As brilliant as it is infuriating, The Witness' ingenious puzzles all too easily have their shine worn away by length and a constantly extending complexity.

Battlefield's tried and tested multiplayer feels wonderfully at home in the WW1 setting, and the solo campaign tells interesting - if historically lightweight - stories.

A beautifully crafted and entertaining reimagining of a classic that brings renewed life to its story and characters.

It may not break the Pokemon mold, but Black/White offers enough new content coupled with the series' classic, deep battle mechanics to make it endlessly playable. If you could only play one game for the rest of your life, this would be a wise choice.

Though certainly not a huge shift for the series, Dragon Quest IX has a near-perfect mix of classic JRPG style and grand (for the DS) visuals to make a great portable adventure.

Though they don't reinvent the core concept of the franchise, they do a fantastic job of cleaning up the aging mechanics and creating a Pokémon world you'd be crazy not to explore.

When all these ingredients – story, gameplay, and character customization – are thrown together and stirred, the result is an irresistibly scrumptious strategy RPG that would be an absolute shame to pass up.

It's a joy and a relief to realise that Sabotage hasn't merely mimicked classic '90s JRPG, but committed to understanding what makes them tick. Its nostalgia is neither gratuitous nor cynical, instead working disparate references together with original ideas into a coherent whole. While it's a little disappointing to discover that there's isn't great depth to the turn-based battles and other systems, the immense quality and detail in the pixel art, soundtrack, location design, characters and plot ensure that Sea of Stars remains a stunning achievement to the end.

Critter Crunch is deceptively cute and cushy, but underneath the hood it's one of the most solid puzzle experiences you'll find on the PS3.

Let's hope the conductor doesn't come through because Monster Train 2 is a truly first class ride through deckbuilder roguelike heaven. I'm already going off the rails with all the possibilities these smart evolutions to the rules and cards on offer bring, each run teasing me to chase new ways to to master the rails. I'm well and truly on board.

A comfort blanket of a game that appeals if you’ve played none or all of the series’ entries. Sun and Moon’s mix of classic callbacks and cheerful changes are super-effective.

With most RTS games shifting towards fast action at the expense of real strategy, it would be an unforgivable sin for a strategy fan to pass by this game on the shelf and not pick it up.

The spiritual follow-up [to "Radiant Silvergun", Ikaruga, is arguably just as good, if not better than its predecessor. And now, we get another chance to experience it, this time in glorious high-definition.

Visually and aurally it's a decadent feast for the senses, but its frequent descents into ham-fisted schlock and downright broken storytelling ultimately make it a clumsy case of style over substance. It's a likeable mess if you don't think too hard, but nevertheless, a mess it remains.

Sets a new gold standard for both PSP strategy RPGs and remakes in general. With the PSP's peak far in the past and its twilight years nearly at an end, it's nice to see that the console still has at least one very potent trick up its sleeve.

It all combines to create the most approachable Pikmin entry ever. It's not removing the challenge entirely though, as there are plenty of moments that force you to make quick decisions or make small Pikmin sacrifices in the name of the greater good – or greater Dandori. The later stages of Pikmin 4 are formidable if you're looking for 100% completion, and with my current play time now sitting at almost 50 hours, there's plenty here to see and do and so much fun to be had along the way.

For longtime fans, that commentary track alone is worth replaying Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge. For everyone else – even those of us who aren't entirely enthusiastic about the methodical pace and heavy exploration of the genre – the wonderful art, stellar cast of characters, challenging puzzles and killer comedy warrant at least an attempt at adventuring.

In ditching turn-based combat for combo-heavy melees, Final Fantasy 16 recaptures the spirit of reinvention that the series lends itself to. This new approach to action coalesces with a world you'll want to explore, and an endearing story which is powerfully executed by its voice cast. Overall, Final Fantasy 16 is an experience that stands alongside the series' greats.

Half-Life 2: Episode One demonstrates how games ought to be made, forged by dedication, imagination and risk-taking. It's an outstanding, stirring experience.

Everything that made GT Sport so good, plus everything that made early Gran Turismo games so good. A simply stunning driving game and a superb showcase for PS5.

The racing action is peerless, with Codemasters' racers still clearly in a class of their own. But the style has perhaps swung too far from the Americanised festival atmosphere and it's much more sober as a result. Still absolutely worth your money, mind.

A lean fusion of sci-fi action and eldritch horror that alternates between introspective narrative and madcap combat, Saros is Housemarque's largely successful attempt to broaden the appeal of previous roguelike Returnal without sacrificing anything along the way. The final result is pure atmosphere, and sticks with you in all the right ways.

Add stunning (for PSP) visuals and a compelling story, and Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror stands out as one of the best shooters on Sony's handheld.

With a unique gameplay premise that is explored to its logical ends, both in terms of the problems you’ll be solving and the narrative wrapped around them, and a stunningly atmospheric backdrop, The Swapper proves to be a satisfying and thought-provoking adventure that all puzzle fans will enjoy.

HeartGold and SoulSilver are undeniable rehashes, but Nintendo’s signature polish and the Pokewalker make it easy to overlook the recycling. It’s hard to argue with a gameplay formula that still manages to be fun 15 years after the fact, but as usual, there’s little here to draw new players into the franchise.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening manages to feel new, but still maintain the essence of the amazing original. This is peak old-school Zelda, and it's never looked better.

An ambitious and successful end to Rocksteady’s trilogy, with a standard-setting open world you must experience. A superior main story and less Batmobile combat would’ve made a huge difference.

Immortality is one beautiful headf**k. Once again Barlow has surpassed himself, with this game surpassing anything else that's come before it in the genre.