For many people out there, StarCraft represents one of the greatest PC games of all time. StarCraft: Remastered does little to dissuade that line of thought. With the new and impressive visuals and great new lighting effects, it’s an experience that is not only well worth revisiting. It’s recommended.

The art is something the videogaming landscape has never seen before and is, arguably, worth the price of admission alone. But we come for the art, and stay for the challenge. And boy, does Cuphead have challenge in spades. If you’re used to modern gaming, this is going to take you to absolute breaking point and might even push you away, but if you grew up on the more arcade-centric 8 and 16-bit games of the past, and love the challenges those games served up, then Cuphead is absolutely for you. Art and design combine, but with the sole purpose of crushing you -- what’s not to love?

In the end, Observation resonates primarily because of how it uses its interactivity and presentation. Playing a role and being there as a part of it all even elevates even some of the weaker narrative moments. From the visual effects to the detailed space station to the ambient music and even the animation of Emma herself, Observation is a triumph in both design and calculated execution.

Forza Horizon 5 is so stacked it’s hard not to feel a little overwhelmed with options. But there’s never really a sense that you need to do any of it, or progress through a series of checklists before moving on to the next thing. And in the end this might be the genius at the heart of Horizon, you’ll want to keep moving, keep driving, simply because you want to. Because it feels right. And in creating a vast, beautiful open-world in which you can do that very thing, Playground Games lives up to its namesake.

Warlords of Draenor will remind you just why World of Warcraft is still on top after 10 years of service, even with its architectural problems that the Garrison feature holds.

In the end, Total War: Three Kingdoms is essential for fans of Chinese history, the romantic depiction of the era, and all-round history buffs. The steep learning curve is well worth the time investment as the enhanced and expanded diplomacy and management side moves the series forward in meaningful ways.

The best part of the experience is just how much you feel connected to the story and becoming Spider-Man. Even when you factor in open-world design which is a mostly by-the-numbers checklist of things to collect and discover, the world-building and presentation are next-level.

Minor quality-of-life missteps aside, Final Fantasy VII Remake is still an absolute gem, polished to a high sheen and worthy of slotting into any serious gamer's collection. Granted, if you've been keeping up with the Final Fantasy franchise recently, it won't feel like Square Enix has reinvented the gameplay wheel. However, it sure did reinvent the wheel of time. Without saying too much, what we have here is a divergent “defy destiny” tale that's sure to wrong-foot veterans.

Xenoblade Chronicles is as grand and all-encompassing as Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and this Definitive Edition presents a wonderful remaster of an already excellent RPG. From the expansive and gorgeous worlds to explore to the memorable story and the stellar soundtrack.

Swiping, tilting and touching your way through this gorgeous world (the story scenes in particular showcase physical awareness and interactivity) is pleasurable and deep in a way that will easily draw you away from your main home console(s).

Deep, complex, and approachable, Total War Warhammer III is an intense, engaging triumph.

It's a game with few real weaknesses, is accessible to players of any calibre, and provides hours of entertainment for those who like to go solo or play with friends. Considering its price, it's almost a steal for the amount of enjoyment that can be had from it.

By far the best wrestling game I've played in the past few years. The lack of depth in match types and singleplayer mode is unfortunate, but the game is seriously fun and a joy to play. Add in the nostalgia factor with the old school wrestlers, and this game is a must for all WWE fans.

The level of Warhammer-specific detail that has been translated into Total War mechanics is remarkable, ranging from the way in which different types of units compact each other to the way it’s incredibly risky and costly to venture too far into Vampire or Chaos territory.

The story takes bigger risks, and is all the better for it. By no means is it perfect, but the negatives are so slight they don’t really warrant full disclosure. This is a bigger, meatier sequel, one that improves on an already great game. And again, it gets the balance right. The balance between survival, in terms of facing off against an army of foes as well as giant killer snow bears, and exploration, in the form of archaeology-by-the-way-of Lara being genuinely excited when she comes across an ancient trinket or mural. And story.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 is marred only by its ease-of-play and its controls (or lack of variant control options), but is still more-than-playable. It is easily the most progressively designed game Nintendo has made from a tech perspective, while its visual design, comedic writing and overall charm scream “classic Nintendo”. Multiplayer and co-op add value, but the true goo here is in the game’s ever-enjoyable single-player campaign that will keep you checking, checking and checking again under that bed, for that hidden ghost, or that hidden treasure.

Like all great over-the-top art, Yakuza: Like a Dragon is grounded in humanity. Humanity that is personified in the new and wonderful protagonist Ichiban Kasuga.

If you’re a Battlefield fan who didn’t like the times when DICE has played it safe in the past, Battlefield V is for you. I’m one of those people, and I cannot wait to jump into epic play sessions of what could quickly become my favourite Battlefield game, more so now that the community won’t be divided with future content.

What we get in the end is a Far Cry that is both structured and full of open player-agency and emergent activity. It’s a game whose game-world is designed for you to love and adore, to become intimate and at one with; to be equally terrified of. This is videogames, after all, and that is at the fore of design here.

RAD is truly rad and its unashamed love affair and exploitation of the 80s is as infectious as the mutations you gain to power your way through the game’s procedurally-generated post-apocalyptic wastelands.

It provides a compelling and mature story, great combat (eventually), all wrapped up in what is clearly one of the most visually impressive games to be released in a long time.

If The Walking Dead keeps producing episodes this strong, though, I’ll happily keep playing it for years to come.

Whichever way you look at it Infamous 2 is an electrifying sequel that consistently improves upon every single facet of its predecessor. Couple this with the near-limitless, free DLC potential of the new UGC system and this is one shockingly good must-buy for any PS3 enthusiast.

In the end, as a foundation of what’s to come, Diablo IV is the opening salvo in what could end up being one of the most incredible action RPGs ever created.

Although it has its shortcomings, I’ve been really impressed with FIFA 22. EA has delivered one of the most in-depth career modes to date, and the new additions across the game’s other modes are most welcome. I do hope to see more iteration across the board, but the gameplay this year feels top notch. It’s a huge step forward for the series, and a proper showcase of what the new consoles are capable of.

I played on both PC and Xbox One and found -- for the most part -- it to run satisfactorily, but it does suffer from some long loads and frame-rates can chug a bit if you’ve had it running in any background for too long. But really, those are about the only major concerns overall. It’s delivery of an interesting and new game-world is handled well; inviting newcomers in to learn as much as they can about these battle chasers as possible. And with success, there’s bound to be a bigger and better entry in this franchise moving forward. Addictive, challenging and charming in its throwback love, coupled with stunning art, Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a gamer’s game. It doesn’t over-promise to under-deliver, and perfectly delivers on its premise. Absolutely worth your investment.

In terms of narrative it’s as dizzying, exhilarating, and divisive as the series has always been, arguably providing some of its most memorable sequences yet, and for fans it’s something that not only has to be experienced, but savoured.

There’s just so much to discover and learn for yourself. I didn't want to spoil the experience, because for me it was incredible. Gritty and majestic, all at once.