If you’ve never played Warframe and are looking for an opportunity to jump in, then the PS5 version provides an excellent opportunity to do just that. It’s beautiful, complex, and offers a free-to-play business model that offers content in spades without prompting you for your bank details on a regular basis.

Outriders is the tonic to loot-driven games that demand players log in every day. It’s also not gating content behind DLC, seasonal updates, or just pushing for players to grind to an endgame to grind some more....It’s a shooter for those that love blowing enemies to bits, and it’s an RPG for those that want to feel powerful. There’s plenty of fun to be had on Enoch, but for maximum effect, we’d suggest bringing some friends.

Balan Wonderworld gets no standing ovation for me – not even a clap. In fact, get your tomatoes at the ready for this musical theatre flop because as much as I wanted to like Balan Wonderworld (and believe me, I really wanted to like it) this game gets more than a few boos from me. With basic platforming, the removal of a jump button, and a distinct lack of challenge, there's little to recommend here.

When you consider all of these new additions on top of the solid foundation of Monster Hunter World, what you’re left with is the best Monster Hunter game around. This game is as close to perfect as we’ve had yet, and assuming it gets a lot of post-launch support, we’re in for an incredibly exciting new era of Monster Hunter, and one that brings back some of the bombastic absurdity that World omitted.

Evil Genius 2 improves on the original in every way. There's the obvious, such as the improved tutorial, graphics, and interface. Beyond that, influencing minions is easier, it streamlines tasks, you have more control over minion capacity, there’s a fast-forward option to reduce empty time, and the crime lords themselves have much more personality, helped in no small part by the star-studded voice cast. The only drawback is on the World Stage. Quests usually involve dispatching different minion combinations, and while it does affect how you balance your lair, the lack of variety means non-story quests feel stale fairly quickly. It’s easy to overlook, though. With its fantastic ‘60s art style, swanky soundtrack, and compelling, in-depth management, Evil Genius 2 is one of the best strategy simulators around.

After a slow start, Narita Boy engages with a unified and engrossing aesthetic, along with a surprisingly varied combat system. But that system is not pushed to its limits enough, and there are some minor photosensitivity issues. That said, Studio Koba has made something truly special that shouldn’t be missed, especially if you have Game Pass.

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.

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.

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.

Even aside from Bonehilda's return, there's a lot to like about the Paranormal Stuff pack. It's old-timey horror vibe and new career path are enjoyable and fresh for The Sims 4 – something that's impressive so long after the game launched. Depending on your love of all things spooky, your mileage may vary, but if you're looking to recreate The Addams family in digital form, you can't go wrong.

Despite being in early access, Valheim has a lot to love. There's a wealth of content, some impressively deep systems, and an ever-expanding community, it feels like the sky is the limit. It's perfect to share with friends and can be wonderfully meditative when played solo. If you like survival, Vikings and a bright future with constant updates, Valheim is the game for you. [Early Access Score = 100]

Despite a fun, if derivative, combat system, Neoverse never truly feels like it shines thanks to disappointing performance on Switch and a story that feels nonsensical and non-existent all at once. If you're a fan of the rogue-lite card-battling genre and have exhausted the best the genre has to offer then you may find some enjoyment in its flexible card buying system and varied character builds, but if not, it's tough to recommend.

If you've been hankering for a Zelda-inspired dungeon crawler or a new roguelite obsession, then you'll find plenty to love about Rogue Heroes. When you and three friends are in full swing it's a chaotic good time, and with an impressively diverse upgrade system and plenty of character classes, it'll keep you churning through its dungeon-bound monsters for weeks.

The Uncertain is a difficult game to discuss because it seems so hell-bent on getting in its own way. For every great choice that has been made, a new issue is just around the corner – Good voice acting? Terrible sound design. Great world visuals? Poorly designed characters. It’s truly a shame, as this game had so much potential and definitely wasn’t awful, but overall it just seems rushed and unfinished, with a story that’s over way too quickly.

Bravely Default 2 is more of the same from the series. The game still keeps what it’s great at, namely its battle system, Job customization, and music. Fans of JRPGs will find familiarity here, but with the transition over to Nintendo Switch, I was hoping that there’d be more sizable improvements. Its tepid story as well as the puzzling omission of quality of life features that were present in previous games left me feeling a bit underwhelmed overall. Bravely Default 2 is a good game, but there are aspects that keep it from being a great one.