Star Wars Jedi: Survivor surpasses the first game in every way, taking its strengths and flaws and improving every aspect of them to create a force to be reckoned with.

As you’d expect, the difficulty curve is fairly steep and you’ll be challenged from the start, but thankfully Lies of P never feels mean-spirited and offers a lot of chances to learn along the way. It’s a somewhat linear experience, so you won’t have the chance to explore elsewhere while you build yourself up to face a particularly sticky boss as you would in a title like Elden Ring, but if you explore all the nooks and crannies, you’ll always find yourself equipped with the tools you need to tackle the toughest of bosses. Lies of P is an addictive Soulslike with a unique take on the genre and is certainly one not to be missed (especially if you have Game Pass).

Relax – this is very nearly the Doom you've always wanted but never really thought you'd get. By focusing on DOOM's brutal, ultraviolent heart iD has created an all-action FPS in the old-school style, but with next-gen looks and a handful of mod-cons. It's not going to reinvent the genre, but it might help you rediscover all the good stuff that used to make it tick.

A lack of sparkle in Battlefield 3's campaign is offset by engaging and addictive large-scale multiplayer battles that have few equals, along with a co-op game that is thoroughly enjoyable while it lasts.

Assassins Creed Shadows takes ideas from previous entries as well as some bold experimental swings to create a defining entry in the franchise – perhaps as series-defining as Black Flag. We personally think it’s the best the series has ever been, and despite some parts of the narrative not quite sticking the landing, we had an absolute blast with Ubisoft's latest.

Hotline Miami is an odd experience. Missions flow between stealth and combat with split-second tactical choices reinforced through trial-and-error. The context for that gameplay is brutal beyond measure, though the game also provides a rare opportunity for reflection.

If you adore Snake Eater, Delta is a chance to fall in love with it all over again, and if you've never experienced it, this is a modernised classic that is a must-play.

New York City is a fantastic setting to step into the world of next-gen gaming, with smooth, consistent frame rates and the mind-blowing ray-tracing capabilities to carry Spider-Man into the future. With Insomniac Games likely planning DLC to extend the campaign, Miles Morales is a brilliant follow-up to a fantastic PlayStation-exclusive franchise that will likely tempt over many gamers on the fence to buy the PS5, just so they can experience this wondrous story.

It will be interesting to see how Forza Horizon fares against Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Criterion's new open world racer that is out next month. But in the absence of that review, it is clear that Playground Games has seriously raised the bar in all areas for the non-linear racing genre with Forza Horizon, and others will now have to play catchup.

Doom: The Dark Ages is a hybrid onslaught of the brutal combat we know and love and all-new intuitive parry mechanics. We're unsure if the game's additions are enough to compensate for what's been lost from Doom Eternal, but the foundation of slaying hordes of demons in visceral and bloody battles remains as fun as ever.

Pragmata is an incredibly fun experience that's full of satisfying combat, progression and unlocks, providing constant dopamine hits of sci-fi sounds and meaningful upgrades. This charming action-adventure deserves to be a massive hit and you should take a chance on one of this year's best games.

The greatest accomplishment of Super Smash Bros for 3DS is that the core battle system works so well on a handheld device. Once again Nintendo has demonstrated exactly how to bring a home console game to the small screen without compromising on concept and content.

Although they come with a few problems that only the nostalgic will forgive, the HD versions of both Final Fantasy X and X-2 have plenty to offer long-term fans and newcomers alike.

The realism has really been ramped up this year, making every pass, tackle and goal attempt feel accurate and worthwhile. The goalkeepers and graphics have vastly improved too, even if the more realistic referees might frustrate you at first – just as they do in the real game...The only let down is that there are very few genuinely new features, but with this refinement of the excellent work done in PES 2016, PES 2017 could be the new Leicester.

Developer Deconstructeam's latest game is a bold experience in which all of the systems manage to beautifully fall into place. It successfully weaves its magic to create something that is rather special and mesmerising, elevated by a unique twist to deck-building and packed with emotion. Fortuna's journey undoubtedly ranks as one of my highlights of the year, and shouldn't be overlooked.

Oceanhorn may not be as clever as Nintendo's series in its dungeon designs, and few games are, but the sense of exploration and discovery makes it easy to recommend on its own merits.

As only the first of five episodes, it is difficult to tell how the series will play out and evolve from here. However, The Wolf Among Us: Episode 1 - Faith makes a fantastic first impression and has us eagerly awaiting the next chapter of Bigby's story.

Where Kingdom Rush Frontiers really succeeds is its variety though. The sense of monotony that often plagues tower defense games never sets in, with tons of variety both in settings and enemy types so that you're always facing some fresh challenge.

The controls are marvellously intuitive, as a simple tap launches one of the tentacles to latch onto the walls of whatever gut or organ you are currently navigating. Each tap sends out the next tentacle, creating a surprisingly smooth experience as the creature crawls through passages, often fighting against the current of bodily fluids.

2023 has been a banner year for games, and it’s clear that Blasphemous 2 sits in the upper echelons of those releases, a beautifully grotesque Metroidvania that’s deserving of everyone's time. From the gloriously gruesome visuals to its ferociously paced combat and beautiful soundtrack, Blasphemous 2 is an instant classic in the genre.

With a deep character-building system and the endless possibilities offered thanks to its procedurally generated levels, Remnant 2 is an absolute must experience and one we think we’ll be world-hopping in for a long, long time.

While the game is starting to show its age and display a slight lack of imagination, it's safe to say that there aren't too many Nintendo 3DS games that can match the enjoyment derived from Mario Kart 7.

There's more love and care lavished on The Master Chief Collection than you see in countless other big-money, brand new blockbuster releases. The fact that the games themselves are fantastic fun online and off is the cherry on the icing.

Ultimax is a fine follow-up to Arena and a no-brainer for anyone who enjoyed its predecessor, whether you're in it for the story or the fighting. The narrative is arguably not as memorable this time around, but it's still a wonderful excuse to spend more time with characters you've already spent a hundred hours with and see the mysteries from the previous game resolved.

It becomes difficult to tear yourself away from Rogue Legacy, as the repetitive flow is brilliantly augmented by randomly generated traits and dungeon layouts.

There's some good fun to be had with BattleBlock Theater and it's a mostly charming title. But its fair share of problems hold it back from being an unequivocally entertaining, must-have game.

Out There is a game about controlling what you can, and adapting to what you can't, as a new story unfolds with each jump across the stars.

A thoroughly enjoyable fighting game, striking a wonderful balance between shallow action and simulation. Personality issues aside, once the bell rings, the action is superb, offering incredible levels of strategy, not to mention some of the most impressive knockouts we've ever seen.