Thank Goodness You're Here! is a game that's quintessentially British, inviting players to explore a Northern English town and rub shoulders with its bizarre locals. It's weird, it's clever, and it's utterly surreal at times, but it's always entertaining. It's just a shame that your visit is over so soon, but there's perhaps reason to return to it a time or two. In any case, it's an absolute delight while it lasts.

Feeling like a combination of Vampire Survivors and Peggle, BALL x PIT is a unique roguelike that we simply can't get enough of. It's tough, and death can come quite easily, but that just makes us want to jump in again and again.

It’s been a while since I’ve played a JRPG quite as captivating as Shin Megami Tensei V. Its dangerous world is a pleasure to explore, and recruiting a small army of demons is shockingly addictive. Some may be disappointed by the lack of story scenes, but I enjoyed the fact that it just lets you get on with developing your party without any fluff; the focus here is on the journey. If you’re a Shin Megami Tensei fan or into RPGs that favour gameplay over storytelling, consider this a must-have.

While The Fractured But Whole is bigger than its predecessor and its combat more strategic, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly disappointed by it. The Stick of Truth was phenomenal, while The Fractured But Whole is simply great.

I absolutely adored my time spent with If Found…. I knew within the first few minutes that it was going to be something truly special, earning a place in my favourite games of all time. The art from Liadh Young is stunning, the music sounds and feels like a dream and its story is unique, provocative and wonderful. Very few video games have made a true and permanent mark on my heart, but If Found… has done just that

Horizon Zero Dawn was a great game when it released three years ago, and it remains a great game now. This PC port of the Complete Edition may not be perfect, but it does successfully bring the game to a new format with additional bells and whistles that will be much appreciated.

Planet Coaster gives you such an incredible degree of freedom in creating what you want that any obstacles just become part of that meticulous process of building the perfect park.

Put simply, Specter of Torment is absolutely brilliant. It’s a slice of classic platforming action that puts a smile on your face from beginning to end.

Thankfully these issues don’t bring the experience down a great deal though. Wasteland 3 is a meticulously crafted RPG with a world that you’ll truly want to throw yourself into. And if you do, it’s likely to consume a hundred hours of your life, or perhaps even more if you let it. It’s got some brilliant dialogue, plenty of gut-wrenching decisions to make, combat that never becomes a chore, and a character development system that you’ll obsess over. Even if you’ve never dipped your toes into the series before, you should give Wasteland 3 a try. As RPGs go, they don’t get much better than this.

F1 2021 is, without a doubt, Codemasters’ best F1 game to date. It’s just a shame that coronavirus hasn’t made its career mode quite as accurate as some might hope it to be, and some bits here and there seem to be lacking a bit of polish. Still, if you’re open to look past such issues, you’ll find a deep, rewarding racing experience that’s highly customisable. And if you delve into Braking Point, you’ll also find a story mode that genuinely adds to the package. Whether you’re an ardent F1 fan or not, F1 2021 is likely to be a contender for the accolade of best racing game of the year, that’s for sure.

Its fast-paced combat system is one of the best in the genre, and BlazBlue fans will love the large number of playable characters. Throw in some truly eye-catching visuals and BlazBlue Entropy Effect X is a must-play for action roguelike fans.

A wild ride from right from the moment you reach the start screen; with so much going on, it’s almost impossible to get bored or feel like there’s any repetition in the game. While the story is a tad lacklustre and doesn’t serve the most thought-provoking narrative, it is easy to let this slide with all the positive qualities that the actual gameplay has to offer.

Despite its technical issues though, Bioshock: The Collection brings together two of the best games of last gen with one really good, though ultimately inferior sequel.

Monolith is clearly a game with a lot of heart and it shines through with every moment.

If you’re a roller coaster aficionado, theme park sims don’t come much better than this. An incredible amount of work has gone into making Planet Coaster feel at home on console, and Frontier has done a commendable job of doing so without making sacrifices. It looks fantastic, performs admirably, and designing the park of your dreams has never been more enjoyable.

You shouldn’t hesitate to pick up Unpacking. This is a true indie gem; a game that deserves to be celebrated for years, or even decades, to come. From the clever storytelling through objects to the incredible sound design imprinted into each and every item you pick up, every minute spent with this game is a joy. You’ll be invested from start to finish – and you won’t want it to end.

Blazblue: Central Fiction features masterfully complex battle systems, and although it requires a fair amount of patience, once you’ve grasped the basics you’ll be landing punches, specials in combos that feel all the more satisfying not only to achieve, but look at too! Even with an overblown story mode that sees the action take a back seat, Blazblue: Central Fiction is a solid entry in the eccentric franchise and a remarkably decent fighting game.

Prey expertly blends a compelling narrative with open level design, a fear-inducing mechanic and near-unparalleled player freedom to deliver an appealing, atmospheric and aesthetically pleasing chunk of sci-fi that will get sink its spiky teeth into you and never let go.

The biggest disservice you can do to What The Golf? is to simply assume it’s some kind of arcade golf game. Not even close. It’s one of the most creative, hilarious and unique games you’ll find. A mix of puzzle solving, arcade fun and downright zany concepts, it’s pure entertainment at its finest. What The Golf? is exactly the kind of joyful experience we all need in our lives right now.

Despite Salt and Sanctuary‘s issues, it remains an enjoyable and rather addictive adventure overall.

Bar the technical improvements and additional online functionality, there's nothing else new here.

Forza Motorsport has been worth the wait. While this isn't a huge departure from previous entries in the series, changes have been made that make it more rewarding. It's a racing sim that caters to both those who want serious online competition and single-player fun. And what's more, it aims to make players better drivers with its safety rating system and its approach to car upgrades. Throw on top noticeably improved physics and sublime visuals, and you have one of the best racing sims currently available. With more content set to arrive after launch, it's only likely to get better, too.

While it’s unlikely to win over anyone that tried the first and didn’t vibe with it, Blasphemous 2 is undoubtedly a treat for fans wanting to spend more time with the Penitent One. With more variety in terms of both visuals and gameplay, this is a confident sequel that builds on the foundations of its predecessor. And while its story may be confounding at times, we can’t help but be mesmerised by its dark and mysterious world.

Devoid of any conflict or action, Mythic Ocean is a tranquil, laid-back experience. It’s the perfect remedy for a busy day; traversing the ocean depths is serene and relaxing, and encountering the game’s myriad of weird and wonderful creatures is continually delightful. If you’ve enjoyed games in the past such as Abzu or Dear Esther, you’ll find something to love here. And the fact that Mythic Ocean has been created by such a small team makes it even more impressive.

Gears of War 4 is a triumphant return to form for the series. What’s more, it proves that the franchise is more than safe in the hands of The Coalition. A visual spectacle that dials back some of the macho ridiculousness of the original trilogy whilst refining and expanding the gameplay, it’s genuinely a game to own an Xbox One for.

If you’re a fan of racing games, F1 2017 should be considered an essential purchase — even if, like me, you don’t follow the sport. The racing is seat of your pants stuff just like it ought to be, and its career mode is simply phenomenal and offers tens of hours of in-depth gameplay. With F1 2017, Codemasters may have just made the best Formula 1 game ever, and I just can’t wait to see how they aim to top it.

Cut from the very best cloth of open world games, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is a pleasure from start to finish. Though overwhelming in its early hours, once you settle into Eivor’s shoes, exploring England is an exhilarating journey like no other. Try as you might to focus on the main missions, the lure of exploration is too strong, and you’ll find pleasure in every tiny discovery. Is this the best Assassin’s Creed game yet? That’s difficult to say – but it might just be. Especially if you enjoy the beauty of British countryside and the contrasting brutality of viking combat.

If you’re a fan of stealth or strategy games, you really should consider Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew a must-play. This is Mimimi Games at its finest, building on the mechanics it finely tuned in Shadow Tactics and Desperados III while also adding more elements, more freedom and more fun. You’ll quickly come to love this band of unusual pirates, and what each of them offers when out in the field. So much so that you might even be tempted to replay missions just to approach things from a different angle.