There's no getting around it - Helldivers 2 is a supremely fun, frequently unintentionally hilarious and bombastic squad shooter that builds upon its predecessor and deftly sets up a long-term future in the process. Though the lack of split-screen is keenly felt and Helldivers 2 is by and large identical to its predecessor in so many ways, Arrowhead Studios highly anticipated sequel nonetheless does a great job of repackaging a shooter that not nearly enough people played into a thunderous current-gen offering that sets a new bar for extraction shooters everywhere.

Despite some frustrating design choices, pacing and technical issues, there is a prevailing magnetic chemistry to Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden that is felt within its narrative and mirrored in its gameplay, in large part thanks to its two brilliantly written and acted protagonists. Its thoughtful dissection and unique exploration of grief ultimately resonated with me in a way that allowed me to forgive most of its other sins.

There was so much potential with Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League; for the most part, it's a fun game with a fun story. Unfortunately, it falls short with repetitive missions and gameplay. Its story holds it up until you reach the endgame, which rehashes the mission structure you've already experienced. Though Metropolis is a fun city to explore and with plenty of Easter eggs to find, there just isn't much here to keep going for a long period.

You can't go wrong with a game that channels the heart and soul of PS1 horror, and Alisa does just that. Certain oddities of the genre piggyback on the experience, but fans won't be deterred by that. The humor mixed with dread and unease make Alisa a great game to explore, even with its limitations and minor issues.

Granblue Fantasy Relink is an exceptional action-RPG with a strong license that can flourish in many genres. With excellent combat and cinematography, Granblue Fantasy Relink provides strong character development and epic encounters throughout its 20-hour campaign and many more hours after that.

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.

Unique, funny and so entertaining, Lil' Guardsman has all the traits I want from games in my old age. Lil' Guardsman is like nothing else on the market, it's beautiful and so well written that its world will swallow you whole. It's not often you get to play a game that makes you smile from start to finish but Lil' Guardsman stole a Lil' piece of my heart. I cannot recommend it enough.

Song Of Nunu: A League Of Legends Story is a simple game with excellent storytelling and truly endearing characters. Willump and Nunu's story and adventure will warm your heart even in the icy regions of its setting. It's a cinematic, Pixar-like experience that shouldn't be missed by adventure fans or anyone looking to get a new game for their young kid.

The Jurassic Park Classic Games Collection may not be for everyone, but it does offer a decent collection of retro games across multiple old platforms. Still, the limited modern features leave this package feeling incomplete. But if your end goal is game collecting and preservation, you can't go wrong with this collection, even with its limitations.

War Hospital is nowhere near the most sophisticated, nor the most polished strategy game money can buy, but it nonetheless does a commendable job of making you feel what managing an overwrought war hospital at the forefront of one of the most deadly wars in human history could be like. Though it's relatively simplistic tactical beats might not appeal to expert strategists, War Hospital's more narrow scope and poignant subject matter do make it a much more easily digestible proposition for both genre newcomers and perhaps more crucially, for first-person shooter folks who have ever given thought to what happens after they pull the trigger on an enemy soldier.

Immortality is a game that anyone interested in compelling narratives should check out. The story of Marissa Marcel and her journey from unknown model to rising star, and then her unexplained disappearance into pop-culture obscurity is one that will enthrall players and stick with you long after the credits have rolled.

Despite changing the name of the franchise for us in the West, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is more of the same that we've come to love. A huge variety of content to dive into and an ambitious, heartening story help to bring this package into one that fans of the series will absolutely adore. RGG Studios have polished the foundations of the new RPG battle system to a shine in this new entry and the result is a game full of personality and refreshing spirit that is a joy to experience from beginning to end. This game is an ambitious jump into a new frontier for the Like A Dragon franchise and is all the better for it. For those who have experienced the story of Like A Dragon up until now, you be doing yourself a disservice to miss this.

Tekken 8 is a fantastic entry in the long-running franchise and a fitting celebration of its 30-year history. With a varied roster packed with unique move sets, the addition of the Heat system and recoverable health gauge, plus a huge variety of modes, Tekken 8 is unmissable for both newcomers and fans alike.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy sets the gold standard for game compilations going forward as it brings all three of these well-loved titles under a single banner. Both newcomers and veterans have every reason to keep their eyes on this trilogy; with a bounty of extra features to dive into, this is far more than just a port of three visual novel adventures. This is a love-letter to the Ace Attorney community that should be enjoyed by all.

The Cub is a brief, energetic and beautiful thrill ride that already has me jumping back in for a second run. Expanding on the world introduced to us in the indie darling Golfclub: Nostalgia, there is so much to love about this charming, apocalyptic storybook platformer.

I feel supremely confident in saying that for the millions of folks that already own The Last of Us Part 2 on PS4, the $10/£10 upgrade charge is a more than fair ask in terms of the sheer amount of frankly excellent content that you're getting here - with the excellent No Return mode easily capable of being spun off into its own entity. Likewise, if you have yet to experience Naughty Dog's magnum opus for the first time, the fact remains that it's superlative story campaign is as impactful, essential and emotionally devastating as it ever was. Boiled down to its most basic properties, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is the definitive version of the best game of the last generation and as such, it's still a ten. Easily.

An excellent return to the Prince of Persia franchise. The Lost Crown takes the classic Metroidvania-style and builds on it with excellent puzzles, platforming and combat. The Lost Crown is easily the first must have title of the year and shouldn't be missed.

Forest Grove has a good concept but doesn't take advantage of its unique aspects. The future setting is just a gimmick to see how scenes play out. Though I enjoyed looking for the evidence and making the connections to find out what happened to Zooey, the game constantly held my hand but let it go right at the end when I needed its help the most. It's short, it's simple, and it's predictable.

Trinity Fusion approaches the rogue-lite genre with accessibility in mind. While enemy variety is small, boss fights soon grow trivial, and it doesn't offer the same complex options as other entries, the true enjoyment comes in the combat itself. With ways to make this enjoyable gameplay easier or harder, this is the perfect game for newcomers and aficionados to try.

Resident Evil 4 Remake's VR mode is an immersive thrill ride from beginning to end, and what was already one of the best games ever made has been elevated to new heights on the PS VR2. It is truly a must-play experience for anyone with a PS VR2.

While I enjoyed my time with Hammerwatch 2 in short bursts, I never felt like it was going above and beyond to give me something that hadn't been done before. Some clunky design here and there only draws attention to these frustrations. Despite this, the core gameplay of Hammerwatch 2 is enjoyable enough to go through with friends for a dungeon or two, with a healthy amount of customisation to be found.

Laika Aged Through Blood takes some time to get used to but offers a unique combination of gameplay styles. Still, it's not without growing pains, like button combinations not being as intuitive or the pace taking some misteps. There's still some cool ideas here in terms of gameplay and narrative that should be checked out even if you're only a little curious.

The Lord of The Rings: Return To Moria is a valiant attempt of crafting a great survival game, keeping players engaged and memories to be made. The gameplay may seem difficult and takes some time to adjust to, but just enjoy the experience for what it is and you will find youself entering the depths of Moria more than you anticipated.

There is a lot to love about Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising. From its excellent story mode, simple yet complex combat that's made accessible to every type of player. But what steels the show is the extremely fun Grand Brute mode. There is a lot to love about Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising, and it's easily the sleeper-hit fighting game this year.

Have A Nice Death makes a couple mishaps that affect its flow and theme execution a great deal. Still, boss fights and engaging combat make the experience worth trying. It may not be for everyone, but roguelike fans will enjoy it.

Bear & Breakfast is one of the most charming games that I've played in recent memory, with a memorable plot and a fantastic cast of characters. If I was reviewing the game on those merits alone, I would be singing far higher praises. Unfortunately this console version has done very little to translate the experience from keyboard and mouse to controller. The end result is a clunky, unintuitive management game that feels more obtuse than it might be worth.

Arashi: Castle of Sin - Final Cut is held back from its full potential because it was originally a PS4 PSVR game. While the game has altered controls to match PSVR2, it still falls short of what we expect from a next-gen VR game, but not by much. The story and world had me clamoring for more. Jumping rooftop to rooftop, sneaking in the grass, and assassinating from the shadows made me want a full PSVR2 and PS5 game to take even more advantage of the world.

Final Fantasy XVI Echoes of The Fallen serves as a refresher into the realm of Valisthea, bringing with it increased level cap, new gear, and some new bosses. It doesn't last long, clocking in at around two hours, but it does just enough to keep you curious for what comes next.