It took an entire generation, but I am delighted to see Career mode finally have its moment in the spotlight in FIFA 21. The changes to Career are all for the better, even if some still feel rudimentary, and it breathes new life into a staple that has felt somewhat ignored. The rest of the package comes across as both the culmination of a generation and a cross-gen game.

Playing — and being successful — on hard difficulty doesn’t seem to provide increased rewards to correct that gripe. In fact, that imbalanced risk-reward system is further spotlighted when considering a starting player’s weaker attributes. They seem to really impact play at a disproportional level, especially when compared to previous iterations of TopSpin. That, in turn, plays into new shot systems which provide more winners from perfect shots and more mistakes if you’re powering your shot too much or too little.

Dramatic Labs has created something special with Resurgence, populating the Star Trek universe in very much the same way that Picard Season 3 has just done; there are also a few other parallels in there that I’ll leave for the player to discover. The resulting work has left me envigorated and enthusiastic that the developer can revisit the crew of the Resolute sooner rather than later, continuing to explore the final frontier.

The atmosphere presented by Supermassive is absolutely effective in getting you on edge; jumpy, uncertain of what’s to come next.

If you’re already a fan of the series, you’ll love this. If you’re new though, you’d better be dedicated as this takes a long time to learn, and longer to master.

If you enjoyed what Control had to offer then you should be fairly satisfied with this first expansion. The Foundation doesn’t really do a whole lot new, and it doesn’t seem to learn from its mistakes, especially considering it has one of the worst checkpoints for a boss encounter yet. But if you want to get even more lost in this enthralling world that Remedy has created, then it will be hard not to pass this one up. Just stay clear of all the cats.

All things considered, Underground is a true evolution of the MMO, provided those who had a passing interest in it can be bothered jumping back in.

Despite a feeling of being watered-down, Dishonoured: Death of the Outsider is a DLC-length standalone title that provides a satisfying resolution to the franchise. Fans of the original iterations will appreciate the added content, and those who’ve been meaning to play past games can get a reasonably good idea of what the entire package can deliver.

While Maneater is certainly a title that works for me in terms of its humour and an engaging core gameplay loop, its graphic nature means it’s not going to be for everyone. If you don’t mine a little gore — okay, make that a lot of gore — this unique experience should be right up your alley.

Final Fantasy fans will appreciate the level of detail and nostalgic cameos both in the narrative and monster designs, but newcomers of the series may be left overwhelmed. That said, the Pokémon-lite aspect of capturing mirages, and training and transforming them to more powerful beings, is addictive fun. While the dialogue is poorly written with often dry humour awkwardly delivered, you can’t help love the adorable chibi character animations.

In the same way that Mario + Rabbids was great for battles on the go using your Switch, so too would be Tactica. While you can certainly pay for the privilege to do just that on your Switch, Persona 5 Tactica is yet another Xbox Game Pass title. That means you can play on the go using Xbox Cloud Gaming and your smartphone of choice without the need to lay down any additional cash. If you’ve somehow got some space that’s not being taken up by a pile of shame, give it a go.

It’s an easy recommend for series fans, just don’t expect it to be the lumbering behemoth that was Payday 2… yet.

Local multiplayer is where Fast RMX slots in nicely as part of the launch line-up. At $28, it’s got the price right.

While both Astro Bot and The Plucky Squire are about creativity and joy, the latter manages to get in its own way in comparison. The result is jarring.

My prevailing feeling on WWE 2K23 on the whole is that it’s a welcome, if small, step up. Nobody who is coming over from WWE 2K22 will really be wowed by anything here, but the cumulative minor updates, iterations, additions and improvements are all very good and very welcome. Your mileage will vary depending on how worthwhile an overall modest update to last years title is to you, but for my money the few dozen hours of excellent sports entertainment that the pair of new MyRise stories and the Cena Showcase provide are worth the price of admission on their own, and WarGames is the juiciest possible cherry on top.

As conflicted as I am about Starlink Battle for Atlas, one thing is clear: if you’re buying it, you should definitely get the Nintendo Switch version. Not because you get the extra Star Fox content, but rather two in-game starships — that advantage means your chances for survival instantly double without breaking the bank.

The Switch version of the game plays largely like the original console release, though offers some motion controls that should be turned off. As with most re-releases on Switch, it’s definitely worth a look if you’re a fan of the genre/franchise and haven’t played before.

Mario Strikers Battle League is a lot of fun, but unless you commit to online play, it’s here for a good — but brief — time.

Fans of the original will surely enjoy this — keeping what I’ve said in mind — while those that are intrigued by its concept should get out the original first. Engage accordingly.

Just Dance 2017 is a massive step in the right direction.

At the end of the day, this does feel like a Star Wars experience. There are several subtle, and not so subtle, nods to the movie that tie it in nicely. The simple overall design of the table will welcome new players, while the deeper design decisions will give more experienced players a run for their money. Is this my favourite Star Wars table? No. Is it a good Star Wars table? I can say wholeheartedly, yes.

The Surge does a wonderful job of presenting a Bloodborne-style game in an entirely new sci-fi setting.

Despite all these negative qualities, you can get back to basics with select side-missions, ghost challenges and unfettered exploration.

Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia is really fun and easy to play in short bursts — just like any good handheld game should be. Some of the new gameplay mechanics are cool, but it wouldn’t be a huge loss if they disappeared in the next installment.

It’s a good thing that Virginia is such a neatly-packed experience, because I definitely needed to run through it twice to get a firmer grip on the story being told.

Despite a largely forgettable story, Strange Brigade has a lot of charm because of its campy nature and likable, chatty characters. While best in groups, this will also suit patient types who’ve got a good shot and lots of time to kill. Kudos to Rebellion for taking a chance and delivering something wildly different from Sniper Elite.

In the end, it’s best to look at Broken Roads as the answer to “What if Fallout but Australia?” Fans of any CRPG will immediately recognise a lot of what Broken Roads is going for, and those with more old school tastes will feel right at home nestled deep in the West Australian outback.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is fresh and fun, offering up an exciting new IP I hope to see more of. That said, its endgame pacing issues certainly don’t do it any favours, nor does the timing of its release.