A staggering amount of gameplay customisation options, and adrenaline-pumping combat make it easy to forgive and forget some of its few shortcomings.

Some flawed puzzles don't stop this beautiful, adorable platformer from being well worth your time.

It’s probably the best RTS available on consoles right now, and a great example of an expert port.

With impressive tactical depth, a challenging campaign, an excellent multiplayer suite and an outrageously deep set of tools for user-generated content, Wargroove is one of the games of 2019 and is well worth a look - doubly so for Advance Wars veterans.

Anthem's technical shortcomings, dull combat and pretty but messy environments combine poorly with a narrative that uses pointless binary conversation choices, a thoroughly typical, snarky protagonist and worn out tropes to fuel it's characterization and plot. These elements come together to make Anthem a chore of a game that's highly unlikely to satisfy anyone but the most desperate groups of loot motivated gamers in it's current state.

Boasting solid gameplay and one of the most compelling stories I’ve played in recent times, Metro Exodus’ shift to the striking Russian landscape is not only a worthy successor to the previous entries, but one of the best shooters on the PS4 today.

Good value for money coupled with some of the most gorgeous 2D hand drawn graphics on the market and new player accessibility make this fighter an exceptional buy.

Simple but stylish, Dawn of New Riders is nothing new but a lot of fun, especially for fans of the series.

Gathering Storm enhances Civilization VI to such a degree that it is hard to think of this as anything other than the best possible Civ game. The array of new features make every match more interesting, and will keep you coming back for more time and time again.

Overall, Black & White Bushido is an interesting take on the platformer fighter genre with some intriguing ideas and simple yet entertaining mechanics. Unfortunately, beyond AI bots, the game doesn’t include any form of story or campaign. As a local multiplayer party game, though, it’s a good value buy to be added in any party night’s rotation.

Kingdom Hearts 3 at its core is just good fun. It has a messy story to tie up but does a good job of it for the most part. Their are some pacing issues, but thankfully the combat is good enough to pull you through those moments. It's also one of the best looking things I've ever played and it's worth looking at if nothing else.

An aesthetically charming adventure with an important message, if you can tolerate the occasionally mundane game play.

Rich story containing too many tired anime tropes told through tedious text crawls. Combat sequences are fun but are too short.

Tiny Metal is a fun little strategy game, although a few issues stop it from being truly amazing.

Genesis Alpha One's genre mixing works very well indeed, though it isn't without rough edges here and there. It's unusual combination of first person shooter and roguelike/management game mechanics create a unique challenge set in an inhospitable, brutal sci-fi universe.

Resident Evil 2 is a near perfect remake full of impressive visuals, grotesque designs, sharp gunplay and a simple, effective plot. With only a couple of incredibly minor niggles such as a occasionally wooden scripting and performance taking the smallest amount of shine off an otherwise beautifully polished and restored piece of video game history, Capcom have proven that even an aged classic can meet modern expectations. Here's hoping Resident Evil 3 is in the works.

Windlands 2 is a lot of fun. The movement and combat are both a huge amount of fun, they just fall short of being perfect. The new co-op features make this a fantastic game to play with friends, and it is here that the game is at its best.

It’s a fun and well-designed strategy game while it lasts, but there’s not enough content for it to have any kind of longevity.

Pang Adventures takes the fun bubble popping gameplay of the classic arcade game and takes into a whole new realm. With a story mode, boss battles, new mechanics and bubble types, and some fun modes to add to its replayability this blast-from-the-past title shows off how a classic which has stood the test of time can still be further improved to appease the gamer of 2019. Now bring back Bubble Bobble!

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is an excellent package. Its overly-complex narrative bogs down so much of what makes the game a carefree thrill ride, but a great campaign structure, intense multiplayer and a VR tour de force make this the best game in the storied franchise and one every pilot should pick up.

Scarce content removes the strategy from real-time strategy; this homage to classic RTS games sadly fails to imitate them.

This game won’t be for everyone. A short playtime and lack of instruction of what to do or where to go, coupled with a range of annoying little glitches, may cause many to get frustrated. However the overall look and atmosphere is incredible. You’ll want to explore each location in order to enjoy the game because the pleasure we get from a journey is perhaps more dependent on the mind-set that we travel with, than on the destination we travel to.

Filled with twists and turns, the penultimate episode delivers one explosive finale and, with only one instalment left to tie up Clementine’s story, it still feels like anything could happen.

Samsara invites the player into a shadowy and magical world of block-building puzzles. The gameplay experience falls down on its lack of detail, often leading to a lack of motivation to carry on into the depths of the game. However, the intricate solutions that can be achieved make the game time worthwhile, with play best reserved for a level or two in a spare few moments or a morning commute.

My Time At Portia isn’t a game as much as it is a holiday, an adventure, and an achievement in indie game production. The intriguing world, compelling systems, and simple gameplay all makes it a fantastic experience.

Old, familiar concepts and designs mix with the new in this worthy re-release. Owners of the original game wont find much new here, but for the many that missed Super Mario Bros. U the first time are in for a treat, especially those with friends or family to play alongside them.

More illnesses, visual variety and challenge are the doctor's orders and Two Point Hospital: Bigfoot dishes out exactly that. An appealing low price and a solid package of content are sure to please fans of the core game.

A great nostalgia ride but one which will only last you a short while.

Smart tweaks to an aging formula, fun characters and an excellent new stealth element more than make up for a disappointing by-the-numbers premise. A true sleeper hit.

Override Mech City Brawl is a hilariously fun experience when it plays to its strengths which is in its battle system and multiplayer. While the game’s single-player campaign can be fun, some players may find it repetitive and too easy. It’s a shame that the online portion isn’t as populated to allow for a snappier experience as the game has a lot to offer for both those looking for a competitive challenge and the ones who just want to ram a giant metal fist into another bot’s face. Thanks to its low price tag, however, maybe you can entice your friends to join in on some of the gear-grinding action.

Storm Boy is a short and, ultimately, lovely experience. It is the perfect game to chill out with on a Sunday afternoon or to introduce younger players to the world of gaming whilst providing a strong eco-friendly message.

Perfecting the mechanics the franchise established way back in 1999, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a crazy, chaotic joy. With a gargantuan roster of fighters, an amazing adventure mode and more unlockables than would ever have seemed possible, this is a game that packs one heck of a punch.

Katamari Damacy REROLL is a surreal, silly and above all fun game with more than enough oddity to entertain all but the most jaded of souls. This entry isn't the most complex or challenging, but it's an ideal starting point for new players on PC and Switch alike.

Gris is an immensely important game, one that is another shining example of how much can be done with the medium. The visuals and the sound design are both complemented perfectly by the intense story and serve to create an incredible experience. Gris is a must play and shouldn't be missed for any reason.

Battle Princess Madelyn is an immensely enjoyable throwback to the old-school that is consistently charming. The soundtrack and the graphics are both a delight and the character design is wonderful. While it can occasionally be a little frustrating the optimism in every aspect will keep you pushing through.

While it misses some of the best features from its predecessors, Just Cause 4 is a captivatingly fun experience, with enough new mechanics to be a staple for action fans.

Jagged Alliance: Rage! has great tactical gameplay, and enough interesting ideas, however its various elements struggle to line up to make a constantly captivating experience.

Battletech: Flashpoint adds some much needed mission variety alongside meaningful conversation choices outside the battlefield, but the limited number of new mechs and single new biome aren't going to justify the price for all but the most dedicated Battletech fans.

Sky Force Anniversary is an intense and well-designed shmup that’s a fitting addition to the Nintendo Switch. It’s great for long sessions as their are numerous medals and collectibles to grab in docked mode as well as short commute sessions in handheld mode. A few more story elements would have been ideal but the game’s addicting gameplay and upgrade system are enough to keep the player hooked. If it’s a high adrenaline bullet hell experience you’re looking to add to your Nintendo Switch collection, look no further than Sky Force Anniversary.

Gorgeous presentation and some genuinely creepy moments just about manage to outweigh the conventional, and mildly dated gameplay.

Let's Sing 2019 is sure to keep fans of singing with friends happy. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it doesn't really need to. The jukebox function is a nice touch, as is the smartphone integration.

At their core, both are solid, fun rhythm action games with kickass soundtracks that you can have a great time with, regardless of character knowledge, and despite the games being exact copies of each other. If you like the genre and have that itch, then get on your dancing shoes and enter the Velvet Room. The stage awaits.

At their core, both are solid, fun rhythm action games with kickass soundtracks that you can have a great time with, regardless of character knowledge, and despite the games being exact copies of each other. If you like the genre and have that itch, then get on your dancing shoes and enter the Velvet Room. The stage awaits.

With beautiful presentation, fantastic emulation, and the potential for co-operation, this is a great collection for those who have fond memories of the old-school.

The Switch edition of Civilization VI brings the full (base) Civ experience to a handheld. For this alone it's an essential purchase for strategy players, but the interface and presentation make this one of the best games on the console on its own merits.

If you’re looking to play for a complete experience that will not only test your survival and decision-making skills but also your compassion and moral compass, look no further than This War of Mine.

The Missing – J.J. MacField and the Island of Memories combined it's puzzle-platformer gameplay and narrative in a way that truly makes use of the medium and highlight's it's best potential. Difficult subject matter and a leaning toward the surreal drive a story that touches upon aspects of humanity that are rarely explored in games.

This is a great take on a 2D real-time strategy game, it has a good sense of humour, and most importantly; it is a lot of fun. The single-player campaign is well written, but the multi-player is where the game truly shines.

Despite an intriguing story and excellent character development, dull visuals and technical gremlins make Fury's journey a solid, if unspectacular entry into the Darksiders series.

Despite Appalachia's appeal, Fallout 76 is broken mess of a game that, in its current state, feels nothing more than a shamefully unfinished cash-grab that isn't fit to use the Fallout name.

A refreshing new entry in the Pokémon series that serves as an entry point for new players, and offers up some interesting new challenges for veterans. Don't sleep on this just because it is different.

A refreshing new entry in the Pokémon series that serves as an entry point for new players, and offers up some interesting new challenges for veterans. Don't sleep on this just because it is different.

An expertly crafted shooter with worthwhile narrative endeavours, that’s a little too light on content for the time being.

It’s a faithful and fun remaster, although it doesn’t push the boat out in any way.

11-11: Memories Retold is an unabashed artistic masterpiece; its few technical problems barely detract from a fantastic game.

Despite some battery and bug issues, Old School Runescape's port makes it clear that the classic game belongs on mobile devices.

Overall, The Midnight Sanctuary’s mind-boggling, yet ambitious, storyline failed to impress me. The visual novel could be developed further to improve replayability and entertainment value. Kudos on trying to use 3D graphics in visual novels, but the graphics and pace of the storyline needed much more work, so that it increased the visual novel’s quality.

Diablo 3: Eternal Collection is everything from the last five years squeezed into a portable package. It plays brilliantly whether docked or not, and has more content than you could ever see. This is a game that is a must-play and to have access to it anywhere is almost unbelievable.

My Hero One's Justice is packed with things to do and looks good while doing them. The battles themselves are fun and frenetic with the characters playing well against each other. This is probably the best arena battle game to date from any anime. Plus Ultra.

Damsel’s gameplay never comes together, and it’s too repetitive to be particularly fun.

A well aged fantasy/horror action RPG, that even those who have never played before should definitely give a chance. Don't be scared off by the stories of how difficult it is. (Though also know, those stories are true.)

Red Dead Redemption 2 takes everything that made the first so spectacular and elevates it to a new level. It boasts an enthralling story, coupled with rock solid gameplay, and is perhaps one of the best games ever made.

Industries brings more depth to an already deep game. Cities Skylines is becoming the de-facto strategy game and we love it.

WWE 2K19 is an incredibly comprehensive sandbox, offering the chance to run the show as you see fit and recreate just about anything you might have seen on TV, but long time fans of the franchise might well be disappointed by an unchanged combat system and a story mode held back by monetization tactics.

A lack of variety doesn’t mar an otherwise captivating game - it's a compelling strategy and tower defence game.

Offering up a huge selection of characters and content, Warriors Orochi 4 isn't bringing a lot of new ideas, but it is dishing out a very refined and welcoming minor evolution to the tried and tested Warriors formula.

Unlike most driving games, Dakar 18 is not an intense and action-packed experience, but a slow and more mindful fare. Its divergence from typical driving games may put off a lot of players, but the unique mechanics and beautiful world more than make up for this. Hopefully future Dakar games will capitalise on its highlights and eliminate its many problems.

With a polished fighting system, deep story mode, and buckets of content, Soul Calibur VI is easily one of the best fighting games of the generation.

A lack of balanced difficulty and explanation of core concepts set alongside too many time consuming, anachronistic design choices distract from Pathfinder: Kingmaker's nuanced story telling, moral dilemmas and enjoyable decision making.

The World Ends With You: Final Remix isn't just a long title. It is one of the best DS games reborn on a modern console. The music, the visuals, and the gameplay are all incredible, and having this cult classic come back to life is a blessing. This is an incredibly stylish RPG that demands your attention.

Assassin's Creed has dipped itself firmly in RPG mechanics and a wonderful new setting. It is as deep as it is wide and will keep you occupied for a very long time to come. It certainly fits the myths in which it is steeped.

It’s short but not particularly sweet. There are many other games that evoke the same feelings as The Gardens Between, but they do so far more effectively.

Super Mario Party is a fantastic entry in the series, one that uses the unique attributes of the Switch wonderfully. The modes on offer are plentiful and varied and all a lot of fun. If you have been hoping for a good family game, then this is it.

Despite lacklustre side activities, Marvel's Spider-Man's story and core gameplay mechanics represents a new benchmark for all superhero titles, and is a must play for all PS4 owners.

Grimmwood combines punishing, rogue-like gameplay with elements of an MMO to create something unique, if a little slow for some people's taste. With player action limited by time, those looking for a game to dip in and out of regularly will find the fun while those looking to progress fast in a single sitting will likely find frustration.

From its grin-inducing highs to its tear-jerking lows, Wandersong is a magical and captivating game. It’s undoubtedly one of the best indie games out in 2018.

The game is a revelation, it's the nearest you are going to get to a perfect Tomb Raider game. It's sweat dripping environments whether in a jungle in Peru or deep in a tomb covered in blood or swimming through water filled caves filled with dead bodies made me feel like I needed to take a shower after each gaming session. Regardless of the age of the series, this game is keeping up with modern games and surpassing them in every way.

Awkward controls and an uninspiring score thankfully don't sink a game with an intriguing story and well-designed puzzles.

While the underlying game is still fantastic, the Switch port of Cities: Skylines is plagued with poor performance and finicky controls. If this is the only version available to you then it may well be worth a look, otherwise you'd be better off elsewhere.

STAY has an interesting storyline that is very relatable and can teach individuals about emotional intelligence, human psychology and mental health. The puzzles are quite frustrating at times but this can be simply overlooked once completed and you continue with the original storyline. The soundtrack of the game leaves areas for improvement and the pixel art could have been created at a better quality however this is my personal preference as I set the bar quite high due to the other pixel artists.

A fantastic entry point for those who are unfamiliar with the series as well as being a great addition for long time fans. Torna ~ The Golden Country manages to be approachable and enjoyable for everyone. The new changes to combat really help make things more interesting and the world is huge. Definitely worth a play.

Proven design principles make Aces of the Luftwaffe: Squadron easy to pick up for first timers and friends roped into multiplayer, but those experienced with scrolling shooters wont find anything new to hold their attention.

Razed might frustrate, annoy and even make you rage, but it's addictive gameplay, excellent soundtrack and your desire to master the leaderboards will pull you right back in.

Frozen Synapse 2 dual-wields nail-biting gameplay and engaging narratives. Despite its minor issues, it is one of the most engaging gaming experiences you can have.

Not only a curiosity with it's Mega Drive release, Tanglewood is also a solid and challenging platformer in its own right.

Two Point Hospital takes the long neglected ideas of Theme Hospital, smooths off the rough edges and polishes the whole package beautifully.

Planet Alpha is a gorgeous trek through an alien world and the strange timey wimey things that afflict it. While the pacing can occasionally feel a little bit off, the slower moments do allow you time to take everything in. The puzzles are the only real challenge throughout and most aren't so obtuse that they become frustrating so it works well. If you are after a striking world to get lost in then maybe this is the one for you.

A lack of visual flair or narrative complexity leave Anamorphine feeling dull and long winded, the cursory way it touches upon difficult emotional issues born out of interpersonal problems and substance abuse comes off poorly as a result.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition is, frankly, a better version of an already tremendous game. The fact that console players can finally immerse themselves in this fantasy world is a wonderful thing, the fact that it has been done with so few issues puts that achievement on a completely different level.

While it has one of the best game worlds ever envisioned, We Happy Few stumbles over painfully simplistic gameplay and several major bugs.

Faeria has always been an intriguing game, with the Fall of Everlife expansion and the move away from free-to-play it has truly become something worth taking note of. The unique mechanics at play here really help it stand apart from the competition. With the addition of brand new cards including an army of yaks, now is the perfect time to jump in.

Guacamelee 2 is a fantastic combination of jokes, knowing nods to other games and media, and titanium hard gameplay. Not only does it build on everything the first game did so well, it does it with the kind of spice that most sequels can only dream of. Grab your nachos and get involved.

Runbow's unique concept combined with it's stylish execution make for a frantic, fun and beautifully intuitive party game that features a surprising amount for a solo player to enjoy too.

Whilst there are clear deficiencies in places, this is just due to the fact Shemue is an aged classic. But a classic it remains and whilst other games may have surpassed it from a open-world game point of view, there's never really been anything like Shenmue for nearly 20 years.

State of Mind's aspiration of telling a recognisably human story set in a believable near future full of society-altering technology is so close to being great, but limited animation, outdated gameplay and occasionally stilted voice acting hold it back.

A fresh take on the Mega Man X formula, 20XX delivers great run-and-gun platforming in a modern context.

A worthy successor to the original, Overcooked 2 delivers in all the ways you'd want it too, with room for a little more.

Yes, the visuals aren’t particularly great, and yes, the game has a couple of glitches here and there, but in terms of recreating the feeling of driving a train, Train Sim World hits the nail on the head and will certainly appeal to its core fanbase.