Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania packs all the manic mayhem the series is known for into a well-rounded package that is oozing with both nostalgia and charm. Whether you’re a fan or a newcomer to the series, Banana Mania delivers heaps of fun that players of all ages can enjoy. While its simplistic gameplay and new features may not push any boundaries, Sega’s primate platformer still proves that it can roll its way to the top all these years later.

If it’s your first time visiting Bright Falls or you just want to take in the scenery again before the next chapter in Remedy’s overarching franchise rears its head, there’s no better way to experience Alan Wake’s original nightmare.

The original game itself is a triumphant genre experiment, but viewing these new additions in a singular lens begs the question: is it worth upgrading? Simply, yes. Death Stranding Director's Cut has become the essential version of the game, even if purely for the better optimization alone. Available for a mere £5 / $7, players who already own the game aren't risking too much when it comes to revisiting Kojima Productions' bizarre hike through America.

FIFA 22 offers the franchise an exciting start to life on Xbox Series X|S and PS5, with drastically improved gameplay. Complementary features aside in Career, Pro Clubs, and Ultimate Team, that was the dealbreaker and with Hypermotion Technology, EA Sports has delivered.

The Sims 4 Cottage Living is a step in the right direction for The Sims team and shows that they’re listening to what the community wants. With a beautiful world, deep story, returning, and highly requested features, the overall experience of Cottage Living is incredibly positive. However, after taking off the rose-tinted glasses and taking a step back, it highlights significant gaps in the overall gameplay loop that need to be expanded upon to truly create something that will give its players more to keep coming back to in The Sims.

Diablo 2 Resurrected achieves what it set out to do: remaster Diablo 2. Its enhanced visuals and spectacular cinematics repackage the game in a whole new way, making it feel as though it really is your first playthrough all over again. Breaking this immersion, though, are a slew of irritating bugs that are likely to be fixed soon. As patches drop over time we hope this sorts itself out, but at the moment they can be so game-breaking that they make you want to do diabolical things to your computer. Despite all of this, I’m excited to jump back into the game. In fact, I’m itching to do it. Why? Because evil has returned, and it’s the Diablo 2 I know and love.

Kena Bridge of Spirits may truly excel when it comes to a beautifully designed world and its gorgeous visuals and animation, but it can all feel relatively familiar, featuring platforming and combat mechanics that we’ve seen time and time again. Despite this, Ember Lab has created an action-adventure that can be enjoyed by players of all ages, weaving together Kena’s magical abilities, fantastic enemy designs, and a myriad of collectibles to uncover. Wherever the studio decides to take their next adventure, I’m excited to see it — hopefully with the return of The Rot.

NBA 2K22 is 2K Games and Visual Concepts’ best entry into the franchise in quite some time, with bountiful changes to certain gameplay mechanics that make this the most fluid basketball sim in years. Combining this with the new MyCareer story and how immersive The City has become, here’s hoping it’s a new era for the NBA 2K franchise, and it offers a much-needed bounceback for a series that many fans had started to give up on. We’re excited to see the evolution of NBA 2K throughout the year because what’s here is off to a more positive start than we’ve seen in a while.

WarioWare: Get It Together is absolutely full of content that ranges from the ridiculous to the sublime and marks the franchise’s strongest entry yet. Additional playable characters increase the chaos, while a huge number of microgames and modes are a great way to spend the upcoming Autumn nights with friends. While we’d have liked more in the way of online functionality, Wario is definitely back – and better than ever.

Life is Strange True Colors has everything that fans of rich storytelling will love: a varied cast of characters, an intriguing setting to explore, and the chance the affect the overall outcome of what happens, putting the storytelling right into the player’s hands. While at times the game does feel slightly more linear than previous titles and plot points can feel rehashed, it’ll keep you coming back to the town of Haven Springs time and time again. It’s a game about walking to the beat of your own drum — we’re all on a journey of self-discovery and emotion, and Life is Strange True Colors reflects that to its core.

Naraka: Bladepoint may feature all the familiar trappings of a traditional battle royale game, but its combination of melee-based brawls, beautiful setting, and customizable warriors help to differentiate it from the well-established crowd. While Naraka’s combat may be far from perfect, there is enough depth here for those that are willing to scratch below the surface. If you’re looking for a BR with a unique twist, then Naraka: Bladepoint could be the game you’re looking for.

Deathloop expertly blends genres for a truly unique experience that delivers on its brilliant premise. Whether you’re sneaking around enemies, battling other players in surprise PvP shoot-outs, solving environmental puzzles, or uncovering clues to solve the mysteries of Blackreef island, it’s almost impossible to avoid Deathloop’s charm.

Madden 22 takes some leaps in certain modes such as Franchise, but takes some gigantic steps backward or maintains inconsistent levels of gameplay in others. While Face of the Franchise loses much of its “underdog story” vibe, Franchise has taken steps forward, while for every MUT improvement, there’s a new on-the-field annoyance. Another year stuck in place, then, but there’s still fun to be had for those looking to score plenty of in-game touchdowns – just don’t expect any huge yardage gains for the franchise as a whole here.

The Artful Escape certainly won’t tick all the boxes for everyone that comes through. It’s an abstract title that isn’t afraid to go against the grain in every capacity. From the visuals down to the actual mechanics, it’s unlike anything else on the market. But for that exact reason, it’s absolutely an experience worth your time. Creativity to this degree is rare in the modern gaming industry and therefore, The Artful Escape shouldn’t go amiss.