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 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.

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.

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.

Final Fantasy 7 is still worth playing in 2019. Its legacy is undeniable, and as we wait for more news on the Remake, we can look back at the original which is now available on every current console. There's a reason Cloud and Midgar appear in Super Smash Bros - they, and Final Fantasy 7 as a whole, are true icons. Unfortunately, this piece of history hasn't received the port treatment it deserves just yet.

I suspect only those who are really into sticking with practising the skills available, like with a real instrument, will carry on playing this long after the novelty wears off. But if you’re looking for something fun, colourful and different that you can share with pals at home during the dark lockdown weeks ahead, give it a go.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore is a captivating, entertaining take on the best bits of Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei and deserves praise for its inventive battle system and unique setting. The performance, extra content and handheld functionality make this a must for JRPG-loving Switch owners – even ones that owned the game back on Wii U.

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.

Masterful combat, a heap of interactive elements, and delightfully indulging gore all interweave to create something close to a masterpiece.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gears Tactics is a brave new take on the turn-based strategy genre, executed to perfection. The freedom and fast-paced action that it provides are a breath of fresh air, and it nails so many mechanics that will hopefully become staples for the genre. It left me wanting more, though, which on one hand is glowing praise for the addictive, engaging gameplay, but it was also a little disappointing when the ending arrived so soon. Still, Gears Tactics blows its competition out of the water in terms of moment-to-moment excitement and production quality.

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.

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.

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.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is another success in the series. We love that it’s starting to look back at older, more classic elements of the franchise and finding ways to reimplement them in an ever-evolving, fresh feeling new game.

Blood and Truth leaves the old glorified tech demos in the dust and realises VR’s full potential with an incredible blockbuster campaign that’s also a love letter to the city it’s made in.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Lonely Mountains is far from lonely, it rekindles a feeling of childhood. Of meeting with friends and exploring the woods, daring each other to take jumps or freewheel through water. It’s a game about being alone, by being at one with nature and the bike beneath you.

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