A technical masterpiece with some of the best swordfighting combat in years, but the storytelling and puzzle elements come across as muddled and awkwardly mismatched.

The least funny Disgaea, but arguably the best in terms of the actual gameplay – and it’s a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch.

An expertly crafted clone that finally shows consoles owners what Diablo is all about. As long as you don't mind playing alone anyway.

The Danganronpa formula feels like it’s starting to get a little stale, but it still manages to pose interesting moral quandaries with a large dose of black humour and anime style weirdness.

Full of imagination and great ideas, but Kirby seems destined to repeat the same mistakes forever – with zero challenge and aimless, unfocused game design.

The 1994 original has some unfortunate flaws, that this remake doesn’t try to fix, but in terms of graphics, soundtrack, and sheer invention this is one of the best Japanese role-players of any era.

Great value co-op-orientated dual stick shooter that revels in its shallowness and makes a virtue of its one note, but superbly tuned, gameplay.

A surprisingly effort-filled remake of the first Mario & Luigi, which retains the same amusing script as before but revamps the graphics and presentation.

One of the best live service games comes to PlayStation 5 and while the combat is still frustratingly flaccid the sense of camaraderie and exploration is second to none.

If you’ve never liked Assassin’s Creed this won’t win you over but Shadows is a well-made and exciting iteration that’s impressively well-polished, even if it lacks any significant new ideas.

A much better map than the last two and amongst the best of the season, while still leaving you wanting even more from Hitman’s episodic exploits.

The most original and enjoyable online shooter of the generation, but the lack of content at launch means it may be months before it reaches its true potential.

The action may not be up to quite the same standards as the writing, but the bizarre world of the Underzee is more interesting to explore than almost any other recent game world.

A so-so episode, which relies too much on cliché and Clementine’s increasingly rapid transformation into a child superhero. But there’s still some effective drama despite it all.

A microscopic improvement on Football Manager 2015, that is as addictive and engrossing as ever but seems to have run out of steam in terms of new ideas.

A noble effort to recreate one of the PS Vita’s best games on a home console, but the end result never feels quite as elegant or organic as the original.

One of the most unique racers of the last decade finally appears on the PlayStation and Xbox, and becomes arguably the best arcade racer on either system.

Punishingly and infuriatingly hard, but also the best retro-inspired platform puzzler for years.

It may be big in Japan but there's little here that is new, in this still deeply flawed mini-MMO.

Business as usual with a mediocre single-player campaign and one of the best multiplayer experiences in all gaming – and at last one that works just as well on consoles as on PC.

It doesn’t have the depth of standalone Persona and Fire Emblem games, but this is a fun crossover that will please followers of both, and Japanese role-playing fans in general.

The best Ace Attorney so far, with a wonderfully entertaining series of mysteries that showcase the series’ oddball characters to their very best – and make some subtle but welcome improvements to the gameplay.

An exacting remake of Diablo 2 that will not only please those that played it the first time round on PC but works impressively well on consoles too.

The 60fps option improves the gameplay to a small degree but, almost a decade later, it’s not the graphics or the story that impresses the most in GTA 5, but the open world design. It’s the one element that is beyond criticism and while it is beginning to seem a little old-fashioned compared to newer titles like Zelda: Breath Of The Wild and Elden Ring it’s still lightyears ahead of any of its would-be rivals.

A delicious mix of old school multiplayer gaming and modern convenience, with a sequel that improves the original recipe in all the right ways.

The sheer age of the games are beginning to count against them but Ace Attorney still remains exhibit A in how to make story-based games fun and engaging.

A fascinating experiment in alternative storytelling, filled with bold new ideas and some stunning visuals and music.

The story mode has some technical issues but overall this is an impressive effort for a launch game, with the GamePad adding some genuine value to the experience.

An inspired mix of survival horror and battle royale that also manages to blend competitive and co-operative gameplay into a terrifyingly entertaining whole.

Arc System Works aren’t exactly pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, but this is another polished and highly enjoyable 2D fighter that is not nearly as insular as you’d think.

Still one of the best survival horror games of the generation and one whose thick atmosphere and surreal sojourns work surprisingly well on the PS Vita.

A solid slice of DLC with an interesting story to tell and some notable new gameplay extras, although the fate of the protagonist is unfortunately fudged.

There’s a lot of downtime at the start, but another shock ending does little to dilute what is the best piece of interactive storytelling so far this year.

It certainly looks the part, but although this never plays quite as well as F-Zero GX it’s close enough that most fans will forgive its lack of refinement.

It can be a little inconsistent in terms of both actions and puzzles but late entry or not this is one of the funniest and best-presented adventures of the year.

Wonderfully presented and impressively imaginative 2D action puzzler, that almost seems too good for DSiWare.

Gearbox’s venerable looter shooter has finally developed a modicum of maturity, with improved gunplay, a proper open world, and some half-decent storytelling.

Another excellent compilation of forgotten Capcom fighters, with the revival of Power Stone and Capcom Vs. SNK being especially welcome – even if it’s a shame these aren’t the Dreamcast versions.

No matter what it says about the potential usage for the Switch’s touchscreen this is a beautifully presented and enjoyably novel rhythm action game.

Completely charming and wonderfully presented stealth puzzle game, that turns a horrible goose into one of the year’s most endearing video game stars.

A largely satisfying ending for what has been a frustratingly uneven season of graphic adventures.

Easily the best toys-to-life game so far, with a great new gimmick that makes for one of the best family friendly titles this year.

The level of whimsy may seem artificially high but this is an inventive and fun puzzler - and a great opening salvo for Xbox Live Arcade in 2011.

A fast-moving and savagely difficult 2D platformer that draws equal inspiration from Limbo and Soulsborne games, with its own restless sense of invention that never falls short.

Perfectly judged adaptation of the PC series, with just the right level of complexity and challenge.

Utterly charming on (literally) every level, it may not offer much in terms of fast action but this is just as imaginative and engrossing as any Super Mario game.

The perfect jumping on point for both new players and those wanting to fill in the gaps in Fire Emblem lore, although the game lacks the depth of more modern entries.

A heartbreaking ending to a fascinatingly ambitious interactive story, that handles the build-up to its final dilemma with impressive confidence and heart.

A step down from the masterful Bowser’s Inside Story, but still a wonderfully imaginative and dryly funny mix of platformer and traditional RPG.

The closest thing to Ikaruga on a smartphone and despite the psychedelic presentation one of Jeff Minter's more lucid shooters of recent years.

One of the most acclaimed games of the '80s gets the modern makeover it deserves, with an experience that still feels as daringly ambitious now as it ever did.

Far more than just a match-three puzzler, Clash Of Heroes is a unique strategy role-playing hybrid that has a massive amount to offer in terms of both its solo campaign and multiplayer.

An impressively successful follow-up to Vampire Survivors, that features entirely different gameplay but a similarly deceptive sense of depth and nuance to its charmingly low-tech action.

Not the best entry in the series, but it does have some of the best puzzles. As well as a bombastic, if slightly confused, story that will leave both new and old fans wanting more.

A slight improvement on the first episode, but still basically just plot set-up for a story that too often feels out of your hands.

The best 2D shooters of the retro era return once again, with a good value package that has plenty for new fans and old.

The worldless storytelling is some of the most compelling of the year and the purposefully frustrating control system an outrageously daring experiment.

Clever, funny, and beautiful to look at, but this is a game of two halves and the second one is such a peculiar tonal shift in terms of gameplay that even the story suffers as a result.

A hugely disappointing penultimate episode, but if you enjoyed the first three it’s still nowhere near enough to put you off from following things through to the end.

A solid if predictable start to the new season, but still one of Telltale's better graphic adventures.

Shallow, simplistic, and never quite as funny as it thinks it is, but there’s still more energy and imagination at work here than most other new next gen franchises.

World War I has never been so much fun in this successful mix of Tower Defence and shoot 'em-up action.

A charming addition to the Life Is Strange franchise that has one of the best branching narratives in any video game and one of the most likeable set of characters.

Masterful reboot of the old snowboarding racer, with just the right mix of retro appeal, modern presentation, and brand new ideas.

An excellent port from the PC, which maintains all of the original's innovative open-endedness and most of its graphical prowess.

An improvement on the first game but despite the joyful carnage this is still a pretty shallow sandbox.

Disappointingly mundane first person shooter from the creators of the genre, with only a few interesting ideas and far too many overfamiliar ones.

Being Boney represents a more linear, but more accessible, experience for would-be European dictators.

An even more bare bones collection than on home consoles - even if it does include the best portable version of Snake Eater so far.

The games are historical touchstones more than they are all-time classics, but nostalgic fans will still enjoy these entertaining riffs on the work of Rare and Rockstar.

More than just a successful reboot of a forgotten franchise, this is one of the most unique and entertaining new fighting games of recent years.

A satisfying ending to one of WiiWare's few success stories and an inspired mix of retro and modern presentation and gameplay.

A textbook example of worthwhile downloadable content, with action that's just as good as the main game but different enough that it feels like a unique experience.

The best Lemmings game since the Amiga days, except with flesh-eating zombies instead of mindless mammals.

A little more linear than usual, but Shantae and her friends have never looked or played better in this amusingly silly Metroidvania.

It’s an utterly charming experience whose only fault is that you’re always left wanting more.

It’s no longer the Diablo killer it used to be, but this remains a superior dungeon crawler, with great action and loot that still puts it amongst the genre’s best.

The best 2D shooter for several years and a fantastic homage to the genre, with some of the best pixel art graphics of the year.

Still one of the best on-the-rails shooters ever made and vastly superior to the modern sequels, despite some minor issues with the remake.

A solid sequel to one of the best roguelike games of recent years, that personalises the conflict against Lovecraftian madness while adding to the original’s compelling turn-based battles.

Life Is Strange’s sequel is off to an impressively daring start, both in terms of the subject matter and creating a brand-new cast of characters.

The latest episode in gaming’s most endearing soap opera has some minor script problems, but it’s still a joy to catch up with old friends and new enemies.

A useful improvement over the last game but one that still avoids instituting any of the serious changes that the series now desperately needs.

Despite all that could have gone wrong this is one of the best remakes this generation, with a triumphant return for old school split screen multiplayer.

The Japanese role-playing game stripped back to its bare essentials and yet rather than an exercise in nostalgic pandering this is one of the most compelling and sharply designed dungeon crawlers of recent years.

As a straight action game the core combat is elegant and original but the roguelite structure makes the already mountainous difficulty just too much to bear.

Although it would’ve seemed madness a decade or so ago the complaint that a video game is just too long, or overstuffed with features, is becoming increasingly common. Some developers just don’t seem to know when to say no, and Shadow Of War is a prime example of a game that would’ve been a lot more entertaining as a shorter, leaner experience. Less features, rather than more, would’ve been better, and we’re not just talking about the loot boxes.

A slight downgrade on the original but still a fun crossover that works as a crash course in the joys of both Persona and Etrian Odyssey.

Still one of the few video games to deal with love and relationships in anything like a realistic manner, but the attempts to shoehorn in an extra new character fall flat.

An improvement on last year’s already firm foundations, WWE 2K23 continues the franchise’s rebirth with steady improvements, beefed up game modes, and an epic recreation of WarGames.

A wasted and over-egged sequel to what was an innovative mix of rhythm action and real-time strategy.

A hugely entertaining, if slightly uneven, roller coaster ride of gorgeously stylised ultra violence.

Interesting plot and story concept, fantastically versatile 2D combat, and some of the best dungeon puzzling outside of a Zelda game. Gorgeous graphics and soundtrack.

One of the few slices of DLC that can claim to be better than the parent game, as the gameplay of Frontiers Of Pandora is tightened up and the graphics pushed even further.

Destined to be as divisive as all modern Final Fantasy games, but it’s the story and characters that disappoint more than the capable combat and exploration.

Despite borrowing so much from so many different games Capcom’s Western style role-player is still very much its own game – with plenty of interesting ideas of its own.

The crossover between the two classic puzzlers is a bit of a gimmick, but the huge range of modes for both games makes this the best version of either for years.

A surprisingly successful mobile spin-off that uses the key elements of Hitman to good effect but remains perfectly playable to those new to the franchise.