The funniest and best-looking entry in the series so far, but also the least innovative and accessible in terms of gameplay.

A surprisingly ambitious cosmic space adventure that excels the more it diverges from the movies, offering robust action, impressive visuals, and unexpectedly sophisticated storytelling.

A clever 2D platformer that doesn't muddy the waters with overcomplicated concepts or controls - but still has time for some great 3D effects.

A crossover between Persona and Fire Emblem proves to be just as peculiar as it sounds, but this is a surprisingly fun mash-up for Japanese role-playing fans.

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.

It comes frustratingly close to being the perfect Warhammer 40,000 action game but repetitive set pieces and a lack of crunch to the combat means that’ll have to wait for Space Marine 3.

Beautifully bizarre retro graphics can't hide the rough edges on this real-time action strategy.

The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.

Compared to the classic 2D Super Mario games this is disappointingly anodyne, but it’s still competently made platform fun that can be enjoyed by everyone.

The spirit of the arcade will never die thanks to games like this, as Vlambeer demonstrate their mastery of minimalist action.

Nowhere close to a reinvention of the series but the more serious tone is mostly successful, with an ambitious story campaign and some entertaining new multiplayer modes.

A welcome return for the pioneering space adventure, but despite a solid start it will need a steady supply of new content and tweaks to reach elite status.

A wonderful mix of cutting edge technology and nuanced storytelling that instantly becomes one of the best games for PlayStation VR.

Grand Theft Auto and a touchscreen device continues to be the worst team-up since Cannon and Ball, but if you've only come for the nostalgia some of the magic is still there.

The PC flight sim makes a near-perfect landing on consoles, with some of WWII's most exciting combat.

A disappointing follow-up to Nioh, that has most of its same qualities but, unfortunately, almost exactly the same flaws; with two few new ideas to make up for the lack of advancement.

Kratos may not be gaming’s most charismatic protagonist but it turns out he has a surprising knack for multiplayer as well as single-player action, in one of the best-looking games on the PlayStation 3.

We’re not giving this bonus episode a score because it’s only an hour long, and it will mean nothing to anyone that hasn’t played all the other episodes. But we strongly recommend both series to anyone that enjoys slow-burning interactive storytelling. We just warn you that, emotionally speaking, it’s going to be a rough ride – for you and the characters.

A welcome return for a significant but sadly overlooked part of Capcom’s fighting game heritage, and one of the best HD updates of a 2D game ever seen.

An ode to pop culture, the joy of toys, and the love of a good mash-up. It’s expensive, and a lot of the gameplay is familiar, but the mix of elements is almost impossible to resist.

The latest Civilization VI expansion handles a difficult subject matter with great insight and in a way that improves the game and makes you think of the world beyond it.

An imaginative spin on retro 2D shooters, whose unconventional gameplay and visuals are a prime example of what makes indie gaming so exciting – despite some notable rough edges.

If you've never played a Pokémon game this is an excellent place to jump aboard, and you can add at least one extra point to the score as a result. But for anyone else this is an easy to ignore stopgap.

The furore over Dexit may be overblown but even without it this is an underwhelming and unambitious attempt to modernise Pokémon and expand its horizons.

A typically assured mix of standard Japanese role-playing and MegaTen's more provocative ideas.

It can never have the impact of the first game but this is still a worthy, incremental improvement.

An incredible work of imagination and one of the best-looking games of the generation. The gameplay can’t quite match the magic of the presentation, but it’s not far behind.

One of the most enjoyably weird games of recent years and yet surprisingly easy to grasp, with an engaging mix of action and survival gameplay – and a good dose of surrealist imagery.