it’s hard not to be very impressed with what Imperator: Rome has to offer. The feel of the game is exactly what Paradox promised: a true test of management of early civilisation on the brink of modernisation. You can develop your nation and expand to your heart’s content – but like the mighty Romans, you must constantly look outwards to your neighbours and inwards to your own people for threats and disturbances. Imperator: Rome truly has the depth and versatility to become one of Paradox’s finest.

The good far, far outweighs the bad in Fight’N Rage. It really is one of the best side-scrolling beat ’em ups currently available. That’s mainly because it’s just so much fun to play thanks to its tight controls, though the fact that there’s so much to unlock helps. It may only take you an hour to blast through arcade mode, but you’ll do it time and time again. Then you’ll no doubt unlock and try out yet more modes. Or get a friend to play through the game with you in local co-op. Basically, if you’re a fan of the genre, you need to add Fight’N Rage to your library.

The story isn’t the focus of Peaky Blinders: Mastermind; it’s the gameplay. It’s just there to give the missions some context. And the gameplay itself is inventive, engrossing and rewarding. It’s a great feeling to reach the end of a mission having carefully planned each character’s route and actions, watching them all play out like clockwork. FuturLab has taken a property, really dug deep into the heart of it, and created something that captures its essence. But you don’t need to be a Peaky Blinders fan to enjoy Mastermind; all you need is to enjoy a good puzzle.

As a LEGO fan, I appreciate LEGO Builder’s Journey for trying something different. You don’t need to be a fan of LEGO to enjoy it though; it’s a rewarding puzzler in its own right, with just a few frustrations marring its admittedly short running time. Its challenging puzzles and fiddly controls make it something more suited to older players, but those of all ages will find delight in its colourful and downright charming visuals. If nothing else, it makes me keen to see what Light Brick Studio develops in the future. Like being presented with a bag of actual LEGO bricks, there are many opportunities to be explored by a bunch of open-minded creatives.

If you fondly remember Mario vs Donkey Kong from its Game Boy Advance iteration, we’ve no doubt you’ll get a kick out of seeing it with a gorgeous, fresh coat of paint. You still will if you’re a newcomer: it’s a treat for the eyes, but it’s also a fun little puzzle game to pick up for 10, 20 minutes at a time. It’s not going to set your world on fire, but those mini Marios are sure to put a smile on your face for a little while.

It’s a pretty impressive rally game then, WRC 8. Sure, it doesn’t play or look quite as good as DiRT Rally 2.0, but its career mode does a lot to make up for that. There’s a real nice variety to the events that it lets you take part in, and its crew management aspects are implemented wonderfully. From the moment you start your career you’re engrossed, and the rally action is just as demanding and exciting as it should be. Even if you already have DiRT Rally 2.0 in your life you should probably consider making a little bit of room for WRC 8. And if you don’t, well, you now have two great rally games to choose from.

For fans of the shooter genre, Pocky & Rocky Reshrined offers something a little different, and it’s well worth jumping into. Despite being almost 30 years old, it still feels fresh and compelling – helped by its wonderful visuals and soundtrack. Throw in a cast of great characters, each with a unique set of moves, and various modes to jump into, and there’s a lot to love here. We just wish the easy mode was unlocked from the outset.

Don’t let Dome Keeper‘s simplicity put you off: in fact, it’s that simplicity that makes it so great in the first place. Free of bloat and complicated mechanics, this game of survival against the odds will keep you coming back for more. And more.

Done Running is good. Clichéd or not, Telltale always knows how to tell a great story. The graphics have improved two-fold and the controls are better than ever, but I had really hoped to see something new in the narrative, especially seeing as it’s the last time we’ll be playing these characters. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season, but I do have my fingers crossed that the narrative gets a much-needed shake-up in the next episode.

There’s not much to put you off from playing Agent Intercept, really. It may not be the most visually appealing title, especially on PS5, but it doesn’t look too bad. And while the jilted camera angles can sometimes make it awkward to gauge if you’re lined up correctly with a pick-up, you soon get used to it. It’s not particularly big or complex but it offers pure, unadulterated, arcade fun. Sometimes that’s all you want. So, if you suddenly feel the urge to chase down a crime syndicate in a futuristic vehicle that transforms, keep Agent Intercept on your radar. You might beat its campaign in the blink of an eye, but you’ll stay for its score-chasing antics.

Deadpool VR delivers the kind of ridiculous over-the-top, fourth-wall-breaking mayhem that defines the character, making excellent use of the Meta Quest 3's features. Tedium occasionally sneaks in, but for the most part it's a real treat for VR-owning superhero fans.

Golf Club: Wasteland is a golf game that will appeal to more than just golfers. With its range of difficulty modes it caters to all skill levels, allowing it to be something to chill out with, or something to really challenge yourself with. The crazy-golf-on-steroids structure of later levels means it really will test players’ skills on harder modes, too. And alongside the easy-to-pick-up-but-hard-to-master gameplay sits an engrossing narrative sandwiched between eclectic yet always enjoyable music tracks. All in all, it’s unique and rather compelling.

For fans of the genre, Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is a great example of a life/farming sim at its finest. There’s a mixture of everything here: farming, town building, exploration, relationship building, fishing, cooking, crafting – and it’s all blended together so well. If you’ve got the time to sink into it and you’re looking for something seriously relaxing, you really can’t go wrong.

Picross isn’t for everyone, but if you’re a fan of these taxing logic puzzles, you’ll love Piczle Cross: Story of Seasons. There’s no farming sim elements here: just hundreds of well made, fun to solve puzzles. And for a picross game, that’s exactly what we want.

Demon's Mirror is basically Slay the Spire, with the addition of tile-matching gameplay. It's a novel idea but ultimately it doesn't quite pull it off, with too many ideas that don't all gel together as well as they should. Still, if you're a deck-building roguelike fan, it's worth a look — but there are definitely better games in the genre.

Mutazione only took four or five hours to complete, but every moment spent with it was magical. From its extraordinary and beautiful landscape to its ordinary tales of life, love and loss, I was enraptured from start to finish.

I would compare Clustertruck to a good Monty Python sketch: incredibly silly, beautifully charming and wonderfully crafted.

While not a revolution, EA hasn’t rested on its laurels when it comes to FIFA 23. From meaningful tweaks and additions to modes, to a noticeably improved on-pitch experience, it’s simply bigger and better than its predecessors in every single way. And so the FIFA series, at least with EA at the helm, is going out with a bang rather than a whimper. But if EA Sports FC is to truly impress, it’s going to have to deliver something fresh.

A 3D platformer with an exhilarating techno soundtrack and stunning graffiti-inspired visuals, RKGK will win you over with its fluid movement and challenging gameplay. It's destined to be one of 2024's hidden gems.

Super Cloudbuilt‘s frenetic nature means it won’t be for everybody – it starts challenging and only gets harder from there – but for those who can keep up with its breakneck pace and conundrum like levels it’ll be addictive and utterly mesmerising.

If you’re at all lacking in patience then Chaos;Child isn’t the game for you. At its core, it’s a smart murder mystery with a cast of engaging, sympathetic characters, enough shocking, unpredictable twists and a story that will take you to some very dark places. But tackling the game can be like wading through treacle; almost as if the game doesn’t trust you to “get” it unless it explains everything in explicit, unnecessary, faintly patronising detail.

There really isn’t anything else quite like Old School Musical. It’s a game that’s been several years in the works – and when the outcome is something as unique and special as this, I daresay every moment was worth it.

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.

For those who love old-fashioned, action-packed first-person shooters where taking cover is frowned upon in favour of outmanoeuvring your aggressors while unleashing a hail of bullets, Serious Sam Collection is a must-have.

It may be short, but Trolley Problem, Inc is something you’re going to keep thinking about for days after you’ve played. Yes, you’ll feel horrible about some of the choices you’ve made – but being able to see what percentage of other players agreed with you might help you feel better. Or worse, depending which way it goes. Ultimately, this is a very clever little game – if we can even call it a ‘game’ – unlike anything else you’ve played so far. If you’re up for some mental stimulation and a challenge for your morals, don’t sleep on it.

There’s a lot to like about Ufouria: The Saga 2, and its ridiculously cute art style is only the tip of the iceberg. This is a clever platformer that rewards exploration, and wandering around the game’s intertwined world remains a joy, even when you’re revisiting the same areas multiple times. We dare you to try and find something cuter than this: it really is in a fluffy league of its own.

If you fancy a sandbox where you can design exteriors of homes, cafés, hotels – whatever you want, really – SUMMERHOUSE is a seriously cool one. It’s as basic as they come, but there’s charm in its simplicity. Nothing to bog it down: just you, some design tools, and whatever you want to create.

Its gameplay is on the simple side for the most part, and its real-time combat system has some issues, but series fans are likely to enjoy Atlier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & the Envisioned Land. Newcomers might find some joy here as well, thanks to an open world packed with things to see and do.