Skye Tales is an easy game to recommend; both for younger players and for adults who want an easy-going, cosy game to spend an evening with. It’s short – you’ll be done in a matter of hours – but almost every minute spent in its colourful, joy-filled world will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside. It won’t appeal to everyone, with even the game’s hardest puzzles being rather straightforward, but when it comes to a game to relax with, they don’t get much better than this.

It’s safe to say that we’ve been taken by surprise by DNF Duel. We were drawn in by its trailer showcasing its eye-catching visuals, but have been very happy to find that it has real substance. Its combat is exhilarating and easy to get to grips with, yet has enough depth to keep you going back for more. And with its many characters – ahem, classes – as well as a pleasing selection of modes, there’s plenty to go at. Whether you’re new to the fighting game malarkey, or a seasoned pro, this definitely deserves your attention.

Unlike anything I’ve ever played before, its unique mixture of fantasy and reality makes for a thought-provoking, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes funny journey that often touches too close to home.

If you’re after a game that’s fun to pick up and play, GoNNER is well worth the asking price. Its unique visuals, great soundtrack and wonderfully responsive controls make it a title you’ll go back to again and again; perfect for a portable device like the Switch.

If you’ve never played Alan Wake before and love spooky games with strong stories and plenty of action, consider this remaster a must-have. Thanks to its upgraded visuals, ardent Alan Wake fans are likely to want to pick it up, too, and they won’t be disappointed. This is a game that has stood the test of time, and now being available on more formats than ever before, it’s time for it to step into the light and truly be seen.

Roguelike fans who love fast-paced first-person shooter action are in for a treat with Deadlink. Its combat encounters take heavy inspiration from DOOM Eternal, and with four combat shells to choose from, along with a wide range of upgrades to acquire, there's plenty of variety to be found from one run to the next. A new time trial mode complete with global leaderboards adds even more fun into the mix.

The Journey Down is an unexpected delight. While point-and-click games can often be frustrating, The Journey Down manages to remain fun and engaging throughout. Its excellently-told story, beautiful art design and humorous characters certainly help in keeping you hooked. If you love classic point-and-click adventure games, make sure The Journey Down is on your radar.

It is a shame that every level is so well done and all required so much work, in terms of visual and audio presentation, that it means there are so few levels overall.

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.

The Journey Down is an unexpected delight. While point-and-click games can often be frustrating, The Journey Down manages to remain fun and engaging throughout. Its excellently-told story, beautiful art design and humorous characters certainly help in keeping you hooked. If you love classic point-and-click adventure games, make sure The Journey Down is on your radar.

Battlefield V doesn’t do anything out of the ordinary, but it’s atmospheric, tense and wildy entertaining.

Packed with droves of tension and atmosphere, The Suicide of Rachel Foster will keep you on your toes. Even when nothing awaits you around the next corner other than an empty corridor, you’ll find yourself constantly looking over your shoulder, expecting the worst at any moment. And with a twisting, gut-wrenching story spanning past and present, it’ll keep you glued to your screen until the credits roll.

Stunning art direction and a stellar soundtrack are what makes Mixtape so wonderful. Its narrative isn't the most meaningful, but when everything else is so good, it hardly matters. This is a game that exists to be a short, enjoyable experience: its characters and story might not leave a lasting impression on you, but its music and visuals certainly will.

Episode 3: Broken Toys continues to improve and is paving the way for one hell of a finale. In spite of its annoying technical issues, players should look past that and see the fantastic piece of work that’s been put together there. Broken Toys isn’t perfect, but its dialogue is superb, its pacing is fluid and its gameplay is fun and engaging.

I wasn’t particularly fond of feeling like I was watching an anime without being able to take a break between each episode, but I’d have to be an idiot to not see that Steins;Gate Elite is still one of the best visual novels out there.

There’s no doubting that NBA 2K21 on next-gen consoles is the most authentic representation of the sport yet. And even better, it’s got the most expansive and engrossing selection of modes and features. If you’re a basketball fan who’s lucky enough to own a next-gen console, you ought to consider NBA 2K21 a must-buy. The only drawback is that if you’ve already played it on your current-gen console, you won’t be able to carry forward any progress other than that made in MyTeam.

Gameplay-wise, there's not much here to win over those who aren't already fans of this Monster Hunter spin-off series, but thanks to numerous gameplay enhancements, a more mature story and full voice acting, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is undoubtedly a cut above its predecessors.

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.

The Teal Mask doesn’t revolutionise Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, it simply expands upon it in a meaningful way, offering up a generous-sized helping of new monsters to battle against and collect, and an enjoyable story featuring a new bunch of well-crafted characters. If you enjoyed the base game, it’s safe to say you’re going to relish this new adventure, too – and it’ll leave you eager for the second part of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero to drop this winter.

Warriors All-Stars has quickly become my favourite Warriors game of recent times. The great cast, the huge amount of content and the smattering of unique game mechanics all combine to make a game that’s fun despite its repetitive nature. It’s yet again a ridiculous power fantasy, but this time with more colour, wit and humour. That makes it a winner in my book, despite its couple of missteps.

Those that enjoy the more action-packed moments may find themselves a little bored with this episode. but if you’re interested in the politics and enjoy complicated relationship building, you’ll likely find New World Order more satisfactory.

Tesla vs. Lovecraft is a wonderful and creative twin-stick shooter that manages to stand out from the crowd in what is something of an oversaturated genre. Despite the small reservation I have with the game's initial difficulty level, everything else — its art style, sountrack, gameplay and overall atmosphere — adds up to make a truly worthwhile experience. It might just be one of 10tons' best.

While Lies of P greatly apes the environmental aesthetic and gameplay of Bloodborne, it does enough to make itself stand out. It’s atmospheric, it’s intriguing, and the combat is fun, fast-paced and engaging. As far as Soulslike games go, this might just be the best yet outside of those made by FromSoftware. All of Lies of P’s minor issues are easily overlooked when it’s so rewarding to explore its world and experiment with your combat options. And so, whether you’re a fan of the genre or are simply intrigued by the game’s dark spin on a familiar tale, it’s worth jumping in.

Being a visual novel, Digimon Survive isn’t for everyone. For those with the patience for it though, we can’t help but recommend it. Whether you’re a fan of the Digimon franchise or not, there’s a thoroughly intriguing story here, backed up with attractive visuals, an enjoyable soundtrack, and some tense battles. This may be a departure for the series, but it’s paid off.

With its foul language and crude sense of humour, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered certainly isn't for everyone. Those who do get on with it, however, are likely to have an absolute blast for the most part, thanks to its thrilling combat and engaging scenarios. Ultimately, there's nothing else quite it.

If you're a fan of both picross/nonogram puzzles and Rune Factory, this is the perfect game for you. Even if you've never played the latter, this is a solid nonogram game, packing in hundreds of well-designed puzzles that are a joy to play. Don't expect any RPG elements from Rune Factory, though: it's little more than decoration, but it's all nicely presented.

Arizona Sunshine is straight-up fun to play, and the game’s sound design is particularly noteworthy… Pop on a set of decent headphones and the 3D sound comes alive with braying zombies all around you, with things becoming nerve-wracking pretty quickly.

DeadCore doesn’t quite knock Portal off its podium but it offers a wild, well-paced, otherworldly ride that is well worth taking.