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.

Those looking for something unique to enliven a dull commute should definitely call on the Elite Beat Agents.

Battles can become repetitive and backtracking is frequently required, but it is a lengthy journey filled with entertaining scenes and a clever, self-referential script.

First-person shooter fans might struggle initially with the demanding targeting system, plus a selection of weapons that take into account the accuracy and range of their real-world counterparts.

For fans of CoD online, the enhanced multiplayer experience alone is worth the admission price. We'd go so far as to say it's shaping up to be one of the year's best multiplayer games.

An insuppressibly charming journey of sky-high exploration and Metroid-style underground dungeon crawling, Owlboy offers a whole lot of heart alongside its innovative takes on tried-and-true adventure game staples.

With a bottomless well of rules to learn and secrets to uncover, the endless satisfaction of making it further and further as your knowledge grows, and the looming spectre of death always just a second of lapsed judgement or a quirk of cosmic fate away, Spelunky 2 strikes a perfect balance of incredible complexity and endearing charm to create a replayable package anyone can enjoy.

Controls work beautifully and patience and timing are crucial.

A superior sequel worth the wait. It's another huge, memorable and magical adventure.

Even on the Easy setting, the artificial intelligence is unflinching in its desire to win. If you're up for the fight, victory is sweet.

Kirby's use of touch-screen technology provides a fresh and engaging game.

This exhilarating and atmospheric World War II action game does little to advance the run-and-gun genre, but it is a memorable experience.

Cuphead's running and gunning is strong enough that it would have found an appreciative audience even with more video gamey art, but it's the perfectly executed 1930s animation style that makes it something special. From terrifyingly transforming beasts to the occasional fully-voiced character song, every element here makes it obvious Studio MDHR really knows and loves its source material.

The much-advertised fact that the world can move between different periods of video game history is hugely impressive and slickly executed, but it's in fact only one of this throwback's brilliant subversions. I won't spoil anything else here, but this is a relentlessly inventive game that turns out to be a lot more ambitious than it first appears.

An accomplished shooter providing many fun online modes, engaging solo missions and superb weapons.

With a lovely hand-drawn aesthetic and a modern, meticulous take on old-school design, Monster Boy is a smart and delightful game, both a fitting tribute and an exemplary example of the new breed of side-scrolling adventure games.

While it's not quite as epic as "GTA:SA," the combat within Mercenaries is more focused and polished, thanks to tight controls, amazing graphics and clever physics.

With beautiful visuals and sound, some of the most imaginative stage concepts you'll ever find in a platforming game and a heap of secrets that are rewarding to find and even more so to conquer, Tropical Freeze is one of the all-time greats. It's disappointing that Funky Mode, the only Switch-specific feature besides technical upgrades, doesn't feel as polished as the rest of the experience, but this is an unassailably brilliant game no matter how you play it.

By keeping most of the driving fundamentals, but greatly expanding your competitive options and wildly rethinking the approach to circuits and locations, Nintendo has transformed Mario Kart into a modern yet utterly charming platform for social racing or serious competition. The open-world structure and 24-player races make for an air of chaotic road tripping, yet one that doubles down on the appeal and nostalgia of Mario's wonderful world.

A wonderful game that rewards experimentation and co-operation.

From the swampy bayou location to the more intimate brand of horror on display, RE7 is the result of some unexpectedly excellent creative decisions for a series that has long suffered from identity crisis. It's a polished, confident horror game, and I can't wait to see more.