A masterclass in narrative games design, A Plague Tale: Requiem is one of the most atmospheric and beautiful games you could ever wish to play. Amicia and Hugo's journey is powerful, evocative and downright disturbing and somehow manages to be greater than the original. Asobo Studio has crafted satisfying streamlined rat, light and stealth gameplay that perfectly serves the story it's trying to tell and only adds to the narrative intensity. A Game Of The Year contender for certain.

Saturnalia should be on any horror fan’s radar this year. A twisted story combined with a superb art style, nerve-shredding gameplay and expertly crafted design will have you praising and cursing the creative genius to put roguelike mechanics into a horror game. This Italian town has a horrific history you’ll both love and hate to venture into, but you’ll be compelled to uncover it nonetheless.

No one is doing it better than Two Point Studios management sim series. Seamless, innovative in design and endlessly replayable, Two Point Museum is packed with laugh out loud charm, clever mechanics and whilst keeping its identity intact with its evolved formula we all know and love. Two Point Museum is a masterclass and the finest exhibit in the management sim world right now.

Finally arriving on Sony’s console, PlayStation players are now blessed with one of 2023’s best games. Dave The Diver is a sprawling, beautiful and immensely fun video game. The rogue-lite and management genres are blended with nigh-on perfection, and the presentation is simply stellar. Serving up what can only be described as a remarkable masterclass, Dave The Diver is a must-play for anyone yet to sample this delectable treat.

World of Horror is an unrelenting but unforgettable graphic adventure that anyone even vaguely into horror needs to play. The diverse and almost unlimited playability of the game makes for a consistently terrifying experience, whilst the eerie MS Paint visuals and pitch-black writing make it feel like a phenomenon of its own.

A cohesive and complementary blend of point-and-click adventure and 2D platformer, Lair of the Clockwork God is a real rib tickler that’s capable of delivering real emotion when it aims to. This is Ben & Dan’s magnum opus and one of the most essential games of 2020.

If you’re in the market for a cosy sim that combines creativity, humour, pure charm, and the scratching of every itch in the cosy genre. I Am Future is it, whilst tackling every gripe that has existed before within the genre. Whether you’re a fan of cosy games, or lite survival games I Am Future is something special. I can’t recommend it enough.

Immortality uses the conventional format of an FMV and tears it apart, only to devour it. And you can’t help but watch it unfold in equal parts horror and awe as the game’s design, plot and acting will consume you too. This is an absolute triumph for Sam Barlow and the team at Half Mermaid and the PS5 is a perfect place to experience it.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is how you make a toys-to-life video game. Milestone have taken some of the finest collectables and made them photo-realistic, unleashing them on racetracks that will blow your mind with the level of detail and craziness in equal measure. Exemplifying the “kart racer” genre, it is the natural progression of why we fall in love with this type of racing game over and over. This is a love letter to both Hot Wheels and arcade racing fans.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure takes everything positive from its predecessor and raises the stakes significantly. It takes beloved characters, fleshes them out further and pays off every single thread it dangles throughout the two titles. It is so ambitious with its plot and delivers it effortlessly. Combat is fun, engaging and highly customisable. The Crossbell Arc deserves to be mentioned alongside the titans of the genre. If you are a JRPG fan and you’ve got the time to play them, these titles should be mandatory.

Emerging from the shadows of the Crossroads, Melinoë leads the charge for Supergiant's sequel that sits at the very top of the roguelike genre. The combat is exceptional, the visuals are divine, the story is mythical and its expansion as a sequel is first-class. Hades II safely resides in the hallowed halls of Olympus, worthy of its place amongst the immortals.

Encompassing mastery in almost every facet of its design, Metaphor: ReFantazio is a near flawless JRPG experience that shouldn't be missed. A ridiculously addictive gameplay loop that's overflowing with depth, visuals and sound that are some of the most epic you'll experience, and a story full of enthralling characters and themes, Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of - if not the best - games of 2024. Potentially, even beyond.

Setting a new high bar for interactive storytelling games, Dispatch takes the Telltale formula, refines and matures it into an essential experience. With world class voice acting bringing a top quality script to life, this game is a surprise GOTY contender.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps improves upon its predecessor in every way, and is perhaps the most accomplished Switch port so far. Completely and utterly essential.

Monster Hunter Wilds is fantastic. It looks beautiful, the worlds and characters all make it vibrant and immersive, and hunting is just as fun as always. There’s so much to do in its base game alone that it’s easy to get lost in. But don’t fret, players can do as little or as much as they need to. If you want to build the easy stuff and just go hunt, feel free. You want to explore all food options, squad up with varying skills and weapons, that’s there for you too. There’s no wrong way to play, but however you do, it’ll be absolutely worth investing your time.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe is an essential gaming experience. It’s simultaneously a hilariously absurd adventure that can be enjoyed on its own merits and an insightful examination of storytelling in gaming. The acutely self-aware new content reframes the original game to give it refreshing new purpose alongside a cluster of new barbs aimed at the flaws in modern gaming. A must play.

An outstanding package in its own right and the new standard by which all future retro compilations should be measured, Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration serves as a love letter to a bygone era, a reminder of the power the name once held and a tantalising glimpse at how some of gaming’s most storied franchises can be revitalised in the right hands. Highly recommended for anyone remotely interested in gaming history. A particular affinity for Atari? Utterly essential.

A masterpiece on any system, Shadow Gambit The Cursed Crew is a high-performance wave-slicing ghost ship on PlayStation 5. Making lovely use of the Dualsense and optimising controls for console, you’ve got the absolute best version of pirate stealthing on your massive living room telly box.

Split Fiction is a genre-defying co-op adventure that shatters expectations at every turn. Blending sci-fi and fantasy with ever-evolving gameplay, it throws players into a seamless, fast-paced world where creativity knows no bounds. With stunning visuals, razor-sharp mechanics, and a co-op experience that rivals the best in gaming, Split Fiction isn’t just a game—it’s a bold, next-gen statement that demands to be played.

The Entropy Centre is a masterclass in intuitive, creative and exciting game design. From the first puzzle to the last you’ll be staggered by the imagination on display, and as you rebuild the world around you you’ll have a few chuckles along the way, too. A truly excellent first-person puzzle that deserves to be played by absolutely everyone.

An incredible adventure from beginning to end, God of War Ragnarök is epic in scale and nuanced in character. Its combat and gameplay haven’t changed much but why fix almost peerless systems? Ragnarök is an absolute must-play on the PS5 and a worthy contender for Game of the Year.

A sum of its parts indeed, Resident Evil Requiem silences any doubts about the previous entries it's mutated from. A mix of tense survival horror and action setpieces, Requiem is a welcome addition, perhaps even surpassing those you already hold high. It's beautiful, it's disgusting, it's over-the-top... it's Resident Evil, that's for sure.

Neon White is a video game vision executed with the kind of immense creativity and skill the industry needs more of. Intensely satisfying gameplay combines with a well-executed story, engaging characters and a crisp art style. Every facet compliments another area of the title with a serene cohesion which culminates in an adrenaline pumping, high-octane blockbuster of a game. Neon White is a very strong contender for my game of the year, and if you own a Switch or PC you owe it to yourself to experience this incredible title. Failure is common in Hell, but only through trial can you reach the salvation of Neon Heaven.

OlliOlli World is exactly what you want from an arcade game: it's quick, it punishes mistakes, but it embodies the spirit of trying again. Pair that with some Saturday morning cartoon visuals and characters, an overly-sweet level of charm, and the sense that Roll7 are having a fun time making this, and you've got a perfect recipe for frustrating fun.

An absurdist adventure into a world that you’ll never want to leave, Promise Mascot Agency delivers ridiculous highs on a near-consistent basis. You’ve never played anything like this.

Tekken 8 is the pinnacle of series progression: it’s not trying to reinvent in the wheel, just make it shinier and a smoother ride. With absolutely gorgeous visuals, punch-perfect fighting and a huge roster to play with, this is GOTY for beat ’em ups already.

If you have felt that spies have been portrayed in the media as too grumpy and serious as of late, look no further. Agent Intercept throws it back to the wacky Saturday morning cartoon antics of spies, paired with some old school racers too. It’s quite short, especially when the campaign’s done, but if you want ten hours of cars and gadgets, look no further.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 is a love letter to the original games, keeping the core gameplay intact but tweaking it enough to feel fresh and current. If you were never interested in the original games, or care little for skateboarding and its culture, there is still plenty to enjoy here too. You would be a right nollie not to pick this up.