Madden 21 on PS5 exceeds my expectations. As someone who plays Madden every single year, that says a lot. If you already bought the PS4 or Xbox One version of the game, dual-entitlement will allow you to snag the next-gen version for free. It’s well in your best interest to do so with your brand-spankin'-new next-gen console.

I’m V and the game is Silverhand - I can’t get Cyberpunk 2077 out of my head. I’ve had it a week and played 70 hours, which is probably about as healthy as scooping out my face and replacing it with electronics, but it didn’t feel like work. Like a digital personality loaded onto a biochip, it felt like stepping into another life for a while. It’s a life I can’t wait to relive.

Part of me wants to say Haven is my game of the year, but I should probably let the post-play buzz die down first. What I do know is that Yu and Kay will stick with me for a long time.

Although I would have liked for that Zen to have come into play way earlier than it did, once everything clicked, Absolute Drift became worth picking up for a quick race whenever I have a spare moment. Just don’t expect to reach that level of driving skill quickly… if at all.

Worms Rumble is great. It’s fun and as hilarious as ever, whether it be from an over-the-top-kill or the witty banter from the Worms themselves. I worry that the steep learning curve may turn some players off, but if you’re able to stick with it, you’ll have a ton of fun in the latest game from a longstanding franchise that keeps on delivering.

ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos caters to a very specific audience - an audience that enjoys visual novels first and foremost, but who also has an appreciation for VR. If, like mine, your first playthrough isn’t up to par with your expectations, it’s highly recommended that you give the game another playthrough or two, making different decisions along the way. It’ll be worth it to take in the full narrative of what ALTDEUS: Beyond Chronos has to offer.

With the blessing of Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell, Skunkape Games has done well to bring the original highly-praised title to modern platforms, offering up plenty of reasons for new players to check out the game, and former players to come back.

If you're looking for a psychological thriller to sink your teeth into, you could definitely do worse than Twin Mirror, but it's honestly only worth checking out if you're strapped for choices.

I can’t help but feel like the Switch version of the game would be my preferred choice of platform, simply due to the fact that I could play the game anywhere, even if for just a few minutes at a time. However, the PlayStation 4 version comes highly recommended if you’re looking to take in the incredible visuals awaiting you in the world of Erdrea.

From stoner oracles to gods who have been turned into trees, to the sheer batshittiness of its entire cast of gods and monsters, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a genuine joy to play, and a real treat for Greek mythology lovers. It’s got personality to burn, and both puzzle and combat design capable of mechanically backing it up. It’s a shame that the platforming can be so unforgiving, and that crashes happen far more than you’d like them to, but these are both problems that can be rectified in future updates. Once that happens, Immortals could easily - and surprisingly - go down as one of the best games of the year.

But if you don't own a PS5 and wouldn't mind staring at those bright red World Stones from Remnant again, then Chronos: Before The Ashes might make for a decent distraction. Especially since completing this lifelong journey may not take you all that long.

Empire of Sin is one of the most accessible strategy titles I’ve ever played. It allows me to play the game in a way that’s in line with my playstyle while offering up rich and in-depth gameplay for those with more experience in this genre.

Even if you don’t become an expert player, Destropolis has plenty to offer in the way of a casual quickplay experience. It feels like it could easily be a mobile title, but it fits well on Nintendo Switch. Destropolis is, at the very least, a nice way to take a break from the holiday craziness for a quick gameplay session or two.

If I were to use a single word to describe Strobophagia, it would be “confusing.” With good music and puzzle mechanics, there’s a solid foundation for what the game is trying to be. It just feels too disconnected to stand on its own as a single cohesive unit.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a better version of one of the best games ever made - one of Nintendo's crowning achievements, even. Whether you've played it before, or are lucky enough to experience it for the first time, you owe it to yourself to play this irrevocable environmentalist masterpiece.

There's still a long way to go of course. I'm about halfway through the campaign, I've only unlocked three dungeons. I don't know what the end-game grind will be like and the rogue-like activity Torghast is still unknown to me. But I'm enjoying the process more than I ever have before, and more than anything, I just want to rescue the heroes of Azeroth and stop Sylvanas and the Jailer from doing... whatever it is they're doing.

If this is your first time playing Halo 4, prepare for a treat. Gameplay remains identical to previous installments, but with some additions enhancing the experience. The story is also a big highlight. With this game, it's hard not to consider Master Chief and Cortana as gaming's greatest duo. Halo 4 caps off The Master Chief Collection on PC nearly perfectly.

As the first horror game on a next-gen system, Observer: System Redux has me really excited for the future of the genre - and for Bloober Team's next project.

I don't hate The Falconeer. I don't even think it's a particularly terrible game. There are great ideas here, and in the aesthetic department, it's a resounding success. However, it just needs more. It needs more polish, more reason to keep playing, and more reliable controls to navigate its interesting setting in. I would love to revisit this world at some point, and I hope that the dev can find a way to keep me more engaged next time.

It teems with little story beats I’m not allowed to talk about that will make long-time Zelda fans reel with excitement, and its fast-paced, punchy combat is brilliantly belligerent. I haven’t gotten into the art much, because you probably know from the trailer that it looks like Breath of the Wild, but for what it’s worth: it’s gorgeous. It gives voice and agency to a variety of excellent characters who deserved them, and I think its narrative is shaped with a sense of finesse that, on close consideration, is quite endemic to Zelda as a series. It’s just a shame that it’s held back by the only hardware it’s playable on, both in terms of input controllers and screen resolution.

The wait to get the game fully stable is worth it, since this expansion is looking likely to shoot straight to the top of all the best expansions ranked lists. Snowy Escape offers more depth than pretty much any Sims 4 expansion I've ever played, and that's not just the snow.

Five Dates not only portrays dating in a digital world in a succinct and believable manner, but it’s also a title that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as some of the greatest rom-com films of all-time.

Mechanically, this is the Call of Duty game I’ve enjoyed the most since Modern Warfare 2, and the only game in the series where I’ve ever felt the need to finish the campaign more than once. It’s just a shame it’s a bit light on multiplayer maps, even if there’s no denying that, between the three modes, it’s still one of the best value video games you can buy. Enjoy, Bell.

Ultimately, Prinny 1 & 2: Exploded and Reloaded achieves what it sets out to accomplish. The games are by no means for the faint of heart, featuring fast and chaotic platforming that can make your head spin. The games are a perfect fit on the Switch, whether playing in docked mode or while on-the-go. The humor, art design, and soundtrack round out the experience making Prinny 1 & 2: Exploded and Reloaded a great pickup for platforming fans.

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin is an absolute delight and comes highly recommended, regardless of whether or not you're a fan of the platforming, RPG, or farming and crafting genres. I have the game for PlayStation 4, but I will most definitely be picking it up for Nintendo Switch as well, as the rice farming process offers up a meditative experience that I’d like to play just for a few minutes before bed to unwind. It’s warm narrative, incredible voice acting talent, stellar soundtrack, and overall gameplay makes Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin a must-buy.

I didn't get my socks blown off by Beyond Light. But it did have its moments, and it did convince me that there will be plenty more of those moments yet to come.

Saving and uploading is easy and the system is simple to navigate. For a game so complex great care really has gone into making every aspect of it as easy as possible. Planet Coaster Console Edition will bring you as close to running a real theme park as you'll ever get without leaving the comfort of your sofa.

Bluepoint Games has proved itself once more, nailing Demon’s Souls with a remake on the same level as Shadow of the Colossus. At this point, I’d hand the developer the keys to everything. Let the studio make a 60fps Bloodborne. Give them Metal Gear Solid. Let’s have a Bluepoint Games Ico. Demon’s Souls is the best PS5 game you can play at launch, and I’m sure it will go down in history as one of the best launch titles of all time. The Old One has awoken and I hope this review feeds it more souls. It deserves a full belly.