FAST Racing RMX feels like a modernised F-Zero in every regard. Its gameplay feels fluid and engaging, and the track design is arguably better than any other game of its kind. Casual players will enjoy the opportunity to race with friends or online, while hardcore genre fans will have some hefty challenges to speed through. Shin’en Multimedia has outdone itself with this one, and Nintendo should be proud to have the small but talented studio developing for its system - it’s a game which will feel right at home on any Switch console.

Those gripes and wishlish items are minor issues that would be nice to see Big Ant address in future titles, but I don’t want to take anything away from AFL 26. It plays incredibly well and has had a lot of effort put into it, despite being a game that only really has Australia to count on as far as marketability. What’s more, Big Ant’s still patching away. It’s going to be fascinating to see where this one ends up in a year.

As JRPG’s have become more of a niche genre and have been steadily downgrading to be focused experiences, here comes Square Enix to deliver a Dragon Quest game that’s packed tight with the gameplay we know and love. While it doesn’t innovate much on the formula and might be a hard sell for those who can’t stand turn based combat or long, meandering plotlines, it is also comfort food for those who love this kind of play. It’s a testament to the robust qualities of the traditional JRPG genre, which arguably started with the original title in this franchise, that these mechanics are still so captivating and compelling 33 years later.

Neptunia Virtual Stars is an intelligent, relevant, topical and timely satire. It does represent a new direction for the series, and is clearly an effort to find a way to stay relevant now that the jokes that previously provided the foundation for the series have lost their relevance. In doing so Idea Factory decided to experiment with the gameplay, and while that wasn't executed to a particularly fine degree, the heavier focus on narrative and the sheer energy of the whole package means that I found it impossible to remain disappointed by the game's rough edges. The rest of it was too much of a laugh-out-loud delight.

Unlike the remake of Final Fantasy VII, Trails of Mana doesn't take the opportunity to rework the story, nor does it aim to add to the existing world that anyone who played the original will experience. It's more akin to Nintendo's own Link's Awakening remake in that it's a traditionally-minded remake that simply seeks to give fans a beloved experience through a modern lens. And yet, it still goes well above and beyond what was strictly necessary for a remake. This is a game that feels decidedly modern and could (and should) appeal to a much broader audience than "existing Trails of Mana" fans. If the lengths that Square Enix has gone to with this remake prove to resonate, then dare I hope for the same treatment to Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI?

It’s an unrelentingly bitter game, one which has the power to incite a strong reaction in anyone who plays it. Just as much as I liked it, I’m sure there are others out there who will come to hate it with a passion. But then again, what’s worse - playing Arrest of a Stone Buddha for five hours and leaving with a negative (but powerful and thought-provoking) reaction, or playing a blockbuster for forty bland hours and not feeling a sliver of genuine emotion the entire time?

I have no idea how a non-Chinese person might react. All I can do is be honest and say that seeing my own experiences represented in a game like this is a truly powerful thing.

Atelier Ryza 3 should be the final chapter for Ryza, and it’s a fine send-off. It’s a game in which nostalgia plays a key thematic role, and has been made for nostalgic Atelier fans first and foremost. I know this probably sounds like faint praise, but Atelier is my favourite JRPG series and Ryza 3 is a perfectly fine game in that context. Hence the store. It’s just that, more than anything else, I dearly hope that after the next Marie remake, Gust settles down to give us new stories, new adorable alchemist girls, and some new ideas again.

It is a massively atmospheric title with an invigorating, original set of mechanics. It's the kind of creativity we like to see from indie game developers, and shame on the Australian Government for stifling that.

Coupled with the bright, colourful art style and cheery soundtrack, I honestly struggle to see how anyone could play one of these games and not enjoy their time with it.

The sheer scale and scope of it ought to be a reminder to the games industry that creativity doesn’t need the most powerful hardware, and the playful approach to gameplay makes this a rare open world game that’s a pleasure to explore and rewarding to immerse yourself within. I hope Nintendo understands that this can’t be the Zelda formula forevermore, and the next one will be an all-new and transformative experience again, but I also don’t begrudge the company the desire to take a second crack at what made Breath of the Wild so special to so many people.

The sheer weight of content that is packed into the game can't be understated; this is a big, chunky game that demands a lot of time to work all the way through it, but every step of the way is a truly entertaining one.

No Sleep For Kaname Date – From AI: The Somnium Files is a kind of filler release, and that’s okay. Not every game needs to be something that overs tens of hours of highly emotional plot and deep gameplay, and the first two AI: The Somnium Files games have already established an intelligent pedigree for the series. It’s nice to have something that goes for pure comedy as a contrast. The Zero Escape team stuck to what they knew with the gameplay, and clearly had bundles of fun doing so. That makes it very easy for fans to have fun with the game in return.

Graceful Explosion Machine is simple, pure arcade fun, with a level of polish and attention to detail in the design that’s rarely seen. It’s the sort of game that you can pick up for a quick 5 minute session, and then find yourself still playing hours later.

Three Houses is so vibrant that I didn't really mind the lack of difficulty. I was too invested in the characters, and looking forward to the next major plot point too much to really care. It can be bloated, messy, and unnecessarily padded with content at times, but when it comes to the core strengths of Fire Emblem - its character-driven epic fantasy, tight tactical battles and a full harem of both waifu and husbandos, Intelligent Systems have delivered something truly resonant with this one.

Sunset Overdrive is just what the Xbox One needed - a distinctive exclusive to set the thing apart from the PlayStation 4. Titanfall was adequate and the Forza games are great for racing fans, but Sunset Overdrive is a glorious breath of fresh air.

My admiration of the game comes from its self-aware humour, traditional gameplay, and surprisingly unique story.

For people who are looking to build a JRPG as a hobby, or a youngster not quite ready to learn proper coding, the RPG Maker 2003 remains a spectacular tool, all these years later. It provides a platform that allows genre fans to indulge their creativity, and makes the tools so easy that anyone, regardless of programming skills, can create something.

Cities Skylines is a ridiculously clever and enjoyable game, and one that I expect I will spend a lot of time playing down the track. EA looks like it will not be revitalising Sim City as a franchise anytime soon, so I’m so glad that another developer has stepped up to the plate and created the game that the last Sim City should have been… and I am so glad it’s finally on PlayStation 4.

Ultimately, Pokemon is a coming of age story, as told through the analogy of monster collecting and battling. This new game loses none of that, but in building a greater sense of narrative into the action, has given it a greater resonance and purpose. This is also the most creative that Game Freak has been with the franchise in quite some time, and players who had grown tired of the iterative approach the developer had been taking may well find this one a Renaissance for the series.

All of this might sound critical of Iwakura Aria, and I guess in one way I am disappointed in this, but only because it could have very easily been another House in Fata Morgana. The intensity of the themes are there. The art is right up there with the best VN art I’ve ever had the pleasure to see. The writing is beautifully eloquent, and this is a rare visual novel that I would happily pick up as a proper novel, where it would stand strong on any bookshop’s shelves against any of the literature on there. Even as it is, Iwakura Aria is better than 99% of the other visual novels out there. It’s essential as-is, and right on the cusp of being a masterpiece, and that’s ultimately why I’m disappointed that it doesn’t quite get there.

Ultimately, Pokemon is a coming of age story, as told through the analogy of monster collecting and battling. This new game loses none of that, but in building a greater sense of narrative into the action, has given it a greater resonance and purpose. This is also the most creative that Game Freak has been with the franchise in quite some time, and players who had grown tired of the iterative approach the developer had been taking may well find this one a Renaissance for the series.

Nintendo first released a Clubhouse Games way back on the Nintendo DS, about 15 years ago now. It was a brilliant example of the company's ability to appeal to a broad audience then and now, a decade and a half later, the company has backed it up resoundingly. Putting aside the presence of Ludo - which will forever be the worst board game ever made - 51 Worldwide Games is a pristine package of some of the most valuable cultural properties we have, and it is truly masterful at explaining even the most complex of them to a completely new audience. This is a rare opportunity to learn something about artefacts as wide-ranging as Chess, Mahjong, Hanafuda, and Mancala. That's not something you should miss out on.

With stellar gameplay, wonderful art and a superb soundtrack, Rayman Legends is one of the best platformer games ever released, hands down.

Star Ocean 4 looks incredible on the PlayStation 4, too.

The King of Fighter XIV channels the spirit of the 90s whilst very subtly evolving to attract more casual players.

Persona 5 Strikers surprised me. I was expecting something down the lines of Hyrule Warriors or Fire Emblem Warriors – a game that was true to the franchise, but also explicitly a “Musou” title. But Strikers isn't that. Koei Tecmo has somehow crafted not only a genuine sequel to Persona 5, the JRPG, but the team has managed to equal it. Or – if action combat is your thing – perhaps even exceed it. That is no mean feat.

It's the kind of experience that, like Gone Home, people will dismiss for lacking action or having a narrative that doesn't treat its players like idiots, but it's also the kind of game that shows that the games industry is growing up and pushing the limits of what can be achieved given the freedom and resources to be properly creative.