Win or lose, you’re going to have a smashing time, and that’s all that really matters. So grab a Senzu Bean and meet me on the Dragon Ball FighterZ battlefield for some pure, adrenaline fuelled fun.

The latest in the MotoGP series of games is probably the greatest too. MotoGP 21 looks great, sounds right, and when the gameplay and tactics click and you finally start to make progress through the ranks, it’s a great feeling.

Visual novels aren’t for everyone, but after playing this I am intrigued to explore the genre a bit more. It is an early contender for Indie Game of the Year – it is such a joyous game.

On one hand, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus! delivers an unbelievably surprising, chilling and suspenseful story. On the other hand, it will be a slog for those who don’t enjoy sifting through dialogue for 3-4 hours. Regardless, this is a story every seasoned gamer should at least try to experience.

Overcooked 2 is simply brilliant. It comes with a massive story mode that is full of various recipe types to keep you busy, an arcade option for those wanting to hone their skills, and a versus mode which sees the very best chefs pitting themselves up against one another in a cook off to the death. All that combined means that it is a must purchase game… especially for those looking for some multiplayer madness.

It’s colourful, imaginative and will make your children feel like platforming superstars. Marsupilami: Hoobadventure, completely out of nowhere, is the best Xbox kids game of the year.

Loop Hero is perfectly pitched for DLC; we will get our fold-out chairs and camp out days before to make sure we get them day-one. Because we are in its clutches now, looping and looping like Tom Cruise in an F-14 Tomcat. We can’t help ourselves: it’s a compulsion now.

It is an utter treat to revisit Metro Exodus with the new enhanced version on Xbox Series X|S. I do recommend that if you are new to the Metro Series then play the first two games before picking up Exodus, however if you’ve played those and never managed to get around to Exodus, this is the perfect time to visit it.

Martha is Dead is a brilliant era-based thriller. The headlines will focus on the sections that have been censored by Playstation, but that would be a shame because there is so much more to this game than those moments. Experience Martha is Dead and it will stay with you for some time to come.

I’m thankful to In the Dark for getting me to play the whole Lil Gator saga. I’m not sure I was feeling down, exactly, but I was certainly bathed in a Gatory glow after playing the Gator of the Year Edition. In the Dark continued the good work, adding a fitting and heartfelt coda to an already brilliant game. And there’s no finer compliment than that.

It’ll take just a few minutes for you to start enjoying ROUTINE, especially if you like games set in space, the chance to go solving strange mysteries, or the odd, non-conformist narrative.

If you’re in the market for a new twin stick shooter, one that brings a fun little story, some top notch bullet-fuelled gameplay and the chance to go and chase those highscores of your mates, then Assault Android Cactus more than delivers.

Anyone looking for a tough metroidvania game, one with an immersive story, needs to check Nine Sols out now.

Galacticare is an intergalactic powerhouse that’s full of weird and wonderful concepts. The campaign delivers unimaginable scenarios with great narrative moments to keep you engaged. With new ideas constantly being introduced, it’s always fun to see what bizarre species, creature, or object is coming next.

Pumpkin Jack is both timely and welcome on Xbox One. As a Halloween-themed action platformer, it fills a niche and void nicely and delivers a brilliant adventure in its own right. From its great pacing, solid gameplay, and consistently engaging design with only a few minor annoyances, this is one spooky adventure that can potentially achieve cult status.

Small technicalities aside, Resident Evil 4 on Xbox Series X|S is a wonderfully recreated thrill ride from start to finish. Capcom have struck a perfect balance that should keep both veteran players and newbies happy.

With an exceptional heavy metal presentation thanks to a brilliant soundtrack and uniquely detailed visuals, Valfaris is as metal as gaming gets.

It’s rare to find a debut game as confident as As Dusk Falls. It’s rarer still to find one that unerringly finds your belly for an emotional gut punch like this one does.

Watch Over Christmas is a lovely, engaging, point-and-click adventure that’s full to the brim with all things Christmassy and more.

Sometimes you can know too much about a game, and that is absolutely the case with Thank Goodness You’re Here. It’s best to offer up your hand and trust it. Sure, it might slap that hand, but the pain will be worth it.

The Game of the Year Edition of DiRT Rally 2.0 on Xbox One does enough to earn its name. Collecting a year’s worth of DLC into one package, with all the extra cars and tracks, is a great idea, but then also including the excellent Colin McRae Flat Out Pack ensures that the game is pretty much double the size it was at first launch.

It’s full of action, it’s easy on the eye and it continues to reward for as long as you pump time into it. AngerForce: Reloaded is a fantastic effort and a memorable scrolling shooter.

Every once in a while it's nice to play a game that just focuses on the spectacle, one that makes the entire experience exciting via a good boss fight. And that’s NanoApostle.

Bloodhound claims to bring “a fresh look and old fun” to the gaming scene, and this about sums it up perfectly. Forget overblown stories, forget angst and self doubt - blow seven shades out of a range of demonic foes with powerful weaponry and I guarantee that you will be left with a smile on your face.

With Cardpocalypse you’ll laugh to yourself, it’ll bring back memories of the good old days and by the time it’s over, you’ll be wanting to do it all again. So save up your pocket money and grab it swiftly.

If you are looking for a truly unique game, with an off-the-walls story, Death Stranding Director’s Cut will be seen as a treat.

As a conclusion to Kiryu’s seven-game saga, Yakuza 6: The Song of Life on Xbox provides a very fitting end that will not leave a dry eye in the house. It is an added bonus that it is one of the best Yakuza games; a standout title in a standout series.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a phenomenal achievement that hits so many highs. It’s an overall fantastic and unforgettable experience. I’d honestly go so far as saying it is now THE best title in the Elder Scrolls franchise (at least until Morrowind receives the same treatment)