What you get out of this game will come down to entirely how much you’re willing to put into it. But if you buckle up and brace yourself for the occasional bump in the road, Pacific Drive’s innate style is more than enough to guarantee you one of 2024’s most exciting rides so far.

While the negative side of FIFA is still present, from the way world-class-difficulty AI opponents never miss a shot, to how pace is still a potentially game-breaking attribute, it’s fair to say the good easily outweighs the bad. As EA’s time on this series comes to a close, FIFA 23 is a reminder of why this series is so huge, in more good ways than bad.

If you’re exclusively a Nintendo Switch gamer, then this port is an ideal place to begin your journey in the series. That being said, if you’re a returning fan who has been desperate to play this series on the go, Yakuza Kiwami is a dream come true - especially if you thought this day would never come. Now if you excuse me, I’m off to sing some karaoke with Kiryu and his friends.

In short, you don't want to sleep on Deliver Us The Moon if you enjoy sci-fi puzzlers. The five-to-seven-hour playtime feels about right, and there's a healthy amount of replayability too, especially thanks to a few trophies that require you to complete sections in certain ways...The blend of intricate puzzles and survival in space creates thrilling tension, and the way the soundtrack suits each moment of triumph and discovery makes you feel like you're really out there among the stars on an epic quest.

My time with Read Only Memories: Neurodiver will remain a memorable one. Although I had some issues with the puzzles and the story not being extensive enough, the game’s characters, setting, premise and soundtrack were enough to make up for it.

If you’re looking to be whisked away on a charming platforming adventure, I can say with certainty that The Smurfs: Dreams has you covered. It’s easy to tell when a game is good, because upon putting it down for a break, you’re left immediately thinking about picking it back up again. While this experience is maybe a tad brief, it’s clear that Ocellus Games has a bright future in the platforming space should the studio continue down this route. The Smurfs: Dreams is inventive, joyous, and a welcomed surprise of a game that I’m oh so very happy to have stumbled across.

In having a minimalist approach to its storytelling and game mechanics, Herdling is able to bring closer attention to its overarching message about hardship and found families within nomadic, unhoused groups. It does an excellent job at balancing these themes in a digestible way, leaving you room to sit back and really take in what it’s trying to say. That it also manages to be an interesting survival game is just the cherry on top.

We all get so bogged down by problems both big and small in our loud confusing world but Tchia reminded me that that doesn’t have to be the case. When Tchia would get out her ukulele to play along with friends, family or during village ceremonies prompting me to play along as a form of mini-game, the game would remind me that it didn’t matter if I missed a note - or even partook at all. The joy lies in listening or having a go - not in seeking perfection. What Tchia discovers on her journey wouldn’t be possible without the kindness of strangers and friends. Tchia is also a girl with a powerful gift but this is a game that shows you what happens when you use such a gift for good - and what can befall you if you only seek power. Since I finished playing, I’ve noticed that I'm focusing more on the joy and beauty in my own life. What greater gift could you ask for from a game? Thanks Tchia.

Crimson Desert is by no means a perfect game. It’s an amalgamation of perhaps slightly too many ideas, and that makes for a weirdly paced experience that demands a lot of the player without offering much in the way of help. And yet, it left me in awe more times than anything else I’ve played in recent memory with its dazzling open-world. Crimson Desert may not be the best game you'll ever play, but it’ll certainly be up there as perhaps the most memorable.

Cronos: The New Dawn is no walk in the park, and it will not hold your hand, and that’s exactly how survival horror games should be. This is the best original IP from Bloober Team to date, and if this is a sign of things to come, aside from the upcoming Silent Hill remake, I can’t wait to see what new terrifying delights the studio has in store for us next. Despite some occasional stuttering framerates, this is Bloober Team’s best original work yet, and Cronos: The New Dawn may go down as the best horror game this year.

Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is a fantastic puzzle game. It's endlessly replayable with plenty of levels and minigames. The multiplayer options are perfect party games, and the unlockable characters and cosmetics add depth to an already engrossing experience. While there are some frustrating moments and a lack of accessibility, I can safely say Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania is one you won't want to miss.

South of Midnight is, for me, an unmissable experience despite playing it safe in a couple of key areas. This is an exceptional adventure that I simply couldn’t put down and I truly hope it’s not the last journey I’ll venture on with Hazel. While the combat and traversal is both entertaining and proficient, it does lack development as the game progresses creating somewhat of a repetitive feeling. But I couldn’t help but find myself partially overlooking that as South of Midnight offers such a remarkable story and what could be the year’s best soundtrack. Just like Hazel, South of Midnight occasionally stumbles, but it’s most definitely still a journey worth venturing on.

And damn near every race did that; the close calls with difficult AI, the times I skimmed through each trap by the skin of my teeth, that extra-long drift into a straight where I thumped the boost. Every race made me feel excited or like I’d achieved a glimmer of brilliance. Because every race created ‘moments’.

KARMA: The Dark World is one hell of an enjoyable experience thanks to its stunning graphics, meaningful visuals, and gripping narrative. You will never know what’s coming next or where the story will take you but you are guaranteed to be in for a wild ride with a few jumps along the way.

Ultimately though I think Yooka-Re-Playlee more than proves itself to be the definitive version of the game, and I hope it can find enough success for a sequel. It captures and reinterprets the vibes of old-school platformers well and really is the closest we’ve gotten to a Banjo-Kazooie successor, at least in my opinion...While it’s not perfect it’s definitely worth your time, whether you played the original version or not.

In a year that has already provided its fair share of surprises, The Pathless might just be the best one yet. I knew this was a game I'd enjoy after seeing its debut trailer, but the way it manages to twist the well-worn open-world formula into something new and genuinely intimate is one of the most unexpected delights of 2020. I truly believe this is one game everybody needs to check out at their earliest convenience.

As a narrative-heavy game that settles you in the director’s seat to drive these characters towards their respective resolutions, it feels like INTERIOR/NIGHT forgot to finish the story. I mean it genuinely, this game just stops. I sat in the main menu for about 20 minutes trying to work out if I had fenced myself into an abrupt ending or if there was a giant “continue” button in my blind spot. I went back to what I thought were pivotal decisions and chose the opposite to see if that would change the paths, and it didn’t.

Sniper Elite 5 introduces some decent additions to the tried-and-tested formula and impressively improves on the X-ray killcams that the series is famous for. In spite of that, Sniper Elite needs an overhaul into next-gen to really keep the franchise alive in the future.

Although the constant need to be connected to the internet feels at odds with the Switch 2’s nature, when you manage to stay connected to Hitman: World of Assassination, it can be just as enjoyable here as it was before. With it now in its fifth year of regular content roadmaps and monthly updates, it’s got me excited for IO Interactive’s upcoming 007: First Light, which will be a perfect fit for the studio.

In a different world I feel like Season could have been an incredible mystery adventure in the style of Return Of The Obra-Dinn, completely letting go of your hand and leaving you to slowly piece together why the world is the way it is. As it stands, it’s kind of like that, but is far more concerned with making sure you feel guided and, more importantly, relaxed at all times. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Season has a vibe, and that vibe is all about brewing up a chamomile, settling down under a blanket, and enjoying the ride.

As a diverse story featuring wonder and beauty, I cannot recommend this game enough, but the nuts and bolts need tightening for it to truly soar.

Bravely Default II is a gem. It serves up amazing visuals with a combat system that both veterans and newcomers will love. It marries excellent characters with a rich in-game world, and delivers it with a majestic OST. It's not perfect but it's an excellent RPG that every Switch owner should try.

The Berlin Apartment does, as I said, undoubtedly offer an engaging narrative, even if you will have to endure several half-baked gameplay elements. It’s a beautifully considered look into the human experience, offering players a concept that is creative and engaging, even if it might not quite unlock its full potential. At the end of the day, the world needs more empathy and The Berlin Apartment, I feel, succeeds in promoting that, and that fact alone should be reason enough to give it a go.

On the whole, Spirittea is a sweet game with just enough charm and whimsy to make up for its flaws. While I certainly don’t see myself sinking anywhere close to as many hours as I’ve put into games like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing, I’m enjoying the chance to take a deep breath and settle into a slower way of life, if only for a few hours a night.

Mario Tennis Fever kicks off Mario’s 40th anniversary year in triumphant style. It’s a sports entry that delivers enough variety to be of appeal to all fans of the famed plumber, no matter their genre of preference. With its surprisingly charming Adventure Mode and more match variations than you could possibly imagine, Mario Tennis Fever is a bountifully delightful release that conjures up the pure, whimsical escapism that only Nintendo so wonderfully nails.

These minor niggles aside, Carrion is a title that I think is well worth checking out for the design of its monster alone, and the carnage you can cause together. It's been a rough year, and we all need to blow off some steam somehow. I just never quite expected that taking control of an otherworldly nightmare unit would be the cathartic experience i needed, but life comes at you fast. Much in the way that giant red tendrils can.

EA Sports FC 25 is Electronic Arts’ best football game to date. The game has clearly progressed, and it’s now got to the stage where there is little room for improvement which could become an issue. That may seem like an odd criticism, but if EA wants to make additional improvements in next year's inevitable release, it’s going to have to pull something really special out of the hat. Something that even Lionel Messi would be proud of, but that’s a potential concern for another day. For now, the football action on the pitch doesn't get much better than EA Sports FC 25.

Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is a worthwhile play if you are a fan of Disney, particularly the Disney Parks, as there are plenty of visual nods that are a joy to see. After all, which of us wouldn’t want to platform up Space Mountain, or restore a dilapidated It’s a Small World? But for the casual platforming fan, you won’t find much here that you’ve likely not experienced before. Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is an improvement upon its predecessor, adding depth and nicely updating the controls, and with that, returning fans will find what is, overall, a satisfying experience. The problem is, Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed is also stuck in the past with its lack of innovation and in today’s market, it’s hard to overlook that.