If you had asked me if I thought Piofiore: Fated Memories needed a sequel, I would have responded with a very firm “no.” That game is right up there with the likes of Steins;Gate and The House In Fata Morgana as a visual novel with literary merit, and arguably the masterpiece of the otome genre. But then I played Piofiore: Episodio 1926 and realised that the writers weren’t out of ideas from their first outing. This game is every bit as dark and majestic as its predecessor, and assuming you can stomach its harder edges, it’s essential (but just make sure you’ve played Fate Memories first, if you haven’t yet – don’t ruin this on yourself).

Who knows if this wild experiment will bear fruit and become its own series. Yakuza: Like a Dragon has everything it needs; an excellent crop of new characters, and even a new playground to base a series in, as we hadn't been to Yokohama previously. The future of the series would depend on how turn-based combat sells in comparison to action brawler combat, I would assume. Either way, though, Like a Dragon is a delight. It's a parody-homage to every turn-based JRPG trope you've ever known, set against brilliant character writing and the traditional urban playgrounds that have built this series into something beloved. I hope the development team is rewarded for the inherent risk of this undertaking.

There's no real criticism that can be levelled at this game. It's niche, but in servicing that niche Desert Fox combines a near-perfect AI with a brilliant interface and the perfect historical battle to serve as the basis of the game. Serious strategy fans couldn't ask for much more.

Thumper is a very good rhythm game, if obscenely difficult, and that should make it appeal to any fans of the genre. But it’s a lot more than that, too; it’s an experience unlike any other, one that pushes the bounds of pure audiovisual immersion even with its standard 2D display – to say nothing of its VR capabilities – and that makes it something that I think everyone should at least try.

Axiom Verge is a near-flawless indie game that is sure bound to entertain you with its wide array of creative weapons and deep exploration that, at the end of which, rewards you handsomely.

These new features combine to make trade an even more vibrant strategic opportunity than it was previously.

The Warlock of Firetop Mountain is clearly just the start, and it’s a clever, rich one. It’s a game that is steeped in layer after layer of nostalgia, and it would be silly to suggest that it’s not important that you are old enough to have that nostalgia for these kinds of experiences before the game will really click with you; but all the age demographic statistics out there suggest that there are more than enough people of around my age playing games on their iPad and would find real nostalgic joy in adding this to their library.

9 R.I.P. is, ultimately, a playful take on urban legends and more akin to that classic film, Ghost, than something more visceral. If you’re out there looking for proper horror with a similar theme, Death Mark 2 is going to be a better recommendation for you. But it’s okay that Otomate didn’t make that game, either. After all, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to get it on with a hot ghost, even if 9 R.I.P. missed the opportunity to make one of these boys look like anime Patrick Swayze.

All three BioShock games in the collection contain all the DLC from their original releases and as far as packages go, are as complete as they come. Purely from a content perspective there’s plenty to go around, and most of the time spent is engaging, too. I personally find all three games to be far more interesting as historical artefacts rather than for pure consumption, but it’s nice that they function well as both. And so if you’re just arriving at the series on Switch my recommendation is – if you can stomach the often very graphic violence – definitely play BioShock 1, if you loved the first then consider BioShock 2, and only if you like flying cities and have a yet unsatiated bloodlust, then play BioShock Infinite as well.

Uncharted: The Lost Legacy plays flawlessly. It’s impossible to criticise the level design, the basic mechanics, or indeed anything that involves pressing buttons. Naughty Dog is simply a developer of such quality that it’s not going to make mistakes there. But I like my games to have narrative, and I like games that get me thinking. I like my games to have purpose, and I find The Lost Legacy to be a very purposeless game. It’s fun, I enjoyed my time with it. I doubt I’ll ever feel inspired to play it again, much less remember it.

Ultimately, that's what you want from a fighting game; something that anyone can pick up and enjoy on their terms. SoulCalibur VI offers an enjoyable story for people who want to get into the lore and characters, fanservice for people that like sex appeal in their fighters, as well as a blend of instantly accessible action and a learning curve for people that want to dig further into the mechanics of it all. Because it is so accessible and enjoyable, I suspect that SoulCalibur VI will become one of my most played fighting games, because it's just that versatile and enjoyable that I'll just default to it when I'm in the mood for a fighter (or looking to play with someone else).

These tables are so beautifully designed with all kinds of challenging scoring opportunities.

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone is the holy grail of an already illustrious franchise. For existing fans of the virtual idol, this isn’t just some greatest hits album. Plenty of formerly arcade-exclusive tracks are available on console for the first time. Newcomers, meanwhile, are positively spoiled for choice and couldn't ask for a better time to start the franchise.

Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone is the holy grail of an already illustrious franchise. For existing fans of the virtual idol, this isn’t just some greatest hits album. Plenty of formerly arcade-exclusive tracks are available on console for the first time. Newcomers, meanwhile, are positively spoiled for choice and couldn't ask for a better time to start the franchise.

A few years ago, if you had have told me that there would be a gothic horror Resident Evil, I would have laughed. What RE has traditionally done and the gothic tradition are so far apart they're almost antithetical. And yet, that is what Village has delivered. While this might be a direct sequel to the previous Resident Evil, that dramatic shift in atmosphere and theme makes this game, ironically enough, a Resident Evil for people who have previously not been Resident Evil fans. Don't worry, existing fans, there's still plenty there for you too, but Capcom's willingness to redefine its marquee horror franchise so substantially deserves real credit. The future of this venerable series seems bright when these are the moves that the developers are making.

I found the combat highly engaging and every new ridge I would climb up provided me with such breathtakingly beautiful vistas that I would sit there simply slow panning around to take it all in. But at the same time, undercooked narrative has hurt the really long-term value of the game, and it was just a little too in love with the more arbitrary and irritating quirks of MMO design for its own good.

If loads of jump scares or action are your thing, SOMA might disappoint. It takes its time, is even a little self indulgent, but more than anything it wants you to actually think about what's going on. If you are going to come for this one come for the excellent writing, voice acting and atmosphere.

It is strange to me that in the end, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is better for new players to Dragon Quest than existing fans. I would think that the “VII” next to the title would put off those newcomers, who would assume that they would be coming in six titles too late. More to the point, no RPG trading on nostalgia – port, remake, or entirely new game – should overlook the existing fans entirely. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined makes some very smart decisions with the narrative and gameplay, and is so very close to the perfect version of the masterpiece thanks to that, but players have to go in knowing that the challenge is essentially non-existent.

What is important is that I came away from this game very happy. It's a joy to play, the overall experience is video game comfort food, and I don't think I'll ever get bored with the way Gust approaches the alchemy systems with the same sense of experimental creativity as the alchemy in the game itself.

In an era where every title feels like it is trying to play catch up to Call of Duty in the FPS genre, Metro still stands out as being willing to take a few more chances. It wants you to spend time in its darkly atmospheric world.

That intimacy lends itself perfectly to a story about a vibrant, tight-knit community with a rich and storied history; a story about gentrification and misguided attempts to "fix" things that aren't broken; a story about a mixed-race kid looking for his place in a world that always seems to see him as "other", and finding that place in the welcoming, open arms of Harlem.

Bravely Default didn’t need fixing, and simply rescuing it from the 3DS is more than enough. This is a beautiful, heartfelt, and wonderfully classical JRPG, and as much as I love Mario Kart, over the past week, I’ve wanted to play this one so much more.

Releasing another version of this game doesn’t feel like it adds anything to the Pokemon franchise as a whole, and just makes me want a new Pokemon game on my Switch all the more. It’s still a very, very fine game, but as a product release, this one is quite disappointing from Nintendo.

Hidden in my Paradise is an exceptional hidden object game that captured my attention for several hours. (And trust me, that is not an easy feat.) You can play whether you have two minutes or two hours to spare. Yes, I have major beef with the controller optimisation or lack thereof, but there is so much to make up for that. The snap aspect, the fine details in the items, the amount of layering of items in the paradises, the art style, the freedom to create levels, and the sheer number of objects have made Hidden in my Paradise a shining example of the genre. I have collected every item and created every snap in every paradise. I have collected every item available. I did the same for the content of the Halloween update. The only thing to do for now is begin anew and hope for more extras.

Ultimately, this is a game anyone that loved adventure games will enjoy, and find entertainment in. There are quite a few nods to the Lucasarts/Lucasfilm stable, cameos and a continuation of jokes that have been there since the first Edison encounter. In terms of where it would sit alongside the earlier adventure games, it’s definitely a B-side, but being a B-side to the likes of Monkey Island, Zak McKracken and Day of the Tentacle is still a pretty mean feat.

Sayonara Wild Hearts is the kind of game which opens my eyes to new possibilities that games can provide, and I’m desperately awaiting this style of design to properly take off.

If you are are still skeptical of giving it a go, maybe just try thinking of it as "an adventure through a genocidal meat factory with plenty of explosions and telepathy." That may change your mind.

Rome: Total War on iPad is an absolutely cracking game that further establishes the tablet platform as the go-to place for strategy gaming on the go. Now we just need to get a proper Civilization (perhaps a port of the second), and a Europa Universalis onto my iPad and I'll be one truly happy camper.