Ultimately, Kingdom Rush: Vengeance provides players with a competent tower defense title that stands out from the saturated genre thanks to its colourful art style, quirky story beats and its role-reversal on good versus evil.

Pipistrello and the Cursed YoYo is not only a loving tribute to classic GBA games, but a serious elevation of the style.

Monster Hunter Rise is shaping up to be my favourite Monster Hunter to date. From the fluid and in-depth gameplay, to the ingeniously designed new monsters, to the insanely fun gimmicks that add new levels of mobility, Capcom has outdone themselves with their latest entry in the franchise yet again.

A visually resplendent strategy game that makes every turn feel important and every approach viable.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is an excellent remake of an excellent game with enough modern additions to make it feel fresh and new.

And for anyone who’s only after the multiplayer, well, I could say anything I want up top, because all you need to hear is that it’s still StarCraft—but more.

Monster Hunter World is one of the best games of the year, and it shines brightly on the PC.

The whole of Diablo III comes to Nintendo’s hybrid console six years after release, and while it might not be the prettiest, it is the portable-est.

Legion absolutely feels like an expansion that will improve on everything good Blizzard can deliver, and will hopefully shape into an absolute monster of an expansion.

Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire is a sequel that surpasses the original in nearly every way, and is an RPG that should not be missed.

Owlboy is a phenomenal adventure that succeeds in telling a captivating story with interesting characters and enjoyable gameplay.

While the sweetest fruits will be saved for those with an appreciation of philosophy and history, the elation of solving a puzzle that you spent an evening trying to crack is a reward that anyone can enjoy.

Night in the Woods reminds me of an old, relatively unknown PC adventure gem called The Adventures of Willy Beamish. It's unconventional, deals with a younger character, and while irreverent, has a lot of commentary on life that applies to just about everyone. I have a feeling Night in the Woods is going to benefit a lot from word of mouth the same way Undertale did, but just in case it doesn't, take my recommendation - go play it.

Team Ninja knocks it out of the park with their take on Samurai Dark Souls.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had a lot of promise, with its gripping story and beautiful landscapes, at least until the technical issues started showing up and completely ruined the experience.

In terms of PlayStation 5 upgrades, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate delivers a razor-sharp 4k image, with brief loading times thanks to the power of the new SSD in addition to a consistent and locked high framerate, making it the ideal choice for competitive play outside of perhaps the PC. Like the Switch version of MK11, thanks to the Dualsense controller, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate feels excellent, with each attack and blow accompanied by a satisfying rumble that helps bring the game to life.

Mixtape is a greatest hits of gameplay, storytelling, music and animation. Its a true work of art that would be a crime not to experience.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection takes two already great action-adventure games (A Thief's End + The Lost Legacy) and brings them to PC with a satisfying suite of visual and control tweaks to maximise the fun.

Street Fighter 6 is an almost uncompromising port of one of the best entries into the long-running fighting game series and is one of the best ways to play it on the go.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is an excellent 2D action platformer, and is a must play for fans of ninjas, action titles, or fans that want a great game for half price.

Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a stunning remake that staunchly secures the series’ leading place in modern RPGs.

Stormblood helps Final Fantasy XIV soar to new heights in storytelling, visuals, and gameplay, inching one of the best MMORPGs ever created even closer to perfection.

My only real complaint with The Old Hunters is the length. Depending on how you play it, you can easily finish the entire thing in under a few hours.

Persona 3 Reload is a must-play for Persona fans, old and new, revitalizing a beloved classic into a modern JRPG worth revisiting or experiencing for the first time.

XCOM 2’s console version is a buggy mess cobbled together from a far better game, and the worst possible way to experience the game.

Injustice is back and good lord is it ever a blast.

Newcomers and veterans alike should draw their swords for this one, because Ghost of Tsushima excels on the PS5 and strikes just shy of perfection.

You'll either love or hate The Witness as it will either make you feel smart or stupid. If you don't love puzzles and deep philosophical thoughts, perhaps avoid this one.