Still Wakes The Deep is a very atmospheric horror game with some brilliant moments and strong character dialogue. It is unfortunately hampered by a safe overall narrative that players may find more comfortable than scary, and a lack of something new within its gameplay model. Nonetheless, it's an effective game that oozes quality, and those after a strong if not purely creative horror title will find plenty to love.
F1 24 is another excellent entry in the franchise from Codemasters. It's not the most exciting update of all time, lacking any major changes that give a wow factor, but those tweaks that have been made work well and provide players old and new alike with something substantial to enjoy. It might not be a necessary purchase for those who have owned an entry from the last couple of years, but Codemasters once again proves its ability to make the best racing games on the market.
Animal Well is something quite remarkable. A Metroidvania title that still feels fresh in 2024 thanks to its puzzle-centric gameplay, incredible atmosphere and army of secrets to discover, this is a must-play for those who like a bit of mystery in their games. Players should just make sure to discover the secrets themselves.
Heading Out is an interesting racing game that blends narrative-driven elements successfully. The moment to moment gameplay is serviceable at the very least, with sections of real strength, but the experience is truly elevated by the game's atmosphere and structure. It won't be for everyone, but those who enjoy a title that tries to hybridize different ideas that shouldn't necessarily work together will certainly come to appreciate its full and compelling world.
TopSpin 2K25 has the core elements of a good tennis game, and its actual moment-to-moment gameplay has sufficient improvements over anything else on the market to keep tennis fans happy, especially the complexity of options for players with every swing of the racket. Structurally, the game has a few hiccups, with a fluctuation when it comes to just how enjoyable certain parts of the career mode are combined with awkward pacing that seems deliberately structured with potential in-game transactions in mind, although there's still plenty there to enjoy.
Life Eater provides something quite different from anything else available, and will likely live long in the memory. For that reason, even in spite of its faults, it's probably worth a try for anyone with even a cursory interest in horror or new ways for games to tell their stories.
Overall, the quality of Death Noodle Delivery is a bit inconsistent. Its use of Paperboy as a fun game structure to then have those more introspective moments is a good idea and executed fairly well. However, some clumsiness with themes and plot, as well as some awkward gameplay choices, mean it never quite achieves the potential that it has.
Outcast - A New Beginning unfortunately lacks many aspects needed to revitalize this cult classic for the modern day. With an archaic gameplay loop and middling action, it’s not quite the follow-up to a revolutionary experience that fans may way. Although some may enjoy a return to Adelpha, and there’s quality to be found in exploration, this is an open world game that fails to hit the mark.
WWE 2K24 is an excellent wrestling game, with the franchise returning to form thanks to a fantastic variety of gameplay modes.
Overall, Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden is an interesting and innovative action RPG with a few flaws here and there that stop it from being perfect. Its emotionally strong core story will keep players pushing to the end, while its key moral mechanic does have enough complexity to make players think about their decisions. It may have its clunky moments, but it's nonetheless something beefy for players to sink their teeth into.
Iron's Hot is something of a mixed bag. There's a lot of charm and a lot of promise, but a lack of variety and some unfortunate bugs and sloppy design hold it back from being a must-play. Those who enjoy a cozy game or are after a light-hearted fantasy will still likely enjoy it, but that recommendation does come with some footnotes.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is an excellent adaptation of the Warhammer universe into a genre that some may expect not to work. A compelling RPG with a strong understanding of its original property, it’s a great example of the classic C-RPGs of the 1990s and early 2000s. Although it perhaps does nothing revolutionary, it provides an intriguing and exciting adventure, especially for fans of the tabletop game.
Spirittea is a fantastic cozy game. It sticks closely to the life sim template with the skeleton of its gameplay, but its main gameplay of bathhouse management and its spirit -finding progression system means that players will thoroughly enjoy what Spirittea has to offer. In addition, it's even better on Switch as something to be lazy with on the sofa or on a long journey.
Overall, EA Sports FC 24 on Switch still feels behind the game on other platforms. For players who have another platform available, the Switch version is definitely to be avoided, but for those who specifically want to play this soccer sim on the go, it's still likely the best option available right now. As such, it might be just escaping relegation in comparison to its predecessors, but EA Sports still owes more to Switch players than what this delivers.
Overall, Forza Motorsport is a triumph of virtual motor racing. Turn 10 Studios has brought the Forza franchise to a new generation with aplomb, and although not quite all the updates entirely land, it's a tremendous racing game that could be nearly perfect with just a handful of tweaks.
Overall, Cocoon is a fantastic puzzle game. Its core gimmick of world-jumping is implemented expertly, building a cohesive in-game logic that will keep players hooked to the end. It's a world full of secrets, many of then unknown, and it's all the better for it.
Under The Waves is a powerful story with wonderful atmosphere, but a lack of polish holds it back from achieving its true potential.
Sea of Stars is more than just an excellent turn-based RPG that pays homage to the greats. The gameplay choices it makes turns the game into a must-play for fans of the genre, while the story is suitably charming for RPG aficionados. This is far more than simply a prequel to The Messenger, and is a tremendous achievement in its own right.
Immortals of Aveum is not quite the must-have new IP that some would have hoped, but there are some genuine moments of brilliance here. It has absolutely fantastic minute-to-minute combat, and once the player is in sync with their powers it's a wonderfully fluid experience. Unfortunately its story and writing doesn't match its gameplay, and its visual design is a bit of a mixed bag, but with gameplay that ranks among the most enjoyable for shooters of this generation so far, those flaws may well be worth overlooking.
Overall, F1 Manager 2023 is a successful management sim. It understands the complexities of the sport of Formula One well, and replicates it with gameplay that is accessible for people without them getting lost in data. Although there's room for improvement, it's an excellent option for fans of F1 in general.