A blockbuster action movie in VR form that shows the abilities of PlayStation VR and Sony’s studios better than ever before, even if the experience is ultimately rather shallow.

A competent remaster of one of Sonic’s better mainline outings comes bundled with an even better Shadow-centric adventure, that makes up for its short length with fantastic levels, tight controls, and fun new powers.

A full-on space opera looter shooter RPG, that is brimming with content and exciting combat set pieces, but which doesn’t quite know when to stop before it starts to feel repetitive.

Another top notch Lego game and one that surpasses other Tolkien tie-ins, and most other movie adaptations, in terms of both fun and, unbelievably, authenticity.

An excellent remake that makes the game vastly more accessible for newcomers, while still providing plenty of new features, and updated visuals, for existing fans.

A fun but shallow mini-game collection, whose hobbled simulations still make good use of the MotionPlus.

A wonderfully rich celebration of one of gaming’s more forgotten shooter franchises, although it’s unfortunate its pleasures come at such a high price.

Repetition and overfamiliarity are always the best ways to nullify fear, but until they set in this is one of the most effectively scary video games ever made.

A truly great portable strategy game that’s original, accessible, and addictive. And for once the microtransactions benefit the player as well as the publisher.

Achingly beautiful god sim that struggles at times over structure and difficultly curve, but never in terms of spectacle or vision.

The funniest and best-looking entry in the series so far, but also the least innovative and accessible in terms of gameplay.

A surprisingly ambitious cosmic space adventure that excels the more it diverges from the movies, offering robust action, impressive visuals, and unexpectedly sophisticated storytelling.

A clever 2D platformer that doesn't muddy the waters with overcomplicated concepts or controls - but still has time for some great 3D effects.

A crossover between Persona and Fire Emblem proves to be just as peculiar as it sounds, but this is a surprisingly fun mash-up for Japanese role-playing fans.

Some of the most difficult decision-making in gaming, both tactically and morally, but occasional rough edges betray the game’s small budget and short development time.

It comes frustratingly close to being the perfect Warhammer 40,000 action game but repetitive set pieces and a lack of crunch to the combat means that’ll have to wait for Space Marine 3.

Beautifully bizarre retro graphics can't hide the rough edges on this real-time action strategy.

The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.

Compared to the classic 2D Super Mario games this is disappointingly anodyne, but it’s still competently made platform fun that can be enjoyed by everyone.

The spirit of the arcade will never die thanks to games like this, as Vlambeer demonstrate their mastery of minimalist action.

Nowhere close to a reinvention of the series but the more serious tone is mostly successful, with an ambitious story campaign and some entertaining new multiplayer modes.

A welcome return for the pioneering space adventure, but despite a solid start it will need a steady supply of new content and tweaks to reach elite status.

A wonderful mix of cutting edge technology and nuanced storytelling that instantly becomes one of the best games for PlayStation VR.

Grand Theft Auto and a touchscreen device continues to be the worst team-up since Cannon and Ball, but if you've only come for the nostalgia some of the magic is still there.

The PC flight sim makes a near-perfect landing on consoles, with some of WWII's most exciting combat.

A disappointing follow-up to Nioh, that has most of its same qualities but, unfortunately, almost exactly the same flaws; with two few new ideas to make up for the lack of advancement.

Kratos may not be gaming’s most charismatic protagonist but it turns out he has a surprising knack for multiplayer as well as single-player action, in one of the best-looking games on the PlayStation 3.

We’re not giving this bonus episode a score because it’s only an hour long, and it will mean nothing to anyone that hasn’t played all the other episodes. But we strongly recommend both series to anyone that enjoys slow-burning interactive storytelling. We just warn you that, emotionally speaking, it’s going to be a rough ride – for you and the characters.

A welcome return for a significant but sadly overlooked part of Capcom’s fighting game heritage, and one of the best HD updates of a 2D game ever seen.

An ode to pop culture, the joy of toys, and the love of a good mash-up. It’s expensive, and a lot of the gameplay is familiar, but the mix of elements is almost impossible to resist.

The latest Civilization VI expansion handles a difficult subject matter with great insight and in a way that improves the game and makes you think of the world beyond it.

An imaginative spin on retro 2D shooters, whose unconventional gameplay and visuals are a prime example of what makes indie gaming so exciting – despite some notable rough edges.

If you've never played a Pokémon game this is an excellent place to jump aboard, and you can add at least one extra point to the score as a result. But for anyone else this is an easy to ignore stopgap.

The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.

A typically assured mix of standard Japanese role-playing and MegaTen's more provocative ideas.

It can never have the impact of the first game but this is still a worthy, incremental improvement.

An incredible work of imagination and one of the best-looking games of the generation. The gameplay can’t quite match the magic of the presentation, but it’s not far behind.

One of the most enjoyably weird games of recent years and yet surprisingly easy to grasp, with an engaging mix of action and survival gameplay – and a good dose of surrealist imagery.

A skateboarding sim which transcends the genre through its dazzling psychedelic presentation, smart design, and comedic lightness of touch.

The best Joe Danger yet, with some fun new gimmick and some of the best touchscreen controls ever seen in an action game.

A great simulation game that works impressively well on consoles. Although at times it almost feels like a psychology study of the player rather than the inmates.

The best post-apocalyptic survival game of the generation, that innovates in terms of both its varied gameplay mechanics and its incisive storytelling.

A modestly ambitious action role-player, that’s very good at making you feel you have an impact on the world, but it’s let down by endless reams of mundane dialogue and predictable mechanics.

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.

An elegantly designed mix of puzzles and platforming that may well be the best Lost Vikings clone yet.

A superior multiplayer co-op sequel, which maximises its novel premise with improved level design and a flood of clever new ideas.

The Definitive Edition changes nothing, but Dishonored is still bravely uncompromising in terms of the freedom it offers the player and its willingness to treat them as an adult.

One of the oddest sequels of all time, which removes one of the series’ most interesting features and adds almost nothing in return.

The end result still doesn't have the personality or verve of Grand Theft Auto or Red Dead Redemption, the novelty of Assassin's Creed, or the crazy acrobatics of Just Cause but it's a better action game than any of them. Clearly that's not necessarily a priority for open world games but it's nice to see it can be done all the same.

A successful return flight for the veteran franchise, with highly entertaining aerial action that remains accessible for new fans and old.

Still one of the best entries in the series, but the comparisons to Monster Hunter: World are not kind – especially as this is essentially just a 3DS port.

A disappointing sequel in many ways but as a refinement of one of the best real-time strategies of all-time this is still an enjoyably cinematic experience.

RiME is not quite the game it wants to be, but while it lacks the profundity it was clearly aiming for the surface level puzzle-solving and exploration can still be enjoyable. But as you note the obvious inspirations it’s hard not to acknowledge that RiME’s various elements all worked better in the games they originally came from.

A welcome return to form for the series, and while the co-op puzzle-solving no longer seems quite as original as it once did it’s never been as enjoyable or varied as this.

A vast improvement on the first game, but still only a partial vindication for motion controls.

No matter what you think of the original games these are an excellent trio of remasters, that will please existing fans and help to create new ones.

It's an ungenerous expansion, but if you've not tried the original this is a slightly healthier option.

An inspired reworking of The Sentinel, introducing a new generation to one of the most tense and atmospheric action puzzlers ever made.

A Mega Man sequel that, despite its flash new looks and newb-friendly approach, conservatively touts the same formula Capcom has been using these past 30 years.

Even if it lacks some of Evergarden’s complexity, it’s an interesting process of discovery that does its best not to rush you, letting you soak up the ambience while working out how its pieces fit together.

Telling the story of Meve, queen of Lyria, and replete with familiar characters from the games and books, Thronebreaker’s games of Gwent mix standard one-on-one matches with a plethora of puzzle levels, each with its own set of rules and constraints. The result is a rich and varied tactical tour de force, comprising dozens of hours of entertainment backed up by a story that’s as twisted and interesting as Witcher fans have come to expect.

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.

A series of darkly comic spy-themed VR escape rooms that revel in their ability to kill you in inventive and unexpected ways.

Accompanied by ambient trance music, it’s one of those games where you can slip into the zone and not realise an hour’s passed, making this a somewhat dangerous distraction on public transport.

Tricky, mentally taxing, and immensely satisfying, Finity is one of those games that keeps getting better as your understanding of its systems deepens.

From the developer of rymdkapsel and holedown, both of which are classics that are well worth playing, subpar pool is another capital letter-shunning production of great polish and originality.

An inspired new take on the 2D Metroidvania concept, whose challenging combat and rewarding exploration is accompanied by some stunning audio and visual design.

A worthy follow-up to the cult classic original, with a great mix of Japanese role-playing and beat ‘em-up elements – even if the storytelling is sometimes hard to follow.

One of the best scrolling beat ‘em-ups ever made, with fantastic retro graphics, four-player co-op, and as much variety and combat depth as the genre will allow.

An aggravatingly poor sequel that insists on changing things that didn't need changing and refusing to fix those that did.

Don’t let the name or presentation put you off: this is an impressive piece of interactive storytelling that gets more right than most other games with 10 times its budget.

A daring, and largely successful, attempt to show the civilian side of war, that succeeds as an interactive drama even when it occasionally fails as a game.

Beautiful presentation and an intriguing open world environment, but the misjudged difficultly level is just too punishing – even with co-op.

Just as charming as the original, but the improved combat and clever new gravity abilities make for a notably better game.

The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.

This punch-pulling retro update is charming and beautiful but doesn't quite have the mind to match.

An excellent return to form for one of the most respected 2D fighters in the business, that makes a solid impact despite some gimmicky guest characters.

A significant improvement on the last game and one of the best Soulslikes of recent years, with excellent use of procedural generation and so much variety it’s almost impossible to see everything.

The pace of innovation is only fractionally slower in the second expansion to Relic's superb action strategy, with plenty to entertain new fans and old.

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.

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.

The best straight pinball simulator for some time, with four well designed tables and a fun multiplayer.

A genuine improvement on the first game, although not without some obvious flaws - and the growing sensation that it's all shlock and no substance.

Someone finally finds something interesting to do with Pong, with this excellent retro homage.

The best Pokémon spin-off for years and an engrossing mix of family-friendly warmongering and engaging turn-based strategy.

An ashamedly old school role-player that nevertheless does its best to attract new players and entertain existing fans.

The original Yakuza has been remade into a sequel to its own prequel, but although it’s perfectly competent it feels outdated compared to the newer entries.

Fascinatingly strange in all the best ways but while the action is solid the strategy aspects are undercooked and the disparate gameplay elements never gel the way they should.

More a reissue than an actual remaster, but the game itself is still as wonderfully unique and entertaining as ever – with some of the most memorable characters in all gaming.

Another disappointing chapter in the increasingly uneven adventures of gaming's mightiest pirate.

One of the weakest individual episodes but with the best ending by far, and one that suggests Episode 5 will be a finale to remember.

Exactly as entertaining as you’d expect from a collaboration between two of Japan’s most talented developers, and one of the best action games of the generation.

The action and storytelling fails to satisfy, but the dense atmosphere and uncompromisingly bleak setting almost makes up for the gameplay failings.

As deep and as beautiful as its legacy demands, but this portable fighter is lacking in solo appeal.

A darkly atmospheric horror puzzle game from the original developers of Little Nightmares, that’s undermined by dull puzzles and too much trial and error.

An excellent port of Capcom's gloriously insane crossover fighter. It may not have the depth of Street Fighter but in the short term at least it's just as entertaining.

An old school computer role-playing game is a rare sight on consoles, but this unofficial predecessor to Fallout is more than just a nostalgia-fuelled curio.

Easily Mistwalker's best game so far and another sure sign that, with a bold enough creator, Japanese role-players can be just as exciting and innovative as their Western counterparts.