The best way to think of Crusader Kings 3 as a sequel is in terms of its own dynastic gameplay. Sure, Paradox have started from scratch with a new game, but it's still full of scheming, warring amidst an impressive breadth of cultures and religions. Crusader Kings 3 is an heir that has been born from Crusader Kings 2 and its many expansions, including and improving on so much of what made that game great, but it can still grow and improve in its own right.

A masterclass in twin-stick shooting. The controls are simple, but the environments and enemy waves are complex and perfectly crafted. The huge variety of game modes and unlockables help give me a reason to keep coming back again and again. For a solo-player who loves some arcade action, or a group of friends looking for their next co-op challenge, Assault Android Cactus+ is a must buy.

I Am Your Beast is an excellent fast-paced first person shooter that has a lot of content to get through, and replayability where you will want to keep pushing for the top marks. There’s a well told and well acted story too. It looks and sounds great, but is slightly let down by the lighting in the night missions.

Dark Souls III offers more of the same intensely difficult combat, ambiguous overarching story, and some striking locales and bosses in the franchises’ history. The only real objective criticism on the PS4 version is that the combat doesn’t feel responsive enough thanks to the 30FPS cap and frame drops.

I found my time with Lost Orbit to be enjoyable, and I wish there was more to it outside of the three hour campaign and time trial mode. The fact that I want more speaks highly of Lost Orbit and how it managed to hold my attention all the way through.

Yooka-Replaylee isn’t just the definitive version of the game; it’s one of the most enjoyable 3D platformers this side of Nintendo first party titles or Astro Bot. The levels are now packed with things to do, the range of different challenges keeps things interesting, and the upgrades and equippable tonics enable you to customise the difficult to suit your playstyle. All in all, this is now an essential purchase for fans of 3D platformers.

There's no doubt about it, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD is punching well above its £9.99 price bracket. The production values coupled with over ten hours of quality gameplay mean the game would easily be worth £40 if stuck on the shelf of your local retailer.

Naturally, those that didn't really get on with the first Dead Space will find that little (literally) has changed save for the location and a richer sense of characterisation, but for those of us that adored Clarke's first adventure this sequel represents everything we could have wished for: it's bigger, better and more beautiful but without straying from the core principles that mapped out the former.

Slots & Daggers is a very entertaining and fun game that thrives on the one more turn aspect, while also making you think tactically. The story's not the point here, and power up pricing feels a bit hard, but those weaknesses are easy to overly when the gameplay is this satisfying.

The aesthetics, densely packed environment and, at times, challenging combat go together to create a really enjoyable survival horror experience that results in Crow Country promising to be a sleeper candidate for my game of the year.

V Rising is a delicious duo of survival-crafting and action-RPG fun that puts the best of both worlds together without making either side fall flat.

Metroid: Samus Returns shows why 2D Metroid is still top-tier. It’s far from the perfection that Super Metroid had, but this takes my least liked 2D Metroid game and reimagines it so completely that it almost beats the remake of the original Metroid in my estimations. If someone at Nintendo can add the ability to switch control schemes, it would make a huge difference. This is the return we’ve been waiting for, though I want Nintendo to develop the “Next Mission” in 2D for the Switch themselves.

Tekken 7 is a phenomenal fighting game experience and one I’d highly recommend. It’s by no means perfect, as the game is not without a few technical issues online, some long loading times, and minor continuity errors, yet as far as most people will be concerned, it delivers a stunning, up-to-date fighting game experience from one of the masters of arcade fighting games. A solid return to form.

HUMANKIND is as deep as you could possibly want from a 4X strategy game, but the constant addition of new things to think about never feels overwhelming because everything's explained so well, and often with a good bit of humour too. It's an excellent game, and if you've never delved into the 4X genre before, this might be your best chance to do so.

As a game experience Heavenly Sword is unmatched - it flows superbly and at its highest peaks it soars - absolutely unmissable and so close to a ten it hurts.

The Bug Butcher is a spiritual successor that is very much possessed by its muse. This isn’t a subtle nod, it is soaked in Pang and it’s great because of it. The ability to play the game endlessly to beat your own score will keep you coming back. The fact that you can do it with a friend is just an even bigger incentive. The Bug Butcher isn’t reinventing anything, but it is a damn fine version of a classic game.

SnowRunner is a game thoroughly, single-mindedly, in love with the open road. It just happens that it’s the kind of love that’s bred by getting that road so thoroughly under your nails, you occasionally have to wonder whether it’s actually hate. Care, attention and time will show that SnowRunner is a passion project worth putting the extra mile in for.

Whilst there isn’t necessarily much of a traditional challenge to the game, working your way through the different worlds is so enjoyable that you’ll barely notice.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 is bigger, better, and bolder, and smooths off some of the original’s rough edges. Frontier has tinkered with the management sim aspects, and brought in a canonical campaign into the mix that follows directly on from the events in Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom, but the dinosaurs remain the star of the show. If you’re a fan of the franchise – and really, who doesn’t love uncontrollable carnivores? – then Jurassic World Evolution 2 is a perfect sequel.

Age of Calamity is, for all intents and purposes, a prequel to Breath of the Wild. It might be a spin-off in a separate genre, but it’s clearly a labour of love, and the result is a thoroughly enjoyable romp through one of the most interesting periods of Hyrule. If the first game was a love letter to the Zelda series, this not only improves on this concept in every way, but stands as one of the best Zelda games, period.

Tunic had a lot to live up to after years of built up expectation, and it doesn’t just meet them, it shatters them and stands out as one of the most joyous gaming experiences I’ve had in years. It takes a little while to feel at home in Tunic’s gorgeously rendered world, but once it clicks and the secrets of the masterfully constructed in-game manual start to reveal themselves, the resulting game is up there with the likes of Zelda in terms of exploration and discoveries.

I love what Dotemu and Leikir Studios have achieved with Metal Slug Tactics. The unlikeliest pivot for a franchise aside, it mixes interesting tactical action, Roguelike progression and brilliant visuals into an indie title that nails the balance between nostalgia and modernity.

Tearaway is the kind of game that the PS Vita has demanded since launch, something crafted and tailored to its form and its capabilities, but rather than feeling forced, creating an easy sense of wonder fun and inventiveness.

The Cub is a really good platformer with an excellent use of the soundtrack to really immerse you into the world. While some platforming bits are a little frustrating, overall the experience is tight with a smooth flow. The story is engaging, the world interesting to explore, and the themes touching on climate change and how society deals with it relevant.

My favorite gaming experiences are the ones that elicit a pure and physical response from me. Whether it’s a horror game making me clench my cheeks or a story-driven game dropping my jaw and pulling a tear from my eye, those kinds of experiences are the ones that stick with me the most. With Pikuniku, I was smiling and laughing throughout the entire thing, and too few games get that kind of response out of me. Pikuniku is a treasure of a game, and I can’t wait to see more from this team.

Aegis Defenders is a title that totally delivers on its initial concept. It’s a game that built on the obvious passion of the developers, resulting in something that’s vibrant, fresh, enthralling and addictive. And when you’ve reached the end, you’ll be heading back to the start for more.

Synduality Echo of Ada is the ultimate extraction experience - sanding off rough edges and putting a shine on the most exciting elements of the genre. Bundled together with cool mechs, customizable characters, and tight combat just makes this sweet experience even sweeter.

The Delicious Last Course is the perfect DLC for Cuphead – successfully building on the best aspects of the main game whilst also providing a whole new character with their own abilities to offer a fresh spin on things. Combine all of this with a bargain price and you have an absolutely essential purchase. Just don’t think about running a swear jar or you may find yourself going bankrupt before the credits roll.