The only way you could be a little disappointed with Ray’Z Arcade Chronology is if you were expecting some kind of museum-like content, as there’s none of that here. Otherwise, this is a brilliant collection for shoot ’em up fans. All three games presented here are classics and they’ve never looked or played better. Add in all the new options and features, and you’re onto a winner.

With the last couple of entries in the WWE 2K series being particularly strong, AEW: Fight Forever always had its work cut out to impress. What’s been delivered, however, falls below even our tempered expectations, with sloppy gameplay, dull visuals, and a serious lack of modes. Chances are you’ll get a little fun out of it if you’re an ardent AEW fan, but there are better wrestling games available whether you want to the action to be a more accessible or not.

A Little to the Left: Cupboards & Drawers DLC is a triumph indeed. Max Inferno has drawn on the strengths of the base game and the result is a series of puzzles that, for the most part, shine even brighter than the rest. Sure, once again, not every puzzle has been created equally, with some not hitting quite as hard as others. But there are more than enough fantastic puzzles here to make this a worthwhile purchase for anyone who enjoys sorting and organising.

For fans of puzzle games and visual novels, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a bit of a treat. It’s a stylish and humorous affair that’s a pleasure to look at and has a fun soundtrack. Only the odd frustration is likely to sully your impression of it, as having to watch the same scenes play out multiple times until you strike it gold with the solution can get a bit tiresome. But overall, these moments are far outweighed by the many bouts of joy you feel as you overcome challenges and unfold the game’s engaging tale.

Ask yourself: have you long wondered what a competitive multiplayer Crash Bandicoot game would be like? If the answer is yes, then you should probably give Crash Team Rumble a try, especially given its budget price. Crash Bandicoot fans with open minds might also want to dip their toes in – there’s fun to be had, after all. But to really draw players in, we can’t help but feel that this would have been better off as a free-to-play title.

Dordogne’s unique selling point is undoubtedly its art style. It truly is beautiful – perhaps one of the most gorgeously animated games we’ve had the pleasure to play, even. And yes, the visuals alone are almost enough to carry the game. Despite the odd misstep, though, we did thoroughly enjoy the story and came to care for Mimi and her grandmother – as brief as our time with them was. It’s small, it’s quaint, but it’s touching – and it’s one of those special games that reminds you life is precious, fleeting and nothing should be taken for granted.

If you’re a F.E.A.R. fan, Trepang2 is a game that you should definitely invest some money and time in. It’s also a game for those who simply love hardcore first-person shooters. Your considerable arsenal here is enhanced by your supernatural abilities, and with other moves up your sleeves – such as a slide that can send your foes flying and a powerful punch – you can have so much fun running rings around your enemies and dismembering them in gloriously gory fashion. This may not be F.E.A.R., but it sure as hell scratches the same itch.

If you were thinking about buying Sonic Origins, picking up this expanded and enhanced edition instead is pretty much a no-brainer. Even though you might not get much fun out of the Game Gear games, the benefits provided by the other DLC packs plus being able to take control of new characters makes it worth it. For those who already own Sonic Origins, however, whether or not to upgrade is something that should be given some thought. Do you remember these Game Gear games fondly and want to revisit them? Consider it a must-have. If not, weigh up just how much you’d like to play as Amy, as well as Knuckles in Sonic CD. That’s your answer.

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.

It’s safe to say that we’re very impressed with Aliens: Dark Descent. Developer Tindalos Interactive is clearly a fan of the franchise, and it’s plain to see that much love has been poured into this title. Aside from its engaging gameplay, the story had us gripped right from the get-go, helped along by excellent voice acting. The only disappointment for some might be that there are no multiplayer offerings, but it is priced accordingly. If you’re an Alien fan after some single-player thrills, this is well worth picking up – even if you don’t usually get on with real-time strategy games.

Fans of the Layers of Fear series are likely to enjoy this new take on its stories, combined and enhanced with new elements. But at the same time, you’re likely to be disappointed that more hasn’t been done to make everything more consistent and unique. What’s more, it’s not as if these games are so old that they needed remaking; the Writer’s story could have perhaps been its own thing, expanded upon to offer something genuinely new. So, while Layers of Fear (2023) is a solid horror experience, we can’t help but feel like Bloober Team has missed an opportunity to really mix things up and impress.

Does Park Beyond capture the magic of Theme Park World from the early 2000s? Not quite, but damn, it tries. It feels like a nice, happy medium between the complexity of Planet Coaster and the simplicity of Theme Park: stick to flat rides and prefab coasters if you want, but if you’re the more creative type, you’ll get a huge kick out of the freedom Park Beyond’s coaster building and design tools give you. Packed with personality, plenty of gameplay and some truly wonderful ride designs, Park Beyond is a must for theme park sim fans.

F1 23 is pretty much a faultless racing experience. While its career mode may be lacking in innovations this year, the return of Braking Point and the new F1 World mode more than make up for it. Add in other improvements and features, and you have what is undoubtedly the best F1 game yet. If you’re an F1 fan this is an absolute must-buy as usual, but even racing game fans in general would be wise to add this to their collection. With its wealth of content, brilliant handling and sublime presentation, F1 23 is simply racing at its finest.

It’s hard to wholeheartedly recommend MotoGP 23 to anyone but devout fans of the sport, especially with Nine Season 2009 gone without anything to replace it. It’s a solid racing game with some decent updates, but it’s not the most generous when it comes to content and it fails to cater to newcomers without basically taking control off of them. Ultimately, it may be out of date now, but most are better off sticking with MotoGP 22 for another year.

If you’re after a fun, old-fashioned arcade shooter experience and don’t mind the dated graphics, Terminal Velocity: Boosted Edition is certainly worth its budget asking price. It’s not a comprehensive remaster of the close to 30-year old game, but its exhilarating gameplay still shines through.

Raiden III x Mikado Maniax isn’t the most content-laden shoot ’em up package, nor is it the best looking. It’s impossible to recommend it over its follow ups, which overall are simply better games. But despite all that, this is still a great shoot ’em up which has stood the test of time. And so, if you’ve already acquired the newer entries in the series but want yet more Raiden action, this will serve you well.

Launching with a strong and varied roster of fighters and a range of modes that should satisfy most players, Street Fighter 6 is a triumph. The combat here is stronger than it’s ever been, and a serious effort has been made to make this the most accessible and inclusive fighting game yet. Whether you spend your time developing your custom-made fighter in World Tour, fighting against others in the Battle Hub, or practising your skills in Fighting Grounds, Street Fighter 6 doesn’t fail to impress and entertain. For fighting game fans, this should be considered essential.

It’s not the same as getting a brand new game, but when it comes to Katamari, we’ll take whatever we can get. We Love Katamari REROLL+ Royal Reverie is just as delightful as the original, and it’s clear a lot of work has been done to make this 18-year-old game look just as good as ever. Some of its more random levels aren’t quite as enjoyable as they should be, but as a full package, this is Katamari at its best.

When it comes to Amnesia: The Bunker, you can tell that Frictional Games really wanted to up the horror. And it’s achieved it. This is true survival horror where resources are limited, and while you can fight, it feels hopeless. It’s not the biggest game in the world, and feeling constantly stalked and preyed upon means this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But those who get a kick out of skulking around in the dark, solving puzzles while evading something grotesque, will absolutely love this

It’s safe to say that Killer Frequency has taken us by surprise. We don’t really know what we expected from it, but it gripped us from the outset and made us keen to keep playing. A multi-layered affair, it’s a lot of fun trying to find solutions to the harrowing situations that your callers have found themselves in, but there’s also pleasure in finding out more about its protagonist, Forrest, and the rest of the residents of Gallow’s Creek. Those fond of narrative adventures and engaging puzzles would be wise to give this a spin.

DRIFTCE doesn’t have mass appeal – that’s a given. For those that it’s aimed at though, it should prove to be quite the delight. The physics are solid, making pulling off impressive drifts all the more rewarding. And the fact that you have to assemble and maintain your vehicles gives everything more of a personal touch. It’s just a shame that there isn’t a little more assistance for those who aren’t fully aware where an intercooler should be fitted, for example. Still, there’s always the opportunity to learn.

We feel like we’ve discovered a real hidden gem in Dynopunk. Part visual novel, part management sim, every facet of the game has kept us thoroughly engaged. Its pixel art style is wonderful, and accompanied by an eclectic and unique soundtrack, it’s hard to put down once you start playing. We really hope Dynopunk garners a bit of buzz, because it absolutely deserves it.

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.

Animality lacks any real substance: this is the type of game you’ll jump into for 10 minutes at a time, while the TV’s on in the background, or while you’re waiting for the microwave to beep. There may be meatier endless runners out there, but this one-button wonder does all you need it to in order to keep you coming back.

The gameplay of Puzzle Bobble never gets old, and in Everybubble it’s no different. Popping bubbles is just as much fun as it was in the 1990s: almost 30 years later, and it’s as enjoyable as ever. Puzzle Bobble Everybubble offers up a well-rounded package with plenty of modes to jump into, with Baron’s Tower and the joyous Space Invaders twist giving players reason to keep jumping back in long after the story mode has been completed. What’s not to like, really?

Even if you’re hugely familiar with the world of Warhammer 40,000, Boltgun is a bit of an old-fashioned treat. Its sprites are wonderfully realised, its environments suitably atmospheric, and its action brutal. Its simplicity is its strength, as well as its sheer disregard for your enemies’ innards as they spill out under your sustained fire, or perhaps an introduction to your chainsword. And so, we’re reminded why retro shooters are all the rage once more: because they’re bloody good fun.

No One Lives Under the Lighthouse is a game that horror fans should definitely check out, especially if the retro aesthetic appeals to them. It’s pretty impressive that, with such understated visuals and no voiced dialogue, a game can create such an atmosphere. And as the days go by and the horror cranks up, you’re not only kept on your toes, but also the edge of your seat.

It’s safe to say that 2K and Visual Concepts have hit the ball out of the park with LEGO 2K Drive. We haven’t had this much fun with an open world racing game since Forza Horizon 4. The racing action is tense and chaotic, the open worlds are a pleasure to explore, and everything is just so varied. Everything pretty much is awesome when it comes to LEGO 2K Drive, resulting in a game that’s fun for all ages and skill levels. And the coup de grâce is the vehicle builder, allowing you to truly let your imagination run wild.