The first half of Dragon Ball Z Budokai HD Collection is near pointless, but fans of the franchise will be delighted with Budokai 3. It's still the most balanced and detailed Dragon Ball fighting game available, and is a testament to how good licensed games can be when given the opportunity to evolve. It's just a shame that we never got a fourth instalment.

Pac-Man World Re-Pac is a fun look Pac in time to an era where 3D platformers were far more prominent than they are today. While it doesn’t quite outclass some of its contemporaries like Crash Bandicoot Warped and Super Mario 64, Pac-Man World isn’t one to miss if you’re looking for another solid 3D platforming adventure. Depending on how you view the new difficulty balances (or if you just really love Ms. Pac-Man) this is undoubtedly the best way to experience the PS1 classic.

It’s especially important to remember that Star Ocean: Till the End of Time is a 13-year-old game, and you’ll notice this from the off. It was a bit of a dungeon-slog in 2004, and the spotlight’s even brighter now. Some awkward dialogue sections and rudimentary dungeon design aside, the fundamentals of this classic JRPG keep it more than relevant, with a progressive battle system, a series best soundtrack, and a thought-provoking narrative that concludes the Star Ocean timeline with aplomb.

As a standalone outing, King's Quest - Chaper I: A Knight to Remember isn't bad at all, even if does fall at some disappointingly low hurdles.

Solar Ash pushes for a sense of momentum and fluidity with its take on 3D platforming, and it does work very well indeed. Rei's controls and abilities give the game a sense of ease, making it feel very gratifying simply moving through the game's world. While the main quest doesn't really evolve the challenge, and the picturesque environments can feel somewhat empty, the traversal at the heart of everything does about enough to carry you through to a satisfying conclusion. It's an ambitious second effort from Heart Machine that mostly sticks the landing.

There are flaws in Haven's gameplay, but its endearing protagonists, unique atmosphere, and superb soundtrack make it an interesting and engaging journey to an alien planet. Its portrayal of an adult relationship is something to be admired, and it's hard not to care about the plight of Kay and Yu by the end of what is ultimately quite a touching love story.

It's just good fun. You can argue against some of the back-tracking and some slightly fiddly platforming, but by and large this is a solid beat-'em-up with a lot of personality.

The unconventional controls and overall difficulty will likely scare off most, but for fans of old-school dungeon crawlers, this will come as a breath of fresh air.

While the inaugural episode wasn't bad, the follow-up improves upon it in almost all areas. Still, we can't help but shake the feeling that the series is treading water right now, and while we have a clearer idea of the direction in which things are moving, this has definitely been a somewhat slow burn thus far.

A Rose in the Twilight is a gorgeous yet gruesome game filled with lots of clever puzzles. And although it won't take you too long to explore the setting, there are collectibles as well as a fun speed run mode to keep you busy. The pure innocence and bravery of Rose in the face of the castle's cruelty makes for a haunting journey - one that'll stick in your mind for some time.

Nun Attack is a brilliant example of an accessible portable title, perfectly suited for quick stints of gameplay whenever you have the time. Although the excessive emphasis on grinding detracts from some of the fun, the game offers a deceptive amount of content for such a low asking price, with multiple RPG elements adding a welcome layer of depth.

Catherine: Full Body is the best way to experience an incredibly unique game. It oozes style eight years after its original release, and although its storytelling does stumble from time to time, this glimpse into the desperate life of Vincent Brooks is still more than worthy of your attention.

For those who appreciate a great movement system in a VR game, Reach is worth checking out for that alone. It’s lacking the same vibe as Synapse, with a dull story and repetitive environments, but if you give it time, there’s fun to be had here.

Generally, the game is packed to the absolute brim with content, and it's a blast to play, even if it never sees fit to reinvent the wheel.

Mahjong World Contest is hardly going to set the world alight, but it’s much more interesting and challenging than its peers.

Steelrising is Spiders Studio's best game to date, but one too many bugs and tech issues hold it back from greatness. Its combat system remains engaging and enjoyable throughout, and the unique, mechanical take on the French Revolution means it'll live longer in the memory than previous FromSoftware tributes. It's one for the genre fanatics for now, but six months down the line, Steelrising may be in tip-top shape. It's more than worth playing at that point.

So it's a very, very good remaster (remake? It's unclear when this much has been done over), then, of a rather old loot game that has had many subsequent iterations from other developers. Is it worth going back to Diablo 2, ultimately, when games that we'd argue are somewhat superior — Titan Quest, the sadly PC-only Grim Dawn... even (controversially, yes) its own sequel in Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition, which packs in brilliant local co-op that Diablo 2 entirely (and understandably, given its framework) lacks. As good as Diablo 2 is, it's an unfortunate fact that on console we'd rather play its follow-up, which felt more tailored to the joypad experience. Diablo 2 is a PC game that has been (brilliantly!) transferred to PS5, but it's still a little held back by its origins.

Afterimage does enough to stand out in a genre that is quickly becoming overcrowded, with its surprisingly deep combat and excellent visual design. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but will likely find a loving home in the hands of Metroidvania enthusiasts.

Don't Starve on the Vita does come with a few gripes, but it has some added benefits which end up putting it on par with its PS4 counterpart. With cross-buy making this most likely available to you right now, there isn't any reason that you shouldn't get stuck in. However, if you hated playing it on Sony's home console, the small changes here aren't going to change your mind.

Right now, The Division 2 stands strong as an addictive, well designed, and complete looter shooter. For how dynamic and intricate it is, its open world sets the bar for the genre, and its tense, tactical combat is, for the most part, a real joy. Unlike its competitors, this cover-based outing rarely feels like it's wasting your time -- there's always something worthwhile to work towards. However, the experience does stumble every now and then, usually due to a notable bug or gameplay balancing issue -- but these aren't unsolvable problems. Even before they're fixed, The Division 2 earns a recommendation, but with a few key adjustments, Massive Entertainment is onto something special with this sequel.

No More Heroes III is a pleasant sendoff for Travis Touchdown – especially so now that it’s no longer stuck on hardware that couldn’t keep up with it. The lack of performance problems make it so much easier to enjoy its wide variety of combat encounters, eclectic minigames, and zany story sequences. It comes at the cost of its other flaws becoming more pronounced, but it’s still a brash and daring passion project from a Grasshopper Manufacture that continues to do whatever it desires.

With Bloodline, Legacy of the First Blade comes to a convenient but still emotional conclusion. This DLC series has done an admirable job of showcasing a hero who, even after all of their adventures, is still just looking for a purpose. This final episode helps enrich Assassin's Creed Odyssey as a tale of love and loss, while also cementing its place in the lore of the franchise. Admittedly, the ride hasn't been anything amazing, but Legacy of the First Blade stands as a fine addition to an already great game.

And all of the customisation, the staple of the series, returns in the background – allowing you to build your own team, right down to the minutiae like uniforms and logos. While there’s no shortage of pre-created content, Super Mega Baseball 4 will reward those willing to invest the time to personalise it exactly how they want it. It’s that, paired with its very entertaining arcade gameplay loop, that ensures this fourth instalment doesn’t drop the ball – even if it never quite feels like the seismic upgrade we’d expected when developer Metalhead Software was acquired.

It's such a shame that the game's online suite is so behind the times, because All Star Battle R is an otherwise brilliant ode to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. A technical fighter that's always deserved a second chance.

The amount of gameplay options and slightly realistic customisations help drive this title past the muddy graphics and unfriendly controls.

Frustrating at times but fearlessly inventive, Slitterhead is an absolute must-play if you’re looking for an original take on the survival horror genre. Serving as a spiritual successor to fan favourites like Siren, Gravity Rush, and Soul Sacrifice, this haunting tale about a body-hopping spirit – who uses humans as fodder to put a stop to the eponymous enemy – is a scintillating albeit occasionally undercooked debut from Bokeh Game Studios. Repetition and an overall lack of refinement do bring it down, but you’ll be hard-pushed to find a more imaginative experience this year.

This is a handful of games and a legal settlement away from being comprehensive, but it undoubtedly gives you a flavour for Pac-Man’s storied career – and between the ups-and-downs, there’s plenty to chew on.

Madden NFL 23 is the best gridiron game on PS5 to date, but the series is taking toe-taps forward rather than big, confident strides. There’s no doubt that both Franchise and Face of the Franchise are better this year, and we like the improvements to the run game and the addition of precision passing. But is this enough for a series that’s been accused of stagnation over the past decade? It feels like EA Sports is settling for the easy five-yard gains, rather than the deep ball down the field.