An unexpectedly solid reboot of a long standing series. The switch to JRPG mechanics not only works, but also manages to showcase even more the crazy humor and gritty reality that wove the mantle of the Yakuza series.

A humorous and absolutely charming game, created with extreme care. It has its drawbacks, like the low challenge and the poorly designed sand box mode, but overall this is one of the most enjoyable simulation games of 2018.

The first adventure of Laharl and his companions returns with great visuals, some new features and last, but not least, the complete edition offers all of the extra content we met in the portable versions of the title.

A hymn to the beauty of the round goddess, PES 2018 boasts the finest and most direct gameplay to ever grace a football title alongside a few interesting additions from last year. However, off the pitch things seem to have really fallen behind the competition. It is time for KONAMI to revolutionize things like the menus, modes and licences, in order to give meaning to this otherwise wonderful and exhilarating on-pitch action.

Once again, Doom delivers one of the most frenetic and satisfying FPS experiences around. The latest sequel turns the Slayer into a human tank, an unstoppable force against the demonic hordes, offering relentlessly challenging, non-stop action. id Software nails it with spectacular set-pieces and excellent level design in a fresh yet familiar evolution of the franchise.

The absence of a single player campaign and the overuse of assets from past games are serious cons in Black Ops 4, but Treyrach manages not just to balance them out but to overcome them by delivering a superb Battle Royale map, great multiplayer modes and an icing on the cake with the richest Zombies mode to date.

Subnautica: Below Zero retains all the key gameplay elements that gave its predecessor its success, and furthermore adds various improvements -although its significantly smaller map area and its design deprive it of the feelings of loneliness, fear and awe as you enter a new biome.

It’s more than obvious that Bloodstained could be very well named “Castlevania” and nobody would mistake it as a true sequel to Symphony of the Night. Igarashi managed to completely capture and expand one of the more influential metroidvania titles no matter if sometimes it may look a tad familiar.

For someone who plays videogames just to have fun, Nier Replicant can be a brutal experience with its slogging pacing and busy work questing design. Behind all that rubble there is an amazing cast of characters that perform in an incredible emotional story, full of great conceptual themes that stick in your heart and mind days after the finale.

A tribute to the Japanese nature and culture. Ghost of Tsushima manages to deviate from the ugly tropes of most open-world games by delivering a beautiful world with a solid narrative and great gameplay mechanics.

Sakurai did it again. The rebirth of Kid Icarus is nothing less than a game packed with action, great graphics, superb writing and many inspired gameplay ideas.

Detention is an especially engaging and well-made thriller, one that builds the sense of isolation and fear through its sombre design and oppressive themes it explores rather than relying on cheap scares.

Anno takes it to the future with a game beautifully crafted that offers immense depth, great graphics and the Anno gameplay we know and love.

A definite must for those gamers who want to experience the full story of the Yakuza franchise.

It's extremely difficult to present something completely fresh in a metroidvania game but Laika: Aged Through Blood achieves that hard-earned goal. Thanks to the well-made motorbike handling and clever ideas in regards to shooting, alongside a touching and dramatic story this "motorvania" is a must addition to the fans of the genre.

Still Wakes the Deep is somewhat dragged down by repetitive gameplay and a lack of challenge in the stealth sections. However, the developers really knew how to create a great horror atmosphere and the oil rig proved to be the perfect setting for the experience.

11 Bit Studios has certainly established itself as a master of the survival and base-building genre. Once again, they put a unique spin on it, this time through a sci-fi setting and the compelling theme of cloning. The game presents plenty of ethical choices and deep (micro)management, all of which are made much more accessible thanks to its incredibly well-designed UI.

As it happened with the Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy before it, CTR Nitro Fueled captures the complete essence that made the original Crash Team Racing by Naughty Dog such a great game and brings it in this era with complete success.

By reminding us the glory days of the Destruction Derby franchise combined with the great gameplay of their own FlatOut series, Bugbear gave us a sorely missed and absolutely fun arcade racing experience.

While not without faults and with a strangely out of character last section, Resident Evil Village is simply one of the finest moments for the series, mixing together a wonderfully dark atmosphere with tense action and sweet morsels of horror and despair.

The Final Chapter in the Kingdom Hearts saga comes with superb visuals, great story telling and an excellent combat system, that make all those years since the release of the previous major game in the franchise worth the wait.

Rovio did it again. The "Space" edition of Angry Birds is so addictive that you'll constantly need a charger for your iOS device.

There is no doubt that Splatoon 3 sets out on a path that has already been paved by its predecessors, leading straight to success. The game manages to provide the same sense of colorful action and enjoyment in a more refined way compared to the previous titles, though it lacks the spirit and the features that would name it as a true sequel. Until all the new features that have been promised by Nintendo become available, Splatoon 3 will remain a game that we enjoy, yet we do not truly need.

This time around, Treyarch was seriously devoted into the creation of a plot that emphasized the importance of characters and storytelling. For multiplayer fans, new modes like League Play, CODcasting and being able to live stream their games on YouTube is enough to get them excited. And, on top of that, a revamped zombies mode is there for any co-operative shooter lover.

Resident Evil HD Remaster is a golden opportunity for newcomers to face the real terror. For everyone else it is a chance to get inside that beloved mansion once again.

This War of Mine does not pull punches. Introducing the horrors of the recent Bosnian war to the mainstream and unsuspecting public, it does so with finesse and through the tearful eyes of the refuges, the simple citizens, the everyday survivors lost in a war not of their own wish or making.

Although P4 Arena's target audience are fans of the Shin Megami Tensei Persona franchise, Arc Systems Works did a great job that is capable of attracting new people.

This spectacular ending to the Blackwell Pentalogy makes it even harder to think that we will not see any further adventures from Rosa and Joey, but fills us up with anticipation for their next new great project.