PUBG may have been sat in Preview for many a month, but it has arrived as a full release to instantly become one of the most addictive games you can play. From start to finish it’s a thrilling and fun adventure that has more tension than you’ll find in almost any other game. Whether you’re looking for a new online experience to play solo or with a group of friends, this is one you should be playing in 2018.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun brings a particularly brutal challenge, but at no point does it ever feel unfair.

Barring some technical issues causing the odd crash or hard lock, for the most part, the core of the game works well. There is definitely enjoyment to be had however, as all artistic aspects of Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom are beautiful, and the combat and platforming mechanics are solid.

The Walking Dead: The Telltale Definitive Series on Xbox One is a worthy send-off to one of gaming’s best stories and developers of the 2010s. With over 50 hours of content, improved frame rates and animations, and sentimental developer’s commentary, the collection is must-buy for anyone who hasn’t played these games before.

Trials Rising isn’t just another Trials instalment. It creates even more incredible fun with exciting and action packed tracks that never cease to both amaze and also infuriate in equal measures.

We’d use one word to sum up TUNIC: delightful. Few games will make you feel so skillful and clever, and fewer still will have the ability to slap a grin on your face.

NBA 2K18 succeeds in delivering truly addictive gameplay that is pretty easy to pick up for newcomers, while long-time players will enjoy mastering the advanced techniques.

Is there such a thing as too much Gears? I don’t think so, and that is proven with the release of Gears of War: Reloaded; a game that is as good as ever, slightly better looking than before, and now absolutely chock full of content.

Outer Wilds provides an incredible and imaginative solar system to explore, one that is filled with genuine mystery and wonder, immersive music and an imaginative sci-fi lore. Still, the issues in control, gameplay, and level design hamper the intended blissful exploration which it tries to build its premise around.

Desperados III on Xbox One does something very brave. It takes the pre-existing structure set almost 20 years before it and throws it out the window. Whilst it does feel like its predecessors, it is not afraid to strike out on its own and it does so wonderfully. Its music and atmosphere is phenomenal, its narrative is great, and its gameplay is just so rewarding and addictive. It really does stand out in its own right. Whether or not you’ve played the original is irrelevant: Desperados III is absolutely worth your time.

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.

Project Cars 2 is indeed a quality racer, one well worth the time of anyone looking for an ultra-realistic experience. Those coming in as casual racers may find the controls a little harsh, but the general nature of racing a high-performance car is certainly put into perspective, and that should be praised in any game looking to give a simulation experience.

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled on Xbox One is now undoubtedly the line in the sand; the new benchmark to beat that has left all its competitors’ way off in the distance.

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.

If you haven’t had a chance to play the original, this is the perfect time, but if you have previously played and liked it, and can’t see yourself going back, this won’t change your mind. Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition on Xbox is, quite frankly, the best way to play the game - but it won’t convince you to part ways with your funds if you were lukewarm on the original.

The Touryst is a great little vacation simulator with clean cube graphics, a fun little plotline, and plenty of minigames to check out. It’s a “byte” sized game that is good “bit” of fun.

AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES – Nirvana Initiative is a brilliantly bizarre sequel that attempts to right some wrongs and introduces a handful of great new ideas.

As a first foray onto Xbox consoles, Atelier Yumia: The Alchemist of Memories & The Envisioned Land does a stellar job. It looks stunning, and the strong mix of exploration, alchemy and combat all complement each other extremely well. At times it does feel the story beats are a bit too spaced out, and the world map is daunting to look at, but no two play sessions are the same.

Despite the massive overhaul to the battle system and more subtle changes elsewhere, TFBW feels like a very safe sequel to The Stick of Truth. It’s still a great journey with characters that fans of the show know and love, but I am unsure why this game was delayed so much when it appears to have re-used a lot of the assets from previous.

The story is a corker, bowling along at a fair old lick, and the way it all plays is great, with real tactics needed to win the later combat encounters. Sneaking people into place before getting the drop on a group of enemies never gets old. Add into the mix the multiplayer modes, getting friends in to help with tricky encounters, and the whole package found in Wasteland 3 on Xbox One is a big improvement on the previous game.

UNSIGHTED is a great game to play, especially when you consider the co-op mode, the Boss Rush mode and the Dungeon Raid you can take part in, and further to that, the amount of replayability based on choices you make is very good indeed. It’s only the slight imprecision in the combat that stops UNSIGHTED from getting a full score, and I can honestly recommend this to everyone.

The Curse of the Pharaohs rounds off a great Origins season pass with a big chunk of content. If you’re a fan of Origins then this package is a must buy.

Planet Coaster: Console Edition is quietly one of the best launch titles for the Xbox Series X|S, and made all the better by being available through Game Pass. For a park sim, it is incredibly easy to pick up and play as everything is explained and designed as this version was built up for consoles, as opposed to a simple port. The effort gone into that is noticeable in every single menu and button press; nothing is restricted by the controller.

If you have a reliable squad to run Elden Ring Nightreign with, then this is as easy a sell as the original Elden Ring, but I’m at a loss to understand why crossplay is not in place.

Prey is what you would expect to find should Bioshock and Dead Space cross paths. With a great story that is full of choice and multiple endings, a fantastic atmosphere and some of the most unique enemies seen in a horror game, this is one game that’s fully deserving of praise.

I have no hesitation in naming Gears 5 on Xbox One as a triumph. The story is amazing, the multiplayer works perfectly, and Horde and Escape are the cherries on the cake.

If you value your free time, or have a backlog of games to get through, then be warned: The Colonists can put you under the same magical spell as the original Settlers and ANNO. While its slowness can be occasionally irksome, particularly in the Campaign, it has a habit of dragging you back in. Book a week off, find a log cabin with wi-fi and no intrusions, and watch the time disappear.

Battlefield 6 is an immensely enjoyable game, especially when playing with friends. Yes, the campaign feels a bit rushed, but the multiplayer more than makes up for it, with superb new mechanics, a good range of maps and modes, and the joy of destructible environments.