With interconnected stories, brilliant writing, fascinating characters, and a living, breathing world full of choices and consequences, Baldur's Gate 3 sets the standard for today's RPGs. You owe it to yourself to experience it.

If you’ve yet to step foot into the open world of Hyrule, Tears of the Kingdom is the best way to experience it, with just enough new ground to keep things interesting. But if you didn’t gel with the 2017 release, the story alone might not be worth the second attempt.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gets a much-needed upgrade on the Nintendo Switch 2, transforming a good game into a truly great one. With buttery-smooth performance, enhanced visuals, and clever new quality-of-life features like in-game navigation and build sharing, this is undoubtedly the definitive way to experience Hyrule's latest adventure. If you haven't played it yet or are looking for a true showcase for your new console, the Switch 2 Edition makes Tears of the Kingdom shine.

Polished to perfection, Hades 2 is an absolute triumph that feels uniquely distinct from its predecessor, serving as a gracious evolution of the formula with dozens and dozens of hours worth of incredibly engaging content. An easy GOTY contender.

Few games will ever meet the high expectations Breath of the Wild has set. The Switch 2 version is the best way to play an unforgettable title with better visuals and some neat new features.

The full £55 price tag is hefty, but if you’re new to the franchise, it is a worthwhile investment for just how much this game gives, and that it runs very well on the Nintendo Switch. Now, wake up, get up, and get out there and change some hearts.

Sony Santa Monica has created something special. To take one of the best action games of the last decade and improve it to such a degree, in every single way, is mind-blowing. It tells an epic yet intimate story about connection, trust, and ambition while letting you tag along for the ride with combat that is flawlessly varied, fluid, and so much fun. God of War Ragnarok is the perfect sequel.

The steam release may have a few rough edges that need work, but everything from the original has been drastically improved upon and is a joy to lose at.

Resident Evil 4 remake breathes fresh life into the beloved game, delivering a perfect upgrade on the gameplay, story, and aesthetics of a horror classic.

Hollow Knight: Silksong is a fantastic sequel well worth the seven-year wait. It’s bigger, bolder, and far more challenging than anyone could hope. While its steep learning curve may put off newcomers, longtime fans will appreciate how it maintains its solid metroidvania roots while inching closer and closer to a 2D Soulslike. With over 30+ hours of content for just $20, the depth on offer is nothing short of remarkable.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions as it retells its unforgettable story in brand-new ways. Square Enix has done an amazing job retooling the game from one millennium to another, making yet another bombastic RPG that die-hard fans and newcomers alike will undoubtedly fall in love with.

While it doesn't break the mould like its predecessors have, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the perfect refinement of 2D platforming, and one of the most polished and engrossing games you'll play all year.

You absolutely can't go wrong with what is easily one of the most impressive open-worlds in gaming. Whether you plan on staying for a week, or hanging on for dear life for years to come, Forza Horizon 5 has more than enough to keep you busy and smiling across jungles, deserts and active volcanos.

From top to bottom, Street Fighter 6 is an absolute triumph by Capcom. A genre-defining fighting game that oozes charm and polish in almost every aspect, barring some minor gripes with World Tour.

Split Fiction is a heartfelt cooperative adventure that celebrates friendship and teamwork with consistently engaging mechanics that never overstay their welcome. Despite minor flaws, its impressive level design and spectacular final sequence make it a standout experience best played with a friend. Hazelight Studios has once again pushed the boundaries of the co-op genre—leaving us eager to see what they’ll create next.

Donkey Kong Bananza delivers a triumphant return for the ape, offering an open-world, destructive 3D platforming adventure on the Nintendo Switch 2. As a spiritual successor to DK64, it blends nostalgic collectathon mechanics with innovative terrain destruction and new animal transformations, making it a must-buy system seller for the new console.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a stellar redux of an already great game, improving on everything that held the original game back. With a remixed story, better character moments, and more boss battles, Vengeance has never looked so good.

By overhauling the first game's already spectacular exploration and Arkham-like combat, as well as creating the series’ best story yet, Insomniac has made Spider-Man 2 the pinnacle of open-world action games.

If you're yet to play this remake on any platform, it can't be an easier recommendation. If you've already kickflipped your way through it, it's still an utter joy to play. Between pure nostalgia, smart technical upgrades and a wealth of content, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 is the best sports game of next-gen so far. Just be careful out there.

Tekken 8 is everything the fanbase has been waiting for and more. With an upgrade in visuals and mechanics and a host of game modes at your disposal, you'll struggle to run out of people to punch in the face (virtually, of course).

Taking three of the best sci-fi RPGs of the last twenty years and putting them into one package with a variety of quality of life and visual upgrades nets out as you’d expect: the Mass Effect Legendary Edition is essential for Reaper War veterans and newcomers alike.

Although Neon White goes by in a blur, that fast pace is only made greater with excellent level design, fun characterisation, and so many little secrets to find. Though I was expecting to be entertained by Neon White's gameplay for a few hours, its likeable cast and surprisingly sincere geekiness has managed to stay in my mind long after the credits have rolled. It's hard to really grasp its long-term staying power but Neon White has secured its place on many lists for the end of the year.

After the enjoyable, but often intense, A Way Out, It Takes Two is a confident next step for Hazelight Studios. Varied and ambitious in scope, it's the culmination of what Josef Fares began with Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons back in 2013, and in these bizarre times it's a perfect antidote to a world currently devoid of physical connection. Don't be fooled by the impermanence of its mechanics - the story and characters will stay with you long after you and your friend log off, and you may just feel a little closer, too.

Pokopia is a 2026 Game of the Year contender that masterfully blends the creative freedom of Minecraft with the cozy charm of Animal Crossing. By trading traditional battling for an addictive loop of habitat restoration and blueprint-based building, it offers a deeply rewarding new way to collect Pokémon.

Mario’s greatest multiplayer outing is back – and the timing couldn’t be better. Eight years on, 3D World is still an utter joy, combining the kind of inventive level design that Mario 64 and Galaxy fans love with the cutesy, accessible charm of the NMSBU games. Combine that with a bonus six-hour expansion that takes the crown of being the weirdest Mario outing to date and there’s undoubtedly enough here to put a smile on your face.

Playing Cyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion in 2023 is by-and-large a wonderful experience. It genuinely feels like CDPR has managed to zero-in on a lot of what the base game did well, as well as finding ways to polish up some of the aspects of it that didn’t quite live up to their potential.

The Dead Space remake is a near-perfect game - brimming with terror, laced with great combat, and slowly unearthing an intriguing story. This is how to do a remake.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is a therapeutic and immersive sequel that elevates its predecessor’s strengths while doubling down on Kojima’s signature weirdness. With stunning environments, refined traversal, and deeper combat, it offers a meditative experience unlike any other. Despite its awkward pacing and overcrowded cast, the game’s themes of grief, healing, and human connection shine through. It won’t win over everyone, but for those it reaches, it’s an unforgettable journey that transcends its interactive medium. Keep on keeping on.