as usual.

A relatively short side-story it may be, but Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a blistering chapter in Kiryu's journey, a Yakuza 6 epilogue that brilliantly tees up what's next, while delivering on the unadulterated fun and weirdness the series is celebrated for. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 A lot of familiar ditties and a few new ones, as well as all of those recognisable street sounds across Ijincho and Sotenbori. Excellent voice acting, as ever, too. VISUALS 9/10 RGG Studio's Dragon engine ensures lovely rich visuals, as always, although many of the same little bugs persist. Still, this is a gorgeous-looking game brimming with detail. PLAYABILITY 8/10 The brawler side of the Like a Dragon series still has ample mileage, and RGG introduces enough new mechanics to keep things fresh. Crucially, it's still great fun. DELIVERY 7/10 A shorter game, but one that still has an impressive amount of content crammed into it, most of which falls under the Akame Network and its substories.

A lack of polish and a smattering of filler content aside, RoboCop: Rogue City is a good, solid shooter, imbued with a clear love for the movies it's based upon. I'd certainly buy it for more than a dollar. TGG – 7 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 The RoboCop theme makes the cut, while Weller convincingly reprises his role as the title character after thirty-six years. There's an inconsistency to the audio, however, with the robo effect on RoboCop's voice simply not there at times. And why is it almost silent in Old Detroit? Weird. VISUALS 7/10 RoboCop himself looks great, but the quality of the game's NPCs is patchy at best - their skin with texture like orange peel. Frequent texture pop-in can also pulls you out of the game, but environments are packed with plenty of detail. Those puddle reflections and neon signs look lovely, too. PLAYABILITY 7/10 The moment you draw RoboCop's classic Auto-9 pistol from its holster and start filling punks full of lead, it just feels right. Secondary weapons you can pick up pack a nice bit of heft, too, but it's all about that sidearm and that fun shooter gunplay. DELIVERY 7/10 A fairly substantial chunk of single-player shooter campaign, with various choices and consequences to take into consideration, tying into multiple endings. Some extra modes might have helped increase replay value, but what's here is more than decent enough.

Alan Wake 2 might feel slightly different than the original in terms of composition, but it’s still equally as brilliant. With two vastly different campaigns and perspectives, Remedy’s sequel is a great survival-horror game and a fantastic detective drama, boasting one of the best narratives in recent memory. TGG – 9 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 Alan Wake was all about the dialogue and the music, and Alan Wake 2 is no different. It’s atmospheric, it’s uneasy, and when it comes to the licensed music, Remedy has smashed it out the park once again here. Throw in some brilliant characters and performances, and you have something really special here. VISUALS 9/10 From a fidelity standpoint, you can’t fault Alan Wake 2. It’s up there with the best-looking games ever made. It does, however, suffer from bugs and a few frame rate issues every so often, which takes the sheen off of it a bit. PLAYABILITY 9/10 Taking what made the original so successful and adding new layers to it, means that Alan Wake 2 is by definition 'a proper good sequel'. With the Mind Place and Wake able to rewrite realities, Remedy certainly hasn’t rested on its laurels. Alan Wake 2 takes some bold gambles, most of which pay off. DELIVERY 9/10 Whether you’re playing as Saga or Alan, each campaign offers something truly unique and engaging. And whichever campaign you’re in, you’ll be on the edge of your seat from start to finish. A truly wonderful experience with pitch perfect pacing, that almost never outstayed its welcome.

A comforting anthology for diehards, with some disappointing omissions, sweetened by the inclusion of certain curios. TGG – 7 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 Some of the best scores composed for games and featuring full digital track lists to listen to. The scores haven’t been remastered; they’re just presented as is. VISUALS 7/10 Standard ports of the HD Collection, and a low-maintenance port of Metal Gear Solid 1 – beautiful in their day but nothing has been done to them here. PLAYABILITY 7/10 A slew of classic stealth games, all of which hold up very well, and shine a light on modern stealth games in interesting ways – though custom save points would have been nice. DELIVERY 6/10 There are five main games here, totalling well over 60 hours, and there are a number of intriguing curios and oddities. But there are also some disappointing omissions, and the overall lack of effort with the collection is a shame.

Lords of the Fallen is enough to tide you over until the next Souls like and it has some arresting sights, but it lacks a focus of its own. TGG – 6.5 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 It’s your standard blasts of orchestra, mixed with your standard eerie, brooding bits. VISUALS 7/10 Unreal Engine 5 offers some handsome vistas, and it all runs at a smooth frame rate, but the visuals lack character. PLAYABILITY 6/10 The combat is all you would expect, and not an awful lot more. But it has some nice environmental and traversal puzzles. DELIVERY 6/10 A thirty-hour adventure, relatively absent of bugs at launch, after a couple of patches.

A short, but endlessly charming, funny, and in the end, very bittersweet game. Just like the childhood afternoons that inspired it, Lil Gator Game only lasts a few hours, but they’re hours that will stick with you. It’s a game for any aspiring artists or creative types who’ve lost the passion and love for that art. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 From the get-go, the soundtrack is brilliant. It’s hard to define the exact genre, but the mellow melodies that accompany us on Lil Gator’s island hopping journey are so soothing. The mix of woodwind, percussion and other instruments really sell the feel of childhood exploration. I highly recommend playing this game with sound on at all times, the music is just that good. VISUALS 8/10 The warm colours, paired with a bright sun and blue sky, make it incredibly cosy, and listening to water trickle in streams and leaves rustle underfoot as I dash around is like being transported into the physical interpretation of a Headspace soundscape. PLAYABILITY 7/10 Short but sweet, great exploration and a beautiful creative mind to produce such a wonderful game. It is a shame I want more than 4 hours giving there not much umph once you’ve done the game. DELIVERY 8/10 With such a charming, wholesome story about friends, family and fun, all wrapped up into a lovely package, I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing at the brilliant writing and humour. I can confidently say it’s one of the cutest and friendliest games I’ve ever played.

Pete and Miles join forces for a stellar dose of open-world superhero shenanigans, setting a new standard for Marvel video game adaptations. The first one was amazing, but Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is truly spectacular. TGG – 9 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 Pete and Miles get their own themes and ambient tunes, both befitting of their cinematic super heroics. The sound of web shooting from the DualSense speaker is great. VISUALS 9/10 Jaw-dropping. Spider-Man 2's New York City looks stunning, and its cast of characters are rendered in sumptuous detail. One of the best-looking games on PS5. PLAYABILITY 9/10 From the traversal to the combat, every little nut and bolt in Spider-Man 2 has been polished and tightened up. Also, web wings. This is utterly sublime. DELIVERY 9/10 A solid 30 hours of game, with very little filler. Not every side activity hits the mark, but, overall, this is a generously proportioned slab of Spider-brilliance.

On the track, Forza Motorsport is still in pole position, but in terms of content depth and variety, it’s languishing somewhere near the back, being lapped by the competition. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 The cars sound excellent as always. On the flip side, though, there’s very little accompanying music or inspiring voice overs giving us Goosebumps. It’s just the roar of the engine, which isn’t an awful thing. VISUALS 9/10 The car models and overall quality of the visuals are stunning, but the tracks are a little samey and lifeless. PLAYABILITY 9/10 I can’t stress this enough, but Forza Motorsport, when you jump behind the wheel, is still an excellent racing game. Perhaps still the best. If racing games are for you I reckon you could get lost into hours of gameplay here. DELIVERY 7/10 There’s not a lot of truly rewarding content in Forza Motorsport. There’s a career mode which is great, some custom races, and some multiplayer racing. That’s it. It’s all Very underwhelming which is a shame as I do believe other Forza games did offer more but maybe we get additional modes at a later date.

In paring things back and zoning in on what really makes Assassin's Creed special, Mirage emerges as one of the most pure and enjoyable entries in the series for a while. Basim's origin story is certainly one well worth delving into. TGG – 9 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 The score by composer Brendan Angelides is superb, while the voice work is also strong across the board. Truly wonderful stuff. VISUALS 8/10 Like many Assassin's Creed games before it, Mirage has the capacity to conjure some incredible sights, and the level of detail on show is also impressive. And there's the cold blue Assassin's Creed 1 'Iconic Filter', too. PLAYABILITY 9/10 Not a huge amount of change here, other than the revamped combat and renewed focus on stealth. Still, this is almost Assassin’s Creed at its purest. DELIVERY 9/10 While it’s not the biggest AC game by a long stretch, Mirage’s focused, smaller open world is hugely welcome. This is something denser and more detailed, and it’s great.

One part MotorStorm, one part Forza Horizon, The Crew Motorfest is a hugely accomplished open world racing game that brings across the best of The Crew 2, while sprinkling in a few neat ideas of its own. Also, the returning on-the-fly car, plane, and boat switching is enormously welcome. TGG - 8 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 A nice selection of tunes to race along to, some lovely engine noises, and some unnecessary blather. Decent, overall. VISUALS 8/10 Motorfest's rendition of Hawaii is vibrant and inviting, while its glut of different vehicles are rendered in startling detail. Excellent. PLAYABILITY 8/10 Handling that leans more towards immediate arcade-style gratification, The Crew Motorfest offers enjoyable open world racing action aplenty. DELIVERY8 /10 Polished and well-presented, The Crew Motorfest is also stuffed to the gills with activities, events, collectibles, and a diverse selection of vehicles.

FIFA 24 in all but name, EA Sports FC 24 continues the series' tradition of slick, authentic, iterative football, with more Ultimate Team, more Career mode, more Kick Off immediacy... more of the same. TGG - 7 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 Another eclectic mix of tracks, mostly from artists I've never heard of. The commentary is perfectly fine, and the match day atmosphere is about as good as it gets. VISUALS 8/10 Everything from the player likenesses to the blades of grass on the pitch are rendered in intricate detail. Some player faces are a mite iffy, however, and the fans in the stands behave like dead-eyed androids. PLAYABILITY 8/10 Have you played a FIFA game recently? Then you'll doubtless be well acquainted with the nuances of FC 24. This is much the same on a fundamental level, which is no bad thing. Authenticity takes a hit whenever Wolves win a match, though, and I say that as a wounded fan. DELIVERY 6/10 To put it bluntly, on Xbox, Volta Football mode is ****. Ultimate Team still has the capacity to leech away countless hours of your life, though, and while we can take or leave many of the other modes, there's a lot to be said for the simple pleasures of FC 24's Kick Off mode.

I overall absolutely adored this game. It is genuinely hard to pick out any flaws though there were a few small ones in terms of some game-breaking glitches or frame issues. But other than that, it was an incredible experience, with the possibility of having so many more incredible experiences. Thank you Larian Studios for such an incredible game! TGG - 9.5/10 Audio 10/10 A beautiful soundtrack along with incredible sound effects. The combat feels so much more satisfying with the well thought-out sound design, and the music in every area of the game and dialogue scene feels impactful and emotional. Visuals 10/10 Beautiful environments and use of colour. I found myself just stopping and staring at the views for a few minutes, much to the annoyance of some of my friends. The magical effects in combat and the motion capture of the characters in the dialogue scenes were amazing! Playability 9/10 The mechanics of the game are very easy to understand and are very smooth, with the choice of using mouse and keyboard or a controller. That is to say, there were a few minor issues with framerate, small glitches and one game-breaking crash. All of which were patched very quickly! Delivery 10/10 Amazing story with so many different ways of experiencing it. It’s a game that can be played over and over again with the sheer amount of detail in every single area . An S tier game through and through.

A thoroughly enjoyable game overall, though I think it could definitely do with having an AI match that allows new players to get used to the controls and how a typical round runs before being thrown into lobbies with much more experienced players! TGG - 8.5/10 Audio 9/10 Incredible sound design throughout. The music itself was amazing, but the overall sounds were terrifying, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I played. Very well done! Visuals 9/10 Very good visuals and graphics. Some of the scenes were absolutely brutal but in the best way. The aethetics of the game capture the films extremely well, and everything runs smoothly without any/much need to change the settings. Playability 8/10 The controls are very smooth and straight forward, but I do think that providing all of the tasks and such via multiple videos is a little overwhelming for a new player. I believe it would be better to have a ‘training’ mode for players to use in order to get used to how a typical round functions. Delivery 9/10 Incredible aesthetics, well designed characters and very well thought out mechanics. This game is a hugely refreshing addition to the asymmetrical horror game scene and I cannot wait to see what additions the devs have in mind for it!

Phantom Liberty goes some way towards washing away the sins of Cyberpunk 2077's messy launch, delivering a fantastic, bitesize Cyberpunk standalone experience - within the confines of the base game. With some truly memorable and innovative set-pieces, an explosive narrative that keeps you second-guessing at every turn, Phantom Liberty is everything you'd want in a spy thriller, made all the more exciting by the setting and advancements in technology. It's just a shame that this is the only major Cyberpunk expansion we’ll see, as it feels like CD Projekt RED has finally found its feet in Night City. Cyberpunk 2077’s sequel can't come soon enough. TGG – 9 / 10 AUDIO 9/10 An absolutely stunning soundtrack with perfectly finished voice acting, great work done with Idris Elba of course, this DLC brings crisp audio with the beautiful narration and with the right set up that really makes you feel in the moment. VISUALS 9/10 With update 2.0 this game looks beautiful on all platforms after ironing out 99% of all bugs now is the time to dive into Cyberpunk, with next gen technology for console and PC this is truly a beautifully visual game. PLAYABILITY 9/10 Whatever your playstyle, whether it be stealth, charm, hacking, brawler or master of arms, combined with Cyberpunk’s RPG mechanics, it’s an absolute joy to play and with this DLC brining a whole new area to explore giving you a ton of quests main and side to really dive into bringing hours of joy and excitement. DELIVERY 9/10 Great story, fantastic additions to the game, a free update prior to this making the game 1000x better than launch, I believe this game brings so much to the table now and is not to be missed, so what are you waiting for? pick up a copy with this DLC today!

Taking inspiration from Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Lies of P leads the pack of FromSoftware imitators. It has an intriguing and arresting world and some brutal, assured combat. With a hollow hero in the middle. TGG - 8/10 AUDIO 7 / 10 Swooping orchestral numbers for the boss fights, eerie quiet and mournful passages during exploration. Perfectly fine. VISUALS 8 / 10 Puddles of gore and gothic architecture, with a striking turn-of-the-century Parisian look. Yarnham meets Paris is a winner. PLAYABILITY 8 / 10 Punishing combat is a good blend of Bloodborne and Sekiro, with a few quirks of its own. Sharpening your bade is always fun and tense. DELIVERY 8 / 10 Lies of P is polished and assured. It offers over thirty hours of main story and lots of optional bits, too.

A thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing voyage of soul-searching self-discovery, Sable is also a rewarding jaunt across an otherworldly desert that involves climbing, hover biking and gliding which is rather very good. TGG - 7.5 / 10 Audio 8/10 Wonderful music from Michelle Zauner of indie rock outfit Japanese Breakfast, Sable’s ambient soundscape fits Shedworks’ gently-paced adventure perfectly. There’s no spoken dialogue, but it’s the sort of game that doesn’t really need it. Visuals 8/10 Elegantly simple but incredibly effective, Sable’s flat, cel-shaded visuals are colourful, dynamic, and very pretty. It’s just a shame about the handful of visual glitches and sometimes choppy frame rate. Playability 7/10 While your hoverbike is prone to swaying and rolling about the place when at full speed, riding across the desert is enjoyable. Climbing, jumping, and hovering as you explore Midden’s various landmarks also proves quite compelling. DELIVERY 7/10 You could earn three badges, claim a mask, and finish Sable’s Gliding in the space of a few hours, but ideally you’ll want to stick around to explore further quests and earn more masks. What’s here is good, but it’s slightly lacking in technical polish.

As solid as it’s ever been on the court, NBA 2K22 is still an astonishingly good sports game but its continued reliance on microtransactions in MyCareer and MyTeam leave a sour taste. TGG – 7 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 Hip-hop tunes that fit the bill, and commentary that still ranks as the best in the business. Great stuff. VISUALS 8/10 Excellent, as always, but really only the most subtle of iterations over last year’s game. Sweaty player models look realistic, but again, there’s something about their eyes. PLAYABILITY 7/10 Some meaningful tweaks to dribbling and the stamina system make for a more considered, tactical game of basketball. DELIVERY 6/10 A fully-featured and comprehensive package, MyCareer's massive 'The City' is ripe with quests and other opportunities. Sadly, the presence of Virtual Currency to improve your player mars the experience.

Kena: Bridge of Spirits is an absolutely stunning game on the eyes and ears but is perhaps a little too much style over substance. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the mechanics, they can at times feel fairly shallow, but thankfully things don’t really get too repetitive or boring. Kena’s main issue is its bugs, especially those of the game-breaking variety. Still, despite that I did really enjoy my time playing Kena and am very much looking forward to hearing more about a sequel which we do hope is forthcoming. TGG – 7.5 / 10 UDIO 10/10 Just fantastic. From start to finish. It’s definitely one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in quite some time – and the voice acting was pretty stellar too. So chock full of emotion! VISUALS 9/10 If you’re playing on PS5, like we did, the game looks utterly fantastic, and it’s hard not to get lost in developer Ember Lab’s transcendent world or get swept up by its wondrous visual style. The game actually looks great on the PS4 and PS4 Pro too, so Ember Lab must be commended for that. PLAYABILITY 7/10 Incredibly simple, with not a lot of depth; but credit where it’s due, even with those limitations, Kena hardly ever gets boring. The platforming is a little underwhelming and finicky, though. DELIVERY 7/10 The game is definitely far too formulaic, and unfortunately littered with some pretty major, potentially game-breaking bugs.

Far Cry 6 is without a doubt Ubisoft’s most ambitious entry into the series, offering a huge map and more activities than you could possibly want. Giving us a classic Far Cry experience the whole way through, with a smattering of new ideas and fresh takes, Far Cry 6 is perfect for fans of the series. Although some of the newer mechanics don’t seem to have the desired effect, I can still safely say that this is my favourite entry into the series to date, and I recommend you book a trip to Yara as soon as you can. Viva Libertad! TGG – 7.5 / 10 AUDIO 7/10 The tunes playing on a vehicle's radio may have you reaching for the 'off' switch, but the voice performances are excellent. Looping, repeated dialogue during gameplay definitely isn't. VISUALS 8/10 A really attractive game, Far Cry 6's island of Yara is the most diverse location in the series to date, with lush jungle, sparkling waterfalls, and detailed urban regions. PLAYABILITY 7/10 If you've enjoyed any of the previous Far Cry games, then you'll settle right back into a familiar rhythm here. The Far Cry gameplay loop is still immensely enjoyable. DELIVERY 7/10 But we've been here and seen most of it all before. The levelling system seems largely perfunctory, there are one or two annoying bugs, and it's all a mite on the shabby side.

While it has one or two irksome flaws, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is, nonetheless, a fine solo experience, with characters that you'll enjoy spending time with, fast-paced combat, and an engaging original story. TGG – 8 / 10 AUDIO 8/10 A fantastic '80s soundtrack and excellent voice performances across the board, Guardians of the Galaxy simply sounds great. VISUALS 8/10 In Quality Mode, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy looks lovely, but the frame rate can occasionally chug, even on new-gen consoles. Performance Mode is far better, still looking slick, locked to 60fps. PLAYABILITY 8/10 Combat is fast, frenetic, and fun, while traversal, exploration, and platforming is tight and enjoyable. There's little, if anything, not to like here. DELIVERY 8/10 A well-paced story, marred only by occasional visual bugs or bothersome glitches that require a quick checkpoint reload. Nothing major.