For those that don't mind that its story is passable, and that its difficulty wildly varies from mission to mission, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is likely to be a bit of a treat. It looks great, the action is lighting fast and always remains smooth, and there's genuine joy to be had in amassing a wide range of parts and then using them to create builds that allow you to much more effectively complete missions. This is a far cry from FromSoftware's popular output in recent years, but can be just as engrossing – providing you have an open mind.

Charming and engaging in equal measure, SteamWorld Dig offers a quirky, addictive subterranean adventure that is well worth digging into.

There’s nothing else like Melatonin. This is a gorgeous rhythm game about dreams and the meanings within them — but even if you don’t want to read into it, there’s so much to enjoy in its challenging rhythm-based levels and pastel-coloured hand drawn art. Even if you find it tough, it’s an experience worth sticking with. You won’t regret it.

The real brilliance of Sea of Solitude is how each of the manifestations that Kay experiences have significance to a person or event in her own life.

You may be limited as to how much you can do each day in Hello Kitty Island Adventure, with many of its missions being tied to a real-time clock. But it's hard to mind too much when the game is so delightfully charming and just a joy to spend time with.

Bears Can’t Drift!? is gorgeously designed with multiple brightly coloured levels and smooth character animations.

There’s nothing revolutionary in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. Nothing that screams “this is a must-buy”. But once again it’s a solid all-round package that has a little something for everybody – providing they like shooting in first-person. Its campaign is a nice little diversion with some exciting set-pieces and moments of thrilling stealth, while Zombies provides some solid fun when getting together with friends. And then there’s Multiplayer, which some will prefer over Modern Warfare‘s offerings and others will be less impressed with. Each element is far from extraordinary, but when all put together, it’s not a bad deal at all.

Creative and beautifully designed, admiring the environments of House of Golf 2 is almost as much fun as playing golf itself. This is a game built with fun in mind and, particularly when you're playing with friends, you're going to have an absolute ball.

It’s a shame that Ghostrunner 2 isn’t a little more polished, as its imperfections can frustrate a little at times, but this is still a mighty achievement for One More Level. It remains a challenging experience that’s not for the fainthearted, but it packs in more variety and depth, expanding the world of Ghostrunner to levels we never anticipated or thought possible. If you’re a fan of the original Ghostrunner this is an absolute must-have, but we reckon this is a good place for newcomers to jump in too. Although some might want to wait until a patch or two has landed, just to smooth over some of its rough edges.

Cosmic Star Heroine’s excellent combat system and well-executed retro stylings make it a must for those who hold the classic JRPGs of the past close to their hearts.

If you already have Attack on Titan 2 and want more combat options and content, it’s yours for probably nearly what you originally payed for the game. But if you care about trophies or achievements, you’ll be massively let down by the fact that it has none. If you’ve not yet purchased Attack on Titan 2 though and are keen on playing it, the Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle bundle offers a hell of a lot of content for your money. And there’s still nothing else out there that plays quite like it.

There’s a lot of joy to be had uncovering Elisnore’s emotionally-loaded secrets and, providing you don’t push it too far, playing characters off against each other. Just don’t expect everyone to get a happy ending.

Just as fantastic as it was upon its initial release. From its Ghibli-illustrated cutscenes, to its brilliant world and characters you can’t help but fall in love with, it remains one of the finest JRPGs of recent years.

If you’re an ardent Dragon Ball fan, then picking up Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 should be a no-brainer, but even if you’re just a fan of fighting games and RPGs in general you should give it a try – the combat is fun and there’s a surprising amount of depth to the character development that doesn’t fail to satisfy.

Blisteringly fast and relentlessly unforgiving, Thumper will keep you engaged for hours.

A slightly more grown-up Max might not always seem believable, and there's a good chance that a few choices made in Life is Strange: Double Exposure might annoy you. But overall, this new instalment into the Life is Strange series is a success: its story will keep you guessing, its puzzles are fun to solve, and Max's new powers are a lot of fun to play around with.

While its unique visual style – and even the action – can eventually become a little repetitive, it’s hard not to be impressed with what Synapse offers. It’s particularly fun in short bursts, and so it’s handy that you can leave the game during a run and resume where you left off at a later date. if you’re after a fun, action-packed PSVR 2 experience that truly puts supernatural power in your hands, then, it’s definitely worthy of your time and money.

Immortal Redneck manages to feel punishing, yet fair. Rewards are doled out frequently enough that almost every run ends with the ability to upgrade something on the skill tree, allowing the game to maintain a forward momentum that makes it difficult to put down.

If you enjoyed The Isle Dragon Roars or The Forsaken Maiden, you’ll undoubtedly love Voice of Cards: The Beasts of Burden just as much. If not more. The narrative on offer here got its hooks in us right off the bat, and following our interesting protagonist on her journey has been a joy. The presentation, narration and visual design is just as beautiful as ever, too. It may simply be more of the same, but we’re so glad the Voice of Cards series continues to exist – and to shine.

The odd gameplay issue aside, F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is one of the most enjoyable Metroidvanias you can play right now. While you probably won’t care about its story, it’s easy to fall in love with the game’s detailed world and somewhat cute characters. It’s the thrilling combat and raft of collectibles and upgrades to find that will have you going back to it time and time again, however, keen to make Rayton the powerful hero he’s destined to be.

Forget about the Cthulhu in its title; you don’t need to be a fan of Lovecraft to enjoy this accomplished point and clicker. Gibbous – A Cthulhu Adventure will tickle your funny bones with its dialogue and won’t leave you flummoxed when faced with its puzzles. And because of that it’s fun from beginning to end. It isn’t groundbreaking in any way, but did anyone expect it to be? It’s just yet another very good entry into a genre that remains ever popular.

Wuppo is a fun game with a lot of heart, made all the more enjoyable by the clearly evident fact that it has been meticulously and lovingly created. Wuppo is a game with character; it knows exactly what it wants to be and what it wants to do, and it accomplishes those tasks elegantly and creatively.

Kill It With Fire is a great title, whether you love those eight-legged arachnids or you’re terrified of them. Being able to burn them alive, hit them with frying pans or shoot them with a shotgun is both satisfying and fun. It’s also very easy to pick up and play, so it’s something that everyone can enjoy. Go on – finally get revenge on those spiders that have terrorised your home for so long.

The nature of Cocoon means this isn’t going to be a game for everyone. Some players will need narrative, will need dialogue or character motivations to hook them into an experience. There’s nothing wrong with that, really, but if that is you, you’re missing out on a treat here. Cocoon is both simple and infinitely complex; it presents a beautiful, visceral world that requires no explanation. Thrown into it without even the slightest hint of an introduction, it’s your own curious mind that will carry you through this interwoven web of puzzles, and solving each one is an enriching experience that’s likely to stick with you for some time.

Like any game on Switch its portability is a great boon, and while the visuals are clearly compromised when playing in handheld mode they don’t detract from Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen‘s brilliantly absorbing gameplay. For action RPG fans that are on the go, it’s an absolute must.

Thanks to its absolutely sublime art style, excellent voice acting and its dark, fairytale-like narrative, Lost in Random is a wonderful adventure that will have you gripped. It’s a shame there’s no lip syncing to really finish off the visuals, and combat can be a little frustrating at times, but in the grand scheme of things these are miniscule issues. There’s so much originality and charm here that it’s hard not to fall in love with the world of Random.

In 2009, Red Faction Guerrilla proved that just one mechanic can elevate a game to be something much more than it actually is. And surprisingly, in 2018, Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered proves that that still stands.

An English Haunting is an engaging and chilling point-and-click adventure that doesn't fling scare after scare at you, making its actual frights all the more effective. You may stumble on a puzzle or two, but frustration rarely kicks in.