Those who loved the original will immensely enjoy stepping back into this dead town. But modern gamers who have no association with the history could likely find it a bit bland compared to today’s more speedy, interactive games.

Overall, this is a good chance to revisit one of the defining early stealth action games that really led to many future titles’ signature gameplay, like the Hitman and even Assassin’s Creed series. If you’ve played it before there’s not enough here to warrant another pass. But for those seeking a nostalgia hit, or to try a classic they may have missed, it’s well worth a look.

Octopath Traveler O will scratch that role-play itch for gamers seeking a new challenge in the genre this winter. It is a lovely looking title, packed full of hours of turn-based gameplay and a chunky world that you can turn into your own land, albeit with a fairly linear storyline.

Probably one best for the diehard fans.

This is a must-buy for any Ninja Turtles fans looking for a retro gaming kick to add to their collection. Those less interested in a 90s cartoon classic may find the collection a little too samey.

There’s good depth to the role-play elements, weapons, combat and character development, including the introduction of character flaws as well as positive attributes. And the outer worlds look beautiful and lush on screen. A good game, with a wonderful style to it, but nothing you really haven’t played before.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a top-tier fighting game that deserves to be rated much higher - but locking 90% of the content behind gates that require thankless, constant grind has left us with a rather sour taste in our mouth.

If you’re in the mood for something weird, different looking and of the RPG variety, give it a go. For those wanting an easy, predictable game to settle into - ignore.

While not quite on a par with the PS5’s best graphics, it does a wonderful job conveying the actors’ emotions. And the storyline is tightly written and compelling. You’ll want to get onto the next episode. The gameplay is basic and only time will tell how the choices you make play out over the next four episodes. So for now, episode one is a good start. Very much a Telltale interactive story. And if you’re down with that and not too much actual gaming you’ll be satisfied.

There’s a lot going for WRC10. It’s slick, in-depth and full of authenticity. That’ll appeal to fans of the genre who want to go deep into the endless tweaks and changes available. But it isn’t the best driving game out there and ultimately, that’s what holds this back from being a classic racer.

Pokémon Sword and Shield are not bad games. But fun character arcs and inventive, creative designs of new ‘mon are often offset by poor pacing and restrictive world design. The world of Galar is charming, and is a Pokémon interpretation of Britain I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid, but between gating what Pokémon you can catch behind Gym Badges, some half-baked route/City designs and a modest amount of post-game content, Sword and Shield can only be called ‘good’ Pokémon games… not ‘great’ ones.

Pokémon Sword and Shield are not bad games. But fun character arcs and inventive, creative designs of new ‘mon are often offset by poor pacing and restrictive world design. The world of Galar is charming, and is a Pokémon interpretation of Britain I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid, but between gating what Pokémon you can catch behind Gym Badges, some half-baked route/City designs and a modest amount of post-game content, Sword and Shield can only be called ‘good’ Pokémon games… not ‘great’ ones.

Pokémon Sword and Shield are not bad games. But fun character arcs and inventive, creative designs of new ‘mon are often offset by poor pacing and restrictive world design. The world of Galar is charming, and is a Pokémon interpretation of Britain I’ve dreamed of since I was a kid, but between gating what Pokémon you can catch behind Gym Badges, some half-baked route/City designs and a modest amount of post-game content, Sword and Shield can only be called ‘good’ Pokémon games… not ‘great’ ones.

They’ve wisely kept to what made the original game so much fun and the pace is crazy fast as the difficulty ramps up...If you liked the first Ghostrunner it’s a no brainer, for those not into reflex-focused gaming, maybe wait until it drops in price.

It’s meditative and gently puzzling, trying to always be more about being in the moment than the usual gaming tropes of ‘do this’ and ‘do that’ right now. That won’t necessarily be enough for the hardened gamers used to adrenaline-style action play. But it will appeal to those looking for something different in the gaming space.

Scott Pilgrim doesn’t have the same attention-grabbing appeal to the modern blockbusters and with many people still fresh to the winter’s big titles thanks to getting them as Christmas pressies I worry that the early January release may fall flat. However for those looking to revisit this game, people with fond memories of a cult classic, they’ll find it a joy still to play and well worth a look. It plays brilliantly, has a really tough challenge to the gameplay and still inhabits all that charm and uniqueness you remember.

All in all, fans of the franchise and genre potentially have a real gem on their hands with The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners , but it requires a lot of work to get there. Right now, the game is still a diamond in the rough — with a bit of polish (or better yet, an Oculus and a powerful PC), there is a lot of fun to be found here. However, if you don’t like cripplingly difficult AI, buggy tracking and hours of picking up firewood, padlocks and shoes with holes in them, perhaps give this one a miss.

FIFA has never been better, at least on the pitch. Volta is fun in small doses, but those looking to play something other than Ultimate Team will be inevitably disappointed in the lack of variation in offline modes. Those who are in it for the thrill of opening a pack and getting a star player, or who simply love collecting cards and playing football matches with their new additions will find a lot to love, at least until next season when it all begins again.

The new gadgets, locations and boss fights are all thrilling, but the lack of coherent storytelling makes the emotional pay off for these adventures sorely lacking.

Ultimately Borderlands 3 is a mixed bag. It’s like going to visit my family at Christmas; you jump in the car, visiting those same people that you love dearly and enjoy seeing but it’s still the same long journey and your Dad is telling the same old jokes that make your skin crawl.

Moving out is a lovely little party game. Lots of fun, and gently humorous with some good accessibility options making it easy to play with younger or less skilled players for everyone's enjoyment.

It's old-school gaming, straight to the point, simple and fun.

The quality of life improvements made can’t cover up the fact that this is a lazy port of a game that deserves better.

Surge 2 improves upon the predecessors ‘Dark Souls but sci-fi’ vibe with a much more interesting world and social commentary. But the series still feels a little rough around the edges when it comes to communicating with the player. Menus are awkward to navigate, and upgrades and systems can be a little hard to comprehend. Despite this, the combat is still great fun, and exploring Jericho City is an intoxicating blend of excitement and trepidation.

Labyrinth City is fun, puzzley at points and packed full of chuckle moments as you dissect the lovely world around you. But the game is a bit of a one-trick pony and it won’t be too long before you tire and move on to another Switch game.

If you know Mortal Kombat, you can smell the ‘twists’ and ‘turns’ a mile off, and though it’s great to see some underloved characters get their turn in the limelight, the whole experience underwhelms from start to finish.

Ghostwire Tokyo is a good game. It nails atmosphere and looks next-generation on the PS5.There’s clever use of the new controller options. But when it comes to video games, gameplay is ultimately everything and this title simply won’t blow you away.

Sniper Elite: Resistance is well made, and offers a strong challenge for gamers who like a slower pace to their gun games than the likes of Call of Duty. It offers nothing particularly new though and isn’t top tier when it comes to both gameplay and graphics.