The improvements are slight, but this is still the best FIFA has been in several years – in terms of gameplay as well as just presentation.

A definite improvement on the original, and despite some still notable flaws this is a wonderfully varied playground for motorsport fans of every kind.

The SteamWorld franchise digs deeper than ever and comes up with another charming mix of Metroidvania and Boulder Dash.

The Dishonored saga comes to an elegant, if not entirely satisfying, end with a spin-off adventure that is almost as good as its full price predecessor.

A Pokémon fighting game may not seem like the most obvious spin-off idea, but the end result is a surprisingly fun and inventive multiplayer game.

It plays as well as the series ever has, and is far more accessible than previous entries, but there’s infinite room for improvement in terms of the roster and presentation.

Despite a disappointing story campaign this is a notably improved sequel, whose endless loops of addiction feel far more honest and rewarding than the first game.

Still the best non-Mario platformer ever made and a stunning work of imagination, but if anything this is the worst version so far – not the best.

An exceptionally good expansion that adds in a mountain of new content that specifically addresses the few flaws there were with the original.

A superb remake of Metroid II and the best 2D entry since Super Metroid, that doesn’t compromise at all in terms of challenge, complexity, or atmosphere.

At times it seems indistinguishable from last year’s game, but the slower play speed and improved controls work well and make this the best PES yet.

A surprisingly good port of a purposefully old school computer role-player, that proves even the most PC of games can work on consoles.

On a technical level this is clearly a better game than its infamous predecessor, but it’s still nowhere near as fun as it should be thanks to its bland design and characters.

It often feels unrefined and unbalanced, but the uniquely tactical combat system, and Dark Souls influences, create one of the most enjoyably different fighting games of recent years.

Half the price it originally was, but now twice as good – this third person take on Metroid Prime has been remastered into the game it always should have been.

Despite owing so much to XCOM, this is a fantastically imaginative and enjoyable strategy game that’s as accessible as the genre has ever been on consoles.

An excellent start to a prequel series that taps into the same style of sincere storytelling as the original, making a previously unsympathetic character seem vulnerable and likeable.

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.

An impressive blend of old school cyberpunk and modern survival horror, that’s almost ruined by one of the worst acting performances of the year.

The gameplay and graphics are as enjoyable as ever, but this spin-off feels more like a rerun of Uncharted 4 than a genuinely new experience.

Nowhere close to the arcade perfection of Resogun or Nex Machina, this undercooked action platformer lacks the precise controls and instant appeal of its stablemates.

Undertale is a superb indie role-player that proves once again that it’s not graphics that make a game entertaining but gameplay and great ideas.

An obnoxious and repetitive open world game that does its best to hide the fact that it’s a surprisingly decent third person shooter.

A touching, and highly playable, labour of love by fans that understand Sonic The Hedgehog better than Sega ever has in the last 20+ years.

A pleasingly complex and realistic survival simulator, accompanied by a story mode that so far fails to be anywhere near as compelling.

One of the best arena shooters of recent years, but its high skill requirement and bland characters create an unfortunately high barrier to entry.

A mild improvement on the season one debut, but while the first episode offers some shock value it still lacks depth in both storytelling and gameplay.

One of the best-looking 2D shooters of recent years is remastered for the current gen, and offers a fun way in for gamers new to the genre.

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.

An interesting attempt at an isometric Dark Souls, but it lacks the depth and attention to detail of the real thing.

The VR immersion is great and the setting certainly has potential, but with no depth or challenge to the gameplay this trumped-up tech demo lacks teeth.

It may have been over a decade since the last official Commandos game, but this smart new mix of stealth and strategy continues the legacy with great aplomb.

The mix of rhythm action and strategy gameplay is still as inspired as ever, with visuals that polish up impressively well on the PlayStation 4.

A disappointing follow-up to Gone Home that tells a less interesting and less focused tale, while failing to advance the art of interactive storytelling.

Another promising game is ruined by the lure of procedural-generation, which is a particular shame given Sundered’s gorgeous animation and interesting gameplay ideas.

Pac-Man Vs. is a genuine classic that deserves a bigger audience, but the high price and limited selection of other games makes this an expensive retro indulgence.

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

Not much more than an expanded StreetPass game, and while the Mii integration is cute the shallow gameplay is just frustrating and dull.

A 2D portable Pikmin was probably never a good idea, and this uninspiring effort does little to prove otherwise.

The bizarre mix of influences and gameplay doesn’t always gel, but the visuals and writing help paper over the cracks in this admirably unique adventure.

Not the PlayStation VR killer app you might have hoped for, but still a clever and imaginative mix of shooter and puzzle game.

One of the best SimCity clones on consoles, whose streamlined gameplay is accessible if not necessarily very original.

The Layton legacy works perfectly well on mobile, with an endearing new lead and what by all rights should be regarded as a great value-for-money download.

The biggest addition is to the price tag, but Cave Story itself is still a masterclass in minimalist video game design.

It has admirable intentions, but this misguided role-player proves a quiet life is rarely an entertaining one when it comes to video games.

It barely classifies as a sequel, but even if you’ve played the original this is still one of the best online shooters ever made.

A very different kind of turn-based game, that proves multiplayer action doesn’t have to involve first person shooting.

One of the best Final Fantasy games ever made, elevated by its innovative battle system but let down by weak storytelling and focusing on the wrong protagonists.

A noble attempt to offer an alternative to Smash Bros., and although there are some mechanical issues the multiplayer is still plenty of fun regardless.

A simple, economical throwback to the golden age of stealth games, with fun presentation but a notable lack of depth and variety.

The similarities to Inside are unfortunate, but this is still a gripping and inventive action puzzler with a grim, if unsubtle, message about authoritarianism.

The roguelike elements drag it down a touch, but this is a memorable action platformer whose surreal visuals work in tandem with some fun 2D combat.

The pioneering space adventure makes an impressive landing on PlayStation 4, with more content than ever and the promise of even better things to come.

None of the additions are essential, but all of them are interesting to at least some degree. But you’ll have to wait till DLC Pack 2 to know if the expansion pass is really worth it.

A disappointing homage to the Mega Drive games of yore, that emphasises all the wrong elements in terms of both gameplay and game modes.

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.

An inexplicably dull follow-up to Valkyria Chronicles, that jettisons almost everything that made the original interesting in favour of bland Dynasty Warriors style combat.

A charming and often inventive mix of Animal Crossing and Zelda, that lacks depth but not ambition.

A tangle of technical and gameplay issues often obscure it, but there’s some impressive storytelling to be had in this ambitious techno-thriller.

The spiritual sequel to Robotron becomes the definitive dual-stick shooter, and one of the best arcade games of the modern era.

Heartbreakingly short, and not really very different from the first game, but the quality of puzzles and wordless storytelling is still absolutely stunning.

One of the most enjoyable and original fighting games of recent years, that fully justifies its use of motion controls – and it’s only set to get better in the future.

A solid rally racer, but also a worryingly indecisive one whose attempts to please everyone leads to an unfocused game that’s lacking in character.

A very welcome return for Sony’s classic future racer, and while it doesn’t represent anything new it does show the WipEout series at its very best.

Some very clever ideas are completely squandered by a game that is neither scary, enjoyable, or thought-provoking – although it does manage irritating and dull with great aplomb.

This may be a VR dream come true for Trekkies, but it’s one you wake up to discover is severely lacking in variety, depth, and value for money.

When it’s finished this has the potential to be a classic multiplayer horror game, but the state it’s in now the original movies feel like they have higher production values.

Tekken with better graphics is not exactly a new pitch for the series, but there’s no denying the gameplay and characters are still a huge amount of fun.

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.

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.

All of it is just awful, and if it wasn’t for the name the game would’ve passed by completely without notice. So in that sense the use of the license served its purpose, because if this hadn’t been called Reservoir Dogs we wouldn’t have known to warn you about it. Although it has inspired us to go and watch the film again, so there is that in its favour…

It’s still amazing that such an old game can remain so playable after all these years, although it’s equally incredible that Capcom still insist on charging full price for it.

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

One of the best sci-fi strategy games ever made, with an impressive amount of storytelling variety and accessible controls.

The best new rhythm action game for years, with a perfect blend of gameplay, music, and a frighteningly oppressive atmosphere.

Probably the best single-player experience ever in a fighting game, on top of being an extremely accessible and highly technical multiplayer brawler.

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.

Sony’s big budget VR game has a lot of novelty value but only manages to combine the worst elements of first person shooters and lightgun games.

An even better Dark Souls clone than Lords Of The Fallen, but there are too few unique ideas and the difficulty often undermines the rest of the gameplay.

The definitive portable version of Minecraft, with almost all the features of the current gen home console editions combined with the convenience of the Nintendo Switch.

If you have PlayStation VR then this is a must-have title, but even if you don’t it’s still one of the best arcade games we’ve ever played. It may seem off-puttingly weird to some but ignore all the florescent cows and 8-bit sound effects and you have one of the purest action experiences of the modern age. Or don’t ignore them, and revel in one of the most gloriously strange, constantly inventive, shooters available on any platform.

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

A loveable slice of 90s nostalgia, but compared to shooters both new and old it’s surprisingly limp and inappropriately difficult.

Despite the many obvious flaws there’s a mesmerising quality to the game’s artificial worlds, as the gameplay itself creates a surprisingly palatable form of edutainment.

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

A small but worthwhile expansion for one of the year’s best games, that provides a welcome hint of more difficulties to come.

A reasonable port of the PC original, and certainly the best SimCity clone on consoles, but missing features and awkward controls narrow its scope and appeal.

Bizarre, abstract, and completely beautiful. GNOG’s puzzles aren’t difficult but they are strangely entrancing, especially in VR.

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.

Dragon Quest continues to be the most successful partner for Dynasty Warriors, but the pace of improvement remains painfully slow.

A compelling story well told, and although it’s still not very interactive the variety and artfulness of the presentation feels like something only a video game could do.

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 feels like the equivalent of a straight-to-video movie, and one of the really bad ones that don’t even have any washed-up actors you’ve sort of heard of. Instead it’s just a cheaply-made, unwanted sequel to a franchise that should have never got past the first one. And yet somehow it’s still the best the series has ever been.

One of the scariest video games ever made, or at least it is for the first few hours – before it succumbs to wearying repetition and frustratingly unfair set pieces.

It has some unfortunate gameplay failings, but in terms of disturbing atmosphere and surprisingly serious subject matter this is one of the best horror games of the year.

The story campaign is a bit of a chore, but the multiplayer is an exciting mix of RTS and MOBA – and may just be the next big thing in strategy gaming.

The definitive version of one of the greatest multiplayer games ever, with a vast array of courses, characters, and the best Battle mode since the SNES days.

The one LucasArts game that didn’t need a remaster gets one anyway, but it can’t do anything for the game’s brevity or lack of challenge.

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.