From the gorgeous visuals to the design in its monsters and ecosystems, Capcom has made the best Monster Hunter game yet. It's just a shame it doesn't help with its complex systems an occasionally poor explanations of them.

Patch Quest is an enjoyable roguelike that is both adorable and tough, featuring a wide range of creatures to capture and fight.

A fantastic standalone prequel to the excellent Xenoblade Chronicles 2 that is held back by one really annoying design decision.

Code: Realize ~Guardian of Rebirth~is the best otome game you can play on Nintendo Switch and one of the better visual novels available on Nintendo's hybrid system.

If you bought the original and played it, you need this port. If you’ve played The Banner Saga on another system and want to get the sequel, the Switch or iPad version is my recommendation. These kinds of games are best on portables and the Switch even gives you the flexibility of playing on TV if you want to do so.

DREDGE’s new The Pale Reach DLC is a great excuse to play more DREDGE, thanks to an interesting new area full of water based horrors.

Fans and newcomers alike will find an accessible, compelling real-time strategy experience in Age of Wonders 4.

Fashion Dreamer is everything I've ever wanted in a fashion dress up game, with varied activities and well implemented online functionality.

Risk of Rain Returns an incredibly playable side-scroller that will absolutely appeal to fans of the genre or the franchise.

If you're looking for a great platformer to play on your own or with friends, this is the one for you. It's fun and it looks gorgeous, filled with combat that provides lots of options to defeat the goblins and the robots.

My ultimate takeaway from Tactical Breach Wizards is that I simply didn’t expect it be so refreshing.

Mandate of Heaven brings some new ideas and challenges to the Three Kingdoms table. In doing so, the power struggles of Ancient China have never felt more real.

A very impressive port of two games that still feel different 10 years later. The lighting is a problem in handheld mode, but in an indoor setting it's a great way to play the series.

Worldless is a beautiful game that blends the joy of exploring a Metroidvania with seriously compelling timing-based combat.

Madden NFL 23 has refined the matchday experience and improved much of the gameplay to make this year a strong foundation for the future.

Get Even tries to do too much, but rather than getting it wrong, it succeeds on many different levels. It blends styles within the first-person genre seamlessly, tells an ambitious story without tripping over itself, manages to scare you, and connect with you emotionally. The shooting is satisfying and exhilarating thanks to some smart enemy AI, and the Cornergun is a great weapon to use. I enjoyed Get Even a great deal; it takes you to a place you weren’t prepared for, and whether you’re happy about that or not, there’s no denying that this is a unique and fantastic video game you should all play.

Life is Strange, it always has been, but just like life, don’t let this pass you by.

Carrion reverses the roles of the horror genre beautifully, and playing as a monster has never been so disgustingly enjoyable.

Creatures of Ava comes highly recommended for anyone who wants a low-stress game filled with hope and colour and loads of belly rubs.

Wargroove 2 is an excellent game that builds on its predecessor, offering a classic, narrative driven campaign for genre veterans and newcomers alike.

Go Mecha Ball is a fast paced, fantastic twin stick Roguelike, and as long as you don't mind a lack of items early on you'll have a great time with it.

A genre shifting game packed full of charm and references, Horace is a robotic adventure that must be experienced to be believed.

Even if you have a passing interest in puzzle games, I do think you’d enjoy 7th Sector as it’s different enough to stand out, with an interesting story that will keep you playing through to the end.

Lil' Guardsman is a truly wonderful comedy game, with Papers, Please style border guarding gameplay in a charming fantasy setting.

Isles of Sea and Sky is a box pushing game brought kicking and screaming into the modern era, and it's so damn compelling.

Once Human is an immensely playable, atmospheric and addictive third-person survival crafter with a huge world to go out and explore, alone or with others.

WRC 9 on PS5 adds a new layer to the gameplay thanks to the haptic feedback, with improved visuals that're noticeable from the start.

Airborne Kingdom is rarely a very exciting game, but it’s absolutely lovely to look at, feels relaxing and pleasant to play, and manages to stand out in a genre that has been crowded for decades.

Onimusha: Warlords is a worthy remaster, and even though it feels rather short, the combat and exploration of such a claustrophobic world reminds you just how good it is.

Despite some graphical concessions, The Long Dark on Nintendo Switch is an excellent port of a very good survival game.

The six years waiting for a new Soulcalibur game have been worth it. This is fantastic combat with plenty of depth, and even the new Reversal Edge mechanic is a godsend.

A charming and disturbing horror game that never outstays its welcome. Worse than Death has a wonderful human narrative throughout, and is a great way to spend an evening.

Accessible, well made and full of really, really cool moments, it’s hard not to love it. Add in a perfectly crafted Star Wars dressing and an impressive amount of cinematography and you have my favourite multiplayer shooter in years.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II on PS4 is a near perfect remaster of a fantastic game that arrives just in time for Trails of Cold Steel III.

For fans of the genre, ScourgeBringer is an absolute must-play though, if only because it offers such a steep challenge to accompany those lovely, lovely visuals. It may not be the most original concept, but what it does it does very well.

Death Mark on the Switch is the best way to play the game for sure but it could have been so much more with a little extra. The lack of touchscreen use to progress dialogue or to use the flashlight is disappointing. If you’ve been after a unique horror adventure that has a very interesting aesthetic, you need this.

Moonlighter is yet another perfect fit for the Switch. It combines some great aspects from games I like and adds its own charm with a brilliant soundtrack. The gameplay here perfectly suits portable play and the port is mostly excellent. If you’ve been waiting on the Switch version, the wait has definitely been worth it. I hope the minor performance and visual issues get addressed in a patch to make this the definitive Moonlighter experience.

Watch Dogs: Legion suffers from a little jank in the tank, but the recruitment system is fantastic and there's just so much to see and do. The open world is full of detail, and the whole experience is full of heart.

MLB The Show 23 is a superb title that has a great balance of enjoyable gameplay, well-researched and deeply educational story elements.

The Crush House gives you your very own reality TV show to produce and film, full of drama, naughtiness and a whole lot of butts.

Whilst Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a port and not a remaster, it still looks amazing on Switch, and if you've got the time, it's a fantastic RPG well worth your time.

For one of the first times in recent years, the NHL series feels much more improved, with the World of CHEL mode proving to be a resounding success.

The Jackbox Survey Scramble is the new game in town just in time for Christmas and it has the potential to be a classic.

A welcome return to Bioware’s space opera, introducing great characters, an interesting story and some fantastic designs, always providing things to do.

Collar X Malice is a great way to get into otome games with its gorgeous art and excellent music and the perfect game to play before Collar X Malice Unlimited arrives this year.

MotoGP 24 is the strongest the series has been, with AI now being held accountable for mistakes, and other small but important additions.

Rocket League on Switch is a bit like Sloth from The Goonies, it’s ugly, but it’s lovable and gets the job done.

While not as polished as the PC version, Darksiders Genesis loses none of the effortless charm, cool, or playability on console. A great addition to the franchise and a must-have for the fans.

With an amazing story full of murder and mystery, Famicom Detective Club is a remake worth investigating.

From grind-happy obsessives, to those whose love for the genre might have lapsed, and are looking for something to bring them back, this a must-buy game for fans of Bravely Default, as well as anyone who loves JRPGs.

A worthy sequel to the 2010 cult classic, Deadly Premonition 2 retains the series trademark charm with its oddball characters and outlandish story. The open world frame-rate isn't good enough, but if you can overlook that there's plenty of intrigue and laughs to be found in Le Carre.

With an amazing story full of murder and mystery, Famicom Detective Club is a remake worth investigating.

Blackwood Crossing is a surprising release, a game that delicately explores the difficult emotions of grief, guilt and love told through the eyes of two orphaned siblings.

Still best in class, Burnout Paradise Remastered on Switch is a perfect fit that plays as well as you remember it, even if it's far too expensive.

She Remembered Caterpillars is a great addition to the Switch’s puzzle library. The port itself is pretty great as well. I love the artstyle and having touch support for gameplay in a puzzle game is always welcome. While the levels can ramp up in difficulty pretty quickly, this is an excellent puzzle game with great art and one that is worth getting on Switch.

NBA 2K22 requires a more tactical approach, making on-court play the best it has been, but VC still stalls enjoyment.

Reigns: Game of Thrones arrives just in time for the show to return and brings another fantastic game from Nerial to the Switch. I still prefer playing the Reigns games on my iPhone but this port is very good.

Rogue Company is a team shooter with great potential, and it’s one of the most effortlessly fun games I’ve played in a while.

Smalland: Survive the Wilds is an impressive survival game with a lot of heart, and a crafting system that is filled with options.

Trepang2 is a thrilling stealth-action supernatural shooter that allows you to focus solely on the gameplay, and it is all the better for it.

If you missed The Thaumaturge before now, it’s well worth investigating the PS5 version.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy brings the last three mainline Ace Attorney games to modern consoles, and they're just as good as ever.

Hey! Pikmin isn’t a long game but throughout it’ll capture your heart just as regularly as Olimar captures Pikmin.

Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club is a superbly told story, and is engaging from start to finish.

Filled with secrets and dangers, Remnant 2: The Dark Horizon is a solid final offering for the three promised expansions.

Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a wonderful way to play a classic of the genre, with gorgeous visuals and super fast combat.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox on PS5 is a huge improvement on last year's release, with fluid and responsive combat being its best feature.

God of War will never be Shakespeare, but it’s a bloody good time that doesn’t take the player for granted. Maybe that’s why it was remastered, after all, then: to remind us of what games can be, if we just let them take us on a journey. A daft, angry, bald journey, led by a screaming topless Adonis that lets us kill everything that moves. Fair play, Sony.

The best Halo campaign since Reach, Guardians is a return to form - but more Chief next time, please, and less microtransactions.

Disgaea 7: Vows of the Virtueless might just be the best game in the series, with engaging tactics gameplay and a whole lot of charm.

Turbo Kid is a Metroidvania where you can summon a bike at the push of a button, and that is absolutely as cool as it sounds.

Xenonauts 2 is filled with complexities and challenges, but the tactical options keeps you on your toes and offers an exciting gameplay loop.

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns is a relaxing and charming experience full of heart that improves upon its predecessors in a lot of ways while still remaining accessible.

The variety of bosses is strong and the combat/reward loop is wonderfully addictive. If nothing else, the fact that every Behemoth, armour set and weapon can be unlocked without spending a penny makes it well worth checking out."

The Following is a huge expansion that swaps the ruined city for the rugged countryside, but loses none of the desperate thrills of the original campaign.

Scoot Kaboom and the Tomb of Doom is an exceptional platformer, with constant new mechanics, perfect controls and loads of interesting game modes

It may not bring anything truly new to the genre, but Convergence: A League of Legends Story is a great time nonetheless.

In The Pathless, Giant Squid have created a beautiful world worth getting lost in, a cause worth fighting for, and a hero worth following.

Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout on Nintendo Switch is a fantastic conversion.

Trails of Cold Steel II cements my personal belief that Falcom is leagues ahead of almost everyone when it comes to RPGs, although their games are still let down by some technical issues.

Making small improvements over previous games not only adds up to WRC 8 being the best in the series, it’s also one of the best rally games around.

An engaging tale full of twists and turns, with an interesting way of interacting with the narrative. If you can handle the slow pace and stomach the perverse moments, you'll find a stylish adventure with one of the best soundtracks of the year.

An old school arcadey shooter with a great style, Battlezone is addictive, accessible fun.

Solasta: Crown of the Magister is an authentic D&D experience, with great tactical combat and plenty of deep systems to chow down on.

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights is a compelling, surprisingly charming little adventure. It may look dark and oppressive, but Lily is a likeable heroine.

Torchlight II is a superb addition to your library and an absolute blast alone or with friends.

Jackbox is back once again and it’s better than ever with a sequel to a fan favourite, a Family Fortunes-style quiz and perhaps the best game Jackbox have ever created. Only a couple of duds, which still do have their moments, let it down.

Void Bastards is a fantastic strategic shooter than has a wonderfully refreshing take on the FPS genre.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning has a special place in my heart and I would recommend it to anyone - and the Switch version is no exception.

The care and attention that Milestone has put into it, coupled in with the frankly ridiculous amount of content (including the amount of vehicles and modes) makes this an easy recommendation to add to your collection.

Make Way is a simple yet fun take on arcade racing, with its randomness and creativity being two of its greatest achievements.

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island is a phenomenal Roguelike for fans of tradition.

Young Souls is a fun side-scrolling hack-and-slash, offering deep RPG elements, great writing, and characters you'll care about.

While it does struggle under the weight of its own ambition a little, Cities: Skylines II is still a super addictive, easy to pick-up city sim, and if you enjoyed the first game it’s an absolute must-have. It’s also the perfect anathema to all the soulslikes and roguelikes we’ve had recently. It’s a game that demands nothing but time and creativity, and pays it back in dividends.

Nurse Love Addiction is a wholesome visual novel about love blooming between nurses that is a must play for pure visual novel fans.

It's not a complete home run as a package, but with enough standout moments throughout the two packs, the expansion upgrade should be an easy buy for fans.

Godfall is a massive surprise. It borrows combat from God of War and has enough loot to make Diablo blush. It may look garish but it's well designed and has that "one more go" factor.

The roguelike elements make this a perfect fit to portable pickup and play with a very lenient save system.