A fantastic new arcade game in the best traditions of Treasure, that takes plenty of inspiration from older classics but has just as many new ideas of its own.

Colourful VR platforming in the style of Astro Bot: Rescue Mission and while it can’t quite live up to its obvious inspirations it does come surprisingly close.

A clever, adult-themed survival horror, but one that still fails to chill spines as it used to.

A clever puzzler that makes interesting use of PlayStation Move, but like its forebears the minimalist presentation and lack of pep will not appeal to all.

The ability to play as real drivers adds a raft of new possibilities, in what is the most enjoyable and authentic Formula One game of the modern era.

The Switch 1 version of Sonic X Shadow Generations is undeniably the worst one, if only for its locked frame rate of 30fps. Fortunately, the Switch 2 version is a solid revision that’s almost on par with the PlayStation 5 version.

Perhaps the most convincing virtual reality space so far, with a compelling mix of story, puzzles, and VR novelty. [HTC Vive tested]

A terrifying vision of future America, that already seems worryingly accurate, and also one of the most open-ended role-playing games of recent years, with a smart line in dark comedy.

The Settlers goes back to basics, putting a friendly face on complex resource management.

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

Probably the best Harvest Moon game ever with a successfully odd mix of farming and dungeon crawling.

Almost the perfect portable download, with a great gimmick exploited with skilful level design and gorgeous visuals and 3D effects.

A breath of fresh air for the Overwatch franchise, with the new game modes, characters, and mechanics all working together superbly well, for a genuinely exciting sequel.

Another uninspired expansion that features some enjoyable new enemies and encounters but fails to excite in the same way as the parent game.

A very disappointing sequel that features a few interesting new ideas but either streamlines the rest or leaves it out on purpose, for you to buy later as DLC.

Arguably the best Monster Hunter clone ever made and while it’s not quite as good as Capcom’s series it does have some unique and interesting ideas of its own – despite initial impressions to the contrary.

The best Formula 1 racer by default, although beyond the new retro additions very little has changed in this year’s game.

A very worthwhile expansion of the venerable strategy game, whose new features seem a natural, and surprisingly realistic, extension of the original game.

An enjoyable companion piece to Cuphead, but despite some fantastic enemy designs the single-mindedness and lack of visual variety doesn’t have quite the same charm.

A perfect recreation of an arcade classic (plus Magic Sword) and the new gold standard for retro gaming.

The best Call Of Duty for several years, but it still owes too much to the past – and the campaign’s attempts at a more serious tone are only half successful.

A deep space shipbreaking simulator with a mellow feel and a satirical edge, that’s only let down by a gameplay loop that eventually gets a little too repetitive.

Not the return to form that the SteamWorld franchise needed but still a fun and unusual strategy game, even if a lot of the newer features work against it.

One of the best Metroidvania games around, with some inspired visuals and great use of its Ancient Greek setting – despite some minor issues with the gameplay mechanics.

A New Frontier is definitely Telltale’s best attempt at serious drama since The Wolf Among Us, but it still makes mistakes that other series have already learned to avoid.

Not a bad start to the second season but not a great one either, with a formless plot and unusually weak characterisation.

A fantastically charming mix of golf sim and role-playing game, that smooths over its rough edges with its irreverent humour and wild imagination.

One of the most beautiful video games ever made, but the gameplay is a far less attractive proposition – especially in this barely-altered remake.

The best new feature has to wait till September but this is still a useful improvement on last year.

An excellent turn-based strategy that mixes tense battlefield tactics with an engrossing meta game of money-grabbing mercs and expensive-to-maintain mechs.

Three great 2D shooters, lovingly recreated and, in the case of RayStorm and RayCrisis, updated for the modern era – even if some corners have been cut.

A very competent Soulslike, with excellent combat and an attractive art style – it’s just a shame it barely even tries to do anything new.

A dark and comical action adventure with excellent combat mechanics, sharp writing, and a memorable cast of characters.

A considerable improvement on Quantic Dreams’ previous work, and while the storytelling is still flawed its tale of abused androids feels very human.

You'd never believe this was actually a PS3 game, but apart from the graphics this is the best Disgaea yet.

An excellent slice of DLC that genuinely feels like a missing part of the main story and features some of the best moments from the whole adventure.

Arguably gaming's most authentic crime story, as well as an excellent roaming beat 'em-up and (thug) life simulator.

It’s not aged as well as some of CAVE’s other games, but this is still a fun and imaginative 2D shooter that’s perfect for new players.

A genuinely entertaining and imaginative child-friendly dungeon crawler, that's at least as good as the recent Lego games and not nearly as cynical as you might think.

It’s highly inconsistent, but this is still one of the most daring co-op games of recent years and shows how well playing together can work for story-based games.

Another highly compromised VR remaster, that offers one of the best open world experiences so far and yet still manages to feel deeply flawed as it does so.

Its lack of longevity and ancillary options are an issue, but this still plays like a classic and is one of the best shooters of its generation.

There are ads to watch in return for gems and a fair few inducements to spend cash, but it’s a hugely involving and well-made game that does an amazing job of refining the classic MegaTen template into gameplay compact enough to be playable between train stops.

A perfectly competent platformer, perhaps Yoshi’s best since Super Mario World 2, but one that is far less unique than its visuals suggest.

A disappointingly flawed grand strategy game, which for every good idea seems to have another that works actively against it.

The best lightgun game never to have seen the inside of an arcade as Headstrong outdoes Sega Japan.

A hugely original and beautifully presented shooter sadly in search of proper difficulty curve.

The best WWE game of the generation… but only because it successfully pulls upon your nostalgia strings, helping you forgot how mediocre the gameplay is.

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.

Dontnod continues to lead the world in terms of character diversity and representation, and while Tell Me Why’s story can sometimes lack drama it’s still engagingly interactive.

The initial feelings of power and freedom hide another badly designed and unimaginative superhero sim.

A surprisingly unadventurous sequel, given the long years fans have been waiting for it, but the entertaining weaponry just about makes up for the overfamiliarity and obnoxious sense of humour.

Monetisation is a touch more forceful than you’ll be used to from Vampire Survivor, but it’s still a well-balanced and involving game.

A beautifully crafted survival horror game that knowingly harkens back to the original Resident Evil, while adding in some sympathetically designed modern touches.

Some minor improvements to the formula, but the dull combat remains an unresolved problem in this lighting fast sequel.

A great game for novice fighting game players, with some interestingly unique ideas, but the bland fantasy world and lack of playable characters lessen its impact.

Konami play Frankenstein with another old series, but even though the seams are showing the game's still fun.

The first Telltale finale where your choices carry true weight, but the inconsistent and contrived characterisation means it comes at considerable cost.

A bigger and better sequel which works as both a compelling management sim and a celebration of the Jurassic Park franchise.

A disappointing version of a (mostly) great game, brought low by both technical and control problems - and the general sense that the game doesn't fit the format.

One of the best offline multiplayer games of the year, and proof that shouting at people sitting next to you is still one of gaming’s greatest pleasures.

An unusual mixture of influences, that builds a pleasingly unique strategy role-player out of otherwise very familiar components.

One of the best new fighting games of the last several years, and all the more exciting because of its originality and accessibility.

It captures the soul of Jet Set Radio perfectly but with only a limited attempt to evolve the formula for modern times this feels uncomfortably trapped in the early 2000s.

A notable improvement on last year’s game and while it still has a way to go before it reaches its full potential, this is a fun and relatively realistic evocation of running a Formula One team.

Another Microsoft exclusive arrives on PlayStation 5 and this one is marginally superior to the Xbox version, with excellent DualSense support and ironed out performance.

The obsessions with realism and old school action don’t come at the cost you might imagine, in this tense and well-designed online shooter.

Not the high-end remake that some fans would have been hoping for but even as a, at times, too faithful remaster this is a fascinating second look at one of gaming’s great unsung heroes.

The Beast still feels like an extended piece of DLC, which while entertaining in itself lacks any new innovations and has an unwelcome clutch of bugs.

An admirable refresh of a cult classic, with excellent presentation and thoughtfully implemented new mechanics, but it’s held back by its reluctance to modernise in other areas.

The most enjoyable MotorStorm game by far and arguably the best game on the PS Vita - or at the very least the best value for money.

A bizarre mix of weighty subject matter and cartoon presentation that somehow works perfectly in portraying a morally complex world and its characters.

Definitely one of the lesser entries in the Dragon Quest franchise, but still a loving remake for those that can stomach the overfamiliarity.

A cleverly orchestrated souvenir of Final Fantasy at its best, that also can't help but remind you of the series' most common failings.

It's got more in common with Advance Wars, but this is still a great strategy game – real-time or not.

A highly unlikely combination of Ace Attorney and Picross but despite the game’s best efforts it’s a mixture that never really gels together.

A live service game with the superpower of longevity, assuming it can maintain the balance between being a casual and competitive online shooter.

This slightly spooky sequel continues its tale of real people in strange situations, picking up the story and characters of Oxenfree and retaining its style and puzzle-adjacent gameplay.

The Rabbids' first proper game is a huge improvement on the earlier mini-game collections.

Essentially Assassin’s Creed’s greatest hits, you inhabit the worlds of Ezio, Kassandra and Connor in VR, experiencing their historical sites and clunky real time combat in true first person.

A good value compilation and three of the best Tomb Raiders ever - even if none of them quite deserve classification as a classic.

Almost exactly what fans didn’t want from a new Metroid Prime but while it is widely inconsistent the majority of the game is undeniably entertaining.

Proof that Japanese role-players can evolve without having to losing their own unique identity, although Xillia stops just short of being a full-on revolution.

A much smaller Like A Dragon game, that offers everything fans love about the series, but one that doesn’t quite justify its own existence.

A fun and funny 2D platformer whose infectious sense of humour comes through clearly in the visuals, the script, and the gameplay.

The central 2D shooter is not very good, but creating your own game to replace it is much more rewarding.

Minimalist adventuring that’s original, clever, and soothing – and a perfect example that gameplay and atmosphere is always more important than high-tech graphics.

Much like the film, this is more a testament to what worked before than a genuinely new experience, but it makes the best of its voice cast and an obvious love for Star Wars.

One of the more ambitious and imaginative roguelikes of the last few years, that mixes the best of FTL, Tower Defense, and XCOM.

A knowing tribute to some of the greats of action gaming, and a highly competent 2D shooter in its own right.

An astoundingly beautiful puzzle platformer, that’s a little too frustrating in practice but far from the twee family game some may mistake it for.

A welcome return for one of the forgotten masters of Metroidvania, and an excellent example of how to remaster a retro classic.

It’s not the fact that you’re controlling a perambulatory candle that’s the oddest thing about this game, but that its story is so oddly affecting despite its absurdity.

Another inspired mix of Metroidvania and traditional puzzler, and certainly one of the best games on the 3DS's eShop.

A superior Resident Evil spin-off that manages to mix old school horror and more modern combat better than almost any other entry in the series.

A competent but flawed compilation of the four best Sonic the Hedgehog games, which adds a half-hearted modern twist to the classic games.

A partially successful soft reboot, with some of Telltale’s best storytelling – even if many of your decisions still make precious little difference.

As twin stick shooters go, Jydge, whose in-game blanket replacement of ‘U’s with ‘Y’s is never adequately addressed, is definitely on the more subtle end. As well as administering hot leaden justice to criminals, you’ll also need to collect evidence, ‘confiscate’ cash, and rescue civilians; whilst doing your best not to let them get on the business end of stray rounds. With sizeable upgrade trees covering your gun, armour, and special weapons – and levels of polish commensurate with its console roots – Jydge is an entertaining, refined and eventually extremely challenging jaunt through an alternative approach to the legal profession.