Beyond Words is the Scrabble-like Balatro-inspired word-puzzler you should be playing. It’s a near-infinitely replayable playground of letters and logic that comes together in a way that ensures it is right up there as one of the very best of the genre.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Xbox One is an amazing work of art that happens to double as a truly fantastic game. Moon Studios have outdone themselves here with an emotional, engaging, difficult but above all enjoyable game that should delight gamers everywhere.

This is the perfect entry point into the series for newcomers. And for everyone else, it is one of the best JRPGs of all time.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an utterly faithful, masterfully immersive adventure which impresses in so many ways. It captures everything special about the films but stands tall as an outstanding achievement in its own right.

Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition on Xbox One is a one-off game. In fact, I doubt we will see a game like this for years to come. Lovers of action, frantic gameplay and lack of narratives won’t find much in here I’m afraid, however those who love stories and how narratives shape our lives will utterly adore this game.

Make no mistake, Monster Hunter World is one of the best games on the Xbox One and, with the promise of free updates, will remain one of the most played games of 2018.

So yes, it seems that we have finally got it - the one true to life Formula One racing experience we have been begging for in recent years.

Platypus Reclayed really is impressive on every front. Far from being style over substance, it’s an immensely satisfying, yet challenging, shoot 'em up experience.

Enter The Gungeon is nigh-on perfect. The hits are fine, the gunplay is wonderful, the animation and designs are fantastic, and it really needs to be picked up and played by anybody who isn’t looking for something really casual.

Alan Wake 2 is the magnum opus of horror games, but not simply because it delivers some scares. Oozing with creative flair, it confidently flaunts unconventional and even experimental methods of storytelling, which makes it very special indeed.

All in all, Persona 4 Golden is an absolute triumph; very much golden. It isn’t quite as good as Persona 5 Royal, but the difference is like a hair's breadth. There’s a great story, tons of content to get involved in and some superb combat and exploration opportunities.

If you’re a fan of Assassin's Creed, hooked from the very first game, you’ll find a lot of love for Assassin’s Creed Shadows. It feels very familiar, but still manages to do a great job of adding extra relish in terms of combat, visuals, and storytelling. There's no doubt that the double protagonist pivot, with different playstyles, is a winning formula.

Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mask – Missions and Monsters on Xbox One is most certainly an expansion pack done right. It isn’t just a bolt-on high level dungeon either… the whole game has been reworked to allow you to integrate the new features into a playthrough.

Playing Streets of Rage 4 is an absolute no-brainer and it is without doubt one of the best games of the year.

What a special game Röki is. We’ll scatter about the usual caveats that this is a narrative-heavy game so won’t be for everyone, but really it should be. The crown upon it all is Röki’s world, which manages to simultaneously be dying but also teeming with life. It’s just so full of personality, and we wanted to lift more of its rocks to see which creatures jumped to life.

Arise: A Simple Story on Xbox One is a brilliantly devised game and it’s been a huge pleasure to play. It’s a splendid wordless story with a perfect amount of gameplay hours for the price, and it’s right up there with the very best games I’ve played this year.

Sea of Stars manages to modernise a dated formula by raising the bar for all future 2D RPGs. It’s a whopping slice of nostalgia pie with a beautiful art style and engaging gameplay.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is a must buy for all gamers, especially those who love character, story and adventure. The performance, design, and journey are all amazing and the gameplay is hugely enjoyable as well, with a little bit of a challenge thrown in for good measure.

Just like actual Japanese food, inbento goes down an absolute treat. With its beautiful aesthetic, touching story and deviously challenging puzzles, there’s something for everyone to appreciate. The game is perfect in both bite-sized chunks and extended sessions, and the gameplay is designed to be challenging but not overwhelming.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is the JRPG of the year, and you’d be remiss to pass on it.

Without a doubt fans of platformers should check Symphonia out, and any other gamers who wish to test their abilities should feel free to tag along too.

You will adore Beacon Pines from start to finish, mostly as you get hooked by the impressive and unusual narrative. Ultimately it's a game about the power of story and the decisions you make when choosing different narrative paths, but it’s helped along by the warmth of the characters, ensuring you’ll want to invest time and emotion into the hunt for the perfect ending.

Baldur’s Gate 3 really is a triumph of game design, and a masterclass in how to give control to the player, without making it feel like they are heading down a predetermined path regardless of their choices. It’s one of those rare times where you should really believe the hype, because it's flipping awesome.

Spiritfarer, in my book, is a strong contender for game of the year. I love the feel of the game, the graphics are gorgeous, and the narrative is incredibly engaging. The topic of death is sensitive, but it’s one many of us can connect with and Spiritfarer manages to strike the chords it needs to make that connection.

Much like Monster Train’s The Last Divinity, Monster Train 2’s Destiny of the Railforged is a large, emphatic step for an already very good game. It does exactly what you would hope it would do: it introduces a meta-disrupting new clan, and tosses a whole new endgame your way. It’s brutal and expects the world from you.

Spelunky 2 is not a game for everyone. If you don’t like precision platformers or incredibly challenging games, then this isn’t going to be for you. But if you enjoy roguelikes or are after a game that challenges you, feeling incredibly rewarding when you pull off some crazy maneuvers, then I can’t recommend Spelunky 2 enough.

It’s rare to see a game that can set the tone right or make the experience feel complete or unique. Impact Winter is however a game that ticks all the right boxes and with gameplay that engages the player from the very first moments to the very last, this is one adventure that deserves plenty of praise.

The OlliOlli games had already created a firm foundation for whatever came next in the series but OlliOlli World has helped elevate the series to must-play levels. Under this cartoonish look is one of the best skateboarding games of all time.