With Monster Hunter Wilds, the developers are really trying. Trying to keep the formula fresh and interesting, trying to embrace the benefits that newer and more powerful technology brings and trying to entice new players into the oft cult-like fold of Monster Hunter die-hards. I’m pleased to report that Capcom have succeeded in all these goals to some degree, though the degree of that success varies. There’s never been a better time to dip into the Monster Hunter franchise than with Wilds. Hope to see you out there, hunter.

Kratos' reboot signs-off after just two games, expertly unifying story with gameplay and proving a safe sequel can be brilliant.

It adds new elements to the franchise’s recipe that I enjoy, and some of the story beats look to be leading future instalments in a really interesting direction.

With a stellar soundtrack a tight story and a fresh take on the farm management sim, this is an enjoyable — if short and sometimes shallow — ride. I rolled credits in just shy of twelve hours on normal difficulty, and that was with a fair chunk of time in the middle devoted to my devotees. While your mileage will undoubtedly vary, Cult of the Lamb is an easy recommendation – now excuse me while I get back to vibing to River Boy’s banging soundtrack.

Snipperclips requires thought, co-ordination and timing in a combination that means friendships will be tested.

Viking Age is certainly worth a try if you can access it for free through Valhalla. At at a $15 USD price point, though, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend the standalone version to anyone but those interested in Viking history. If you are in that camp and play games, I’d wager you likely own Valhalla already… so win win, eh?

Overall, it’s impressive that the model works – a branching story that acts as ‘either/or, then both’ could feel like a cash-in quite easily. The fact that each version of Fates manages to offer something unique is an impressive feat. I hope it doesn’t become an ongoing trend in the series, but as an experiment with the formula it feels just right.

The themes of The Evil Within 2 are redemption and forgiveness, though there’s nothing this iteration of the franchise needed to do to redeem itself and certainly has nothing to be forgiven for. It’s a solid, emotional romp filled with challenge and scares alike. It’s certainly recommended.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is solid and enjoyable title, with small tweaks that mean it easily surpasses the Wii U's original release.

After a few decades with an ageing Indy, the Great Circle is a delightful return to Dr Jones in his prime. Strictly for the fans, in all the right ways.

OlliOlli World has something for everyone, be it hardcore skaters, platformer enthusiasts or those simply looking for a chilled out time.

Forza Horizon 4 is a delight to play, packed with incredible visuals, a colourful narrative, myriad customisation options, a star-studded soundtrack and a tremendous sense of style. It will easily keep any gamer engaged.

You absolutely need to play Spider-Man 2. Insomniac is the pinnacle Sony studio, showing off not only what it can do, but what the PS5 itself can do. I hope you like Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart‘s portals, ’cause they’re about to take your mind for a spin.

If you enjoy board games, card games or dice games and own a Nintendo Switch, this one’s really a no-brainer. Priced at $60 AUD, you’ll certainly get more than your money’s worth from this collection.

By carefully honouring its past and deliberately weaving together the best of survival and action horror, Resident Evil Requiem finally reconciles the series’ genre identity. This is the most captivated I’ve felt playing a new Resident Evil story since booting up Resident Evil 4 on GameCube all those years ago. It understands why it got action right all those years ago and finally how that best integrates with Resident Evil’s more traditional horror roots – or at least the remakes and reimaginings of them. Leon remains an important ingredient as the poster boy for the franchise, but the real key is partnering him with someone without his courage who’s still determined to survive. Resident Evil is no longer choosing between survival or action. With Requiem, it’s finally mastered survival-action horror.

It takes the Far Cry blueprint and expands the highlights while changing the sliders on aspects that became overused to craft not only the best Far Cry game, but one of the best open worlds to explore this generation, whether alone or with a little help from a friend (or AI dog).

With a visual handheld-to-console upgrade that puts Pokemon Let’s Go! to shame, Fire Emblem: Three Houses shows how to do a console glow-up right.

No matter which of People of Note‘s three pillars interests you the most, they’re all extremely well-crafted. You can see Final Fantasy‘s heavy influence in the way People of Note‘s RPG core looks and operates. Cadence, Fret, and the rest of her band are not only interesting in their backgrounds, but unique in the ways that they sound and play. And if the idea of puzzles on top of all this dissuade you, they shouldn’t — each of these pillars can be dialled up or down to present a challenge that you can set for yourself. Priced at $24.99 USD, this is an easy commendation for those who love old school RPGs, music, or puzzles. Give it a go for yourself.

Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom is an instant classic that can do it all. It's a beautiful action RPG, settlement builder and strategy … that offers a possible hundred hours or more of gameplay.

Despite a lockdown hanging over my head, I couldn’t help but giggle at Psychonauts 2’s stupid jokes and wackiness. Nor could I help but apply a lesson or two along the way.

For long-time fans, it’s about the complete package, which is epic. It’s inspired me to rewatch the entire franchise — which only further endears the Great Circle — and kept me on the edge of my seat, glued to the expertly weaved story-into-gameplay structure. It’s a great adaptation by building gameplay into an elongated narrative that stays true to the character. The Great Circle is strictly for the fans, in all the right ways.

Campaign was sold as an open-world vehicle for Kait and that takes a bit of time to actually be upheld; trust me though: it's worth the wait.

Legion has one of the best stories in the series to date.

Return to Monkey Island is a good old adventure game, made modern. It is vintage gameplay in a modern package, with a focus on accessibility, without sacrificing the outlandish puzzles and quirky oddities. The visuals don’t quite feel right, and yet with excellent voice acting, and scenarios and dialogue that feel straight out of the early 90s, the world is almost perfectly recreated 30 years later. Return to Monkey Island is a delightful adventure, and while it might not quite reach the unobtainable prestige of its predecessors, with a much more accessible design it’s destined to become Guybrush Threepwood’s most popular tale yet.

If this is the finale of Cyberpunk 2077’s redemption arc, it’s a damn impressive one. I’m excited to see what a sequel built from the ground up with these lessons learned will be like, but until then I’ll keep poking around Night City to see what’s new.

Just when you think you’ve done everything, Pikmin 4 is waiting to hand over another fun task for you to spend the next few hours enjoying, on the universe’s most crashed-on planet.

Just like The Stick of Truth, The Fractured But Whole is 100% South Park. This is a must for fans of the show, while those who enjoy a challenging RPG will delight in cranking up the difficulty and working through its many systems.

If you’re aiming for a steeply difficult strategy game that really makes you think ahead, Conquest is the way to go. I’d still recommend playing the Birthright path first, to be honest – the difficulty curve between the two works well, and Nohr’s story works well as an extension of your experience in Hoshido.

The bottom line is that Overwatch is easy to pick up and understand, and amazingly fun to play.

Persona 3 Reload is the best kind of remake: it honours the core of what makes the game great, but isn’t afraid to modernise the experience at the same time. It’s nostalgia done well, because it plays onscreen the way the original felt in my memory (without having to squint at a 4-inch PSP screen). It’s honestly a joy to see a game I loved brought to a whole new audience, while still giving me a deluxe version of something I already know I’ll enjoy. While it may not include every ingredient that every version of Persona 3 has ever had, it’s a confident and complete version all its own – and I can’t wait to keep climbing that tower.

There’s no denying Kingdom Battle is an amazing experience, but it’s also a tough one to describe to friends and family. Heavy on Mario characters and locales, it’s not your usual Mario game. It features Ubisoft’s highly annoying Rabbids, but in a format that finally works, subdued and entertaining. It uses humour that kids will appreciate, but parents and adult gamers will get more from. Best yet, it doesn’t hold your hand, demanding a carefully-planned strategy to accomplish your goals. I can’t recommend it enough, but to the right audience – players over the age of 15 will find the title an utter delight.

All up, Mario Kart World is ridiculous fun, alone or in a group… but as my husband said to me at 8pm on the launch day of the Switch 2, “there’s only so much Mario Kart you can play”. Nevertheless, we’re both keen to host friends to not only show off the new racer, but what the Switch 2 can do accordingly. Let’s just hope that Nintendo can broaden what’s available in-game quickly, akin to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. While we’re waiting for more Switch 2 games, we need more World.

Paired with a well-written story and varied soundtrack, Owlboy does something that a lot of pixel-art games don’t – it elevates the medium from the bare requirements.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is a delightful double act. Super Mario 3D World holds up well and offers a unique multiplayer experience that works particularly well on Switch.

Sekrio: Shadows Die Twice continues FromSoftware’s dominance, showcasing that it’s on another level when it comes creating action games in fantastical worlds. You’re going to die, and you’re go die a lot. But these brilliant gameplay systems that come together to form experiences that we don’t see in other triple-A games is why people get excited for what Hidetaka Miyazaki is doing at FromSoftware. Between Bloodborne, Demon’s Souls, the three Dark Souls games and now with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Miyazkai has all but solidified himself as one of the greatest game directors of this decade.

Moonlighter is a wonderful combination of Zelda and Animal Crossing that easily commands your constant attention. It looks beautiful with a lovely, pixelated style; music from the shop and the dungeons will be stuck in your head for days. The only fault I could find with Moonlighter it’s relatively short — I wanted more dungeons, more enemies to topple, more items to sell.

Afterparty should be commended for its diabolical sense of humour and elegantly crafted conversations.

This iteration of Forza is about attention to detail, and Turn 10 has certainly nailed it. Forza 7 relies upon the solid base that’s been established in current-gen offerings Forza 5 and Forza 6, turning up attention to the minutiae to 11. A beautiful racer that’s meant for both the hardcore and casual player.

Individually, these are three fantastic franchises, taken as a whole this is a fantastic pack of tables that should appeal to both pinball players as well as gamers who have never picked up a virtual pinball game.

Those looking to rekindle a family gaming session akin to ones enjoyed in the past with Wii Sports will find this a sure winner.

If you’re old enough to know who Desmond Miles is, and have a desire to return to the series’ origins, Assassin’s Creed Mirage hits the spot. It reins in the endless expansion and has very clear direction.

Levels take around two to three minutes to clear, so Bye-Bye is well-suited for portable play.

We played the sequel on Nintendo Switch, and it has equal amounts of positives as negatives. We found the smaller screen presented in handheld mode made it easier to focus on tasks in single-player mode, though it did require pixel-perfect moves that meant the different between grabbing, placing and chopping or nothing at all. While players can huddle around the Switch’s screen in a pinch, couch (or online) co-op works best on a TV.

Whether you’re a fan of Formula 1, a die-hard sim enthusiast or even just a casual racing game fan then it’s hard to go past F1 2021. There’s something for everyone in this years offering, and I can’t wait to get stuck in to the new tracks later this year.

For me, the true tell of a successful game is one that excites that passion for racing and vehicles. Racing is more than just laps on a circuit, but vehicle management, lap times and the thrill of the chase and victory. F1 2017 easily achieves this, and continues upon the brilliance that was F1 2016 last year. Fans of the motorsport and racing in general would certainly do well to check out this title, with Codemasters once again proving themselves as one of the leaders of the genre.

NHL 21 is a tight little package -- years in the making -- but that's because EA Vancouver is doing everything it can to refine a polished hockey game year-on-year.

For an RRP of $20 USD, John Wick Hex is a no brainer. It’s a layered strategy game perfect for long sessions or short stints. As a bonus, it runs on my potato of a work PC too (albeit a bit choppily), so it’s perfect for a little lunchtime leisure.

While it’s very true I have a soft spot in my heart for PGA Tour accordingly, there’s no denying 2K23 is solid. Small improvements to an existing formula mightn’t be looked highly upon in a yearly cycle, but PGA Tour 2K23 gets away with it because of its cadence. Welcome back, old friend. 3 click for life.

Dragon Age The Veilguard is the epitome of 'better than the sum of its. It’s been so long since I experienced this level of joy in a long-form RPG; I have a compulsion to keep playing and finish one more quest.

Sniper Elite Resistance is hilarious, chaotic fun. I encourage players to jump in — with a plan or otherwise — and just see how things play out in Rebellion’s expertly-crafted sandbox. Experiment, take risks, and above all else: fight the Nazis.

Mafia Definitive Edition is an excellent return to a genre largely forgotten this generation. It has some technical foibles, but still delivers a compelling narrative with strong characters, diverse missions and a sturdy linear structure bolstered by a backseat open world.

This is the best use of PlayStation VR that I’ve seen currently available.

There’s not much to Matterfall, but there doesn’t need to be. Once again, Housemarque has made a tight little game with polished mechanics that’s sure to delight.

Watch Dogs 2 is the game that the first one should have been and is a shining example of Ubisoft’s already proven ability to respond well to feedback. It offers true freedom and creativity to play the way you want, laugh out loud moments found in scripted events and self-made fun in a virtual city that needs to be seen to be believed. Starring characters that you’ll genuinely care about the more you get to know them you’ll have no trouble finding motivation to see this one through to the end.

This new version of Dead Space is one of the few remakes that has managed to slot in that little window of time where it’s not been too soon or too long since the release of the original.

Shinobi Art of Vengeance is a fantastic start to Sega’s Next Level program, and one that’s easy to recommend. Priced at a budget-conscious $48 AUD and offering around 15 or so hours of gameplay, fans of the franchise or the likes of The Lost Crown will certainly dig this.

Sniper Elite 5 is stupid fun and a joy to play. Rebellion hasn’t made any giant leaps in terms of new functionality, but it doesn’t need to. Instead, the studio continues to refine and polish an experience that sets itself apart from other shooters.

Still, that Wild Hearts gets so much right on its first tentative step into the arena is bloody impressive. Omega Force has created the first title I’ve played that is a genuine contender in the space and they’ve done more than enough to justify Wild Hearts’ place in it. The result is something meaningfully different in a genre no one else has been able to touch. It’s kind of like if someone made a Souls-like on par with an actual Souls.

Metroid Prime 4 Beyond is a familiar return for the series and a soft reboot that introduces a new story and revisits the best parts of the original game that dazzled us two decades ago.

WipEout Omega Collection won’t hold your hand; if you’re not at the peak of perfection, you’ll find yourself trailing behind the pack. It’s as much a celebration of old-school difficulty as it is WipEout itself. Full of crisp, vibrant and detailed tracks, ridiculous speeds and an overall feeling of bad-assery, it’s hard to go wrong with the bundle.

These new streams bring the world together in a way that Civ VI didn’t. While there’s still a bunch that could be improved — including occasional, woeful AI — a game of Rise and Fall makes you feel like everything you have done has really mattered. That every action taken mingles with those of others and changes the world. It’s great.

While I may not think of this personally as a true Final Fantasy title, that doesn’t make it any less of a good game. Despite all my above quibbles, I still haven’t been able to put the controller down for any longer than it takes to visit the bathroom or refuel my needy human body.

It Takes Two wears a lot of hats, and each of them well. It's a romantic comedy, a challenging shooter, a head-scratching puzzler and more.

Civilization VI on Switch is my favourite way to play. It makes a great handheld game, while the options to jump between physical and touch controls, or to swap to a TV screen, improve the already great mobile experience.

Deathloop offers up a highly enjoyable gameplay loop shrouded in mystery.

This is BioWare firing — for the most part — on all cylanders and hopefully is the dawn of a new resurgence of the franchise (fingers crossed for EA Play 2021!). Get in, get immersed, explore the galaxy and defend it from a once in a 50,000 year occurence. Then head on over to Andromeda to appreciate that before the next adventures in the Sol system take place.

While I’m annoyed that the Lair itself is more frustrating than fun, it’s that very quality that keeps you coming back to beat it.

The first Gears foray into RTS is one that genre and franchise fans alike will enjoy.

While it’s true that Shadow was starting to show its age in 2011 and is continuing to do so in 2018 — even rebuilt from scratch — those who’ve played the title before will revel in the new life that Sony’s breathed into the classic. For those unfamiliar with the game, it’ll be a harder sell — but that said, stick with it.

With strong writing, extreme self-awareness, exceptional performances all around… and a confidence that’s exuded no matter the branching path you find yourself in, Supermassive has outdone itself with The Quarry.

With some tweaks under (and over) the hood, I can happily say that building an empire that can stand the test of time has never looked so pretty, nor has been so fun, in Civilization VI.

Ori and the Blind Forest is still an exceptional game, it handles beautifully and the audio/visual presentation is simply stunning.

While Astral Chain's storyline is filled with anime archetypes and familiar plot tropes, it all works well as an overall experience.

If you want to accuse a town mascot of robbery, befriend a bunch of street cats or infiltrate a ninja dojo, Lost Judgment is for you.

While XCOM Chimera Squad may look a bit funny at times -- and the game itself tends to crash every 45 minutes or so -- it's hard to fault it as an RTS available for less than $15 AUD.

DiRT 4 is arguably the most complete rally title on consoles to-date.

AWE replicated that feeling. Remedy continues to tell unique and extremely interesting stories, and in relation to how AWE concludes and what that means for the future of the Remedy Connected Universe, is just so damn exciting.

Those who’ve been spurned by Destiny only to be won over by rich DLC will feel right at home in Destiny 2. Those who passed on the original title because of its weak launch will find this is a completely different experience, one with Halo‘s DNA interwoven through Destiny‘s addictive core gameplay. It’s definitely worth a try.

FIFA 18 improves across the board and continues to offer an astonishing amount of options, without comprising on quality.

The main mantra of Splatoon 2 seems to be ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’, and this is fine. This new Switch offering is robust, full of content and fun. Go and feed your hungry home-handheld hybrid.

This is a solid, Creative Assembly-driven RTS, well-suited for those who love the genre and also for those who are into science fiction; if you’re a fan of both, even better. Simple to understand, fun to play and challenging on higher difficulties, it’s hard to go wrong with Halo Wars 2.

There are only a handful of titles that I come across that I would truly recommend gamers to experience — Get Even is one such example. If you enjoyed titles like Quantum Break and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, with an element of thriller thrown in, you’re sure to enjoy this.

Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War is a strong start for the Xbox Series X/S and PS5 generation. It doesn’t have the same invigorating revival as last year’s Modern Warfare, but that would be an impossible expectation. Cold War delivers a very different campaign that’s more spy thriller than epic warfare, and it’s the first Call of Duty game to thrive in its quieter moments for more than a single mission. Multiplayer is still the highlight of the package, with a satisfying old meets new combat loop and a strong selection of modes. Now we’re just waiting for a few more maps. Come on, it’s been half a week already!

We praised the 3DS re-release for its ability to be enjoyed on the go -- something that's great for any long-running RPG, to be honest -- and the Switch version's able to do that while adding a new coat of paint and content at the same time. The end result makes it an easy recommendation to Switch players and RPG fans alike.

While this new iteration mightn’t influence other titles or franchises like Drake has, it’s nonetheless amazing to play an Uncharted game with a strong heroine with a nose for relics, a pistol in hand, hair tied back in a ponytail and no need for help from the likes of Drake or Sully. The Lost Legacy is a great little addition to the franchise, ideal for newcomers or fans alike.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6 is a spectacular return to form, after Modern Warfare 3 fumbled blurring the line between expansion and sequel. We were ready for something different, and that’s exactly what it has delivered with speedy and satisfying multiplayer and a highly engaging and well-paced espionage thriller campaign that’s one of the best in the Call of Duty series. With excellent gunplay across all modes and an addictive combat loop, Black Ops 6 is the best Call of Duty game so far this console generation.

Origins is an Assassin’s game that’s been gutted to the bones and refurbished for a completely new Animus experience. The game is much better for it, all across the board.

Mario vs Donkey Kong... is an absolutely fantastic little puzzler.

Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon is a step forward for the franchise. It’s more accessible than old games and does away with some systems that only served to frustrate. It’s a game with an interesting story, told awkwardly. Environments are often stunningly pretty, when not just barren tundra or sand swept desert. And holy hell, is it tough at times. The AC series is one that rewards your ability to adapt and persevere in equal measure. To overcome it’s challenges you have to learn its systems and soldier on in the face of inevitable defeat. Series veterans will dine well, and if you’re signing up as a newcomer then do yourself a favour – don’t expect Armored Core 6 to be something it’s not. Try enjoying it for what it is instead.

Sparks of Hope is here, there’s still no Switch Pro, but it feels like a next-gen take on the original game, expanding on what worked to great effect.

Despite the gimmicks, Concrete Genie is beautiful, endearing, charming and simply adorable. It’s far more fleshed out (and lenghty, though still over overly long) than Entwined. At a $40 AUD price tag, you simply can’t go wrong; it’s extremely relaxing after a stressful day.

Despite IO’s assertion that Hitman 2 has improved AI, I don’t see it – this simply feels like new content for Hitman — and as I said, I’m very okay with that.

Improving on The New Order while raising the stakes at the same time may seem like a daunting task, but Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus manages to do exactly that.

There are no framerate drops. No dodgy textures. The integrity of in-game mechanics are polished and hold up to the scrutiny we 2016-based reviewers can place upon them.

Despite those rough patches, Prey is wholly engrossing, begging the player to solve Talos 1’s many mysteries. It works well as a shooter, a stealth game and carries an 70s sci-fi vibe that is nothing short of a delight to experience.

If a two-year cycle can work for golf, it can also work for a review. Two years ago, I wrote that, “small improvements to an existing formula mightn’t be looked highly upon in a yearly cycle, but PGA Tour 2K23 gets away with it because of its cadence.” The same is true for 2K25. If you’re into golf, this is for you. The same is true if you’re curious.

The Outer Worlds 2 is more of everything I liked before in The Outer Worlds, but dialled up to 110% - just like a new and improved offering from Auntie’s Choice!

Once again, Relic has done a great job at bringing Warhammer 40,000 to the digital world.