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.

Flashy, brutal and deeper than you'd expect. Killer Instinct is back baby.

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.

While maybe straying a bit too close to older games in the series, Doraemon Story of Seasons still delivers a charming role-playing farm experience with a gorgeous aesthetic and satisfying gameplay loop.

Batman: The Telltale Series may stumble a bit in the opening act, but it quickly hits a comfortable stride with a promising first episode as Bruce Wayne steps out of the shadows.

A scrappy and bloody brilliant strategy game that builds further upon the idea of survival strategy, Conan Unconquered doesn’t stray too far from its primary influence but it does offer plenty of unique substance that gives it its very own flavour. Now that, is what is best in life.

Gorgeous pixel art, a massively deep combat system, and the pure elation that can only be earned from vanquishing nigh-unstoppable foes makes for a solid package of fun in Star Renegades.

There is no doubt that this expansion offers some great value to newcomers, offering them the whole Company of Heroes 2 multiplayer component for as little as $12.99. For those who already own the game, the new factions and maps will offer differentiation, but not a great deal of value.

It’s definitely aimed at the Bat-fans, but Telltale is busy crafting a superb story starring the dark knight that manages to feel fresh and brutal.

Life is Strange’s debut episode starts off strong, showing just enough of what it has to offer while cementing its characters and story firmly in its world. Though the journey only lasted 2-3 hours, it did enough during that time to make me excited for the episodes to come and it left me guessing what the consequences of my actions will be.

Boring narrative aside, Sniper Elite Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 is superb at delivering its bread and ballistics gameplay. Focused purely on the art of the kill, CI Games has crafted numerous detailed sandboxes to become the ultimate long-distance predator inside of, resulting in a game that forges ahead and doubles down on its own unique brand of hold-your-breath gunplay. Pure cathartic and exhilarating action with every squeeze of the trigger.

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.

A joy to play for any fan of stealth and secret stabbing, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China is nuanced and immersive in a gorgeous setting. If you loved Mark of the Ninja, you really shouldn't miss out on this one.

Desktop Dungeons is a great game that benefits from the mobility of tablets, although it still struggles to deliver bite-sized dungeon fun. Regardless, it's a game that should be on your tablet of choice.

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.

A love letter to the golden age of beat ‘em ups that Nintendo and Sega ruled, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game Complete Edition isn’t without its flaws and it has an entry curve more punishing than starting a band during your midlife crisis, but its still a terrific jump back in time that breathes new life into a cult classic.

Diablo III Eternal Collection is a comprehensive package that bundles together all the new content and reworked mechanics Diablo III has seen over the years, which works incredibly well on the Switch’s limited hardware. It’s just a shame some control schemes aren’t as engaging to play with.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 is the perfect football game on the pitch, but flounders off the pitch. It offers a lot of value to the franchise agnostic but might not be compelling enough to warrant the annual purchase.

Despite having huge shoes to fill and obstacles to overcome, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is definitely the best Assassin’s Creed game to date.

Super Mario Party retains the whimsical and hilarious nature of its predecessors while greatly expanding on its mini-games and their complexity. It’s a joyous time with a bunch of friends or family, even if you can’t actually get any better at playing due to its heavily randomised mechanics.

A wonderfully remastered trip into Nathan Drake’s past rekindles some of the joy the franchise has brought to its thousands of fans, but also makes some of its more glaring shortcomings far more noticeable. Still, the best Uncharted Collection you could’ve hoped for is finally here.

Dead Rising 4 is fun, silly and gleefully absurd in its execution of thousands upon thousands of undead fodder as it aims to make the apocalypse fun again.

Move or Die is a fast-paced and frenetic party game committed to delivering you and your friends the most enjoyable and fun experience possible and at that it truly succeeds.

A perfect nostalgic nod to a bygone era of gaming. Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time will keep fans of Sly happy, while also introducing newcomers to one of the best (yet surprisingly underrated) platform characters of the early noughties. I didn't even mention the top-notch voice acting, and awesome one-liners.

It might be the adrenaline talking, but I seriously got into Just Dance 2018. It’s a silly amount of fun combined with a serious workout and guaranteed to have you grinning along when you pull off a sick move.

If at first you don’t succeed and find yourself horribly mauled to death by a lunar landshark, try try again. Prey: Mooncrash takes the core elements of Prey and tweaks them to provide a new and immersive experience that offers a fresh new spin on Arkane Studio’s fantastic game of spacebound paranoia.

It may be almost a decade old, but Red Faction Guerrilla’s bland sandbox and story is still easily overlooked in favour of its gold standard of open-world demolition that now benefits from a substantial bump in visual quality.

The Witness offers challenging, if somewhat repetitive puzzles in a world soaked with unique artistic style. If you like maze puzzles, have the patience of a Shaolin monk and are interested in an experience that can only be described as challenging, repetitive and yet meditative - this game is for you.