A wasted opportunity to create a modern take on System Shock, with the dull storytelling and action overshadowing the otherwise effective puzzle elements.

An interesting halfway house between demo and full game, whose brevity may even save it from some of the criticisms of the main release.

One of the more successful interactive movies of recent years, but that’s really not saying much given the lack of gameplay and horror thrills.

It's Tekken with better graphics, again. And yet it's still hard to dislike a fighter this good.

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 clever and quietly innovative puzzlers, whose only flaw is too much of a good thing.

Not as daring as you'd hope in terms of gameplay or humour, but this Diablo parody has its moments.

LittleBigPlanet is once again its own worst enemy, as it fails to make the best use of its own fun new characters. Although the creation tools are the most accessible they’ve ever been.

An impressively well balanced shooter that manages to deliver a diverse and innovative feature set that should please almost everyone.

One of the best action role-players on any portable - if it wasn't for the appallingly banal plot and characters.

Not a very satisfying or enjoyable video game to play, but still a fascinating one to experience – with some beautifully stark imagery and ideas.

Despite an unhealthy amount of fan service this is an innovative, if inaccessible, one-on-one fighter.

The perfect introduction to ‘proper’ Pokémon games for GO players but also an enjoyably nostalgic remake for existing pokéfans.

An excellent console port of a deep, impressively addictive, and very amusing, sandbox megalomaniac simulator.

A scary, atmospheric, and cleverly designed survival horror, whose photorealistic visuals and superb sound design help overcome some occasional frustrations.

An impressively ambitious survival horror that moves beyond the realm of mere VR tech demo and, despite some technical limitations, is a hugely engrossing game in its own right.

A hugely entertaining 3D platformer that channels the imagination and unpredictability of older games without becoming a prisoner to the past.

Beautiful animation and an authentic Nordic feel enhance an already impressively distinct 2D action adventure.

For a downloadable game with barely a single new idea of its own this is still an entertaining, if rather uneven, platform puzzler.

Pacing problems and a lack of variety take their toll, but in its best most moments this is the most successful big budget survival horror in a decade.

Probably the most satisfying video games crossover ever made, and one that plays with the conventions of both franchises and still delivers a funny and touching story.

A great mix of action, strategy, and endearing silliness – and also a great reminder that there are some games only download services like Xbox Live Arcade can provide.

There’s still room for improvement but this is the best King Of Fighters has been for many years, with enough new features to please both veterans and newcomers.

MegaTen's experiment in action role-playing continues, but it remains a flawed and repetitive ride.

An adult video game that is neither exploitative nor pretentious, but instead weaves a fun yet incisive tale about all too human characters.

The best Contra game for decades, even if it’s not an official sequel, with amusingly over-the-top action and a great co-op mode.

Brilliantly replicates the thrill of driving this year’s F1 cars and even the cynical F1 Life, and it’s awful microtransactions, can’t spoil the excitement.

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.

One of the best retro compilations ever made… for a collection of games that, despite the nostalgia, really don’t deserve the attention.

More than just a Doom clone and despite faltering during what should be the game’s highlights this is an enjoyable romp for both metal and shooter fans alike.

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.

Not an evolution like the last game, and certainly not a revolution – there’s a great deal of fun still to be had in Trials Fusion but unfortunately not much in the way of new ideas.

An imaginative and perfectly presented platform puzzler that works just as well on a home console as it did on PSP.

The princess may have bitten off more than she can chew with her clever but confused multiplayer melees.

For better and worse, a near perfect replication of mid-90s first person shooters, that makes you wistful for the old days… and secretly glad things have moved on in the meantime.

A semi-successful pirate take on the Like A Dragon formula, held back by its lack of focus, drawn out length, and surprisingly weak story.

It may pay homage to the best of 8-bit gameplay but this is cleverly originally and instantly addictive.

A superior Mario Kart clone and certainly the best Sega has ever produced, especially in terms of the teary-eyed nostalgia inspired by its endless retro cameos.

Just like the original Dying Light, nothing works quite as well as it should and although there are some interesting new ideas here none of them are realised without significant flaws.

Despite the huge variety of moves and characters, this disappointing follow-up to Guacamelee is let down by mindless combat and bland dungeon design.

Sometimes visuals are enough to carry a game and they certainly take Ultros far, although mediocre combat and some jankiness slightly undermines the unique vision.

The perfect football sim for playing your mates or tackling online but major AI flaw renders the offline experience boring and uninspiring.

Still one of the best action games ever made and although this is technically the best-looking version it still doesn’t really feel like the definitive one.

It may be a relatively small improvement but this is definitely the best of the series yet, and as a result one of the DS's best puzzle games.

It's nostalgia first and game second but you'd have to really hate Ghostbusters to not enjoy this tie-in.

Between the gorgeous graphics, solid combat, and multiple game modes this impressive fighter isn’t necessarily just for anime fans.

Even after just a few hours of gameplay it’s obvious that this is an important contender in the battle royale genre. Whether interest will quickly fizzle out, as happened with Blackout, remains to be seen but the early signs suggest Warzone will rage on for some time to come. [First Impressions Review]

A highly competent platform puzzler that’s starting to play things a little too safe, especially as it refuses to address long-standing issues like the bland combat.

An improved sequel on paper only, with an overall experience that is still ruined by incoherent storytelling and unsympathetic characters.

Video game and cultural references abound in its playfully inventive courses, which jauntily switch from portrait to landscape in a game that revels in its continual ability to surprise.

A surprise new champion for the PS Vita and a cleverly designed mix of skateboarding and 2D platforming that will appeal to everyone.

A useful expansion that unlike most doesn’t ignore the failings of the original, although even with the improvements Beyond Earth still isn’t as engrossing as the real Civilization.

Series and genre fans are well provided for but it's a shame the technical achievements aren't in service of a more adventurous game.

A fascinating cosy experiment, packed with memorable characters and sharp writing, but which occasionally stumbles in the execution.

Business as usual with a mediocre single-player campaign and one of the best multiplayer experiences in all gaming – although one severely compromised by playing it on the Xbox 360.

A Western style Final Fantasy Tactics with tons of content but lacking in polish and accessibility.

Neither rip-off nor bargain, but Treyarch and Activision are clearly playing things safe - despite the excesses of Call Of The Dead.

The frustrating thing is we have a feeling Dragon Age II is going to be criticised most for its gameplay changes than its storytelling failings. You might not like the new direction but it works as BioWare intended. But the story you carve with your new combat skills doesn't always seem worthy of such risky innovation.

Japanese role-player that massages the usual formula into an unusually nuanced and exciting epic.

The source material already had its problems, but this disappointing remake manages to make Resident Evil 3 seem even less inspired than it did originally.

Yet another entirely unnecessary sequel to a classic game that should never have got any follow-ups at all. But if you want even more of the same old thing there are few small sparks of imagination here and there.

A daring experiment in minimalist gameplay and storytelling, although that doesn't forgive the repetition and high price tag.

A seemingly impossible port is carried off surprisingly gracefully, with the old school shooter action working very well as a handheld game.

Loud, brash, brightly coloured tracks with a rousing selection of cars and racing styles in a game that’s much more about fun than serious simulation.

It may lack the scares of its big brother but this proves an impressively progressive lightgun game that works very well with PlayStation Move.

Temtem already does several fundamental things better than its inspiration and clearly has the potential to be the very best, like no one ever was. [Early Access review]

A visual novel set in the world of Roadwarden that offers some degree of choice, but whose real charm comes from its straightforward prose and troubled, authentic-seeming characters.

The most baffling Nintendo release of recent years, with a quasi-remake of one of the GameCube’s worst games, that seems specifically designed to irritate and confuse would-be players.

Still an object lesson in how to make a kids' game, even with added complexity and some confusing puzzles.

It’s noticeably harder precision aiming sniper rifles, giving shorter range fully automatic guns an advantage, but its roster of 10 legends unlocks more quickly than it did on PC and console, and matches have the requisite speed and tension. A solid start.

An effective tech demo but it struggles to be anything else, not least because for the majority of the time it’s just a fairly vanilla climbing simulator.

A successful soft reboot for the venerable fighting game series, and a great jumping on point for those dissatisfied by Street Fighter V.

A much more interesting story and lead character than usual for the series, but the weak script and aging combat system fail to make the most of it.

An unexpectedly involved space combat simulator that manages to replicate the thrills of the 90s X-Wing and TIE Fighter games with surprising clarity – and an excellent VR mode.

It looks and plays just like the PS3 games, but alas this is just as pedestrian in terms of innovation.

The video game equivalent of a concept album, and a hugely successful mix of visual, music, and gameplay influences.

A charmingly offbeat exploration and object finding game which is at least as much about its characters and their stories as it is the mechanics of your search.

Insanely repetitive, horribly shallow, and pointlessly easy – this is the absolute least interesting thing to do with Zelda on the Switch 2 and bad even by the low standards of the Dynasty Warrior franchise.

Some unfortunate flaws unnecessarily sour the experience, but this is a welcome return for the Trials series and its unique approach to motorcycle action.

A disappointingly bland top-down shooter, that while entertaining enough with friends lacks the finely tuned splendour of Stardust and Resogun.

The mash-up between 2D shooter and roguelike works surprisingly well, with a game filled to bursting with imaginative weapons and winning presentation.

A solidly constructed VR roguelite that combines guns and magic for some memorable runs, even if its graphics and setting won’t be winning any awards.

As simplistic and shallow as it is, the game is still as much fun as ever, with this version also adding a time attack mode and allowing for rewinds and VRR support.

Only nostalgiaists will want to play it at length but this shames modern shooters with its ambition.

Judgment doesn’t reinvent the wheel when it comes to either Gears or third person shooters in general, but with just a small change in perspective it does help to reframe it as something identifiably different. It is still the same game underneath, and we probably didn’t need four of them in six years, but arguably Judgment does more to justify itself than either of the two direct sequels.

Easily the best real-time strategy on a console, and a fast-paced, accessible wargame that every Xbox owner should try and experience.

It has more in common with the original Homeworld than it first seems, but this new real-time strategy works best as an introduction rather than a continuation.

Still arguably the best detective game, and an impressively ambitious example of adult storytelling – despite a few structural and narrative flaws.

An interesting stew of ideas and great presentation can’t make up for a game that goes out of its way to frustrate and discourage its players.

A fantastic scrolling beat ‘em-ups that shows exactly how the genre can be evolved and modernised, while also indulging in some gloriously retro presentation and throwbacks.

A whimsical and engrossing VR puzzle adventure, who’s lack of hand-holding and gentle discoveries prove consistently engaging and relaxing.

The original was always highly simplistic and repetitive, and neither the passage of time or being in 4K can do anything to improve this disappointingly trivial actioner.

We’re always wary of neo-retro games that just try to copy what already exists but Tanglewood is fascinating for the fact that a game like this could’ve existed back in the Mega Drive era but nobody thought to make it. But whether you take this as a lesson in changing trends in game design or simply a homage to a beloved console Tanglewood is a real triumph. We’re glad the Mega Drive isn’t dead and we take this as proof that it really can live forever – not only in our hearts but also on Steam.

A good quality compilation of some of Capcom’s more overlooked fighting games, although there are a few filler titles and some unfortunate omissions.

A mere remaster can’t hide all the foibles of a 20-year-old game, but this is a well-crafted tribute to a classic PlayStation 2 era game, that has long deserved a proper sequel.

Some of the most fearless and idiosyncratic storytelling ever seen in a video game, married to one of the most viciously entertaining shooters of the generation.

It isn’t a masterpiece but it’s a massive improvement on FIFA 19, with a sprinkling of new features – Volta in particular – that should lay the foundations for the series’ future.

One of the best retro remakes there’s ever been, and although the gameplay sometimes shows its age the graphics are amongst the best of the year.