All in all, it’s a worthwhile update if you liked the original game – and perfect for families with kids.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is very much a revamped version of a classic game. It’s nicely brought up to modern gaming visuals by the Nintendo bods but remains at its heart a very strong video game in the Mario franchise.

Xenoblade Chronicles was one of the best JRPGs to hit the Nintendo Wii and the definitive edition proves why it's a much beloved classic. While certain elements haven’t aged as gracefully such as it’s bland quest design and sparse open world, quality of life improvements set to make the adventure as fluid and accessible as possible. If you’ve ever been interested in the series, this is the perfect entry point for a sweet and engaging adventure. Veteran players will no doubt find much to love in the expanded story with Future Connected. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition doesn’t do much to change the formula, but it builds upon its predecessor in such satisfying ways that it’s hard not to fall in love with its charm all over again.

The games play well in the new-look controllers and they’re as addictive and as fun as they ever were.

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.

Bubble Bobble 4 Friends is a great addition to the Bubble Bobble franchise, but it's expensive for what it provides. A solid afternoon of gaming will get you to the end credits, but you'll return to do things a little better than before.

The sequel offers up new targeted weapons, combat companions and more adventuring intrigue than you can shake a stick at. With a grounded world full of robots and characters in a variety of biomes, this is well worth a download if you’ve hopped on the Apple Arcade train.

While there some tweaks that could be made that would perfect this title, these are vastly outweighed by the game’s sheer amount of style and substance. If you’re a fan of Hotline Miami, or in fact, any top-down shooter, then God’s Trigger is a must play, especially if you have a spare controller and a player 2 to hand.

It could get by on it’s absurdity alone, but What The Golf’s greatest trick is that it eventually becomes quite the tricky puzzle game, shifting dimensions and creating delightfully daft criteria to complete each mission.

You know the old expression, there’s an app for that? Well, if you’re the kind of person who loves to finish somebody else’s sentences, then dear reader, Dear Reader should absolutely delight you.

Well worth a look if you’re seeking the comfort of nostalgia with some quality acting talent.

In general, Call of Duty Modern Warfare is a tight shooter that hits most of the parts you expect from a AAA shooter, while throwing heaps of new ideas into the mix. However, the few areas that I'm cold on: Ground War, Spec Ops and the few moments of the campaign when common sense gave way to a desire to shock needlessly… they're a bitter aftertaste to one of the best shooters I've played all year.

Overall, there have been better Call of Duty games in the past, particularly around the single-player campaign. But Black Ops Cold war gets both the multiplayer mode and zombies just right and those are the ones that really count most for fans.

Whether you are a Marvel fan or a PSVR fan, Iron Man VR is well worth your time and money. It's immersive, tactile, and full of charm. Few other VR games will make you feel as powerful or leave you feeling so satisfied with the time you have spent in a virtual space. The loading sections are a bit too frequent for my liking, but they never impede what is a fantastic virtual reality experience.

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.

For now, this is a funky, odd and cooperative multiplayer ride that gets quite tense at points. One that could do with more under the bonnet. But it works well and has some lovely ideas for baddies and challenges.

It’s not quite up there with the Fallout series but delivers a unique and highly challenging first-person action experience.

An exciting game to play which feels like a whole new adventure each time you play.

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

Overall, we have a fantastic new open world title to enjoy here. One that is very English, packed full of wild and interesting characters, each with their own story to tell. It’s a huge step forward in that regard and one that should be celebrated as it shows a way forward for video game development. And while many elements in gameplay and story may feel familiar, they work really well and the amount of things to do, see and experience are truly amazing.

Modern Warfare 2 is the technothriller action blaster you need right now, and it's shown why it's still one of the best entries in the Call of Duty franchise… even if it is a bit silly.

For many BioShock: The Collection’s hop to Nintendo Switch is as good of an excuse as any to indulge in this unforgettable series all over again. For others it’s an opportunity to discover what they’ve been missing out on and if so “would you kindly” pick up a copy because yes, you’ve been missing out. For those owning a Switch alone, there’s a banquet of content on offer in this collection that both looks and plays a treat, making it worth every penny. This first-person shooter is easily one of the best available in the Switch’s catalogue of games and let’s face it, being able to take BioShock wherever you go is indeed awesome. However, bearing in mind how this version plays best, it’s difficult not to consider browsing stores on other consoles where this title often finds itself on sale for a pretty much identical experience at fraction of the price.

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.

It's Castlevania in everything but name and fans of Igarachi's earlier work will find a lot to love between excellent combat and rewarding traversal. The Switch port is harder to recommend at present, but the game is likely to be among the console's best after a patch or two.

Roki is undoubtedly one of the most engrossing games of the year. While the gameplay may at times contradict its perfectly nuanced story, it’s often easy to overlook and be swept away on a magical adventure full of mystery, heart and tragedy.

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.

Enjoyable but difficult and always unravelling a deeper tale. One of the most unique and lovely games of the year.

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.

There’s enough here to warrant both a return for gamers long in the tooth enough to remember the original and newcomers who have never seen a Mario Vs Donkey Kong before...Cute, fun, head-scratching stuff.

With that lovely Nintendo animation and colourful visuals it looks amazing on both the Switch screen and the bigger docked TV. A solid but not outstanding effort by the Nintendo peeps.

Gears 5 is a return to form for Microsoft’s hardcore series, delivering fans the roadie-running, head-bursting, visceral joy that made the franchise such a success in the first place. A few odd design choices can’t dull the sheen of what is a well-produced, well-optimised and truly beautiful piece of brutal, bloody good fun. Gears 5 is well worth a play for anyone that owns Xbox Games Pass, and absolutely worth consideration for anyone that wants to own one of the best Xbox One exclusives of a generation.

It is the best Star Wars game in years. Respawn taps into so much potential in the universe, and it makes Fallen Order ‘A New Hope’ for EA and the future of Star Wars games...Though it isn't Respawn’s best work, Fallen Order is a great project... and that’s the Star Wars we need right now.

Erica is experimental in design, and because of that, some things just aren’t going to work out as well as you would hope. But despite both its big fault and barely noticeable flaws, Erica is an interesting, immersive and well-realised experience.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is an outstanding game that not only manages to deliver an impressively constant and tense tone, but also a really gripping story that will have to push through your vermin soaked nightmares to find out what happens next. The incredible performance from the siblings frame the dark world in an extremely engaging way, and while it might not be quite as polished, Plague Tale will almost certainly be spoken about in the same breath as Hellblade.

Sea of Solitude is a haunting journey into loneliness, with Kay’s character arc perfectly encapsulating the feeling of being lost and adrift. With its abstract and metaphorical style, the game is a truly emotional experience, one which perfectly captures the inner turmoil of a soul mired by loneliness sending out a desperate SOS.

Control interweaves a superlative environment with brilliant combat and stellar map design. I just wish that the enemies were more varied at times and the story was a bit more compelling, but that doesn’t make the game bad at all. Control is a wonderful experience that any Remedy fan or supernatural connoisseur would enjoy.

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.

If you’re new to the Horizon franchise, or if you’re so into it that you’re dying to play the first game again at its very very best, then it is worth a revisit.

If narratively shallow yet entertaining movies are popcorn flicks, Rage 2 is the ultimate popcorn game, and that’s okay. At no point during my 15 hours running rampant around its post-apocalyptic wasteland did I feel the need to know more about a character’s subplot, or question the antagonist’s motives. I was too caught up in the spectacle of carnage to care.

All in, this is great fun, albeit slightly limited in its longevity. While there are unlocks to push for, the core game remains largely the same from the off. However it delivers a good engagement and stress-factor when playing due to the overwhelming odds. And Helldivers 2 is at its best when played with other real-life players in a team situation. Not bad for £35.

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.

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.

Generally speaking we get a very well crafted and well rounded story-driven video game here that’s a fitting end to the Max and Chloe arc. If you love this kind of narrative game then it’s well worth a look.

Sairento VR deserves enormous recognition for its excellent gameplay loop and extensive replay value.

Though Team Ninja elevates much of the game from the prototypes the original Nioh was playing with, a few design frustrations (boss setups, camera, hostile UI) prevent the game from being the perfect hardcore RPG experience. Don’t let that criticism put you off, though – once you penetrate the frustration, there’s a genuinely captivating and ruthlessly addictive PlayStation great hidden underneath.

The overall package is extensive and both games play well, top drawn speedster stuff for platform gaming fans.

This game is a very decent alternative racing title for the Forza fans to try. And with a lack of titles in general until the new Xbox and Playstation consoles hit shops this winter, it is worth trying out good strong games like this even if they're not accompanied by the blockbuster telly adverts you'd expect from bigger budget hits.

The game plays well enough, just like the Paper Marios before, with a near top-down viewpoint for the puzzle sections. And the visual style is a little different, more cartoony than many of the recent Mario efforts. The brothers are as cute together as ever and their joint fighting is a highlight.

XCOM: Chimera Squad is a polarizing spin on a familiar formula. Some fans will be delighted with the fresh ideas and quippy characters, while others will rue the lack of greater tactical depth and gravitas. For our money, Chimera Squad feels like mostly a side-grade than a firm step forwards or backwards, which still places it as a solid turn-based strategy title, but it’s not the killer sequel we were hoping for.

Avatar is a good game that could have been a must-buy had it doubled down on offering very different missions and experiences. That said, if you want to experience a lush world and really dig the movies, you should definitely give this a go.

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.

It just needs more content - which is eventually coming down the track - and, for me, a greater fluidity and speed of movement. All in, for £35, well worth a try on PSVR2. But hardcore first-person shooter gamers won’t find the next big thing here just yet.

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.

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

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

The graphics and sounds are fairly basic but add a unique, somewhat cheeky feel to the game that’ll play into retro fans' nostalgia. Well worth a look if you’re into fast-paced footie fun.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Overall, a unique and fresh-feeling multiplayer shooter. One that’s neither graphically outstanding or anything other than well-trodden gameplay-wise. However its unique hide-in-the-dark style and fun chaos are well worth a look for such a good price.

Overall, a poor Call of Duty but there will still be enough in the multiplayer for fans to enjoy for months to come...Just ignore the campaign unless you have an afternoon to kill.

Kudos for coming up with an imaginative new way of pulling people together online that feels fresh.

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.

Probably one best for the diehard fans.

There’s around 40 hours of gameplay in here, and loads more if you want to properly explore every part of this devastatingly dark land. It looks medieval, dark, like a bloody horror film and it plays tough.

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.

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.

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.

While there are more detailed JRPGs out there, Kakarot scratches the itch of both Dragon Ball and JRPG fans alike.

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.

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.

Hopefully in time, more maps and modes will give Concord a discernable, standout place in the crowded FPS market. Right now it’s a decent more-of-the-same option and a missed opportunity for Sony.

This remaster doesn’t bring much in terms of new content, and visual changes that are headlined aren’t done as well as they should be. In that regard, it still holds up as a great Assassin’s Creed game that is worthy of any fan’s money.

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.

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.

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

Observation is a game that has a deeply captivating story with a lot of heart, which makes it worth playing for those who love the mysteries of space and artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, some aspects, such as SAM’s janky controls and unenjoyable space sequences made an otherwise enjoyable game, feel weighed down by space debris.

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.

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.

With a refined matchmaking system (and rewards to go with it), as well as a balanced set of character classes and improved monster control, it could be a sleeper hit for many. For now, though, it feels like a missed opportunity. The fact it's bundled with a fantastic 5-star game in the form of Resident Evil 3 Remake, certainly helps. But as a standalone product, it's a fun but ultimately flawed experience; albeit one we hope improves in time.

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.

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.

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

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.

The sound is decent and helps to build that classic Stranger Things atmosphere. But the story isn’t all that and, overall, this game is more of a missed opportunity than a breakthrough in the VR horror genre.

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.

Mario & Sonic's latest Olympic outing is more of the same, without any real innovation. The new additions of retro and dream events don't fundamentally change up the formula enough to feel like truly meaningful additions, though online multiplayer does add much needed longevity.

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.

Overall this is a God of War game that fails to reach the heady heights of normal franchise levels. And while it’s an okay game, this road has been well trodden in the genre and done with more surprise and addictiveness.

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.

Well worth a look, but not in my gaming top tier.

The story isn’t much to write home about and the boss fights are okay but not outstanding, like with Soulslike games. But it is good fun and offers almost too wild on-screen battles at its best, it can be quite overwhelming with so much going on. This doesn’t beat anything out there but it does offer a decent fighting game with a unique twist on a classic Nottingham legend.