Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name - By far the slightest entry in the Yakuza (or Like a Dragon, as Sega insists now) series, judging by both its slim 10-15 hour runtime and its position as and its position as something of a bridge between Yakuza 6: The Song of Life and Like a Dragon. Which means, at least for the fans, it explains how Kazuma Kiryu came back after the events of the sixth entry. The answer? Secret society nonsense, which does cheapen that game's finale but is eventually justified by Gaiden's conclusion. By this point Kazuma Kiryu, aka The Dragon of Dojima, is as real as game characters can get, and his very presence gives Gaiden's themes a genuine weight. Plus, you know, he remains the best at doing things such as breaking men with a bicycle.

If you'd told me that the year 2024 in gaming would open with a bang with the release of a Metroidvania-style Prince of Persia title made the Ubisoft team behind Rayman Legends, I would have told yeah, sure, I'll get into that. And guess what? Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is pretty great! It's more Ori and the Will of the Wisps than Metroid Dread, with an emphasis on fluid movement and exploring and ever-growing map, with a bit of combat thrown in for good measure. And of course, the more you explore the more abilities you unlock, leading to further exploration into previously walled-off areas. Initially I'd actually thought the map would prove rather small, but it actually opens into a sprawling series of varied biomes, each with its own secrets and challenges to overcome. All is attached to a story revolving around saving the titular prince which is... fine? It does involve some fun cut scenes that combine a painterly art style with dynamic anime action, but the writing underpinning these sequence is, again, just fine. Serviceable. Other than that, there's a lot to enjoy here, bravo Ubisoft Montpellier.