Though not without some flaws inherited from the previous game, Warhorse Studios has nonetheless done it again with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. An eye-wateringly authentic, historical open world RPG that will utterly take over your life with its evocative depiction of Medieval Europe and frequently hilarious side quests, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the single most immersive medieval power fantasy there is and the first essential RPG of the year.

Episode 5 beautifully wraps up a season of spectacular, emotionally deep, and memorable chapters. The Walking Dead is one of the best downloadable games of all time and, given the way No Time Left made me feel, it would be unfair for me to ask for a better conclusion.

An improved, expanded, more complete version of the game that delighted us last year.

There is just something magical about the effort brought into the remake of Trails in the Sky. You can just see that it was made with love and care by people who understand just how special the original Trails in the Sky was. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is a must-have for anyone who enjoyed the franchise and all the RPG lovers in the world.

GRID offers up an enthralling experience of fast-paced action and realistic tendencies in order to create the perfect hybrid racing formula.

A stellar societal strategy game with a dark, moralistic centre, Frostpunk is a rare genre effort where your actions linger with you long after your time with it has finished. This is tactical, though well-meaning nihilism at its best, and is an easy recommendation to those who want their grey matter tested as much as their heart.

A brilliant expansion to an already unmissable gaming experience.

Persona 3 Reload is a flawless reimagining of one of the most impactful RPGs of the PS2 generation and manages to carefully preserve just about everything I loved about the original game in a stylish bombastic package. The approach to modernising the gameplay is a masterclass and should be the gold standard going forward for RPGs of this ilk. For players who have only experienced modern Persona through Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal, you would be doing yourself a disservice by skipping this title. An equally wonderful cast and effective story lift this into one of the most impactful games that I have ever played and this new version means it can be enjoyed by a completely new generation.

XCOM 2’s PS4 port is hobbled by some turgid technical issues, but it’s a testament to how magnificent a game it is that it still rises above them. Outstanding, brutally challenging and endlessly enjoyable, XCOM 2 is a legitimate triumph.

Injustice 2 goes to great lengths to be a fighting game with longevity in mind without ostracizing a more casual audience. A superb story, a great roster, and a smart, if overly complicated, Gear system all contribute to that, and the result is arguably the best overall fighter of modern times.

So far, Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut is this year's pinnacle of Open World Games. Iki Island is stunningly beautiful and the technical upgrades make it even more enjoyable. Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut grandly stakes its status as one of the very best open world games on PS5 that proudly stands alongside the best games on the platform. If you've been holding off playing Ghost of Tsushima, now is the time to get playing.

The Witness, at the end of the day, revolves around one’s ability to interpret and solve complex puzzles. The island is gorgeous and memorable while the gameplay itself is as smooth as silk, but there’s no way around the constant need to solve the next puzzle. It is the ultimate stonewalling challenge rewarded only by rare success.

The best roguelike of this generation and a bonafide Game of the Year contender, Dead Cells is simply beyond peer and utterly, utterly essential for anyone that owns a black plastic box stuffed with silicon that has 'PS4' scrawled upon it.

There's no getting around it, this is an astounding proposition. Bringing together two of the best action RPGs of the PlayStation 4 era with a range of eye-opening PlayStation 5 enhancements, Nioh Remastered: The Complete Collection is absolutely essential for anybody who has even the slightest interest in great action RPGs with hugely rewarding combat systems and hundreds of hours of challenging gameplay.

The already marvelous Civilization VI makes the jump to PS4 almost entirely intact, and with the addition of two meaty expansions, this is an essential title for console strategy fans. It’s a little overwhelming for newcomers, but it treats the player with respect and rewards a curious mind with an utterly absorbing experience.

Putting the few slight issues aside, Final Fantasy VII Remake stuns with how it expands on the original. At the same time, it takes its own risks and creates its own footsteps. FF VII Remake is beautiful, engrossing, and hard to pass up. This game is meant for both fans and newcomers, no matter how learned, and the sheer level of time and effort put into this reimagining truly shows through and through.

Undead Nightmare is a thrilling and entertaining addition to one of 2010's biggest games. With an all-new story that introduces zombies to the open-world Wild West, two new multiplayer modes, and more brilliant voice acting and dialogue, this is a must have for any RDR fan.

It took two troubled years, but Street Fighter V is finally where it should be with the Arcade Edition update. If you haven't gotten round to it yet, there's never been a better time to tackle this true king of the fighters.

With FIFA 09, EA Sports has the reigns of the soccer industry firmly within its grasp, delivering a prominent title that will appease the large majority of fans of The Beautiful Game.

With tight controls, brilliant graphics, and an expansive career mode and online support, DiRT 3 is one of the best racers of this generation.

Guilty Gear Strive is a simply stunning anime fighter with an astonishing depth of competitive gameplay. It does all it can to welcome newcomers with an extensive training mode and streamlined fighting mechanics, but it is still very much the beloved Guilty Gear niche experience, and rightly so. You can't have too much of a good thing, and Guilty Gear is certainly a good thing, so it's a slight shame that there isn't more content to sink our teeth into. Nevertheless, as a competitive fighting experience, it is still a fantastic entry that fans of the series will adore.

There's not much more I can say about Max Payne 3 without spoiling the experience for you. Emotionally exhausted and still buzzing with excitement after playing Max Payne 3's story mode throughout the weekend, I woke up this morning bursting to tell everyone that, quite simply put: Max Payne 3 is the best character-driven shooter that I've ever played.

I can't say enough wonderful things about Pentiment. The narrative coaxes out a full spectrum of emotions, with its impeccable writing delivering the story with bold strokes, and the visual style is just a pleasure to watch.

Fight Night Round 4 is not perfect, but it's the best simulation of the technical and strategic elements of boxing in any game to date.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is a brutal experience where every decision you make feels impactful. The world is brimming with personality, and the demons are fun to talk to and play with. Vengeance has a lot going for it, and the quality of life improvements make it one of the best JRPGs released on the PlayStation 5.

No Going Back ends a more cerebral, unfocused Walking Dead season with difficult decisions befitting a memorable experiment in morality, excusing narrative lulls and forgettable characters.

It's not every day you get to experience a game like Chained Echoes. With an incredible story, excellent writing, characters you can connect with and a combat system that takes a traditional turn-based system and turns it into a strategic, thought-provoking experience. What's not to like about that?

Quantic Dream's ambition is truly realized through a game that has interesting controls, stunning graphics, and a masterfully accomplished change to current gaming trends.