Rime is a unique and whimsical journey that puts the awe back into the videogaming experience. The pensive mood belies the quick paced structure of the puzzle design and the framing narrative is at once affecting and abstruse. An almost meditative odyssey of discovery, Rime is one of the standout games of the year so far and should be on the top of every puzzle and adventure game fan’s list of purchases.

This kind of came out of nowhere for me but it’s really right up my alley. A dystopian world with a well developed story… a splash of sci-fi and stunning visuals. A very tolerable amount of horror (don’t get me wrong… some of those moments if played in VR would probably require a pants change)… puzzles that are a challenge but manageable. Not to mention a moving soundtrack (even if I did have trouble making out what the words were in the song near the start of the game). Highly recommended for anyone who likes things a bit weird and thought provoking!

An innovative tool for designing your very own Mushroom Kingdom.

Second Son is easily the best game in the franchise that not only contains superior gaming mechanics but it has some spectacular graphics and special effects!

If you are more of a single player gamer like me, don’t let the online nature of Fallout 76 put you off… it’s eminently playable as a single player experience. If you are put off by the issues mentioned at the start then maybe steer clear (or at least wait to see if patches address your concerns), otherwise I’d say grab the Deathclaw by the horns and jump in (but maybe wait till you have powerarmour to do that.).

Unbeatable wears an undeniable amount of flair, but as of writing, it comes with its fair share of rough patches that have yet to be smoothed over.

Riven is an island hopping puzzle adventure VR game that tells the age-old tale of forsaken prophecy while making you use all of your brain's power in the best possible ways.

A highly recommended interactive adventure game with compelling characters, impactful branching decisions and unique visuals.

One of the best games of the year and in Switch history, Bayonetta is a gameplay experience not to be missed.

A intriguing change of pace that gives the Assassin's Creed series the breathing room it has so desperately needed for eons, without making any compromises on content. Well worth your time to enter the gates of Valhalla.

In conclusion, Little King’s Story is quite an original and innovative game on the Nintendo Wii that can be played by gamers of all ages.

The worlds of Portal and Tenet combine to bring a puzzling game about turning back time.

Developer Sucker Punch has produced a fantastic realization of Ezo/Hokkaido, a region of feudal Japan that we don’t get to see a lot of in games, let alone explore in such detail. Along with fun combat, quests, and progression systems, Yōtei will keep a lot of gamers busy, not even taking into account the free co-op multiplayer modes coming in 2026. A must-play for fans of open-world action-adventure games, and a worthy, albeit safe sequel to Ghost of Tsushima.

It follows the same formula, excellent story and open ended problem solving and combines this with RPG elements and modern game play but with Wii U enhancements

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition is the ultimate JRPG package, jam-packed with dozens of hours of content and new quality of life improvements made even better with the Nintendo Switch’s portability factor. The game simultaneously celebrates its past and indulges in the old-school roots of the genre while simultaneously modernising it for the current generation, resulting in one of the best JRPGs of this generation. The Switch port is a labour of love with impressive visuals, rock-solid performance and ample fan-service that should be experienced by anyone looking for the perfect role-playing game experience on-the-go.

With a gentle learning curve, tight mechanics and immensely gratifying gameplay, NHL 16 stands as EA Sports’ most accomplished release of the year.

Kojima Productions have done it again, producing a game that is as engaging as it is strange while improving on the mechanics of its predecessor.

If you want to test your system and see just how much power you can put out (within the confines of a CPU limited game engine), then this will still show you what your rig is capable of. If you want a game that is perhaps the closest you can get to the opening fire fight of Predator (with similar otherworldly interference taking over) then this is without doubt a game you should grab! If you’ve played it before but don’t know where you put your CD-ROM or even your DVD copy of the game, this might be a good excuse to shell out for a new digital version. Even if you just want a fun sci-fi action first person shooter with some fun future tech and some lovely visuals… grab a copy!

Hi-Fi Rush remains an absolute feast for the senses, a heady mix of unique and addictive brawling, beautiful presentation, an incredible soundtrack, and a cast of well-drawn characters in every sense of the word that demands to be in any action fan’s collection.

A fantastic pick-up-and-play 3DS game a diverse and funky soundtrack, tons of unlockable content and perfect for party play with friends.

If you’ve enjoyed adventure games before then you will enjoy this… if you haven’t really given adventure games a go, this is a great one to see just how well they can be made. There are quite a lot of laughs and the production quality is high… for the price you really can’t go wrong. Stick a balloon to your head or grab a 90’s metal band wig and get ready to drop some beats… go play Paradigm!

The Walking Dead Season two Episode one “All That Remains” is a nice start to season two. Full of emotional moments that carry the story forward and keep us interested.

FIFA 18 does enough to better its predecessor thanks to new player animations and improvements to the gameplay. Although repetitive, the revamped transfer system is intriguing and part two of Alex’s story in The Journey: Hunter Returns makes FIFA 18 the best in the series to date.

If you’ve been around gaming long enough then you remember with a lot of fondness the old adventure games. You can go as far back as pure text adventures or you can go to what was arguably the heyday with Sierra and then Lucasarts. The Red Strings Club harks back to those games visually with it’s pixel-art style… but much as us gamers have grown up… the subject matter has too. While those formerly mentioned game companies would frequently scatter more mature content throughout via little jokes and such, The Red Strings Club is fully immersed in mature themes and it’s a great way to experience that nostalgia in the modern age.

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy is a seriously good remaster. It’s a relaxing and comforting jaunt back into the world of the classic 3D platformer and it was a joy to re-experience all of these worlds with Sparx by my side. If you played Spyro growing up—or always wondered what the fuss was about—there’s something in this for everyone, and I hope that we see some new young Spyro fans as a result.

Final Fantasy XVI is without a doubt one of the best RPGs I have played in years, and could possibly have knocked my beloved Final Fantasy VI off its perch as the favourite game in the series. Though it may feel different to previous, entries what Square has accomplished in almost every department is nothing short of phenomenal. The RPG elements may be a lot lighter, but what they’ve been replaced with is top-tier action and the kind of epic spectacle and story-telling that has made Final Fantasy the genre-defining series we know and love. Even if the main cast has names that make them sound more like workmates at an accountancy firm than a band of magical outlaws.

Shaking up the formula somewhat whilst still ensuring that longtime fans and purists are catered for, Lucid Games have done the unfathomable and created a game that betters the already stellar efforts of Bizarre Creations.

While the indie market is no stranger to artistic and emotionally resonant games, Copycat on PlayStation 5 stands out as a truly special experience.