Breath of the Wild is still very much a traditional Zelda adventure at its heart. Smart puzzles, dungeon-dwelling bosses, charming characters, and imaginative storytelling are still on the agenda. In fact, thanks to inspired new powers spawned from the mysterious Sheika Slate, puzzle-filled Shrines, brilliantly crafted enemy encounters, and a beautiful world brimming with life, the game's more familiar beats are better than ever.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an absolute undisputed classic and a legend in the making, plus with Red Dead Online on the horizon, it looks like our adventures in the wild west are just beginning.

This is the definitive version of one of the finest games of the last few years, and one that better lives up to Rockstar's lofty ambitions.

The first 60-70 hours were near-faultless, with Larian Studios providing an experience unmatched in the role-playing space. I could continue to nitpick over how I wished that ambition and quality could sustain right until the end credits, but then I think about the whole journey I went through with my Drow and I can't help but smile. Despite its late-game flaws, Baldur's Gate 3 is truly special.

If a deep combat system, an engaging plot, a wonderful cast of characters and a stunning, open-ended game world sounds like something you might be interested in, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim should be at the top of your list.

Pushing the limits of interaction allows Hyrule to move beyond just being an incredibly beautiful puzzle box setting into something entirely grander. A truly living, breathing world.

With a hauntingly beautiful game world, stunning visuals, and a wide variety of ways in which players can approach combat, The Last of Us is another exceptional game from the team at Naughty Dog...However, it's the studio's ability to make this past-pandemic world and its contrasting cast of characters feel so believable and credible that really makes The Last of Us stand out from its peers.

It features a superb plot, contains at least one piece of essential DLC and looks absolutely stunning, making it an essential purchase for newcomers and one to consider for fans of the original.

Tetris Effect remains the best version of Tetris on the market, and the Nintendo Switch port is hardly compromised, successfully retaining what made the game stunning in the first place. The added portability of the Switch version is more than enough reason to double-dip, and it looks wonderful on the OLED Model's new screen if you're fortunate enough to have the upgraded console. The Switch has become our personal platform of choice when it comes to Tetris Effect: Connected, but regardless of platform, this is a special title that absolutely deserves all the praise it's received over the last few years.

Everything about Astro Bot has been painstakingly crafted to make it fun to experience, whether it's the fluid gameplay, unrivaled creativity or every interaction being a kaleidoscope of satisfying particle effects and sounds. Astro Bot is one of the best platformers in years and is a must-play title you shouldn't miss.

While it was a risk to move away from the depths of Rapture and into the clouds of Columbia, Irrational Games has once again crafted a dazzling new world, which succeeds in taking the franchise to stunning new heights.

God of War's reboot is a triumph...Our few complaints – and there are very few – would be that the boat sections add little to the actual gameplay other than a cumbersome way to explore the world. Meanwhile, upgrading Kratos' gear sometimes means battling some eye-wateringly tiny text and over-complicated power-ups.

The richness of the world is helped by the fact that Arkham City is a stunning looking game. This is one of the most detailed, rich and vibrant open worlds ever created, whether you are gliding over its skyline or striding down the broken-down streets. Considering the size of the world, the rich detail of the interiors is incredible, putting many more linear games to shame.

Whether revisiting Hyrule for the umpteenth time, or paying your first visit, prepare to be dazzled by one of the finest gaming experiences ever created.

Balancing a heartfelt story with over-the-top excessive video game action, Ragnarök is completely self-aware. It improves upon the previous title in all the ways we could have hoped for and delivers a huge experience with stunning visuals, beautiful storytelling and buckets of fun. This is a must have for any God of War fan and an easy recommendation for anyone new to the series.

The Last of Us 2 is going to be divisive. Naughty Dog has made brave narrative choices for its difficult second album, which we massively respect. We would just have liked to have seen the same applied to the gameplay. It's still solid and thrilling, and if you loved the first game, this is a must-play. It's not as groundbreaking, but equally as heartbreaking.

Even without the platform versatility of its other versions Skulls of the Shogun is still among the best strategy games to grace iOS, and one that armchair generals shouldn't pass up.

It's platforming perfection, brimming with clever ideas and flawless execution.

Hearthstone's main drawback is a matchmaking system that can often put new players in matches out of their depth, along with a few stability and framerate hiccups that pop up in the iPad port.

While there is a definite finality to Mass Effect 3, the wealth of plot-based variables are likely to inspire second, third and fourth playthroughs, not just of the latest game but of the entire trilogy. Mass Effect 3 is truly unique in this respect, leaving no stone unturned and offering full closure, yet still leaving players with countless 'what ifs'. It's these unanswered questions that have driven the Mass Effect experience, and will motivate players to see their mission through to its glorious end.

Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is the apex of the series and a fitting way for Kojima et al to bow out: as one, as best, as Big Boss.

With the Wii showing its age more than ever, Nintendo's strategy is to compensate with an immersive interface, mesmerising world and engaging story. It's an approach that pays off, proving that gameplay should be valued above all else.

It's the most appetising game smorgasbord we've ever had the good fortune to sample, with just the right blend of impactful storyline, cinematic cutscenes, explosive set pieces, exploration, discovery, puzzle solving and good old shootouts.

Punch Quest is a wonderful fast action romp for iOS that will keep drawing players in for a long time to come.

It's rare that a game can be beautiful, gruesome, tense and exhilarating all at the same time, but Inside does just that. Its six years in the making really show. It might be just a sidescroller on paper, but it's so polished and well-put-together that its a showcase of Playdead's mastery. It's captivating and moving, gory and bleak but ultimately, Inside is a piece of art from the first stumbling steps to the closing credits.

The World Ends With You: Solo Remix is a massive game for iOS, and it gets a gorgeous visual upgrade over the DS original. However, it's hard not to feel that it's priced too high for the iOS market, especially for a non-universal app.

Despite this minor gripes, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is a masterpiece and a strong contender for game of the year. Like its predecessors, it pushes the boundaries of what's cinematically possible in the medium of video games, and is a thrill ride from start to finish.

With some unexpected twists and turns along the way, plus some confident changes, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is utterly massive and really is the ultimate way to experience this much-loved story. It's a must for PS5 players.

It is a game that tries to evoke a feeling of discovery at every possible turn, but in doing so loses the element of wonder fairly quickly. Instead, Wonder's strongest moments are when it takes a breather, taking the time to set the scene while letting the platforming do the talking.

I want to keep playing, I want to discover its secrets, I want to fight every monster, try every weapon, discuss theories and explore as many of the community dungeons as possible. To put it bluntly, I want to bleed the game dry.

Blue Prince is a special game full of mysteries, secrets and mind-blowing moments with an addictive gameplay loop. It's so good that labelling this as one of the best puzzle games of all time feels like a disservice. Instead, it's possibly the most memorable experience I've ever had playing a game and I can't stop thinking about it.

Don't let the appearance of maths fool you, Threes is a deceptively addictive game of sliding, matching and growing the puzzle with every move.

Not only do you care about the characters and want to see how their stories end, but you want to scour every inch of The Witcher 3's glorious game world. It's a world you want to get lost in, a world where fast travel is an afterthought and a world you want to keep exploring in case there's something you've missed.

Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is another rich entry in this long-running series, which clearly still has more to offer before it runs out of steam. There’s a great cast of characters, both new and old, that’ll have you feeling all the feels and learning to love them, as well as an engaging story right to the end. With so much to do and experiment with, it’s a vacation to remember and one we can’t wait to dive straight back into.

Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have re-awakened the Fire Emblem series in top form, merging its story and tactical combat as a masterful accomplishment for strategy RPGs.

Online in Super Smash Bros for Wii U makes an already brilliant game even better.

The fact that Journey has so effectively condensed the experience into a two-hour interactive poem is an astonishing achievement. It is the evolution of Jason Rohrer's art game Passage, bringing an unmatched humanity to the experience through its multiplayer.

Xenoblade Chronicles doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it does add a stylish new body and a slick new engine.

At its heart, playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a completely different experience to playing Mario Kart 8 precisely because of how, and where, you play it. The feel and fun of the thing is an intrinsic part of gaming and there's just so much fun to be had when you throw portability and local multiplayer into the fray.

Suffice it to say though, for puzzle fans Device 6 is hands-down the game that best takes advantage of the iPhone as a gaming platform.

Shadow of the Colossus remains an undisputed classic, with its breathtaking vistas and epic boss battles, and despite its ageing mechanics, ICO remains a piece of gaming history.

Metaphor borrows defining features of Persona yet executes these ideas in a less meaningful way, and in taking much from the beloved series, it takes a long time for Atlus' latest to carve out its own identity.

UFO 50 may be inspired by an era that's several generations ago, but an incredible amount of imagination and work went into making this collection of games more than just about evoking nostalgia. The collection also manages to feel fresh and innovative, delivering thrills and the feeling of discovery at nearly every turn. It's unlike anything I've played, and represents a passion and love for the medium in such a special way.

Diablo IV is the culmination of everything Blizzard has set up before to make one ultimate experience. The world is stunning, drowned in a beautiful soundtrack that makes even the smallest moments feel epic. With a deep character system, satisfying combat and an endgame that feels like only the start of your adventure, it's hard not to recommend. Dig in, experiment with classes, fight some demons and loot some dungeons. You won’t regret it.

It's a frantic game packed with stunning set-pieces, thrilling boss battles and a fantastic combat system, even if it doesn't deviate too far from the original.

After a constant stream of more realistic racing simulation games, the high-flying action of Asphalt 8: Airborne stands out for its interesting courses and intense speed.

Combine spot-on controls with dozens of fish to discover and a wonderful sense of humor, and it would be ridiculous not to download Ridiculous Fishing.

From its celebratory replays to its hero of the match voting and on-the-fly hero switching, it's a game that does everything it can to make you feel good and bring you into the scene. Play it if you love online shooters, play it if you don't: Overwatch is ready to join the likes of Quake and Team Fortress 2 in the pantheon of greats.

Not only is it absolutely stunning, it's done a fantastic job of putting you at the centre of the racing in every way possible.

Overall, Borderlands 2 is the sequel we were all hoping for. Gearbox has clung rigorously to what worked the first time around, and fleshed out the experience with refined customisation options, more variety, and a vastly more interesting story. With fantastic co-op support, there's tonnes of longevity on offer here, and no doubt future DLC will sweeten the deal. Looting and shooting doesn't get much better than this.

What Capcom has done is less of a re-imagining and more a celebratory culmination of all the series' ideas. Resident Evil 4 is an absolute blast, retaining all its bombastic and over-the-top ideas while injecting some more modern horror and quality-of-life changes. It's a must for any Resident Evil fan, and if you’re new to the series, what a great place to start!

Even so, the fact remains that XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a fantastic strategy game, and one of the best and most robust available on iOS.

Forza Motorsport 4 is authentic yet accessible, educating, entertaining, occasionally silly, always spectacular, but most importantly, faster and more thrilling than riding a V12-powered rollercoaster with no restraints.

Without question, Forza Horizon 6 is a really fun game to play, but how long it can hold your attention will be reliant upon how much you like racing games. For me, it definitely did bring back some of those fond memories from racers back in the day, and jumping in to kill some time was a great way to experience the game.

It's the great bump in visual quality, the diverse and engaging campaign that never lets up, and a universe that finally catches your interest that impresses the most.

Oozing quality and packed with content, Rayman Legends justifies its place among the platforming elite, and proves that even after all this time, Ubisoft's oldest mascot is still full of new ideas.

Expedition 33's story is a touching and highly emotional ride that, even as the stakes increase, always feels personal in the way that it thoughtfully depicts its themes. It's a stunning game, and stands alongside the best in the genre.

Painting over any cracks that were starting to appear in the Zelda series, A Link Between Worlds is a refreshing experience and another Nintendo 3DS masterpiece.

Bananza is a lot of fun, but it's also a game that I wish I could have appreciated more. If its particular brand of sandbox gameplay had clicked with me, I might have considered calling it a Nintendo classic. Despite this, I still found the main campaign to be a wonderfully imaginative ride. DK and young Pauline's team-up is bright, colourful, and full of charm, and is a worthy addition to the Switch 2's early line-up of games.

It's a hardcore, heart-pounding adventure that's more accessible to newcomers, without sacrificing the series' sense of mystery, awe and wonder.

It's easy to get a kick out of seeing how high the scores can get, but the game is as much about the gambles you take and the planning along the way. There's a deceptive simplicity to Balatro due to its roots in poker, and it uses that to its advantage to reel you in while regularly finding new ways to surprise you.

Bug Heroes 2 has a steep learning curve, but mastering that curve reveals a strategic shooter with deep class specialisations and a satisfying online arena.

Alan Wake 2 is a bold and confident follow-up to its original, and worth the wait in every way. Remedy has crafted something timeless that will be talked about for a long time and has unexpectedly become the game to beat in the survival horror genre. Surreal, tense, funny, absurd and nerve-wracking all at once, Alan Wake 2 is a game all of its own and one you really should experience.

Dungeon crawlers aren't to everyone's taste, but you would be hard pressed to find a better one than Diablo 3: Reaper of Souls - Ultimate Evil Edition on consoles. This is the definitive version of an already great game, and it truly excels on the PS4.

Despite a surprising amount of repetition within the single-player campaign, Far Cry 3 is a wonderful shooter with lots of secrets to discover and a huge game world to explore. Taking place in a stunning environment and featuring a compelling narrative, as well as an excellent cast of characters, Far Cry 3 offers hours of enjoyment, something which is greatly extended thanks to its competitive and co-operative multiplayer modes.

Silksong won me over. As someone who didn't have strong feelings towards Hollow Knight, I'm glad I gave the sequel a chance. It's easy to label Silksong as brutal, but it's much more than that. Pharloom may be hostile, but fittingly so and makes for an incredibly rich and rewarding place to explore. Hornet is a delight to play as, and even though the game made me work hard, I never lost my motivation to progress.

Trials Evolution takes the original's winning formula, improves the presentation, adds new game modes, multiplayer content and caps it off with an unbelievably deep level editing suite, giving the sequel near infinite replay value. Far from a lazy follow-up, or a quick cash-in, Trials Evolution takes a massive leap forward, proving beyond any shadow of a doubt that Xbox Live Arcade releases can hang with the best of them. The clue is in the name, this is a sequel that has well and truly evolved.

Quite simply, the beautiful game is back with a sports car and twin sister in tow - there, we couldn't resist.

If you're new to the series, it's an absolute must to experience this wholly unique game, and thankfully there's more than enough excuse for older fans to step foot once more onto the USG Ishimura.

While Split Fiction doesn't necessarily break new ground, it's an entertaining ride and delivers a polished co-operative experience with an infectious level of enthusiasm. As the end credits rolled, my colleague and I agreed that we wouldn't have minded at all if the game had been extended by several more hours. It's to the game's credit that it never threatened to outstay its welcome, and felt fresh throughout.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 touches on huge progressiveness on the outskirts of its story, but similar to the big-budget retellings of the wall-crawler, it could go so much further. We've seen Spidey do New York so much before, and it's a total undeniable classic. But with great power, comes great responsibility. A responsibility to push forward culture, representation, opinion, and acceptance. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 has made a great start, but we have so much further to go.

Like Ocarina of Time before it on 3DS, Nintendo once again proves that it has a deft hand at reviving its classics, preserving their timeless essence while making them easier than ever to revisit for new and old audiences alike.

Personally, I was left with mixed feelings – but I should also add that I don't have nostalgia for the original game like so many do, and Rebirth feels like a game specifically designed for fans of the original in the passionate way many of the moments, arcs and locations are depicted and fleshed out here. I enjoyed spending time with the core characters, the world-building is impressive and the soundtrack is truly superb. I had plenty of fun with the battle system as well. However, I found the narrative pacing poor and the open-world elements often tedious. The game is stuffed with minigames yet their quality is inconsistent, and there were late-game segments that I found to be a slog.

While we hesitate to call it a game-of-the-year contender, the Vita needs more titles like Velocity 2X, a game that's equally effective when experienced in short bursts on the move, or in the kind of marathon sessions that tablet and smartphones cannot compete with.

Playing Okami HD is a joyous experience, but it is sad to see that after six years it is still one of the best examples of its genre. Okami HD is fantastic, and hopefully this re-release will inspire a new generation of game designers to play, enjoy and then scoff, "Ha, I bet I could do better".

The action on the court is fast, fluid and accessible, but with enough depth and detail to keep you hooked for the long haul.

Mario's best handheld game in years, and even when put up against his acclaimed console offerings, it's yet another sublime adventure crammed with surprises and smiles every few minutes. It's also perhaps the first 3DS title that makes the screen an integral part of the game rather than an eye-catching afterthought.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a wonderful game, which, despite being based on a near 20-year-old release, feels somehow fresh and stands apart from its rivals. It's deep, engaging, intuitive and inclusive, and is likely to invade consoles and PCs for quite some time.

In closing, Guild Wars 2 is a staggeringly ambitious project that makes a bold statement about the future of the MMORPG. It is living proof that a game of this manner can thrive outside of the subscription business model and the genre's established conventions.

When the teams hit the field and the game kicks off, there's little to choose between FIFA 13 and the latest PES. A wealth of online and offline game modes and a rich supply of extras, however, ensures that FIFA 13 picks up another trophy in the most closely contested virtual football season to date. Like a Manchester United team chasing its 20th league title or Gareth Bale charging at a frightened right back, EA Canada is showing no signs of slowing down in its pursuit of the perfect football sim.

With its non-linear structure and surreal tone, Majora's Mask 3D sometimes doesn't feel like a Zelda game at all, but it's those who know the series best who will get the most out of its demanding dungeons and its many entertaining side-quests. And with a number of smart improvements that make its frustrations easier to bear, the 3DS version is by far the best way to experience it.

Pillars of Eternity is a masterclass in role-playing game development, recapturing the essence of the genre's past triumphs and repackaging them for a universal audience.

This isn't just a worthy sequel to Titanfall, but one that improves upon the original while adding a superb single-player campaign. The latter combines fast-paced action, pilot acrobatics, heavyweight Titan warfare and a surprising amount of heart in one of the most enjoyable solo storylines of the year...It's a masterful piece of work.

Super Mario 3D World on the Nintendo Switch is the definitive version of an already stellar game. More than seven years after the original release, Mario's Wii U adventure hasn't aged a bit – oozing creativity and providing platforming thrills at nearly every turn. Bowser's Fury is a nice little companion, and although not quite as consistent, it combines with 3D World to form an outstanding package.

Dark Souls is intentionally stubborn and mysterious throughout, and seemingly resists your efforts to improve, but that's all part of what makes it so enjoyable.

Fez is ultimately a game about games much in the same way Hugo is a film about films. Fez can be very demanding to get the most out of it, but without ever actually asking anything of you. Do not play Fez to beat it, but play to explore and get lost in its puzzles and pixilated world.

For those who haven't played Limbo before, or for those who simply want to play it again while riding on the bus, you can download the iOS version with confidence that it is just as creepy and well-crafted as on any other platform.

Fans of the series will be delighted at just how much Eidos Montreal has gotten right with this prequel, from the dark cyberpunk visuals to the open-ended puzzle solutions. It tells an epic story full of twists and turns, set atop an incredibly challenging gameplay experience.

Death Stranding 2 is a unique piece of art in the medium. It deals with the universal feeling of loss, our reactions to it and humanity's need - now more than ever - to connect. Death Stranding 2 doubles down on its core ideas to deliver something that's bigger and better than before and there’s just nothing else quite like it.

Dishonored's open-ended approach is a commendable one, but we felt the way it cheats the player out of the best ending if they choose the 'wrong' play style to be a bit frustrating. However, while it's a little short, Dishonored is ultimately a very enjoyable experience, with a vivid, unique world that will surprise whoever steps into it.

The best way to sum up Resident Evil Requiem is to say it's a quintessential Resident Evil game. By the end of it, the apprehension around juggling survival horror and over-the-top action couldn't have been further from our minds. We couldn't care less about the semantics of genre labels when the game is this fun and seamlessly cohesive.

The developers at The Game Bakers already proved they could make a great game with Squids last year, and now with Squids Wild West they have turned it into one of the deepest and most enjoyable franchises on iOS.

Monument Valley's absolutely stunning visual style and clever level manipulation make it a fantastic mobile experience. The only shortcoming is that you will wish there was more of it.

Sporting three all-time classics and two retro gems - all for the price of an average new release - the compilation represents unbelievable value for money.

It might be conventional as far as visuals and monsters go, but its overall appeal rests in its provision of a living world that can be sculpted and altered in ways both subtle and explicit. So long as you're prepared to put the required time in, Dragon Age: Inquisition has plenty to give.

No matter how you play it, Persona 3 is a more than a worthwhile experience. Reload can be accused of being a little too faithful for its own good, with some of the inherited flaws slightly holding it back, but it is still an excellent way to enjoy this classic. It's dark at times, but has a hopeful message. Through all the devastation, the cast learn to be there for each other and try to make the most out of life.

Infinity Blade II continues to be a step forward for iOS gaming. Chair has delivered a visual masterpiece with satisfying combat that rectifies many of the issues of its predecessor. We aren't quite at that point where smartphones and tablets have made handheld gaming systems obsolete, but after this release, the gap between them is certainly narrower.

Horizon: Zero Dawn is simply great fun to play – the open world and fantastic enemies make it easy to get on board with the surreal premise which Guerrilla Games has crafted. The challenging gameplay always tempts you to push past the next mountain, through new cities or delving into caves to discover new beasts, secrets and gear...Its razor-sharp graphics will have you relentlessly hitting the PS4's share button, even if the story can't quite capture you in the same way.