The 2D visuals are absolutely stunning, but the simplistic action and pretentious storytelling undermine what could have been a true neo-retro classic.

A chirpy spin on the skateboarding sim genre, undermined by poor level design and frustrating gameplay.

The real problem though is that it’s missing career mode, which was central to Rush Rally 3. Despite the excellent interface and handling model it leaves the game feeling a little unfocused.

Online battles provide the odd moment of fun, but matchmaking is regularly unfair, the gameplay little more than a flimsy veil over the upgrade system and in-app purchases, and your character’s stats overwhelmingly the most important factor. It’s dull, over-commercialised drivel that’s not even a shadow of the franchise whose name it sullies.

Metal Slug: Commander is a dystopian masterclass in late stage capitalism. It does look nice though and is thankfully unrelated to the upcoming Metal Slug Tactics.

There’s a solid racing game in here somewhere, but it will need further development to reveal its delights.

A dark and comical action adventure with excellent combat mechanics, sharp writing, and a memorable cast of characters.

Not quite a misfire but while the action is highly entertaining this time-looping adventure squanders much of its premise on disappointingly straightforward objectives and a curiously tame portrayal of unchecked hedonism.

A well designed, turn-based roguelike with a winning art style and a wide variety of options – even if it is a bit too random.

A charming addition to the Life Is Strange franchise that has one of the best branching narratives in any video game and one of the most likeable set of characters.

A successful attempt to modernise and broaden the appeal of the Tales series without completely abandoning its JRPG roots.

The least interesting WarioWare entry so far, with overcomplicated multiplayer characters and microgames that seem to have lost their sense of manic invention.

Technically it’s still the best modern Sonic, if you don’t count Sonic Mania, but time has not been particularly kind and neither has this unambitious remaster.

A better game than the earlier spin-off but Travis Touchdown’s time is clearly over, even if he is still able to provide some entertainingly odd boss battles.

A series of darkly comic spy-themed VR escape rooms that revel in their ability to kill you in inventive and unexpected ways.

There’s some mild improvement on last year’s game but the Madden franchise still feels lost, with too little depth and too many bugs.

It’s trying its best with an obviously low budget but rather than replicating the tension and thrills of Aliens this has much more in common with one of its lacklustre sequels.

A great sequel that is just as surreal and imaginative as the original and manages to be both a silly comedy platformer and a surprisingly affecting character study of regret and lost love.

An audio-only RPG adventure which feels like a new benchmark for the genre, through challenging combat and excellent sound design.

The underlying game is still too reliant on the Ubisoft formula but the new content and Legends mode make Ghost Of Tsushima Director’s Cut a notably better experience than the original at launch.

A clever and idiosyncratic time loop detective thriller with top notch voice acting, which suffers from circular gameplay that quickly descends into monotony.

An enjoyable, likeable mash-up of dungeon crawler and dating sim undercut by simplistic combat and a short running time.

A highly competent alternative to Civilization but the list of unequivocal improvements is disappointingly short, with an unfortunate lack of real innovation.

If you’re not too bothered about seeking constant action, but prefer your games to possess a discernible intelligence, overlying a message which is delivered in a subtle yet insistent manner, then you’ll love Road 96. The illusion of generating your own road movie works perfectly, and whether you view it as simple escapism or something deeper it manages to entertain either way.

A curious sequel whose simplified combat and lack of challenge undermines some of the best level design and puzzles in any recent Metroidvania.

Clever, unique, and often pretty puzzling, Sixit is another title with no enforced microtransactions, although you can choose to support its developer to the tune of £1.99.

A turn-based roguelike set in a universe that’s similar to but legally distinct from Doom, and where every choice you make has immediate and long term consequences.

A cleverly constructed narrative adventure that explores serious issues of morality without ever being preachy, and still allowing for an intricately designed, non-linear gaming experience.