Whether you're a fan of LEGO, arcade racing, or both, this game comes highly recommended from us, with the unfortunate caveat that it also features pretty aggressive monetisation. Tactile open worlds have a decent amount to discover, the Story mode strikes the perfect tone, and the driving itself is great fun. On top of all that, an impressive build mode lets you make your own crazy cars, though it's a shame you can't share them with your pals. Unfortunately, the microtransactions are hard to ignore, and they drag down what is otherwise a creative and engaging racer.

It's really a simple little game, but it's one so full of personality. Not only does it contain all the major beats of the story you'd expect, but there are lots of small references to other games to find in Scott's chunky, pixelated hometown. The music adds to the effect a lot; Anamanaguchi's chiptune soundtrack is a delight. If you enjoy a straightforward beat-'em-up, this is well worth a look, even if you're not a fan of the source material — though it definitely helps.

If you have a soft spot for unconventional puzzles ala Resident Evil and Silent Hill, then look no further than this charming PS4 effort.

Thomas Was Alone was a top title when it originally released, and it remains so today.

Wattam is a pure, adorable joy. Keita Takahashi's signature idiosyncrasies shine through in this playful game about friendship and finding pleasure in the simple things. Interacting with the wacky cast of characters is great fun, and there's almost no pressure to march on with the story if you'd rather do your own thing. It's a shame the technical side of things lets the experience down somewhat, but when the game is at its ludicrous best, you probably won't care.

Resident Evil 6 steers Capcom's survival-horror series in an even more action-oriented direction – and comes up short in some places as a result. However, if you can forgive the troublesome camera and woeful partner AI, there's still a lot to like about this third-person shooter.

Air Race Speed is one of those pleasant surprises that never sets the world alight but yet still manages to thoroughly entertain. Rock-solid performance and a great sense of speed means that adrenaline junkies will enjoy this, and while it doesn't exactly threaten WipEout's speed freak crown, it should ease the wait for the Omega Collection next year.

Blasters of the Universe is an absolute blast to play with silky smooth motion control and headset tracking that allows for precise shots to be pulled off with ease. The 80s cartoon style visuals, combined with the trance music, create a charmingly frantic environment for a bullet hell shooter to be set. Although its runtime is short lived, the quality of its gameplay makes Blasters of the Universe a very worthwhile venture.

If you were hoping for more of a revolution to the formula, or didn't particularly enjoy the hunting mechanics in past games, then you're best off steering clear of this title. Of course, if you're merely looking to jump back into the familiar Far Cry gameplay loop in a captivating open world, then there's still plenty of fun to be had. And at the end of the day, who on Earth doesn't want to ride around on a bear?

The combat and gameplay are the stars that shine brightest in Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight. Its twisting map will take you to a whole host of vibrant and mucky locations throughout the city of Karst, and within those places you'll encounter a number of engaging boss battles and a ton of enemy variety. Its art style can go one of two ways depending on your tastes, but the lack of upgrades is hard to overlook within a genre that holds this concept as one of its core mechanics. Metroidvania fans will find lots to enjoy here, but the wider audience will be turned off by the throwaway story and visual style that may no longer be appealing.

Structural foibles detract from the fact that Mortal Kombat 11 is an excellent fighter with lots to offer. Those yearning for the gore-soaked days of old will find plenty to love, and newcomers will be enthralled by its excellent story and deep fighting system.

If you've been searching for an excuse to take a trip down memory lane, look no further than Dragon Fantasy: Book I. Muteki Corporation's retro JRPG love-in offers a lengthy adventure that's a perfect fit for the Vita. Its humour, fast-paced gameplay, and endearing style make it especially difficult to put down – particularly if you can look past the tedious emphasis on grinding.

Pneuma may not breathe life into the puzzle genre, but it certainly gives you a new perspective on it.

F1 2012 is heavily flawed gem. Visually stunning and eminently thrilling one minute, needlessly ugly and overtly annoying the next, it's a game that really doesn't do enough to improve over last season's effort. What's worse is that fans of the series have been voraciously pouncing on any chance to complain about these issues to the developer for two years now, and they – once again – seem to have been ignored. With that said, the game is just as good as it was last year – just not as good as we'd expect it to be by now.

Star Wars Battlefront is a good Star Wars game, but an average multiplayer shooter. If you have any love for a galaxy far, far away, you'll get a real kick out of the taking part in its fun, large scale battles, and your reverence for the source material may even be enough to keep you coming back despite its shortcomings. If, on the other hand, you're after the next big shooter to keep you occupied longer term, the limited weaponry and simplified customisation mean that this isn't the game that you're looking for.

Ultimately, the biggest obstacle for the game might be its price. $19.99 for this experience feels like a lot, even if everything being offered is perfectly pleasant. The story mode is nice, but not necessarily worth a replay. Creative mode is fun to tinker around with once or twice, but there’s just no hook to draw you back in to play it again and again.

It might not be too innovative, but Frantics provides an enjoyable party experience that Sony's PlayLink service has been lacking. It certainly isn't a killer app, but the fun variety of minigames and its (mostly) responsive controls show how much of a good time PlayLink can provide when it's properly used.

Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is a ruthlessly faithful remake of the Master System classic that boasts a dramatic and beautiful audiovisual makeover. The game itself is still very enjoyable with a world map that's fun to work through and a lean Metroidvania structure that introduces new ideas right to the end. The controls are quite loose, which can lead to some frustration, but by and large this is a wonderful recreation that both fans and newcomers will enjoy.

Little Nightmares is like a fledgling chef's interpretation of a gourmet dish: it looks the part and hits the spot – but it won't live too long in the memory once you've greedily gobbled it up. Outstanding presentation is paired with some forgettable puzzles and a slightly fragmented fiction, leaving a feast that will satisfy without ever really forcing your tastebuds to explode.

Ion Fury is a shooter that phenomenally emulates what made the early FPS so wonderful. A timeless gameplay loop that effortlessly coaxes fun out of a formula so old it stretches decades into gaming’s past, the game is an incredible amount of fun. The technical problems we encountered muddy the waters, but even with those present (and a fix incoming for that game-breaking bug) we enjoyed our time with the game enough that we still recommend that anyone interested in playing it, do so.

We'll never in a million years grow tired of hearing the announcer's ecstatic “IT’S A NEW LAP RECORD”, but the main draw after finishing off the tournament mode is the tracks themselves. The tournaments start you off on relatively simple circuits, but each time you revisit the planet, new elements are introduced. It's a brilliant approach to level design that allows to you carry forward your knowledge of a track while adding new things to ensure you’re not just on autopilot. Throw in the ludicrous number of shortcuts on each track, and it’s possible to have an almost entirely different experience on each lap. More than anything, this game being both 20 years old and incredibly fun is a clear sign that a modern Podracing title should absolutely be a thing.

NieR Replicant remains a memorable and affecting action RPG. Elements of its PS3-era design really haven't aged well, but this remade remaster does a lot to enhance the experience. Incredibly tight and responsive gameplay, tied together with a touching tale of uniquely oddball characters, makes for an adventure that stands the test of time.

Resident Evil 3 had the potential to better its classic predecessor, but a disappointing amount of cut content and the let down that is Nemesis hold it back from greatness. It's still an experience very much worth revisiting, with Raccoon City and the hospital receiving a lot of love and attention, however, it only makes us question what could have been that little bit more.

There's something to be taken from almost every run, though, whether that's knowledge, some sort of permanent progress, or just discovering a room you hadn't seen before. So dense with puzzles, secrets, and lore is Blue Prince that it rarely leaves you empty-handed, even if it can feel that way sometimes. Again, if you have the drive to see the game through on its terms, you'll be handsomely rewarded, but the journey getting to that point may be too inconsistent for some.

Tin Hearts is a charming Lemmings spiritual successor with a moving story that's perfectly presented with gorgeous visuals and relaxing music. The few bugs and frame rate issues aren’t enough to prevent us recommending this excellent title. This isn’t one to march on by.

Wreckfest just fully embraces what it is, and you have to respect it. Bugbear's brash, fender-bending racer has been unleashed on PlayStation 5 as part of May's PlayStation Plus lineup, and it's still very much the chaotic, crash-happy, Destruction Derby-esque experience people love. In the jump to new hardware, the game definitely benefits in a few areas, though some enhancements are better than others.

Sadly, some of the joy of exploration is dampened by the stuttering framerate which frequently gets a bit choppy, especially when wandering through busier areas. You’re also likely to encounter bugs with things like merchants not having any stock for sale or your hoverbike disappearing. Reloading the game does seem to fix many issues, but these little niggles do begin to get irritating over time. It’s a shame as, apart from these issues, exploring Sable’s strange and mysterious land is an absolute delight.

These games are an acquired taste, but there’s nothing quite like them, and if you can overcome some of their more awkward idiosyncrasies, you’ll be rewarded with a set of revolutionary sandboxes that impress even today.