Nexus Hub

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is by no means perfect, it pales in comparison to some of the other sim type games with its lack of options in certain aspects, however, if you are looking to have a more casual - yet still challenging - sim experience, and you want that Jurassic Park theme, then you shouldn't think twice about picking this up. Like Dylan's Desolation Row, once you understand it you'll gain that full appreciation for it, just prepare for your time to disappear as you get lost in the experience.

Mario Party Superstars is a tribute to the past entries to the series as well as a “Thank you” to all the fans of the series requesting a more classical approach over the years. Hopefully this will set the tone for future instalments dropping the unnecessary gimmicks and sticking to what fans love most: minigames, “unfair” dice rolls and new enemies that at the beginning of the game were close friends.

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a pleasant surprise, definitely the better of the two Square Enix published Marvel licensed games. I cannot wait for Eidos Montreal to release the sequel, hopefully after the conclusion of the Deus Ex trilogy. For fans of the films, the comics or just looking for a fun game to play, this is well worth picking up. And like the films, wait for the credits to roll... you will love the surprise.

Overall, Riders Republic is a game that is highly reminiscent of both Steep and The Crew 2 in that you have a massive open-world playground at your disposal. Ubisoft have done a great job here and the game is ridiculously enjoyable to play. If you’re a fan of extreme sports and games that give you a lot of freedom to explore a sandbox, Riders Republic will appeal to you.

While Vanguard is a slightly new take on the numerous World War II era games that have been released, the fact of the matter is that without the Call of Duty multiplayer fans that will keep the game alive (especially in the esports communities), Vanguard would not have a long lifespan. The saving grace for the game is a vibrant and loyal community of players.

Putting aside any nagging technical issues and the games simply not aging as well as one might've hoped, the Crysis Remastered Trilogy is worth a visit for curious newcomers to the series, and for veterans to absorb all the new visual improvements. Unfortunately, this isn't the best example of what remasters are capable of today, and we have incredible enhanced trilogies like the Mass Effect Legendary Edition to blame (or thank) for that. However, as a package at a lowered price point, this might be one revisiting for the fun factor.

It's also visually on another level, boasting some of the most eye-opening and photorealistic graphics ever put to a video game yet. Forza Horizon 5 is a triumphant achievement, and puts Playground Games in the pole position of being one of the most talented developers in the gaming industry.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes is easily the best game in the series to date. Thanks to a likeable cast of fleshed-out characters, an immersive atmosphere drenched in evil and a gripping story with a sinister setting, it exceeds expectations and trumps the highs of Man of Medan, Little Hope and in some cases, even Until Dawn. It’s not a perfect horror experience and it should go without saying: if you didn’t like the last two Dark Pictures games, you probably won’t like House of Ashes either. However, fans are in for one hell of a treat.

While it hasn’t done anything particularly new, Insurgency: Sandstorm is easily one of the best in its field at what it does best: provide a realistic and brutal modern-day team based tactical shooter. It certainly wont be turning heads in the visual department, but underneath it all, it’s a solid and engaging title with reams of content and hours of tactical team play to be discovered. It would be worth watching some gameplay before you take the plunge on this one.

Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles is a good spiritual successor to CyberConnect2’s addictive Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm games, retaining many of the same strengths as that series. Fun, flashy and over-the-top combat is the big selling point here, and when paired with Demon Slayer‘s vibrant roster of characters and their insane move sets, makes for some short-lived fun.

Overall, Metroid Dread is easily one of 2021’s best games. We’ve been starved of Metroid for so long that getting a brand new mainline entry into the franchise is so incredibly welcome. Players who have played any of the previous Metroid titles will immediately get that “Metroid” feeling from this title and it’s pure bliss.

Overall, Back 4 Blood is definitely one for Left 4 Dead fans who have gone without a new game for over a decade. The gameplay and combat is fun and engaging, the Ridden are terrifying and diverse, and the campaign packs a solid punch in terms of what you get out of it. When it does stumble though, the fall hurts. No progression in the solo campaign makes playing alone useless and a waste of time.

Far Cry 6 is possibly my favourite game in the series since Far Cry 4, though never quite reaches even that game's heights in terms of ambition and fun factor. If you can forgive the technical issues, some forgettable characters and writing and gameplay imbalances, you might find rebellious joy in Yara.

Ghostrunner on PS5 is probably the best way to experience developer One More Level's rage-inducingly difficult but absolutely addictive and enjoyable cyberpunk assassin game. Thanks to a solid framerate, polished visuals, and some of the most blisteringly fast action I've ever played in a video game, it delivers heaps of fun despite being formidably challenging. If you're looking for stylish action, remnants of Metal Gear Rising, and a functional cyberpunk game that doesn't crash every five minutes, you've come to the right place.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a game that puts a smile on my face each time I fire it up. It’s a total toybox of laughs and smiles and a pretty good little racer too. Spend enough time and you’ll reap the rewards and find it hard to put down. It’s hard to dislike almost any part of this joyful little title. With boundless ways to play, build and paint, this is sure to be one title that remains in my library for a very long time.

It's a good game that just misses the mark of being exceptionally great, but I couldn't help but admire the tremendous work that went into making this such a cinematic and amusingly charming experience overall. If you want a game that offers something old-school and plays it safe with masterfully animated cutscenes, you'll find a lot to love in this gleeful little platformer. Just don't expect it to offer something drastically new.

FIFA 22 feels like the upgrade we have been waiting for and with Hypermotion Technology now in place we can look forward to a new engine soon. For now, the improvements to Career mode and commentary, the incredible visuals and all the new animations and gameplay flow, FIFA 22 has a refreshing feel to it.

Overall, NBA 2K22 is a hugely satisfying experience and one that will no doubt keep you busy for a long time to come. If NBA 2K is your one game for the year, there's every certainty that it will have enough options, modes and gameplay experiences for you to cover your entire year. The basketball gameplay is magnificent, the visuals and audio are too... now 2K just get rid of the overly offensive microtransactions and advertisements... please.

Lingering gripes aside, Life is Strange: True Colors is Deck Nine’s best work to date and I’d place it just behind the original brace of games. It’s more streamlined, has no “fail” states, and doesn’t delve quite as deeply into the supporting cast, but the story is compelling, the pacing brisk, it throws in several enjoyable gameplay diversions, and offers an incredible audio-visual experience that complements every other element.

Overall, Tales of Arise features a colourful cast of characters with extremely enthralling stories and deep lore behind them. Each character plays an integral role in making the combat gameplay excel and despite the fact that the game follows some standard JRPG video game design seen in other games both from Bandai Namco and their competitors, it does it remarkably well.

WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship is a really well-balanced all-around experience built on a reliable formula. Rally fans will find plenty of things to do across the large roster of content. Players new to the series will find the game to be a compelling pack, but those coming from WRC 9 will find very little to love. KT Racing showcase their amazing knack for stage design, which brings a lot of the historical rallies to life, but the game would do wonders without the fluff sprawled throughout the game.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate has its pitfalls, but I couldn't help but still enjoy a good majority of my time revisiting one of the better 3D Sonic games. The cleverly designed levels explode with colours and vibrant detail, the sense of speed is still unmatched, the soundtrack is wonderful, and the Wisps add some nice variations to the gameplay. Sadly, this is all undercut by some annoying bugs and glitches, and that same jarring shift from 3D to 2.5D that has plagued most modern Sonic titles. If you're a fan of the original game, there's nothing here that will surprise you, but for newcomers, you can experience one of the better 3D Sonic games.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a wonder, a breathtaking escape into a beautiful world beyond the confines of your home and it couldn’t have come at a better point. In a time where we are stuck inside and restricted from travelling in most instances, it serves up a level of escapism and realism that is unmatched. I wondered, just out of interest, where most new players travelled to first when they started flying? Would it be the big smoke of New York, a spin over the Thames and London, a flyby of Everest? No, according to Asobo, most users fly home.

RiMS Racing has earned its place as one of the most immersive motorcycle racing games to date, with the PlayStation 5 taking this a step further thanks to the DualSense controller. While there aren’t many bikes to choose from, the unmatched level of customization and fleshed out Career Mode will give you plenty of enjoyable hours to test and upgrade your bike.

After a few playthroughs, there really isn’t any guesswork involved anymore about what you are going to face. Thankfully, there is a diversity among the enemies that you face - from your common Xenos to prowlers, spitters, bursters, synths and Working Joes, so there are a lot of different ways you can be attacked and a few ways that you can learn to counter the enemies.