Split Fiction has a wow factor that’s surprisingly hard to come by, despite how advanced consoles now are. Hazelight didn’t just set out to make a great game; it’s a great game that dares to push the boundaries of what this generation can be. It’s a triumphant tour de force that aims to be so much, from a commentary on the state of the creative arts to a love letter to gaming, and manages to succeed in every area. I’d even go as far as saying it’s now firmly one of my all-time favourite games, and there’s little praise higher than that.

All of these changes make Persona 5 Royal the definitive version of this title, for newcomers and veterans alike. There are more characters, more things to do and more time in-game to do it all. P-Studio have managed to take a near-perfect game in Persona 5 and elevate it to another level. It gets in your head like never before thanks to its refined blend of dungeon-crawling RPG action and satisfying high school simulator mechanics. In a year where Final Fantasy VII Remake is set to take the world by storm, the Persona series has done what it always does and produced something even better.

Dispatch is an all-time great, and I hope we’ll see it contend for GOTY. After an incredibly successful season, Adhoc’s developers totally deserve to put their feet up and luxuriate within all of this success … not for too long though. I’d quite like a second season please.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is exactly what we needed after Inquisition. From the moment I stepped onto Minrathous’ streets, it felt like coming home. After such an agonising wait, the franchise I adore is back as strong as ever. It respects what’s gone before while also welcoming change and innovation.

It's genre-defining - a benchmark for so many parts of the roguelike genre. The amount of time Hades spent in early access, tinkering with the game until it was released indicates to me that this is almost the best the concept could ever get.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door accomplishes what it sets out to do: remake and revamp a beloved Nintendo classic for a new audience on the Nintendo Switch. If you were a fan of last year’s Super Mario RPG, this is undoubtedly the next step in your Mario role-playing journey, and it’s accessible to a wide variety of gamers. It’s a must-play adventure from start to finish, and one I couldn’t have been happier to embark on again.

Dead Cells was already a phenomenal video game that I wouldn't have hesitated to recommend to anyone. With The Queen & Sea joining the previous two paid expansions, it has become one a truly essential package. Maddeningly mysterious, uncompromisingly challenging, and mind bogglingly generous in its content, Dead Cells is a stupidly good game that refuses to stop improving. Veterans: you're in for a treat. Newcomers: prepare yourselves for something truly special.

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is impossible to put down. It manages to imbue the intensity of Gotham with just the right level of whimsy and humour. The game’s perfectly crafted open-world and varied mission design don’t simply just make it a blast to play; it also makes the game very good value for money, and that goes a long way these days. LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight deserves to stand proud as one of the best games of 2026 and within LEGO and Batman’s history.

As a horror game in its own right, Resident Evil Requiem is a very solid nine out of 10, but as a passionate fan of the series, it earns an additional bonus point thanks to the attention to detail and craft that’s gone into every pore of this game.

I can thoroughly recommend Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to, well, anyone. This is the sort of game that everyone can play and enjoy, and although it's a shooter through and through, it's not violently graphic and the storyline is lighthearted and easy to get along with. The world, characters, and gameplay are all gorgeous. It's maybe the most impressive game I have ever played. I look forward to the future of Ratchet and Clank and Rivet, and Insomniac's plans for the trio.

As David Lynch expanded Twin Peaks it became something bigger than itself; something wholly meta, to the point where it transcended TV and film. Lorelai borrows so much from Twin Peaks and manages to elevate it further than Lynch could possibly imagine by making the teasing mystery an interactive experience and using that interactivity to push and pull the player into a world of confusion that ultimately becomes one of supreme satisfaction.

It’s an endlessly captivating labyrinth of twists and turns, with a world that will crawl inside your head and refuse to leave until you’ve finally wrestled its final secrets into submission. And believe me: it’ll take you a while to do that.

It’s hard not to bring nostalgia into it. I can ignore those quibbles I have because of the countless times this game made me feel something, whether that be anger, joy, sadness, or empathy. As I rolled the credits I realised this was exactly the game I’ve wanted to play since I was 17 years old. It’s playing one of my favourite games all over again, experiencing everything fresh - and loving it just as much as I did over two decades ago.

Astro Bot is true perfection. I entered the game hoping it would recreate the same sense of magic that Astro’s Playroom brought to life so wonderfully, but what I instead discovered was a true elevation in every sense. With this release, Astro has firmly cemented his status as an icon of the platforming genre. This is beyond being an entertaining platformer. It’s one of the most carefully considered and impressive games I have ever played. If you’ve grown up with PlayStation always having been a constant in your life, the journey you’re about to embark on will assuredly be the most heartwarming trip down memory lane. Astro Bot is a monumental triumph that I’m not going to stop thinking about for a very, very long time.

Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 are effectively the perfect package: two of the greatest video games of all time, just as you remember them, with only a few minor touchups here and there. This is, for my money, the best way to play two of the greatest video games ever made.

Overall, I was blown away by Super Mario Bros. Wonder, so much so that I actually struggled to pull myself away from it to write this review. Nintendo has somehow managed to keep the essence of 2D Mario intact, whilst reinvigorating it with plain, stupid fun that’s enjoyable to any and all players, regardless of skill level or whether they’ve played a Mario game before...Instead of blindly sprinting your way through bland, uninspired level designs like in the New Super Mario Bros. games, Super Mario Bros. Wonder gives you cause to stop and appreciate the weird and wonderful world of gaming’s most iconic character and have endless amounts of fun in the process.

Metroid Prime Remastered is the Nintendo Switch game I’ve been waiting for since the console launched back in 2017, and the surprise release has somehow only managed to exceed every expectation I had for it. This is the perfect version of one of the few truly perfect video games. I only hope that everyone who wrote it off as a clunky fps or Nintendo’s answer to Halo way back when will give it another chance, and discover just how good it really is.

This is a story of love, learning to love yourself, and owning your identity. It's a welcome message in a world that so often feels filled with hate and obstructions to people who just want to be themselves. It’s not an overly pushed political or social point, but you can’t help but smile as you see underdogs get their chance to overcome and thrive. Weirdos make the best people, after all.

As a full package, there’s nothing else you could possibly want from The Last of Us Part II Remastered. We all thought Part II was Naughty Dog’s magnum opus but Part II Remastered shows that there’s plenty more gas in the tank. If this is insight into what’s to come from the studio, I cannot wait to see what Naughty Dog is cooking up next.

In truth, I'll never be able to explain the sheer level of brilliance within Nier Replicant, partly because of spoilers. What we have here is a story that will last the ages, contained within a game full of remarkable characters, beautiful-yet-haunting environments, satisfying gameplay and music that will be forever recorded in your heart. Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139... is perfect.

Hades 2 is the perfect addition to the roguelike RPG genre and it offers something for everyone: challenging combat for more seasoned gamers, unique and diverse characters and designs, excellent acting, stunning world and level design and it feels as though it was made with heart and soul, especially for the Greek mythology nerds such as myself.

LEGO Voyagers is undoubtedly one of the standout games of 2025. It’s quite unlike anything else I’ve played, combining clever co-op puzzling with a beautiful narrative - all contained within a perfectly presented package. It’s a joy to play and a true feast for the eyes.

Starfield is without a doubt a monumental release - and not just because it's Bethesda’s first new IP in 25 years. Every now and then, a new game comes along that changes our perception of what the industry is capable of. Starfield is that game. This is beyond what we’ve come to know an open-world to be. Bethesda has created a universe that, despite its vast scale, maintains interest and an impressive attention to detail throughout. The journey you embark on will dazzle you, and I have no doubt that players will be gripped for months, perhaps even years to come. Here is a playground where you can be whoever you want to be. I simply cannot stop thinking about Starfield and the wondrous secrets it still holds. Bethesda, I have one word: bravo.

Tears Of The Kingdom effortlessly dances between the epic and the ridiculous - and every single moment in this vast, gorgeous playground will be completely unique to each player. I don’t know how, but Nintendo managed to follow a straight-up masterpiece with something bigger, better, and smarter. I genuinely feel bad for every other video game that has to be released in 2023.

There’s no one reason why Pokémon Pokopia is so special; this game is a sum of its parts, without a single weak link in the chain. It’s a title that offers a unique spin on the cosy formula, made all the more magical by the familiarity of this wonderful franchise. Pokémon Pokopia is a true adventure that boasts a refreshing sense of freedom. Totally devoid of grind, this experience rewards the curious with heaps of content on offer. You’ll be hard pressed to put it down, and it's certainly a title that we’ll all be discussing when this year’s GOTY discussion rolls around.

Dear Me, I Was is certainly not a ‘game’ that’ll appeal to everyone, especially if you’re unwilling to challenge your notions of what a game can be. For those willing to succumb to what Dear Me, I Was has to offer though, it’s an unforgettable experience and one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever had the privilege of playing. Director Maho Taguchi has crafted a masterpiece, evoking similar feelings to those I had when I first watched Isao Takahata's 1991 triumph Only Yesterday. I cried; I smiled. This game won’t be leaving me anytime soon.

Cairn has now become one of my favourite games of all time. I absolutely love the game’s reactive climbing mechanics, the tough-but-fair difficulty, and its entire presentation is simply gorgeous. Even though there aren’t really any changes between playthroughs, this is a game I’ll be regularly coming back to, if only to continue experiencing the thrill of the climb over and over again.

Simply put, Forza Horizon 6 is the racing game fans have waited years for. Out of all the gorgeous places this series has taken us, Japan was always a frequent request across social media, and now that wish has come true. On top of that, the gameplay is divine, and the content that the game has now, and perhaps what’s to come, might just keep us entertained until the arrival of the next entry and beyond, wherever that may take us. We may only be in April, but I’d be surprised if anything pips Forza Horizon 6 as the best racing game of 2026.