It’s a shame that Trulon: The Shadow Engine lacks a lot of polish, because at its core, it’s a pretty enjoyable experience.

As a shooter, [Ghost Recon: Wildlands] is tactical, refined, and precise. As a world it is open, sprawling, and filled with things to do/find. And as a co-op experience, it’s arguably one of the best yet.

Ultimately, [NieR: Automata is] a game that will stay with you long after you’ve seen the credits roll for the second, third or even fourth time; the memories of its characters and music lingering in your head, reminding you of what games can be like if they dare to be different.

What it may lack in narrative development, Styx: Shards of Darkness more than makes up for in its near-faultless gameplay that stands out as a prime example of stealth design done right.

Ultimately, Dying: Reborn is a halfway competent puzzler, but a failure as a horror game.

Don’t expect too much from the single player mode, but if you’ve got a friends who’ll enjoy puzzling with you, I highly recommend picking Shift Happens up.

As music rhythm games go, VOEZ is one of the best I’ve ever played, up there with the likes of Parappa The Rapper, Hatsune Miku Project DIVA X and Gitaroo Man.

[Fast RMX] may be little more than a port with spruced-up visuals and a smattering of new content, but it’s a bloody good one, so if you have a penchant for arcade racers you should definitely pick it up.

Put simply, Specter of Torment is absolutely brilliant. It’s a slice of classic platforming action that puts a smile on your face from beginning to end.

[Halo Wars] may not be as strong as some other legitimate classics of the genre, or even the franchise it is associated with. However, what it is, undoubtedly, is an underrated game that deserves more attention.

With a large, beautiful, varied open world, a compelling central mystery, interesting side-quests and top of the field gameplay, Horizon Zero Dawn is easily Guerilla Games’ best effort yet and by far one of the best games this generation so far.

Under the hood Warhammer Quest is a good game – at least for a while. The gameplay loop of killing, looting and upgrading is an enjoyable one; it’s just a shame it gets buried underneath a few negative issues, exacerbated by frustrating controls.

If you give Sublevel Zero Redux the time it deserves, you won’t be able to help falling in love with its approach to upgrades and consistent unrelenting challenge.

BOOR remains an enthralling, charming game that, with its beautifully rendered, challenging levels and innovative central mechanic, will have you hooked from beginning to end.

Despite its age, Ys Origin is a solid dungeon-crawling RPG adventure to rival the best of current gen games.

It may not be wholly original, but Hollow Knight is without a doubt one of the best metroidvania games out there.

With Psychonauts 2 currently scheduled for release in 2018, Psychonauts: In the Rhombus of Ruin is the perfect way for long-time fans to revisit old friends, and for series newcomers to meet the gang in preparation for it.

For its price, SQUAKE is definitely worth a go if you’re looking for something fun to play in short bursts.

Simple, violent and rough around the edges, Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is just like its protagonist, Guts, and equally just as endearing in small doses.

With a deeper sense of strategy than most games of its kind, Loot Rascals might just be the thinking man’s roguelike you’ve been waiting for. Although slow and steady, it offers a lot to love.

Despite its difficulty, Flywrench never lets up. While it’s not casting a particularly wide net, for those that fell in love with the games of its kind it is without a doubt one of the best in its class.

[Forma.8‘s] gameplay is solid, if not a little frustrating at times, but its great sound design and brilliant aesthetic really sets it apart from the crowd.

Poor sense of humour aside, Kill the Bad Guy is a decent puzzle game that is worth a stab if you are in the mood to be challenged.

In the end Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns might not be perfect, but it’s still a wonderful game in many ways. There’s tonnes of stuff to do on your farm, what feels like a million side quests, and even adorable postmen to woo if that’s something you’re interested in *wink*. It’s a shame that it does get quite repetitive, there’s no huge overarching goal, and the tutorial made me want to punch Uncle Frank in the face, but all of the good surely outweighs these minor points. The game design is gorgeous, the dialogue and story are very well written, and overall the game is just really great fun.

There’s something rather alluring about Torment: Tides of Numenera. Whilst its central story is somewhat linear, it’s truly impressive just how personal your adventure can be thanks to the wealth of side quests that surround it and the multiple ways you can deal with each of them.

Stories Untold places a hidden story within a hidden story; a puzzle that only reveals itself once you piece together its outer layers – and it’s one of the most fascinating and unique tales you can play this year.

It’s hard to tell whether it’s the mouth-made sound effects, nifty clues, or funny characters that are the cutest part of [Hidden Folks], but it’s easy to lose yourself in its strange and captivating world for a couple of hours.

Put simply, if you enjoyed Chime, then you’ll love Chime Sharp. Anybody who enjoys a block or tangram-type puzzle would be wise to give it a go.