Dark, depressing, and more than a little intense, Inmost is a gorgeous game with a powerful narrative hook that doesn’t need to focus on its gameplay to deliver a powerful experience.

Street Power Soccer's fancy footwork can't disguise its soulless gameplay, complete lack of challenge, and an entire pitch of technical shortcomings.

Alan Wake makes his official debut in Control in full force, delivering a very large helping of lore and storytelling that goes down great with the overall game experience. If only he had a brought a small side of new gameplay mechanics as well, because the formula remains pretty much the same.

Battletoads retains the DNA of its hard as nails source material, reworking it into a chaotic brawler that’s fascinating to see in action, looks gorgeous, and never overstays its welcome.

An elegant game of art mixed with problem-solving, One-Line Coloring is a fun distraction with a laidback attitude that’s perfect for a less stressful afternoon when you want to give your brain a quick warm-up.

Bite the Bullet is a game of great ideas that are hamstrung by terrible controls, performance issues, and a flow of combat that’s at odds with the very gimmick that makes it stand out from the pack. All of that makes for an experience that bits off far more than it’s capable of chewing.

Risk of Rain 2 is an exceptional example of how to combine the rogue-like genre with shooter mechanics. Deep, satisfying and just so addictive, it’s taking every cell in my body to prevent me from taking a week off from work just to play more of it.

Thanks to some rather insightful evolutions from its predecessor, a deep fighting system that rewards dedication, and some super fun alternative modes for the more casual player, EA Sports UFC 4 is undoubtedly the greatest mixed martial arts video game we've seen to date. But being the greatest doesn't mean perfect as there's still room for improvement thanks to a wonky submission system and dated visuals.

Mortal Shell is an excellent entry in the Souls-like space with some fantastic ideas around character progression and combat, but is unfortunately let down by a health system that discourages exploration and an element of tedium that unnecessarily pads out encounters.

Boring, generic, uninspired and every other synonym for painfully average, The Ambassador: Fractured Timelines isn’t worth the time it takes to say its name.

As a stand-alone experience, The Tengu’s Disciple is a bit on the short end and there’s not much to the story at all, but it does provide some of the best boss battles to date. If the rest of the upcoming DLC provides the same level of gameplay and showdown quality as this chapter does, then Nioh 2 is going to have some incredible longevity going forward.

A short and sweet distraction, Kill It With Fire is a quirky experiment in overreacting and pest control that will hold your attention for an hour or two.

Dex is gorgeous to look at, has a captivating story to engage in and is downright frustrating when you need to fight your way out of danger.

A junk food JRPG that won't push you to the limit, Fairy Tail is a comfortable blend of fantasy and strategy that's authentic to its source material of magic and mayhem.

There’s a lot of joy to be found in Paper Mario: The Origami King, but its shallow combat and monotonous nature makes for a glib experience that crumples under pressure.

It may be a bit of a stretch to see if any game holds up after 15 years, but Destroy All Humans! is still a mindless romp of manic mass destruction that excels in the replayability department. A brilliantly polished slice of nostalgia, Destroy All Humans! knows exactly where to focus its energies with its silly story, updated gameplay and a graphical overhaul that is light-years ahead of the original invasion.

Necrobarista is a touching, emotional journey that features an excellently written and easily lovable cast of characters. While the “memories” within the game are frustrating to unlock, it wasn’t enough to detract from an otherwise excellent experience.

Ooblets is an excellent farming RPG with loads of deep customisation options and a satisfying progression arc, that’s weighed down by an irritatingly cute aesthetic and a battle system that feels like it should have stayed in the oven for a few more hours. [Early Access score = 80]

Rock of Ages 3 may falter in the gameplay department thanks to repetition, uneven AI and a wobbly foundation for its strategy, but its madly charming presentation and a dedicated community of fans should be able to sculpt something gneiss out of this brave and boulder game.

Visually striking and mentally satisfying, Creaks is a puzzle platformer that fully embraces its oddball nature. Some control and pacing niggles aside, it’s a bright new genre entry, sure to have extra appeal for people with darker, cerebral tastes in entertainment.

A melancholic tale of war and a fitting epilogue to a current-gen era, Sucker Punch’s latest effort is a slick showcase for the PlayStation 4 that draws you into a world that never fails to impress. Ghost of Tsushima is a masterpiece of precise gameplay, emotional turmoil and powerful world design.

Rocket Arena is a blast with its unique take on explosive arena action, colourful cast and an ambitious game plan, albeit one that plays its payload cards a little too safely.

Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise wants to revel and self-praise its own absurdist nature, but at the end of the day the actual game attached to all the strange dialogue, mechanics and gameplay is painfully frustrating.

There’s a beautifully detailed game just waiting to be explored inside of this sequel to a forgotten cult classic, one that will have hardcore RTS fans in their element if they can overlook a clunky campaign flow and dive deep into its many layers of strategy. Fortune favours those who are bold and prepared in Brigandine: The Legend of Runersia.

Summer in Mara makes a great first impression with its pleasant visuals and laid-back music but ultimately fails to remain engaging for long due to repetitive quests, a hollow world and plenty of tedious mechanics.

As Marvel games go, Iron Man VR doesn’t quite hit the high mark set by the superlative Spider-Man, but it’s an often engaging and exhilarating experience to step into shellhead’s signature armour. Long load times, overused padding and poor writing mar what would otherwise be the ultimate Iron Man adventure.

Disintegration absolutely nails the idea of managing a squad and blasting away at the opposition from within your high anti-gravity horse, but some rough edges in the multiplayer department derails this ambitious concept before it can truly stand out from the pack.

Greymoor may be a paint by numbers expansion to The Elder Scrolls Online, but it still manages to be a nostalgic return to the glory days of Skyrim that is enhanced by the fascinating Antiquities system and scenic locales.

A faithful remake that takes an average collect-a-thon of a bygone era and never really does much to improve it aside from some added content and spruced up visuals, Battle for Bikini Bottom is let down by its monotonous gameplay and loose controls.

A modest expansion to Pokémon Sword and Shield, Isle of Armor doesn’t stray away from the established formula of last year’s blockbuster game. But when the core experience was that good to begin with, more of the same is exactly what the series needs to still stay fun and fresh.

XCOM 2 on Switch is a functional, enjoyable port that falls prey to some of the weaker hardware offered by Nintendo. If you can look past all the performance issues and long-ish load times, XCOM 2 continues to be one of the best strategy games ever published.

West of Dead isn’t going to win any originality contests, but it knows how to draw with the best of them and it’s quick enough to hit you with six rounds of stylistic fun. Beneath the obvious comparisons, there’s a game that plays out like a passionate high noon homage to the best of film, games and comic books.

Project Warlock has its moments, but the retro good comes with some nostalgic bad. If you’re able to look past its flaws, there’s a chunky and satisfying first-person shooter that still manages to be a blast from the past when you get to grips with it.

Fly Punch Boom is the fighting game love letter to epic anime showdowns that you want to love, but its flawed execution and hyper-active QTE combat derails all the charm that this brawler brings to the table.

Desperados III is an absolute hoot. The best strategy game of the year, cowboys and chaos never felt this good and this revival is one for the ages. It may be lethally challenging, but its gung-ho strategy is a masterpiece of design that’s accentuated by lovable rogues, lively levels and a dedication to its genre that can easily outdraw any challengers to its throne.

The Last of Us Part II is an exceptional experience from beginning to end, uniting its gameplay and narrative into a cohesive unit while also delivering some of the best writing and acting seen in a video game to date. It is undeniably one of the best games I’ve ever played.

Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is the gold standard for what a blast from the past should and can be, as Petroglyph’s efforts have resulted in a handsome and hefty package of classic strategy, passion and modern-day improvements.

Despite some annoyingly prevalent fan-service and clunky fetch quests, Shantae and The Seven Sirens won me over with it’s beautiful realised world, charming characters and thoroughly polished metroidvania design.

There’s a terrific experience to be had in The Outer Worlds, but blurry visuals, subpar resolutions and haphazard functionality make it an adventure that’s done justice on any platform but the Nintendo Switch.

A decade of gaming in a single package, the latest return to Pandora still stands tall as a testament to brilliant game design, and even with a few technical concessions along the way, it makes for one handsome pack of fun.

There’s a good game buried within Those Who Remain’s many shortcomings, but it blunders the final hundred meters of its dash for survival like a sorority girl outrunning a slasher in a forest filled with tree roots. Repetitive scenarios of item-hunting tarnish the more ingenious puzzles you’re presented with, horror clichés sour an otherwise wonderfully tense atmosphere and a control scheme from hell drags a promising game back into the shadows, never to be seen again.

While visually intriguing and distinct, Liberated feels more like an idea than a game, thanks to an uninspired story, boring gameplay and a stunning lack of polish.

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath is a short and sweet expansion of new stories, characters and gruesome action that gives fans more of what they love.

A staggering amount of content, variety and tactical depth makes Monster Train a must-play for fans of the deck-building genre, despite it struggling to explain its dense collection of mechanics and often lacklustre presentation.

Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition proves that it is still one of the best examples this genre has to offer. A new coat of paint and smart gameplay changes brings this classic up to date for a new generation of gamers.

A story told with deft delicacy while not pulling any punches along the way, If Found is a gorgeous slice of storytelling told with deceptively minimal inputs and maximum talent.

Maneater plays its hand early, as the novelty of being an almost unstoppable apex predator thrown into an unforgiving ocean doesn’t have much depth to it. What Maneater does have though, is a meaty world worth exploring, a fascinating system of evolution and whip-smart writing that adds colour to your deep blue killing spree.

John Wick Hex is a sharp-dressed, tactical, dog eat dog shooter that offers an unforgiving challenge with smart action and an authentic layer of style.

Someday You’ll Return is an occasionally pretty game with a splash of interesting ideas and visuals that are unfortunately let down by shoddy performance, abysmal storytelling and an overall lack of care placed into its presentation.

MotoGP 20 will tick all the boxes for what a game based on the most exhilarating racing sport on the planet should offer, but it’ll seldom exceed your expectations thanks to its sterile presentation and no-thrills approach on the track.

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a thoroughly enjoyable twist on the franchise, bringing some fresh ideas to the fore while still retaining the roots of the original game it draws from. There’s certainly fun to be had here if you’re able to overlook the occasional bug.

A vibrant and challenging puzzle game, Filament has a slick style that’ll pump positive energy into your brain with every mystery that it throws at you.

Gears Tactics isn't just one of the biggest surprises of the year, it’s a vulgar display of power starring everyone’s favourite beefy boys in a bloody new direction that’ll test your trigger fingers with pure heavy mental action.

Final Fantasy VII Remake isn’t the retelling of a cult classic that you’re expecting it to be. It’s a lengthy and deliberately slow-paced walk down the Midgar memory lane that leisurely basks within the warm glow of nostalgia, but at the same time it’s an exhilarating and cinematic explosion of action that not only celebrates the impact of the game which rewrote the rulebook for an entire industry in 1997, but also everything else that followed in its genre-defining wake.

A competent remaster that gives a decade-old game a suitable level of spit-and-polish, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’s campaign reveals a significant graphical overhaul but its corridor-shooter structure and worn animation give its age away. Nostalgic fans of the series might get a kick, but the barebones remaster isn’t a fantastic value proposition for anybody else.

Bridging film and video game, interactive movies are a niche format. However, with most of us having a lot more time on our hands during lockdown, now may be the time to give this hybrid genre more attention. Removing many of the annoyances FMV adventures are associated with, and featuring strong production values, The Complex is a solid entry point, even if it’s far more enjoyable as a choose-your-own adventure experience than film entertainment.

What begins with a disaster ends with love, sandwiching in a meaty filling of guns, conspiracies and Wendigo testicles along the way in Borderlands 3: Guns, Love and Tentacles. Not a bad way to spend a weekend, when you’re officiating the union between beast and melee attack. I now pronounce you man and knife.

Paper Beast is a unique look at a reactive living world. It’s a game that makes you feel like you’re exploring an alien habitat through the lens of an interactive nature documentary. It’s filled with (occasionally obtuse) natural, organic environmental puzzles. A personal and contemplative experience, Paper Beast could only be better if it were narrated by Sir David Attenborough.

Resident Evil 3 Remake continues to the raise the bar of what it means to be a remake. It can feel rushed in places, but the sheer terror of Nemesis and the return to form of Jill Valentine makes it an experience you don’t want to miss. Just be sure to bring extra clean underwear along for the ride.

Kyloton’s approach to speed in TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2 is one that still carries with it absolute love and reverence for one of the greatest races on the planet, mixing a passion for performance and geography into a thrilling spectacle.

MLB: The Show 20 makes getting to first base feel easy, getting to second a true joy, third a journey and getting the home run an experience worth reliving. It’s by far and away one of the most complete sport game packages out there and provides good reason to stay home in these crazy times.

DOOM Eternal is the most metal game in all of creation. It is rage and fire, the purity of armed combat dialed up to eleven and unleashed on a horde of eyeballs that simply aren’t ready for the retina-searing action that’s about to burn a new circle of hellish good fun into those ocular organs. Long live the Doom Slayer, long live the king of first-person shooters.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a game that manages to be wholeheartedly cathartic, relaxing and adorable for every second you play despite some legacy flaws and clunky menus that may vex just a little too much.

Foregone is a simple, well-designed action platformer with just enough roguelike elements to the keep the game interesting but lacks the interesting loot and character customisation that would take it to the next level. [Early Access score = 70]

There’s a banging soundtrack, the visuals look sharp across the Switch’s multiple playable formats and the action still feels as deliciously old school as ever. Everything you could possibly want from a white-knuckle schmup ride with Syder Reloaded.

For better and worse, Nioh 2 feels like more of the same. Tired environmental design and rehashed gameplay elements sully what is otherwise an addictive and exhilarating loot-based hack and slash samurai adventure.

Warlords of New York is a massive leap forward for The Division 2, a fun diversion that aims to be less repetitive and more engaging. There’s a big picture being developed here, one that’ll make the trademark grind of The Division 2 more addictive than ever before as civil war rages on in the streets of the divided states of America.

So far, Ori and the Will of the Wisps has taken my breath away. It’s possibly one of the most aesthetically gorgeous games I’ve ever played, even if some parts do feel like they’ve been ripped straight from the first game and the soundtrack is masterful in every sense of the word. [Provisional Score = 90]

Life Is Strange 2’s ending differs depending on how good or bad a father figure the player has been to Daniel, and it could be argued that this is what gives the game a semblance of replay value. That argument crumbles to bits when one considers what an arduous slog a lot of the game has been to play. While there are undeniable moments of power in Life Is Strange 2’s story, they’re strewn too far apart to make playing the game over again attractive. It’s a decent story, but as a gaming experience it disappoints, which is a real pity, given how good its two predecessors are.

Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Rescue DX may be nostalgic to true believers of the original Blue and Red Rescue Team games, but it’s a more shallow experience for everyone else that makes for an entirely forgettable experience.

Bloodroots is an aesthetically gorgeous, grindhouse inspired action game with a glorious combat system that’s unfortunately spoiled by some poorly designed platforming segments that just refuse to gel with the game’s core mechanics.

Whether you’re pining for the good ol’ days of sim management madness or you’re new to the idea of simulated insanity in the workplace, Two Point Hospital clearly has the cure for whatever ails you.

Irritations and annoyances aside, Darksiders Genesis is still fantastic stuff. It’s a reinvigorating return to form for the franchise, taking the best of the series and remixing it with a few new ideas that make for a great diversion over a dozen hours of escapism.

Dreams is so many ideas at any given time. It is ambition given form, imagination given vibrant life and unlimited possibility waiting to be shaped with your hands. Unique and inspiring, there’s no other game that even comes close to reaching Dreams and its intuitive approach to creating content and an experience that you never want to wake up from.

Very nearly everything that’s been released for Street Fighter V in the last four years is part of the Champion Edition upgrade. That’s 40 characters, 34 stages and over 200 costumes included in a bargain-priced package. With the massive roster and the addition of secondary V-skills adding even more variety, this is the game Street Fighter V was always meant to be.

Its mediocre ideas result in nothing more than a functionality that spoils solid art. Snack World: The Dungeon Crawl – Gold could have been a unique take on the genre but unfortunately cashes out too early to make any kind of lasting impression.

If you desperately need a new Rugby game to fill the void, you might still consider picking Rugby 20 up, but even then you might be better off going back to Rugby Challenge and playing that with some of the new community squads.

While Warcraft 3 is still a phenomenal game to play today, Reforged is unfortunately a chaotic storm of failed promises, technical bugs and missed opportunities that makes a great game worse.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War is the kind of game designed to allow you to switch off and engage your trigger fingers, mowing down entire armies of the undead and cracking a smile when you see a bullet explode through a Nazi’s skull. Hitting the sweet spot between catharsis and challenge, Zombie Army 4: Dead War is an absolute thrill.

Monster Energy Supercross 3 looks and sounds the part, but it’s more likely to introduce a sensation of deja vroom than actual white knuckle excitement that befits a sensational sport.

Patapon 2 Remastered suffers from the same poor quality video as other PSP remasters, but maintains the delightfully charming gameplay. The original wasn't the most ambitious sequel and while it lacks the freshness of the first game, it makes up for that with both increased width and depth.

Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot is a buffet of gameplay, ideas and diversions. It is a game that makes no bones at who it has in its crosshairs, aimed squarely at the fans who have made Dragon Ball Z the global phenomenon that it is. Much like its source material, Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot isn’t without faults but its enduring spirit of facing overwhelming odds head-on and conquering them, is one lesson that it has succeeded in learning.

Drawkanoid is a unique, creative exploration of brick-breaker games and the mechanics that drive them. It delivers a solidly enjoyable experience but is unfortunately limited in its scope.

Hard decisions and consequences may await you in Frostpunk: The Last Autumn, but it’ a gorgeous experience with greener pastures that’ll still hook players in with an addictive loop of management in the face of extinction.

Not Tonight is a bold puzzle game that’s unafraid to shy away from very serious issues while delivering a strong narrative, cathartic gameplay loop and consistently pretty presentation.

With one of the most addictive turn-based battle systems you’ll find today in a JRPG, Tokyo Mirage Sessions was a blast to play. It’s just unfortunate that the story and characters were about as bland as flavourless rice cakes.

Borderlands 3’s first slice of DLC has plenty of action, charm and style to spare as it kicks off a season pass of expansive new adventures with a full house of fun.

Rhythm action at its finest, Avicii Invector celebrates the life of a musical genius with an adventure across the stars that is challenging, enjoyable and euphoric in its celebration of an icon’s legacy.

As a stopgap between Darksiders 3 and the eventual Darksiders 4, Genesis scratches an itch in an unconventional manner that deserves some appreciation for trying something new along the way. Darksiders Genesis is action and co-op play firing on all cylinders. Even if I do need to strap a pair of binoculars to my face to see what I’m doing.

There’s no other game like Where The Water Tastes Like Wine, even if it does lose the plot when it celebrates the art of stories and the power that they possess.

The video game equivalent of a shot of espresso, award-winning Fractured Minds is a short, potent and tonally dark exploration of living with anxiety and other mental health issues. In some ways, it’s obviously the effort of a teenage game developer. In others, well, a good many adult creators can learn from its perceptiveness and sophisticated implementation.

The Stretchers is a deceptively simple co-op game that manages to be fun for every second of it’s brief run time, delivering interesting levels and hilarious chaos as your shout at your partner (or left hand) to just pick up the damn stretcher.

Narcos: Rise of the Cartels was shaping up to be a fascinating advert for Netflix’s hit series, but the overall quid pro quo bend of strategy ultimately makes it the shallowest of tie-ins. This is one Search Bloc party that you can count me out for.

CI Games has taken its lessons learned from the past and given Sniper Ghost Warrior a Hitman-inspired makeover. With improved sniping mechanics, and focus on replayable, open-ended sandboxes, Contracts is thrilling and tense - while nailing that perfect shot is endlessly rewarding.

There’s a lot of potential still waiting to be tapped in Chikara Action Arcade Wrestling, and considering how the game is in a constant state of evolution, it won’t be long before it makes the jump from the mid-card to the main event spotlight.

Pokémon Sword and Shield is everything that you love about pocket monsters and then some. With an emphasis on sharpening what works and ditching more bloated elements aside to create the best region yet for the franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield is pocket monster catch ‘em all mania at its very best.

Pokémon Sword and Shield is everything that you love about pocket monsters and then some. With an emphasis on sharpening what works and ditching more bloated elements aside to create the best region yet for the franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield is pocket monster catch ‘em all mania at its very best.

Pokémon Sword and Shield is everything that you love about pocket monsters and then some. With an emphasis on sharpening what works and ditching more bloated elements aside to create the best region yet for the franchise, Pokemon Sword and Shield is pocket monster catch ‘em all mania at its very best.