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?

If you’re a music lover, there’s a lot to love here. FUSER looks great, its track list has something for everyone, and its gameplay is a hell of a lot of fun. I guarantee you will not be able to keep your feet still as you drop your mixes together. Even if your crowd isn’t digging it, I guarantee that you will be.

There’s a lot to love about Chicken Police. Clawville is such a unique city and I wish I could spend more time there getting to know its history and its residents. Sonny is a dark but quirky protagonist and he’s a pleasure to step into the shoes of. It’s a mature title with violence and cursing, however, so don’t let the cute animals fool you. If you’re looking for a engaging detective story with a very distinctive flavour, Chicken Police should be the top of your list.

Kosmokrats is, like the raw potatoes your protagonist devours, best enjoyed in small bites. The daft, post-apocalyptic storyline is a real draw, and successfully completing a station, serving the Glorious, Radioactive Motherland is rewarding in its own right. But Kosmokrats is only ever a few steps away from infuriating, and if you’re to get the best out of this puzzler, you’ll need a lot of patience.

I’ve loved all three Watch Dogs games, but Watch Dogs Legion may be my favourite. Perhaps it’s the familiarity of London, or perhaps it’s the unique joy of being able to take control of pretty much any character you want. There’s so much to see and do; the amount of character and life breathed into the city is unrivalled by pretty much any other open world game. Even once the credits roll, there’s so much left for you experience. It’s not perfect (what is?) but there’s nothing else quite like Watch Dogs Legion. If you love an open world game and revel in the freedom to approach missions however you want, then this is the game for you.

Despite all the changes that have been made, Yakuza: Like a Dragon feels very much like a Yakuza game. The combat may now be turn-based, and the scenery might be different, but this is still a game full of drama, thrilling battles, and a huge amount of side content, all smothered with an ample amount of humour. And I never thought I’d say this, but I didn’t miss Kazuma Kiryu one jot while playing it; Ichiban Kasuga is simply a more likeable fellow with more depth. So, if you like the Yakuza series, consider Yakuza: Like a Dragon a must-have.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a wonderful adventure, and even if you’ve fond memories of the game on Wii U, the new content makes it well worth returning to. While some issues that have shown up in previous titles are still present here, there’s nothing that ruins the fun of commanding your little army of Pikmin. Whether you’re a fan of the series or picking it up for the first time, there’s a lot to love here. With its extra content, co-op play and some truly excellent boss encounters, Pikmin 3 Deluxe might just be the best in the series.

If you’re a fan of Bakugan, there’s no doubt you’ll get a kick out of Bakugan: Champions of Vestroia. It’s a great-looking game, and seeing those huge beasties in battle for the first time is quite a thrill. But the game’s dull and repetitive combat quickly loses its excitement, and the fact you’ll be looking forward to completing a mindless side quest simply to get a reprieve surely tells you all you need to know.

DIRT 5 is one of the most joy-inducing racing games of this generation. Nothing quite compares to hurtling around a muddy track in an exotic locale, using the handbrake to get the back end out around sharp corners and trading paint with opponents as you fight for positions, all while navigating bumps and breath-taking jumps. The dirt being thrown up by tyres realistically accumulating on your vehicle until it’s a mess only adds to spectacle of it all. This is a showy game, but one that also has perfectly-honed physics, making it challenging but accessible to all. And while some of that magic is lost when you make your way into Playgrounds, the sheer creativity it offers is more than enough compensation.

If you’re a massive Cobra Kai fan, you’ll find enough good here for it to provide you with some hours of entertainment. It’s just not quite the game that it could have been. Thanks to Streets of Rage 4, the side-scrolling beat ’em up bar has been raised this year, and while Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues is a fuller, more feature-packed entry in the genre, its core gameplay isn’t quite up to scratch. Maybe it’ll get patched and fulfil its potential? Until then, it’s an experience that most will find annoyingly mediocre.

The second entry into The Dark Pictures Anthology is an improvement over the first. As much as we enjoyed Man of Medan, Little Hope ups the ante in just about every way. Its story is more engaging, it packs in some truly spine-tingling moments, its cinematography is greatly improved, and it looks and performs beautifully. It’s just a shame a duff ending – no matter what the outcome of your playthrough – leaves you feeling unfulfilled as the credits roll.

Pacer is an accomplished anti-gravity racer, no doubt. But it falls short of being great due to its ho-hum campaign mode and the restrictive nature of some of its tracks. If you’re looking for a worthy Wipeout replacement on PC you’d be wise to give it a go; and while it pales in comparison to Wipeout Omega Collection on PS4, if you’ve played that title to death this will entertain you for decent amount of time. A Wipeout beater it is not, but it’s a fair contender.

Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp feels like a huge continuation of the first game. If you enjoyed the first, then it goes without saying that you’ll get a kick out of this sequel, too. It’s wacky, fun, violent, hilarious and a whole host of other awesome things. The dialogue is as brilliant as ever and includes topical references to today’s pop culture. The characters are charming, weird, sexy and adorable – and you can’t help but love them. Finding a date to the meteor shower is a challenge, but when you do eventually watch those flying space rocks hurtling through the sky, you’ll be happy you’ve got your chosen monster by your side.

As long as you know what you’re getting yourself into with Ghostrunner, it might just prove to be your favourite game of the year. It’s certainly the most action-packed and exciting. It absorbs you in a world that’s dripping with atmosphere thanks to its stellar visuals, and its pumping soundtrack makes you uncontrollably tap your feet. The gameplay, though, is what will ultimately make you love it. It might take a few attempts, but when you finally clear a room of enemies in one continuous motion as if it was choreographed for a blockbuster movie, you can’t help but feel a great sense of accomplishment and awe. And Ghostrunner has so many of these moments that you can’t help but love it.

There seems to have been a number of brilliant Rogue-likes released in the last few months, and ScourgeBringer is among the best of them. Its retro-styled visuals may not be to everyone’s tastes, but everything moves at such a quick pace that you hardly have time to fixate on them. Besides, I think they have character. The game’s soundtrack certainly does, moving between airy, atmospheric melodies when you’re exploring, to full-on metal that will make you want to bang your head as you obliterate any enemies that stand in your way. This is a must-play for fans of the genre.

Supraland pushes boundaries to try to create something unique, and for the most part, it succeeds with gusto. It’s a game where you really feel like you’re exploring someone’s imagination; a hodgepodge of wonderful ideas that combine together well to create a delightful experience. Its combat may feel superfluous, but its excellent puzzle design and beautiful world more than makes up for it.

As a turn-based strategy game primarily aimed at kids, its hard not to view Transformers: Battlegrounds as anything other than a success. It’s streamlined, but not so much so that older Transformers fans won’t be able get a kick out of the action, especially if they crank up the difficulty. And while its presentation isn’t the best, it’s bold and colourful enough to excite its target market. Add in the fact that it’s somewhat budget priced, and you have a game that should prove a hit with younger Transformers fans, and a good introduction to the turn-based strategy genre.

Disc Room is incredibly difficult. It definitely won’t be for everyone. If you lack patience and find yourself getting frustrated in games where you die frequently, it’s probably not for you. But for those of us that enjoy being furious, who let that fury push us further and faster because we crave a challenge, Disc Room is fantastic. You’ll find yourself going back again and again, getting a little bit further each time until you reach its conclusion. And you won’t be sorry when you do.

In the grand scheme of things, Shadow Gangs is an accomplished reimagining of a seemingly forgotten series. While its gameplay is rooted in the past, the visuals have modern-day sheen – Shadow Gangs‘ HD sprites really pop out of the screen, and the environments are both varied and detailed. It’s far from perfect, but there’s plenty here to delight any classic Shinobi fan.

If you’re up for a challenge, then Double Pug Switch certainly does offer that. It’s nicely presented, too; the short animated story scenes telling the tale of Otis, Whiskers and the scientist, are a welcome touch. As are the purely cosmetic hats you can place on Otis’ little puggy head. It’s short and utterly brutish in its difficulty, but if you like equal amounts of cuteness and cruelty in your games, then look no further. Especially considering its pocket-money price.

But as annoying as those issues are, there’s no denying the actual gameplay of Torchlight III is a joy. Very few – if any – Diablo-likes have been able to grab our attention like Torchlight III has. It’s just a real shame that the weak endgame offerings means your desire to keep playing screeches to a halt fairly quickly. But if Echtra Games adds in further content at a later date, it’s something we’d be keen to rush back into.

Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 is an excellent title. A few tweaks to the holding station mechanics could help the game feel a little more challenging, but even as it is, when you get towards the end, your fingers will be moving so fast that your brain will barely be able to keep up. And that madness is what the Cook, Serve, Delicious series is all about. If you’ve enjoyed the previous games, then Cook, Serve, Delicious 3 is a must-play. With a strange but entertaining story, new mechanics, new foods and more, it’s a delicious feast of challenging, foodie fun.

Ultimately, G.I. Joe: Operation Blackout is a team-based third-person shooter with poor aiming, atrocious enemy A.I., and no online multiplayer options. That should tell you all you need to know, basically. It’s not the worst game you can buy right now, so if you’re a huge G.I. Joe fan and pick it up on a whim you might have some fun with it. Anyone with more self-control, however, should either wait for it to be deeply discounted, or simply forget it exists.

This gripe (and iffy translation) aside, Vigil is a joy to play; challenging but rarely frustrating. With its sprawling locales, creative but unsettling foes and missing daughters, it’s a gorgeously grim fairy tale. Its Soulsborne influence may be a little too apparent from time to time, but Vigil: The Longest Night is a title well worth taking up your sword for in its own right.

Ring of Pain probably isn’t something you’ll sit and play for hours at a time. It’s the sort of thing you’ll enjoy a few rounds of before turning it off, more than likely feeling defeated. But it won’t be long before you’re itching to jump back in and try again. There’s something infectious about its simplicity; it’s a roguelike dungeon crawler like no other, and despite the lack of action or actual dungeon-crawling, it’s huge amounts of fun. Even when you’re exploding left, right and centre.

I wish I could say more good things about The Jackbox Party Pack 7, but overall I was disappointed by this selection. I’ve come to expect that one or two of the games might not be great, but with three of the games here being complete duds, this is probably the poorest Party Pack yet. In its favour, The Jackbox Party Pack 7 is presented as nicely as any Jackbox game always is, and it remains as easy as ever to play with friends. But when six better games in the series exist, this one’s a hard sell. You can play Quiplash elsewhere, making Blather Round the only worthwhile title – but I’m not sure it’s worth buying the entire game for.

You’ll have to leave any run-and-gun sensibilities at the door when you jump into Crown Trick; it’s a game about thoughtful manoeuvres and carefully-planned attacks. But it results in combat that’s extremely rewarding, and a challenge that’s a lot of fun to take on. Progressing in Crown Trick may be tricky, but it’s never insurmountable – and you’ll be enjoying yourself so much that you’ll want to keep jumping back in, seeing if you can get that bit further next time.

All you need to know as a horror fan, or simply a brave gamer, is that Amnesia: Rebirth is a masterfully-crafted experience. There are no next-gen graphical features such as ray-tracing to fawn over, but its visuals are still top-notch and performance is solid. Just as important, its audio and sound design is simply outstanding. They come together to immerse you in one of the most terrifying experiences ever to be put into video game form, but one that also makes you think. And that’s perhaps the best thing a game can do, regardless of its genre.