Many games have presented a "go anywhere, do anything" structure, but few have been filled with places, challenges and mysteries as intriguing and charming as Breath of the Wild. The massive land of Hyrule, from beautiful grassy plains and craggy mountains to marshy swamps and long-forgotten ruins, is rife with wildlife, monsters, villages and all manner of suspicious landmarks that tug constantly at your curiosity, and demand to be investigated.

Mario Odyssey is an inventive, playful and incredibly polished experience that pays constant homage to the storied series' past while never feeling redundant or old. From the creative way classic characters and styles of play are inserted into the worlds to the brand new capture mechanic that gives a new perspective on what an open-world Mario game can be, this is a timeless journey I'll keep coming back to for a long time.

No other game provides such rich atmosphere or better blends exciting action with sublime storytelling. It is much more than a science-fiction shoot-'em up: the adventure has convincing characters with great emotional depth and thrilling cinematic set pieces providing astonishing spectacle.

A relentlessly gripping ride that assaults the senses.

The epic scale astounds, with dazzling scenery including space stations, war-torn cities, temples, snowy wastelands and ruins. The audio is equally extravagant.

Imaginative and masterfully designed, Twilight Princess is every bit as good as the best Zelda adventures. It is hugely rewarding and absolutely essential for new Wii owners.

Like Tomb Raider before it, God of War has managed to keep something of its heritage while grounding its previously inaccessible main character and filling the whole experience with depth and feeling.

As long as you're not too distracted by the superb graphics, you will discover that Gears of War is a classy, imaginative shooter with plenty of gritty action.

The most captivating first-person role-playing game yet. This is essential gaming.

The most captivating first-person role-playing game yet. This is essential gaming.

Visually spectacular and hugely rewarding.

Every lap is terrifying...Polished to perfection, Burnout 3 is faster and more thrilling than any previous racer.

The game's stunning locations include a war-torn Athens, a storm-swept desert and a temple chained to the back of an awe-inspiring titan. The approachable controls allow players to instantly feel thunderously powerful, performing dazzling strikes, blocks, grapples and jumps.

It is infinitely replayable, incredibly balanced and faster-paced. Combat has been improved, with the addition of both depth and simplicity, while peacemaking and cultural supremacy are more viable options.

The focus on opponent "takedowns" was a smart, natural evolution for the series. The gorgeous environments and detailed cars whiz past at amazing velocity, and the fender-bending carnage is spectacular.

One of the best strategy games yet: intense, atmospheric and tactically deep.

With terrible violence and stunningly realised characters, The Last of Us Part II is a singular game that blends cutting edge technology and silky big-budget design with stellar cinematic and literary storytelling, with breathtaking results.

Few games are as successful as God of War II in making a player feel like an invincible warrior. This is an absolutely thrilling adventure and a clash of the titans you are unlikely to forget soon.

The game is epic in scale and length, but its fascinating plot, characters and dialogue (impeccably translated from Japanese) ensures players will devour every second.

More than any previous game in the series, Ultimate seems to have taken into account the needs and desires of all players, and made it possible. Ancillary content like Spirits may not quite live up to pure fun of the main Smash mode, but then few things in video games do. And that main mode is the biggest achievement here. It's bigger and better than it ever has been before, and somehow incorporates just about everything that's come previously.

The new Resident Evil 2 is everything the original was; tense, scary, brilliant and filled with secrets and additional content to find. But it's also a game perfectly suited to 2019, not just because of its cutting edge look and sound; but because we don't get games like this anymore, and that's a shame.

Considering the complexities of building this type of game, it's nothing short of a miracle that World of Warcraft and its land of orcs and goblins has been launched so successfully.

Stunning and consistent as ever, this is more of the fantasy racing festival we know and love, but this time in a shared online world with even more driving diversity thanks to the regularly shifting seasons.

Incredibly thoughtful and mechanically near-perfect, Celeste marries impeccable game design with a touching and relatable story in a way I've never experienced before. It's simultaneously an excellent platformer and an engaging meditation on the perils and methods of tackling depression and anxiety, and the fact that those two aspects are so naturally integrated is amazing.

Car handling is demanding, but beginners can instantly have fun, thanks to helpful driving assists and generous early prizes.

Beautiful, involving, impeccably designed and outstanding value, this is a grand game that is difficult to fault. It will captivate even those who have been immune to Final Fantasy's spell.

Every couple of years a game is released that is so well crafted, so perfectly made, that it sets a benchmark for gaming quality. Rome: Total War is one of those games. We couldn't find a fault.

Game visuals might need overhauls every few years to stay relevant, but good game design is timeless. So is Demon's Souls.

This is a practically perfect iteration of a game that was already stellar the first time around. The satisfying rhythm of powersliding, gliding and boosting is more or less the same as it always was but the new content and tweaks paired with the connectivity and versatility of the Switch console means the deluxe version is streets ahead.

Fans will enjoy the new gadgets, rich story and longer, more taxing challenge, yet the most revolutionary feature (a multi-player mode) is bland and dull.

A two-player mode is included, and few games are more fun with a crowd. It's pricey, but a euphoric experience.

While convoluted, the story is more approachable than its predecessor, with strong villains, plot twists, humour and much pretentiousness.

The first glimpse of a mighty colossus in this breathtaking adventure is awe-inspiring. Their size, fearsome power, deafening roars and otherworldly looks are both terrifying and fascinating.

Taken as a full package this is arguably the best Sonic game there is. Mania mode is fun as ever, the cast is fuller, and the bonus challenges, unlockables, Encore mode and multiplayer makes for a game that earns its spot on the retail shelf. Some existing owners might wonder whether two extra characters, remixed singleplayer and revamped splitscreen is worth the upgrade given there's no substantially new levels to speak of, but I think it's a fine way to extend the experience.

This remake is an excellent way to experience an outstanding game, although returning players may find some of the magic lacking if they remember all the answers, or have a specific fondness for the indistinct graphics of the original. Conversely new players will find this version much more palatable from an aesthetic point of view, but may find some design quirks annoying and outdated.

Split Fiction evolves Hazelight's co-operative and excellently manic two-player gauntlet gameplay, last seen in It Takes Two, this time also blending sci-fi and fantasy worlds to make for one of the great modern split-screen experiences. However, the cringey writing and one-note storytelling is almost more grating this time around, given the entire narrative is supposed to revolve around authorship.

Playing with dozens of real-life comrades is exhilarating.

Depending on what you want to do second-to-second, DK's latest outing can be a hugely impressive do-what-you-want sandbox, a comforting collectathon platformer, a series of lightly puzzling challenges, or a goofy Nintendo world to explore and be surprised by. But taken together, it's a masterpiece that's sure to absorb newcomers and series veterans alike. The destructible terrain is a literally ground-breaking innovation that makes each player's game unique, while the story and characters reposition DK's world in a way that's endearing and exciting, but still respects his past forty years of history.

Four-player online races are smooth and fiercely competitive.

This is by far the nicest iteration of the game to date, with both more guided objectives and more options for self-led tomfoolery, wrapped in a much higher definition version of the familiar rustic-meets-plushies visual and audio motifs.

A masterpiece. As you guide your endearing digital denizens to health, happiness, fame and fortune, you may become so addicted that your own life suffers.

One of the finest games ever crafted, Ico is a unique and memorable experience, and hauntingly beautiful.

To maintain the level of immersion, even the loading screens have been replaced by stunning helicopter rides, delivering you to the next mission where the action continues seamlessly.

The cute Japanese animation belies the tactical intricacy.

If you like your games fast, then strap yourself in for a white-knuckle ride, because Burnout Revenge is relentlessly intense.

Captain Olimar is now joined by larrikin Louie - a clever addition that allows efficient multi-tasking, more complex puzzles and absorbing two-player action.

Larger levels featuring multiple vehicles are also hugely entertaining, but the best map is a sniper's haven with tight urban streets.

If you like your games fast, then strap yourself in for a white-knuckle ride, because Burnout Revenge is relentlessly intense.

The system of character progression is elegantly simple but players still have freedom to choose weapon and magic specialties.

This beautiful metroidvania roguelite strikes a near-perfect balance between what persists and what is totally randomised each time you die. And when you eventually run all the way from the beginning, through the bosses and to the final encounter in one go, it's not because your character is more powerful, it's because you know the game so intimately from all your previous lives.

But where this latest instalment excels is in enhanced options and customisation for serious fans, while still offering pick-up-and-play access for those after a quick sporting fix.

Despite a shaky allegorical narrative that's much shallower and less mature than it first appears, It Takes Two is an ambitious and worthwhile zany two-player experience. From high-speed ice-skating and spider-riding to co-operative school homework and fighting a clockwork bull, I honestly never knew what was coming next, but it was generally delightful and always thoughtfully tuned for co-operative play.

This time the AI is a harder nut to crack, requiring more thoughtful passing to open up your opponent before you strike. So long as you're thinking like a footballer, you're going to score goals.

The battle system may initially seem unwieldy, particularly with unhelpful camera angles often obscuring foes, but its subtle sophistication adds terrific depth.

Pairing one of the most brilliant yet underplayed games in Mario history with a wild and experimental new adventure, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is an incredible one-two punch of platforming perfection. While the combination of these two games may not be as exciting as an entirely new full-scale adventure, they're absolutely packed with the trademark Mario blend of creativity and control that seems so effortless but is also virtually without rival.

But where this latest instalment excels is in enhanced options and customisation for serious fans, while still offering pick-up-and-play access for those after a quick sporting fix.

Engaging sub-quests extend the game's lifespan and chatting to the beguiling locals while humming the tunes is a joy.

Three Houses is a masterpiece of a strategy game and a brilliant relationship sim, which feels like the pinnacle of the love/tactics hybrid innovated by 2012's Awakening. With a twisting and turning main narrative and a refined but fairer battle system that retains all its tactical depths, the game's two halves combine to create a hugely customisable strategy experience with high and personal stakes.

The premiere interactive schlock horror series has been on a roll in recent years, but combining its two successful formulas into one game was a huge risk. It mostly pays off in Requiem, a double feature that's one part terrifying suspense and one part gory action movie. The connective tissue is the weakest part, with a bombastic story that struggles to digest 30 years of nonsense while also moving things forward, but it's nonetheless a thrilling ride throughout.

Some may complain that the game is too short and lacks multi-player features, but grumbling seems churlish. Don't miss it.

Its biggest strength is the realistic handling. You feel every nuance of the car's movements, weight shifts and suspension, particularly with a Driving Force Pro steering wheel. This is a peerless driving simulation that will test even professional drivers.

An original puzzle experience, fusing musical elements and presentation.

Old-fashioned Mario fun. As pleasurable, challenging and addictive as two decades ago.

Horizon is a special game, one which puts forth a very confident spin on action-RPG conventions and on the idea of a post-apocalyptic survival tale, but also one that will engross you in its mystery and poke at common humanistic ideas from an angle we don't see a whole lot. That said, it certainly doesn't hurt that it's amazing to look at and has heaps of cool robots to blow up, and its actual game mechanics are just as engaging as the story it tells.

It's testament to the PSP's power that Wipeout looks and plays better now than it ever did on PS2. This classy remake rolls all the tastiest bits of this futuristic racing series into one glorious parcel of pixels.

But where this latest instalment excels is in enhanced options and customisation for serious fans, while still offering pick-up-and-play access for those after a quick sporting fix.

Beautifully strange and gleefully morose, What Remains of Edith Finch is a singularly amazing work of video game magical realism. Though brief and lacking any gameplay challenge, this is an incredibly special game by virtue of its narrative and creativity alone.

Enemies are intelligent, using cover effectively. Unfortunately, most encounters are overcome using the same method: laying suppressing fire and flanking.

Battles are marvellously theatrical, with punches, kicks and throws so powerful the ground ruptures when pugilists fall.

With cutting-edge graphics, thumping surround sound and good design engineered to scare the willies out of you, F.E.A.R. is quite a dazzling experience.

Frequent gags, sharp dialogue and attention to detail richly reward those willing to explore and experiment.

Perfect for a hand-held, Meteos provides an engaging challenge even during brief sessions.

Best of all, the ball physics and controls are excellent.

Delivering a pitch-perfect blend of cinematic spectacle and cartoony fast-paced action, while also providing the most impressive showpiece yet for the PlayStation 5 hardware, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart looks, sounds and feels like a truly next-generation game. That it does this while also offering the exact same high level of heart, imagination and endearing characterisation we’ve come to expect from Insomniac Games is just as impressive.

Controls work beautifully and patience and timing are crucial.

Despite Gotham's obliging nature, high-speed thrills and gorgeous graphical sheen, it's hard not to feel that we have seen its best tricks before.

The bizarre and intense assortment of mini-games require both deft precision and manic arm flailing.

Everything you'd expect from the PS2 game has somehow made it intact, lending credence to Sony's claims that the handy portable is almost as powerful as its big brother.

Breathtaking in scale, Medieval II will keep you glued to the screen.

This is a stunning celebration of all things Super Mario, from the music and the art to the characters and items, and it's also a great social tool that uses the ubiquitous language of running and jumping to share gameplay and narrative ideas between players worldwide. It has lost a bit of its weird edge since last time, but it's also gained a lot more variety and much more substantial systems for sorting stages and playing with friends.

The dazzling presentation mimics Saturday morning cartoons and the charming cast bursts with personality. There is a wide repertoire of moves, many fun gadgets, and the controls are effortless.

The best new inclusion in this console version of the PC hit is a two-player co-operative mode that lets mates tackle 20 intense missions together. It's a blast.

The biggest problem is a hardware issue: it can be difficult for players to hit diagonals on the PSP's directional pad. But once mastered, experts should have few frustrations.

Although there is no online play, deep and lengthy modes such as Season, Franchise and Dream Team will keep you busy.

Few games are this fresh or entertaining.

A remake of a much-loved 1987 relic, Pirates is incredibly charming. Its simplicity belies the game's surprising depth and addictiveness.

With a flimsy-but-fun narrative premise and rock solid platforming gameplay backing it up, the rhythm of exploration and upgrading here is about as addictive and satisfying as they come. I'd go so far as to say Dig 2 out-Metroids Samus Returns, but on top of that its mix of free-form exploration and self-contained puzzle rooms makes for an original twist.

A delightful racer perfectly suited to PSP. Even three minutes waiting for the train can be packed with thrills.

Controls work beautifully and patience and timing are crucial.

So tense that it doesn't fit the typical definition of fun: it's actually a very stressful experience. But the gameplay is so compelling you will be forced to keep scaring yourself senseless until you make it to the final scene.

Distilling everything that's made the series great to this point and offering a razor sharp modern take on the combo-heavy character action genre that DMC helped instigate, Devil May Cry 5 is a juvenile-yet-very-adult game for those who like their monsters grotesque, their combat stylish and their demon-hunting boys and girls dumb but outrageously sexy.

Pokemon games are in a unique spot. They have to change significantly from game to game in order to keep casual fans engaged, have to stand on their own enough to entice new players in and also have to maintain a certain degree of continuity so that dedicated players' collections of monsters work in the new game and will continue to work beyond. Sun and Moon are the first games in several generations that I've honestly felt have nailed them all, and should provide hundreds of hours of entertainment for fans new and old.

Episode One could be criticised for lacking new weapons and environments, yet few games are more polished or entertaining.

The PSP's lack of dual analog sticks has handicapped other action games, but Dark Mirror copes admirably. Players can control the camera, quickly access weapons and gadgets, kick open doors and change stance with ease.

Striking a careful balance between updating an old classic for 2019 and maintaining what made the original so special, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening is a remarkable and unmissable game despite a few small stumbles. The artistry of the original is so strong, and the update so measured, that both devoted fans and entirely new players are bound to be delighted.

Odyssey puts player freedom front and centre in a way the games never have before, while also taking in perhaps the most fun and gorgeous location we've seen so far.

With a cinematic story filled with personal drama, subversive twists and likeable characters, but set in a fantastical universe much more akin to the one seen in print, this is the best of Spidey's film and comic book iterations combined. But it's also a sensational game, blending open world acrobatics with more focused linear areas, and a well-realised protagonist with the freedom of fun upgrades and customisation.

Pokemon games are in a unique spot. They have to change significantly from game to game in order to keep casual fans engaged, have to stand on their own enough to entice new players in and also have to maintain a certain degree of continuity so that dedicated players' collections of monsters work in the new game and will continue to work beyond. Sun and Moon are the first games in several generations that I've honestly felt have nailed them all, and should provide hundreds of hours of entertainment for fans new and old.