A carefully crafted farewell letter to DJ Tim Bergling, AVICII Invector is a perfect way to immerse yourself in his music, as players travel across a colourful futuristic setting to a high energy soundtrack. It can be difficult to find and master the button pressing rhythm on the harder difficulty settings but, eventually, over time, it becomes more manageable and like second nature.

Stylish, methodical, and encouraging attacking gameplay, this latest Under Night In-Birth title is as exciting as always, and Switch owners that have yet to try the series out are in for a treat, with plenty of modes, a lengthy visual novel chronicle, online play, and a varied cast of characters. Despite the array of balance and move tweaks, though, this just isn't enough of an improvement over the previous title, with only one extra character being introduced. That said, this is still a top anime fighter, and a good alternative to BlazBlue.

Robotics;Notes Elite is a great story and visual novel. It wraps everything in a very neat and slick package with little systems to keep the players brain from wandering, like the phones and encyclopaedia. This title moves visual novels as a medium forward with its CG and interactive scenes. If visual novels are of interest it would be a disservice to miss this Sci-Fi themed gem.

AVORE has knocked it out of the park again with YUKI Their titles have quickly become the only reason to break out the VR and its still astonishing that a team so small can produce such great titles. The only criticism would be a difficulty spike that can be off-putting however if prepared and willing to immerse yourself as much as a VR game would expect, a fantastic figure-based time will be found here.

By the time A Plague Tale: Requiem concludes, it will feel like being dragged by a pick-up truck, across miles of concrete. The world depicted is a bleak and cruel one with no light at the end of the tunnel. Players will be getting their money's worth, as this is a very long game that is punctuated with lots of gimmicky sequences that add value to the package. The story does have a lot for fans to discuss, and the visuals are amazing, even if they came at the cost of a high frame rate. The gameplay is technically better than the first, but it was never amazing to begin with. The over reliance on prebaked contextual actions and the rigidness of simplistic stealth is something most could expect from a seventh gen console title, not a ninth gen console release.

Death Stranding is a bold and artistic vision that is not compromised in its design. It is a video game that encourages the player to be a good person, and to care for the fellow man. There have been anti-war themes in games before, but these inevitably become standard shooters that wear a mask of morality. Kojima Productions (with a little help from Guerrilla Games) may not have created a new "genre," but it did make a 3D action title that is unlike anything else. It is so rare to play a triple-A, 3D game that does not treat the player like a child, and is steeped with exploration and discovery. This is a contemplative odyssey that is ultimately a story about the triumph of the human spirit in spite of entropy.

It may not feel like a 'full' sequel, more of a fan-servicing side-story or an introduction to the world for newcomers, but Okamiden proves that there is plenty of life in the series yet should Capcom choose to forge on.

A stunning masterpiece of a platform game, with so many different styles that are well loved from over the years, all tightly pieced together and expertly delivered by a developer with a clear strong talent in this genre.

Looking for a fast-paced, patience-testing, platforming challenge that may well make you want to throw your Nintendo Switch across the room in frustration? Then Slime-san is for you! Fans of Super Meat Boy and its ilk will be right at home with this addictive, excellently presented piece of gaming goodness that will have players tearing their hair out, but unable to put down until every drop of juice (or 'slime') has been squeezed out of it.

Astalon: Tears of the Earth is a very, very simple mix of metroidvania-like exploration, and rogue-lite challenge, but a simple mix that works wonders. You'll die a lot, but you'll keep on returning just to get a little further on the journey towards the top of this treacherous spire, and learn of its secrets, with your skill and perseverance being your main tools. Don't miss out on this modern-yet-retro indie gem.

Mortal Kombat 11 caters to the hype as far as its combat is concerned, managing to expand on the series' trademark formula and provide an entertaining story mode to boot. In a truly admirable feat of game design, every character manages to feel fresh despite some of them being around since 1992. Long-time fans and newcomers alike will have plenty to enjoy with this title. The only thing holding Mortal Kombat 11 back is its convoluted gear system, but with NetherRealm committed to continually improve upon its creation, that is subject to change. As it stands, this is a great fighting experience.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy plays well, looks fantastic, and is rarely an overwhelming or difficult set of adventures, with small worlds that are simple to conquer and ideal for a younger audience. By the time of the third game, things are a little more gimmicky, and there is a repetitive nature about the constant running around and collecting, but these colourful platformers still manage to deliver real delight if you try not to blast through each game one after the other.

Maybe it's the throwback design influences that are slightly too far outside of this reviewer's reach to appreciate and retro fans that remember playing the ZX spectrum will find a lot more to get out in this title. The desire is strong to get on with Horace, it really is, and he might even make you laugh at times, but just like the guy wearing socks and sandals, there are too many things holding it back.

Armored Core 6 manages to refresh a dated gameplay loop and make it feel like something entirely new. It excels in both its high-octane gameplay and dizzying variety of customisation options. Whether opting for speed or brute force — or something that notches its own point on the spectrum — AC6 offers personalised action gameplay the likes of which has seldom been seen before. Don't go in expecting a Souls-like, and it will surely be a satisfying time.

Adding another string to the 3DS' bow of worthwhile downloadable experiences, Art of Balance Touch! channels its forbearer and improves on it in every way, thanks to the nature of portable and new content.

All three games present in Borderlands: Legendary Collection are well worth a play by themselves. Packed together, they represent an excellent deal on the Nintendo Switch. They play perfectly in both docked and handheld mode, and they look and run as great as anyone could hope on the hybrid system. These don't feel like compromised versions of the originals in any way, and this should be applauded. This is only held back by the lack of a proper physical release, because those are big games to download, and the heavily loot-based gameplay of the series, as well as the difficulty of the later two games, may not be to everyone's taste.

Control is in turns silly, satirical and solemn, combining an underlying existential dread with a triumph through heroism in a way that no other superhuman tale ever has. Everything about this title is unique in a good way, from its eerie tone to its vibrant combat to its mysterious story. The design work is fantastic, even though the main thing holding the experience back is the lack of optimisation. This will most likely be fixed in the coming weeks but it's these stutters in Control's step that hold it back from being truly seamless. Nevertheless, this is a very, very good game, and a must play for sci-fi enthusiasts and fans of Remedy's past works.

A fantastic and bombastic return to the galaxy far, far away, LEGO Star Wars The Skywalker Saga is a massively exciting game. It's by far one of the best LEGO games ever, returning the series to the heights of the early 2000's but propelling the series' technology and gameplay variety through the roof. Players will find a lot to love, whether a Star Wars fan or not, especially when enjoying the game with a partner or friend. This game is a must-buy title on any platform it supports and a killer app on Series X. True next gen fun, highly recommended!

Super Mario Party Jamboree is a continued return to form for the Mario Party series, blending the core formula with colourful splashes of the new and inventive. Nintendo has elevated what made the series special through a wide selection of fun mini-games, expansive boards and a mix of additional modes/challenges.

Indie developer Over The Top Games has done a fantastic job fusing gorgeous visuals and a masterful soundtrack with solid and satisfying gameplay mechanics that are put to great use in a selection of rewarding puzzles.

Bugginess and strange character design choices keep Oblivion Remastered from being excellent. Tipping the scales from “good” territory into “great” are the levelling and gameplay improvements. It resembles a remake. Even with new memory leak issues, Oblivion remains a timeless masterpiece, and this remaster ensures its legacy will live on. Oblivion was born nineteen years ago, but for all these years, it has ruled our dreams.

Those looking for a nice little distraction from something like Animal Crossing: New Leaf at the moment may just have found the perfect candidate.

Telltale has once again delivered a must-have WiiWare download that is by far a cut above the rest.

Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip almost feels like a proof of concept for a larger game pitch that's yet to be announced. But apart from suffering from some repetitive strain injury in the late game due to its small nature, it comes largely otherwise without fault. It does capture somewhat of that PS2 feeling with a mix of 90s Nickelodeon cartoon, with a game world and art style perfectly realised for what it tries to be. Although it would be somewhere you could happily spend more time in if it were expanded, it's also easy to advocate for more smaller, fun experiences, and in a time when glut is a real issue, Terry does exactly that. It's a great title to introduce youngsters to, who might be inspired by the quirky and unique style, as it doesn't really look like anything else on the market. Short and sweet, as they say.

Mario Kart Wii is definitely up there with the other installments. A fairly limited single player appeal is enhanced by a comprehensive online service and a slightly toned-down but throughly enjoyable and flexible offline multiplayer mode.

This year's iteration of UFC from EA Sports looks good, and feels good in parts - though the submission system just doesn't appear to be as much fun to play. The best parts of this game are the boxing and kickboxing elements, and the offline career mode is a fun mode to build and forge careers in. With really no other fighting titles to purchase this year, EA Sports UFC 4 will be unrivalled for those looking for another sports-like fighting game - and while UFC 4 is not a bad game, it doesn't do much to appeal to those who don't already have a love and appreciation for the sport or the brand.

This Wii U eShop iteration is without doubt the ultimate version on offer, following the already mightily impressive WiiWare and 3DS eShop releases.

A fantastic rally sim for newcomers and veterans alike, WRC 9 has only gotten better in its transition to the PlayStation 5. The next-gen console brings with it obvious visual and performance enhancements - pushing gameplay anywhere between 60 & 120 fps - but the real star here is haptic feedback. WRC 9 use of the DualSense controller is outstanding, utilizing sensations and vibrations to add another layer of immersion to racing. Players will feel the road underneath them, the weight of their brakes, and the subtlest shifts in terrain. A mix of addictive arcade gameplay and deeply immersive feedback, WRC 9 exceeds expectations.