More than twenty years after the manic marsupial first graced the PlayStation, the return of Crash Bandicoot isn’t just welcome…it just feels right. A throwback to a more positive time, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is a testament to timeless game design and an example of a remaster done right by two studios split across two eras.

With the opportunity for your present success to impact your future prospects, Into the Future adds some nice new elements to the Sims 3 experience. Not for those who prefer to stay in their Sims' house, this expansion is larger than you might expect for a franchise preparing their new installment.

Aragami: Shadow Edition is all you could ask for and more from a game that is built on the mythology of shinobi. It may still have a few rough corners, but for a first stab on console that emphasises stealth, patience and bloody retribution? It’s a superb experience with plenty to say thanks to its included Nightfall expansion.

Filled with secrets to be found, and strong foundation on core combat, Hyper Light Drifter is a deep experience. Fun for a seven hour journey of exploration, or many more hours for completion, it offers plenty of value and enjoyment for its price.

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.

Whether you’re a long-time fan wanting to revel in the nostalgia, or somebody who missed it the first time round – pick up Grim Fandango and delight in this prime example of adventure games at their peak. Its got a lot of heart – and it deserves yours.

For someone who played and loved the original, I'm sure this expansion will be a welcome excuse to return to this world. However, Dark Arisen just does not deliver in the same vein, and falls short of being exciting in a new way. Instead, it seems to continue on from the original - incredibly inspired, and yet lacking in follow through.

Forget the cheesy story, the occasional bad camera and the fact that MGR:R is about as stealthy as a snowflake in a coal mine. The game knows that it’s a winner on the action front, and it takes steps to make certain that that is what gamers come back for. Sure, it may be over quickly, but with VR missions, secrets, easter eggs and upgrades, it’s worth replaying a few times.

It’s superbly paced and well scripted, and though still missing that necessary level of polish, an experience you’ll be remiss to pass on.

For over twenty years, Pokémon has been a source of joy and adoration. If Pokémon Let’s Go is an indication of where the franchise is headed in the future, it’s easily going to enjoy another two decades of love from a whole new generation of fans.

Nidhogg 2 is a brutally bizarre tug of war with swords, an attractive grim spectacle of steel and blood that just so happens to be one of the most addictive experiences of the year. It’s a bigger take on the magnificent original game, while avoiding feature bloat as it retains its simple charm with its ghastly and delightful new art direction.

This is the best Lego game so far, with TT Fusion pushing away from licensed franchise tomfoolery into completely new territory. Will we see more Chase McCain and other original ideas in the future? I hope so.

It's so sweet it might cause you digital diabetes, but its levels are well designed and the entire thing is thoroughly charming. Kirby Fighters is a surprisingly robust addition, that makes the wait for Super Smash Bros a little more bearable.

Infamous: Second Son wears its rebellious heart on its sleeve. Brimming with attitude, unrelenting and massive to take in, the game never forgets the most important aspect of game design however, and remains consistently fun.

Guitar Hero Live provides a whole new experience to veterans, yet manages to be accessible enough for those who are only just starting their digital rock careers. It’s a solid title,though the streaming service GHTV could use some tweaking to make the game an absolute must-have.

The Division is a strong start for a game that Ubisoft is clearly aiming to keep alive for a long time. It gleefully fulfills promises instead of just making them, even if some of its later elements fall prey to the inevitable wait for more content.

Episode 1 can be guardedly recommended, then. It stumbles in parts, sure, but it also proves that DontNod has some ambitious ideas for this installment of its teen adventure series. On top of that, it ends intriguingly enough to ensure that many who play through it will want to see what the next episode holds.

PES 2014 is a huge improvement in a franchise with a new engine, which will provide football fans with countless hours of fun. Sadly for everything good Konami has done, if they don’t change their after sales administration, PES will never be top of the League again.

Though not as brutally challenging as its forbears, the first chapter of The odd Gentleman’s King’s Quest is a delightfully charming, funny and beautiful game that any fan of old adventure games will love.

Beneath the fluff and frustrations lies a truly unique game with a wondrous world and a central mechanic that can often cause moments of pure exhilaration. It's a fun, but deeply flawed experience.

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.

Total War: Attila is a complex and diverse strategy game that will offer returning Total War fans their fair share of ups and downs.

Terrifying, addictive and constantly engaging, Darkwood is a joy to play and begs for multiple runs no matter how scared you are.

The emulation is perfect, the extra features are great and the Switch is the perfect system for this bit of nostalgia. Unfortunately, the collection of games is a little lacklustre, with the real standouts games that we’ve seen bundled together many times before.

With the freemium model, SMITE is worth trying out if you’re a MOBA fan with an Xbox One. There’s zero risk, a massively deep game to jump into and a surprising play-style that actually makes the genre fun, instead of a reason to daydream about drowning the people on the opposing side for rushing you.

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.

Knockout City is both easy to pick up and deviously simple in its design, hiding a layer of complexity behind more casual gameplay that fans will discover the more they become invested in it. There's some standard launch-month polishing left to be done still, but Knockout City lands more hits than misses with its high-stakes gameplay and cunning combat, resulting in a multiplayer experience that's both fun and intense at any given moment.

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War is Lord of the Rings turned up to 11. Improving on nearly every idea from the original Shadow of Mordor game, it’s a gargantuan sequel in both size and scope.

Whether you’re a long-time Yakuza fan or just coming to this series, Judgment is well worth the investment. Boasting a cracking story, oodles of content and a fantastic fighting system, this spin-off can keep you glued for days… possibly months.

Autonauts is a colourful, creative and energetic game of automation and colonisation, whose cute facade is home to some truly engaging coding that never gets too complex.

Excellent combat and the joy of customizing a character keeps this as a strong entry in the franchise, even as it is undercut by a lackluster story and underwhelming humor. Level design is mostly great with some uninspired moments. Definitely still worthwhile for kids, but not necessarily as intriguing for adults as well.

As with the first game, LocoRoco 2 Remastered is an unremarkable remaster of a delightfully charming game. The game’s bright and colourful visuals pop in higher resolutions, and the music comes to life through bigger speakers than the PSP offered. It’s a pity that like other PSP remasters, the cut scenes are a blurry mess, but that’s a minor complaint.

It may have a few inconsistencies that can otherwise hamper the fine action in front of you, but this is the Wolfenstein return that for the most part, manages to mix deliciously old-school violence with a new generation of visuals and storytelling.

Despite a few issues and a dearth of modes, Firewall Zero Hour is the best multiplayer shooter available on PlayStation VR, and one of the platform’s best games. It’s exhilarating, immersive, tactical team-based fun, and one of those rare VR games that I’ll keep playing long after finishing this review.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is an ambitious exploration of the Star Wars universe that succeeds in delivering both compelling combat and characters, even if it suffers from tedious exploration mechanics and a lack of polish.

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.

Valfaris is a frenetic, violent homage to classic shooters and heavy metal, with satisfying gameplay and challenging boss encounters, it’ll be appreciated by anybody looking for something fun to head-bang to.

Terrifying, challenging and disturbing, STASIS is a nightmarish descent into the unknown and the kind of horror game that stays with you even when the end credits have rolled.

The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors is that kind of slice of classic cake that brings with it the pros and cons of a bygone era, but at least it’s the kind of game that makes you lust for the nostalgia-tinted days of funnelling coins into an arcade stand and engaging in some cathartic mayhem. Easy to pick up action, retrotastic visuals and a chance to feel like a hero with a power fantasy that works delightfully well on the Nintendo Switch.

There’s a lot to love about South Park: The Fractured But Whole. The action is clever, the humour is even smarter and the quiet little mountain town is still as charmingly familiar as ever when you’re not busy farting your way out of danger.

Effortlessly charming, fun for any age and an imaginatively designed spectacle of origami originality. Yoshi’s Crafted World is fine art fun on the run or at home.

Although Prey’s combat and narrative fail to fill the shoes of the games they’re so obviously taking inspiration from, the visit to its Talos I space station is a marvel in interconnected level design and presentation. This is environmental storytelling and mechanical tension done to a tee, even if Prey is working hard to try and yank you out of its immersion far too often.

If you are keen for a heart-pounding horror game, you could do far worse than Until Dawn, even if it doesn't fulfill its true potential.

New Pokemon Snap captures the magic of the original game without ever losing focus, expanding on that game with a vastly increased collection of Pokemon, colourful zones to explore, and a few other interesting developments behind the lens. It's a delightful adventure that imagines the world of Pokemon as a lively and cathartic safari.

A whimsical and charming adventure, LittleBigPlanet 3 makes a few welcome changes to the core game; namely new characters and new powerups four our old knitted chum, Sackboy. With an even more robust set of creation tools, it's a game of limitless possibilities.

For over twenty years, Pokémon has been a source of joy and adoration. If Pokémon Let’s Go is an indication of where the franchise is headed in the future, it’s easily going to enjoy another two decades of love from a whole new generation of fans.

Unflinchingly tense and grueling, Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation is a better sequel to Ridley Scott's original movie than the film that followed it. Dripping with as much atmosphere and attention to detail as it is with acidic Xenomorph spittle, it's hardly let down by its weak narrative and unnecessary padding.

An excellent addition to the 3DS library, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright offers the best of both franchises in fantastic bite sized portions.

Zen Studios are masters of what they do, and if you enjoy digital pinball then Pinball FX2 in VR is revelatory. One of the best VR experiences available, this the closest you’ll get to playing pinball without standing in front of a real table.

A delightfully charming platformer, Sackboy:A Big Adventure untethers the knitted knight from the creation-focused LittleBigPlanet and gives him his own grand adventure. In doing so, Sumo Digital has delivered one of the most thoughtful, interesting, and love-laden platformers in recent memory, resulting in a perpetual delight.

Trials veterans will feel right at home with this latest instalment in the franchise, but they won’t be able to shake off that nagging feeling that something is missing, despite the new tricks on offer. Newcomers, prepare to fail again and again as you find yourself addicted to a deceptively simply formula.

Over a decade later, and LocoRoco remains one of the bubbliest, most charming games I’ve encountered. Uniquely beautiful, LocoRoco’s aged well too, and is still a delight to play.

Ion Fury knows what it wants to be: A satisfying romp through the past, emboldened by the future and metal to the max.

The Reignited Trilogy feels well at home on the Nintendo Switch. Spyro is still fun to play in a world that looks great. Incremental improvements on all fronts, gameplay and otherwise, keeps the adventure throughout engaging, if a little cumbersome at times.

A fantastic game. The on-field experience is one of the most authentic, impressive portrayals of football you are ever likely to see. It’s what happens when a team is finally completely comfortable with the engine and system. Every match feels like it offers something different and that adds to the whole experience. The on-field additions certainly make up for the lacklustre menus, the loss of licenses and the lack of innovation, but only just.

A reworked yet subtle combat system, visuals that'll make you think that you've fallen under a Genjutsu spell and a story that has finally reached its climax. This final chapter is purely for the fans.

OlliOlli manages to walk a fine line between being legitimately infuriating to insanely rewarding. It's probably not for everyone, but if you've been yearning for a challenging game, with a nostalgic nod to yesteryear, then you can't go wrong with this one.

Blending the mundanity of virtual work with the mania of wave-based shooters, Shooty Fruity perfectly pulls off an experience that's both absurd and satisfying.

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.

DOOM is a technological marvel to behold on the Switch, and the fact that id Software got it working at all seems like a miracle. But the magic comes with some heavy concessions, making DOOM on Nintendo’s handheld a more difficult recommendation for Switch players than any other platform.

Dirt 5 doesn’t come screaming around the corner as a definitive next-gen spectacle, but it’s still pure racing junk food with a confident swagger that I’m happy to gorge on any day of the week. It’s a V8 hooligan with a devil may care attitude, familiar to wrap your thumbs around, and a fantastic distraction when you’re looking to get some mud on your face.

You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll jump in Thomas Was Alone on Nintendo Switch. Whether you’re leaping in for the first time or playing through the adventure yet again, this complete port does the iconic indie game proper justice and proves that great video game ideas are timeless.

Unfortunately the boss encounters and disposable side missions sully whatever good this content had going for it. Still, despite my grievances, I feel as though Team Ninja are finally finding their groove with the DLC and I’m hoping that the final one will knock it out of the park.

Star Wars: Squadrons certainly has a few issues. Its enjoyable campaign has some dull moments outside of the cockpit and the multiplayer, as stupendously thrilling as it is, is a bit too barebones at the moment. But it's also the most fun and immersive Star Wars flight sim experience we've ever had thanks to its immaculate gameplay and incredibly polished production.

Life Is Strange 2: Episode 2 is a disappointment. While it contains a number of revelatory moments and a couple of scenes that pack real tension, thanks to its lousy pacing and absence of agency, only the most committed fans of this series are advised to pick it up. Here’s hoping Episode 3 picks up the pace.

Trials: Rising is a wildly fun game that offers both simplicity and depth in the most satisfying of ways, despite an occasionally annoying soundtrack.

Alienation is an ambitious twin-stick shooter that goes beyond Housemarque doing what they do best. It's gorgeous it's addictive, and its's some of the best fun you'll have on your PlayStation this year - especially if you're the get caught up in the grind for better loot.

While Gears of War: Judgment is perhaps burdened by the pall of over-familiarity, the changes that developer People Can Fly have implemented are enough, for now, to keep it feeling fresh – and certainly worthy of your time.

Halo Wars 2 is a ballroom blitz with dangerously addictive levels of fun. It may be lacking in the length department when it comes to its tragically short campaign, but it’s a shining second chance example at proving that strategy games can work on console.

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a fantastic Homeworld game, and a fantastic RTS game in its own right. It’s a great middle point between the classic formula and the rather intimidating full three dimension movement of the franchise, as well as just being a damned good RTS in a time when games in the genre are an increasingly rare sight.

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.

Panic Studio's port of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus may be a game of compromises, but the amitious effort still manages to capture not only the complete content of the original game but also its very essence.

FIFA 20 is a gift wrapped with flair and flamboyance on the outside. When you unwrap it, rather than it brimming to the full, it leaves you a little underwhelmed. It’s still good, there’s lots to be found inside and it will no doubt keep you busy for hours on end, but there's just not the same magic inside as there is on the outside.

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.

Remarkably flexible, frantic, fun and funny, Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?! serves up a cooking sim that’s great value for money, and entirely what you make of it. All the ingredients are there, whether you want to stick to comfort food with very little mental nourishment, or dial up your ambitions with complex culinary masterpieces that must be served to the second. Micro-management skills aside, you're given the freedom to determine how engrossing your experience is.

Battle for Azeroth, despite the endless grind, has been an exciting expansion this far. However, raids and additional content are what makes the game great. Blizzard has made the entry level into the new expansion welcoming for new players and some die-hard critics have shared their concerns with the current direction Blizzard are going with making the gaming “easier.”

Call of Duty: WWII is a great entry into the long-running series. Sledgehammer has done a fantastic job in creating a Call of Duty that will appeal to contemporary fans and those fans who might have favourable memories of earlier games in the series. It often walks a fine line between thoughtful representation of World War II and typical Call of Duty flamboyance, but it’s a line that Sledgehammer walks with confidence. The result is a Call of Duty that feels assured of what it’s trying to accomplish, and what it accomplishes is riveting, entertaining and at times hard-hitting.

Detroit: Become Human manages to dial back Quantic Dream’s usual style of storytelling and instead focus more on the characters and their personal journey resulting in one the most compelling adventure games in recent memory.

Yoshi's Woolly World is a challenging, cleverly designed platformer that as delightful to play as it is to look at. It's unbelievably beautiful, unrelentingly challenging, and undeniably adorable.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity falters greatly in its narrative. The time-traveling aspect felt like a cheap and easy way to rewrite history without actually adding much to the established lore. That said, this did allow Princess Zelda to shine which ended up being a pleasant surprise. The gameplay is the main hook and it’s a bloody fun one at that. There is lots to love here if you can ignore the weak story.

The story may not be up to scratch, but the game remains fun and enjoyable.

Borderlands 3 may be a brain-dead story of already dead on arrival memes and a cast that is largely forgettable (Save for Tannis, I still love you for being my socially inept spirit animal), but it’s easily the most satisfying power fantasy of the year thanks to its amazingly tuned gunplay and a sophisticated flow of action that picks up the juvenile slack.

Budget Cuts remains a sometimes frustrating, but worthwhile delight to play. It’s one of the finest things available on PSVR right now, and those toting Sony’s headset should add it to their collections. Blending stealth, action, and deep immersion, Budget Cuts remains one of the best examples of “proper games” on VR.

At its core, For Honor is a stunningly great game with exhilarating combat the likes of which are hardly seen. But it’s crippled by online issues that reduce its core multiplayer to a frustrating mess.

Despite some minor technical quibbles and uneven voice acting, Observer is a nightmarish gem. Drawing heavily on seminal sci-fi film Blade Runner for its overall cyberpunk aesthetic, this new game from Bloober Team adds fantastic game design and an engaging narrative to keep you coming back despite the terror it induces.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the game, nor is there anything to make me recommend it. If you love JRPGs, you might enjoy this. If not, it will probably reinforce all your negative ideas about JRPGs.

The Farce is strong in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as TT Games doesn't deviate too far away from their usual formula of puzzles and slapstick.

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.

Tight action, packed with more guns than Ted Nugent's home and a singular focus on turning the tables on bullet hell enemies makes Mothergunship a slick piece of high caliber fun.

Life Is Strange 2: Episode 3 still has a problem with pacing and may put off players who aren’t diehard fans of this series. But for those willing to forgive some of its more mundane passages, this episode delivers a pretty compelling denouement and hints at better things to come.

Despite being the prettiest game on the Wii U that has plenty of charm, poor gameplay design and frequently unnecessary spikes in difficulty make this a game that will only appeal to the most die hard of Platinum fans. Not so wonderful, after all.

There’s a lot of golf to be had in this game, and it’s damned good golf. Still golf, which isn’t going to be everyone’s taste to begin with. However, World Tour’s charming world and interesting overworld design sets it apart from the other titles in the series and earns a surprising recommendation.

Technically and visually impressive, Killzone Mercenary is the game that'll make you believe that first-person shooters have a home on handhelds, even if it is derivative, sticking too close to its established genre tropes.

A glorious and brutal ballet of blood and bullets, My Friend Pedro is a symphony of action that will leave your thumbs aching for more of its completely bananas fun.

Wario's relentless onslaught of microgaming still packs in a tonne of fun, especially for newcomers. For long-time Wario players, WarioWare Gold is a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to have a collection of games from across the franchise in one collection, but it also means that fatigue and familiarity can set in pretty quickly.

Despite an upgrade and loot system that’s fairly uninspired and slow, Remnant: From the Ashes manages to make a name for itself with some engaging combat, beautiful environmental design and exceptional boss fights.

Don't Starve's overwhelming difficulty and complex crafting make for a stressful and gruelling experience. Embrace its charms, and you'll be rewarded with the joys of exploration and discovery.

If you've not played Quantic Dreams' pair of interactive dramas on the PlayStation 3, they're worth playing on Sony's newest console - if you can get past the lack of player agency as their inexorable progress pulls you through to their conclusions.