Thanks to its abundance of playable characters, large selection of vehicles and neat Gadget Plate system, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is one of the best kart racing games currently available.

While plenty of levels will look like a Super Mario Maker level from hell, they more often than not are so intuitively designed that you may understand its complexity before you even realise it.

Needless to say, if you enjoyed The Division 2 and are looking for more content to stick your teeth into, consider The Division 2: Warlords of New York an essential purchase. Its missions are some of the most nail-bitingly tense and exciting yet, and returning to New York City is a pure delight – even if the state of its streets is even more harrowing than before.

There’s a lot to love about Chicken Police. Clawville is such a unique city and I wish I could spend more time there getting to know its history and its residents. Sonny is a dark but quirky protagonist and he’s a pleasure to step into the shoes of. It’s a mature title with violence and cursing, however, so don’t let the cute animals fool you. If you’re looking for a engaging detective story with a very distinctive flavour, Chicken Police should be the top of your list.

PC Building Simulator 2 sets a new benchmark for simulation games. The attention to detail, the ease of play, the presentation – everything is second to none, and we can’t get enough. Even if you’ve never stared into the insides of a PC before, if you’re intrigued by the idea of tinkering with components, you owe it to yourself to give it a go. Just be sure to set yourself plenty of time aside, because you won’t be able to drag yourself away.

Kill Knight is easy to pick up and hard to master, but it's rewarding to do so thanks to the wealth of unlockable weapons and more that are on offer. Most importantly, it's devilishly fun to play, being fast-paced, responsive and full of variety.

Tetris Forever isn't just for Tetris fans: it's for anyone interested in preserving the history of video games. Digital Eclipse is going from strength to strength with its Gold Master series, and Tetris Forever might just be the best yet — not least because of the brilliant new game, Tetris Time Warp, bundled within it.

For fans of the likes of Vampire Survivors, there's an awful lot to like here. Soulstone Survivors not only looks fantastic, but it packs in a lot of content. It might not be the most challenging of Survivors-likes, but if you're cool with feeling like an unstoppable badass, you're going to love this.

Wonderfully zen and relaxing, Islanders: New Shores is the city building game for people who don't want to get bogged down with nitty-gritty. All you need to worry about here is placing buildings and getting the highest score possible — and if even that sounds too stressful, there's a sandbox mode that simply lets you design your own aesthetically-pleasing townscape.

It's undoubtedly a game that will be tweaked and expanded upon over its lifetime, but Warhammer: Vermintide 2 already feels like a formidable co-op package.

It’s a joyful, relaxing compilation that provides a pleasant respite from our hectic, stressful lives.

It packs in a challenging campaign, brought to life with characters that are hard not to love, but it’s the level editor that really sets WarGroove apart. If it’s your jam – like it is mine – then Wargroove offers literally endless potential. And even if level designing isn’t really your thing, it’s still a lot of fun to play around with.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is more complex than one might expect, which is a pleasant surprise. The delicate and relaxing art of rice farming juxtaposed against the smooth and fast-paced combat makes this a unique but wholly engaging adventure. While combat can be a bit of slog until Sakuna has more abilities up her sleeve, it’s worth persevering with, because the result is a side-scrolling action title unlike no other.

The bite-sized nature of each loop means that Gnosia is the perfect game to spend a little time with when you have a modicum of downtime. You could play one or two loops while on your lunch break, for example, or one before you go to bed every night. That way, you’re less likely to get put off by the repetitive roundabout discussions. It’s also perfect for those who want a single-player equivalent to the multiplayer-focused Among Us. It has its flaws, but Gnosia is an inventive and unique title that draws you in and surprises you.

If Resident Evil and Sesame Street had a baby, My Friendly Neighborhood would be it. It wears its classic Resi influences on its arm – such as its door-opening animations and its use of safe rooms – but it’s never derivative, instead managing to be something entirely original, not to mention a great deal of fun. One of the best indie horror games of recent years, My Friendly Neighborhood is well worth paying a visit to.

Don’t let Loop Hero‘s simple appearance fool you; a dense and addictive game, unlike anything else you’ve played, lurks under its retro veneer, waiting to get its claws into you. And once you’ve fallen into the loop, it’ll be hard to get back out again. Building up your character and creating the world around him is gloriously rewarding, and not even death is going to stand in your way.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard was probably never going to win over all Dragon Age fans, and by being more streamlined than ever, it's those who were hoping that it would go back to the series' roots that will be most disappointed. For those who love a good action RPG with stunning visuals, however, there's a lot to like here.

Streets of Rogue is an odd yet hugely entertaining outing, one that rewards the time you put into it and never says no to even your most ridiculous ideas. It’s far more than the sum of its inspirations and even if you find permadeath an obstacle, there’s so much to love about this deceptively complex gem

With some serious talent behind its creation, Dungeon Encounters deserves much more fanfare than it has so far received. This might not be as flashy as a typical RPG from Square Enix, but it’s clever, it’s engaging, and its simple but deceptively deep gameplay loop will keep you coming back for more. Add to that a killer soundtrack overseen by Nobuo Uematsu, and you’ve got something rather special on your hands.

Some games are simply a pleasure to play from beginning to end, and Unravel Two is one of them. It’s a masterfully crafted adventure that keeps you glued to your screen, and melts your heart as the credits roll.

Mega Man 11 strikes the perfect balance between old and new, paying homage to its past while taking risks into the present. I couldn’t be more pleased.

A joy to play. It oozes happiness, it makes me smile, and I absolutely love it.

Dauntless is essentially Monster Hunter but simpler. That’s certainly not a bad thing in my eyes. And to sweeten the deal even further, it’s free. You can spend money to speed up certain processes and make your character more unique if you like, but it’s not required to have a lot of fun. Unlike many other free-to-play games, Dauntless never makes you feel like you’re missing out if you don’t spend any money. Needless to say, if you’re after an action RPG along the lines of Monster Hunter to really sink your teeth into, you can’t go wrong with Dauntless.

It’s been a while since I’ve been so fully engrossed in a point-and-click adventure, and Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer really does stand out as being a fantastic example of the genre. Even if it goes places I’d rather it didn’t, there’s no denying the story here is very well-written, and I’ve lapped up every second of it. If you like a good crime/murder mystery story, if you enjoy gathering evidence and solving puzzles, and especially if you don’t mind a bit of cosmic horror, consider Kathy Rain 2 a must-play.

When it released in 2006, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion was an excellent game. Nearly 20 years on, it's still good — but it's certainly showing its age. This remaster makes it look incredible given how old it is, but its antiquated gameplay and numerous bugs still exist.

If you’re a fan of first-person puzzle games, Viewfinder should be considered essential. Sure, its story leaves something to be desired, and some of its puzzles don’t quite hit the mark. But even the worst of the bunch keep you engaged enough to see this clever little puzzle game through to the end. Never outstaying its welcome, Viewfinder has left a lasting impression on us.

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.

A game of impeccable design and gorgeous art, with almost no missteps to speak of. With all the games to choose from these days, don’t let this one slip by.