Bomberman R isn’t remotely a £50 game. It is, at its base, a solid entry in a much-loved franchise, and one that plays to the Nintendo Switch’s strengths, even if will require plenty of investment to get the most out of it. The current online woes also do little to make it feel like a well-rounded package, making it difficult to recommend to anyone but the most committed Bomberman fan.

Whilst fifteen minutes may seem an incredibly short time for a game to last these days, most arcade shoot ’em ups are short and barely last half an hour. There’s nothing really new or exciting in Ghost Blade HD, but it’s a solid entry to a genre that is almost non-existent on current consoles.

For all its good ideas, inventive uses of the Joy-Con and potential as a fantastic party game, 1-2-Switch has just as many fumbles that make it far from an essential Switch launch title. It can be a lot of fun, but it fails to keep you in the moment, takes too long to explain and set up each game, and no amount of immature giggling at euphemistic games can manage to rescue it from itself. It might be quick on the draw, but what follows is more of a confused fumble.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild dramatically updates this venerable and beloved series, bringing new ideas into the fold which, while seemingly taking inspiration from others, seamlessly adapts them to fit and never loses its own identity. It's refreshingly new and familiar at the same time, making for both one of the greatest launch titles and the sweetest swan songs any console could wish for.

There’s a lot to like about Forma.8. While it does invoke the style of some other titles, it has enough charm and character to stand out. Its gameplay is unorthodox, yet mostly rewarding, and it doesn’t outstay its welcome. Sometimes the logic of the task at hand is not obvious and it took me a short few hours to get the Platinum Trophy on PS4, but while it lasts it’s an enjoyable romp.

Torment: Tides of Numenera is a game whose plot, with its well written characters and plentiful twists and turns, could easily hook you in. However, it’s a game that is currently fundamentally broken on consoles. Despite the technical flaws, the plot definitely grew on me and it would be great for others to be able to experience it, as well as the world they’ve created, but until the game is fixed on a number of fronts, Torment: Tides of Numenera is hard to recommend.

When theHunter: Call of the Wild works properly, it’s still going to be a game that only those with the patience of a saint would enjoy. It’s very slow, full of barriers, and isn’t very exciting. That’s not to say it’s not completely without merit as it’s a stunner to look at and there are rare occasions where everything comes together to make a compelling experience. Just note that those rare occasions are few and far between.

Ultimately, Vertical Drop Heroes HD is fun for a few hours, but gets repetitive quickly. The asking price is low so it might be worth a look if it really tickles your fancy, but Rogue Legacy is only £4 more expensive and accomplishes similar ideas more effectively and with more depth.

A really good crack at a VR title by Double Fine. The characters will feel familiar to those who have played Psychonauts, but those new to the series will not feel too lost when following the story. However it is a short title that feels like it could have done a lot more with its intriguing setting, and while the tracking was on point most of the time there were moments where it could have been better. Rhombus Of Ruin is a fun experience and provides one of the best produced PSVR titles so far, but it ends a bit too soon.

Berserk and the Band of the Hawk is the pinnacle of musou games, as far as I’m concerned. Omega Force and Koei Tecmo have experimented with the formula for years, and everything they’ve learned and perfected has led up to this game. Berserk Musou gives you the addictive, outrageous hack-and-slash combat musou games have had for ages. It gives you the unique characters and varied mission structures that musou games have only had in the last few years. And on top of that it gives you a gripping, mature, and masterful narrative that a musou game has never had. Until now.

Linelight’s simple design philosophy has managed to spawn one of the freshest puzzle experiences to grace the genre in recent years. The minimalism you see hides well the depth that some of the puzzles require, though the timings for some of them can be a tad too precise. A slight improvement in the behaviour of the AI lights would be welcome too so they are more responsive to the player’s actions. Outside of those issues Linelight is recommended to those who enjoy puzzle games or those seeking something that is bit different to the norm.

Horizon: Zero Dawn is a bit of a slow burn, but there's more to Guerrilla Games' latest than just its staggeringly pretty graphics. The story surprises as it takes several twists and turns and explores the past, but the games beating heart is with its excellently tense and engaging robotic monster hunting.

Halo Wars 2 is an excellent and long overdue return for the console RTS, doing everything that can be expected of a sequel. Bigger, better and fresher, the Blitz mode is a welcome addition to an already solid package, and while fans of the mainline Halo games may find the transition too hard to bear, this is a worthy addition to any Xbox One owner’s collection.

For Honor joins Rainbow Six Siege, Overwatch, and Destiny, as a game that is destined to grow over time. Right now it offers a strong core experience, but will ultimately be defined by months of rebalancing and a steady flow of new content. Having such a long tail will make For Honor even more enticing further down the line as it continues to snowball. That said, it’s refreshing and addictive enough at present to lure in anyone looking for a multiplayer game that defies the norm.

Sniper Elite 4 is easily the best in the series so far. It’s still the same methodical stealth game at its core, but Rebellion have added to that with more possibilities for the player, bigger and more open maps, and a handful of new modes.

By taking some inspiration from others, Team Ninja do prove with a rich combat system and solid foundation that they have the ability to surprise and innovate. The vast majority of the game is a pleasure to play, despite the fact that death is around every corner. There’s a lot I’ve not even touched upon in this review, simply because it’s better experienced than told. For Koei Tecmo at least, all the effort was well worth it.

Omega Force has decided to experiment here, though it’s an experiment that fails to live up to its full potential. Having sampled some of the genre’s top flight titles, Godseekers’ brand of turn-based strategy feels shallow by comparison. Still, there’s enough here for ardent fans of the franchise to wring some enjoyment out of. For something that feels truly new and innovative, all eyes now turn to Dynasty Warriors 9.

Aside from the visual downgrade and lack of coop, Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World is a faithfully recreation of the Wii U original for the 3DS. It is still a vibrant and appealing game, especially suited for younger children. For older gamers, hunting all the collectables for 100% completion is where the game gets challenging. Coming to handheld devices has hurt the game somewhat though.

Dexed is a valiant first attempt by Ninja Theory in the VR space but it suffers like many other early VR titles by feeling more like a tech demo than a full game. When you factor in the price, you are getting an okay package, but it’s unlikely you’ll want to head back once you’ve played through the stages on offer for a few hours.

Knee Deep isn’t an adventure title worth playing, lacking any real hallmarks of the genre. The few puzzles essentially solve themselves, there is very little player participation outside of dialogue choices, and the plot is so bloated with forgettable characters that you lose track of who is who. It seems like the best ideas were poured into the design of Knee Deep, creating a well made digital stage show with voice actors who put in a decent performance. Unfortunately if Knee Deep was a real theatre show I would assume that the final curtain would fall quickly.

Tales of Berseria feels like a Tales game made just for me. There’s so many games in the series now, and I’ll never play them all, but the characters and the narrative and the combat mechanics of Berseria just click with all of my tastes so well. For some, the lack of gameplay innovation might be a turn off, but for me, a classic Tales gameplay system combined with a unique narrative led to a fantastic experience. Fans both new and old would be doing a disservice to themselves if they didn’t check this game out.

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue may be saddled with a ridiculous title, but the package offers plenty to enjoy. It may not be the most welcoming of games, thanks to Kingdom Hearts being amongst the worst offenders for convoluted narratives, but the HD remaster of Dream Drop Distance combined with a glimpse of what is to come for the franchise makes this more or less essential for fans.

Fruit Ninja VR is a hoot. It’s one of those games you can pick up and play with zero preamble, making it great for the odd few minutes of downtime or passing a headset around between people. It’s just a shame Halfbrick didn’t look to expand it further, with three of the four modes being transplanted from the original Fruit Ninja.

For them to successfully steer one of their flagships back on track, Capcom has done what many thought was unthinkable. It was less than twelve months ago that the publisher released Umbrella Corps, at which point I – and no doubt many others – were ready to call time on the series. Resident Evil 7 definitely has a handful of weak points, but it’s by far the best AAA survival horror game we’ve seen in quite some time.

Yakuza 0 is not only an achievement in video game storytelling, but it’s the best this franchise has ever felt, looked, and played.

Unfortunately, so much of my love for this game is ruined by its choppy frame rate on PS Vita. If this were simply on PS3 or PS4, it would be a nearly flawless experience. As it stands, Atelier Shallie is the best version of the game available in terms of content, but having to suffer through a poorly optimised experience for those benefits is too steep a cost.

If you come into this expecting a setting, cast or narrative similar to any of the anime, you might be left disappointed and confused. It’s still a fun, addictive game with the flashy combat you’d expect from a Warriors-style game, but you might have to tune out the story in order to enjoy it. In a franchise where story is so key, that’s a huge bummer.

A title that will appeal to a niche corner of the gaming public, with its focus on a murder mystery wrapped in discussion of social issues. It’s also feels like quite a passive experience compared to other games that are in the same genre. There’s interactivity with objects and solving puzzles, but being dialogue heavy may put some off. The story of 2064: Read Only Memories is decent however as is the voicework, and there is replayability through making different choices.