A highly polished remaster of the almost-classic action role-player, that is still stuck with some of the original flaws but allows the thoughtful, and very humorous, script to shine.

Baby and bathwater are thrown screaming from the tub as Square Enix strip Final Fantasy down to the marrow.

One of the best of the bit Generations puzzlers returns with its take on the art of traffic directing.

It's unlikely to ever outsell Angry Birds, but Bad Piggies certainly outthinks it – with a clever mix of physics-based puzzling and experimentation.

The name and anime aesthetic may seem off-putting, but combined with the original this is some of the most engaging interactive storytelling of recent years.

There is still a long way for me to go, and lots of areas Black Ops 6 can drop the ball from here. That’s even before we get to multiplayer and Zombies. All of that will come in our full review. However, often you get a ‘vibe’ for a good Call Of Duty game early on. A feeling that this could be one of the more important entries in the franchise. Right now, I’m starting to get the tingling. [Campaign Review]

It was always the definitive scrolling beat 'em-up but this Xbox Live Arcade release goes the extra mile with a loving revamp of one of gaming's great co-op experiences.

A surprisingly successful mash-up between two completely different franchises, whose quiet charms offer a welcome alternative to incessant action and overbearing storytelling.

There are still some pacing issues, but this is the best version of Lumines yet and an artful mix of music, graphics, and puzzle gameplay.

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.

Shovel Knight’s first spin-off is just as good as his mainline games, with a clever take on tile-matching puzzlers that offers an enjoyably unique challenge.

A brilliantly strange, neon-lit survival horror that mixes 90s style visuals and gameplay with a very modern take on love in the 21st century.

A strikingly beautiful, sci-fi alternative to Hollow Knight: Silksong, but one which is consistently off the mark when it comes to the balance between difficulty and frustration.

A peculiar mix of cyberpunk dystopia and whimsical platformer that is just about held together by some excellent visuals and a very cute cat.

A slightly underwhelming end to the legend of Kazuma Kiryu, but the changes in gameplay and graphics do hold a lot of promise for the future.

An unnecessary but well-made expansion for what remains Kirby’s best platform adventure, with plenty of neat new extras and a peculiarly difficult final boss.

PC gamers needn’t worry they missed the first game, as the superior sequel’s endless loops of addiction feel far more honest and rewarding than the flawed original.

Another improvement after two stellar editions in 2022 and 2023, WWE 2K24 feels like the culmination of a WrestleMania-sized comeback for the franchise.

The perfect Sam & Max episode is still yet to be made, but in terms of puzzles this one is hard to beat.

At last a Fallout download that's genuinely worth the bandwidth, with a sparkling script that's better than either of the main games.

A rare chance to play a thoroughbred visual novel, with a multi-layered plot that explores everything from Japanese pop culture to the ripple effect of everyday decisions.

Its rapid-fire sequence of perfectly designed puzzles is a constant source of joy, as is its simple and elegantly-designed interface.

A disappointing way to end an otherwise epic series (especially if you take into account Showdown) but the retro visuals and excellent 2D platforming can still delight.

This co-op tale of two delinquent young girls feels particularly at home on the Switch, in what is one of the best story-based games of recent years.

Wave 6 is an excellent set of courses in what has been an excellent season pass, for an excellent parent game. Some might talk of Mario Kart 64 or Mario Kart Wii but for us Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is clearly the best entry in the franchise and by virtue of being so it’s also one of the best video games ever made. Almost a decade later and it’s not only as much fun as ever but it’s almost impossible to imagine how Nintendo might improve it.

Although this is a considerably more interesting and accomplished game than any of its predecessors it's still nowhere near the cutting edge of the first person shooter genre. And we say that not just because of its abandonment of all that Halo introduced to the concept a decade ago.

One of the best Tower Defense action hybrids so far, with considerably more depth than the original - even if it still looks like the same game.

One of the best remasters so far makes surviving the Russian apocalypse more horrifying than ever, although none of the changes address the games’ more fundamental issues.