Gross, gory, and gorgeous in equal measure, Dead Island 2 may not be one of 2023’s most exciting or innovative games, but it’s still a hell of a lot of fun and well worth the wait.

MLB The Show 23 avoids the same disappointment as its predecessor with the addition of excellent and meaningful content. While there are some annoying performance issues in online modes that will hopefully be ironed out, it’s definitely worth any baseball fan’s time.

Minecraft Legends is ambitious and unique, and offers up a new experience for Minecraft lovers. While its PvP mode could give it some longevity, as an actual single-player strategy game, it unfortunately misses the mark.

Despite some performance issues that are difficult to ignore, WWE 2K23 builds upon WWE 2K22, further cementing a return to form for the series with fun gameplay, an excellent My Showcase, and an enjoyable online experience for all.

Resident Evil 4 is a masterfully crafted action game that is a perfect coalescence of everything that is great about the series. It is perfectly paced and a truly gripping ride that will keep you glued to your seat at all times.

Dredge manages to layer great exploration, a punishing and ominous gameplay loop, and an intriguing story on top of a very good fishing sim. It constantly and expertly switches between wholesome and haunting, and is definitely worth a play despite a few small issues.

Before you Eyes is a singular, immersive reminder that our memories are only half the truth. A meaningful message nestled in a thoughtful, engaging story, the tragic but beautiful world GoodbyeWorld Games has created feels fully realised and elevated on the PSVR2.

The most realistic VR shooter on the market, Pavlov VR is a must-have for headset-toting Dust II veterans and a rewarding investment for curious newbies. It feels particularly elevated on the PSVR2 thanks to the clever implementation of headset rumble and adaptive trigger profiles.

The Lightfall expansion delivers a fantastic destination in Neomuna, a fun new subclass in Strand, and it makes some great changes under the hood of Destiny 2. However, the heart of any Destiny expansion is its campaign, and Lightfall's is well wide of the mark.

Wo Long’s dance-like battles and refreshing twists on the Soulslike formula make it one of the most effective forks of the genre, even if it falls far short of the subtle world building expertise seen in FromSoftware’s games.

An intricate and rewarding VR climbing adventure held back by an easily forgettable story, Call of the Mountain succeeds in showing off the PSVR2’s best features but fails to leverage Horizon’s storied past.

While Scars Above’s exploration and progression leaves a lot to be desired, third-person action fans will still enjoy their time blasting bosses within some visually-striking biomes.

Outside of its interesting aesthetic, everything else about Atomic Heart feels very generic. While I may still find some redeeming features, as things stand, it's one of the biggest disappointments in recent memory.

Like a Dragon: Ishin is a beautifully crafted re-release whose technical hiccups are overcome by its meaningful message and engaging combat.

While exploring the confines of the iconic castle, Hogwarts Legacy is a marvel. Outside of it, things are a little less straightforward. While there is some excellent world-building and combat here, Hogwarts Legacy is let down by a questionable narrative and some unnecessary open world baggage.

Hi-Fi Rush is a great little rock-and-roll game and one that deserves every ounce of praise it gets. From the lovable cast, to the incredible gameplay, Hi-Fi Rush is the ultimate hack-and-slash-rhythm game that every Xbox owner must play.

Forspoken is a magic-by-numbers game that is marred by a generic narrative. While the world of Athia can feel bland, the occasional spark of magic from the combat helps it along.

The Dead Space remake delivers a truly exceptional horror game where Isaac Clarke is finally fully involved in his own adventure. This is a story-rich, gory, and more engaging experience than the original, and one you won’t want to miss.

One Piece Odyssey’s attention to detail and respect for its source material informs an original story that is, at times, obfuscated by drab side content, and an innovative combat system that, sadly, rarely gets pushed to its limits.

Monster Hunter Rise’s fights are as enjoyable as ever with vastly expanded combat thanks to the new Wirebug. However, the removal of tutorials, and an overabundance of systems means the game isn’t as approachable as it could be.

High on Life won’t be for everyone. However, those who love Justin Roiland’s comedic style will find a game that offers humour and a silly narrative with arcade-like gameplay, sometimes to its detriment.

Need For Speed Unbound delivers everything fans of the series will want, with a cool new art style too. But due to some woeful voice acting and a lack of spectacle, it fails to deliver on the aesthetic it hoped to achieve.

While not perfect, The Callisto Protocol is one of the best in its class, with jaw-dropping jump scares that’ll keep you up well into the night. With satisfying combat, incredible audio design, and jaw-dropping visuals, Striking Distance Studios has made a short but superb horror game that leaves you wanting more.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns exceeds expectations. It delivers a wonderfully rewarding, XCOM-topping combat system and a world full of larger-than-life characters you'll be eager to learn more about.

Modern Warfare 2 is an enjoyable first-person shooter, and if some of its issues get addressed, it could be the best Call of Duty title we’ve had for a number of years. However, with the highly-anticipated, free-to-play Warzone 2 launching so soon after, it’s hard to see a world where MW2 gets the attention it needs.

God of War Ragnarok is a clear GOTY contender, as the deserved sequel features an action-packed narrative, satisfying combat, a luscious Norse world, and some fantastic character development.

Gotham Knights is a messy, directionless open-world RPG that doesn’t know what it wants to be. Its lack of identity means that, just like its heroes, it fails to step out of the shadows and truly shine.

A Plague Tale Requiem is a thrilling continuation of Amicia and Hugo’s story, but the gameplay innovations introduced pale in comparison to the huge strides taken when it comes to the game’s narrative and the world Asobo Studios has created.