Fighting games just don’t get much better than Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R, and that’s all you need to know.

With a large, beautiful, varied open world, a compelling central mystery, interesting side-quests and top of the field gameplay, Horizon Zero Dawn is easily Guerilla Games’ best effort yet and by far one of the best games this generation so far.

Offering closure on a long-running saga while also entertaining on so many fronts, Yakuza 6 may feel smaller in scale at times, but that still doesn't stop it from being a mighty fine game.

It's challenging, and it might take a little while for you to warm to its world and protagonist, but Cronos: The New Dawn is yet another brilliant survival horror game from Bloober Team. You'll be on the edge of your seat throughout this tense and atmospheric adventure, hopping between the past and the future while blasting enemies that grow more powerful if they manage to merge.

Star Wars Outlaws perfectly captures the essence of the much-loved franchise, making you believe you've actually stepped into its world. Locations are densely packed with things to do, and whether you're sneaking around or engaging in an all-out firefight, it's always a blast. Add in the Syndicate system which means your actions have consequences, and you have one of the best Star Wars games yet.

The farming/life sim space is bursting, and with many games offering a similar premise it’s hard for anything to truly stand out. Indeed, on paper Coral Island sounds very much like any other. But in practice, it’s one of the most satisfying games in the space and one I know I’ll be going back to for months to come. It looks fantastic, it offers a robust mission system coupled with endless player freedom and has some genuinely unique ideas to boot. What more could you want?

Judgment is more than “more Yakuza”; it’s a markedly different beast that, despite using assets from Yakuza 6, re-introduces you to Kamurocho through a new set of eyes. Tak is brasher, smarter, and more inclined to use brains than brawn, and the characters he goes up against are surprisingly grounded. Altogether, it's a thoroughly delightful detective adventure.

Zero Hour has even more excitement, character development, and story details and is a truly great way to end an amazing series.

A great addition to a series that is turning out to be one of Telltale’s best. The combat continues to improve, the story is fantastically written, the choices are tough in the best way, and everything really feels like a cohesive package.

This is not a game you play for its challenge; it’s one you play for its gorgeous design and beautiful but subtle storytelling.

Supermassive Games takes the Dark Pictures series into space with Directive 8020, and with the introduction of new gameplay elements such as stealth, you're more immersed in the action than ever before. Add in its brilliant presentation and gripping story and you have one of the best Dark Pictures games yet, and a must play for fans of space-horror.

With The Crimson Court, I feel like Red Hook is taking us even deeper into Lovecraftian parentage, not just in expanding its supernatural mythos and pantheons, but also by delving deeper into the sense of tragedy, the sorrow of fragile mortality that must be a part of all horror.

The sense of being constantly on the edge is what makes every lap of every race exhilarating and great to play.

Improved over its predecessor in just about every way, PowerWash Simulator 2 is the ultimate in cleaning sims. New locations, new tools and a brand new home hub make washing away dirt and grime more enjoyable than ever, and while there's the occasional grumble, it's not enough to spoil the zen-like nature of virtual powerwashing.

A lengthy game with puzzles around every corner, The Talos Principle 2 is another triumph for Croteam. We wondered how the developer would top the phenomenal first entry in this mind-boggling series, and it’s done so by providing a veritable feast of varied and engaging puzzles, backed up with thoughtful philosophy and stunning visuals that heighten its light exploration elements. If you play just one puzzle game this year make it this one. In fact, we’d go as far to say that The Talos Principle 2 is one of the best puzzle games of all time.

All of Thumper is quite the sight, particularly in VR. It’s dark and moody; blacks and reds fill your screen, transporting you to some sort of ethereal nightmare. But you’ll likely be transfixed on the action, completely absorbed in Thumper‘s strange but fascinating world. There really is nothing else like it. And try as we might, it truly is impossible to fully summarise the wonder of Thumper into words. It’s one that really does need to be experienced first-hand to be fully appreciated.

Seriously slick and responsive to play, The Rogue Prince of Persia will likely win you over instantly thanks to its stylish traversal. Add to the mix some wonderful storytelling, a world that's a joy to explore and challenging (but rewarding) combat, and you have one of the best roguelike platforming games of recent years.

Does Back From Hell “redeem” the initial disappointing release? In my eyes, absolutely. Like a medieval sinner turned to a life of holy demon-slaying knighthood, it claws its way back into the light over a pile of steaming gore-matted corpses. And if that’s not metal, I don’t know what is.

Bundling up two classic JRPGs and enhancing them in numerous ways including tidying up their visuals and making meaningful quality-of-life improvements, Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars is a genuine treat for fans and newcomers alike.

The marrying of Mario and Rabbids may still feel like a strange choice, even five years on from the first game, but Ubisoft and Nintendo have once again proved just how well this mash-up can work. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope does the impossible by making the oft-impenetrable tactical combat genre approachable – and a heck of a lot of fun. Combine that with gorgeous, colourful visuals and fun platforming and exploration, and you’ve got one of the Switch’s best games.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 improves on its predecessor in numerous ways, making it a must-play for fans of dark, cinematic adventure games. Visually it's unparalleled, offering photo-realistic characters and environments, and its audio design is spectacular, too. It's just a shame that its combat gets repetitive all too quickly – but in the grand scheme of things, it's a small price to pay.

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.

It’s not cheap, but then what’s the price of laughter and happiness?

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.

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.

Kirby: Planet Robobot sets a new gold standard in a franchise already renowned for excellent platforming.

With its stunning visuals and unique mechanics, Lords of the Fallen has quickly become one of our favourite Soulslikes. Its setting may be derivative, but it’s so well realised that you likely won’t care, especially when you’re switching between the worlds of the living and the dead, each with their own monstrosities to deal with and treasures to find. Hexworks has created something that genuinely feels like a successor to Dark Souls, leveraging the power of next-gen to push the genre forward. And so, put the mediocrity of the original Lords of the Fallen out of your mind: this may have the same name, but it stands head and shoulders above its predecessor in every single way.

Pac-Man, Galaga and Dig Dug are classics for a reason and I can’t help but recommend this collection to everyone.