Gris may feel sluggish to control at times, but for the most part, you’ll want to take it slow anyway, to take in the game’s beautiful environments. When you reach a new area, or unlock a new colour into the world, you’ll soon forget about that annoying platforming section; you’ll be too busy being mesmerised by how beautiful everything is.

With a fantastical story that will quickly draw you in and plenty of detective work to be done, Echoes is an excellent visual novel that we struggled to put down. Its gorgeous art style, that changes as the story progresses, is simply the icing on the cake.

Suitable for fans of Super Monkey Ball and those new to the series, Super Monkey Ball Banana Rumble offers more of the same ball-rolling action but with a new spin dash mechanic. In any case, while its multiplayer offerings aren't the best, the Adventure mode here is better than ever, offering a wealth of excellently designed stages to play through and master.

Despite a couple of niggles, Xenoraid is an excellent example of how a modern top down spaceship shooter should be done, purposefully going out of its way to do something a little bit different.

If you fancy spending some time flying around craggy mountains or crashing down snowy slopes… Steep is your best choice. Whether played alone or with friends, it’ll meet your extreme sports needs and more without the risk of breaking an arm or a leg.

If Mulaka is proof of anything, it's that there is a definitive impact when games are made by more diverse voices. Mulaka feels deeply personal.

Warts and all, Skullgirls: 2nd Encore is definitely worth picking up if you want a stellar fighting game to play with your friends, though its single player content will keep you entertained for quite a while too. Whether it has online legs remains to be seen though; that will ultimately decide how good an investment the game is for many. Interesting characters and modes aplenty aren’t enough to keep a fighting game afloat in the long-term. Active communities do that.

While Ride 2 has some problems, such as questionable balancing of difficulty and credit-earning, the wealth of customisation options available and the pure gratification and thrill of competing makes it rather unlike any other experience currently available.

Challenging you to run around tracks filled with hazards such as laser beams and circular saws, DeathSprint 66 is like nothing else out there. Providing you're not squeamish, it provides hours of fun whether played alone or against others online.

Earth Defense Force 5 stands in the face of pretty much every game released these days. It’s the game that doesn’t bother trying to keep up with the Jones’ because it’s happy doing its own thing and being just what it wants to be. And that’s brilliant. And you know what else is brilliant? Shooting hundreds of enemies while listening to humorous quips. That never gets old. Never.

Dragon Ball FighterZ might just be my new favourite fighting game. From its stunningly sharp and wonderfully animated visuals to its frenzied gameplay, there's just something utterly charming about it.

The worst thing about Adorable Adventures is its title: yes, it does indeed offer an adorable adventure, but it's far more than that. This heart-warming journey sees a young boar reunite with his mother and siblings after a forest fire, and thanks to meaningful gameplay and gorgeous visuals, it's an utter joy to play.

Being a remaster that primarily just makes a classic a hell of a lot prettier, there are some issues here that remain unaddressed. If you can tolerate a camera that sometimes feels like it's working against you, however, then chances are you'll have a very good time with Ninja Gaiden 2 Black overall.

If you’re a fan of arcade racers and are after something that will entertain you for a fair few hours on a budget, Skydrift Infinity is highly recommended. It may not have a massive selection of tracks or a particularly deep campaign but it offers unique, adrenaline-packed fun that feels like a blast from the past. And hopefully, once more people discover it, there might be the chance of having some enjoyable multiplayer races, too.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition is really meant for those who, like me, missed out on the previous versions. And for us, it's a fantastic package.

If you fondly remember Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit from back in the day and fancy another crack at it, this remaster won’t disappoint one bit. And if you’ve never played it before and fancy a racing experience that’s a little more old-fashioned and focused, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered should be considered a must-have. One of the best Need for Speed games ever made has been on the receiving end of the remaster treatment, making its cops versus racers gameplay more enjoyable and stunning to look at than ever. What’s not to love about that?

There's not much here to excite those who enjoy a bit of single-player fighting action, but those who like to play online against others will be in their element. Basically, Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. is just short of being the definitive version of the game, being streamlined in numerous ways while also benefitting from improved visuals and rollback netcode.

Don’t skip the dialogue, investigate everything properly, and experience Corpse Party in its full glory.

PSVR owners should definitely give this game a shot if they are itching for an engaging, lighthearted, and challenging puzzle game. Esper nails it without going overboard. Plenty to love, so little to complain about. Unless you can’t figure out the puzzle. Then there’s a tonne to complain about. But that’s your fault. Not the game’s.

So, if you’re looking for an engaging but relaxing puzzle game that you can unwind with, you can’t go far wrong with TENS!. It packs in plenty of single-player content, and its multiplayer offering is a lot of fun if you have someone to play it with. It looks great too, brought to life with bright colours and cute characters. A game that we can while away the hours with, without ever getting frustrated, is something we all need in our lives right now.

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.

Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roars may be simple, but it does a fantastic job of delivering a card game RPG hybrid that’s an absolute delight to play. Its aesthetic is second-to-none, its storytelling is excellent (largely due to Haberkorn’s fantastic narration), and its gameplay is deeply satisfying thanks to character development, rewarding exploration and engaging battles. If you’d like an RPG experience that differs from the norm, Square Enix has nailed it once again.

For most players though, it’s the main meat of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe – the platforming adventure – that will draw them in. It might not be the most revolutionary game – after all, the original is 12 years old – but it’s a charming platformer that’s as joyous as it always has been. And with the addition of Merry Magoland, this is a sizeable package with essentially endless replayability.

All that said, I found the main protagonist extremely likeable, and the way you can navigate her through these scenes by using a set of deceptively deep gameplay mechanics made the game a pleasant experience.

Moons of Madness is a wonderfully chilling outing that blends horror and sci-fi to excellent effect, delivering a palpable sense of dread. Most pleasingly, it channels the spirit of H.P. Lovecraft without yelling “CTHULHU!” in your ear every five minutes.

Handling can make or break a racing game, and thankfully the VooFoo development team have got the balance just right, with controls feeling responsive and vehicles behaving just as you’d expect them to.

Originally a Wii exclusive, Epic Mickey Rebrushed has had an incredible face lift, making it feel every bit as fresh as a brand new game from 2024. This is a rich and worthwhile adventure-platformer even if you're not a huge Disney fan — but if you are, you'll get a huge kick out of the frequent nods to the company's long history.

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.