The Animal Crossing formula is pared down almost to the point of inanity on smartphones, as the cynically-contrived microtransactions leave a bitter taste.

A great remaster of a forgotten almost-classic, but most of its flaws were already obvious 18 years ago and this does little to improve any of them.

It’s got toddlers, swimming pools, and all the recent updates, but what this otherwise promising console port lacks is a sensible control scheme.

A serious attempt to get the whole of Skyrim working in VR, but the compromises in terms of graphics and controls are considerable.

Still arguably the best detective game, and an impressively ambitious example of adult storytelling – despite a few structural and narrative flaws.

Even without any new content the portability is enough of a draw to enthral veteran players all over again, while anyone new to the series will wonder how they ever did without it.

A solid online shooter ruined by thoughtless corporate greed, whose malign practises could damage the whole of gaming if they are not kept in check.

An excellent new version of the smash hit multiplayer game, that takes a simple premise and turns it into one of the best competitive arcade games of the generation.

The best Pokémon game ever just got slightly better, with an even more expansive endgame and some welcome, if trivial, new tweaks and additions.

One of the best Lego games of the entire series, with a dizzying array of bizarre characters and some genuinely compelling gameplay for younger players.

The best new Football Manager in several years, and although the improvements are still minor they create a more nuanced and realistic experience than ever before.

A sloppy port but this is still the best SoulsBorne clone out there, with plenty of unique ideas of its own and some of the best combat of the generation.

The worst Need For Speed game of the modern era, that leaves no stone unturned in its attempts to make itself as boring, repetitive, and exploitative as possible.

A seemingly impossible port is carried off surprisingly gracefully, with the old school shooter action working very well as a handheld game.

Bland, boring, and badly made – returning to the bad old days of low rent mascot platformers is not a good way to demonstrate the power of the Xbox One X.

Whoever this shoddily made platformer is meant to please it won’t be those that like Sonic Mania, or any of the better 3D Sonic games.

A generous expansion that through its stunning visuals and inspired creature design showcases the best features of the original, even if it doesn’t fix many of its flaws.

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.

One of the oddest sequels of all time, which removes one of the series’ most interesting features and adds almost nothing in return.

An even better game than the original, whose innocuous visuals hide a tense and unpredictable survival horror of surprising potency.

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.

A missed opportunity to reinvent the Assassin’s Creed franchise, which offers only incremental improvement and too many old problems.

Some of the most fearless and idiosyncratic storytelling ever seen in a video game, married to one of the most viciously entertaining shooters of the generation.

A joyful celebration - and evolution - of the Super Mario series, that encapsulates all the fun and creativity of video gaming at its very best.

It’s more an unofficial Castlevania game than a movie tie-in, but if you can handle the high difficultly level this is an effective substitute for the real thing.

More frustrating because of the things it gets right than the blindingly obviously problems with bugs, a dull career mode, and a strange new loot box system.

A director’s cut that for once makes a significant difference, with new levels and the return of co-op – although the underlying game is still slightly flawed.

One of the best Life Is Strange episodes so far, with more earnest and relatable character work and some impressive branching storytelling.