Duelyst had me hooked, as I put hours and hours into it almost every day. If I had written my review for it at that point, it would have done incredibly well in my books, with it’s fascinating tactical RPG twist on the familiar card game play. But after playing with friends, I struggle to go back to playing against anonymous opponents in ranked play, and I just don’t know how much more time I see myself putting into this game.

The creation is as deep or as automatic as you want it, the online as time sapping or as casual as your heart desires – MNR is a game for everyone without ever making anyone feel left out, and in the days of hardcore first person shooters and single player epics, surely that's exactly what we all need just now?

Given that Soul Sacrifice was available on Plus for free it’s questionable how many will want to invest their money when there is a lot of recycled content, but for those who loved it, or if you’ve yet to experience Soul Sacrifice, Delta is a highly enjoyable and worthwhile title for your Vita.

While it gets plenty of the fundamentals of right, the dimension hopping, character roster and some of the extra modes don't quite stick the landing. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds isn’t the best karting game out there, and thirteen years on from Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, it’s not even the best karting game with a blue hedgehog in it.

The game has a good look, is buttery smooth to play, and has a killer soundtrack to go alongside it. Constant death aside, what’s not to like?

Judged by its visuals alone, The Messenger is a charming retro adventure with pixel perfect platforming. Even that high praise is to do it a disservice, as the game soon opens up to be an unexpected, yet brilliant metroidvania, delivering a plot that twists, turns, surprises, and has humour to spare. Ultimately, the Messenger is one of the best indie games I’ve ever encountered. You really should play it.

Little tweaks are all that Pioneers of Pagonia needs to really shine, and the Early Access release is already a fantastic starting point for the game. Some quality-of-life improvements, like being able to click on an objective to take you directly to the building it wants you to put down would save a lot of searching through menus, though the more you play the clearer it becomes. It feels as though these things will be well in hand, There’s a long list of things on the early access roadmap, and I can’t wait to see this idyllic settlement continue to grow. [Early Access Review]

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.

Octopath 0 maintains the series’ gorgeous pixel-art aesthetic, while its adapted and evolved take on Champions of the Continent’s gameplay ensures that it feels like a worthy console release.

Vermintide 2’s co-op battling is nice step forward over the original. It’s gruelling at times, and that can sap the fun out when you’re failing missions and not making progress, with the weighty combat, the additional sub-classes and a long and deep progression of difficulty and loot, there’s plenty here for those that want to be in for the long haul.

51 Worldwide Games showcases Nintendo doing what Nintendo do best. They’ve taken a simple idea, and put it together in an utterly charming way. There’s so much here to enjoy, cramming in a host of games and experiences that could keep you, your family, and your friends playing together for many years to come. Best of all, you can't lose any of the pieces!

The major issue here is one of expectations; Pacific Rift falls well short of them. Motorstorm was a stellar introduction to the PS3 and the sequel feels like a watered-down, consumer-friendly game that doesn’t add up to the sum of its parts. If you’re looking for an arcade racer there’s more on the market than back in March 2007, and many of these have made advances while Pacific Rift is stuck in Motorstorm’s beautifully realised mud.

While NBA 2K19 is competent it has also, for me at least, continued down the road of not feeling as fun or exciting as previous NBA 2K titles. This year, the feeling isn’t so much of outcry as it is fatigue at having seen the gradual changes take place over the last several years.

Games like Disgaea 4 are what the Vita was built for.

If you like the visual style and haven't played a roguelike deckbuilder in a while then you'll likely adore Zet Zillions, but for those who live and breathe the genre, it might feel a bit uninspired at times.

If its aesthetics appeal and the gameplay style grabs you, then Loop Hero will take over your gaming life until you finish it or are drag yourself away. It reminded me strangely of the allure of Football Manager but with a more fantasy setting. The combination of auto combat and strategic choices, with resource management and settlement development on top, makes this a unique and captivating indie game.

The Veilguard is a beautiful-looking and highly enjoyable game, and a nice return to a more focused feeling RPG that does justice to both Dragon Age as a series and also to Bioware. It's fun to play in the moment-to-moment, the big decisions feel impactful and worthwhile, and fans of the series will be happy to be running around chasing after that lamentable egg of an Elf once more. It's no Dragon's Dogma 2, though.

It might not be an extremely lengthy affair, but when it comes to art direction, well paced gameplay, and a brilliant sense of exploration, SteamWorld remains king.

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.

The Thaumaturge is an interesting and dark game in a relatively unique setting, 1906 Warsaw during a revolution combined with monsters is a fascinating setting. Whilst it occasionally fumbles how it delivers some details and you spend a lot of time running around, the strength of the setting and the writing makes these easy to forgive, not to mention the presence of the man who I have heard on good authority was Russia's greatest love machine.

It's rare that a modern return of a classic gaming series hits the mark, but Mega Man 11 lets off a charged burster shot that obliterates any worries you might have had. It encapsulates much of what made the old games so great, but the new abilities feel fresh and more modern at the same time. This is a much needed return to form for the Blue Bomber. Can Battle Network come back now too?

Nintendo’s continued run of Wii U ports has to have a finite end, but while Switch players are getting games like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker then its best just to bask in it. Gloriously cheerful, charming and enthralling, it’s only diminishing features are its slightly short length and lack of difficulty for seasoned players.

Suikoden I&II HD Remaster is a polished window into JRPG history with only a few minor flaws that keep it from feeling absolutely perfect.

In a series that is synonymous with incremental improvements, FIFA 15 manages to feel like more of an evolutionary leap.

Wandersong is by no means perfect, but it is very different. Charm oozes out of every note and motion you make. Despite the technical glitches it is consistently winning and moving, with a lack of aggression and a genuine optimism that beams through like nothing else. It really will bring a smile to your face.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a shock to the system that reminds us of a time before Souls-likes. It's a high-octane, unrelenting, and effortlessly cool action game experience that newcomers and franchise fans alike need to play.

It may a look a little basic compared to recent titles, but when it comes to gameplay Burnout Paradise still thrashes the competition. The racing is sublime, the stunts are spectacular, and there’s always something to do round the next corner. It has one of the best soundtracks of any game – and yes that includes Avril – it’s just a shame that some of the mechanics are dated and clunky.

SR2 has its flaws and plenty of them, and whilst it’s possible for the game to descend into little more than driving and shooting, the sheer amount fun to be had and the fact the game just wears its heart on its sleeve makes it impossible not to have a great time in Stillwater.