To call DOOM Eternal anything other than phenomenal would be blasphemous. It makes DOOM 2016 feel like a trial run – a warm up to the main event, and that's what a sequel should do.

Including both the original and a new enhanced version of the classic tactical RPG, Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is fantastic for fans and newcomers alike. The enhanced version is the real draw here, though, mostly because of its revised story and full voice acting, which really adds to the experience.

The game still functions well and the tactical gameplay is still solid as ever but retains the annoyances of the old systems.

Bigger and better than its predecessor in every single way, Horizon Forbidden West is a game that’s ever so easy to get lost in. It’s got a surprisingly heart-warming story in which Aloy finally realises the value of friendship, thrilling combat that never loses its edge, and a dense world that’s not only cram-packed with things to do, but is also utterly gorgeous. It’s yet another must-have first-party title for PlayStation gamers. And on PS5 with its lightning-fast loading times, stunning visuals and brilliant DualSense implementation, it’s a real showcase of what the hardware can do.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is an absolute triumph for Vanillaware. Not many games have stories as ambitious as this. Even fewer manage to bring things together without resulting in disappointment. And while the real-time battles may be the weakest element, they’re still very much engaging, and offer a nice change of pace when required. 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim might just be remembered as one of the greatest games of all time, and so whether you’re into sci-fi or not, you should certainly add it to your collection.

Inviting you to be the star of a vintage anime, Mullet Mad Jack is a fast-paced first-person shooter with roguelike elements that's basic at its core but still manages to be captivating — partly because of its impeccable presentation, and partly because it's simply so much fun to play.

The Crimson Diamond is a must buy for would-be detectives and adventurers alike. Its rich, thrilling tale had us hooked from beginning to slightly-embarrassing end. And once we’ve binged every episode of Columbo, you can bet we’ll be back for more.

There’s a hell of a lot to love about Deathloop. It’s seriously slick; taking control of Colt as he runs, slides, sneaks or climbs through an environment feels incredible. It’s a game that entrusts players to engage with its systems in their own way, and while you’ll never be at a loss on what to do, you won’t have your hand held, either. It’s fast, it’s smooth, it’s incredibly good fun. Chances are, you really won’t want the loop to end.

Put on some headphones, get yourself comfortable and let the game’s audio and visuals wash over you. By all means, try to get a good score while you’re at it, but the true beauty of Sayonara Wild Hearts is simply enjoying the exceptional music and getting lost in the visuals. Mistaking this for a simple rhythm game is to do it a disservice. It may be less than that in terms of gameplay, but it’s a hell of a lot more in terms of audiovisual accomplishment.

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales was a brilliant game when it launched in 2020, and it remains so now. Its origins as a standalone expansion means it’s noticeably shorter than Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered, but it has a more enjoyable story and improved gameplay. It makes swinging through the streets of New York City, combating crime as you go, an utter delight. And this PC port is pretty much flawless.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door looks great on Switch, making it exciting to move from one location to the next, each interesting in its own way. Its writing is brilliant, too, with some genuinely funny jokes that will have you grinning as you play. It's just a shame that its turn-based combat gets old quite fast, and is devoid of challenge.

Fleshing out the story of Resident Evil 4 while adding new mechanics and challenges, Separate Ways is everything you could ask for in an expansion. But what’s really impressive here is just how much there is to it. This is an essential purchase for any Resident Evil fan, offering yet more intense encounters and atmospheric bouts of exploration. Capcom could have just called this in, but instead it’s delivered an offering that’s better than some full games. Indeed, we’re left wondering if we prefer this to the actual main campaign of Resident Evil 4. That’s how good it is.

Despite its flaws, no other game compares to the thrill and sheer wonderment that beating a monster in a perfectly co-ordinated group can bring.

Diablo III on Switch is simply spectacular. It’s a phenomenal port that really shows what the Switch is capable of, and honestly, I think it might just be my favourite version of the game yet.

If you didn’t like the gameplay loop of Steamworld Dig, then there are probably not enough changes here to massively alter your opinion. But for those of us who did enjoy it, then Steamworld Dig 2 will happily suck us right back in, the refinements made creating the perfect balance between familiarity and freshness.

Bigger, bolder and somehow a hell of a lot more outlandish than The New Order, Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus’ imperfections do little to hold the game back from being one of the most compelling single player games of the year. Killing Nazis has rarely been any more fun, and there’s a whole army of them for you to dispose of as you please when you’re not starring slack-jawed at some of the most over-the-top cutscenes ever created.

If you've ever been a fan of Ikaruga and own a Switch, this port is absolutely essential. It's also essential if you've never played the game before but have an interest in bullet hell shooters. Demanding you to remain alert at all times and change polarisation to suit your situation, Ikaruga is a shooter that stands in a class of its own. Its ingenious twist on a tried and tested formula makes it an unforgettable classic, and being able to play it on Switch is simply glorious.

There are plenty of moments in Legion that make you smile, and playing with friends has been the engaging social experience that WoW has missed for a long time.

Give the game a few hours, and you'll find yourself sucked into its damp, wonderful, varied world. Even if you haven't played the first Pillars of Eternity. Carefully crafted and complex, but never offensively so, Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire will satisfy even the most demanding role-playing gamer.

Barring the occasional frustration, D-Pad Studio have created a wonderful and satisfying tale filled with superb characters and marvellous presentation.

There’s a hell of a lot to like about Hi-Fi Rush: its sumptuous visuals, its over-the-top characters, its silly humour. When it comes to its gameplay, however, we just wish we liked it more. Between its overly long levels, excessive abundance of rhythm-based events, and bouts of combat that ultimately feel overly chaotic and prescriptive, a lot of potential is squandered. Still, there’s some good fun to be had, even once you’ve completed the game’s campaign. And we’d certainly be up for a sequel with some of the rhythm elements toned down.

In no uncertain terms, Nioh is something special. It’s one of those rare games that surpasses expectations, taking the best elements from a variety of genre-defining titles whilst sprinkling in a handful of its own ideas.

As a sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 doesn't reinvent the wheel. It does improve on the formula of the original game in various ways, however, and features a story with more impactful choices. Only some troublesome stealth sections and the odd bug bring it down a little, but it's still a fantastic experience overall.

If you haven’t already invested in Mortal Kombat 11, this Ultimate edition is a steal. For the price of the base game just over a year and a half ago you get the full package, which includes two great story campaigns, 37 customisable fighters and a whole lot more. Its combat might not be as fluid or enjoyable in action as the latest Street Fighter or Tekken, but it makes up for it elsewhere. As fighting games go, none are more generous than Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate, especially when it comes to single-player content. None are gorier, either.

A sensitive, beautiful and emotional glimpse into what it might be like to live with Alzheimer’s Disease, Before I Forget feels as important as it is excellently-executed. It’s not exactly a ‘game’ in the traditional sense, but it’s an experience that will stick with you and perhaps make you look at the world in a new light. You’ll certainly never take your most treasured memories for granted again, that’s for sure.

If you’re a PC gamer with a thirst for adventure, or you’re simply keen to finally check out the Uncharted series if you haven’t owned a PlayStation console, it’s definitely worth investing in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End may seem like a strange place to jump into the series but it works, while Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is pretty much worth the asking price alone as it’s such a well-rounded adventure. Sony continues its streak of putting out top-quality ports, and we’re here for them.

For a game with as much crafting as Subnautica has, it needs to constantly steer the player towards materials they’ve not seen before. Excellently, Subnautica delivers here too.

It speaks volumes that despite Devil May Cry 5‘s obvious issues, it still impresses so much. It’s a game that looks better than anything else available at the moment, and yet somehow runs at a solid 60 frames per second. And its combat is undoubtedly the deepest of any action game, making its linear structure actually not that much of an issue. Devil May Cry 5 isn’t perfect, but it’s a damn good Devil May Cry game. Honestly, I think Ninja Theory’s DmC was better, but in 2019 I’ll accept Devil May Cry 5 with open arms.

Even with the issues you can pick at in this remake, though, there's no denying that Persona 3 Reload is one hell of game. Its story is as engaging as ever, and now its gameplay has been notably improved, giving you more options in combat and out. Along with the new visuals and soundtrack, Persona 3 has never looked, sounded or played as good. It's just silly that it's arrived so close to the remaster of Persona 3 Portable: if you've played that recently, it might not grab your attention throughout due to its authenticity. For those who are yet to jump in or are keen to relive the classic yet again, however, simply play and enjoy.

Ghost of Tsushima was a great game when it launched just over a year ago. And now, in the form of a Director’s Cut, it’s even better. It seems trite to make a big deal over the visuals not being massively upgraded for next-gen when the game looks so phenomenal anyway, and what has been added – 3D audio and DualSense support – is enough to make the upgrade fee worthwhile for those who already own the original game and want to take on the new Iki Island expansion. That itself is largely more of the same, but its thoroughly engaging story that lets us learn more about Jin Sakai isn’t to be missed by those who were entertained by the game’s main campaign. And so, what else is there to say, other than for newcomers, Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut on PS5 is absolutely essential.

The sound from completing a panel is extremely satisfying, and I’ve followed it with a victory dance more times than I’d like to admit.

Between its action-packed campaign and the interesting SnapMap level editor, there’s more here to keep first-person shooter fans occupied than any other game in recent memory, and to put it bluntly, DOOM’s campaign is the most outlandish fun I’ve had with a game up to now during this console generation.

If you’re looking to buy only one multiplayer FPS this year, Battlefield 1 is more than worthy of your hard-earned cash – I honestly can’t envisage anything being better.

For PS5 owners who have yet to take a chance on the Nioh series, The Nioh Collection is a must-have, providing they’re up for a challenge. Nioh Remastered – The Complete Edition and Nioh 2 Remastered – The Complete Edition, both also available separately, are expertly-crafted games that are hard to pick fault with. Across both titles there’s literally hundreds of hours of adventuring to be done, and thanks to leveraging the power of the PS5 the action has never looked or played better. It’s those with TVs capable of high frame rates that will get the most out of it though; these games really display the benefit of 120fps.

A game like Dark Souls 3 is best gone into blind so as to heighten the sense of wonder and accomplishment you feel when you discover things for yourself, and I don’t want to rob you of that. All you need to know is that without any shadow of a doubt, I believe Dark Souls 3 is the finest game in the Souls series to date. It looks amazing, sounds amazing, plays amazing; the only things that let it down are the minor technical issues and perhaps the sometimes inconsistent difficulty level.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is the best JRPG from Square since Final Fantasy VII. It takes a classic, carefully builds on it, and although certain changes made to the story may not be as well-received by all players, overall there's no denying that it's a massive success.

Without a doubt, the Switch version of Cuphead is the best. It’s still not the game I think it could have been, but the ability to play it anywhere and at anytime really does do it wonders. It may be a straight port, but it’s a bloody good one.

Guilty Gear -Strive- isn’t the most generous fighting game available when it comes to content, but its wonderfully energetic combat makes up for it. Its characters are larger than life, each bringing something new to the table that’s worth exploring before settling on perhaps one or two to truly master. And while it’s the easiest Guilty Gear game to simply pick up and play, there’s a hell of a lot of depth to be discovered by those who wish to compete at a high level. Thanks to brilliant netcode, it’s likely that a lot of fighting game fans will, too. The flashy visuals and rocking soundtrack are a couple of cherries on top.

Aside from some disappointing story elements and frame rate dips in battles, Sun and Moon encapsulate 20 years of series strengths and introduce enough freshness to keep the series running strong.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance once again puts us in control of the legendary Joe Musashi, and it's a genuine treat. Fast and fluid combat meets slick platforming and traversal, and when you add in the game's stunning art and excellent soundtrack, you're looking at game of the year material.

For those who want clear guidelines on how to progress, many will find the obfuscation and mystery of Kingdom tiring after a while. For those who want to know how to get platinum gamerscore, or how to beat the game in the quickest way possible, again, Kingdom will stubbornly refuse to comply with those needs.

Final Fantasy XVI is a brave new direction for the long-running RPG series, and one that pays off. We haven't been this engaged by a Final Fantasy title in quite some time, and we absolutely love the new action-focused combat system. Sometimes elements of the new and old Final Fantasy clash, and the story has some elements that left us scratching our heads, but overall this will be remembered as one of the greats. With stunning visuals, a rousing soundtrack, a fun combat system and an engaging politically-driven story, Final Fantasy XVI is quite simply a triumph.

No doubt some will have expected more of a visual overhaul, but it's hard to find fault with Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection. Both Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and The Lost Legacy still look stunning, and thanks to better frame rates and other PS5-centric features they are more immersive and fun to play than ever before. If you own one or both of these games on PS4 and are considering playing them again, it's well worth upgrading. And if you've never played them? Well, you'd be mad to let the opportunity pass you by again if you own a PS5.

While Blind Drive‘s premise is incredibly simple, it’s immediately addicting and the excellent narrative will keep you glued to the screen from beginning to end. You might be going into this adventure blind, but you won’t be disappointed.

Has Gran Turismo 7 fulfilled all of our wildest dreams? Unfortunately not. And for some players the new career structure, unwieldy menus and drone-like A.I. might really knock their duck off. But for those prepared to scratch under the surface and accept that not everything can be perfect, there's one hell of a racing game to be enjoyed here. Although to call it a racing game is perhaps reductive: this is about the love of cars just as much it is about racing them. Whether you want to learn about the history of some of the most iconic cars in the world, take stunning photographs, complete your car collection or race others online, this is the game for you. This is Gran Turismo, and there's nothing else quite like it.

Housemarque is back with yet another fantastic fast-paced third person shooter. Saros builds on Returnal, delivering deeper and more enjoyable gameplay, as well as a new permanent progression system and modifiers which allow you to tweak the difficulty to your preferences. All in all, it's Housemarque's best game yet.

Spin Rhythm XD is one of the most enjoyable music rhythm games we've played in a long while, being easy to pick up but having a lot of depth as you ramp up the difficulty. It's the control system that impresses us the most, though, making you feel like a DJ. It's just a shame that unless you love EDM, its track list has nothing for you.

There’s no denying Link’s Awakening is a very enjoyable adventure, however. It hits you right in the nostalgia spot if you’ve played before, and even if you haven’t it stands up well against more modern titles. After all, games are still continually being made in the vein of classic Zelda adventures. It’s just a shame it’s let down by such troublesome graphical and performance issues. With an optimisation patch and a price cut, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening would be a must-buy. Until then, it isn’t.

It surprises just as often as it confounds, and that in itself makes this a rather extraordinary experience. It’s also perhaps one of the purest examples of video games as art we’ve seen to date: a piece of art about artists. Does that make for an enjoyable experience? Not always. At times it’s drawn-out, boring, a chore, even, as you obsess over every bit of footage available to you. But are we glad we’ve played it? Absolutely.

It’s not perfect, but Marvel’s Spider-Man is the best that a Spider-Man game has ever been, knocking even the long-lauded Spider-Man 2 off its perch. Fast, fluid and webtastically fun, Spider-Man will appeal to Spider-fans and newcomers alike.

I completed the main campaign in a little under 25 hours, and even as the credits roll, Pokémon Sun and Moon assures you that there is still plenty of game ahead.

So, should you buy Monster Hunter Rise on PS5? The answer is a resounding yes if you’ve not played it before. Providing you don’t mind too much that you can’t carry your progress over, you might want to jump in for a variety of reasons even if you’ve played the game on Switch or PC, too. While the Sunbreak expansion isn’t included, there’s still a hell of a lot of game here. And with its wealth of new gameplay features over previous entries in the series, PS5-centric enhancements and faster-paced gameplay, this is undoubtedly the best Monster Hunter game yet.

It may not be wholly original, but Hollow Knight is without a doubt one of the best metroidvania games out there.

Please Touch The Artwork 2 is a short experience, but one that leaves a lasting impression. It’ll likely only take you an hour or so to complete the game, unless you’re determined to not utilise the hint system. Either way, it’s bite-sized creative fun — and best of all, it’s completely free. You simply can’t beat it.

The brilliance of this game lies in the fact that these are all viable strategies, and that all are possible if you plan enough moves ahead.

You might groan and grumble as Razputin messes up yet another jump, but as Psychonauts 2 progresses, unravelling yet another spectacular world for you to explore, you’ll likely forget about any frustrations. This is a brilliantly designed game, and it’s clear a huge amount of ingenuity has gone into its creation. Whether you’re battling hand-puppets, talking to a papercraft William Shakespeare or gambling inside a maternity ward (no, really), one thing is for sure: you’re going to have a lot of fun playing Psychonauts 2.

Minishoot’ Adventures is a game that’s easy to bestow praise upon. It’s easy on the eyes, being clean and colourful, and its soundtrack is a bit of a treat. But most important of all, it’s an absolute joy to play. From the minute you take control of your small ship and discover that it’s a joy to manoeuvre, chances are you’ll be hooked. From then on, you’ll just be focused on exploring the game’s wonderfully crafted world and making your ship mighty.

If you like the idea of a game that defies genres and will constantly take you to places you don’t expect, pick up Inscryption. If you enjoy card-based roguelikes (with some other stuff thrown in), pick up Inscryption. If you want to play something unlike anything else, doing things that most other games wouldn’t dare to, pick up Inscryption. Just… be prepared for the unexpected. Time and time again.

I’m not going to beat around the bush; the Switch version of Severed is easily the best yet. Being touch based, the Switch’s responsive and gloriously large screen means that the gameplay shines brighter than ever before. Severed‘s unique, almost papercraft-like art style is really showcased on the Switch too, bringing its haunting world to life.

Zelda meets Dark Souls, Tombwater is a fantastic action adventure set in a Lovecraftian reimagining of the Wild West. Tricky combat is king here, but thanks to difficulty options you can choose to focus on exploring the rich world around you and uncovering its secrets. This is a real hidden gem, and one that really should be on any action-adventure fan's radar.

Ultimately it’s the boss fights you’ll remember by the time the credits roll on Death’s Door. There’s more of them than you’ll probably expect, and each and every one of them is wonderfully designed. They can be tricky to defeat – one or two of them particularly so – but when you emerge victorious the feeling is akin to overcoming a boss in Dark Souls. Needless to say, if you love games like The Legend of Zelda and don’t mind a bit more of a challenge, be sure to give Death’s Door your attention.

If you fell in love with the original all those years ago however, prepare to reassess your feelings; Odin Sphere: Leiftrasir will be akin to finding your soulmate, leaving the original title to feel like the empty husk of some great person you used to know in comparison.

Some of Huntdown‘s boss battles might have elements that feel a little unfair, especially on higher difficulty levels, but it can’t be denied that it’s a great game with lots of character. It does a brilliant job of feeling like a blast from the past, yet the responsive controls and cover mechanics firmly plant it in the modern age. It’s the best of both worlds, basically, and if you’ve ever enjoyed mowing down legions of goons on a 2D plane while characters’ wisecracks compete against synthesised 80s beats for your attention, you’ll absolutely love it.

With its stunning visuals, beautiful soundtrack and gratifying gameplay, Absolum will draw you in from the outset. And thanks to its roguelike elements it has plenty of longevity and depth. One of the best games of 2025, this is a must-play whether you're a fan of beat 'em ups or roguelikes.

When it all comes together, Unavowed is practically flawless. In fact, no other point-and-click game has blown my socks off quite like this.

For ardent fans of Forza Horizon 3, Blizzard Mountain does not disappoint. It offers more of the sublime racing action that the series is known for, but in yet another environment that keeps the experience feeling fresh and engaging.

If you want to play Monster Hunter World: Iceborne at its prettiest, be warned that you need a beefy PC. With every graphical option set at max and at 4K resolution, my poor RTX 2070 struggles to provide a consistent 30fps experience. That is, unless I enable DLSS, which improves performance considerably. In the end, however, I’ve settled at 1440p, which still provides the eye candy but allows me to play at a pretty much constant 60fps.

If you like the idea of an open world adventure filled with wonderfully written characters, engaging puzzles and a heart-warming story, don’t hesitate to give Chicory: A Colorful Tale a try. It’s so much more than “a game you colour in yourself”; it’s a journey filled with heart and soul. It isn’t free of frustrations, but they’re easily forgiven thanks to just how charming and wonderfully unusual this adventure is.

And if you’re revisiting the title, it might even be worth simply starting again from scratch. Cyberpunk 2077 may not have had the best start, but CD Projekt Red has taken criticism to heart and not only delivered an outstanding expansion, but also improved the base game into a state that should have even its harshest critics paying attention.

Set in a a thoroughly unique dystopian world, 1000xRESIST is a gripping sci-fi adventure exploring weighty themes, ensuring you're thoroughly invested in your fate and that of your flawed world.

It’s the best the game has ever looked or played, and is available at a more than reasonable price.

With Tales of Arise, I think the Tales series is finally ready to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the heavy hitters of the JRPG genre – Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. This is a masterfully crafted adventure, and the best JRPG I've played in a very long time. Combining stunning visuals with a gripping story and the most exciting combat system found in a JRPG yet, this is a must-have for fans of the genre. Its standalone story makes this a great entry point for those looking to get into the Tales series, too. Put simply, Tales of Arise is outstanding.

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is sensational. It’s Capcom’s best retro collection yet, in fact, packing in not only one the best fighting games ever made, but also one of the best side-scrolling beat ’em ups. The truth is, each and every game included here is a classic in its own right, though, and all play absolutely flawlessly and have been enhanced with additional features and more. What more can I say, other than it’s Marvel-ous.

For PC gamers who are fans of everything Marvel, or at least the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, this PC port of Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is pretty much essential. It’s as fun becoming Spider-Man today as it was back in 2018, with his web-slinging antics wonderfully brought to life. Factor in the enhanced performance and visuals, as well as the wealth of content, and you have one of the best superhero games ever made.

After the disappointing Halo 5: Guardians, it really does feel like 343 Industries is getting the series back on track with Halo Infinite. The setting is familiar, and so is the gameplay, but like returning to your hometown to meet up with long-lost friends, it’s a wholesome experience and, once you scratch the surface, things are different enough to allay any fears that you’re just re-treading the same old ground. Perhaps the biggest shame is that co-op won’t be available until after launch, because those open areas could really do with multiple Spartans causing havoc in them. But until then, even playing solo is bound to be captivating thanks to firefights that put most other first-person shooters to shame.

Beautiful visuals and an excellent soundtrack collide in Lumines Arise, the latest entry in the long-running Lumines series. This block puzzle game is as timeless as Tetris, and as long as you can get your head around the strategies required here, it's going to keep you entertained for dozens upon dozens of hours.

From the charm that oozes out of the hand drawn simple animations to the writing that is absolutely on point from start to finish, West of Loathing really is something quite special.

If you have any love for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, the Dimension Shellshock DLC should be considered essential. It’s as simple as that. Both characters included here are wonderful to take control of and bring yet more variety to the game, and Survival mode adds a fun and lasting challenge in which no two runs are ever exactly the same. Ultimately, it makes a brilliant game even better. What more could you ask for?

Challenging players to trace track lines while fending off enemies, Aaero2: Black Razer Edition is a rewarding rhythm-based shooter that will go down especially well with fans of EDM.

Massive Monster has nailed the concept of DLC with Woolhaven: it gives fans of Cult of the Lamb more of what they love, but with enough of a refresh that it feels notably different. This is a substantial expansion, adding dozens of hours worth of new content, and with not only new dungeons to overcome but new ways to interact and grow your cult, it's a must-play for anyone who enjoyed the base game.

The final two games step forward and show their well-polished improvements with graphics that laugh in the face of many 2015 releases.

There’s no doubt about it, DiRT Rally is the finest rally game currently available on Xbox One.

You likely won't have played anything like Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo before. Combining puzzles, combat and adventuring, this game is an utter joy — and using a yoyo as both a weapon and a tool never gets old. Well written and incredibly accessible thanks to its difficulty options, this is a true indie gem.

Cuphead isn’t so much of a case of style over substance, but rather style over accessibility. The art is simply astonishing, and so too the music, but the gameplay is frequently too frustrating to make Cuphead a totally enjoyable experience. Essentially a boss rush game, its pacing allows for no relief. There are no moments of downtime to come down from the frustration or elation of your battles, it’s just long bouts of tension and stress that, for the most part, outweigh any joy that’s felt.

Comprised of the base game and both parts of the White March expansion, Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition surely offers more than 100 hours of gameplay for those who succumb to its charms. That’s exceptional value for money, and with the writing and gameplay being so interesting and entertaining, it’s easy to get sucked in.

The tedium of the second half of the game, and the increasing frustration brought on by its level design, checkpoint system and challenging platforming somewhat sour the experience though.

The thing that really stands out about Rise of the Tomb Raider is that you care about the characters at all.

We had high expectations for Diablo 4, and we're so happy to say that Blizzard has smashed them. This is a title that takes Diablo 3's meaningful quality-of-life improvements and expands upon them with aplomb, while also bringing back the much-loved look and feel of Diablo 2. All the while, it's not too focused on the past, taking the series into open world territory and making it more story-led than ever before. And what a story it tells: we never expected to be so invested. But more importantly, we can't wait to start a new character and jump once again into the endgame. Diablo 4 is devilishly good – the best Diablo game yet, in fact, and it only stands to get better.

Yeah, Total War: Warhammer is pretty good and a step in the right direction to boot, but I refuse to be dazzled by some stickers when the core game takes only a tiny shuffle forward at best.

It doesn’t take away from the fact that for those up to task, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak delivers. You could say it’s just more of the same but that would be doing this expansion a disservice. Like Monster Hunter World’s Iceborne expansion before it, this is essentially a full game served up as DLC. With its generous number of gameplay improvements and hunting opportunities, it’s an absolute must-have for series veterans. And while it’s still not the most accessible game on the whole, it’s undoubtedly the best starting point for aspiring hunters.

Bundling up the base game along with two years' worth of characters, stages and more, Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition is a must-have for fighting game fans who have picked up a Switch 2. While new modes such as Gyro Battle and Calorie Contest are a bit gimmicky, the only real disappointment here is fights in World Tour playing out at 30fps.

Despite some unforgivable frustrations created through some of the quests though, the overall experience of Dragon Quest Builders 2 is very gratifying. It builds on the success of the first game by adding a range of new features and materials. Building feels effortless and allows for the player to be as creative as they can be, while each island offers a whole new world of adventure. Dragon Quest Builders 2 is close enough to being the building canvas you have always hoped for, and it gives you the power to be the creative builder you’ve always wanted to be.

It’s a game that I’ll return to time and time again, steadily upgrading my ship and attempting to master the fiendish later stages. The grind will be a problem for some, sure, but for most it will be a harmless hook that draws them into some brilliant vertically scrolling shooter gameplay, backed up with a solid soundtrack and eye-catching visuals. Sky Force Reloaded is indeed like a drug, but it’s one that provides high upon high.

I wasn’t particularly fond of feeling like I was watching an anime without being able to take a break between each episode, but I’d have to be an idiot to not see that Steins;Gate Elite is still one of the best visual novels out there.

Bloober Team has achieved what some thought was impossible: it has taken the horror classic Silent Hill 2 and made it even better. This is a phenomenal remake that remains faithful to the original while adding new content and features that elevate the overall experience. It's a must-play for horror fans; a truly terrifying journey with an unforgettable story and plenty of replayability.

Just as fantastic as it was upon its initial release. From its Ghibli-illustrated cutscenes, to its brilliant world and characters you can’t help but fall in love with, it remains one of the finest JRPGs of recent years.

Some of the modes we’ve come to expect from fighting games such as score and time attack may be missing, but there’s no disputing that Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator deserves to be up there with the heavy-hitters in the genre.

Simply fantastic. Enhanced for Nintendo Switch, it's one of the best old-fashioned 2D platformers of recent years.