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

Overall, Pragmata is a well balanced dual combat/puzzle solving space game that strikes the right tone between emotional connection and outright fighting challenge. It looks great on console and borrows design elements from past sci-fi space epics to deliver a well-rounded gamer’s game with a distinct style of its own.

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.

Overall, for those new to the Wonder game this is a brilliant package, full of gaming content for both the solo player and groups of friends and family. If you’ve already got the original, I’m not sure it justifies another look, especially if you already own other Mario mini game titles like the excellent Mario Party series.

Well worth a look if you fancy trying a different looking and feeling race game.

It’s beautifully told and has a lovely medium pacing to it, rarely too frantic and mostly set just right to give you thinking time about the big themes at play. For £15 this is well worth a look if you’re keen on an emotional rollercoaster, rather than an all-out blockbuster action by-the-second one.

Gameplay is brilliantly addictive, the graphics and sounds standout - it’s just that crappy menu system that falters. There’s more to come from Marathon but this is a great start to a live service shooter and a great rival to the likes of Arc Raiders.

I'm giving this a 95/100, but if the few little bugs are ironed out then it's as close to perfection as a wrestling game has ever been.

Resident Evil Requiem is a wonderful modern gaming take on a classic series that both honours the gameplay wins of the past with more current storytelling and visual fidelity techniques. The monsters are horrors, the boss fights brutal and there’s more blood than you can shake a stick at. Perfect for survival horror gaming fans.

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.

As tennis games go, it’s a smash.

This is an excellent Souls-like title with a unique battle system to mix up the usual formulas. The setting looks immense and gameplay is addictive despite many a death at the hands of gruesome monsters...It's as good a Souls-like game as Elden Ring.

While it’s not a new game, the love put in to this version of the first third of Final Fantasy 7 here makes it a brilliant addition to the slowly growing Switch 2 library. Gamers will be as addicted as ever and for £40-odd this feels like quite the bargain compared to some of the more meh full price titles nowadays.

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.

Overall, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a much-needed bold and beautiful shooter game for the new Switch console. It’s familiar to players of the past titles in the series while also more modern thanks to the extra power under the hood of our fancy new machine. While there are better FPS titles out there on other consoles, this is among the best on any iteration of the Switch.

Plenty of modes, plenty of unlocks, this is a full and fun package of wild racing.

Overall, you get a lot of bang for your buck in this year’s Black Ops. While the campaign is a bit meh, it’s got a couple of really neat ideas and an unusual theme for a Call of Duty title. The multiplayer is fast, frantic and as good as ever and the real selling point of this title. And the addition of meaty zombies and dead ops modes means there’s plenty of gaming to be had in the overall package.

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.

It’s a brutal game and one that’s fully sat within the oddball Japanese manga-style of near nonsense storytelling. There can be too much lore when all you want ultimately is the addictive gore of the gameplay. Difficult, frustrating, face-flushing - this game is all of them. But it’s also fantastic in its fluidity when you get things right and rewarding when a chosen baddie is finally slain after the umpteenth attempt. Overall, another strong title on the Xbox and PS5 consoles.

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.

While its story could be fresher, the multiplayer suite is awesome and will be played by millions across the rest of this year and next for far too many hours. War gaming is rarely this wild and fun.

Players can enjoy a variety of modes, from fast-paced 3v3 Quick Matches and full NBA Seasons to custom tournaments for up to four local players. Play solo or in co-op, with easy controls and game modes like Training, Full Season and Party Mode this is an easy to get title without too many confusing menus and systems. But that in turn means not a huge amount under the hood. And at that price, it’s quite a lot for quite a little.

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

The graphics are gorgeous and the world fully realised, making for a breathtaking title to enjoy.

Overall, this is one hell of a football package that now tries to satisfy both classic arcade-loving football gamers and the diehard players who strive for an ever more realistic title to enjoy. By giving you the option now for both, FC 26 elevates its gameplay offering on last year and makes this a must-buy for football fans. Although don’t expect giant changes anywhere else in the title, more small tweaks.

It’s lots of fun, particularly with pals by your side, and offers plenty of tracks and modes to keep gamers coming back for more.

Probably one best for the diehard fans.

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.

With 4K resolution, 120FPS multiplayer, cross-play action from Xbox to PS5 Dolby Atmos music and Spatial Audio sound effects, this is the best version I’ve ever played of this game.

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.

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

It’s great fun and the punching and smashing never gets dull. The difficulty ramps up nicely for all levels of gamer and there’s tons of secret areas to come back for once completed. The Switch 2 is now very much on its way to greatness software-wise.

While it pays great homage to the originals it makes a few tweaks to give the title a more modern style and impressive visual upgrade.

It’s possibly Hideo Kojima’s magnum opus, and it’ll be a long, long time before I stop thinking about it.

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.

Against all odds, Elden Ring Nightreign keeps FromSoft’s streak alive despite a very, very surprising left turn into multiplayer. What could have felt like a game chasing trends or designed by committee has maintained so much of what’s special about the core franchise.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is the perfect antidote to anyone that felt Eternal was getting away what made the reboot so special. It’s as metal as they come, endlessly playable, and with memorable moments scattered throughout – whether it’s the ones you create moment to moment or those id has laid out.

All in, a cracking remaster of what was originally a troubled game. One that’s finely polished and looks fantastic on PS5. It plays great and really does give returning fans and those seeking out Deacon’s story for the first time a definitive zombie battler to enjoy.

Different, fun to play, with loads of collectibles to find and a deep story that pulls at the heart, South of Midnight is THE video gaming gem of the year so far.

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

I could write about Split Fiction for another few thousand words and still not cover everything that made me smile. As with 2024's Astro Bot, it's bursting at the seams with a Nintendo-like playfulness, an excited child opening a toybox to show you everything it can, and yet with a more measured pacing that stops it running out of breath...It's a poignant and timely reminder that for all of technology's advances, art is still made my artists, and that might just make it one of 2025's most important games — as well as one of its best.

Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii may not be what anyone expected, but it's a fitting entry in a series that delights in surprising long-term fans and casual admirers alike. Whether you're interested in building your perfect pirate crew for hours on end, or just want to see the story through, there's a ton of things to do and with Majima around, it's a riot. It trades in some of its sentimentality for the bizarre and the brash, but finally having Majima playable again after so long feels like a breath of fresh sea air.

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.

And while leaks suggest the Nintendo Switch 2 is imminently on the horizon, it’s brilliant to know at such a late stage in this console’s life that the firm can still deliver nice little surprises like this for gamers...Fun, playable, challenging and packed full of replay value.

It’s a warm nostalgic hug of a game for fans of Indy and well worthy of being the last big hit game to see out the year.

There’s little new in this game, it treads previous ground from other titles, but it is neatly put together and will appeal to a limited audience.

Lego Horizon Adventures is a lovely looking title that will be instantly familiar to Lego game fans while different enough to offer a new challenge to Horizon fans.

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.

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

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.

The gameplay itself and choices made to affect the branching storyline are a little too subtle and rarely taxing. It’s really there to aid the storytelling and build out the lore, like an interactive movie. As such there can be long stretches where the story slows or gets bogged down and it feels a little chore-like to keep grinding on.

This reworking of a PC hit makes it a highly approachable, massive role-play action title that is as welcoming to new players as it is MMO experts hell-bent on sinking hundreds of hours of gameplay in. The fighting is fun and the world building is extensive. Well worth a look.

This is an excellent first-person shooter with best-in-class multiplayer, a stunning story mode and over-the-top, enjoyable zombie smashing. Gaming gun action has never felt so good.

It’s all light hearted fun aimed at connecting people both in local co-op and online.

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.

You’ll find yourself quickly and expertly tossing pots to distract baddies, stacking boxes and tables for extra height and firing out little green critters to fight for you, while you run around enemies to escape. It’s a joy to play, looks great and an excellently crafted mashup of gaming ideas to deliver a fresh-feeling new Zelda.

There are some lovely 2D side-scrolling moments too, which helps to break up the gameplay. You can even replay your faves in a new option.

The result is a fully fledged puzzle platforming game, packed with collectibles, funny boss battles and amazing little gimmicks that realise the full destiny of the PS5’s unique playability as well as giving Super Mario a run for his money.

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 is an excellent start by the Ubisoft bods and I suspect the inevitable follow-up will fare better once more varied gameplay is added into the mix.

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.

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.

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

If you are seeking an interactive, heavy themed, intense movie this is your game. If you’re after a hands-on player, maybe wait until it drops in price. Unless of course you have already got the Game Pass subscription, in which case it’s yours to try now.

This is the racing equivalent of EA Sport’s not-Fifa football franchise FC24...It now delivers all the same realism, audio and visual fidelity while also never losing sight that it’s a good video game that will keep players coming back for more.

Rogueport is packed with fun and danger in equal parts and tons of personality, almost a character itself. And Mario of course holds it all together with some wonderful gameplay, comedy and an interesting storyline.

While this type of game has obviously been done better and bigger in the decades since, old school gamers will love stepping back into this world. Modern players may find it interesting but not vital.

By pulling on the strings of many a modern classic they’ve been able to deliver a fun, tough, playable title that’s addictive and enjoyable. But it can be improved on in both image style and gameplay if there is a sequel.

A strong and much-wanted tennis game that helps to fill a gap in the sporting gaming market.

The graphics are truly standout and the audio plays a nice role in enhancing the overall feel of the game. An absolute bargain for the price.

As it stands we have a rather generic and repetitive short lived battle game that’s lacking any real gameplay innovation. The story is dull and there are not enough laughs.

The story unfolds at a nice pace that allows you to dip out and into side quests throughout the map to become a part of a wider nation-shaping arc. Rise of the Ronin is another cracking PS5 exclusive.

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.

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

Overall, a fun, fast and busy VR game that combines two differing play elements to deliver an addictive shooter/swinger action title.

Overall, this a deep and wonderful game packed full of exploration, juicy combat and a strong story - if you can follow all the lore it pumps out. Square Enix have done a great job again of delivering a unique Final Fantasy world, in this case revamped for the modern gamer from an old classic.

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.

Perfection is hard to achieve, especially in the world of video games – but WWE 2K24 comes as close to that as any previous game has so far.

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.

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.

There is plenty of wild action and adventure to be had in Suicide Squad. And it is certainly worth a look if you like the idea of a decent mix between games like Guardians of the Galaxy, Gotham Knights and Sunset Overdrive.

Well worth revisiting if you’ve played before and a must-buy at £45 for those new to Part II.

But generally Prince of Persia plays simply and well, like an old school arcade button basher.

An epic game with tons of content.

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.

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.

A great introduction to RPG games and offers a challenge as you push through the title. It’s got a lovely modern Switch sheen to it but still keeps all the core values of the original, classic game.

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.

There’s absolutely nothing in Rogue City you haven’t seen before, done better elsewhere.

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

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.

Overall, another fantastic Mario game and a real fun standout for the Switch console.

What a game. Web-crawlingly brilliant at every turn. Top marks Spidey, top marks.

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.

This is an ideal way back into the franchise if you’ve lapsed from it recently. And a much-needed step backwards to, ultimately, take a step forwards.

It’s beautiful, brilliant to play and packed full of cars worth tinkering with. All in one easy-to-access package. This title tops the podium.

There’s a good game dying to get out here. But with a lack of content and wobbly online connectivity it’s not currently where it needs to be. Hopefully with heist updates and stability fixes Payday 3 will eventually shine.

FC24 doesn’t miss the Fifa branding at all and there’s endless enjoyment to be had here, both solo or with pals either on the couch or online.