Split Fiction is a party from start to finish. You go through beautiful and completely unique game worlds that always manage to surprise in different ways with new game mechanics, puzzles and ways to play together. Some games are a rollercoaster ride, but Split Fiction is the whole amusement park.

Monster Hunter Wilds is a masterful evolution for the series. Hunting and exploration flow together seamlessly, the world feels more dynamic and additions like the Seikret and Focus Mode make the experience more approachable without losing the essence. Veterans might miss a certain degree of challenge, but Wilds proves that Monster Hunter can still take a step up on the food chain.

The writing is phenomenal, the combat flows like an action game, the game world is worth every square centimeter, and even the smallest stories are memorable. Avowed may not be a groundbreaking, dynamic RPG, but it knows exactly what it excels at and fully commits to it. The result is the best Microsoft RPG in years.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is moving, hilarious, and an impressive immersion into the life of a medieval person. The game world is breathtaking, its characters are all memorable, the game is full of fantastic details, and on top of that, it offers a great sense of progression. While Kingdom Come 1 was still a rough cult hit, its sequel proves to be one of the best RPGs of this console generation.

Civilization 7 gets a lot right. Deep systems like diplomacy, trade and dealing with resources certainly make this a 'greatest hits' compilation of earlier Civ-games. The new structure with playing in three Ages lifts the game above that though, and really gives it a unique identity. The only major gripe is that the designs and interface tend to get into each other's space. Despite this, the game will soon hold you in an iron grip. At this point it is a cliché, but even in Civilization 7 "one more turn" means that two hours later you're still playing. In that, this is certainly a successful new instalment.

The second part of Citizen Sleeper is an expanded and improved version of the original in every way. A bit more flair would have been welcome, but the writing is so unique and fantastic that you immediately lose yourself in this hopeful story.

The subtitle "Black" carries significant weight in the world of Ninja Gaiden. Black is supposed to represent the ultimate, most complete version of a game, but Ninja Gaiden 2 Black falls short of that. Too much content from earlier versions is missing, and the PC version feels too rough. Still, 2 Black is easy to recommend: there’s no more accessible or visually polished version of this phenomenal action game.

Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is overshadowed by its successor but remains a very good platformer.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is a fantastic adventure. The storytelling is excellent, the direction is sharp, and the gameplay is surprisingly fun. This is exactly what Xbox needs: a solid single-player game with its own unique identity.

Planet Coaster 2 is a park builder where mostly only your own creativity and imagination are a limit, but sometimes the controls and menu structure also limit you. Swimming pools and slides are a surprisingly successful and well-developed addition. The game has generally been made more accessible for people who do not have the patience or talent to build everything themselves. As a management game, Planet Coaster 2 is still poor.

Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake is actually perfect as a remake. This game manages to recapture the original experience to give you that old feeling, but in a modern guise. The team has remained incredibly faithful to the original. On the one hand, that is excellent news, because it makes this the best way to play this classic. But that also makes it a game made for JRPG fans from the very beginning. For that group of gamers who sat behind an NES or SNES late at night, slowly traveling through a dungeon on their way to the final boss. It is very nice that this faithful remake exists for that specific group of veteran gamers, alongside far-reaching remakes such as that of Final Fantasy 7.

Lego Horizon Adventures is a new Lego success story, especially when played with a co-op partner. The game excels in its small-scale approach, and the humor and characters don't get old quickly. As a result, Horizon has become even more accessible, although this also means the gameplay isn't particularly deep.

Bioware has done it again: creating a cast of characters we would die for. The main story is uninspired and the flashy combat gets a bit stale after dozens of hours, but our love for the Veilguard remains.

Mario and Luigi: Brothership brings together the best elements of the previous titles in the crumbling Concordia. It plays great, is again sharply written and looks beautiful. When fighting, it is mainly the exciting boss battles that stay with you, partly due to the extra layer of strategy that the new Battle Plugs bring with them. But it is the characters that you meet along the way that make Brothership an unexpectedly emotional experience.

Zombies is great this year as usual. The single player is very entertaining, although some missions are a bit boring towards the end. The multiplayer is polarizing. Known problems (spawns, bullet registration) have not been addressed. Although the new way of moving allows for very spectacular actions, the high pace also ensures a high entry threshold. Black Ops 6 is a good Call of Duty as a total package, but will not convince dropped out players. Black Ops 6 is too safe for that - even for a Call of Duty.

With more creative minigames and innovative features like Pro Rules, Buddy minigames, and multiple online modes, Mario Party Jamboree takes the franchise to the next level. The combination of strategy and chaos makes every match unique.

Silent Hill 2 is an atmospheric and above all faithful remake, which presents the fantastic story of the 2001 classic in a modern, more accessible guise.

Neva feels more like a 'game' than Nomada's previous title, but is nonetheless a top-tier work of art.

Until Dawn is a beautiful remake, but feels a bit redundant for fans of the original. With beautiful, vibrant environments, realistic detail, cinematic music, more engaging lore, expanded exploration options and a single new ending, the remake does feel like a ‘complete’ version of Until Dawn. For newcomers it is certainly recommended, but with no cheap upgrade, new choices, gameplay improvements or real surprise elements, there is little reason for players of the 2015 game to return.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero brings you back to the glory days of the Budokai series in all its facets, but it's more complete than ever with the addition of the latest films and the Dragon Ball Super anime. From the high-quality presentation and extensive story mode to the awkward camera movements and even the controls, everything feels just like it used to. The end result is essential for any Dragon Ball fan, although they may be disappointed by the absence of the excellent manga chapters that have not yet been animated.

Metaphor: ReFantazio takes bold steps with an entirely new fantasy world, philosophical questions, an expansive combat system full of different options, and an extraordinarily intriguing story.

Frostpunk 2 is a very atmospheric and deep strategy game. Choices are meaningful and the constant time pressure makes it feel like everything can go terribly wrong at any moment. Sometimes the game is a bit heavy-handed because of that. It could have used some humor to contrast all the icy misery. The risk of too much simulated suffering is that the toughest decisions sometimes leave you cold on a personal level. Because the end almost always justifies the means. This makes Frostpunk 2 one of those unique games where you can never really be the ‘good guy’, only ‘less bad’. And that makes for a valuable and well-made experience.

EA Sports FC 25 is especially fun for players who like to tactically control the game thanks to a series of new options. In addition, the game has an enormously wide range with the introduction of a simulation mode and Rush. FC 25 still has some rough edges that prevent us from dealing with a championship-worthy selection.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom is the twist on the old Zelda formula that we've been craving. Classic systems like a large number of dungeons are still present, while the magic system makes for an incredible array of solutions to your problems. The named downsides, like the unintuitive item menu and the framedrops, are annoying, but otherwise do not bother this solid game.

Astro Bot is exceptionally creatively designed, with a few special PlayStation worlds as absolute highlights. However, in terms of platforming, the game does little out of the ordinary.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a well-crafted action game, even for those new to Warhammer. The slick gameplay makes every battle a rush of adrenaline, with plenty of ways to customize your play style. The deep, character-focused story makes it engaging for Warhammer fans and newcomers alike, while the robust modes and customization options will keep you coming back for more.

Crypt Custodian is a game about a cute kitten with a little broom who has to clean up the afterlife. Crypt Custodian is also an excellent metroidvania that doesn’t push any boundaries, but it does understand exactly what makes the genre so good: a cute kitten with a little broom.

Quotation forthcoming.