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

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.

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.

51 Worldwide Games throws you into a treasure trove of high-quality games, combined with amazing multiplayer support and addictive leaderboards. For players who want a quick gaming session or those who want to compete against their friends, the game is an absolute must-buy. In fact, I’m beginning to think that 51 Worldwide Games is going to become an essential purchase for anyone who gets a Nintendo Switch from now on. For such a simple concept, Nintendo really knocked it out of the park.

Pixleopus has made a triumphant return with Concrete Genie; from your very first brush stroke you’ll be so swept away by the colour and narrative that by the time it’s over, you’ll want to jump right back in again to paint the town red, and blue… and green.

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.

This is a great showcase for the PS5 and well worth a look for those seeking a sci-fi epic packed full of challenge.

Just as the 1999 original was a more action-focused Resident Evil game that arguably helped pivot the franchise towards the iconic fourth instalment, this 2020 reimagining feels like last year’s game in many ways, only sped up and thirstier for zombie blood. It treads the line between tension and action impressively, and Nemesis cements his legacy as one of the series’ most enduring creatures. If you’re stuck inside and looking for somewhere to escape, you’ll find Raccoon City more than accommodating.

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

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.

Beat Saber is the perfect recipe for a rhythm game. Easy to pick up, difficult to put down, and a wealth of complexity to explore once it has you hooked.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is the quintessential 2D Zelda experience. The gameplay never feels repetitive, and solving each dungeon or beating each mini-boss is equally as satisfying as the first. The audio is crisp and matches perfectly to the gorgeous visuals that players will be treated to throughout their time on Koholint Island. It pays homage to the original in the greatest of ways, by introducing an entirely new generation of players to one of the best Zelda experiences out there. It is a must-have for any Zelda fan, and so should take its place as a console seller for the Nintendo Switch.

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.

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

Your mileage may vary based on how well you enjoyed Gwent in The Witcher 3, but if you’ve been looking for a fresh perspective on Andrzej Sapkowski’s dense world and lore then we can’t recommend it enough.

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.

My Friend Pedro is an addictive experience and a mesmerising shoot-em-up that, though failing to deliver a good story, takes you on a violent ballet filled with blood, bullets and bananas…There is plenty of content packed into the game’s 5-hour playtime, with a huge opening for possible DLC and easy ways for players to compete with each other via leaderboards.

Death Stranding is the most unique big-budget game I’ve ever played, a socially-minded injection of inventive ideas into a genre that has long survived by being lazy and brutish. This ambitious formula-flipper is brimming with empathy and carefully courts cinematic influences, an ensemble cast and a world of eye-watering scale, delivering a sticky gameplay loop to tie it all together and create a console generation-defining experience.

The statement ‘you can’t rush perfection’ has never been truer when it comes to Persona 5 Royal. The story is a slow burn, but with emotional payoffs. The enhancements and additions have been made to feel natural and fully integrated into the rest of the games systems. Persona 5 Royal is a shining example of how to reinvigorate a game. It’s a love letter to fans and a fantastic entry point for newcomers. Simply put, Persona 5 Royal isn’t just one of the best JRPGs of this generation. It’s one of the best games released in recent memory.

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.

Overall, this is a fantastically fast, smooth as silk motor game experience that is packed with cars and content way above just one vs one races. It stays true to the tried and tested arcade Forza Horizon formula while expanding on the scale, beauty and replayability of previous titles with a huge array of unlocks and modes to enjoy both solo and multiplayer. A podium topping finish.

I think that your enjoyment of Ghost of Tsushima will come down to how you like the game’s structure. If you’ve played Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone, you’ll know exactly what to expect. While I understand the comparisons, calling the game “Assassin’s Creed but in Japan” is doing it a bit of a disservice, in my opinion. Yes, you will raid hideouts. Yes, you have a “listen mode” where you can see enemies behind walls and stealth kill them. The game also does have similar ideas from its contemporaries, like Sekiro’s focus on parrying and Nioh’s stances. But Ghost of Tsushima does many aspects exceedingly well – and it's more than the sum of its parts. The gameplay is fun, the narrative and its characters are great, and the art direction is absolutely beautiful. The pros here vastly outweigh the cons. Ghost of Tsushima is a breathtaking adventure.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.