Hidden Through Time 2 is the perfect family game: relaxed, interactive and creative, and it’s one of those rare titles that will keep you coming back for months to find just one more thing.

Control is one of the best story-focused single player games in years. Its unique mix of surrealism, sci-fi and mystery draws you in, but doesn't give everything away, and the combat is fantastically varied and provides just enough challenge. A culmination of everything that went before, Control is Remedy's magnum opus.

Once you're past the horrendously long queues to actually get into the game, Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker was an almost flawless experience. This conclusion to a decade-long tale is told with a visual, musical and narrative artistry that isn’t often seen in any medium. Endwalker doesn’t quite reach the heights of earlier parts of the series, but it sure as hell ends the current arc with a bang and everyone involved with this game should feel damn proud of themselves.

Forza Horizon 5 continues the series’ legacy, usurping Forza Horizon 4 as the new pinnacle of open-world racing and as a graphical showcase for the new generation of Xbox console.

Solar Ash is one of the best games of the year. It looks gorgeous, its story is pretty unique and surprising, and its set-piece moments get really intense, as you might expect from skating along the back of a black goo and bone dragon. It's a nice surprise to end the year with that any "skating combined with combat and gigantic monsters" enthusiasts, which is definitely already a thing.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails through Daybreak is the spark that this series needed, and an incredible new chapter for such an iconic franchise. The shift in tone for the story and the addictive dual-mode combat had me hooked from beginning to end. If you play any game in this series, make it this one.

Rayman Origins puts Sonic in his place and stands atop the pile of this generation's 2D platformers. It's as close to platforming perfection as we can get from a Rayman game and not just a step forwards for Rayman himself but ultimately a step forwards for the genre altogether.

NHL 11 is an absolutely fantastic game that will provide hockey fans with literally hundreds of hours worth of gameplay. If hockey is your thing then pick this up, if it's not but you want something different then I highly recommend trying it.

Blue Prince is an excellent, intricate, and intriguing puzzle game that will have you thinking about solutions even when not playing it. While there's some minor foibles, coming across a puzzle and scrolling through your notes for an answer from previous runs is very satisfying. Blue Prince is one of the best puzzle game available.

The stars have aligned for Call of Duty: Vanguard. For the first time, this truly feels like a full package without any caveats. Sure, some parts are naturally stronger than others but there isn’t a weak link in sight. After back to back triumphs, Call of Duty is now on a killstreak.

Streets of Rage 4 is a must for any beat ‘em up fans, especially those with fond memories of the original trilogy. The fighting is great, the visuals are great, and the soundtrack is great. Lizardcube and Guard Crush have managed to capture the essence of those classic games and upgrade it for the modern age.

It hasn’t been the easiest journey for Skullgirls to the PlayStation 4, but with 2nd Encore, Lab Zero have turned in the definitive edition of a high-quality fighting game that not only has bags of character but matches it with both technical and enjoyable action.

I’ve been eagerly anticipating Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge ever since it was announced. My lofty expectations were ridiculously sky high and surely a bar that could never be reached. So, it is a statement of the game’s quality that it exceeded even my wildest dreams. This is the best scrolling beat ‘em up since Streets of Rage 4 and in the top ten of all time. A nostalgia-injected nunchuck whack of love to the brain, Shredder's Revenge It is not to be missed. Cowabunga indeed.

Green Hell is a fantastic survival experience with an exemplary sense of place and peril. Creepy Jar have really nailed the feeling of loneliness and despair that true isolation would lead to and married this to some well balanced challenges and a refreshingly user friendly approach. The range of ways to play are really welcome and should ensure that even those players who may be turned off by the rigours of hunger and thirst mechanics can enjoy the immersive jungle experience. This may not be a welcoming jungle, but there’s plenty of fun and games to be had.

The fact that The Darkness II is a sequel to a game with its roots entrenched in a fairly-twisted comic-book canon is irrelevant. There are no barriers to entry here, no homework to catch up with, just a fantastically pieced together tale coupled with a refreshingly creative take on the ever-staling FPS formula. It handles well, looks great, and sounds even better.

Nowhere Prophet is an excellent single player card battler that punish you with its difficulty. The battle system has a lot of depth to it, while you're constantly worrying about your convoy as events take their toll. Still, death simply means starting again with a freshly generated campaign and getting to see more of the game's world. Nowhere Prophet can be frustrating at times, but it's fun to play through and is highly recommended to those who like strategy or card battlers.

One Finger Death Punch 2 is as fully realised as it can be. It's taken the concept of a two button action game and wrung every last drop out of the concept. What results is a game that is hilariously fun, yet heart pounding at its most intense. It's repetitive, sure, but incredibly playable and varied enough that things are just fresh enough to keep you thinking "just one more go."

One of the best HD updates we've seen since the trend of updating past games for current machines kicked off.

Ground Zero stands out as one of the most polished and complete indie survival horror experiences in recent years. While clearly heavily inspired by Resident Evil, it feels like a lost game in the series rather than a copycat and the mix of combat and puzzles keep things fresh throughout. Throw in the generous extra modes and the unlockables mixing up subsequent playthroughs and you have a game that offers dozens of hours of quality survival horror for a bargain price.

The gameplay is by far the best in the series, the visuals are as detailed and gory as ever, and the presentation is second to none. This game changes the way we look at fighting games from a single player perspective.

With a full complement of rifles and grenades you're only as deadly as everyone else around you - pick a good clan (with headsets and tongues) and devote the time, and you'll have an absolute blast. Warhawk is easily the best multiplayer game this generation. There, we said it.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 is simply an incredibly fun and addictive arcade experience that once again reinvents the arcade classic in a compelling way. The visual style feels timeless, looking as great as it did back in 2007.

Playing pinball in VR almost feels real. It’s such a simple way to show off the capabilities of VR, and while everyone will have their own table preferences – not all are that amazing, to be fair – there’s such an immersive quality to Pinball FX2 VR.

Pragmata is another stunning game from Capcom. The game world is beautifully conceived and the interplay between our lead characters genuinely heartwarming, but it's the combat with its dynamic blend of shooting and hacking that is the main draw here and it makes other third person games feel pedestrian by comparison.

Full Throttle Remastered is essentially the perfect rework of a classic. Barring a couple of minor issues, LucasArts’ old title has been brought up to modern standards by Double Fine, boasting a brand new look that gives a lot of vibrant detail while maintaining the things that earned Full Throttle its reputation in the first place. It’s clear that Double Fine put a lot of effort into this project, not least because of how important the game is to Tim Schafer, but it’s a great game regardless. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or an adventure game newcomer, if you’re looking for a game that provides a fun experience with a well executed story then you should get Full Throttle Remastered.

UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes is without a doubt the funnest fighting game of the year. An already smooth and satisfying fighter has been improved and expanded on so many levels with the new systems, mechanics, and moves this sequel adds. If you're gonna play any 2D fighting game right now, make it this one.

Disgaea 7 Complete clearly is the ultimate version of Vows of the Virtueless. The story is as quirky and fun as ever, and the bonus content is an absolute must for die-hard fans. Being able to play it on the Switch 2 on the go is also great, with the game looking and feeling fantastic in both handheld and docked mode. The only knock is the uphill struggle for newcomers with reams of tiresome tutorials – hopefully NIS will have figured out by the time Disgaea 8 rolls around.

Going Under is an excellent roguelite that is challenging, rewarding and hilarious at the same time. It takes a little while to get going, but once it does it's a delight. As a scathingly satirical look at tech startups and culture it's likely unmatched, helping it to stay fresh and funny for a long time.