Iceborne is a little bit more of everything that makes Monster Hunter so enjoyable. The pace drags at times, but that's easy to forgive amid dozens of hours of cool new monsters to slay.

Is Malus Darkblade done justice? As a character, yes. But while his campaign is decent, Snikch’s is one of the weaker we've seen in these Lord packs, lacking some of CA's usual focus in mechanics and theme.

Forget the campaign - multiplayer is where it’s at. Impeccably balanced, ludicrously varied, and damn near perfect.

Phoenix Point may not meet the legacy of its celebrated forebear X-Com, but then few games ever will. Elegant, atmospheric, and energetic, Gollop’s latest remains remarkably hard to put down.

Gameplay is solid from the start and gains depth, transforming you into a Jedi badass. Respawn has also nailed the Star Wars universe, for better (sights, sounds, and cinematic flair) and worse (cringey dialogue and vacuous plot).

It looks as much of an iterative update as any FM game, but the added finesse of the new match engine, and the extra depth to the club staffing dynamics and development, make this the best version of the game yet. Get past the overly familiar visuals and you’ll find more reasons to keep on managing.

With new official DLC, a glorious audiovisual overhaul and a touch of modern quality-of-life polish, this is now the best way to play Age 2 - though it'll take a while to match the HD edition's user content.

An utterly original RPG that sets new genre standards for exploration and conversation systems, and a brilliantly written tragicomedy about our inability to release the linchpins of our identity. Even when they hurt us.

PC is the best place to play last year’s best game. It’s massive yet loses no focus, epic on every level, and combines Rockstar’s penchant for immense detail with a surprising amount of heart.

Frontier delivers a richly detailed and visually glorious zoo creation sim for genre fans, newbies, and animal lovers alike, bloated only a little by a few clumsy interfacing points.

While not every multiplayer addition is as good as it could be, Modern Warfare’s campaign sets a new gold standard for the series that will be hard for sequels to match.

Obsidian’s RPG fulfills its potential, but only in fits and starts. Sure, its worst moments are only ever as bad as workmanlike RPG-making, but they make the stretches between some instances of genuine greatness a little more disappointing.

You can’t beat the feeling of playing Magic with cardboard in your hands. Still, Arena presents a slick realisation in digital form, and one that should suit both old hands and newcomers.

A muddled game that trips over itself by implementing mechanics from various genres, but never fully expands on their potential.

Much like the man himself, John Wick Hex is straight-ahead and unwavering. It sets out to do one thing - simulate the fights of the movies - and does so with consummate efficiency.

A game with unapologetically singular focus, its distillation of deeper MMOs' elements nevertheless results in an experience that all too often feels barren.

PvP still needs work, and the story is once again more style than substance. However, abundant content elsewhere - including new PvE challenges and a build system with actual depth - means Shadowkeep does what it needs to.

An unholy union of anime, Dark Souls, and My Chemical Romance, Code Vein is as much about style as substance. If that sounds good to you, then you're in for a treat, even if it lacks some of the polish of the genre's best.

Some ideas don’t fully land, but there’s more than enough here to provide hours of fun in what’s fast becoming an excitingly crowded and appropriately violent realisation of the Warhammer world.

Familiarly solid cover shooting with the occasional surprise. It’s fitting The Coalition has opted to simply call the latest game ‘Gears’, because mostly, it’s just going through the motions.

A well-implemented redux of a moment in time, which may surprise you with its engaging focus on leveling and the friendliness of its players.

A gripping descent into something between alternate history and fever dream, realised beautifully in audiovisual flair, and lacking just slightly in the combat itself.

A nostalgic '90s throwback that's challenging, funny, cleverly designed, and shockingly attractive both despite and because of its ancient engine, which enables gigantic levels packed with detail.

Three Kingdoms' first piece of DLC is largely more of the same, but that's no bad thing when the base experience is so good.

Initially unwieldy but eventually engrossing, Age of Wonders' latest entry translates its Civ-meets-XCOM formula brilliantly to a new sci-fi setting. Even if the elements of that sci-fi are a bit rote.

Considering it’s ‘only’ a spin-off, this is a riotously fun and well-designed entry in the series - however, it’s built with co-op in mind. Solo play is viable, but play with a friend, and you’ll both have one of the best shooter experiences of the year so far.

While the story's over-reliance on genre tropes keeps it from being truly groundbreaking, it's still among the best in MMOs, as is the new content. Shadowbringers is a great experience that could've been an amazing one.

There’s more than just an endurance racing licence to distinguish Assetto Corsa Competizione from its predecessor. It’s more polished, more precise, and offers more scope for long-term single-player satisfaction.