Even if the end destination of this final chapter isn't quite as magnificent as we hoped for, we'll never regret the hundred-hour, three-game journey we took across the galaxy to get there. Mass Effect 3 is an incredible experience that rewards you for those years of investment and devotion to its stratospheric tale.

A new standard for open-world interaction, and an incredible sign-off to a spectacular, often infuriating, series. This is one of the most ingenious, lovingly crafted games of all time.

A perfectly balanced mix of innovation and classic Zelda gameplay, Skyward Sword truly lives up to the Zelda legacy of excellence and offers the most variety of any Zelda game to date. Its swordplay and puzzles are some of the best in the series, and seeing Link and Zelda's first story chronologically is a treat for longtime fans.

Truthfully, the entire game feels like a defiantly kickass celebration of music. Combined with the complete success and undeniable innovation of Pro Mode, how could anyone resist Rock Band 3?

Capcom has delivered a great remake of a classic game, one that captures everything that made it so special to begin with. Resident Evil 4 Remake is full of action and variety that's as exhilarating now as it ever was.

It’s a good conclusion for the series overall. Sure, it’s a little loose at the start, and tonally it tries hard to be so serious and grown up, but once it gets all that out of its system the Uncharted-ness comes through and we get to take Nate for one last spin, ‘Oh Craps’ and all.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate takes characters we’ve played for decades and remasters them into a robust, fantastically enjoyable package.

Whether or not it achieves the same touchstone status as Limbo, Inside is a spellbinding, haunting experience - one I don't intend to relive any time soon, but absolutely recommend.

Resident Evil Requiem is the most cinematic, bloody, surprisingly emotional moment for the franchise to-date. Its two protagonists complement one another for a balanced experience that feels more narrativized than ever before, with bombastic combat and strong set pieces amping up the nostalgia without feeling gimmicky. Requiem sees Capcom drawing from 30 years of terror to expand its lore, chart a path forward, and pay homage to a gilded survival horror legacy – one with plenty of life left in it.

What does make it great is that it actually delivers on nearly everything it promises while still being fun to just pick up and play.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is an outstanding visionary debut from Sandfall Interactive, which isn't merely a love letter to JRPGs but builds on its traditions with a distinctly French identity, making for one of the most exciting and rewarding action and turn-based hybrid battle systems ever devised, while putting you through the emotional wringer. This is an old-school feeling JRPG as dynamic as Persona but with parry-filled battles as hard-won as Sekiro.

Forza Horizon 4 isn’t as bombastic as its predecessor, but still a challenging and all-encompassing online racer. And the more introverted moments of driving through autumnal or snow-dusted Britain are beautiful, especially as a showcase for Xbox One X.

While not a huge leap forward for the franchise, God of War III refines its already-fun gameplay to near-perfection while delivering the clever puzzles, high production values and pure, rage-fueled brutality fans expect. Add a memorable cast of characters and buckets of gore, and Kratos's last adventure is also his best yet.

Buy this game. The content is plentiful (and crucially, more is en route) and the fantasy experience is pure rock and roll excess. Your personal stairway to heaven awaits.

While it never quite reaches the highs of Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3's slick, relentless action, beautiful visuals and beefed-up multiplayer ensure that it stands well enough on its own.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth delivers all the charm of Remake while making the needed improvements to side-content to ensure the original's step-out moment is one worth taking once more.

The experience is well worth its $170 asking price (for a guitar/drum/mic/game bundle, which is the only way you’ll be able to buy Rock Band for months anyway) and makes for one of the most rewarding co-op events you could ask for. This is the perfectly polished, logical extension of what Guitar Hero started and where the music genre needed to go. It just rocks.

Move over Elephant Mario, the true star of Super Mario Bros. Wonder are the Wonder Flowers themselves, which continuously add the unexpected to an altogether brilliant 2D platformer. Okay, Elephant Mario's pretty amazing too.

An invigorated spirit occupying a reassuringly recognisable body, Dark Souls’ life force flows through Bloodborne’s revitalised veins. Intelligent and intense, it's simply PS4’s best exclusive game.

Regardless of whether or not you're a hardcore fan of strategy games, WarCraft III's compelling story and excellent balance makes it a must-own.

Aside from moaning about the shortcomings the Wii's technical limitations force upon the game, the only thing to complain about with Rock Band 2 – and it’s barely even a complaint - is that it polishes rather than reinvents.

It’s last year’s top-rated game remixed with 10 new fighters and fantastic new online modes, all at a lower price. That’s an incredible deal no matter how you slice it.

Forza Horizon 5 is a stunning and beautifully crafted entry in the series that's full of memorable races, creativity, and fantastic additions.

Blue Prince feels truly unique in how it takes a simple premise and fills it with multiple threads of mystery to pull at. This exploration roguelike is like nothing else I've played, and became a puzzle obsession I just couldn't shake across multiple runs where I always felt like I was discovering something new. Even after credits, the mysteries of Mt. Holly continue to surprise me.

The story soars, but not so often. The dungeons are long and meandering. The gameplay is effective, but not engrossing. It's a staggeringly well-made game that throws more at you than any other RPG on the PS2... but well-made doesn't necessarily mean "fun."

Sloppy combat and ongoing optimisation can't quite spoil this dark fantasy adventure, set in a stunning world of blood and black magic.

Whether you're a hardcore fighting game player or a casual Street Fighter fan who hasn't touched the series for a generation or so, Street Fighter 6 has something for you and, not only that, manages to offer enough reason for both sides to dip their toes into the other side's water. It's a strong package – arguably the best overall fighting game package ever made – but it'd all be for naught if the fighting system that underpins it all wasn't up to much. It just happens to be the most flexible, versatile and expressive combat in a Street Fighter game to date. Street Fighter 6 is a perfect place to start or a brilliant continuation, an exceptional time for those who are looking to play 30 hours or 3000 hours.

For people who loved "Gladiator," fans of top-shelf strategy games and history aficionados of any stripe - all roads lead to Rome.