Lynked: Banner of the Spark is a hot chocolate of a game. Sweet, sumptuous and oh, so cosy. It offers an intriguing and fresh experience thanks to combining roguelite dungeon crawling with town-building, and it keeps you engaged from beginning to end. It's just a shame that, on PS5 at least, it’s a resolutely single-player experience rather than the multiplayer one that it’s intended to be.

Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a fantastic anime adventure, and one that will delight fans of the series.

Heartworm is another top notch indie horror to add to the collection and one that perhaps feels the closest to the games that clearly influence it. The mixture of Fatal Frame combat and Silent Hill gameplay is perfectly judged and the end result is a game that not only pays homage to the classics but deserves to be considered amongst them.

Death End re;Quest 2 is the horror RPG I never knew I wanted. Its mysterious and grim story is reminiscent of some of the all-time great Japanese visual novel and indie adventure experiences, but the fact that it's tied up into an addictive and enjoyable RPG package is the icing on the cake. The fun begins to get soured a bit by the sudden difficulty spikes throughout the game, but that didn't stop me from enjoying this terrifying and jaw-dropping story from beginning to end.

If you’re a fan of Just Cause or Saint’s Row, then Red Faction Guerrilla might well tickle your fancy. In the days of sprawling open world titles with hundreds of missions tied together with awful stories, the simplicity of this game makes a welcome change. Violence is not big, hard, or clever, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun. Red Faction Guerrilla Me-Mars-tered is the remaster no one was asking for, but has turned out to be a welcome surprise.

Pool Panic excels at being exactly what it is, a weird puzzle adventure game with a lot of personality and plenty to do.

Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon surpassed my expectations. There were things overly familiar in more ways than one, but it’s not fully covering old ground. Plenty of new features and details will make fans of the franchise very happy and while I still mourn for the DexNav to this day, the new content is well worth becoming Alolan Champion once more.

KartRider Rush+ manages to be both overwhelming and blissfully straightforward at the same time. The mass of menus, currencies, and notifications can take some getting used to though the racing gameplay is a blast, taking genuine skill to master.

Alisa is a real standout in the world of indie horror games, both in terms of aesthetic and gameplay. It's very tough when you first start in the mansion but once you get to grips with the controls and enemy patterns it becomes relatively easy to work through the game. It ends with plenty of scope for a sequel and there are many unanswered questions so hopefully one appears. Still, in the here and now, if you like the look of the screenshots then I can heartily recommend playing in this dollhouse.

While F1 2019 adds features from the all-time bucket list of many an F1 fan, these new additions aren’t quite fully formed yet. This still managed to be the best Formula 1 game by Codemasters to date – the handling of the F2 cars and new online modes are genre defining – but there is always scope for further improvements and some areas are now beginning to feel a little stale. Video gamers can be so demanding sometimes.

Galacticare blasts Theme Hospital off into outer space, putting its own distinctive spin on a management sim classic. It keeps things light with harmonious alien cultures and streamlined doctor levelling, making for a nice and accessible time.

Star Wars Squadrons has taken an impressive first step in revitalising the Star Wars fighter pilot game. With a tale that feels like a genuine part of the galaxy far, far away, and space combat that gives you the tools to be an X-Wing or TIE fighting ace. Whether you’re on the light or the dark side of the Force, this is a game that Star Wars fans need to play.

Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance is an excellent addition to the franchise that's a must-play for franchise fans, and well worth picking up for those curious about dipping their toes in the water. The difficulty level is still there, but it has become a lot more manageable thanks to quality of life updates. Just don’t be disappointed if you show up expecting Persona, as the narrative and story qualities of the latter is a world apart.

Lego Marvel isn’t the most polished game you’ve ever seen, but it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead what you get is a fun action-platformer for young and old that is filled to the brim with Marvel fan service, offers tons of content and entertainment, and is a great latest instalment in what continues to be one of the most enjoyable couch co-op series out there.

An essential purchase for anyone after a massive game with plenty to do. That is, once you have gotten over just how much fun blowing stuff up in this title really is.

EDF: Iron Rain is big, it's dumb and it's also a ton of fun thanks to fantastic split-screen and online multiplayer. Pack your biggest auto-cannon, switch your brain off and you'll be chanting 'EDF! EDF! EDF!' in no time.

Telltale have crafted their own story from the Guardians comic-book lore, while keeping the flavour of the hugely successful movie. There are plenty of nods to both, and fans on the lookout for Knowhere, the Kree and other notable characters from the series will likely be more than happy. This is still a Telltale game though, and there simply aren’t any new mechanics to be found here that’ll convince detractors otherwise.

Forget Walking Simulators, Beyond Blue proves that Swimming Simulators is where it's at. This is a beautiful, relaxing and enchanting video game experience that acts as a soothing balm against the stresses of modern life. Sebastian was right, it really is better down where its wetter.

Virginia’s tale of intrigue and mystery quickly comes full circle. In that time, it will take you to some pretty surprising, extraordinary places, and easily warrants a second playthrough. The closing moments may not be to everyone’s taste, though the journey to get there is certainly worthwhile.

Star Trek: Infinite gives us a damn solid 4X experience doused in the rich history of the Star Trek universe, and with plenty of space to include more Deep Space Nine, Voyager and other quadrants of the galaxy through expansions. Even if you’re not a fan of the source material, it can still stand alone as a good experience which will only improve over time.

There is a lot to love in the Super Mario RPG remake. An adorable art style, deceptively deep combat, an excellent updated soundtrack, and genuinely funny skits and writing all make this game as much of a joy to play as the SNES original. If you can look past the simplicity of the game overall, and the occasionally frustrating experience that is the jumping puzzles, this is a stellar addition to the Switch’s already stacked library.

Misc. A Tiny Tale is a real hidden gem. The quality of the level design, the amount of emotional heft in the narrative, and the sheer joy of exploration in the game make it feel like a true successor to Chibi-Robo. Even if it doesn’t quite have the scope of Nintendo’s title, it's a pleasure from beginning to end.

It is far from a perfect game but the fighting, particularly striking, is the best it has ever been.

A rollicking space adventure, Journey to the Savage Planet has the smarts to make you laugh out loud while taking shots at consumerism and big business.

American Truck Simulator may seem a little bare right now, with just two states and three trucks, so it’s hard to recommend to newcomers over the sublime Euro Truck Simulator 2. That said, those that enjoyed hauling in Europe will no doubt find enjoyment on the other side of the pond, with new cargo awaiting them and new cities to explore.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm of Ruin is a great-looking, well-tuned RTS that will keep Games Workshop fans happy for many hours.

Either way with its back to basics approach to narrative, and its deeply satisfying gunplay, early signs are that Resident Evil: Revelations 2 will be a worthy addition to the series.

Defiant has done a fantastic job of marrying together two very different flavours of game, presenting it a stylish package that feels one part adventure book, one part action brawler.