Tropical Freeze caters to players who derive fun from overcoming adversity, which the game offers in near endless supply. If you can fall down a pit 16 times and still eagerly drift down on your 17th balloon, this is the Donkey Kong you're looking for.

One of PlayStation’s finest moments, Kratos has been reimagined for a new audience while keeping the best bits of what originally made him great.

A polished and refined instalment that values your time more than the previous games and keeps the focus on entertaining you throughout.

Sea of Thieves is bursting with potential for storytelling in a watery paradise, but doesn’t have enough to keep players coming back.

A Way Out elevates co-op gaming in a way nothing has before, bringing players together to create one beautifully told story that everyone needs to experience.

Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is the RPG adventure that's like shooting sunshine right into your veins. So clear your calendar, because Level-5 is about fill it with monsters, magic, and city management.

A touching finale for Kazuma Kiryu, Yakuza 6 manages to surprise and delight in equal measure.

Despite its promising new mechanics that make conversation a game of strategy, the interaction between its characters lets The Council episode one down.

A decent survival game with a rewarding, if uninspired, grind to its resource collecting and base management.

All Fe’s colour, charm and cute make it utterly recommendable despite its flaws.

Combat could be better, but Dragon Quest Builders combines RPG structure and freeform creativity to great effect. It's Minecraft for people who hate Minecraft.

Both a great remaster and an enjoyable ‘new’ game in its own right that takes you on a journey in a way few things can.

A triumph for the series and one of this generation's greatest games yet. Monster Hunter World takes the beating heart of a vital, niche franchise and elevates it toward universal appeal.

A game of two halves: one gripping, strategic and beautifully balanced, the other dull and grinding. Unfortunately, you have to be able to to deal with both.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is not only true to its source material, but ranks among the best as a 2D fighting game. How long you stick with it might be entirely dependent on how much you love the series, though.

The Inpatient excels at immersing the player, and it looks gorgeous. Unfortunately it puts too many barriers between the player and ultimate success.

Enigmatic, visually stunning, but so far a bit lacking in substance.

Beast-hunting will test your reflexes while cooking them up will tease your brain, and Battle Chef Brigade's upbeat attitude and stylish looks will have you smiling the whole way through.

If you skipped Sun and Moon last year, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are must-buys. Sci-fi storytelling, plenty of new content and adorable critters all included, but feels too soon a release to make the most of the innovation.

If you skipped Sun and Moon last year, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are must-buys. Sci-fi storytelling, plenty of new content and adorable critters all included, but feels too soon a release to make the most of the innovation.

Motion controls add a breath of fresh air to a familiar game, with astounding results. A must-have for anyone with a Switch and a love of open world games.

A few technical hiccups and minor quibbles aside, Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2 tops off a great year for comic book properties with a fun, varied adventure.

A very strong multiplayer offering tarnished by overly complicated character progression, and a lavish, beautiful story campaign lacking in substance or subtlety.

While still liable to take over your every waking hour, Football Manager 2018 takes the delicate balance of previous years and weighs it down with too many superfluous, or downright irritating, changes.

Sonic Forces is a spectacular but empty sugar rush that’s over in a blur. Once again, Sonic’s return to form falls flat.

Need for Speed Payback successfully returns to its Fast and Furious roots with aplomb, but a focus on the grind and a beautiful but empty world means it ultimately falls short of greatness.

Made for those who have devoured the whole of Horizon: Zero Dawn, this DLC isn’t just about upping your game. It’s a rich expansion of Aloy’s world, with flashes of comedic brilliance and narrative depth.

COD has a few issues in single player this year but the overall package delivers another good shooter with plenty to do and some neat new online ideas.