Ravenswatch is an absolute blast. Gorgeous to look at, smooth and responsive to play, and peppered with the kind of variety that encourages you to keep going back.

Everything I’ve wanted in a new music game. When Sound Shapes hit the Vita a long time ago, it instantly became my favourite music game and I’m glad to add a new entry to my favourite music games of all time list with Berzerk Studio’s Just Shapes & Beats. It is frustrating in some areas with the skill required but every second I’ve put into it has been more than worth it.

Berserk Boy is a fantastic Mega Man inspired action platformer, with loads of awesome abilities and a great flow through the stages.

One of my favourite games of all time.

Two Point Hospital is a triumphant return to the fun and frantic style of Nineties management sims, with the adorable visuals to match.

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

One of the best character action games of the last generation is now on the new consoles, in 1080/60, with all the available content and fan suggestions included. Essential.

Disgaea 1 Complete is the definitive version of the first game in of the best tactical RPG franchises ever.

PES has the best gameplay on the pitch bar none, and it feels like this year's entry has got everything spot on in game, it just falls short when the servers aren't as stable as they could be, and commentary still struggles to inspire.

Black Ops 4 is an excellent entry into the series. Some may mourn the loss of the single player campaign, but this is the tightest most balanced multiplayer the franchise has seen in a long while.

Ghost of Tsushima is a landmark game that blends its narrative with its visuals perfectly, and has delicious, satisfying combat to boot. Climbing is clumsy, and the story takes a while to get going, but overall it's a truly wonderful game.

If you’re after a royale-y good time you should look much farther than Tetris 99.

Super Mega Baseball 4 begs to be played in couch multiplayer with a few cold ones over the summer, but the franchise play will keep you going way beyond that. A home run.

It isn’t a fantastic experience but hopefully post launch patches improve the visuals and the framerate. If you want to play this docked, get it on another platform.

A love letter to PlayStation and a showcase for the future of PS5: a delightful thing to include with the console.

If you've not played Alien: Isolation, then now's the time! If you've been waiting for it to come to the Switch, then it's a must buy if you want to be scared to death, filled with impressive visuals and thrilling moments.

Lara Croft GO is one of the best puzzle games available today, and a perfect reimagining of Tomb Raider in a stylish package.

A colourful, enthralling adventure, Guacamelee! 2 is a superb sequel to a superb game.

Persona 5 Strikers is a superb follow-up to Persona 5, even if it isn't quite the sequel people were hoping for. The same quality of writing is still present, and the combat is so compelling throughout that I never grew bored of fighting Shadows.

Street Fighter IV was a superlative experience even before today, but Ultra Street Fighter IV, with its well devised additions, has added the bacon to what was already a tasty burger – you don’t know that Street Fighter IV needs these mechanics until you’ve tasted it with them.

While the changes across the board make for a better game than last year, there are still cracks that need cementing, not papering over. Evolution, not revolution this year for FIFA, then, but still a fine game fit to burst with things to do.

Metro Exodus on PS5 is the ultimate version to play. The visuals are better than ever, and the DualSense implementation is remarkable.

Nobody Saves the World is great on Switch, and Drinkbox's excellent adventure should be snapped up by those who've yet to play it.

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

Triangle Strategy is a quintessential tactics game, and now that it’s on PC even more of you lucky lot will get to play it.

Gotta catch ‘em all, and nary a Pikachu in sight. Shin Megami Tensei IV marries a bonkers, branching, heavily religious plot to wildly imaginative monster husbandry.

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled is a fantastic remaster, filled with great courses and plenty of replayability, even if the difficulty sometimes feels off.

The core gameplay is almost as good as it was on PC and deserves to be played, but a few issues hold it back a little.

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

An amazing first person dungeon crawler for fans of Persona 3 and 4, but not a gateway into the Persona series.

AI: The Somnium Files - nirvanA Initiative tells a fascinating story with some weird and wonderful characters and more than a few twists and turns.

The final game in the series goes out with more of a whimper than a bang, but there's still plenty of heart, and the combat never fails to entertain. There're some wonderful visuals and plenty of Disney surprises, and although the story is a mess when it strays into the series' lore, it's still fun.

Steins;Gate is the crowning point of the visual novel genre with its phenomenal story, characters, and voice acting.

Mooncrash is an excellent piece of DLC that allows the more creative elements of Prey to shine.

Splatoon 3 isn't the most exciting release on the calendar, but it is the best the game has been. As a standalone game it's a rip-roaring success, and perhaps the game that fans wanted all along.

This War of Mine wants you to care about the people who have been affected by the war, rather than soldiers on the front-line. Via conflicting thoughts the characters have, the cast’s paper-thin stories and an elementary crafting system, it never fully reaches its potential. But the moments where you’re racing across an outpost trying to dodge military fire and robbing someone blind right before their eyes; those are the points where this war does genuinely feel like mine.

A brutally difficult game that is pure digital crack. Devil Daggers might grab you by the balls and shake you until you're sick, but you'll always go back for more.

FROM continues to surprise and amaze with the direction it is taking with the DLC. The Crown of the Iron King is a must have purchase for any Dark Souls 2 fan. With beautiful graphics and haunting sound, you would be daft to not take the trek up Brume.

Hidden Folks is a little obtuse at times but otherwise it’s delightful and compelling.

Horizon Chase 2 is quick to jump into, and while it might not be packed with content, it's a ton of fun to play.

Cassette Beasts is the best monster collecting game I've ever played, with sensational combat and a wonderful world to explore.

Anno 1800 Console Edition will eat hours if you let it. One minute you're ruminating over where to place a lumberjack's hut, the next you're connecting a huge network of warehouses.

They don't make them like this anymore. Modern Warfare Remastered has received the treatment it deserves and is an incredible boxed extra for Infinite Warfare.

Ring Fit Adventure is a fun RPG that incorporates exercise and tactics to make you feel good whilst playing.

Nier Replicant is so damn fun to play. Combat is ultimately its best feature, but some of the ideas are implemented superbly, whether in the story or the mechanics.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure features some great platforming across gorgeous levels, with plenty to do and collect along the way. The music is a lovely touch to a rich and fulfilling adventure, and playing with others is the best way to enjoy it.

Two Point Campus is an evolution, not a revolution, but it's more refined and considered than its Hospital predecessor, making it a must-play.

Dirt 5 is an excellent rally racer offering plenty of race modes and car classes to choose from. The Career mode is engaging, and the presentation is gorgeous.

Unpacking is a satisfying, gorgeous and unexpectedly emotional dive into moving house and the importance of our possessions. This game simply must be played.

Relaxing and compelling, with Dragon Quest Builders if you’ve struggled to get into the genre with building games in the past this might just be the game that changes your mind.

Transistor contains not only some of the most stunning art design, but one of the best game soundtracks I have ever heard. The droning bass of the main theme is mesmeric, and any music with vocals is astonishing – this is a soundtrack you’re going to want to buy, and composer Darren Korb has absolutely delivered.

There is so much to like about Splatoon 2. When it comes to the actual gameplay, I don't think there are many experiences that touch it right now. It's addictive and enjoyable. It's just a shame that history is repeating itself, and the stupid things surrounding the game let it down.

Forgive Me Father 2 is a great throwback to the golden age of shooters, pushing you to your limits of your own abilities and your sanity.

Sorry We're Closed is a creepy and adventurous survival horror that does more than just copy the history it was inspired by.

Stray is a delightful adventure game that strips away all the normal complications of the genre to offer an enjoyable overall experience.

World of Goo 2 is a sequel that exceeds all expectations, with a ridiculous amount of creative ideas packed into its gooey shell.

Yakuza 6 is a fitting end to a great saga, with fantastic combat and lots to do outside the main story.

There are holes in the tapestry for sure, and your mileage will vary depending on what you expect to get out of the experience, but ultimately Destiny 2 is a likeable grind-fest designed to be built upon, that demands very little in return for the fun it offers when played with friends and taken for what it is.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a stunning remaster, taking a beloved game and making it relevant and vital for modern players.

The Nonary Games is a fantastic package that has two of the best adventure games of all time in a single package with worthy enhancements to 999 which remains one of my favourite games of all time.

Labyrinth of Galleria: The Moon Society has some interesting ideas for a dungeon crawler, but is too complex for its own good.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion is an intense bullet hell shooter that never takes it foot of the pedal, filled with fantastic gunplay and visuals.

If you like your bullet-hell games challenging but fair, you'll enjoy spending time in Tevi's expansive, colourful world.

It’s not quite at the level of the games that inspired it, but Athena Crisis is a great effort with loads of customisation options.

Even if you played the original releases, Metro Redux is still an attractive proposition. The improvements to 2033 are substantial, while the more minor tweaks to Last Light simply refine a fantastic experience.

Octopath Traveler feels like a gem from the golden age of JRPGs that is something I've been craving with stunning visuals, music that deserves a vinyl release, and so much more.

A fantastic and deep adventure, with only a few little issues that hold it back from true greatness.

Starfield is filled with possibilities for who you can become and what you can do, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in gaming.

If you’ve never played OlliOlli or the follow up, you absolutely need to get this package that has both together. The music, level design, and animations are all superb. OlliOlli 2 is easily one of my favourite indie games of all time and I’m glad to have it on another platform.

Cat Quest 3 is a near purrfect action RPG, with engaging combat, a gorgeous world to explore and loads of side quests to dive into.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a phenomenal entry into the Yakuza franchise, with an interesting new protagonist, a compelling story, and a combat system that constantly mixes things up.

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.

Moss: Book II is not the toughest of challenges, but this just lends to its accessibility, and regardless of difficulty it is an absolute treat from start to end.

Yakuza 5 offers a different kind of open-world experience, giving you more of an immersive game than you may be expecting, even if it does suffer from repetitive combat and long cut scenes.

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is like no other game out there, and offers a genuinely immersive and rewarding experience.

A Normal Lost Phone is an intimate, affecting discussion of LGBTQ+ issues—one which does not shy away from candidness—all in a handy hour-long experience.

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.

With the addition of a new dimension and brand new weapon types, Advanced Warfare’s multiplayer feels great. It’s fast paced, it’s smooth, and it feels rather well balanced. Add to that a genuinely compelling single player, and Advanced Warfare does enough to reignite anyone’s interest in the series.

Project CARS strips back racing to what it should be: just the car, the track and you.

If you're into the survival crafting genre, action RPGs, or vampires in general, V Rising is an absolute blast, alone or with others.

This is without a doubt the best football game of the year - potentially of all time. With great improvements to how you play, additional modes in FUT, the addition of the Champion's League, and visual enhancements in every mode, you'll find it hard to put the controller down.

Although it is weighed down by some questionable development choices, Prison Architect is a break-out success due to its sandbox alone.

Shiny new visuals and plenty of content, MKX's story is a riot with great gameplay to go with it. But there are worrying signs within.

Despite a lack of massive changes, NBA 2K15 is still the premier basketball experience that I don’t see being unseated any time soon. The gameplay is as satisfying and fun as ever, and when combined with the TV style presentation it is amazingly realistic.

Danganronpa 1.2 Reload on PlayStation 4 collects two of my favourite games in a long time into a single package that is immense value but the port could’ve been a bit better.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 gives you a massive world to explore with a lovely cast of characters that come together brilliantly, but it suffers on the technical side of things.

The on-pitch action and the game modes on offer present what is easily the best Madden package of this generation so far.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-boot Camp feels like it’s for the fans who loved the games back on Game Boy Advance, and despite some issues, it’s a superb package overall.

There’s no denying that handheld Dark Souls is still a cool concept, but its struggling framerate makes it difficult to recommend too highly.

It's great to have some new content for Horizon, and this piece of DLC certainly does it justice.

Just Dance 2022 may be familiar, and it may bring little that's new to the table, but it's still a hell of a lot of fun.

Sanabi is a wonderful action platformer with great grappling gameplay, but the pacing struggles thanks to the lengthy story sections.

Overcooked! 2 – Surf ‘n’ Turf is an excellent expansion that adds interesting new mechanics and more than enough content to justify the asking price with only poor difficulty scaling holding it back.

Chicken Police is a noire style point and click visual novel. It features a dark and compelling central mystery and a superbly voice-acted cast of bizarre characters. It is a clucking good time!

If this is the future of the series, I’ll be incredibly happy, because this just might be the best Pokemon game ever made.

As is often the case the Switch version adds nothing to the experience, but the graphical style and lightning pace suit the handheld screen way better than they suit a full-sized TV. The Switch, as a result, feels like the natural home for Katana ZERO, which slots perfectly into the existing catalogue.

Mortal Kombat 1 is exceptional, offering the best fighting the series has ever seen, with a thoroughly enjoyable story and Invasion mode.

Killer Queen Black doesn't feature an abundance of features, but the simplistic gameplay and cool win conditions make it a nice little multiplayer that's in the same vein as Nidhogg.