It’s still amazing that such an old game can remain so playable after all these years, although it’s equally incredible that Capcom still insist on charging full price for it.

The least funny Disgaea, but arguably the best in terms of the actual gameplay – and it’s a perfect fit for the Nintendo Switch.

One of the best sci-fi strategy games ever made, with an impressive amount of storytelling variety and accessible controls.

The best new rhythm action game for years, with a perfect blend of gameplay, music, and a frighteningly oppressive atmosphere.

Probably the best single-player experience ever in a fighting game, on top of being an extremely accessible and highly technical multiplayer brawler.

The perfect jumping on point for both new players and those wanting to fill in the gaps in Fire Emblem lore, although the game lacks the depth of more modern entries.

Sony’s big budget VR game has a lot of novelty value but only manages to combine the worst elements of first person shooters and lightgun games.

An even better Dark Souls clone than Lords Of The Fallen, but there are too few unique ideas and the difficulty often undermines the rest of the gameplay.

The definitive portable version of Minecraft, with almost all the features of the current gen home console editions combined with the convenience of the Nintendo Switch.

If you have PlayStation VR then this is a must-have title, but even if you don’t it’s still one of the best arcade games we’ve ever played. It may seem off-puttingly weird to some but ignore all the florescent cows and 8-bit sound effects and you have one of the purest action experiences of the modern age. Or don’t ignore them, and revel in one of the most gloriously strange, constantly inventive, shooters available on any platform.

An imaginative and perfectly presented platform puzzler that works just as well on a home console as it did on PSP.

A loveable slice of 90s nostalgia, but compared to shooters both new and old it’s surprisingly limp and inappropriately difficult.

Despite the many obvious flaws there’s a mesmerising quality to the game’s artificial worlds, as the gameplay itself creates a surprisingly palatable form of edutainment.

A wasted opportunity to create a modern take on System Shock, with the dull storytelling and action overshadowing the otherwise effective puzzle elements.

A small but worthwhile expansion for one of the year’s best games, that provides a welcome hint of more difficulties to come.

A reasonable port of the PC original, and certainly the best SimCity clone on consoles, but missing features and awkward controls narrow its scope and appeal.

Bizarre, abstract, and completely beautiful. GNOG’s puzzles aren’t difficult but they are strangely entrancing, especially in VR.

The crossover between the two classic puzzlers is a bit of a gimmick, but the huge range of modes for both games makes this the best version of either for years.

Dragon Quest continues to be the most successful partner for Dynasty Warriors, but the pace of improvement remains painfully slow.

A compelling story well told, and although it’s still not very interactive the variety and artfulness of the presentation feels like something only a video game could do.

Sniper Ghost Warrior 3 feels like the equivalent of a straight-to-video movie, and one of the really bad ones that don’t even have any washed-up actors you’ve sort of heard of. Instead it’s just a cheaply-made, unwanted sequel to a franchise that should have never got past the first one. And yet somehow it’s still the best the series has ever been.

One of the scariest video games ever made, or at least it is for the first few hours – before it succumbs to wearying repetition and frustratingly unfair set pieces.

It has some unfortunate gameplay failings, but in terms of disturbing atmosphere and surprisingly serious subject matter this is one of the best horror games of the year.

The story campaign is a bit of a chore, but the multiplayer is an exciting mix of RTS and MOBA – and may just be the next big thing in strategy gaming.

The definitive version of one of the greatest multiplayer games ever, with a vast array of courses, characters, and the best Battle mode since the SNES days.

The one LucasArts game that didn’t need a remaster gets one anyway, but it can’t do anything for the game’s brevity or lack of challenge.

One of the best retro remakes there’s ever been, and although the gameplay sometimes shows its age the graphics are amongst the best of the year.

Despite some notable missteps, this peculiar mix of macabre storytelling and 2D puzzle-solving still has an interesting story to tell.