Unknown 9: Awakening is a thoroughly AA gaming experience. Like a lost gem from the Xbox 360 era, its charm and jank are intermingled in interesting ways, but its commitment to a unique cultural perspective and killer remixing of the stealth/combat loop elevate it above its slightly unpolished wrappings.

Super Mario Party Jamboree lives up to it's name in practically every way. It's equal parts lavish and boisterous, offering up a selection of boards with novel and fun gimmicks that make it a constant joy to come back to. Adding a wide variety of ways to play, including heaps of customisable rules, only sweetens the deal. Without a doubt, Super Mario Party Jamboree is Mario Party at it's best.

Neva is a profoundly moving, interactive work of art. It’s as pleasing to the eye as it is the ear, and the effort this still young studio has gone to in developing upon ideas cemented in their first game, Gris, is commendable. Without eclipsing it, Neva matches the stirring catharsis of Gris with another flash of brilliance.

Until Dawn is a thrilling experience. For horror fans, this will be one of the best horror experiences that gaming has seen in years. It’s a perfect balance of story telling and gameplay and doesn’t drag on at all. I constantly found myself wanting to go back to find out what happened next which is rare in gaming narrative. Those looking for constant action may be disappointed, but I’d advise anybody who wants a unique and new experience to give it a go.

Picking right up where it left off with Budokai Tenkaichi 3, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero is a return to form and a celebration of everything Dragon Ball. Reinvigorated with characters and transformations from Dragon Ball Super as well as your favourites from Dragon Ball Z, the game feels both brand new and classic as it brings fast-paced action and eye-popping graphics into the new generation. While some players may be frustrated or overwhelmed with the learning curve of the controls, the rewards lie in mastering your favourite characters, and crafting an experience that blends your imagination and classic Dragon Ball.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is another banger RPG from ATLUS. It doesn't reinvent the wheel that Shin Megami Tensei and Persona have established as the studios bread and butter, but it iterates on them in unique ways with an undeniably fresh setting. It's hard not to applaud ATLUS for embracing something so tonally different from what they're known for nowadays.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred is fantastic albeit safe expansion to the already excellent Diablo IV. It's continuation of the story benefits from tighter pacing and a novel concept, all of which is bolstered by a unique new class and distinct region to explore. Coupled with some great new endgame content, and Vessel of Hatred is bound to please Diablo casual and hardcore players alike.

Silent Hill 2 is a great remake that captures the essence of the original game, expanding it in all the right ways without ruining the spirit of the original. While this is easily the best game Bloober has ever made, and perhaps even their scariest, simplistic combat is the only thing that keeps this horror epic from reaching its true potential. Regardless, this Silent Hill 2 remake is everything you could hope for and more, and hopefully, a sign of great things to come for the series. It’s a clever and inventive expansion of the original that you wouldn’t know you needed……until now.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom elegantly bridges old and new Zelda with grace and gusto. The Echoes system is inventive, the dungeon designs are strong and the whole experience feels like everything a classic Zelda experience should be. While minor performance issues hold Echoes of Wisdom back from being everything it could be, they're only minor blemishes on an otherwise stellar adventure fit for a princess.

FC 25 is an enjoyable, yet unexciting entry with welcome additions such Rush and big updates to Manager Career. Those expecting notable changes anywhere else will be left disappointed, though there’s more than enough here to keep the annual title kicking along.

Outside the co-drivers, I enjoyed my time with Drive Rally. While the career mode is bare bones, the actual rally driving is wonderful. It strikes a balance between being approachable and having the depth to keep you playing and improving. Well worth a look if you miss the glory days of 90s era rally games. [Early Access Provisional Score = 75]

God of War Ragnarok shines on PC. Packed with all the graphical bells and whistles you’d hope for in 2024, alongside the game’s brilliant Valhalla mode, there’s no doubt this is the definitive way to experience Kratos’ final Norse outing.

Disney Epic MIckey: Rebrushed is a joy to revisit or play for the first time in 2024. The few design flaws that do present aren't nearly impactful enough to bring down the whole experience. Epic Mickey remains one of Disney's strongest showing in the medium of games, and Rebrushed is a nostalgic and heartwarming reminder why.

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP attempts to bring the fantastically charming and tongue-in-cheek zombie slasher to modern platforms. Unfortunately, the result is only just passable. The RePOP mode feels undercooked, the visuals are inconsistent and there are some notable effects missing from the original. While the improved framerate and gameplay changes are welcome, they're unfortunately not worth everything else that has been lost in translation.

The Plucky Squire is absolute magic, and a page-turner, from beginning to end. From its first, boisterously narrated word, the game packages so much heart and character within a rather novel, wildly creative notion. It takes what Pixar did for toys and applies it to storybooks.

Dead Rising: Deluxe Remaster does a tremendous job of balancing the original game's identity with the expectations of a modern audience without sacrificing depth or complexity. It's a genuinely fantastic remaster, with great quality-of-life improvements that only make the experience better for players. It's easily the best way to play Dead Rising and the perfect distillation of what made the series so compelling.

Funko Fusion is a brilliant take on the tried-and-true LEGO formula, but for a slightly older audience. The combat is fun, the humour is on point and the selection of characters is impressive. But limited multiplayer options and rough technical shortcomings keep it from reaching it's true potential. With time, it can absolutely get better, but for now, I'm willing to give 10:10 more time to cook, they're definitely onto something.

Caravan SandWitch crafts a gently beautiful apocalypse for players to explore but is bogged down by its decision to withhold exploration tools from the player. An otherwise compelling, humble sci-fi tale of family and the machines of progress is held back by a game torn between its open world and goals as a focused narrative experience.

Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland achieves so much in emulating the feel of a retro Gameboy-released platformer. Although licensed games like this were dime-a-dozen growing up, and were often pretty average, Adventures in Gameland’s spectacular presentation shows genuine respect and care for those toddling bubs. Due to this, I found it easier to forgive the game’s many unforced errors which were all driven by its “classic” design.

Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is easily the best and most robust collection of classic Capcom fighters so far. While the lack of crossplay is still a disappointment carrying over from Capcom Fighting Collection, everything else about this collection shines bright. It is a truly exhaustive compilation that celebrates so much no matter how much you're into Capcom, Marvel or both.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions gets the core fundamentals of Quidditch right - it's fast-paced, frenetic and a joy to zip around the field. But despite some robust multiplayer options, there's just not a whole lot here to keep you interested beyond a few hours.

Astro's first fully-spec’d adventure might not move the needle forward for 3D platformers, but it's a triumphant effort from Team Asobi that stands toe-to-toe with some of the best in the genre. It's full of joy and surprise, and presented with an astonishing level of detail and tactility and packed to the rafters with reverence for PlayStation history. An easy pick for one of the year's best, if not the PS5’s as a whole.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 feels like a fever dream. Even if you aren't a fan of 40K, it's hard not to admire the raw artistry on display from Saber Interactive here. If you are, I suspect Space Marine 2 will make you very, very happy.

Ace Attorney: Investigations Collection is undoubtedly the best way to experience both Investigations games. Given how extensive it is, the new visual style is sure to divide, but both available options are a win for any fan, no matter how you paint it. While the first game has some pacing issues, the overarching story and case-by-case narratives are all gripping from beginning to end, making it one of the many Ace Attorney collections that are well worth your time.

While it doesn't reinvent the wheel, Emio - The Smiling Man succesfully uses drama and horror to great effect, crafting a story that's equal parts gripping and shocking.

Black Myth: Wukong is a game stuck between wanting to be a Souls-like and a casual action game. It's a mostly enjoyable time hindered by some frustrating elements, but the love and appreciation for the source material is what shines through the most.

Concord gets the fundamentals right: unique characters, strong art direction and tightly designed combat make for thrilling matches with Crew Bonuses adding a welcome extra level of strategy. Uninteresting progression, unrealised storytelling potential and a lack of personality hold it back, but a commitment to the content roadmap and worldbuilding could salvage things. I am hopeful Firewalk Studios can turn things around given the chance.

Visions of Mana feels like the RPG equivalent of being young and visiting a park in the summer. It's picturesque, warm and full of hope, inviting you to set out and explore and maybe come home with a couple scratches or bruises but always rewarding the effort with a new adventure or discovery. There's a fantastic balance of old and new ideas here, enough to satisfy patient series fans and newcomers alike, a hugely-enjoyable main story, stunning environments and satisfying combat going a long way to make up for some annoying technical and mechanical foibles.