The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is more of an advancement, rather than an evolution. This may still be the same world of Hyrule, but its playground of puzzles and creativity is tough to beat, with exhilarating boss fights and worthwhile side-missions making it a joy to behold. While the controls take some getting used to and the Depths feel a chore to explore, the sky islands help make one of the best open worlds in a video game even better.

God of War Ragnarok presents a fantastic conclusion to the Norse saga, pushing Kratos and Atreus to a level in storytelling matched by few. Every character is impeccably written, having me in stitches one minute and in tears the next. The Nine Realms are stunning to explore with an exceptional level of detail, an abundance of different enemy designs and significant side-missions that are frankly unavoidable. Sony Santa Monica has quite possibly delivered the greatest one-two punch in video game history.

With a sizable single-player campaign, enhanced multiplayer modes, as well as an expanded arsenal of whimsical weapons, Nintendo has yet again proven why Splatoon is now one of its most valuable properties. Its core mechanics remain brilliant, only elevated by the superb soundtrack that helps keep things fresh. While nothing revolutionary, Splatoon 3 refines everything that players love about the series for what is its best entry yet.

Elden Ring's engaging combat, mythology and dynamite orchestral soundtrack goes a long way to overshadow an aggressive open world that punishes exploration from the beaten path. Fans of the Souls genre are in for a treat, while newcomers will need to persist to reap the benefits.

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection offers up two amazing games that have aged gracefully, helping them to shine better than ever before. Newcomers are in for a treat, though returning players have little reason to rush out and buy it again.

Horizon Forbidden West is Guerrilla's best game to date, taking Aloy to new heights with a blockbuster release that meets the high standards set by PlayStation in recent years. While it's totally worth fans jumping in on day one, it's perhaps better to wait a few weeks until all the bugs are ironed out.

Nintendo Switch Sports has brought back everything we loved about Wii Sports and given it a refresh fit for 2022. Old favourites like tennis and bowling are back, while new games have also been added to the mix including badminton and football. This game is really fun to play.

GTA V is at its best when leaning into the cinematic blockbusters that it takes inspiration from, while at its worst when trying to be controversial for the sake of it. Thankfully, its striking open world and variety of missions – most notably, Heists – help the Rockstar game hold up remarkably well in 2022.