While it misses the mark in its single-player offerings and the online experience is still not up to competitors' standards, City of the Wolves is one of the most mechanically deep and fun fighting games to come out in recent years.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond plays it far too safe for a game with almost two decades of anticipation behind it. A beautiful-looking game and a run through of Metroid's greatest hits just isn’t quite enough for the hungry fan base that is here to devour everything on offer, and leaves you wanting more.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 closes Don’t Nod’s branching narrative with a powerful, emotional finale. Though pacing stumbles and some moments lack clarity, its themes of grief, rage, and trauma come together in a quietly compelling way. Patient players will find the slow burn worth it.

In the end, Blades of Fire is an intriguing blend of old-school charm and modern design, like a game forged out of time. Its deep combat and weapon forging shine, even as its 3D Metroidvania structure occasionally falters. Backtracking and vague direction can frustrate, but the game’s heart and ambition stand out, especially with plenty of secrets to uncover in its sprawling dark fantasy world.

If you are looking for the best Nintendo game at launch for Switch 2, look no further, but for fans of 8, you may need to wait for Mario Kart World to make the podium.

Humanity is a creative puzzler that adds meaningfully to the inspirations it takes from. Though it can slow to a halt in unsatisfying ways and there's a bit of a grind, it feels so honest and unabashedly sincere in what it wants to be.

Disgaea 6 gets as deep as you want it to be, rewarding those that stick with its complex systems, but allowing those looking to experience its story to get through the game relatively easily. The game is by no means perfect, with rocky framerates and many unimpressive cutscenes making a lack of polish evident. Loveable characters and an addicting gameplay loop, however, make Disgaea 6 perfect for newcomers and longtime fans alike.

Mortal Kombat 1 is, from a newcomer's perspective, a perfect entry to the series. It's packed with gorgeous visuals and battles to enjoy, and I already can't wait to get back to the action.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy perfectly balances having a brand new narrative surrounding the misfit team of heroes whilst maintaining their classic characteristics from the Marvel universe. However, I was left wanting more in terms of combat and I still want to play as Groot. Overall, it’s a great game for new and old Marvel fans alike that breathes new life into the now-recognisable characters. Hopefully, Edios-Montréal and Square Enix will consider doing a second game, as there’s so much more of the Galaxy to explore.

Ride 6 is an engaging racing sim with a steep learning curve and incredibly aggressive AI that might sour the experience for some players, but will satisfy bike enthusiasts.

An intense adventure through a lesser-known historical struggle, Gerda: A Flame in Winter tells its story with charm and empathy, whilst driving home the brutality of living as a civilian in wartime.

Final Fantasy 5 Pixel Remaster still isn’t the ultimate way to play the game. That would be the Game Boy Advance version of it, thanks to the bonus classes and character portraits. However, it’s still a fantastic RPG, elevated by its spirit of fun and an absolutely gorgeous soundtrack. Whether you’ve played another version before or not, it’s definitely worth experiencing.

Ultimately, Sabec’s Calculator is an odd one. Will it change the world? No. Will your friends, family, and colleagues ridicule you for spending £8 on a digital calculator? Almost certainly. Featuring a balanced roster of characters, quick load times, minimalist visuals, and a creative sandbox structure, Calculator accomplishes everything Sabec Limited set out to do. For that, I give it high marks.

Reanimal is worth it if you're looking for a bite-sized horror experience that's best shared with a friend. The story is gripping, and while it leads to a perhaps not too satisfying conclusion, the journey is more than enjoyable, particularly with a friend.

Lake will appeal to those who like their games chilled and their pop with an alternative country twang. There’s little more to do than deliver packages, hang out with locals and admire the scenery, but when the setting is a town as beautiful and scenic as Providence Oaks, that’s more than enough. A few minor bugs aside, Lake is a great way to spend 5 or so hours. It’s even better if you simply want to unwind and go for a drive. If you do give it a chance, you’ll find that by the end of it you’ve made your mark on the town. There are certainly worse places to call home, after all.

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly makes me want to open a late-night cafe and serve drinks to demons and aliens. It's a real treat.

Demeo is a wonderful approximation of what it's like to take down the big boss at the end of a campaign. It has some slower moments but its peaks are truly wonderful.

Milestone’s follow-up to 2021’s Hot Wheels Unleashed is a worthy successor, but the lack of the first game’s DLC cars is an uncomfortable sore spot.

Ghostrunner 2 is a very solid sequel that’ll appeal to its target niche but might require some research if you haven’t played the first one. Nonetheless, if you’re a hardcore gamer and like your chances as a futuristic ninja, you can’t go wrong with Jack’s blade in hand.

PGA Tour’s roster of stunning courses is complemented by perfectly balanced golf sim mechanics. It’s the best golf game in years.

While the game is definitely hopeful and joyful overall, parting is such sweet sorrow, and you’ll have to do it time and time again as you play through the story. It’s a tough thing to balance, and yet Spiritfarer does so masterfully. It’s the kind of game that’s going to enrapture people, and already has too. It’s never too late to change, and it’s also never too late to jump into such a wonderful indie game.

Live a Live puts together many of the things that put people off from playing JRPGs but makes it surprisingly accessible. It gives you several lives worth living and rewards you for really exploring every one of them.

WarioWare: Move It is another great installment in the WarioWare series and the Wii-style motion controls are a lot of fun. Just make sure you have friends to play this with.

The Quarry is the Supermassive game I've been looking for since Until Dawn. It is well-paced, well-told, and - most importantly - genuinely spooky. Some odd characterisations and inconsistent graphics let it down slightly, but this is the most fun I've had with a game like this in some time.

You’ll only need several hours to complete it, but The Big Con’s one adventure worth looking into. Offering a vibrant presentation brimming with nostalgia, there’s an enjoyable story about 90’s America which kept me hooked. Though the pickpocketing mechanic lacks depth, that’s made up for by a fun narrative and good sense of humour, keeping the action entertaining. If you like indies, The Big Con’s a breath of fresh air that comes recommended.

With proper cross-play, cross-progression, and gamepad support, Diablo 4 perfects almost every worthwhile aspect of its namesake, generating a multiplayer dungeon crawler with laser-focused objectives that never feel like a waste of time. It’s to the point - and the point is damn sharp. Monetization, while not immediately egregious, is still hard to trust.

Ultimately, Bandai Namco’s done a fine job with Scarlet Nexus and there’s an entertaining action RPG within. There are small flaws like a lacking side quest system and those minor story issues, but thanks to in-depth combat and an engaging story, it kept me invested until the end. It’s a step up from Code Vein and whichever playthrough you end up choosing (if not both), Scarlet Nexus comes highly recommended.

Silent Hill f is a gorgeous game, made even better by the abject terrors that surround it. Konami and Neobards take bold risks in exploring the series’ future without the Maine town and push the franchise into new territory. Despite a third act that drags with filler combat sequences, Silent Hill f remains a true Silent Hill entry at its core. It carries all the elements that define the series, from its relevant subject matter to disturbing imagery and the usual ever-encroaching fog. There has never been a better time to be a Silent Hill fan.