1. Halo Infinite - Heroic Run - 6 Hours - 10/10 - Xbox Series X

Straight to the top of Halo Campaigns for me, giving you both the intense indoor firefights but now a huge version of the second mission from CE, Halo. The Halo Combat Loop/30 seconds over and over never gets old, add in the awesome grapple combat features, just makes Halo combat its finest ever. You can say the ring isn’t hugely populated with a myriad of things but what’s there makes sense and more than makes it worth discovering, and if you don’t want to you can just go from one level to the next and have your normal Halo campaign mixed in with a tiny bit of travel from each starting point.

The weapons, vehicles, enemies are probably the best mix yet and whilst the AI doesn’t make that jump you’d always wish it would in a Halo game it’s the same as you see anywhere these days and it looks like there’s gonna have to be something out of the blue that drives it forward. Feels like there’s been no significant jump since the time of C.E or Fear.

Personally I loved the story, it’ll help I read all the books and love the universe but I didn’t think it was tough to follow or too weak to care about which I’ve heard a lot of.

The extra ‘RPG’ mechanics are a nice addition but really can again be ignored depending on how you wanna play it. I upgraded everything but only really used two of the additions, and now going through it on legendary maybe others will become invaluable but I’m not so sure. I like the additions though, searching for them and finding other secrets and bits and pieces scattered over the ring was aces too.

I loved the FOB’s, HVT’s and extra missions as they just opened the world too, offered some great weapon customisations which I then used exclusively and they added a little more narrative too.

Co-op would have been nice but considering it’ll be played for years there’ll always be reasons fo go back. Forge I’m not interested in anyway. And a level select in an open world? Is there many of those? I can understand peoples disappointment but maybe I’m lucky that I’m not that bothered, especially when the rest is that good.

Loved it. Absolutely loved it. My game of the year.

This was my second run to grab all the level collectibles. Still a 10.

2. The Gunk - 5 Hours - 6.5/10 - Xbox Series X

Very much enjoyed that. Nice simple and straightforward ‘chill’ kind of game. Very little to it but that’s why being so short and sweet works for it. Loved the beautiful green environment and the opposite Matrix machine City look, and it was all very pretty.

Characters were charming and their relationship and dialogue added a little to the game also. Decent little play.

3. RE-Make- 10 Hours - 9/10 - Xbox Series X

After watching the new movie felt like going through a few of the Resi’s again, so where else would you start. Played it a million times but still such a great game. Got it’s little issues that time makes even worse, but it’s more then forgivable.

4. RE2 REmake- 10 Hours - 9/10 - Xbox Series X

Continuing the series play through (of the ones I want to play) it still blows my mind how I got to play such a perfect reimagining of one of the best games ever. It’s pacing is perfect, just non stop action with no drop off AND it keeps giving you more and more to play with as you go through it.

Onto number 3…

5. RE3 REmake- 4 Hours - 10/10 - Xbox Series X

Continuing the series play through (of the ones I want to play). Best Resi currently. Just so f’ing good. Little short but as it’s non-stop mental action that’s fine with me. Tons of weapons, awesome Nemesis, batshit Resi story, perfect.

Onto number 4…

6. RE4- 12 Hours - 6/10 - Xbox Series X

Wow…still one of the best games ever but after playing the REmakes of 2 and 3 it’s such a long, bloated, boring mess. Obviously deep down I’m aware it’s one of the best games ever made but playing it now is simply not fun anymore…All time 10/10 but after those two and right now a 6 is being kind…

7.Dying Light 2- 6 Hours - 5/10 - Xbox Series X

Didn’t think this would be to my tastes but had nothing else to play and got it for £16…still wasted…Not that it’s a bad game at all, just feels aimless and like it’s trying to do too many things at once without really succeeding at any of them. Think it’s a pattern with me and first person open world games, unless they’ve got a strong story or are part of a franchise I like they just never really catch me. Binned.

8.Sifu- 6 Hours - 5/10 - PS5

Another picked up in the lull. Another quitter. Completed half of it and whilst I enjoyed it somewhat, nowhere near enough to carry on. Just too much work. Never have been one to remember a number of combos etc, thought I’d be able to muddle through but with the age thing it just becomes a farce. Some great set-pieces and a very well made game, nice visual style and the soundtrack/sound is brilliant. But just too much hard work for me to be able to enjoy it.
Binned.

9.Horizon Forbidden West - 50 Hours - 9/10 - PS5

One of those few games you’re actually disappointed when you finish as you just wanted more. Loved this. The story, the characters, the missions, side missions, cauldrons, absolutely loved it and just wanted more and more, despite the fact the combat is still pretty woeful.

Visually it’s an absolute stunner, easily the prettiest PS5 game and so probably the best looking game I’ve seen. Characters, environments are absolutely beautiful and the details on the machines are incredible. Sound design too is awesome with the tiniest effects coming through perfectly when destroying the beautiful machines with pieces of them raining down on Aloy.

The story opens up and keeps giving right until the end with loads of interesting characters and twists. I genuinely enjoyed it and that’s what kept me interested as the combat has not got any better since the first.

The ranged combat with all sorts of bows and throwers is technically perfect, yet even with top tier weapons and ammo types almost all of the enemies can be such huge sponges. Shooting off all the destructible parts of them then still having to shoot arrow after arrow into them is a little tiring and in some of the fights just gets kind of boring. What’s worse though is the melee, without a lock-on, block or parry it’s just not very fun or difficult, to add insult to injury there are times when your enemy will knock you down and Aloy takes so long to get up the next attack will keep you stunned with it taking an eternity and lots of lost health before you can get back up and back in the fight. Some really simple changes would make a huge difference here and make the CQC a good alternative instead of an annoyance.

But it says everything about the game that even with such a huge part of it, and my favourite part of any game being such a let down it still scores so highly. It’s just an absolutely beautiful game with great, interesting characters and a story that sucked me in. Loved it. 9/10.

10. Gears of War Ultimate - 6 Hours - 10/10 - Series X

Just wanted something simple and awesome to shoot shit up. So one of the best examples of cover shooters ever.

As awesome as ever if not very, very simple. Which is no bad thing. Always an ace playthrough. Does what it does perfectly. 10/10

11. TLOU 2 - 22 Hours - 5/10 - PS5

Not sure why I thought playing this again was a good idea. Yes it’s stunning and technically brilliant in every way. But it’s just grim, depressing, horrid and sad in every other way. What a horrible game. Never will I play either of them again. Such a depressing game from start to finish with characters that you have no positive feelings for and make the wrong decisions over and over. Bloody horrid. So much worse when you’re playing knowing it all just gets worse at every turn.

Nob head. 5/10.

12.Godfall Ultimate Edition - 10 Hours - 6/10 - Series X

Wasn’t too keen on this when I played it through on PS5 but got it dirt cheap and heard they’d fixed a lot of things. They haven’t really. It’s still a simple hack and slash needing little skill but it looks pretty and it’s fairly short…

Not a terrible game by any means, just a very simple A-B slasher without any real story or real depth. An easy 6 really, grab it for something to play through if you can get it cheap. 6/10.

13. Guardians of the Galaxy - 20 Hours - 6/10 - Series X

What a massive shame. Great little story. Captures the GotG vibe perfectly. Looks and sounds great. Plays pretty great. Even the abilities and managing your team and using them is handled well. But…after about an hour, the combat is so unbelievably boring that…it’s unbelievable.

How they can get so much right, then make the billion combat sessions so unbelievably boring I doing know. And I love shooting and hitting stuff. Another massive gripe is until the last mission I have to tell Groot to build a bridge every-time, Rocket to open a door, Drax to smash a wall or Gamora to cut up some pipes, and every time it’s annoying. Then during the last mission they realise…they can just do it themselves. Way to get so much right, and then such a massive thing so terribly and boringly wrong.

What a disappointment. Would have loved this to have deserved more. 6/10.

14. SIFU - 5 Hours - 7/10 - PS5

This was one of my given up on games but with the introduction of the ‘easy mode’ I went back. I did like it before but simply not enough to get into the flow of it, remembering the moves, counter moves etc, never been a fight man’s and this does kinda need it. But with the new mode it becomes a fun modern scrolling button Mashable beat em-up which was hella fun.

Just burned through it in a couple of sittings and finished it having only added a couple more years but it was nice just playing it for fun instead of getting irritated knowing progress was pretty much impossible when you’d reached a certain age and still had the boss etc.

Definitely worth it now as if you don’t get on with the tougher journey you can just switch it up and be a badass.

15. Trek to Yumi- 7 Hours - 6/10 - Xbox Series-X

Strange one this, feel almost the exact same as Moot. There’s a score it should be as it’s so very repetitive without ever really expanding on your moves to make it very different or worth switching up combo’s etc. Everything looks the same, and it throws some crap puzzles at you maybe two thirds of the way in which are super simple and just get in the way…but…it’s just always cool being a badass Samurai.

The samey samey combat does look and feel ace when it all flows and you take out several enemies with finishers and deft strikes, doesn’t happen as often as it should but when it does it’s aces.

That’s the problem and the best part of this, when it works it’s ace and cool, when it doesn’t it’s just clumsy and so limited. Hopefully they go on to improve their formula. 6/10.

16. Gears 2 - 8 Hours - 8/10 - Xbox Series X

What a ride. It’s just a war from beginning to end. No real down points or sections. Just blast after blast in terms of firefights, explosions and vehicles/beasts to ride. And what a ride it and they are. Shame I’m playing through these when there’s talk of The Marcus Fenix Collection. Though I’ll do it all again then as they’re that good AND there’s fuck all else coming out really.

Solid 8/10

17. Gears 3 - 8 Hours - 10/10 - Xbox Series X

‘What a ride. It’s just a war from beginning to end. No real down points or sections. Just blast after blast in terms of firefights, explosions and vehicles/beasts to ride. And what a ride it and they are. Shame I’m playing through these when there’s talk of The Marcus Fenix Collection. Though I’ll do it all again then as they’re that good AND there’s fuck all else coming out really. ‘

So that’s what I said about Gears 2…just increase the awesome even more and you’ve got 3. More of everything including sad little times when Dom and Adam die. It’s just literally perfect. Wouldn’t change a damn thing. They don’t make em like they used to.

She’s the perfect 10.

18. Turtles Shredders Revenge- 6 Hours - 6/10 - Xbox Series X

Well that was…ok. Presentation is lovely, great nostalgia vibes and the soundtrack is pretty awesome, but it’s so very samey samey without offering any kind of change to the formula. And the bosses, kinda pointless really. It was still fun and another win for Gamepass as I’d have probably bought it, but I definitely expected more.

6/10

19. Ninja Gaiden Sigma - 9 Hours - 5/10 - Xbox Series X

Yeah…another one for now I’m abandoning…it’s good but Christ it’s boring. No real tactics or change of anything in each encounter, just repeat, repeat, repeat…so completely bored with it I get a headache every time I play it now…

5/10

20.Ghost of Tsushima - Directors Cut - 20 Hours - 10/10 - PS5

Even better the second time around. One of the games of last gen to me. Absolutely beautiful, even more so now, the sound design is stunning, the use of the DS pad really adds to the game instead of feeling gimmicky, the story engaging and got me ‘totes emosh’ all over again at the end. The gameplay has all the usual open world elements but it never seems to get tiresome here. The combat is chunky and satisfying with a number of ways to tackle every encounter along. The different stances to better tackle different types of enemy that you can easily change on the fly whilst moving between a number of them dealing death and looking AWESOME doing it just adds even more layers.

Another game I can’t find any fault with. So can’t be anything less than a 10 for me. Love it.

10/10

21.The Quarry - 10 Hours - 7/10 - Xbox Series X

Me and the Mrs love playing games from this genre together so we were quite hyped for this especially as it seemed to come out of nowhere, though unfortunately it fell slightly shy of what we expected.

It’s by no means a bad game, and technically it’s massively impressive for the most part. Looks sublime, sounds great, plays great, though the water effects are absolutely awful…Added some new bits and pieces into the formula, a rather pointless hold your breath mechanic but at least it’s something, and a few more choices instead of just directions or button presses. The story is teen flick horror which is exactly what you’d expect and it plays out nicely for the most part, but sometimes all of a sudden the characters or story will be somewhere else at the beginning of a chapter leaving you wonder what you missed somewhere and if it was because of a choice you made or just bad storytelling.

Our play through ended a little earlier as we got everyone killed…which was fun in itself, and we’ll have another go when it’s a little darker at night as it’s not right playing stuff like this in the summer.

Plays nicely, looks great for the most part, had a few scary bits and jumps, but odd storytelling, and some woeful water effects mean it’s just a decent addition to the play-a-movie genre. Definitely worth it for those that like this kinda thing in and around £25.

7/10

22.Spidey Miles Morales - 10 Hours - 7/10 - PS5

Second time through this, just stuck to the main missions as I remember them being a little tiresome and just wanted to enjoy the story and again it was a good bit of fun. Played it on the 120 Performance mode and whilst it looked great it wasn’t as stunning as I had pictured it would be. But it’s still so much fun swinging around and kicking ass.

Good little fun campaign with some aces set pieces. Still suffers from too much combat that’s too simple to have any depth so it’s just too much by the end and I try avoid it at all costs. Don’t think I’ll ever touch it again but that second time through was fun.

7/10

23.Kena- Bridge of Spirits - 11 Hours - 7/10 - PS5

This is one of those games I’ve very much wanted to play but been very unsure how much of ‘my kinda thing’ it would be. Was waiting for the right price but even better got a lend from Moot, but really, it would have been worth the £20/25 you can find it.

The best praise I can give it is it’s like an ‘N64 Zelda life’. Quick and simple puzzles, lots of bosses after every little bit of progression, a little adventuring but it does guide you down the path and there’s little off it. But the movement, the combat, the weapons, it’s all very N64 Zelda. Even the characters and the Rot would fit in perfectly. And that’s some praise in my book.

It’s short and sweet and pulls on the heartstrings a little and the best way to describe it is, it’s a nice little game that doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. Doesn’t bring anything new to the party but everything there is well done and very welcome. Nice little game.

7/10.

24.Days Gone - 20 Hours - 9/10 - PS5

Still amazes me that this game isn’t considered one of the absolute best of last gen. It looks absolutely stunning, surely on a par with N.D’s even though on a much bigger scale in terms of the open world game. The story is decent, though you can see the vast majority of it coming it’s still enjoyable with lots of good characters and fun twists. The gameplay is as you’d expect in an open world but the scale is good and the games version of ‘events’ fit in perfectly with the nests to clear etc. Thoroughly enjoyed this again and even more disappointed there’s no sequel coming.

Great bit of gaming.

9/10

25.The Last of Us Pt1 - 12 Hours - 8/10 - PS5

I mean, it was The Last of Us Pt1. Looked great, sound wasn’t as good as I’d expect using a 7.1 atmos system, was as heartbreaking a story as ever, but I certainly didn’t ‘love it’ as much as I thought I would again. Maybe it’s because it’s my third time though? Maybe it’s because it’s a very straightforward ‘corridor’ campaign with little variation possibilities so it always pretty much the same? It was still an excellent point in gaming, but I definitely don’t think it was necessary for people like me that have played it in it’s other iterations. It just looked like I remember it…I know it didn’t look like this, but that’s how I remember it.

Still great, but I expected more for some admittedly unrealistic reason. At least it’s still a much better game than it’s absurdly miserable sequel.

8/10

26. Cyberpunk 2077 - 50 Hours - 10/10 - Xbox Series X

Verecocha’2021 wrote:

I was going to give this a 9 not a 10, but I absofuckingloutely loved this game. Only met a few tiny tech flaws but in spite of them it drew me in completely, that pushes it passed a 10 in my eyes. Had me really thinking about pretty much every choice as I really struggled as to which one was right for V. Really made me think about the development of my build and how I wanted to play. Really enjoyed the main story as well as the vast majority of the supplementary story lines and characters. And I’m a total lover of the genre and for me it was nailed.

I may have overused fast travel and I may have played it a bit too close to a thorough FPS when there are plenty more options, but that’s exactly how I wanted to play it and I love that I could just play it like that and not really feel like I was missing out.

Will add more but I love that though bits are broken it’s still one of the finest games I’ve played. Loved it. 10/10.

And I was ABSOFUCKINGLOUTELY right. What a game. Even better now, I didn’t have a single tech fault, it had the Series X graphic upgrade and this time I pumped EVEN MOAR points etc into playing it like a maniacal FPS. Made a few different choices and picked a different ending which I still feel bad about, but it’s a testament to how good so much of this game is that it still made me really consider so many choices and that some storylines were really difficult to take part in with the content.

Absofuckingloutely love this game. Can’t wait for the expansion to immerse myself in it again. Those 50 hours absolutely flew by.

10/10.

27.Super Mario World - 8 Hours - 8/10 - Switch

Played this on Holiday and don’t think I’ve played it since finishing it on the SNES in 92. Can’t really say much about it aside from it’s still an incredible platformer that now feels a little short with a million simple type levels and a few excruciatingly irritating ones.

Absolute classic, 8/10.

28.Super Mario World 3D - 10 Hours - 7/10 - Switch

This was kinda fun but, this and pretty much Mario for the last 20 years has been something I just run through, and though I collect as many of whatever bizarre level unlocking currency there is, I never really want to go back and dig for more.

It’s always quite interesting and clever but it’s always the same really, which isn’t a bad thing at all, I just always think it’s gonna blow me away and it ends up just being a good solid Mario.

Another good Mario…7/10

29.Star Fox - 2 Hours - 5/10 - Switch

I mean…this was good…but so bad. Has not aged well. Just feels awful, looks awful, the sound is decent, but after a few goes it’s still fun somehow. Ran through the campaigns and then tried the second before deciding somehow it was even worse and gave up.

They could make it…but…should they have done?! Memories smashed 5/10

30.CoD: Modern Warfare 2 - 15 Hours - 9/10 - Xbox Series X

Same as every CoD, could copy and paste this review every year. Looks great, sounds awesome, batshit mental, smooth as fuck and the gaming version of a Steak, it won’t last long, it might be a bit fatty, bloody or chewy in bits, BUT you’re gonna love every fucking bite.

Felt a little slower than some of the other CoD’s but it just always works. Absolutely had a blast, 9/10.

31.God of War ‘18 - 13 Hours - 10/10 - PS5

What I said in 2018:
God of War -
- 14 Hours - 10/10 - PS4 Pro
Incredible game, absolutely loved it. Would of been happy with another 10 hours of it. Absolutely stunning, one of the best looking games I’ve ever seen. Every inch of it lovingly crafted as were the stories behind them. Absolutely loved it. The combat left a little to be desired but at the same time it suited the weight and abilities of the character. Couldn’t recommend this more and sad it’s over.

And that still hasn’t really changed. Still stunning, still moving, still a 10/10. Ragnarok time.

Hello.
1. Unpacking (PC)
2. Sonic CD (PC)
3. A Monster's Expedition (Switch)
4. Cybernator (SNES)
5. Steel Assault (Switch)
6. New Super Mario Bros 2 (3DS)
7. Batman: The Brave and the Bold (DS)
8. Sonic Advance (GBA)
9. Spider-Man: The City that Never Sleeps (DLC) (PS4)
10. Invisible, Inc. (PS4, iOS)

1. Ketsui Deathtiny (PS4) - 3/1 - 8hrs so far
A true masterpiece of the genre, Ketsui is a GoaT shmup. A delicate balance to scoring well without being too complicated and ramps up the difficulty nicely and uniformly through its 5 stages. A tad difficult for me on arcade, but I’m just rubbish despite enjoying shmups so much.
M2 have once again created a great overall package as they did with Battle Garegga, with a perfect arcade port as well as 3 other versions, including the titular Deathtiny mode which plays quite differently. That, and also a training mode for practising sticking points. Rounding it all up is the attention to detail with all the information available on the sides of the screen, highlighting the nuances of the system.
One of the best.
[9]

2. Esp RA.DE. Psi (PS4) - 23/1 - 13hrs so far
Not quite Ketsui-level of greatness, but great nonetheless. Took a little longer to warm to it, but it’s a great shmup with a decent scoring system. Usual care by M2 with the overall package and UI and data/info.
Dangun Feveron next!
[9]

3. It Takes Two (PS5) - 24/1 - 14hrs
Thoroughly enjoyable co-op game with some good platforming and co-oping and also a little competitive in places. Main characters were mostly annoying though and it felt a little long, but overall I recommend it to anyone looking for some easygoing fun co-op action.  
[8]

4. Elden Ring (SeX) - 23/4 - 200hrs
This will be no news to anyone, but this is an incredible game.  Average of 3 hours a day over 59 days, this took over my life for a while, and still does as I tackle NG+.  No other game released so far or due to be released this year will come close.
It's basically open-world Dark Souls 4.  That is a good thing.  But also ever so slightly a bad thing.  While I prefer Bloodborne and Sekiro for their tighter and more refined combat and less bloat (see below), this is now my favourote Souls game - despite Demon's having a special place for me for introducing it all.

I'll just do a list of postives and negatives.

+ Aesthetically, and artistically, this is possibly the most beautiful game I have played.  I spent many a moment just looking around and gawping at the beauty of it all.  Very early on, I found myself thinking that if they did a big artbook for this (and I'm sure they will), I'll be sure to buy it.  And I'm hoping Cook & Becker do some art prints for this.  Will happily have nice ones on my wall.
+ The world building is, once again, second to none.  It seems to be FromSoftware's USP almost as no other developer does it this well.  Individual areas with their own look and feel that seamlessly and cohesively joined to make a believable world, dungeons are mazes and a delight to explore and unravel with their hidden paths and shortcuts, beautiful architecture and surroundings that make you ooh and aah and wonder at the history and events.
+ Abundance of characters with their own stories and quests, again helps toward building a more believable world (within the context of the story and setting).  But also gives plenty of distraction from the main quest and helps flesh out more of the lore and narrative.
+ Speaking of which, as always it is a great pleasure trying to piece together the story and history and the lore.  FromSoftware give you enough to go on to think and hypothesise and discuss, and hold back just enough to leave the intrigue.  Masters of the trade.  Can possibly see the GRRM influence and contribution.
+ The moment to moment feel of discovering a new cave, tomb, hidden area, new map and lots more besides.  I will never forget the first time I saw some of the things that I saw.
+ Combat and mechanics have been improved over previous Souls games.
+ Huge scope, as always, for repeat playthroughs with different builds.
+ Some great music.

- It's just basically Dark Souls!  While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it can sometimes feel a bit too familiar.
- Suffers from the same bloat, with far too many weapons and items, most of which will never get used.  Another reason why I prefer SekiroBorne.
- Too many bosses and reused ones at that.  First time I fought someone, it was amazing.  Second time, meh.  Third and fourth time?  Oh, come on!
- Some minor UX and UI issues, but not worth getting into here.

The negatives are minor quibbles.  An easy [10].
[10]

5. Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch) - 11/10 - 5-10hrs
Played through in co-op with my boy. Some ok/good bits, some bad bits, but mostly utterly meh. Average to the bone. At least the boy really enjoyed it, was his birthday present back in May.
[5]

6. Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (PS5) - 23/11 - ?hrs
First playthrough was online 4-player and was a bug-ridden mess. Extremely frustrating. Most of the time, screen got so hectic, we didn’t know what was going on and who was what and where. Cheap bosses, waaayyyyyyy too long, and not enough reason to anything but focus and super, focus and super.
Second playthrough was couch 4-player co-op. There were no game breaking bugs and we had a bit more fun, mostly from being in the same room and just having a laugh. Game was still average but at least we got something out of it.
[5]

7? Slay the Spire (various) - through the year - 50+hrs
Made some headway on iPad, more so on iPhone on the semi-regular commute, minor progress on XB and PS, and some on Switch. Will be playing more in 2023 and beyond, I suspect.
[10]

1. Nobody Saves the World [8]
I like Drinkbox games. This another good one.

2. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy [7]
I hadn't played this one before. I preferred it to 4 a bit, mainly because it was shorter.

3. Please, Touch the Artwork [8]
Indie curio in which the abstract paintings of modern artist Piet Mondrian are turned into puzzles. There are three exhibitions, each based on one of his styles, involving a different type of puzzle, a different accompanying narrative that links the paintings together, and a mellow jazz soundtrack. Mostly, it's a chilled affair, although it does get a little tricky towards the end of the first two exhibitions. But it's more about the experience of exploring these paintings with a more hands-on approach, and, yeah, it's really quite fascinating. But is it art?

4. OlliOlli World [8]
This is exactly what it says it is - a whole world of OlliOlli. It's ridiculously comprehensive in terms of moves, stages, outfits, modes, and it's all wonderfully smooth and gorgeous. The only criticism I can offer apart from the irritating NPCs is that it's all a bit much for me to get my head round. I don't think this is quite my sort of thing anymore, but it should be an easy [9] for nimble-fingered high-score chasers.

5. Sifu [8]
The kung-fu fighting really is top notch, but the repetitive structure can be a bit harsh. For a game about refining your moves to perfection, though, it makes a lot of sense.

6. What Remains of Edith Finch [9]
I should have played this years ago, but kept putting it off. Silly me. It's as brilliant as everyone said.  The pinnacle of this sort of thing.

7. Kingdom of the Dead [6]
Indie FPS with hand-drawn monochrome graphics where you fight the armies of the dead. It's a lot like ye olde Doom, basically, which is fine but not exactly inspired.

8. FAR: Changing Tides [7]
Quite similar to the first game, but works as a kind of mirror image companion piece. The big difference is that the parched landscape is replaced by a biblical flood, so now you're sailing, and eventually submarining, from left to right rather than rolling. Keeping the vehicle going is as absorbing as before, and the serene moments between the puzzles make for good pacing.

9. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins [5]
Not entirely awful, but alarmingly rough and unrefined. Some OK combat doesn't make up for dull level design and piss poor writing.

10. Syberia: The World Before [7]
I don't like a lot of point and click adventures, but I rather liked this one. It tells a good story across two time lines, and the puzzles aren't too obtuse.

11. Weird West [5]
It's an ambitious attempt at a indie immersive sim, but the systems don't gel and the AI keeps going wrong.

12. Chinatown Detective Agency [6]
A well-written cyberpunk point and click which tests your Googling skills to find the real-world answers to its puzzles. It's a shame it ends up feeling unfinished, with bugs and undeveloped mechanics, after starting strong.

13. Dorfromantik [7]
I don't know what counts as finished with this, but I played it quite a lot. A relaxing puzzle game where you place hexagonal tiles, trying to match the environmental features on each edge, and in the process construct an idyllic countryside view. After a while, each game starts to take over an hour, which is a bit much, but it is relaxing, and a good one to plod along with while listening to a podcast.

14. Hush: Crane
This barely counts. It's an interactive movie with touchscreen controls that lasts about 10 minutes per run. The touch video tech is quite clever, and makes for a more involved experience than the average FMV job, but not exactly a game changer yet.

15. Trek to Yomi [6]
It looks and sounds fantastic, but story, combat and exploration are very ordinary.
 
16. Elden Ring [10]
Finally, after well over 100 hours. I suppose this should be my favourite game ever, since that was previously Dark Souls and Elden Ring is clearly better in so many ways. But I'll hold my cow-horses on that judgement for the time being. It is after all, clearly too big, and inevitably repeats itself too many times because of that. And shouldn't the lock-on and camera systems be more reliable by now? But it is still utterly fantastic and a game-changer in terms of open-world fantasy, and open-world maps for that matter. Given how huge it is, there is still a ton of variety and the world and creature design is second to none. Add to that its commitment to non-linearity and build flexibility, and evolutionary steps like jumping attacks, horse riding and ash summons, and everything else, and you absolutely have an all-timer. Just one I'll never play as many times as I played Dark Souls.

17. The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story [7]
A live action game that I actually rather liked. You spend as much time sitting and watching as you do playing, and even then you might not gel with the game's logic, but the murder mysteries are mostly well-plotted, it’s knowingly silly, and the actors are having a good time.

18. Best Month Ever! [5]
Story-led trip through the backwaters of America in the late 60s. It’s heart is in the right place, but plot points lack impact and it rarely gives you anything really meaningful to do.

19. Silt [6]
A lazy person would describe this as underwater Limbo, and frankly that’s good enough for me. Possess toothy sea creatures with a light from your diver’s mask to have them clear a path forward, then hope they don’t eat you in return. The best thing about it is the black and white art style. Otherwise it’s competent, but underwhelming.

20. Card Shark [9]
An ideal indie game in the sense that it’s not like anything else I’ve played. There’s real tension in trying to cheat at cards, and a splendid story to follow while you’re doing it. Top trumps.

21. A Monster’s Expedition [7]
I can appreciate the quality of the puzzle design here, and just how much mileage it wrings from a simple concept. Plenty of min-Eureka moments, for sure. But I also thought there was too much of it, so it developed at a glacial pace, and with the laidback vibe, there were moments where I struggled to stay awake. Plus the humour is lame.

22. The Quarry [7]
A spiritual successor to Until Dawn which is good enough and looks great, but barely pushes the formula forward at all.

23. Eternal Threads [6]
The kind of game that I'd love to recommend even though it really isn't all that great. The best way I could think of to describe it is Return of the Obra Dinn meets Hollyoaks, as you play with a timeline in a student house in the north east so the flat mates don't all die in a fire. That means watching a hell of a lot of scenes revealing various aspects of their lives leading up to the big event, and changing certain decisions they made to send the story along different branches. There's a bit too much to sit through, especially since the script and the voice acting vary in quality from acceptable to dodgy. And yet it's such an original scenario for a game, I felt compelled to see it through.

24. Final Vendetta [6]
A decent Final Fight inspired belt fighter that sticks a little too close to the past. Worth it if you like that sort of thing, just don't expect Streets of Rage 4. At least the soundtrack is excellent though.

25. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge [7]
Clearly a labour of love with tons of franchise details squeezed in. Playing through the story for the first time, or getting together with a few others is great knockabout fun. It's the comic relief next to serious performer Streets of Rage 4, and together they make a great advert for the modern revival of scrolling beat 'em ups. While it's more of a laugh, though, that does mean it has less to offer once the joke wears thin. It could do with some more modes and challenges to increase longevity.

26. Norco [9]
A bit like Kentucky Route Zero, it's something you should just experience. It's the same kind of weird descent into the depths of America, in this case framed as a point and click adventure, but the puzzles and mini-games aren't designed to delay your progress for more than a minute. It's definitely an adventure, though, taking you into the strangest corners of its cyberpunk imagining of a real-life town living in the shadow of an oil refinery. The pixel art, the soundtrack and the stream of consciousness writing turn the experience into a kind of smoggy, humid trip, and even if it's a bit of a readathon at times, it pulls together beautifully.

27. Pocky & Rocky: Reshrined [7]
Remake of the old top-down multi-direction SNES shmup with a complete visual overhaul but also some considerable redesign. It starts off fairly tricky, because every enemy is larger than it used to be and many have extra routines, and Pocky and the gang aren't the most agile of shoot 'em up characters. But once you get used to it you should welcome the extra meat on everything. Even better, it soon branches into uncharted territory with new characters and new powers. Still nothing especially brilliant overall, but it's a smart and respectful piece of remaking that does enough to feel modern.

28. Cuphead [8]
As amazingly good as this looks, there's still a part of me that wonders what the point of this particular graphical style is. Why a 30s cartoon in the form of a platform shooter? Well, yeah, because it looks good, but somehow I want the game to make some kind of link between the two. Instead it's like someone said imagine if Steamboat Willy was fighting a giant carrot, and nobody just said 'What?' Anyway, I like the game. It got on my tits at times, but I found the kind of challenge up my street for the most part, and most importantly always felt like I was getting better even when I was failing. They squeeze a ton of variety out of the concept and every boss feels like its own unique platform challenge, which is smart design. Plus it does look amazingly good.

29. Cuphead DLC [8]
A tasty side dish, which ups the quality a little bit more and features a few top-tier Cuphead bosses. Short but sweet.

30. Madison [6]
A first-person horror game with a whiny protagonist that relies too heavily on cheap jump scares for its horror. Otherwise, it's decent, with the standout feature that it arms you with a Polaroid camera and flash to stumble around in the dark, trigger weird events and solve its puzzles.

31. Stray [8]
The cat game is a good one, although that's as much down to the androids and locations as the feline star. Many games would make more sense if they replaced their protagonists with cats and NPCs with robots.  

32. Poinpy [8]
The creators of Downwell turn things upside down with tons of colour and a battle against gravity. Touchscreen controls are great for catapulting yourself about collecting fruit, and while sometimes the random nature of layouts can conspire against you, it's a highly moreish combo chaser. Certainly one of the better mobile games I've tried.

33. Into the Breach: Advanced Edition [9]
Another Netflix revelation, playing such a compact strategy on a tablet with bags of new content is mobile perfection. There are fresh units, monsters, missions objectives, weapons and scenery features to work with, making it more than worth a revisit even if you've rinsed it before. 

34. Escape Academy [7]
A solidly entertaining effort at recreating the escape room experience digitally (with co-op, if desired). Stages are fairly short, but stuffed full of codes, patterns and objects to find, decipher and use. The scenarios are varied, and the puzzles tricky enough to have you pausing for thought without ever being dispiritingly complex. Nothing astonishing, but not much to complain about either.

35. Endling: Extinction Is Forever [6]
The fox game isn't as good as the cat game. It's rather caught between a Disneyfied depiction of the vixen and her cubs, and the horrors of an environment fast going to shit because humans can't stop doing human things. As a survival game, I never wanted it to be harsh, but then it's a little too mild and generous for the good of its catastrophic themes. The way the natural world changes day to day, forcing you to find new routes and risk contact with people is nicely done, but keeping the cubs fed is never really much of a worry. They are adorable, though.

36. Rollerdrome [7]
A game of incredible stylish highs that struggles to keep momentum in between. The basic concept has been nailed and then some, but it doesn't really develop in the second half, aside from piling on larger numbers of the same enemies.

37. Thymesia [7]
It's Souls again, although in this case more a mashup of From's games, with the look of Bloodborne and the action focus of Sekiro. On one hand, it's a low budget copy, then, but on the other the combat is super sharp and brutally crunchy, and in the wake of Elden Ring its short runtime is quite refreshing.

38. Saints Row [5]
There's some fun to be had here, especially when driving and in a handful of set piece missions. Even then though, it's the same fun you might have had years ago racking up wanted ratings on GTA3, with less of the personality. The new characters and story are as flat as they come, full of jokes that mostly don't land, and the majority of missions and side quests lack any real sense of devil or joy. It does at least have enough variety to ensure that sessions hopping between icons on the map remain mildly engaging. But that's really the lowest bar you'd expect from this sort of thing, and overall it never really justifies its existence.

39. The Wandering Village (early access) [7]
I don't play a lot of city building games, but I rather liked this one. It's a bit different, as you build your settlement on the back of a giant dinosaur which is ambling across a poisoned landscape, and forge a bond with it over time. Early access means it's a little light on features right now, but it's already working well.

40. Soulstice [4]
This is a character action game which borrows ideas from Bayonetta and DMC, but never seems to grasp the finer points of the genre. At best it's bland, at worst it's a frustrating mess.

41. Dome Keeper [8]
A compact but expertly balanced Roguelike where you're constantly making trade-off decisions. It's looping cycle is probably about 90 seconds long, with time to mine for resources under your fragile dome home, then a quick scoot back to spend your catch on upgrades then defend your glass house from a wave of alien shadow things using a big old laser cannon. Repeat until your dome collapses or you dig deep enough to find an ancient relic that can wipe out the enemy. Then change the parameters and go again, because it's always engaging.

42. Immortality [10]
Hard to describe in many ways, but it is like diving down the rabbit hole only to find it just keeps going deeper and deeper. The fact that the three low-rent films you're watching clips of are brilliantly filmed and acted is a huge boost, as you can spend time poring over the movie making process, or flickers of tension or discomfort in facial expressions. So even if it were just a case of piecing the films together it would be pretty great, but it isn't. It's about connections between periods of time, the creative and destructive power of art, the making of the game itself, and your role in it. Plus that other dimension - you'll know what I mean if you've got far enough into it - that changes how you interact with it and pulls you in further still. Whether it's a proper game or not doesn't matter. It's certainly not a film, because there's no way it could work without your input, no matter how simplified that is. Whatever it is, it's like nothing I've ever played before, including Telling Lies or Her Story, and I'm enjoying thinking and reading about it as much I did playing it.

43. Scorn [7]
Too obtuse for its own good maybe, but it works to create a surreal and truly alien world.

44. A Plague Tale: Requiem [8]
Takes the best stuff from the first game - characters, locations, rats - and expands everything else around them to great effect.

45. Signalis [6]
An atmospheric psychological horror game that I should have loved, but found it too bogged down in item management and dull combat.

46. Serial Cleaners [5]
A sequel that's still an interesting concept - stealth crime scene cleaning - and still botches the execution. The AI is the main culprit here, simply being too dim to make sneaking around it interesting. The tone is also weird - half gritty gangster movie, half comedy - and the characters are a cliched bunch. It's a shame because there are some decent stealth playsets to work with, full of hidden routes, distractions and hiding spots. But it never makes the most of them.

47. Saturnalia [6]
Horror with a 70s European vibe, where you're stuck in a dark labyrinthine Sicilian village for a night being stalked by a monster. It's an investigation game, and that part of it is rather good, with a whole ton of clues to find that connect together to reveal a series of conspiracies. You swap control between four characters (once you find them all), and each has their own reasons for being out at night, giving you more stuff to investigate. It could almost be as great as some of the other notable detective games of recent years, but the random roaming monster lets it down. In the end it's more of an inconvenience than a terrifying presence.

48. The Chant [6]
More horror, this time more in the Resident Evil vein, where you're part of a small group taking part in a spiritual retreat on a remote island. During a mushroom-fueled meditation session, the gang conjures up something from the other side, and from then on you're performing the usual combo of puzzles, exploration and combat - although combat is a little different in that it involves hitting enemies with bunches of smoking herbs and chucking essential oils at them. It's a decent enough AA game really, except the scenario never stops feeling a little silly with all the new age nonsense, and the characters are hard to care about.

49. A Little to the Left [6]
A puzzle game where you have to tidy up and put things in order. When it's about straightening picture frames, finding the exact place for all the bits and bobs in a drawer, or organising a row of books by patterns on the spine, it's very pleasantly relaxing and satisfying. But in the second half (and it's only about three hours) it gets a bit too clever and abstract for its own good, with some far less intuitive solutions for re-arranging stuff.

50. Somerville [4]
I thought this was a real mess. It's not only the awkward controls, it's the absence of any emotional impact conveyed through the animation, sound effects and camera work. And it's hard not to compare it to Inside, which managed all that stuff without breaking a sweat.

51. Pentiment [9]
An interactive Umberto Eco novel that's every bit as brilliant as it promises to be. It's like settling in an RPG town and finding there's real depth to the NPCs after all. But also like playing a part in the unfolding of history. Torn between big events and small people, decisions are somehow monumental and insignificant, which is some balance to achieve.

52. Evil West [7]
A proper B-tier game done reasonably well. It's happy to be a dumb action game, and gets the most important bit right as the fighting is meaty and gutsy. The bits in between are routine switches and platforms stuff, and the story about vampires in the old west isn't as fun as it should be. But if you feel like diet God of War (perhaps no bad thing), it gets the job done.

53. The Dark Pictures: The Devil in Me [6]
You know what to expect from these games by now - some suspense and scares, along with the feeling that you're only really having an impact at a few key points. I like the straightforward premise of this one - a documentary film crew finds themselves trapped in a hotel containing trap rooms, sliding walls and a stalking serial killer. It also introduces some new exploration mechanics and a limited inventory system that comes in handy on occasion. But when push comes to shove it still comes down to QTEs and do-or-die decisions. Hopefully they can use the new stuff as a jumping off point to do more with the formula in season two.

54. Marvel's Midnight Suns [8]
I was sceptical at first, after seeing deckbuilding mechanics introduced into turn-based strategy battles, but it really works to create fights fit for super heroes. The Fire Emblem: Three Houses style relationship building part will be more divisive, and there's a little too much of it, but in the end I appreciated the rather cheesy, quirky take on the Marvel crowd.

55. Gungrave GORE [4]
There's a half-decent all-action third-person shooter at the heart of this, but it would really have only worked as an arcade game or a two-hour campaign with lots of high-score chasing replay value. Instead, it's a massive slog taking in over 30 levels, many of which are virtually identical. And when it does dare to stray from basic blasting, with boss fights, platforming sections or alternative characters, it's basically unbearable, only highlighting how cumbersome and inflexible its control systems are.

56. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion [6]
Certainly one of the better remasters you'll find, with a lot of work put into updating the looks and the combat especially. The materia system is still a highlight too. It's not enough to hide that this is a handheld game at heart, though, with the bite-sized areas and battles feeling a little limited when blown up on a TV screen. The script is still awful as well.

57. Citizen Sleeper [8]
What stands out most here is how such efficient use of graphics, sound and text can evoke such a sense of connection with the characters. It helps that the writing is generally superb, though, and the themes of survival in the cyberpunk space station (a much more interesting take on cyberpunk than the usual 80s nostalgia) feel all too relevant. It's at its best in the middle of the game when you're juggling your own survival with attempts to make connections and help out others, with the feeling that there's never enough time and bad luck might delay your efforts. But I thought it drifted a little in the final third, once the biggest time and survival pressures had been removed.

58. Rogue Legacy II [7]
It's hard not to be impressed with how much beefier this is than the original. It now almost feels like the first game was the prototype, and this is the fully formed vision. And it's considerably better for it, with more variety and twists on the roguelite formula, an endless drip feed of features, and more ingenious design spiralled inside its procedural dungeons. It's still, however, a bit of a pain in the arse. It likes a cheap shot, with mobs ambushing you as you flick to the next screen, barely visible traps, and missile lobbing bastards chucking stuff at you from just out of sight. Also, maybe there's a little to much to upgrade and unlock, meaning any currency you gather is absorbed very quickly, and permanent advancement becomes absurdly gradual. Fiddling with the details of the difficulty level to suit is an option, but that equally feels like cover for a challenge curve that's too jagged by default. In some ways, then, this is one of the most complete action-platform roguelite experiences around, but that doesn't mean it's consistently enjoyable.

59. Inscryption [7]
There's real genius here, in a 'card game' that's actually about all the stuff going on around the game itself, with some great narrative turns that send you whirling into places you'd never have expected to go. Perhaps if you're going to make a game that switches styles at certain points, though, you don't want to start with the strongest one, so that everything feels like a bit of comedown from there. The atmosphere in the first few hours is spectacularly suffocating and grim, you're surrounded by mystery, and while the card game is quite simple, the roguelike structure should have you thinking about how to build a competitive deck. But after that, Inscryption kind of exposes itself rather abruptly, and the early sense of anticipation can never return. Still, the story continues to be cleverly done, and there's plenty more to the card game than the first section suggests, even if it's tactically a bit limited. The final act also contains some real highlights, despite not matching the first one overall. I think once it's done and you can zoom out and look at it as a whole, it's kind of brilliant. But when you're in the thick of it, there are chunks where you feel like you're marking time before the next flash of inspiration.

In.

Just replays.

I'll try, not gone too swimmingly last year or two.

Haha, this is the dilemma.

Full reviews list:
1. F1: ROC (SNES) - 7/10
2. Road Rash 64 (N64) - 7/10
3. Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Bursts Loose! (SNES) - 6/10
4. Power Blade II (NES) - 8/10
5. Uncharted 4 (PS4) - 8/10
6. Sonic the Hedgehog (GG) - 8/10
7. Double Dragon (GB) - 6/10
8. Windjammers (Neo Geo) - 6/10
9. Shock Troopers (Neo Geo) - 8/10
10. The TakeOver (Switch) - 6/10
11. Caveman Ninja (Arcade) - 5/10
12. Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 2 (Switch) - 6/10
13. Thunder Cross (Arcade) - 8/10
14. Ghost Sweeper Mikami: Joreishi ha Nice Body (SNES) - 6/10
15. God of War (PS4) - 8/10
16. Green Beret AKA Rush'n Attack (Arcade) - 7/10
17. Dynasty Wars (Arcade) - 4/10
18. Carrier Air Wing (Arcade) - 8/10
19. Mercs (Arcade) - 8/10
20. Forgotten Worlds (Arcade) - 6/10
21. Strikers 1945 II (Arcade) - 6/10
22. Pocky & Rocky (SNES) - 7/10
23. Portal (Switch) - 10/10
24. Castlevania II: Simons Quest (NES) - 3/10
25. Golden Axe (MD) - 8/10
26. Golden Axe II (MD) - 8/10
27. Golden Axe III (MD) - 7/10
28. Mighty Final Fight (NES) - 7/10
29. Adventures of Lolo (NES) - 8/10
30. Super Smash T.V. (SNES) - 9/10
31. Xeno Crisis (Switch) - 8/10
32. Master of Darkness (GG) - 6/10
33. Donkey Kong (GB) - 10/10
34. Operation C (GB) - 5/10
35. Flashback (Switch) - 6/10
36. Retro Bowl (Switch) - 9/10

Thats me for 2022, results below with 2021 results in parentheses.

36 (35) games completed for the year.

Average rating: 7.0 (7.3)
Total time played: 119hrs 48mins (202hrs 50mins)
Average time per game: 3hrs 20mins (5hrs 47mins)

Games played by format:
1. Arcade - 8
2. Switch - 6
3. SNES - 5
4. NES - 4
5. MD - 3
5. GB - 3
7. PS4 - 2
7. GG - 2
7. Neo Geo - 2
10. N64 - 1

2021's results/reviews
2020's results/reviews

Maybe I can actually play some games this year...

1. Cyberpunk 2077 (94 Hours)
2. Stray (6 hours)

1. Just Shapes & Beats - Switch (3hrs)

Absolutely magnificent electro chiptune avoid 'em up.  Think pacifist achievement Asteroids meets Hyper Dot in a crystal castle, then add a huge injection of genuinely world class indie charm.  The dust hasn't quite settled on my playthrough of the story mode but if I'm right - and I usually am - this rubs shoulders with the S tier.  If Shovel Knight hosted a soirée and invited Meat Boy, Gomez, Madeline, Edith Finch, Isaac and the rest of the worldies (you do yours!), everyone would cheer if this unexpectedly arrived at 11pm with a half a bottle of WKD.    

I'd heard it was good (Metacritic 83 taken from a fair few sources), but the same can be said about multiple dozens of games per year these days.  I definitely wasn't expecting one of the most pleasant surprises on Switch.  Almost everything about it is pure class.  The way each stage felt like distilled imagination run wild ensured the story mode maintained an ultra high average throughout.  There's one section that didn't feel right in the entire game, and it only lasted a few minutes (plus I may have been brain farting at the time, will have to revisit).  Standard stages are punctuated by checkpoints and bosses must be defeated with a single life.  Replaying a four minute level can be annoying (the good kind of annoying), but the guardians are purposefully not pushovers and learning patterns won't take long on standard difficulty.

Party play has the potential to push this even further into extra special territory, will confirm when I successfully rope Mrs & Mini Moot into an mp session. It definitely feels like it'd be a perfect fit for extra players.  Then there's the challenge mode and hardcore difficulty options.  It even has online multiplayer.  It's not cheap cheap, but there's a ton of value here.

Indie goodness of the very highest caibre, easily one of the best games of 2018/2019. [9]

But it's over a tenner on psn/steam

Will I play more games this year than last or will I just log into FFXIV with any free time I have...

We shall see! Definitely have some known bangers in my recent sales purchase history so that should help get me going.

I literally bought disc room two days ago so go me

1. Unpacking (PC) aka Putting Socks Away: The Game
I'm not made to play things like this. Pretty good at what it does but what it does is pretty tedious. There's some nice touches of subtle, mature storytelling (eg the cramped boyfriend's apartment where no room has been made for your stuff inevitably leading into the next level). From that point on I knew exactly where the rest of it was heading. Probably intended as a zen-like, light puzzler and I'm not entirely immune to what it's doing but the grind of the gameplay pulls me out of any that. The big splash this made last year convinces me there's a community of gamers out there that will play any old shite if it's twee enough. 

My problems are not liking intentional design choices the devs have made, rather than any faults as such. So just putting this down to a mismatch between the sort of game this is and the sort of games I like (good ones). Actually there were a few items that I couldn't identify so got into a trial-and-error loop of sticking a few things anywhere the game didn't complain about. Could do with a hint thing telling you the name of the object if you're stuck. I spent ten minutes arranging a magnetic white board in an office thinking it was a graphics tablet. 
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