The amount of dedication and passion that’s gone into Astro Bot is obvious in every pixel of every texture; there’s not a single bug, glitch, or texture issue to be seen. Its controls are easy to understand and incredibly tight, with Astro moving exactly how you need him to. In the 15 hours I’ve spent so far in finishing its campaign and going back to replay levels to pick up missing Bots, I’ve not encountered a single moment of frustration. It’s beautifully designed both in its self-contained levels and those dedicated to much-loved, Sony-exclusive franchises.

That fun sense of progression, coupled with 10-15 minute gameplay runs (that usually end up with you saying, “just one more!”) are enough to make me recommend Ball x Pit to just about anyone. With a $14.99 USD price tag to boot — and access via Xbox Game Pass if you’re not super-angry with Microsoft right now — this one’s not only a no-brainer, but one of the best games of 2025.

Metroid Prime Remastered is a must play masterpiece, regardless of if you were there on the GameCube or if this is your first time exploring Tallon IV. Such is the quality of the original release, the gameplay holds up on its own accord, as some of the best in the genre, two decades later. It’s brought to a modern audience with completely overhauled high-definition textures across the entire game. It looks great and is so faithfully recreated, Metroid Prime Remastered is presented exactly how your nostalgic mind remembers it, for those who have been here before. Delivered with a modern control scheme that works very well, and excellent performance perfectly tailored to the ageing Nintendo Switch, Metroid Prime is one of the greatest games of all-time – now it’s also one of the best remasters ever made.

Play Control for its lore, its sense of exploration or its combat, but the bottom line this: you simply need to play it.

Metaphor ReFantazio sets out to blend the best of its predecessors’ gameplay with an all-new setting, and the result is far greater than the sum of its parts.

This one’s a no-brainer; The Artful Escape is on Xbox Game Pass and you absolutely, positively have no reason to miss it if you’re a subscriber. If you’re not and you enjoy warm fuzzies, either get on board or buy it outright as you won’t be disappointed.

Alan Wake 2 is nothing short of a masterpiece, and a game that you absolutely need to play. Kudos, Remedy.

Rockstar Games continues to prove that when it comes to creating games, it’s the master at pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved.

Breath of the Wild is The Legend of Zelda game I didn’t know I always wanted until I starting playing. It’s a disservice to simply label it spectacular, and “must buy” as a Switch launch title is merely a formality. Nintendo promised a lot and left us hanging delay after delay, culminating in a cross-gen switch, but it’s delivered in every sense of the word. Breath of the Wild is the best in a series that’s almost never disappointed.

Overall, this is a Forza Horizon game in every sense of the word, and shows off the best of what Horizon can be. It’s fun, only structured if you want it to be, and seems to exist purely to make sure you have a good time. What more could you want?

Mixtape is a warm hug; a nostalgic look at what us oldies would now define as “simpler times”. Set in a sleepy American town, it can work as a parallel for most western childhoods (though Rockford’s Rage shirt certainly reminds this is an Aussie tale, born and bred). It’s grunge and punk, hopeful and foolish, ultra cool and super nerdy, confident and insecure in equal measure. Simply put, this is one you need to experience for yourself.

Overall, this is a Forza Horizon game in every sense of the word, and shows off the best of what Horizon can be. It’s fun, only structured if you want it to be, and seems to exist purely to make sure you have a good time. What more could you want?

Unique, poignant, and one that will stick with you, The Alters also will win hearts with a $52 AUD price tag or availability through Xbox Game Pass. As a result, it's highly recommended and needs to be played to be properly understood and enjoyed.

That’s the real beauty here: stories don’t have to be full of doom, gloom, betrayal and murder to be effective or impactful. Queers don’t have to be dragged through the mud because of who they are. While Tell Me Why may draw people in because of a transgender character, it offers far more than just that. It presents a complex, psychological narrative that doesn’t use minorities as mere tools to shortcut emotional responses from its players. Take note.

Tears of the Kingdom is one of the most creative, satisfying and rewarding games we've ever played, all within a familiar Hyrule.

The traditions of survival horror have been modernised, resulting in something that’s all-too-familiar yet always manages to keep you on your toes. The Raccoon City that you’ve always envisaged by filling in the blanks and making up for the failings of 32-bit graphics is now real.

With Super Mario Odyssey, Nintendo proves the 3D sandbox platformer is not only alive and well, but that it can continue to be evolved and surprise us, consume us and astonish us in clever and elegant ways.

Simply put, this is $10 USD well spent.

Overall, Elden Ring is slightly held back by some lacking information in the UI, the uneven nature of the difficulty towards the endgame, and the inconsistent performance on the PC platform. Despite this, it's an incredible experience and will be one of the best games you’ll play this year.

Tetris Forever is the most joyful and wondrous experience I’ve had with a video game all year and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Its only crime is that it does such an intensely good job of getting you keen to consume every weird version of Tetris that’s out there that it can’t help but bring a twang of disappointment at its inability to deliver most of them as playable builds within itself. The folks at Digital Eclipse are doing remarkable and important work with these collections and I hope we continue to see many more of them.

This is a kind of story that hasn’t been seen in modern RPGs, with a level and distinctiveness in visual presentation that leaves many franchises right now in the dust. All this plus a star-studded voice cast makes Clair Obscur Expedition 33 an amazing first outing from the studio, and a powerful statement that the RPG genre is still growing and evolving to this day. JRPGs have had their time in the sun, sure – but I say, bring on the FRPGs!

If you’ve played Super Mario Maker, you already know this Switch sequel is a must-buy. If you’re a Switch owner, Super Mario Maker 2 needs to be part of your collection. Easy as that.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is the perfect encore to one of the greatest games of all time. It knows it’s already delivered an astonishing performance, and after leaving us hanging, returns asking if we want more. That’s exactly what we wanted, and it’s more of the same in all the right ways. There are no big surprises, and that’s only a good thing, as everything in the Shadow Realm would feel at home in the base game. It promised more Elden Ring, and as someone who rarely finds the time to revisit an old game for new DLC, I’m utterly addicted to this expansion.

Whether you're a hardcore fan, or loved Fallen Order before it, Star Wars Jedi Survivor is The Empire Strikes Back to Fallen Order’s A New Hope.

The core game remains excellent in almost every way; if you’re solely a PS4 owner, now is your time to experience the next chapter in Lara’s epic tail.

Silent Hill f balances threat and reality in a way that kept me playing longer and longer per session.

The outlook is good though, and the past 15 months have shown the commitment the Diablo developers have towards making this the best game they can. Here’s to another year of Diablo 4.

Battlestar Galactica Scattered Hopes is a wonderfully engaging work in its own right on top of being one of the most holistically smart video game adaptations in history. I am tremendously impressed by it and cannot recommend it to fans of the series enough.

While I'll admittedly take Fallout 3 over New Vegas any day, I'll happy throw the entire Fallout series to the side for The Outer Worlds, Obsidian's own original IP.

Perfect pick-up, put-down play.

This is one for Bayonetta hardcore fans or those who’ve missed out on the originals. It’s also a brilliant way to get ready for Bayonetta 3.

The most important thing that everyone needs to know about Cyberpunk 2077 is that while it’s imperfect, it is without a doubt a superb game.

With deeper single-player content, an improved online offering and a massive roster of characters and stages, comprising all of those from the previous games and then some, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the complete package. I’m not sure how Nintendo could surpass this, and it probably doesn’t need to, as alongside Mario Kart 8, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is unrivalled on the local multiplayer stage.

With so many bespoke moments for each little mini-story, complete with unique minigames and interesting character arcs, Brothership is bursting at the seams with fun things to do.

Battlefield 1 is deeply respectful of shocking, torrid events that occurred more than 100 years ago and irreparably altered the course of history, surprisingly so. The headline multiplayer mode, Operations, encapsulates the essence The Great War; the power play for territory and the desperate bids to reclaim lost ground, and injects it into a game mechanic that incites a genuine sense of achievement arising from the trials and tribulations.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is a science-fiction fan’s wet dream; a game incredibly difficult to put down once started.

While I went into Guardians with a good feeling I’d enjoy it, I was surprised by just how much fun I ended up having. Moreso than the combat gameplay or even the stunning world design, what really cemented my enjoyment was its writing.

Halo Infinite is a shining example of what a Halo game is at its core while simultaneously feeling fresh, invigorated and very modern.

While its story may let it down, we’re here for open-world super-heroics and that’s precisely what Spider-Man excels at.

Microsoft Flight Simulator is a marvel running on Xbox Series X and S. This is an ambitious game that really should be restricted to high-end PCs, but Asobo Studio has defied the odds to craft a well optimised console version that delivers the full simulation experience. If you want a punishingly accurate simulation of flying a passenger jet, while that remains fully intact on Xbox, Flight Simulator is best suited to a keyboard and mouse with a monitor. But if you prefer to relax and experience the joy of flying anywhere around the world, without having to worry about how your hardware will manage such an ambitious project, Flight Simulator on Xbox Series X and S is marvel to behold. It might not be that easy to read a cockpit flight plan while lounging on the couch, but it’s a stunning way to watch the world go by with Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox.

Super Mario Bros Wonder is a resounding success. It reboots a 2.5D reboot, with far more personality and the best balance and pacing in the modernised side-scrolling Super Mario Bros series.

While it mightn’t look as crisp and clear as the PC version, console controls are easy to use — after all, we’ve already experienced the franchise on Xbox and PlayStation before. The only thing that really lets consoles down is ridiculously large loading times, which you’ll really feel if you’re relying on deft saves to get out of a tight spot. After playing on Xbox One, I continue to question why Firaxis and 2K didn’t just release XCOM 2 to all platforms at the same time.

Like A Dragon Infinite Wealth is devoted to trying all-new things while still reserving time for celebrating its long and storied history.

At the end of the day, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined doesn’t bring forward everything that’s been in previous versions of the title – but that’s not what it’s set out to do. This is a new 7 for a new generation, or even just long-time fans who want to re-experience this story with a bit more velocity than the previous versions allow, without trying to replace the still-excellent 3DS release. Seeing the team this willing to flip the script on the traditional formula leaves me very excited for the future of the franchise; if other remakes (or the distant future release of Dragon Quest 12) can take lessons from Reimagined’s mechanics or art style, I’ll be a very happy gamer indeed.

Complete with its own twisting narrative, branching mission paths and endings, unique enemy types and – it has to be said again – GORGEOUS landscape, Toussaint is a fitting capping point for the amazing journey that this game has been.

Spider-Man Miles Morales is a tight little package that provides a thrilling Spider-Man experience, trimmed of nonessential fat and full of emotion and excitement.

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown graciously blends the best components of previous iterations -- the original game included -- into what is easily the best Metroidvania game we’ve seen in recent years.

Super Mario RPG is made in reverence to the original, bringing it to a new audience while also reminding returning players what was so great about it in the first place.

Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2 is a video game only on its surface. Scratch that away and you’ll see that it’s a deep, thought-provoking, interactive experience; it proves games as a form of art, demanding skill and talent. Ninja Theory should be very proud.

I was really impressed with what Capcom has achieved with an all-new title, building a unique and vibrant world, even on the barren surface of the moon.

FIFA 17 is the biggest stride forward for football this generation. I can’t say it’s reclaimed the crown from PES, and for the players who have made the switch, you’ll still find the controls a little too erratic. But with vastly improved A.I. and more attacking options to complement the defensive backbone, this is the strongest FIFA this generation where it counts.

After dozens of hours traipsing around the world map of Elyos, I’ve found myself pleasantly surprised with what I’ve found. The shift in tone and style helps set the game apart from what came before, and the new mechanics bring a breath of fresh air to combat while paying tribute to all the games that came before. I was surprised to find a level of difficulty that Three Houses had, for the most part, not showcased – paired with a story with enough twists and turns to keep me interested. While players may be tempted to judge Fire Emblem Engage on the art style alone, I strongly suggest giving it a try before casting judgement; you may just find that this is one of the best Fire Emblem games to date.

After two solid days of play, across various modes and basically on the hour, we’re confident that Ubisoft has bolstered its backend to ensure For Honor will be a delight to play, not only in mechanics, but over the internet too. For Honor is a refreshing new take on combat, and one that everyone should experience.

I'm not sure I'd recommend Royal to those who've just finished Persona 5. Even with homophobic scenes cut here in the west, and gun ammo refilling after single battles, it's ultimately still the same (long!) game with a little more to do. Though if you're a fan of JRPGs and didn't get into Persona 5 yet, than Royal is a no-brainer.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is a highly enjoyable platformer that not only returns our favourite marsupial back to his roots but offers some modern, iterative gameplay too.

Trials Rising is exactly what I wanted from a Trials experience. Anybody who enjoys, or has ever enjoyed, a Trials game owes it to themselves to check this out. Folks out there that just really enjoy challenging themselves should probably give it a look too, just make sure you’ve got a spare controller or three on standby.

Full of a hilarious and vibrant cast of characters, it’s hard to fault Guacamelee 2 — especially at $30 AUD.

Metroid Dread has been decades in the making, and if that’s because it wasn’t possible on less powerful handhelds, it’s been well and truly worth the wait.

There’s a huge focus on all the new features, but there is still a lot of nostalgia here. This is the 20th anniversary of Pokémon after all, and Pokémon Sun and Moon celebrates by boldly reinventing the wheel. This will go down as a huge success with returning players and it’s easier than ever for newcomers to enjoy after the success of Pokémon Go. Fans are in for a treat, and if you’re new don’t hesitate. There has never been a better time to play Pokémon.

Forget Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts -- Yooka-Laylee is the third game in the Banjo-Kazooie series.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is more of the same Tomb Raider experience we’ve known since 2013, and that’s precisely why you should be making the trek to Paititi.

There’s a huge focus on all the new features, but there is still a lot of nostalgia here. This is the 20th anniversary of Pokémon after all, and Pokémon Sun and Moon celebrates by boldly reinventing the wheel. This will go down as a huge success with returning players and it’s easier than ever for newcomers to enjoy after the success of Pokémon Go. Fans are in for a treat, and if you’re new don’t hesitate. There has never been a better time to play Pokémon.

Fire Emblem Warriors Three Hopes feels like a great return to spending time with a gang of characters who drew me in over dozens of hours, but with an all-new tale keeping me on my toes at the same time.

The Legend of Zelda Echoes of Wisdom is a unique new addition to the Zelda family. It’s wonderful to see the same boundless creativity celebrated in a smaller-scale title.

Overall Diablo 4 has far exceeded expectations. I was worried that the game design would fall too far in the direction of the exceedingly overrated Diablo 2 (yeah I said it, nostalgia is a helluva drug) but the team have blended it well with the much maligned Diablo 3. While a disgusting monetisation model could put a damper on things, at this stage the game gets my wholehearted recommendation. Diablo 4 is the triumph an embattled Blizzard needs to steady its ship, and it’s a hell of a lot of fun.

Overall F1 22 continues Codemasters roll of making excellent Formula 1 games. The series has gone from strength to strength with its past few iterations, and with some more simulation focussed work could really become the best way to experience Formula 1 in a video game. While the inclusion of F1 Life is a weird step, it can mostly be ignored and ditching Braking Point sheds some weight from the game. 22 brings a whole suite of improvements to what was already a very good series, and I look forward to it consuming my life for the next few months at least.

Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart is a powerhouse demonstration of what the PS5 can do. A rich, vibrantly-lit world stuffed with things to find as you enjoy an engaging story, all of which sets the stage for future games.

The title features exceptional pixel art with dozens of clever easter eggs, special modes like a survival horror experience and dodgeball, and even rounds things out with a frankly spectacular chiptunes soundtrack composed by Anamanaguchi. It hasn’t aged a single day since its first release back in 2010, though it does suffer because of a gap in new Scott Pilgrim content since 2014 and 2021.

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.

For fans of the series, Street Fighter 6 is an insta-buy. It’s an easy recommendation for fighting game fans at large too.

The gripping single-player Star Wars game we have been waiting for all generation. Challenging combat is broken up by interesting platforming and exploration, and it’s all held together by a narrative I genuinely cared about.

It feels like greater attention has been paid to bridge the gap between her understanding of the world’s technology and that of the general public.

I can’t emphasize how much fun Doom Eternal is to play and that's what really counts.

Building on the strong foundations of Origins and Odyssey, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla is in many ways a minor iteration of the proven formula. Yet, it’s also one of the biggest departures in the franchise’s 13-year history.

Crash Bandicoot was the game that started many into a lifelong addiction with Sony’s home console, and the N. Sane Trilogy only helps to reinforce this.

All up, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster felt like going home for this veteran player. And with a retail price of only $70 AUD, it's all the better.

NHL 16 saved the franchise from utter ruin, but NHL 17 shows you just what developers who love hockey can do when given ample time to work on a product. This year’s result is polished and bursting at the seams with care and love. With more modes than you can shake a stick at and niggling bugs of the past destroyed — I couldn’t find a single glitch over a marathon play session while preparing for this review — this is the best version of NHL to date.

If this is anything to go off, the series has years left in it yet. This title makes it clear that the folks at Bandai Namco have it in them to move with the times, without losing the essence of what a Tales game is.

Shadowkeep is a big stride forward for Destiny 2, and it shows that Bungie cares about its game. Sure, there are some stumbling blocks like a bare bones story and some wonky design choices, but those don’t get in the way of enjoying the core Destiny experience. I love Destiny, and the breath of fresh air that Shadowkeep has brought to the series has me hooked once more.

Bananza sets out to act as a fresh start for new and old fans alike, taking a fresh twist on what a Donkey Kong game feels like.

The true joy of Tides of Tomorrow comes from its cast of recurring characters -- survivors, pirates, and those of faith who make the world around them feel fully fleshed out.

The Thousand-Year Door remake is a triumphant return for Paper Mario. It turns back to an earlier chapter in the series that knows exactly what it’s trying to achieve and does it masterfully.

Flight Simulator‘s not only great for a trip through your past, but critical in making new memories and connections in the middle of a pandemic.

With plenty of fun and engaging diversions across its expansive map and a polished narrative that draws you into the plights of its compelling protagonists, Ghostwire Tokyo makes an impressive impression for a new IP from Tango Gameworks.

Capcom has delivered a refreshing return to horror, saving face and the franchise by focusing on a tight single-player experience.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps follows the Blind Forest as a special game that is unrivalled in its class.

You’ll not likely find a fun and as challenging game that only wants to entertain for some time to come.

Moving Out is a treat, full of charm and busting at the seams with a variety of different shifting-based levels.

As with Injustice, this sequel is far more than a fighter. It’s a love letter to DC’s heroes and villains, with each easily identifiable… yet not as you’re used to. With a variety of gear sets to earn and apply, alongside the ability to play with a host of colour schemes, Injustice 2 is also a creative playground. With fights. Good fights. If you’ve any interest in DC, or love fighters, this one’s for you.

Superhypercube is my favourite game of the PlayStation VR launch. It is the game I continue to come back to, the game that leaves me weary from ducking and weaving around neon shapes for hours at a time.

At the end of my time with Bayonetta 3, I find myself surprised at how much fun I had, and excited to go back and experience the first two titles of the series as well.

Persona 5 is a beautiful balancing act; one that feels eternally stressful unless you give in and enjoy it rather than aiming for the perfect run.

An amazing survival horror experience and my favourite indie game so far this year; you’ll sure as hell see this one on my list of top 5 games of 2016.

At the end of the day, Monster Hunter Stories 3 is a game that wants you to spend a LOT of time playing it – but it respects that time also. Much like the mainline Monster Hunter series, Stories wants you to spend time thinking about and preparing your loadout before each big fight, fighting and crafting and hatching your way to the right configuration. Battles themselves also take strategy and forethought, making sure you memorise a monster’s patterns and weaknesses to come out victorious. But, once you’ve proved you can do that? It’s all about making life easy for you, rewarding that time you invested. With so many different systems at play, it’s almost a relief to be able to Quick Finish a battle, or easily search for a gene I want my favourite beast to have; I’m keento see what’s in store next, and Stories 3 is excited to show it to me.

Visual Concepts continues to set the benchmark for sports titles with NBA 2K17.

Job Simulator has been one of the best and most lasting experiences with the PSVR.

Super Mario Run is the perfect implementation of Nintendo’s biggest star in mobile form. While it’s hard to deny the success of Pokémon Go, Niantic’s mobile offering doesn’t truly capture the heart and soul of the franchise it belongs to. Super Mario Run excels in that department, offering a title that’ll have you constantly coming back for more.

And love Baby Steps I did. There are few ways this game could better achieve its aims; in what it is trying to be Baby Steps approaches perfection. Whether what it is trying to be is for you, well that depends on if you feel that a rapturous level of self satisfaction is worth braving a storm of intense frustration and inconsolable rage. For those with the resolve (or stubbornness, or self loathing, or masochism), you won’t find a better test of all of them than Baby Steps. If you have the resilience of a damp tissue and capacity for frustration of a tired toddler, keep on walking by.