While there are many elements of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment that don't quite reach the standard set by Age of Calamity, there are just as many that it exceeds. It's another engaging Hyrule Warriors experience that fans are sure to eat up and feels like a fitting goodbye to this chapter of Zelda.

Rising is without a doubt the best Trials game yet. The community this series has garnered over the span of two decades finally gets a little of the limelight and, quite frankly, serves as the lynchpin of this game. The gameplay is as tight as ever while the tracks themselves are scintillating, showcasing the developer's creativity which is, even at this late stage of the Trials saga, first-rate.

Anger Foot has all the makings of a cult classic. Shooting and booting your way through the bonkers assortment of enemies remains exhilarating throughout with plenty of replayability. From the cartoonish flying feet to a vaping, ski-masked adorned girlfriend, it's endearingly quirky if a little juvenile. Levels might blur together and hold it back from greatness, but if there are plans to establish a franchise of ass kickers, I'd wholeheartedly welcome the news.

Alan Wake Remastered is a prime example of if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. The story, and the way it’s told is truly timeless, and it's a game that everyone should experience. Some of its design might be stuck in the past, but none of it ever feels detrimental to the overall experience, and the visual facelift just makes the experience that much better. Whether you’re a new fan of Remedy’s work, or a long-time player, there’s never been a better excuse to visit or return to Bright Falls.

Wayward Strand offers up a uniquely Australian take on the narrative adventure game with a gorgeous art direction and moving portrayal of hard-working people in a harsh system. Despite a couple of pacing issues and an unforgiven save system, Wayward Strand is an approachable and hugely enjoyable little world to explore and find some catharsis in.

Ghostrunner II, for half of a game, manages to recapture the lightning in a bottle that made the first a high-octane thrill ride. The other half is a dull, albeit thematically rich, journey to an outside world that is, in theory, worthy of the runtime but fails in practice for the kind of game Ghostrunner is.

With Observer’s original atmosphere intact, System Redux is an exceptional refinement and redelivery of one of the generation’s most underrated titles. The loss of Rutger Hauer felt even more profoundly exploring these tenement halls again, but his offbeat and quirky role as Daniel Lazarski will live on for another generation.

Beyond Good & Evil's 20th Anniversary Edition does a commendable job of freshening up an experience that had long aged out of its must-play status. Enhanced visuals that don't dull the original charm, welcome quality-of-life and control improvements and a nice smattering of extra content go a long way to making this a worthwhile revisit to Hillys.

It’s clear that Untitled Goose Game is a labour of love from House House. It’s an entertaining honk-filled romp that’s guaranteed to satisfy anyone’s wanting to become a goose. Your first playthrough will no doubt be your best due to the restrictive design, but the hidden objectives and unique environments offer plenty of reason to explore and experiment with its charming world and characters. There’s never been a better way to simulate being a goose.

On its own merits, Sonic Generations does its best to bring the best of both Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic together in a fun and creative adventure that’s sure to please Sonic fans all around. However, it tries too hard to fit itself into the same mould while attempting to keep true to the 3D Shadow experience, ultimately falling short of the lofty heights it aims for. Die hard fans might enjoy, but more casual players may find themselves overwhelmed by the sense of speed.

The Frog Detective games are arguably essential playing for anyone who's ever enjoyed an old-school adventure game or wants to know what kind of wholesome and hilarious shenanigans Aussie developers are capable of, and The Entire Mystery means that console players can finally get around it. The added bonus of a Tony Hawk-esque minigames adds the perfect little sweetener to an already-scrumptious treat of a series.

While Overwatch 2 is still a good time, and an improvement over the original, it feels like less of a sequel and more of an update. There's some solid changes to the foundations of Overwatch, but a noticeable lack of new content, archaic game modes, and balancing issues leave something to be desired.

Civilization VII is a newcomers ideal Civ game. Packed full of streamlined systems and approachable design choices, VII gives players access to a fun, gorgeously realised sandbox in which history is (mostly) theirs to decide. While some of its smoothed edges hinder player-driven storytelling, the effort to onboard new players and refresh the game for veterans is ambitious and stacked with potential.

Hardspace Shipbreaker is a sci-fi-inspired sim that puts you in the role of someone that spends their time working in low orbit pulling apart and salvaging old spaceships. And with all great sims, the premise is only a part of the appeal with the end result delivering pure low-orbit job immersion.

Bears in Space feels like a game that was lifted directly from the early 2000’s, remastered and then released today, and I mean that in the best possible way. With the recent deluge of fantastic retro-flavoured FPS games, I think it’s high time for a kitschy comedy 3D boomer (millennial?) shooter renaissance. Though I’m sure it’s not for everyone, Broadside Games have delivered a delightfully ridiculous debut title and if you’re a 90s gamer kid I urge you to check it out.

Hangar 13’s remake of Mafia is great. The story is as interesting as ever, and only minor technical issues take away from what is otherwise a welcome reintroduction to Tommy Angelo and the Salieri crew.

Detroit: Become Human is, without a shadow of a doubt, David Cage's best work. After almost a handful of failings, Detroit: Become Human showcases what David Cage is capable of as both a writer and a director. He isn't shy about tackling taboo topics, regardless of the backlash, and it pays off here in what is a tour de force story of overcoming oppression.

There is no denying that Turok 2: Seeds of Evil is a more refined game than its predecessor. That much is certain. With Nightdives efforts, Seeds of Evil plays better than it did twenty years ago. There are some things players will have to overlook – particularly the dated visuals and some samey looking level designs – but Turok 2: Seeds of Evil is still a blast to play.

A rich and thoughtful independent darling that delivers on a story that respects its characters and remains grounded, hardly ever resorting to nonsense action just for the sake of it. Though we predicted the game's ending before it happened, the conclusion hit us like a truck. With its extremely reasonable pricing and share play, A Way Out is a must play from one of the industry's most talented small teams.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, is a defining example of what you can do with musou games in the right situation. Not only does it shine Breath of the Wild’s enjoyable characters in a new light, but it also provides a new lens to experience Hyrule through. It’s an experience that is as much musou as it is Breath of the Wild, but integrates ideas from both, and melds them in interesting ways that’s guaranteed to please fans of either game type. If you’re a fan of Breath of the Wild, or musou games in general, Age of Calamity is well worth your time and attention, even if the Switch sometimes struggles under its ambitions.

Tell Me Why is a Dontnod game throughout its every part, right down to its bones. Although those bones might be bare, it has a lot of soul. With care, Dontnod dive into discomfort and drag us with them throughout three concise episodes that explore the power that comes coupled with familial ties, both bound by blood and by the metaphysical, as well as memory and all of its heartbreaking deceptions.

Borderlands 3 is what you would expect from a Borderlands game, for better or for worse. It does little to innovate on the now ubiquitous looter genre it helped to define ten years ago and plays it safe. While it’s almost the same Borderlands it was those ten years ago, it’s still hard to deny that it’s a great romp with mates.

After three decades, System Shock still serves up a sci-fi banquet complete with one of the greatest antagonists and features that revolutionised a genre. Classic games are left open to classic stumbling blocks, however, as some of the design shows considerable depreciation.

In terms of quantity, Dying Light: The Beast deserves the upgrade to standalone release, having first been earmarked as DLC. It’s carried mostly by excellent game feel, combat and parkour as enjoyable as ever. However, its quality is where the game suffers, skimping on meaningful upgrades that would set it apart and push the franchise forward. It's worthy of your time, but otherwise a missed opportunity.

Superhot’s standalone expansion Mind Control Delete is a great example of how to achieve growth, drive your franchise forward and prevent an admittedly pretty basic concept from going stale. Before I knew I was ready for a change, Superhot Team thrust age-old video game tropes into gaming’s most unique shooter in ways only they could and, in a crazy twist, it works.

What impresses me the most about Lost Signals is how it takes everything Oxenfree did and dials it up, delivering a bigger story within a grander, still familiar, framework that keeps player choice at the centre of it all. Riley’s story is a brilliant footnote to the strange things that have returned to plague small town Oregon once more.

Assassin's Creed Nexus VR is a great way to experience the series' most iconic gameplay pillars from a whole new perspective. It's not without some of the awkwardness inherent to VR, but it's a visual showpiece for the Meta Quest 3 that deftly places players into the shoes of three iconic assassins while feeling incredibly authentic.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond isn't a reinvention, but instead a pleasant reminder of all the things that made Metroid Prime back over the last few decades. It's a satisfying return to the formula that made Prime so strong many years ago - including some great boss encounters, rewarding and satisfying exploration and presentation that is quite frankly Nintendo's best. While the story doesn't quite land, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a stellar sc-fi adventure for Samus and more than worthy of the Prime name.