For fans of anime fighting games, Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles is a compelling experience. Even if you're a newcomer to the series, this is a game that is fun to play, with a bold narrative that grips you early on. It may feel light at times, but it's a fine example of what CyberConnect2 does best.

I am, on the whole, delighted to report that Metroid Dread is every bit as good as the fans had hoped it would be, delivering a stunning conclusion that lays the groundwork for a very exciting future. It's a masterfully executed, explosive action game that delivers on every level, and looks and feels exactly how a Metroid game should in 2021. There are eye-popping vistas, moments of sheer terror, and some of the most memorable - and challenging - boss battles in the series' 35-year history.

I really wanted Far Cry 6 to be more than the previous games. A shake up of the formula that accounted for the violence of its setting. You're leading a revolution, starting a vicious civil war between entrenched factions, this is something open world games can reflect so well as areas of its land change based on your actions. But, disappointingly, it not only does little with its premise but is a poor version of things Far Cry has done well in the past.

And, because this is a video game, I'd best end on something that outlines why you should play JETT. How's this: if hands-holding AAA-proportioned adventure is your thing, leave this alone. If you always need a clear sense of direction, and you require resolution to every little thing by the time the credits roll, leave this alone. If you don't like distinctly stylised visuals and open worlds that would rather you were wiped out than set free to explore for treasures, leave this alone. If you like your games to be almost violently opposed to you having a good time, to offer you incredible wonders but then command them to kill you, play this. If you like your games to stir sensations wildly disconnected from power fantasies or comfy escapes, play this. If you like your games to simply be different to what you're used to, to deviate from expectations in real time, and to leave you in awe of their ideas and aspirations, just staring at the screen after it's all wrapped, play this.

Super Arcade Football is the video game equivalent of a catchy pop song. It may feel simple but the more you play it, the more you'll find within. It's simple in the best possible way, and while there's one issue with the story mode that is hard to look beyond, it's a very good game overall.

All-in-all, Hot Wheels Unleashed is an incredibly fun racer which will get its hooks in you and have you behind the die-cast wheel for hours on end. It includes a comprehensive track builder which you can use to let your imagination run wild and an extensive car collection which will keep your eyes firmly on the plastic orange track. It's the ultimate virtual Hot Wheels experience, whether you want to create your most fantastical Hot Wheels tracks, or just race long into the night playing split screen or multiplayer with a friend. There really is something for everyone here, and Hot Wheels Unleashed is a welcome addition to Mattel's long-running Hot Wheels video game franchise.

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.

We Create Stuff aimed to replicate old school horror in this game, and in that regard, it's a success. The puzzles click together with satisfaction and nothing feels like it's been left behind in the journey from one tape to the next. However, In Sound Mind does draw from other games and so becomes a pastiche, albeit an exciting one with a cracking soundtrack. Plus, a few frame rate dips and crashes took me out of the environments that had been created with such artistic care. What will stick with me is the utter treat it is to scurry round a horror game that isn't afraid of using the entire colour wheel, subverting conventions of what scary can be, and for that I give In Sound Mind a lot of credit.

Overall, FIFA 22 is more or less what you'd expect from the latest title in such a series. In some areas it impresses, while in others it falls short. The visuals look better than ever and the accessibility options are relatively varied, but the imagery doesn't always hold up and the removal of the single-player mode 'The Journey' seems like a misstep from the developers. While it may not feel as innovative as previous instalments, FIFA 22 is still a worthy sports game that scratches your football itch.

Perhaps it's the writing, or those aforementioned best moments, or more likely some potent combination of factors, but Sable is special. I can feel it, still, hours after putting the pad down; the sensation of riding a geyser to a mountain peak, the crack of the crystal pillar under my avatar's feet. That golden sunrise breathing warmth back into this world. At the risk of repeating myself, it absolutely deserves to be played - just maybe not right now, and not quite like this.

While I still have much more to go before a final verdict, it's already clear that Lost Judgment is a deserved nominee for Game of the Year. Its unbelievable visual quality, superb characters and daring subject matter all come together in one exquisite, moving, unique experience. If you only play one open-world game on Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 this year, this is the one for you. [Provisional Score = 90]

Eastward feels comfortably familiar and strikingly fresh all at once, remixing the best elements of classic RPGs to produce something bold, brilliant, and altogether new.

Overall, TOEM is a remarkable take on the photography game genre, if it is a genre at all. You take pictures both to progress in the game and for your own pleasure, with each shot further strengthening your link to the in-game world and its delightful characters. While it's predominantly a happy-go-lucky experience, there are some poignant moments, and it's a game that could stay in your heart long after you beat it.

Glitches like these will be ironed out with a patch, luckily, and Deathloop is definitely for the gamers who rootle around for the secrets in games. Here, though, every scrap of paper and scoop weakens the chains that keep Blackreef suspended in time. As your experience grows of the ins and outs of the island, you'll maximise the hours you have and become a force unto yourself, shuffling Eternalists off their mortal coil in creative ways. All of this feels fantastic, so hats off to Arkane for setting themselves and the players an exciting, rewarding, and ambitious challenge that they won't forget.

In a year of genuinely terrific indie games, including Lake, Death's Door, Chicory and more we're not allowed to talk about just yet (but please, do watch these pages), The Artful Escape has made me smile like nothing else. I can still feel the beaming grin on my face as I type these words. It's the one game in 2021 that I really couldn't put down as the clock ticked past midnight and I knew I had to get my head down, the one game where I knew what was coming next would be unmissable. It's the one game where I felt like I was playing something else, even as it adhered to certain gameplay conventions - and that feeling comes from its spirit, its personality, the drive of the artist behind it. An artist who quite evidently didn't do what they did here to fulfil expectations, but to shatter them into a million crystals - each facet reflecting a vision quite unlike anything you'll see, hear or play in this year, or any other.

Lost in Random is an adventure I couldn't wait to continue as soon as I stopped playing. The wondrous deck building mechanics that gave rise to explosive effects, the visually impressive world, the whimsical soundtrack and the story of a young heroine rescuing her sister from an evil queen. There were a few frame rate drops and glitches, mind, but nothing that a day one patch won't smooth over. If you're after a game that is challenging yet thought-provoking, introducing you to sumptuous storybook realms that you won't want to leave, then this is one I wholeheartedly recommend.

Life is Strange: True Colors is exactly what Deck Nine meant it to be. It's difficult, even when you know exactly how someone feels to say the right thing, encourage the right path, and keep hold of your own emotions too. It's tender but funny. It's cheesy yet sincere. And those of you that loved the original Life is Strange will likely love this, too.

WarioWare is the latest in a long line of classic Nintendo franchises that has well and truly found its groove again on Switch. Get It Together! is gloriously silly, consistently puerile, and heaps of fun. I wouldn't have it any other way.

You won't want to leave Lake when the credits roll, such is the splendour of its setting and the welcome warmth of so many people who call this place home (assuming you weren't a dick to everyone). But you'll wish its flashes of understated majesty and its softly spoken introspective exchanges weren't compromised by performance that's woefully inconsistent. But if Gamious manages to patch this into a steadier experience, you can add a point, or even two, to the score below. Because there's something special here, beneath the creaks and the cracks.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is a good game by the low standards of 3D Sonic titles. The levels are pretty and offer optional routes. The gameplay is functional but not without flaws, yet somehow still enjoyable. Despite issues, I've enjoyed my time with the game, but I doubt I'll be playing it again soon.

Ghost Of Tsushima Director's Cut on PlayStation 5 is undoubtedly the definitive way to experience Sucker Punch's open-world samurai adventure. Improved loading times, enhanced resolutions, smoother frame rates, and a slew of brand-new content make the 2020 game shine in new ways. More than that though, it's given me the chance to reassess a video game that I just previously couldn't see the adoration for.

Minor irritations aside, I can't fault Twelve Minutes for its ambition. Luis Antonio has set out to tell the kind of story that can only truly be told in a video game, offering up a tense and often deeply unsettling interactive thriller that succeeds in breathing new life into the point-and-click adventure genre. I can say with certainty that the story and its potential outcomes won't be for everyone, but you'll be left chewing over what happened hours after the credits roll.

No More Heroes III is knowingly crass, extremely violent, and doesn't look close to a modern-era AAA action-adventure, which will put some (boring) people off. But beside that core of hacking and slashing is a warm heart, a kind soul, and the fun-loving spirit of a creator who clearly adores playing video games as much as he does making them. It's a game out of time, a game apart, and a game that anyone who finds repeat instalments of established series a bore and the incessant raft of remakes a chore absolutely has to play.

The bumps in my playthrough (for a final time, so far) have been minimal, and breaking to write these words to meet an embargo is keeping me from more quality Raz time. Psychonauts 2 is an intoxicating rollercoaster ride of invention and passion allowed the space and time to blossom that so few big-studio productions receive without substantial boardroom meddling, so credit where it's due to Xbox Game Studios for letting Double Fine loose with the creative juice. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've some more brains to bump around inside of, and some more retina-spinning sights to drink in.

Ultimately, Button City is an excellent game. There are plenty of lovable characters to interact with. The minigames are delightful, especially Gobabots. The main story will fill you with a range of emotions, and I've no doubt you'll want to play through it multiple times. Lastly, it's a game about games, and that's something to be cherished.

The game was made by a modest team over the course of four years, grappling with the thousands of miles between the two lead developers in the UK and in Japan. There are a small number of quibbles I have, like the fact that it is sometimes difficult to know who is speaking out of the expanded cast of characters and that it'd be great to have a switch that lets the dialogue flow between the two so I can focus on the shifting settings. However, I recognise that it's a deeply personal project and one that has been shared with the world. For those in need of hunkering down while a silent storm rages on every side, I recommend No Longer Home.

There are some issues with The Witcher: Monster Slayer that will likely hold it back from being a huge success, but there's still a good game in here. Little touches like dialogue options in the quests, or the ability to unlock weapons and outfits that we've seen in other Witcher games are delightful inclusions. It's also less than 2GB according to my phone, so it won't eat much storage space. Sadly, the overall experience is marred by a gesturing towards microtransactions and a tendency for quests to lead you down real-life dead ends.

NEO: The World Ends With You is an enthralling, expansive adventure that anyone who loved its predecessor will click with immediately, and newcomers are encouraged to take their time with. But be patient and let the game's flow snap into something that feels comfortable, and you might just come to adore these complicated players, this fantastical Shibuya, and what is a very special original of exceptional character.