A wondrous melting pot of Japanese cultural excess distilled into a relentlessly compelling synergy of RPG and action elements, Yakuza 0 arguably represents the consummate entry point for newcomers to the series. Without a doubt, Yakuza 0 is a masterpiece and the first must-have title of the year.

Stuffed with masses of modes and a veritable avalanche of stuff to do, Mortal Kombat 11 is the best the series has ever looked, sounded and most importantly, played. Oh and it doesn't hurt either that it just so happens to have one of the best story modes ever made, too.

It's easily the company’s greatest achievement. The expertly crafted story and the massive world meant for your exploration are just the tip of the iceberg...Easily the best RPG of the year.

Inscryption is an amalgamation of deck-builder and escape room games, and is unlike anything I have ever played before. In an age of video games where uniqueness is at an all-time low, it was amazing to be so surprised at regular intervals. Inscryption will test what you think a card battling roguelite is and its constant twists and turns will keep you on your toes. It's a game where I fully feel like I have sculpted my deck myself; it's wild, it's dark and it's utterly brilliant.

Modern Warfare 2 is an essential purchase regardless of your affiliation with the Call of Duty brand. In short, buy this game now. That is an order, soldier.

Sea Of Stars is an excellent, retro-inspired RPG that I would recommend anyone play, with feel-good characters, intricate and engaging combat, a stunning soundtrack, and beautiful world with a wonderful sense of adventure, friendship and love. While the story doesn't break any molds, its characters are all charming and endearing, to the point where I feel like I'd follow them to the ends of the world and beyond.

A masterclass in open-world game design, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt packs every pixel of its gorgeous world with compelling fiction and believable, satisfying role-playing.

Crash Bandicoot 4 on PS5 is pretty much unchanged from PS4, still offering excellent gameplay, but this time with mouth-watering 4K visuals. DualSense use is slight but noticeable; however, useful Game Help guides and Activity Cards make the upgrade well worth checking out for those still collecting secrets.

A stellar remastering of one of the best fighting games ever, Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Edition is at the very apex of Sega's long running series and in doing so, its elevated profile will hopefully propel the franchise forward as a whole to heights that it has long deserved. Virtua Fighter is back and it's better than ever.

With Weird West, WolfEye has created an ambitious immersive sim hybrid that sucks you ever-deeper into its gritty, bizarre world of the cults n’ cowboys like a particularly impatient quicksand. It occasionally struggles to translate its combat to a controller as smoothly as it could, but the rest of this package is so damn intoxicating that it matters little in the long run. A masterful game with a fascinating set of stories to tell.

Turbo Overkill proudly wears its influences on its sleeve to weave together a ferocious blast through a cyber retro world. It's chock full of charm with plenty of viscera to boot, and reminds you exactly why you loved all the games it doffs its cap to while simultaneously feeling like its slick modern counterparts.

Easily the best F1 game ever made, rammed full of content that reads like the fans' wish list. Edge of the seat racing backed up by a hearty team management sim, split screen racing and audio and visuals which are edging ever closer to perfection.

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.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach is a triumph in what it sets out to achieve. This isn't a game interested in converting willing consumers into fans, it's a game that takes bold steps in order to succeed what came before it. If you needed proof that Hideo Kojima is still the titan of the industry that he's hailed as, this game is that proof. I was left truly speechless by the end, and I have a feeling that many others will too.

Norco takes the point n’ click adventure to a despair-stained new plane. I’ve never been so happy to feel unhappy as I did living in this tech-noir graveyard of a world.

What you have essentially got with Super Street Fighter IV is a more balanced Street Fighter game that represents the pinnacle of the franchise's glittering career.

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.

Nioh 3 represents the series at its most refined and confident. Combat is precise, expressive, and endlessly rewarding, while open-field design gives the world room to breathe without sacrificing focus. Crucibles deliver punishing, carefully balanced challenges that reward preparation and mastery in equal measure.

OlliOlli World is an incredible reboot and the perfect evolution of the OlliOlli franchise. It's vivid and bright levels combined with the creativity in their design make for a deep gameplay meta that will keep you coming back for years. To put it simply, Roll7 did for OlliOlli in 2022 what Sony Santa Monica did for God Of War in 2018.

No excuses can be made now, this is the best time to give Braid your attention and respect is right now, thanks to this commemorative upgrade known as Braid: Anniversary Edition. The cleverness and ingeniousness of Braid's design, puzzles, and the way every interconnected element weaves a thought-provoking tapestry is irresistible and deserving of your admiration. There's no better time to revisit this classic in its restored state, so go and pay respects to one of gaming's most groundbreaking titles.

Look, it's really simple, Burnout Paradise Remastered is essential for fans of racing games everywhere. They just don't make them like this anymore (but they really, really should).

An absolute stellar remake.

Another home run for those wizards at Digital Eclipse whom I hope will never stop weaving their game preservation magic, Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection isn't just a pitch-perfect trip down memory lane, it's a love letter, a tantalising peeling back of the curtain, a look behind the scenes of one of the most legendary and landmark videogame franchises ever made. If you have even the smallest modicum of fondness for gaming's original bad boy, then the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is as essential as essential can be.

Creative, funny, and utterly absorbing, Portal 2 is the best puzzle-platformer game on the planet.

Resident Evil 4 Remake is a masterclass in action-horror. The game not only maintains the spirit and gripping gameplay of the original, but expands on it with some meaningful mechanics and fleshes out areas that were previously lacking. Even if you haven't played the original version, Resident Evil 4 is easily one of the best horror games on PS5 right now and a must-have for your collection.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails to Azure is easily one of the best entries in the franchise. A compelling heart-wrenching story is made better with excellent character writing and world-building, while the fun combat system keeps the best elements from its predecessor and improves it to make it stand out as much as possible. If you have to only play one of the Trails of titles, make sure you play Azure.

FIFA 10 stands in a league of its own in terms of quality. A truly outstanding tribute to the beautiful game.

What Remains of Edith Finch is a journey to discover truth, even if that truth is debilitating. There is a charm and humanity here that’s hard to ignore and even harder to emulate. One in a million is too often used nowadays, but it holds true here.