It’s reasonable to suggest that this is more of the same, but when the original is this good, more is entirely welcome.

Viewed as a visual novel where you have to sit through large numbers of identical, non-interactive fight scenes, you could enjoy it purely for its plot and characters, but this is not a game in the conventional sense.

Its mellow pace, peaceful sound effects, and steady built-in intensity are reminiscent of Nintendo’s formative Game & Watch titles, with Mini Motorways remaining mesmerising throughout.

A thoroughly entertaining mix of Dark Souls and Zelda that has few genuinely new ideas but still manages to enthral with a unique charm of its own.

A deeply disappointing co-op shooter that squanders its excellent graphics on a bland and repetitive attempt to make a sci-fi Diablo.

A twisting and engaging portmanteau tale of the unexplained, set in a London that’s refreshing in its finely observed normality.

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.

Ace Attorney meets Sherlock Holmes turns out to be a great premise for a new game, with a subtle change in formula that works as both absurdist comedy and historical drama.

This is a simulation, and very much not a game, but it’s also the most graphically impressive console experience ever seen and one of the best adverts for Xbox Game Pass so far.

An addictive and accessible MOBA which takes advantage of the Pokémon license to great effect but is hampered by an abundance of free-to-play irritations.

A revolutionary approach to storytelling and an excess of charm makes this modest little indie game one of the most important new role-players of the new generation.

A loving tribute to the past and present of Japanese role-players, with some impressively clever time travel powers and gorgeous artwork – although it’s a shame about the random battles.

The most uneven of the 3D Zeldas but its highs soar well above its immediate contemporaries and while the motion controls are still hit or miss at least there’s now an alternative.

Codemasters’ best Formula One game so far adds an excellent story mode, along with a raft of new tweaks and options to make it more accessible.

Solve puzzles, find and plug in carbon eating machines, and recover seedlings that flourish on nutrients tucked away in secret areas. There may only be 14 plants to recover but getting all the nutrients in each level is a much bigger task. Although Doomsday Vault’s been out for over a year it’s just been updated to add four extra pyramid-themed levels and a spruced up seed vault with a viewing platform to stand and survey your crops.

As puzzles get more involved you can deploy power-ups (purchased using in-game currency) to help extend the time limit or automatically turn all pie pieces the same colour, in this engaging and well-designed puzzler.

It’s fun and polished as far, as it goes, but it feels as though more content might be due in future updates. It’s also seriously light on instruction, leaving the impression of having been rushed out to a tight deadline.

A great VR experience that is more than just a simple sniper simulation, with some impressively replayable missions and a great marriage of VR and motion controls.

A clever reinterpretation of classic Monster Hunter action in the form of a Japanese role-playing game. Although it can often seem a little too oversimplified compared to the mainline titles.

When one of the main new features of a game is its ability to play itself, it’s a hint that a franchise is beginning to run out of steam – especially given Disgaea 6’s limp script and 3D graphics.

A tragically awful attempt to revive the Dark Alliance name, with horribly repetitive combat, empty storytelling, and a dragon horde’s worth of bugs.

The best Mario Golf game since the N64 original and while it does have some odd ideas they’re almost all optional, resulting in an impressively comprehensive sporting experience.

A supremely playable action JRPG, which marries gorgeous anime visuals with satisfyingly original real-time combat.

Clever puzzles and excellent visual storytelling combine in what is arguably the best Lego game ever made, and certainly the most thoughtful.

A solid reworking of a brutal but characterful retro platform game, which offers a fascinating insight into the earliest days of the genre.

A charming and imaginative spin on The Legend Of Zelda that is filled with cleverly original ideas and a deceptively serious script that packs a real punch.

An impressively visual approach to building your own games, with a fully formed tutorial that demystifies complicated ideas with typical Nintendo charm and aplomb.

It’s already a miracle the remake works as well as it does but this PS5 remaster is excellent and while the new Intermission DLC isn’t essential it’s still an enjoyable diversion with a fun new character.