It’s faced-paced, well acted and packed full of thrilling fun. And while it’s certainly not the best FPS we’ve ever encountered, it will scratch that itch until the big boys come out to play in the run-up to Christmas. Gamers should enjoy its change of pace and it’s a shame there was no attempt at a multiplayer as I suspect that’d be this game’s shining mode.

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.

The story powers along at a gentle pace and can be a bit annoying, meaning a lot of dialogue skipping for me. But the gameplay itself is great - easy to get while complicated to conquer - and that 3rd person visual across a gloriously designed cartoon world can be beautiful. Its urge for exploration is everywhere and really helps to distinguish this away from other Switch titles.

It plays really well, you almost feel that bat in your hand as the ball does what you want it to, and the intensity of the competition is as real as any squash court. Add in a cool throbbing soundtrack and you’ve got a very nice VR title here for the new headset. And probably our favourite VR multiplayer so far. The only downside is that it is a bit of a one-trick pony and I came away a little headachy at times from, my fault, overplaying.

The combat, visuals and audio all work so well together in delivering a frantic action role-player that’ll give you tons of fun.

It plays well and is ideal for gamers who want to grind through a title and put in many hours. You’ll kill a lot of demons, beat a few bosses and enjoy going off on side quests to delve further into the lore of the series.

Full of content for all different types of gamer, whether that’s the one-vs-computer classic Street Fighter type or the player who loves to live online, making new pals. But underneath it all is an excellent fighting game that is as addictive as it ever was and a joy to play.

Gameplay-wise there’s not enough here to really grip and keep hold of you. This type of game has been done far better before.

Jedi Survivor is a true triple-A game in that sense - a lovingly developed Star Wars game that’s improved on its predecessor and packed full of jaw-dropping moments visually and in the joypad. It’s Hollywood popcorn fun at its best, all controllable and with a real edge of difficulty that - rather than frustrates - pulls you back for more, like a good book.

Dead Island 2 is a first-person action RPG that’s packed with as much dark humour as it is body parts.

Minecraft Legends is gaming at its best - fun, welcoming, evolving, easy to play but endlessly difficult to master. And best played with friends. You’ll be continuously tested by this game and it takes its forebears’ core mechanics and adds them neatly into a new-but-familiar mix of action and strategy.

Switchback VR is fun, and tries to make the most of the PSVR2 but its wildly bouncing storyline and one-trick-pony gameplay means you’ll tire of it fairly quickly. An okay if not amazing VR title for the Playstation.

It established the third person run-and-gun gameplay you’ll recognise in many a game nowadays and totally reinvented the series. Subtle tweaks have been made to boss fights and streamline the pacing in this revamp. It makes this a must-buy for Resident Evil fans. And well worth a look for those seeking an incredibly challenging, stressful horror game where you never feel like you’ve got enough ammo to survive.

Overall, a lovely little game. Not what we were expecting at all, and that’s a good thing. It’s wonderful to look at, tricky with its puzzles and helps to build out the Bayonetta franchise.

Overall, I love this game and – apart from Wargames – I can see myself playing this for hours upon hours without getting bored of it. The days of button-bashing your way through a WWE game are definitely over.

It’s beautifully written, has a subtle but evocative soundtrack and really a groundbreaking gaming effort, particularly for players who have never seen Before Your Eyes. It’s a bit of a one-and-done game, so burns bright but dies fast. That said, for £12, this is a wonderful example of the interesting places VR gaming can go in future.

It’s all a bit trippy, intense in gameplay, musically brilliant and highly enjoyable. This is exactly what VR is there for.

The controls can be a little fiddly, which annoys during crucial boss fights, but it isn’t enough to ruin Scars Above and after a good old play through you’ll find yourself warming to the fight-die-repeat Soulslike dynamic. A decent but not amazing game with few surprises.

The multiplayer element adds replayability, as does the mini-games section, and there are enough collectibles and hidden sections to want you coming back for more.

Horizon: Call of the Mountain is the single best VR game I’ve played and shows exactly what the PSVR2 is capable of. It has its glitches, some of the climbing can go a bit wonky at points and the general gist of the game never wavers too far from climb, shoot arrows at baddie, craft a bit, climb, etc. But as developers get used to the tech things should only improve. And for now we have a wow game at launch for the new device.

While the premise remains the same throughout, the battles each offer unique enough enemies to ensure your tactics have to change per fight and progress is a must to move on. Well worth a look if you’re into lengthy epic boss battles.

This is a must-buy for Potter fanatics and a very good game for those less fussed by the lore of the much-loved kids books. It’s got strong combat, depth to its open world, plenty of character and a decent storyline.

Ideal for kids, its a great game to bond over between parents and children with a bit of old-fashioned gamepad swapping.

The story is cliched too and features far too many well-trodden gaming and movie tropes. So the freshness of what could have been in Forspoken isn’t realised. It’s a good game to play, just not a great game and that’s a shame.

It’s atmospheric, scary and adrenaline-inducing space fun.

Overall, a decent effort by the Sega team and they should be praised for their future vision for the series. Let’s hope the next title will really nail down that speed without visual compromise to give Sonic the next-generation game he truly deserves.

The AI of the stalking homeowners can be a bit off, sometimes you’re right in front of them, or on a wardrobe above them, and they’re oblivious to you. That feels like a backwards step. Gamepad controls can also be a little sticky some times, and more than once I was left frustrated as my character didn’t quite spring into life as I’d have liked when being chased in a panic. So all in, a decent if somewhat underwhelming game, with limited gameplay time to it.

Divine Knockout is great fun and a fresh take on the Smash Bros style of brawler. It’s quite limited at the moment, there’s only six arenas and eight fighters at launch, but hopefully the makers at Red Beard Games will improve that over time with promised new content. And there’s definitely room for a single player platform story in future too. Well worth a go in the chilly winter months if you love a bit of button bashing action.

It continues to plunder that wonderful rich vein they’ve been tapping of a brilliant single-player story combined with first-rate gameplay and graphics.

It is bombastic, dude-bro all-in fighting from start to finish and there’s months of replayability with the online multiplayer. It’ll get gun game fans not only through Christmas but most of 2023 too because it’s so damn moreish. For that reason it’s not only a top-tier game but one with huge value-for-money.

It’s all a pale imitation of Mario Kart and that would be fine if the gameplay matched up to the depth in options. Nickelodeon Kart Racers 3 might be worth a look once it’s in the bargain bin, but for now it’s not worth the £40 full price. You’re better off saving your money for something like Beyonetta 3.

It’s a huge gaming bundle and everything you want from a football game. Fans will be sad to see this console icon go, but with a new look next year there is the potential for EA to freshen things up and deliver something even better.

But when it comes to gameplay its fine but not anything to write home about. A nice game but not a great game.

Loading times are faster and the whole title feels a lot smoother, more polished thanks to its next-gen makeover. For those who didn’t like the title in the first place, I’d say avoid. But if you’re intrigued, and you have a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription, it might be worth you trying out the two-hour full game trial on the service before purchase. For those with the original, it's a bit of a no-brainer to download and resample this version.

The game is great and well worth buying if you’re looking for some multiplayer online shooting fun without the overt violence.

The work here should be used as a showcase for how to redevelop legacy products for a new generation. I would have liked to have seen it priced slightly lower, as I fear some gamers may be put off paying full-whack for a nine-year-old storyline. That said, if you really want to see what the PS5 is capable of when pushed, this is your game. And if you’re new to this series, this must be your next purchase.

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.

The gameplay is sublime and just the right mix of detailed, intricate and skills-based button bashing while always avoiding being overwhelming.

It’s cartoon design is full of character and deep down it’s a really involved city builder of a game offering a strong challenge of your creative mind. Well worth giving a go if you’re subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, as it is included in that package and can even be streamed over the cloud, but for £35 on other systems, it is still a great summer title to get your creative juices flowing.

Overall, a strong RPG packed full of content that’ll last tens of hours. The dialogue is so awful its almost charming, but the visuals more than make up for it and the action frantic and addictive when it really gets going. It may be too overwhelming for some, and the length of the game may put others off. But RPG fans are going to love it and the Switch can now boast of a cracking new title in this genre.

We’ve all moved on a bit from these games generally and their appeal, while a flash of fun, lies in hours rather than days of gaming. Beat-em-up fans will not be disappointed. But more casual gamers will quickly get everything they can from Final Vendetta and move on. Fun but a limited joy.

It’s nowhere near as complex as Fifa, none of it is, but this game knows its strength is in the moment-to-moment arcade action and really wants you involved in that as much as possible with little distraction. For footie fans, this is a bit of a no-brainer. It’s very much a crazy Nintendo version of that sport.

While it looks cool, and the music is outstanding, there’s not enough here to keep players chugging along for too long.

This cracking little title will make you look at boring road building in a completely different way. The popular Apple Arcade indie hit has finally found a new home on Nintendo’s handheld device. And the two are a perfect fit if you’re looking for a game on-the-go that’s simple to play but will keep your hands busy for hours on end.

All in, a wonderful title that brings back a lot of memories for those of us who have been gaming for a while, while creating a whole new ‘this is cool’ feel for newcomers. Either way, it brings friends and family together and will spark as many laughs in your living room as frustrated yelps when you’re beaten into submission by a five-year-old.

The overall idea of In Nightmare is solid. The trapped-in-a-child’s-nightmare vibe and slow unveiling of his past traumas feel fresh.

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.

All in, a cracking Switch title. One that doesn’t feel particularly fresh in any area but is done with enough Nintendo charm and style that it’s still a pleasure to play.

There’s not much by the way of emotional connection to this game. It’s old-fashioned, cliched in its storytelling and I found myself constantly hitting the skip button to get to the actual fighting. But overall, Stranger of Paradise is a nice brawler on the Playstation and Xbox.

This is ultimately a complete rip-off of Mario Kart. And to be honest, that’s probably not a bad thing as few gamers would ever tire of playing more of that excellent kart racing goodness, particularly when in a multiplayer environment. Chocobo has a couple of key differences but nothing that really reinvents the wheel. It’s a very solid race game but I suspect once Mario’s new Booster Pack DLC drops with more than 40 old kart tracks this may well fall into the back of the memory.

It is much more accessible than before but still retains all that juicy motorsport detail under the hood...A little more of the fun factor on the next iteration will elevate this series even further.

Not a great title for single-players but definitely easily pickupable gaming fun for one of those lighter evenings with friends.

It’s lore always feels epic, but is ultimately hardcore fantasy nonsense and what’s going to keep you in Elden Ring for the long run is the amount to discover and the versatility and challenge at every turn. It has been equal parts a pleasure and hell to play Elden Ring. Because this is an amazing game and the developers have built a mind-boggling but nightmarish world to live and fight in. But it’s also one incredibly tough cookie from the off, and - casual gamers beware - you’ll have a lot of frustrating setbacks as you slowly progress as a warrior. Another wonderful video game for 2022. It’s already becoming a top year for consoles.

You may have played its various parts before in multiple other games but the makers have taken the best of the rest and forged their own unique hit with a pitch-perfect story and exemplary gameplay.

It’s slick, speedy, plays well and addictive and embraces the weird, wonderful and diverse side of skateboarding culture. This is a game all about going on a road trip with your friends, finding crazy spots, pulling mad tricks and skating everything in sight.

Dying Light 2 doesn’t feel original in the slightest, it is bested elsewhere in visuals and gameplay, but as a total package there’s a lot on offer. And gamers will get their money’s worth out of this zombie-bashing post-apocalypse fearfest. It is a game that leaves you with a constant but strangely addictive edge-of-the-seat sense of stress like a strong horror movie. And plenty to discover in a dark, menacing future world.

If you’ve never played Uncharted before, this is as five-out-of-five a game as you’ll ever see in review...Grab this for £42.99 and set aside February for nothing else.

Ultimately, this is a difficult, stressful game, but a fun one if you can pull off some epic stealth takedowns and are happy to quietly chip away at a mission, rather than go in all-guns-blazing.

Ultimately, this is a difficult, stressful game, but a fun one if you can pull off some epic stealth takedowns and are happy to quietly chip away at a mission, rather than go in all-guns-blazing.

While the overall offering here feels fresh, all of the various elements of The Gunk have been done before. From the puzzle solving of various Tomb Raider titles to the Uncharted vibe of the lush backdrops and the Luigi-style hoovering up, none of it individually has been done better than the many times before. But as a package, this is a nicely put-together game and a great little addition to the Game Pass’s ever-growing library.

Overall, this is the best day one first-person shooter of the year and will only evolve and improve more as the developers tweak it. You’ve an awesome open world to explore for the first time in the franchise and a top-level multiplayer suite to battle endlessly through during the cold winter months. Well done Xbox.

For the Switch, it is a lovely change of pace from your usual Marios or free-to-plays like Fortnite. Well worth a digital download.

The gameplay is so simple and effective that you can drop in for short bursts without having to worry about long load times or system updates like you do on bigger console games. Well worth a look if you like to test your mental mettle.

Is it a fun classic side-scroller that’s worth £17 of your money? Yes, if you like or liked these games and want something both fresh and classic all in one joyous colour bundle.

Overall, a decent shooter that feels a little too overblown for its own good. It’s best elements lie in the past but there’s plenty here to get your teeth into and potentially dozens of hours of multiplayer fun for the winter months.

It’s a great shooter game, CoD always is, but it's not the best in the series and the overly used WW2 backdrop is wearing thin. The pandemic would have played a part in this and kudos to the developers for still delivering a big game despite the lockdowns.

Even non-gamers will find this easy to enjoy. Great family fun.

It’s not quite up there with the PS5’s superlative Spider-Man Marvel game, that’s another level of awesome. But there’s plenty of old-school singleplayer adventure here to get you through those chilly Autumn nights until the next big Marvel movie hits the silver screen.

Overall, this is a full-to-bursting title, even bigger than the huge PS4 original. It looks astounding, sounds great and that immersive feedback in the controller brings this odd sci-fi world to life like never before. If you played the original and feel ‘done’ with it, there may not be enough big tweaks to bring you back for another go. But the upgrade price point is good and it’ll definitely appeal to those gamers who missed out on playing the original and now fancy jumping in on PS5.

WarioWare has absurdity at its heart. And the speed of the game, plus its generous amount of wildly differing micro games, make it a fun title to play over and over with pals. In solo gameplay I suspect the dazzle will wane once you’ve tried all the micro games a couple of times. That’ll take less time than you think as they’re so frenetic and over so quickly. But Nintendo has done another good job here giving players a unique new game that the Switch hasn’t seen before. Well worth a look.

The creativity is fantastic with dance games, relay races and bowling alley mini-games using Bob’s head as a series of pins, for example. But it all comes down to control and right now Surgeon Simulator 2 is too broken when it comes to gameplay to really do the great ideas behind the game justice.

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.

If you stick with it, No More Heroes 3 is great fun, packed full of enjoyable gameplay and frantically memorable moments.

Overall, this is the best version of Ghost of Tsushima out there. While it is a year-old base game, there’s enough here for both newcomers and veterans alike to warrant another look. Yes, you could save a fair bit of cash going out and buying a 2nd hand PS4 copy. But if you want the most from your shiny new PS5 and are keen to delve into a sublime open-world sword game you really won’t find much better.

It’s a shame we didn’t have this a year ago in lockdown for some family fun. In that regard it’s missed the sweet spot. But overall you’ll find in Papa’s Quiz a fun little quiz game that does exactly what it says on the tin.

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.

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.

It’s great to see a Nintendo classic like this get a decent makeover and opens up one of the early Link efforts to a whole new fan base by weighting it in more modern gameplay standards.

Overall, the game itself plays very much like before. But with the added extras and better visuals the package as a whole is fantastic value for gamers who have never tried a Tony Hawk game before and will be very appealing to those old school players who want to step back in with their on-the-go handheld.

Overall, one of the most fun golf games I’ve ever played. The side games really make this title shine, not the basic traditional golf you’d expect in this package. Battle Golf is really the star element here and shows how you can turn what is, for some, a rather dull sport and give it a real video game excitement that’ll appeal to all.

If you like bullet shooters, this retro classic is a must buy for this bargain price. But those gamers who want a more sprawling epic would be wise to save their cash for a fresher video game.

Overall a fantastic new title for the PS5. That console’s now-best available exclusive action-platform game. A perfect hit for those hot summer days of gaming.

While all its relevant parts are good, none of them really stand out among today’s very best. So if you’ve only given this a passing glance when scrolling game trailers on YouTube and it’s not particularly floating your boat, be prepared for a decent player here but not one that’s going to dazzle you for months ahead.

It’s not too taxing and the gameplay is easily conquerable, meaning older gamers should probably avoid. And while it does get very samey after a while, the storytelling is always funny and the extra element of putting yourself in the game adds to the lols.

It’s a calming, relatively tranquil game with a huge addictiveness at its core and a desire among players to come back and try to snap an ever-better picture perfect moment.

I have thoroughly enjoyed playing Returnal so far and its unique die-and-start-over mechanic, excellent graphics, gameplay and sound all work brilliantly to deliver yet another fantastic first-party exclusive for the PS5.

Overall, a great race game that gives us a glimpse of what’s to come with the new consoles. While it’s quite niche in it’s genre-specific focus, there’s a good game in here that will appeal beyond diehard Moto GP fans.

If you’re looking for something different, a bit like a touchscreen mobile game, but one that is unique and will test your puzzle skills, give it a go.

Developer Big Ant Studios claim this is “the most comprehensive tennis experience” but sadly when it comes to gameplay it’s more Queens than Wimbledon.

It’s a decent effort, one that monster truck fans alone will get the best out of. But if you’re a gamer looking for a top-rated car and racing experience, there’s better out there.

The boss fights are often pretty straightforward and arguably a bit too easy generally. But they make for a visual spectacle and help to break up the platforming gameplay. And Bowser’s Fury is an odd but interesting side-addition where your Mario moves are curtailed and the big baddie pops up randomly every few minutes to shoot fire at you. It shines bright but is over quickly.

While the puzzles can be tricky and resolutions are never easily signposted, you’ll have great fun slowly working your way through the tougher, more intense elements of this game to unveil ever-more details around what’s really going on in this dark world. It’s much longer than the first game too, so you feel like you’re getting more bang for your buck. Although one downside is there isn’t a huge amount of replayability in the longer term. A top effort, and we’re already looking forward to Little Nightmares 3.

The graphics aren’t amazing, certainly not in the next-gen category, the story writing lazy and predictable and the role-play poor. But there is a great combat hack-and-slash in this title dying to get out, almost like a werewolf itself. It’s a shame the developers didn’t ditch the average bits and focus on unleashing that beast. Perhaps a slimmed down sequel could do just that job.

It’s addictive, great fun and all about people playing online together. And it feels original, even if many of the individual elements are borrowed from other games. If you have a PS Plus subscription it’s a no brainer to download this free title at some point over the next two months before it becomes paid for. Destruction AllStars is a brilliant new addition to the PS5 roster and will brighten up dull February with some colourful car-smashing fun.

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.

It’s very limited in it’s fighting mechanics, game modes and there’s no huge addictive quality bringing you back time and again for more. If you’re looking for a 3D-looking Smash Brothers-style fighting game that’s simply not as good as that Nintendo classic then try this. But as much as I wanted to smash up giant robots with my own mech monster, the limitations of Super Mech League left me cold.

If you’re willing to loose yourself in Cyberpunk for the long term you’ll definitely get your money’s worth out of a strong role-player that’s flowing with action missions.

Overall, this is a fantastic new IP for Ubisoft and they should be commended for allowing this development team to pursue an idea that sprung out of the Assassin’s Creed development.