Long may the Duck Detective franchise continue. If this game is anything to go by, it has a bright, compelling future ahead.

The game may not be perfect, but it is a really meaty fiesta of fighting. Tearing demons asunder will never not be cool as hell, and for that reason alone, I can easily see myself coming back to DOOM: The Dark Ages time and time again – especially after a particularly stressful week.

In the balance of these elements – the peace and novelty of investigation, and the immediate dread of enemy attacks – The Horror at Highrook is a wonderfully sharp horror game. It’s not outright scary, but its supernatural tone, and the well-crafted shifts in gameplay style make for a spooky, scary experience that keeps you locked into the action. Its simplicity, on the surface, is a smokescreen for deep mechanics that well-serve an enthralling story of dreadful consequences.

While it’s not quite perfect, this is a really stunning showing from developer Sandfall Interactive. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 had me feeling my own mortality (as someone in their early 30s, perhaps it hit a little close to home) and man, I love when a game has the narrative gumption to do that.

In that marriage of substance, style, and strangeness, it’s a thoroughly engaging experience – one that I blasted through in just a few days, barely in control of my need to keep forging on. It’s moreish and brilliant that way, even when it’s off-puttingly bizarre. Strong stylistic choices, and a bundle of gameplay mechanics mashed together in surprising fashion make this a very strong adventure, destined to be weirdo favourite. As one of the weirdos in question, Promise Mascot Agency was absolutely for me.

South of Midnight is an incredible experience – and a rare fantasy adventure that grasps deeper themes whole-heartedly, telling a story that is cinematic, dynamic, beautiful, and heart-wrenching at every turn. What a wonderful world we live in, that games like South of Midnight exist.

That’s the beauty of Atomfall. It’s a very strong, open-ended game that prioritises a freedom of choice. No two experiences will be the same, and no two pathways will unlock the same ending options. While the game isn’t a stellar all-rounder, with combat being particularly beige, it succeeds on the strength of its aesthetics, its storytelling, and its detective work. Allow yourself the time to wander freely, and the game will generously reveal a world of rich mysteries.

At the end of the day, it’s a game about killing. But here, death and beauty are linked – and the act of killing is given a gravity that must be clearly understood. It’s not killing for the sake of killing, and while past games have tried the same tact in their depictions of death, the approach of Assassin’s Creed Shadows feels far more mature and interesting.

If you haven’t already, though, play through Overboard! first. Just trust me on this and don’t ask any questions.

As a whole, WWE 2K25 feels like a small but impactful step up from its direct predecessor, and an overall better game. So, the good streak of Visual Concepts and 2K continues.

Whether in sandbox or campaign modes, Two Point Museum lets you dream up your perfect museum, and gives you the tools to realise your creative vision. While it does occasionally force you to pump the breaks on your ambitions, with a focus on careful placement and research over easy wins, this pacing makes the entire game a more thoughtful, deep experience. Take your time, smell the roses and dinosaur bones, and Two Point Museum will open your eyes to the possibilities of your imagination.

Monster Hunter Wilds continues to push Monster Hunter into the mainstream, unapologetically presenting all the weirdness and wonder of fighting giant monsters and inviting everyone from die-hands to first-timers to jump on board.

If Yakuza/LAD is the MCU of video games, then Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii is its Thor: Ragnarok. It’s an enjoyably breezy romp that opens the property up in a fun new direction, but that still feels shackled to what came before.

Avowed is an incredibly dense game, and one that encourages you to invest in its world. You won’t need much pushing, though – its strengths sing on their own, and they’re easy to see from the jump. Those looking for the next big fantasy RPG, rich with lore and opportunities to engage, will find it here.

For now though, Civilization VII is a compellingly bold step in a new direction that’s brimming with fantastic ideas and brilliant design, but feels unfortunately narrow on subsequent runs. It’s a fertile land awaiting its empire.

It’s in these ideas that Nikoderiko: The Magical World shines brightest. While it’s clear the game would not exist without the likes of Crash Bandicoot or Donkey Kong, this is nostalgia done right. There are familiar ideas in the adventure, but each is transformed in a way that makes the journey of Niko and Luna feel so wonderfully creative, bright, and consistently brilliant along the way.

Fans of the original game will likely devour this remaster, with an appreciation for the care in its visual revamp. Those looking to play it for the first time may be surprised by its high bar of difficulty. But there is a rich (and slightly smug) satisfaction to be found in conquering its many layered worlds – whether you give in to the monkey madness, or maintain a more level head. What matters is that you press on, and greet the game’s many challenges with your ape arms swinging.

There is such a richness in these games, and I’m so glad their re-release in remastered form allowed me to finally experience them. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1&2 Remastered is a brilliant collection for those who love Soul Reaver, and the perfect introduction for new, curious players.

Under a critical light, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle shines for me. It’s clear the MachineGames team has done its due diligence in making sure that no matter how stark a light you cast upon it, the excitement and nostalgic joy you get from playing the game speaks for itself.

The very existence of Lego Horizon Adventures is strange. That’s hard to deny. But with its buoyant sense of silliness and glee, this franchise adaptation elevates itself beyond doubts. It’s a frenetic, lively little adventure, and one that indulges in being weird and wonderful.

Regardless of my particular talent, I’m having a blast with Planet Coaster 2. It’s certainly on track to eclipse its predecessor, and will no doubt build on lessons learned to become a better-rounded and more feature-rich game in future. While there will inevitably be a deluge of DLC to boost the game’s ride options and customisation, they will simply be decorations on an already-sweet cake.

The team at Leikir Studio have managed to transplant the spirit of Metal Slug into an entirely different type of game here – and it’s nothing short of miraculous. Metal Slug Tactics is a marvel of clever design, as well as an utter joy to play, and I really hope that it’s the start of a long-running sub-series for the Metal Slug franchise.

Mario & Luigi: Brothership is an absolute delight, all told. Strong themes and art direction buoy a light, well-meaning narrative that is further enhanced by dynamic combat, and a real sense of cohesion in overall game design. The Mario & Luigi franchise has a daunting legacy. Acquire has crafted a tale that more than lives up to it.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is truly unique and benefits from both a rock-solid development pedigree and a vision for original ideas. Genre connoisseurs will find more of what they love and newcomers will have a truly memorable first-time experience.

There’s secrets upon secrets in this expansion pack, and revealing them makes for a wonderfully scandalous, but entirely satisfying time. It’s appropriate that one of the new features in The Sims 4 Life and Death is rebirth, because that’s exactly what this expansion pack delivers.

Life grows ever stranger in Life is Strange: Double Exposure, but with its hook-filled narrative buoyed by excellent performances and writing – not to mention a beautiful, reflective indie soundtrack – the game unravels with style and aplomb. Max deserves the world, and in Double Exposure, it’s great to see her getting another chance to shine.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard feels like it ticks almost all my boxes. It's fun, it's grippy, it's cheeky. There are steamy moments. There are freaks. It's a game that feels like it was almost entirely made for me, and while it may not be perfect on a clinical level, it's deeply satisfying to explore.

Personally, I think this year’s mix of songs is perfect, and it makes 2025 Edition a great jumping on point for all the newbies, and for any wayward doubters. At the end of the day, you’re welcome to make fun of Just Dance if you like… but I can’t hear you. I’m too busy jamming out, and working on my fitness.

In remastering Sonic Generations, Sonic Team and Sega didn’t really need to go so hard – but they have, and we can all thank them for it. The original game was already good, and in enhanced form, it’s even better. Shadow Generations is a very worthy addition here, and it’s great to see Shadow getting a new chance to shine, in levels that serve him, and the wider game, incredibly well.

Playing through it means grasping the basic mechanical logic at its heart, literally solving puzzles that test your understanding of the situation, but any knowledge I’ve built of what the game really represents sits at the periphery of my mind, a repeating dream that I’ll maybe grow to understand better in time. To put it in simpler terms: the vibes are immaculate. Perhaps I’ll play it through a third time.

Nostalgia aside, this is the most feature-rich and engaging Mario Party we’ve seen yet, with each of its many facets combining to make a layered party game perfect for multiplayer or solo rounds. Mario Party is officially back, and everyone is invited to join in.

This isn’t the swashbuckling, swords-first sort of game that The Legend of Zelda players have been given in the past, and that’s a wonderful thing. With a dose of whimsy and some very clever ideas, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom makes a memorable, exceedingly lovely impression.

If you’re going to play Epic Mickey in 2024 – and you should – this is the definitive way to play the games. Clever tweaks here and there have significantly enhanced the original game, improving it across multiple aspects, without sacrificing the originality and uniqueness of its narrative. This is a chance to re-appreciate one of the best Wii exclusive games in a whole new format.

It’s in these complications that Ara: History Untold shines brightest. It has seemingly learned core lessons from its forebears in the 4X genre, using them as stepping stones to advance its core gameplay loop, and provide new layers of depth where needed. Its more holistic approach to building nations, and its move away from war as singular motivator, makes it a very well-rounded, clever strategy game – and one that rewards your time and energy.

It hauls you along its journey with a bright spark in its eye, and it shows you sights you’ll have rarely seen in other games. For that, it should be applauded. There’s so little that’s new under the sun, but The Plucky Squire has earned the right to claim this accolade. In its bright-eyed approach to platforming, and its inventive nature, it’s an enthralling and smile-inducing triumph.

This is a game designed with purity at its heart. Really, it’s the cutest product placement you’ll ever see. While it is a celebration of PlayStation as a brand, and a pat on the back for years of good business, it’s one that feels well-earned. It’s a nod to the many adventures that PlayStation has created and supported, and a wonderful tribute to decades of positive memories.

While Sumerian Six does require active engagement, and you will need to work towards conquering each level with patience, it presents rewarding reasons for doing so. There is a balance of challenge here, and one that’s matched by the elation of moving forward, unlocking new skills, perfecting your timing, and finally defeating those magical Nazis. It may tread familiar ground, but Sumerian Six explores fresh territory with every twist, for a game that is moreish and clever at every turn.

World’s Edge and Forgotten Empires have done it again with this remaster. After the quality of the Age of Empires remasters, it should come as no surprise – but the balance of old features and new twists is marvellous. Together, they make Age of Mythology: Retold a lovely, worthy remaster perfect for all players – experienced, nostalgic, or otherwise.

In The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo says the iconic line, “Never tell me the odds.” In a year where we’ve all been waiting for a standout game to rise up, I feel like – at least for now, and without anyone saying it out loud – Star Wars Outlaws has beaten the odds.

With its pop-coloured approach, and an expert balance between its tones, The Crush House is a bright, cynical, and stylish takedown of reality TV that brings its many unseen horrors to the forefront. A strangely curtailed ending may dampen the intrigue of the plot, but while the seasons rush past, the drama is thrilling.

For my money, this is one of the funniest games I’ve ever played. It’s also one of those rare games that makes me think “oh, wow, games can do this, huh?” Its closest point of comparison is Untitled Goose Game, another lovely, short, funny game set in a quaint English village.

There are certain elements I wish Nobody Wants to Die implemented better. At times, the narrative leans too heavily into the obvious, and the dead wife trope needs to go. But on the whole, it presents a relatively novel exploration of a transhumanist, capitalist future, and uses incredibly strong performances and ideas to flesh out its shiny, fascinating world. It’s a game with important things to say, and it explores them fully as its core investigation unfolds.

In sprawling trenches, you’ll face a growing dread, and experience viscerally the true horrors of war. There is no honour here. Just the cold, harsh truth of reality. In that regard, Conscript is a must-play experience. We must not look away from the face of war.

I’ve never played anything quite like it, and I absolutely adore it. It feels destined to become an overlooked gem but frankly, it deserves better. It is a game of specific scope and vision that’s executed upon perfectly. Take the chance on it, and it may just surprise and delight you as much as it did me.

Those looking to conquer its many stages will have a tough mountain to climb, but its novel quirks make that foot-stomping journey all the more satisfying. Whether using assist tools or blasting through on your own merit, Anger Foot is an explosive blast.

While that spells intrigue for the future of Stray Gods, we’ll have to wait to see whether its core threads are laced together in further chapters. I’d love to see Orpheus again in future, and after such an endearing encore, I’m sure there will be others that feel the same.

While some levels are better designed than others, and the game’s narrative depth is lacking, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD‘s excellent puzzles, light-horror vibes, and Luigi himself, make this game an excellent choice for re-release on Nintendo Switch. Whether you’ve played it before or not, it’s absolutely worth a visit to its spooky, haunted halls.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble really lets you flex on ’em, and for that reason – but not only that reason – I had a blast with this game. It feels like a solid step forward in the Monkey Ball series, and one that packs in enough novelty to refresh the franchise’s ever-appealing ball rolling action. AiAi is a timeless hero, and he continues to charm in the modern era.

Chaos Theory Games has made a name for its educational approach to games, with many of its projects being under the “serious games” label. Crab God is a happy medium, combining more “mainstream” strategy gameplay with a strong underlying message about the importance of biodiversity, and protecting the oceans we rely on. It’s a funny, engaging little sim game, but one that shares a deeper message we should all take time to absorb.

It’s a magnificent piece of art, and does exactly what a DLC should do: accents the main game without feeling out of balance with the original’s level of flash, flair and creativity...The characters, landscapes and goals are all impactful in the right way, and truly there’s no other DLC in recent memory that has captured that essence. Devotees of Elden Ring will adore it, and who knows: maybe it will be just the right incentive for folks who haven’t finished the main game to get their characters into gear.

If you’re as thalassophobic as I am, you play in the dark and you live alone? Well, you’ll definitely still get a lot out of it, but you’ll also score a temporary paranoia that renders every shadow and rustling noise in your house a potential threat – in the best way.

On top of the mountain, you can gaze at your lands and behold their beauty. But if you’re looking for a greater reward, or a reason to strive further towards the horizon, Blockbuster Inc. won’t quite satisfy your deepest desires. With hearty sim gameplay that still provides plenty of hours of rewarding complexity, it remains a fantastic spiritual successor to The Movies – but it does feel like it should comprise higher mountains to climb.

Again, it’s worth mentioning that Duck Detective: The Secret Salami is a very short game. It’s intentionally cinematic in nature, and tells a very punchy tale over its runtime. But even with its short length, developer Happy Broccoli Games has delivered a worthy experience – a layered detective tale with neat mechanics, wonderful characters, and a buoyant sense of charm.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for Nintendo Switch does an excellent job of letting the quirks of the original game shine, in a refreshed release that feels perfect for newcomers and Paper Mario veterans alike.

Though the combat and puzzles didn’t feel new enough to really lift to the next level, and devotees of the original might feel a bit let down by the lack of a real leap forward when it comes to those elements, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II dazzles in the mere existence of a full, well-rounded world – a world where reality and fantasy collide just as often outside Senua’s mind as it does inside.

Love and care shine through with every fold, making Paper Trail feel like a living work of art. Its greatest puzzles take time to solve, but at every turn, there’s reason to forge ahead, and to devote yourself further to its beautiful, pastel world.

I feel like I could write 5000 words about 1000xRESIST and still feel like I hadn’t really properly conveyed what kind of game this is, or why, exactly, I came away from it with such fond feelings. All I can say, really, is that I think it’s great. Shaggy, weird, a little annoying sometimes… but nevertheless, truly great. Glory to the ALLMOTHER.

This is inevitably going to be a divisive title. There’s no two ways about it – we’ve already seen exhaustive social posts bemoaning certain aspects (and assets) of the game. And while a lot of that criticism has justifiable ground, there is still a lot to enjoy once you get past the flashes of flesh. Personally, I found Stellar Blade to be a solid, engaging experience. Regardless of how often I booted it up, I’d still laugh at the fact that “ponytail length” found itself a home in the main settings menu (I’m on team Short Ponytail, for what it’s worth), and it’ll never get old seeing EVE draw a full-length sword out of said ponytail.

SUMMERHOUSE is not for everyone. It was for me.

Despite this path being surprisingly linear, with many of the game’s main questlines being simple, and playing out in long, dialogue-heavy segments, Harold Halibut maintains a deep sense of intrigue, and a richness of character growth. It’s an excellent, layered exploration of purpose, and where we fit into the fabric of the universe – one that is much bigger than we may ever comprehend.

You may trample your own path through the post-apocalypse, but you must be ready to accept the consequences. In exploring this concept, and allowing human morals and values to shape each individual journey through the post-apocalypse, the tale of Broken Roads lands with a devastating impact.

Botany Manor really surprised me. It’s a small game, comprising of around five or six hours, but one without an ounce of fat on it. The team at Balloon Studios designed a faultlessly tight experience that I really cannot say anything negative about.

It takes a village to raze children. Or something like that. So, enjoy the brief fantasy that is being able to finally do it all, and so vigorously.

Fans of the original will see growth, while newcomers will be treated to an extremely fulfilling journey through the world – where there’s aught to see around every corner of the map.

After years of waiting, this is the spotlight that Princess Peach deserves. Even minor performance issues and slow loading times can’t take away from this glittering achievement. Years on the sidelines have emboldened Peach, and in this adventure, she finally gets a welcome chance to break out.

For a game that largely revolves around hunting goons and swinging a sword, Rise of the Ronin presents a surprisingly layered and compelling story, one based carefully on real-life history. There’s a real sense of drama and cinema brought to the game’s depiction of the late Edo period, with each quest drawing you further into its tale.

This isn’t quite a revolution for the series. But with a range of smaller tweaks, and improvements to its storytelling and delivery, WWE 2K24 still makes a compelling case to make the upgrade.

With its novel approach to combat, a charming little art style, and plenty of unique mechanics, Dicefolk is a game with plenty of personality, and plenty of reasons to keep rolling its die, and coming back for more.

It makes you feel. It makes you think. With grand set pieces and rich narrative turning points, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth consistently gives you reasons to care, to sit at the edge of your seat, wide-eyed, wondering what the future holds. Even with the groundwork laid by the original game, there is a sense that anything can happen, that the future remains unwritten.

Helldivers 2 is extremely silly. It’s utterly over the top, and it’s not very deep, but GOOD GOD, I have had a ball with it this past week. Its general simplicity may end up dooming it to be a short-lived flash in the pan… But what a brilliantly bright flash it would be.

From folk horror to Scottish brogues, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has a lot to offer, and I’m definitely going to dive back in to its deeply haunted map soon to try some of the alternative choices.

You will need an ocean of patience to unfold the many wrinkles of Infinite Wealth – to master its Sujimon battles, hamburger mini-games, arcade games, Dondoko Island management, and dating quests – but devote time to its intricacies, and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful, frequently surprising game that brims with goodness and features a heartfelt, wholesome exploration of the true meaning of living.

With more accessible gameplay, very neat introductions to its array of fighters and their individual quirks, and new fighting styles for newbie players, Tekken 8 feels like an incredibly worthy fighting sequel geared to overtake its predecessors.

Whether you’re lured by a host of familiar food-based faces, or you’re a complete newcomer to the world that Snoozy Kazoo have created, it’s safe to say that this game will give you a taste for veggie rebellion – though perhaps not for a veggie dinner.

As a layered platformer, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown rocks that tangible sense of cool that’s so hard to define and grasp. It packs in style, and satisfaction, and consistently rewards you for exploring further, challenging yourself, and surmounting its vast wave of puzzles.

For an escape from the real world, into a land where even a meteor strike is simply taken in stride, Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom is brimming with opportunity.

Very few expansion packs for The Sims 4 feel like they overhaul gameplay entirely, but For Rent does just that, reimagining how your Sims live their lives, and how they interact in the real world. While there’s not a whole lot more to the expansion pack than that, its changes to rentals and the introduction of community living makes it a stellar addition to The Sims 4.

Ubisoft has made safe choices in its overall design, yet on the strength of its world design and exploration mechanics, Frontiers is able to shine as a sweeping, standalone adventure. For anyone longing to return to the world of Pandora, this adaptation is a wonderful salve to those clinically-recognised feelings.

This is the Warhammer 40,000 experience that I’ve wanted from a video game for two decades. A game that gleefully wallows in the medieval futurism of its setting. A game that isn’t about winning wars on the battlefield, but focuses on all of the grim-dark insanity that goes on behind it all.

If ever there was a compelling reason to invest in the new generation of VR hardware, Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR is it.

I remember my grandpa telling stories about his beloved motorbike that he got as a teenager – the freedom he felt to explore the countryside, to map out the land he loved, knowing, perhaps, that one day he’d have to leave it. Decades later, he still remembered how the Abergavenny of his childhood looked, how it sounded, how it fit together. A Highland Song might not be Inkle’s best game, but it’s the studio’s most evocative work – it’s a reminder that wherever we are, we are surrounded by stories.

Seeing Jusant to the end felt like returning from a brisk walk in the woods, your lungs full of fresh air, and your mind alert from a cool breeze – which is an astute achievement for a game with such deep connections to the natural environment, and the act of physical human movement. You come away feeling sated, satisfied, and refreshed, the sense of achievement and clarity of thought it offers clearing your headspace for whatever challenge comes next.

In Stars and Time is the type of game that is excellent to discuss theories and nitty gritty details with a friend, an element which adds to an already thought provoking experience. With a cast of exceptionally loveable characters to tether you to its remarkable world, it will stick in your mind long after you’ve put it down.

While dated design means other parts of the tale don’t hold up quite as well as its biting comedy, Super Mario RPG remains a strong adventure with challenging combat, and plenty of unique quirks. By maintaining its spirit beneath a fresh lick of paint, Nintendo has created a welcome opportunity to experience or re-experience one of the most important games in Super Mario history.

Throwing the cast of Persona 5 into a world of turn-based tactics works incredibly well, and the mechanical twists made to support it pay off in a very gratifying way. Outside of that, there are very few risks taken in the narrative – it’s a low-stakes plot that bubbles along, gives the game a stop-start feel, and ultimately feels like the peripheral side-story that it is. But when your favourite characters are tearing up the battlefield and wiping out whole armies of enemies in a big All-out Attack, Persona 5 Tactica feels like the best interpretation of the Phantom Thieves spirit.

As always, it’s those intimate and emotional human elements that make Like A Dragon Gaiden so gratifying. Whether or not we needed to see Kiryu be pulled back so heavily into the underworld against his will is another question entirely, but if we believe at this point that the end is truly nigh for Kiryu in Infinite Wealth, this one last go-around to spend a few more deeply personal moments with him is something to be cherished – as a bittersweet way to get ready to say goodbye (for whenever that time actually comes around). Take care of yourself, Kiryu.

You can easily blast through the game’s story mode in around 2 hours, and leave plenty of undiscovered goodness behind, but take the time to embrace its strangeness, and you’ll find mounds of surprising, technical depth in your journey. Strange, ridiculous, and occasionally very ugly, WarioWare: Move It! is exactly the kind of weird game it needs to be – and then some...Long live WarioWare, in all its compelling absurdity.

Alan Wake 2 almost feels mad in its approach, with an overwhelming array of threads in the tale that threaten to collapse under pressure at any moment. Yet with clear and incisive logic, matched with a devotion to delightful absurdity, the team at Remedy has managed to craft a breathtaking story – one that plays out in clever, fascinating, and horrifying ways.

Eternights deftly captures the essence of growing up, as told through the motions of an action-packed JRPG. Through its storyline and dialogue, the game manages to weave life into this classic genre with the aid of modern-day meme jokes and ‘anime humour’. Its simple but effective combat system, and a smattering of puzzles and mini-games, are entertaining enough to keep you hooked as you watch the plot unfold. Eternights showcases a level of complexity and refinement that is impressive, especially for Studio Sai’s debut title.

In riffing on this classic game’s core mechanics, its clever design choices, its lively graphics, and its sense of pure fun, Sonic Superstars has done justice to the franchise’s legacy. Taking a step forwards can also mean taking a step back – and in this approach, Sonic Superstars leaves a lasting mark.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is pure joy, through and through. From its expressive aesthetic to its whimsical stage designs, it delights you at virtually every step.

As a sequel to one of the most impressive games of its era, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was weighed down by expectations. But Insomniac Games has turned these expectations on their head, spinning a Spider-story that brims with confidence, style, and most importantly – an essential human touch.

While overtly silly and over-the-top at times, Detective Pikachu Returns effectively balances its light with its extreme darks, wielding its cuteness as a tool to tell an impactful and fairly relevant tale about corruption, felt throughout various cases.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a great stealth fantasy game, with a fantastic setting you want to just simmer in, and a pace that gently but consistently pulls you through interesting missions you find yourself eager to tackle. Its focused scope gives you the breathing room to invest more interest and care in the makeup and history of the world, along with the plights of its characters, and leaves you feeling content with the time you spent in it. This is how all Assassin’s Creed games should be.

Mineko’s Night Market is a carefully considered, cosy life sim, with an intriguing, low-stakes narrative and plenty of familiar activities to keep you busy. It might not sound groundbreaking on paper, but it delivers on everything it promises, offering a felicitous, feline-filled escape from your troubles.

The Crew Motorfest is a strong, kitchen-sink arcade racer that executes evocative racing and car culture experiences without actually requiring the level of pressure, know-how, or commitment to fully enjoy them. The feeling of being able to quickly and easily jump in and enjoy the sights, sounds, and different flavours of vehicular action is a boon all on its own.

Mortal Kombat 1 has proven itself to be continually compelling throughout its early access and launch period, a remarkably refined and confident instalment of a series that had already secured its strong identity long ago. The story campaign is an entertaining rollercoaster ride, its foundational fighting mechanics remain strong, and the game’s focus on wide-ranging approachability and accessibility in service of broadening the fighting game community must be applauded.

In a time when absolutely massive blockbuster RPGs are sucking up all the oxygen in the room, Wandering Sword stands out as an amazing independent RPG that crushes every goal it sets out to achieve. Small issues aside, its easy to become besotted with its all-encompassing world; a huge recurring cast of fantastic characters blossom amongst a beautifully woven tale of loss, growth, strength, history and consequence. Wrap that up in moreish combat and wonderfully interlocking RPG systems, and it feels like a modern classic.