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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Sony Santa Monica has turned its established formula on its head and created a core loop and setting with tremendous potential.

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.

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.

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.

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

While Naughty Dog has valiantly tried to accomplish the seemingly impossible, it has fallen short and in doing so revealed the bag of tricks used to exploit our emotions so effectively back in the day. The result is a polished, enjoyable romp that plays superbly but gnaws at the back of your brain in all the wrong ways.

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.

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.

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.

Playdead has greatly improved how it delivers a story, but hasn’t moved away from ambiguity. The latter three-quarters of Inside cheapens the otherwise refined package, only saved because the studio is the undisputed master of horrific puzzles. Ending aside, it’s definitely worth a look.

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!

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.

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.

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?

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?

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

While you’ll get a lot of enjoyment from your time with this title, FromSoftware has definitely refined and improved on the design and mechanics in the more recent released Souls games. Without a doubt Bluepoint Games has delivered a brilliant remaster of a niche game that not a lot of people had the chance to play originally. Demon’s Souls is worth checking out on the PS5. But if you’re looking to see what makes FromSoftware so amazing at what they do, you’re going to find a better overall experience in one of their newer titles like Dark Souls III, Bloodborne, or Sekrio: Shadows Die Twice.

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

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.

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

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.

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.