Solid proof that roguelikes can be accessible without sacrificing the genre’s spark. [Issue#186, p.77]

A tranquil trip through the great outdoors, rich in atmosphere and fair challenge. [Issue#186, p.80]

An emotional and heartfelt tale of brotherhood that keeps you engaged throughout. [Issue#186, p.90]

Intuitively designed and thrilling, Civilization makes a brilliant move over to console. [Issue#186, p.78]

Delivers an experience that’s as sweet as honey and buggy in all the right ways. [Issue#186, p.85]

Yooka-Laylee smartly ditches 3D to instead focus on perfecting 2D platforming. [Issue#184, p.77]

Trine’s brand of puzzle platforming returns to form in this colourful yet challenging sequel. [Issue#184, p.87]

An endearing shooter that builds on strong roots to excellent and often hilarious effect. [Issue#184, p.70]

It’s a familiar template that The Outer Worlds builds itself around, but the depth and wit within its universe invites you ever-deeper. There’s social commentary and late-stage capitalism gallows humour all over the place, but it’s the richness of its imagined future that really holds the attention. [Issue#184, p.84]

It’s the perfect fan service addition to the Ghostbusters canon, and regardless of the all-female reboot or upcoming Ghostbusters 2020, this still stands up as that ‘third film’. The fact that it’s also a very good game frankly makes our toaster dance. [Issue#184, p.82]

A solid pair of adventures, lovingly remastered, with excellent extras. [Issue#194, p.74]

Not quite the GOAT, perhaps, but definitely very entertaining in multiplayer. [Issue#181, p.77]

Fast-paced murderous squash, with a surprising amount of depth and funky beats. [Issue#181, p.87]

A short and sweet space adventure – just don’t stick around after the credits roll. [Issue#181, p.88]

Creature In The Well is a hectic joy to play, and the unlikely genre fusion works astonishingly well. Maybe someone should try that ice cream burger after all. [Issue#183, p.79]

Borderlands 3 may not be clever, but it is very big – and above all else, the source of a vast well of over-the-top shooting fun and mayhem. Be thankful that Gearbox refused to reinvent the franchise just for the sake of it. [Issue#183, p.73]

A cool, stylish vamp that, if you can allow for its imperfections, definitely has bite. [Issue#183, p.81]

Dark, bold and satisfying. Like all the best sins, Blasphemous is bloody good fun. [Issue#183, p.83]

Konami’s gradual return to form takes another welcome stride forwards. [Issue#183, p.85]

A stylish shooter that subverts and surprises at every turn. A little glitchy, though. [Issue#182, p.79]

Madden NFL 20 is light on marquee features but builds a solid foundation for the future. [Issue#182, p.81]

Gears 5 is definitely a success story... it’s just not quite on the same Xbox tier of insta-classic territory as the original Gears Of War. Though combat is satisfying, there’s the nagging doubt it hasn’t evolved enough over the past 13 years – a point hammered home if you play Remedy’s recent Control. Still, despite some overly safe online modes, that refreshed, never-bolder campaign makes Kait’s story a tour of duty you should definitely sign up for. [Issue#183, p.69]

A brave, harrowing exploration of a troubled psyche which proves very powerful indeed. [Issue#180, p.83]

At first it’s novel – and funny – to hear cats and warthogs spouting the usual high-fantasy nonsense about prophecies and world-eating serpents, especially as some of the voice acting is a bit off. But as the hours go on that all fades away to leave a well-realised setting. Along with the central mystery, it all makes for a compelling tail. Sorry – tale. Okay, perhaps we haven’t quite forgotten this is an animal kingdom. [Issue#180, p.87]

Complex, compelling and beautiful, this is the pinnacle of F1 racing sims. [Issue#180, p.79]

An absolutely beautiful recreation of a magnificently designed racer. [Issue#180, p.81]

Bloodstained: ROTN is a deceptively hard game (that’s a good thing), so careful exploration of each room and a considered approach to each encounter is required in order to reach the next big boss with enough health and magic points. [Issue#180, p.85]

One of the best exploration games ever, thanks to a small but perfectly crafted setting. [Issue#179, p.85]

The NES trilogy and 16-bit sequels are still hugely challenging and worth a look. [Issue#179, p.90]

A Diablo clone that still has plenty of its own character, and is great in couch co-op. [Issue#179, p.78]

The story never lets you settle – it never guarantees the safety of Amicia or Hugo – and, even as some of the mechanics grow a little stale, that keeps A Plague Tale feeling breathless across its 12-hour runtime. [Issue#178, p.88]

In some ways there are only marginal and cosmetic differences from Mortal Kombat XL. That’s no bad thing, as fans of the series as well as fans of NetherRealm’s last fighter, Injustice 2, will be comfortable with the feel and mechanics, but those tweaks and enhancements, as well as the excellent story mode, mean that with MK11, Mortal Kombat has pretty much now been perfected. [Issue#178, p.75]

A sprawling ramshackle mishmash of a game that somehow works. [Issue#177, p.80]

The corollary of its obsessive refusal to countenance even a hint of compromise is the vast amount of satisfaction it provides when you do finally make those breakthroughs and progress to a new area. If you fancy yourself as a hardcore gamer, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is the embodiment of what games are all about. [Issue#177, p.77]

Trials at its finest: simply to play it is to have a blast, and you can’t ask for more than that.

An original and intriguing stealth puzzler that will test your investigative skills.

At 15 hours long, and with the unlockable Son Of Sparta mode upping the difficulty while switching enemies around, Dante’s latest is both stylish and generously stuffed. Though occasionally intimidating and repetitive in places, you’ll still relish making Satan sing.

A seriously accomplished looter shooter, with plenty to do on day one.

Charming and jam-packed with content, but lacks a compelling narrative. [Issue#225, p.90]

Spectacular if spotty, this wrestler fulfills more than it frustrates. [Issue#225, p.88]

It's really bloody good... Take note, other developers wanting to jump on a trend: this is how you do battle royale. [Issue#225, p.82]

An engrossing mix of sci-fi strategy and simulation - but this is a lesser version. [Issue#225, p.80]

A traditional but beautifully crafted, memorable shooter with loads of personality. [Issue#225, p.78]

Hardly a far cry from what's come before, but still surprisingly enjoyable. [Issue#225, p.74]

Inconsistent but entertaining, packed with likeable, iconic characters. [Issue#225, p.72]

It's the fights that really count, and they're crazy fun. [Issue#225, p.71]

As good as fighting games get, with great mechanics, and visually a knockout. [Issue#225, p.68]

A charming and atmospheric RPG, with varied by underwhelming card battles.

A refreshing alternative to the darker platformers of the last few years.

I you can't enjoy its over-the-top charms, there's precious little hope for you.

A special experience for a certain type of gamer. Try it if you're brave.

A beautifully fettled, deeply tactical XCOM-alike that has a shot at cult-classic status.

A totally unique surveillance experience impressively set in a compelling alien world.

Perfectly captures the essence of the original while offering something completely new.

The best LEGO game for a while, perfectly pitched for couch co-op family fun. [Christmas 2018, p.93]

A Destiny/No Man's Sky hybrid that you'll happily lose yourself in for many hours. [Christmas 2018, p.90]

The most polished WWE game for years, with MyPlayer mode a highlight. [Christmas 2018, p.88]

A beautiful, challenging and enchanting game that shouldn't be missed. [Christmas 2018, p.86]

The best AC yet, with finessed game design, gorgeous visuals and great narrative. [Christmas 2018, p.79]

Excellent single-player offering for those who aren't usually into fighting games. [Christmas 2018, p.74]

Unquestionably 2018's best game, and an all-time open-world masterpiece. [Christmas 2018, p.89]

Still struggles with technical problems, but the gameplay is tight, tense and tactical. [Dec 2018, p.80]

Instantly arresting and emotional. An almost flawless start to the series. Recommended. [Dec 2018, p.90]

Still the best footballing gameplay out there, shame about the licenses. [Dec 2018, p.86]

Xbox's underrated sports sim delivers again - digitised hockey has never been better. [Dec 2018, p.83]

This gorgeous, event-packed racer earns its place as a must-have for your Xbox. [Dec 2018, p.80]

A comprehensive off-field package that also delivers on its perfectly manicured turf. [Dec 2018, p.78]

The closest any racer has come to completely simulating its target sport. [Nov 2018, p.94]

A compelling story with a huge amount of player freedom, but overwhelming at points. [Nov 2018, p.93]

A well-done continuation. But if they kill Clem at the end, this score reverts to Zero. [Nov 2018, p.88]

Tight action gameplay and beautiful sprite work make this an indie must-have. [Nov 2018, p.86]

EA's touchdown sim gets plenty right, and leaves behind some fallow seasons. [Nov 2018, p.83]

A stylish, unsubtle but solid co-op shooter with lashings of old-school charm. [Nov 2018, p.75]

Strong, satisfying melee combat and smart levels make for a great sequel. Best with friends. [October 2018, p.92]

A stonking update for a forgotten classic, complete with all new bells and [rave] whistles. [October 2018, p.88]

Perfectly balanced fights in a small package, we just wish there were more stages. [October 2018, p.83]

Fantastic co-op mayhem, but complicated recipes sour the taste slightly. [October 2018, p.80]

Wonderful for exploration but has some issues with resource management. [Oct 2018, p.75]

Excellent combat executed with stylish flair. A must have for action game fans. [Sept 2018, p.90]

A beautiful, emotional look at the world through a nine-year-old lad's eyes. [Sept 2018, p.89]

Some N Sane platforming precision, but Crash sets the remaster bar high. [Sept 2018, p.88]

A near-flawless collection of the original arcade versions. Plenty to get stuck into. [Sept 2018, p.86]

Yarny's co-op adventure is a wickedly inventive devil in sheep's clothing. [Sept 2018, p.80]

Provides tons more fun and cool stuff to do in an already quest-packed fantasy RPG. [Sept 2018, p.74]

A must-buy game that offers several hours of intense fun. Get blinded by the lights. [Aug 2018, p.90]

A stunning mix of crime caper and children's cartoon elevates this simple platformer. [Aug 2018, p.80]

Exacting and exhilarating, this slightly fugly remaster remains a challenging classic. [Aug 2018, p.76]

A slick, chaotic arcade driving/combat game too easily spoiled by lag. [Aug 2018, p.74]

An imperfect but thoughtful game that demands time, and will reward you by eating it up. [Aug 2018, p.71]

A beautiful, summery game with furiously fun puzzles that adults and kids will love. [July 2018, p.88]

A memorable, emotional journey you won't want to miss that looks very attractive. [July 2018, p.74]

A sensitive portrayal of mental illness and rigorous combat: Hellblade is almost perfect. [June 2018, p.84]

Murderous and mad, this is one of the silliest, most immersive open worlds on Xbox. [June 2018, p.73]

Fast, furious, if a little fussy, this blistering remaster rejuvenates a cult classic. [May 2018, p.89]

Makes co-op gameplay more worthwhile than anything else before it. [May 2018, p.84]

An amazing world full of promise, but currently rather empty. More updates will be key. [May 2018, p.74]

A pleasing fusion of brawler and bullet-hell, this is a co-op game brimming with personality.

Charming, beautifully odd, if a little taxing, this hunter will devour your nights.