An interesting historical curio that has its charms, and some surprisingly good storytelling, but the old school gameplay and very modern pricing are not a good combination.

An interesting historical curio that has its charms, and some surprisingly good storytelling, but the old school gameplay and very modern pricing are not a good combination.

A mellow paced and captivating game of underwater exploration, crafting, and discovery, that feels more like a Subnautica expansion than a discrete sequel.

A competent but uninspired sequel that’s unwise to create so many obvious comparisons to Resident Evil 4, although it still manages to find some memorable moments of its own.

A successful resurrection of the iconic retro franchise, that wallows in justifiable nostalgia but still tries to keep at least one foot in the present.

What should have been a hotchpotch of other people’s ideas, made worse by frustratingly high difficulty, is in reality one of the most cleverly designed video games of recent years, with superb action and endless replayability.

It’s been a long time coming but the magic of Pokémon Snap has been effectively recreated in a game that’s more challenging and engrossing than its peaceable premise suggests.

A largely successful attempt to create a more cerebral style of horror game, even if it frequently comes across as just Alien Isolation with ghosts.

A super-authentic bike racing sim that the hardcore will love. And while less experienced players may struggle at first, the effort is worth it.

A highly polished remaster of the almost-classic action role-player, that is still stuck with some of the original flaws but allows the thoughtful, and very humorous, script to shine.

A hilarious parody of point ‘n’ click adventures and video games in general, whose jokes are as inspired and imaginative as its puzzles.

While there’s no exploration, your character effectively just walking from fight to fight down an endless corridor, the intricacy and subtlety of each combat encounter continues to deepen even after hours of play. It’s a masterclass in game design, working flawlessly on a touchscreen.

Its amusingly on-message alerts – ‘HEY NERD! You can’t build muscle just by texting! Get back to the dojo!’ – are great and being hazed, 80s style, by Johnny Lawrence remains inspiring. Sadly, the game, with its random-feeling successes and lacklustre card collecting, isn’t nearly as interesting.

There are countdown timers, bosses are oft-repeated re-skins with identical action, and Crash’s runs soon become repetitious, with progress gated behind either a tedious grind or microtransactions. Despite its colourful palette On the Run! is almost aggressively bland.

With an addictive role-playing style meta game letting your team of golfers earn experience points to power up their various strengths, it’s a superb and highly playable addition to Apple Arcade’s line-up.

What sounds like a silly gimmick works extremely well at immersing you into the life of another, although the technical problems can be severe.

The unique art style belies a game that is, for the most part, ruthlessly old fashioned, but in a way that will please old school Final Fantasy fans and maybe even make some new ones.

A highly enjoyable platform puzzler, with some cleverly complex set pieces and great presentation – but it lacks that final layer of polish that could have made it something really special.

A major update to the intricately plotted and highly detailed RPG, that gives players more of what they loved in the original release and the same amount of what they didn’t.

Although its reputation is as one of the better Star Wars games from the prequel era, this shallow, unengaging squad-based shooter has little to offer modern gamers.

A surprising, old school looter propped up by a contained sci-fi campaign, ferocious combat, and a modding system that encourages endless creativity.

A slightly embarrassing attempt to recall the early days of 3D platforming, with a central gimmick that never really captures the imagination and clunky controls and gameplay.

A complex space base builder remake that’s marred by inadequate tutorials, clumsy attempts at humour, and a general lack of polish.

A joyful, colourful, and hugely inventive cavalcade of co-op antics that makes superb use of having two players for both its unique challenges and unscripted hijinks.

By perfecting the Dungeon Keeper formula, the best James Bond game since GoldenEye proves that playing the bad guy really can be more fun.

A thoroughly entertaining and highly playable Metroidvania, that goes beyond being a simple retro homage and offers some memorable gameplay twists and storytelling surprises.

A unique blend of visuals, music, gameplay, and heady story themes combine in one of the most artistically daring video games of recent years.

A fantastic tour de force for the Switch and arguably the best Monster Hunter game ever, with a huge range of features and monsters, both new and old, and great co-op gameplay.

A brief and slightly dull detective mystery set in the colourful and conversation-heavy universe of The Outer Worlds, that lacks its parent’s variety, character, and joie de vivre.

It’s amazing it runs on the hardware at all, but the performance is a huge compromise, especially in a solely competitive environment.

Although simplistic, the gradual upgrade path retains an addictive magic and you can unlock new traps and extra characters, although disappointingly the latter are only cosmetically different.

It’s a joylessly over-commercialised and entertainment free monstrosity.

It works perfectly on a touchscreen, the experience of gently manoeuvring light through each level proving engaging and oddly relaxing.

Gentle and never particularly taxing, the game’s straightforward puzzles complement its charming art style and quietly melancholic story, in this unusual and attractively drawn game.

A love story told through a first person puzzle game that delights in playing with scale and recursive environments, even if its conundrums eventually feel a little undercooked.

A disappointing waste of a fun combat system and an impressive graphics engine, with ugly artwork and unremarkable storytelling that expends all its goodwill disappointingly quickly.

After 30 hours you’ll still feel like you’ve only scratched the surface, with every new encounter feeling fresh and rewarding. It’s also impressive to think that this is your world alone and that anyone else playing will have their own unique experience with happenstance adventures. You can play solo but with more territories and bosses to come you’ll soon want to convince your friends to join you, so you can adventure together. And for such a low price it will be hard for them to say no. [Early Access Review - 30 hours]

A needlessly stringent remake of the original two arcade classics that is just as frustratingly difficult as ever, although it does have a neat co-op mode.

The best Dynasty Warriors game so far is still barely competent compared to other action games but for those seeking more Persona 5 this is a fun, if trashy diversion.

One of the best coin-op collections ever produced, not just in terms of the games included but the excellent presentation and range of options.

A well designed, entertaining, and black humoured roguelite that does a great job of balancing long-term progress with the need to extend individual runs.

Ultimately, Ys 9 is largely the same game as the last one but in a fundamentally less interesting context. As bombastic as the combat is there’s not quite enough depth in it to compensate for the game’s failings, relatively minor as they may be. It’s still an enjoyable and breezy experience (you could beat the whole story in 30 hours with time to spare) but we’d still recommend Ys 8 as the preferred way to dip your toe into Falcom’s waters. Then, if you want a similar experience but just not quite as good, there’s always Ys 9 for afterwards.

There are boosters you can use to blast away multiple blocks at a time, and hundreds upon hundreds of levels, but no real sense of evolution as you progress. It’s as if it were intended to be a free to play game that was unexpectedly re-purposed, leaving visible traces of its original mechanics without any real point to them.

It has a polished interface, and the sound effects as you move board elements are first rate, but the puzzles are monotonously similar throughout, meaning you’re working with the same set of problems at level 80 as you were in the tutorial.

One of the best modern Super Mario titles is made that little bit better and accompanied by a brand-new game that bends the formula in new and exciting ways.

Barely changed from the original PS4 versions but that doesn’t change the fact that these are two of the best Dark Souls inspired action role-players of the previous generation.

A thoroughly entertaining work of video game art that improves mechanically on the original and proves thought-provoking in terms of more than just the puzzle-solving.

Playing as a powerful, rage-filled werewolf should be the perfect set-up for a great video game but Earthblood misses so many obvious opportunities it’s as if the game itself is cursed.

A fun, uncomplicated romp that’s a great way to relax for 20 minutes or so. Beyond that though it struggles to entertain, especially given the grubby approach to microtransactions.

Another excellent expansion filled with new weapons, powers, and extra levels, as Dead Cells continues to have some of the best post-game support in gaming.

The best version of Control so far, that makes good use of the PlayStation 5’s features and leaves plenty of hope and anticipation for a future sequel.

An ingenious, colourful, and gloriously framed platform puzzle game that effortlessly blends 2D puzzles with the 3D world that surrounds them.

A surprisingly deep and absorbing cyberpunk stealth-action role-player that transcends its low-tech visuals and basic presentation.

Instead of high-tech thrills and survival horror chills, this disappointingly mundane thriller struggles to impress with a muddled narrative and unengaging gameplay,

A welcome return for a beloved Amiga classic but while this compilation proves the games still have charm it lacks accessibility and features, especially given the high price.

The interface works well and the extra tasks prove a welcome addition to the time honoured bridge building mechanics, and while it never gets especially taxing it remains engaging throughout.

Its cute art style and endearing English translation belie serious depth, with the potential for powerful buffs if you concentrate your efforts and enjoy a modicum of luck. Satisfying, funny, and enormously addictive, Million Dungeon is a true App and Play Store gem.

Fun, silly, and flammable, this is the very antithesis of a simulation, and all the better for it.

It looks good, moves fast, and you can pull off satisfying drifts going once you get used to the racers’ handling, but the touchscreen controls are easy to miss in the heat of battle, and there’s never quite enough going on to make it compelling.

It’s extremely short, but this is one of those rarities that is actually free, with no advertising or microtransactions, just a hugely offbeat and entertaining few minutes’ worth of non-gaming.

Its graphics and mechanics are starting to seem a little creaky after 20 years, but the small screen is forgiving, cloud saves let you play across multiple devices, and the allure of labyrinthine tales inside the Star Wars universe remains powerful.

There’s not much to it, and it’s infested with ads until you cough up 99p to get rid of them, but its absurdity and charm carry what is at heart a very simple game.

There are secret passages to be found in the bland, procedurally-generated levels, but all the enemies do is vaguely wander towards you, adding to a pervasive sense of playing a prototype rather than a fully-fledged game. For most players one run will be more than enough.

A great finale to the World of Assassination trilogy and the perfect time to end the reboot era, as the once revolutionary formula begins to show its age.

A hugely disappointing sequel, where the high difficulty, restrictive controls, and randomly-generated levels all contribute to a thoroughly miserable platforming experience.

Whatever your preconceptions may be about a free-to-play gacha game made in China it’s nothing short of stunning, presenting you with a sprawling Zelda-esque open world to explore, the green grass and blue skies looking beautiful thanks to console-grade production values. Even the monetisation isn’t too in-your-face, although it does eventually start to get a bit grindy in the late game. Genshin Impact is easily the most accomplished and alluring Zelda-alike available for mobiles, easily outstripping paid-for rival Oceanhorn and its sequel.

As well as selecting extremely funny idioms from around the world, the way words have been dismantled and rearranged is in itself artistically brilliant, making this a relaxing and amusing joy to play through.

One of the best puzzle games of the last decade and a perfect fit for the Switch, with its mix of tactical puzzle-solving, extreme violence, and charming visuals.

A stunning achievement in open world gameplay but one whose tonal inconsistencies and weak narrative undermines what could have been an all-time classic.

An extraordinarily good port that seems physically impossible given the modest abilities of the Switch but is just as playable and enjoyable as the other console versions.

Temtem still isn’t finished, which is why there’s no score here, but Crema are making good on their promise of constant improvements and additions; so when it does come out of early access next year The Pokémon Company is going to have their most serious rival for a very long time. [Early Access Review]

A surprisingly successful reinvention of the Worms formula that turns the more slow-paced originals into an engagingly silly multiplayer free-for-all.

The potential for an exciting period strategy game is clear but that only makes the buggy mess of unbalanced combat and simplistic tactical decisions all the more frustrating.

It’s hard to know which is more impressive here, the complete lack of shame in how much Ubisoft copies Zelda: Breath Of The Wild or the fact that Immortals suffers the comparison so impressively well.

A dramatic, emotive and affecting interactive drama that shows Dontnod are still the masters of branching narrative and serious-minded storytelling.

One of Destiny 2’s best expansions thus far, providing an assured roadmap for the series to move into. It is just more Destiny though.

So far Shadowlands does not disappoint, with the question of which of the four covenants to soul-bind to being a particularly tricky one, as you get to grips with the endgame content of world quests and dailies. Shadowlands is reminiscent of aspects from earlier expansions, such as Wrath Of The Lich King (even including the grind), but it has a style all of its own and a good sense of momentum that, so far at least, makes it great fun to play. [Review-in-Progress]

If there is a complaint, it’s that the aiming mechanic, where you drag your finger in the direction you want to shoot and then release to fire, is prone to inaccuracy, but honestly it’s just nice to have new levels to play through.

Unfortunately, despite the high quality of the artwork the text amounts to little more than pseudo-philosophical new age gibberish, and without a plot or anything much to say, the experience is disappointingly hollow.

Like Simogo’s classic of interactive fiction, Device 6, this cheerfully plays with the format, exploiting both touchscreen and motion sensing for puzzles that require logical deduction, are never unreasonably abstruse and, above all, make you feel smart for solving them.

The game swiftly adds more suits, and you can buy power ups that let you clear rows, or give you more turns to complete goals, but even though it’s authentic to solitaire, that niggling random factor holds it back.

Samorost 2 is still subject to its genre’s dated trial and error gameplay, but it’s so refined and beautifully presented it’s a pleasure to explore from start to finish.

It also fully recreates one of the best AAA games of the last few years on a phone, and while your handset may get a bit warm during play, in the winter months, and provided you’re near a power outlet, that’s almost comforting.

Entirely wordless, and with no instructions whatsoever, you’re left to figure everything out for yourself, and along with the near-monochromatic colour palette, it’s a process that underscores the pervasive sense of loneliness.

Despite a lack of big ticket new features Football Manager 2021 delivers its best ever matchday experience and the series’ most realistic on-pitch simulation of football.

It’s not the most accessible game around, but this quirky bird-borne aerial combat game is definitely one of the most imaginative games in the Xbox Series X/S launch line-up.

Arguably the definitive version of one of the most famous, and enduring, video games in history, with some very welcome new multiplayer features.

The best Dynasty Warriors style game ever made, which means it’s slightly north of mediocre, with simplistic combat, weak storytelling, and a whole lot of repetition.

Not a standout year for Call Of Duty, as while the campaign offers some fun action and minor innovation Zombies and multiplayer are beginning to feel very tired.

A fantastic remake of one of the most influential games of recent history, with stunning visuals and improved technical features that make it easier and less frustrating to play for everyone.

Although it seems to have all the necessary components to become a compelling looter-slasher Godfall’s fussy mechanics and repetitive design will quickly sap your interest.

Another gorgeous looking first party PS5 game, with some fun and imaginative platforming, but even with four players at once it lacks that certain spark that would’ve made it a true launch essential.

A hugely entertaining open world puzzler where simply getting from A to B is more entertaining than most games in their entirety.

Pacer, aka WipEout: Pacer, is the closest thing to Psygnosis games we've played in recent years. It has evolved a lot since Formula Fusion and although it can improve more, it's a must have for fans of the genre and WipEout fans.

It might not change anything fundamental, but this special edition not only looks and plays better but has an impressive amount of new content too.

One of the few games that can accurately be described as so bad it’s good, with a gleefully bizarre mix of bad voice-acting, appalling console optimisation, and surprisingly decent gunplay.

A vast and multi-faceted trip through a stylised Viking life, with a new fighting system, manifold mini-games and diversions, and untold glitches. It’s Assassin’s Creed to its core.

An ambitiously odd game that has an innovative take on Pokémon style gameplay and features some of the most intriguing characters of the year - but is rarely as much fun as it should be.