TomorrowHead Studio's debut is technically impressive in its use of UE5's lighting. Will: Follow The Light's execution may be bumpier in other areas, while the story might not linger in the memory for long, but it still makes for a stunning and unforgettable trip to the north in all its desolate beauty.

Very much 'Vibes the Video Game', but what a vibe it is. Mixtape expertly captures the joys of youth, where creative flights of fancy turn the mundane into surreal and snappy acts of teenage rebellion. Through its eclectic soundtrack and handmade aesthetic, it's a loving ode to an analogue past you can still reach out and feel.

A fun puzzler wrapped in music culture and its own well-observed lore, where repetition creeps in, but strong writing, wonderful art, and a curated atmosphere keep Wax Heads spinning.

A game that weaves in Yoko Taro and Fumito Ueda influences, and still feels unique, only the occasional camera friction can dampen Motorslice's brilliance.

A little more forgiving but still just as hostile and relentless, Saros is a worthy companion piece to Returnal and another terrific first-party showcase for PS5. It successfully builds on Housemarque's unique talent for beautiful bullet patterns, creepy tentacles and pulse-pounding action that makes you feel in danger while being the danger at the same time.

An ambitious, visually striking cosmic detective adventure that blends smart scanning mechanics with rewarding puzzles. While it rarely threatens, Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss is soaked in immersive detail that even rises above its bugs.

A bit uneven, but when it’s in motion, swinging, flipping, doing its weird alien thing, it’s hard not to like ChainStaff.

Crimson Desert can feel messy and overstuffed, but it’s also a fascinating, visually impressive, sprawling, and often brilliant sandbox that rewards patience and curiosity in equal measure.

This pixel art throwback nails pick-up-and-play fun, but Basketball Claissics' rough edges, shallow modes, and inconsistent mechanics leave me wanting just a bit more.

Ember Lab's visually enchanting debut showcases its animation expertise that translates well to Switch 2, even if its Pixar comparisons are superficial at best, wrapped in a competent but safe 3D action-adventure title.

A relentlessly nostalgic, often rewarding showcase of '90s games, Marvel MaXimum Collection relies on its arcade classics and hidden gems to paper over the cracks made by its duo of Spider-Man & Venom releases.

A racing reboot dripping in anime style, with unrelenting (but adjustable) speed and an exhilarating system between speed and combat on the race track. Even with an unevenly paced campaign, Screamer nonetheless succeeds in reigniting action-packed racers I thought had burnt out decades ago.

An inventive revival that elevates a forgotten series with deep combat and personality, but uneven pacing, thin content, and inconsistent visuals hold Rushing Beat X back.

While it's flawed and limited, Project Songbird is also a personal, distinctive, and engaging horror game that bends familiar ideas to its tune.

It's hundreds of classic Boulder Dash caves feeding my nostalgia with new levels and a level editor. Though the new visuals occasionally clutter the precise, satisfying puzzle gameplay, the classic caves remain simple and satisfying.

Offroading, massive hordes, and synth-driven tension create a unique Carpenter-inspired experience, even if the grind can feel punishing.

A colourful, accessible spin-off that distils the heart of Monster Hunter into a breezy JRPG. Beneath the anime charm lies surprising depth, even if repetition and grind occasionally dull the hunt.

A hand-painted, emotionally rich puzzle-platformer blending cinematic storytelling, inventive puzzles, and a meaningful companion dynamic, Planet of Lana 2 expands on everything loved about the original but no more.

Blending brutal third-person action with intimate first-person horror, resetting the series with stunning visuals, smarter enemies, and bold narrative ambition, Resident Evil Requiem may be familiar, but it's executed with confidence, polish, and genuine dread.

A stylish, tightly focused horror game with bold ideas and striking art direction, Crisol: Theater of Idols may not push every theme far enough, but its cohesion, world design, and confidence impress.

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is the best remake so far in Sega's crime epic. As the entry that excelled at showing a different side to Kiryu, it's been greatly expanded with new, meaningful actions and activities. Even if some of it is familiar and repackaged, it's still full of heart.

More time capsule than must-play, Fighting Force Collection preserves a messy, excessive era of PlayStation history, where fun mattered more than polish. A collection that hits harder if you were gaming in the '90s.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is a high bar not just for remaking but for reimagining a beloved gaming classic. It feels just as great to play on Switch 2 without compromises, even if this port doesn't fix some of its existing flaws.

This beautifully realised adventure earns every step you take through its hand-drawn world, and makes Metroidvania feel accessible.

Big Hops is one of the most original non-Nintendo 3D platformers you'll play that makes the most of its tongue and veggie-based mechanics, leaping just short of greatness to the genre's highest bar.

A clever retro-inspired adventure with deep, endlessly absorbing combat and a superb story. Octopath Traveler 0's music and charm shine through, even if some poor side-missions and a basic village builder hold it back.

A remaster that toys with nostalgia, adds visual polish, and rekindles my love of puzzles, but small technical issues plague Syberia Remaster.

A stylish, slow-burning detective game that rewards patience, observation, and a love of clever storytelling, but it rarely reinvents the genre.

Beneath is far from perfect. It’s janky, unoriginal, and technically uneven, but also brave, atmospheric, and built with love.

A confident sequel that finally gives the series its own identity, but The Outer Worlds 2 feels like an evolution of ideas rather than something new.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is beautifully made, blisteringly fast and defiantly old-school in its approach to combat and design. No rules are broken or rewritten, but fans and newcomers will find joy in the game's aggressive, approachable gameplay.

Not just Lizardcube's most visually accomplished game to date but a fantastic revival of another long dormant Sega franchise that doesn't stand to toe-to-toe with this summer's other major 2D ninja platformer but even tops it with its stylish and satisfying combo-based combat, killer finishes and Metroidvania-lite upgrades. Shinobi is truly back with a vengeance and it's never looked better.

If you want to drop into the arcades of the 1980s on your Switch, Operation Night Strikers is a collection that demands attention. More than simply letting you replay the games as you remember them, it revitalises that love for snappy, uncomplicated arcade shooters.

The best 2D Ninja Gaiden game that pays homage before surpassing the original as a thoroughly modern pixel art action game, from its gorgeous and gory visuals to a delicious suite of cool mechanics with room for changing up your playstyle, with plenty to keep you coming back. The next 3D title in the franchise this autumn, as well as Sega's own Shinobi, has got its work cut out because the bar has just gotten higher.

A surprisingly fast and aggressive Soulslike with enough creativity to excite, but fundamentally, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers doesn't subvert the genre or offer enough to break free of its inspirations.

With layers upon layers of delightfully executed ideas that also pay tribute to the classics, this isn't just by far the best Switch 2 exclusive but probably the best game you'll play this year. Move over Astro Bot, the top banana is here.

Tracks new and old look gorgeous, items boast high visual impact, and I'm not yet bored of scooping up costumes, but the top level gameplay changes are not easy to ignore. Perhaps my biggest gripes will be addressed in a patch down the track, but for now I'm not sure World is yet ready to replace my party game mainstay or its predecessor, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Hardly groundbreaking, but Survival Kids makes for a breezy co-op island adventure game that's only recommended if you have friends and family to play with together in the same room. But with Marcus Brigstocke's narration and an in-house Unity team based in the UK, it's nice to see the Switch 2 launch line-up has some British sensibilities just like Switch 1 had with Snipperclips.

If you want to showcase what Switch 2 can do, plug in Fast Fusion and let rip – beautiful, fast and innovative. The only drawback is a lack of online multiplayer.

Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour isn't something I'd recommend to everyone as their first purchase for the Switch 2 if what you're after is fun first. But if you are intrigued by what's going under the hood of your new console, then this is still a highly insightful and playful way of learning about it. And the price of admission is at least cheaper than a ticket to the Nintendo Museum.

It’s ambitious, can be occasionally ambiguous, but Blades of Fire is relentlessly original and delivers a fantasy world unlike anything else you've experienced. Blades of Fire is a glorious oddity.

This retro game collection features some all time greats and offers a lesson in bold design. The great – SF Alpha 3, Capcom Vs SNK, Project Justice, Power Stone – remain great, but a couple of filler entries hold back Capcom Fighting Collection 2.

A deliriously vibrant journey into absurdity, Revenge of the Savage Planet is a feast for the eyes and a treat for anyone looking for something unashamedly different, even if the game's Metroidvania style can dampen the escapism.

Brilliantly rethinks run-and-gun gameplay for the 2020s, enabled by thoroughly modern visuals. Doom: The Dark Ages is an object lesson into how to modernise an old classic.

VR headset or not, The Midnight Walk is an exquisite debut from MoonHood with fantastic hand-sculpted designs, with room (or a house rather) to let you gently admire that handiwork, and a story that warms the soul.

With its stunning visuals, it’s hard to believe Clair Obscur was made by such a relatively tiny team. But the game is more than just eye candy, offering an intriguing plot and some top-notch acting, as well as a solid and exciting combat system that rewards the effort it takes to learn.

After a long time away, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves shows the series is still fighting fit. While its package isn't without some blemishes, this is no throwback but takes its rightful place in this modern era of excellent fighting games.

There's genuine charm in Promise Mascot Agency that will definitely appeal to audiences already into Japanese culture and crime drama. Just be prepared to wade through the busywork of the management sim side to enjoy it.

As enchanting as it is dark, South of Midnight elevates an otherwise conventional action-adventure game with a tightly woven and empathetic 10-12 hour story that does justice to its Southern Gothic influences and Black characters and striking art direction.

Classic text adventure meets clever puzzler, Your House is a celebration and deconstruction of familiar ideas, wrapped in beautiful illustrations and graphic design, where the act of reading is now a puzzle to solve.

Clever, organically evolving game design mixes with retro period detail, along with a nod to Stalker, to create one of the year's more rewarding open worlds.

Ubisoft Quebec renders feudal Japan with breathtaking detail and sets up two fascinating leads to experience its warring period with, but the trade-offs between the dual playstyles and frustrating control issues will likely test your patience during this epic journey. You'll still push through for the sake of Assassin's Creed Shadows' epic narrative and virtual historical tourism, but when compared with other older open world games set in Japan, you just wish it could feel more fun in the hands.

While it may drip feed its story for longer than necessary and doesn't really go out of its way to subvert the cosy game, those who are looking for a way to relax will find comfort in the intricate and charming processes of making tea to pass the time.

Every time I feel frustrated by the combat, Sorry We're Closed will pop up with a beautiful character design, drop a great puzzle, squeeze out some catchy, snarky dialogue and then push me into a dungeon that recalls the heyday of survival horror. So, can I overlook it's one misstep, of course I can – particularly as this console release has made moves to smooth out this issue. Sorry We're Closed is an adventure worth opening.

More friction free than ever, Monster Hunter Wilds welcomes new players, but also offers the series’ most exciting endgame thanks to its open-world structure, topped off with some brilliant new additions to the monster roster…The most accessible Monster Hunter game to date.

Like a Dragon's swashbuckling adventure welcomes all for seafaring silliness. Whether you're beating up landlubbers or storming the deck, modern day marauding proves surprisingly easy - and difficult to put down.

Avowed may not reinvent the RPG wheel or be the next game that takes over your life but it still does a good job of giving the Pillars of Eternity universe the AAA treatment. With flexible action-packed combat, vibrant world and characters, and engaging moral dilemmas, it's a blast while it lasts.

Keep Driving knows it’s all about the journey rather than the destination, and it perfectly captures the feeling of being young and free and foolish. The learning curve is initially steep, and the encounters can eventually get repetitive, but it offers a beautifully drawn and wonderfully charismatic adventure that you won’t forget in a hurry.

Insightful writing and tightly controlled tabletop RPG pacing makes this new expanded sequel worth your time, even if you're new to the Citizen Sleeper universe.

A visual upgrade on Sniper Elite 5, a new game mode that offers immediate fun and an engaging new campaign, Sniper Elite: Resistance is always fun but rarely reinvents the gameplay set by the series.

This is a game that embraces a zeitgeist aesthetic without adding any depth or tension to its world to keep you engaged. For it to work, surrealism needs to explore the unexpected and irrational as well as offering a dreamlike state, Dreamcore does one of the three, and so feels like style over substance.

A pitch-perfect recreation of the Aliens universe that balances a claustrophobic atmosphere with tense combat and authentic, analogue design. This is the kind of game you bought PSVR 2 to play.

At times Flint: Treasure of Oblivion is charming and inventive, punctuated by expressive comic panels that get you aboard for the voyage, and in other moments weighed down by ambition and complexity.

Beautifully simple by design and executed just as deftly, The Cabin Factory is a genuinely creepy, occasionally terrifying, play on space, design and things that go bump in the night (and in weird factories). Chilling.

This is no lazy homage. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle delivers one the finest cinematic gaming experiences you'll ever play. A proper new Indiana Jones film that is actually a video game, in which you control Indy, with all his signature moves and quirks: the stuff of fans’ dreams, in other words.

As the game plods on with quiet predictability towards its watery conclusion by the sea, I'm left with the feeling this horror adventure missed the boat.