The game might stumble slightly on the way with occasional difficulty changes and linearity of some areas, but this will be quickly overshadowed by the many things the game gets right.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is an ambitious game that takes a huge leap in the right direction for the series by building on the solid foundations laid by last year's Origins. The world is stunning, the combat feels better than it has in any other game in the series, and the inclusion of choices both big and small impacts the world and creates a much deeper narrative experience. There are still some rough spots then need addressing in future titles, and some of the new additions don't work as well as they should, but Odyssey sets a new bar for what an Assassin's Creed game can be.

Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a fantastic entry into the platforming and Metroidvania genres. While it falls short in some areas, which can leave you feeling somewhat frustrated, the overall experience is a sequence of satisfaction-inducing challenges. As the first new entry into the franchise we've seen in some time, The Lost Crown is a fantastic place for Ubisoft to start, and I'd like to see more.

The simplistic design of the game makes it extremely easy to pick up and play for newcomers, while at the same time allowing players to develop their skill and understanding of the game through practice.

Both as a sequel and as a standalone game, Psychonauts 2 is superb. It's fresh, it's innovative, it's brilliantly presented and delivered, and it genuinely feels like the follow-up the original cult classic deserves. Stages flow fantastically on your first visit, and my only real complaint here would be that some can feel comparably rather bitty or unconnected when you return to them later to mop up things you may have missed, which couldn't really be avoided without forcing full replays, set pieces and all. It's an imaginative adventure that has been well worth the wait, and I'd encourage everyone to give it a go. If you think creativity is dead, you haven't played Psychonauts 2.

All in all, IO Interactive has stuck with what it knows best with Hitman 3: gorgeously crafted open playgrounds for the player to wreak slick and murderous havoc in. There’s not much new here if you’re a fan of the series, but IOI didn’t really need to introduce any new mechanics to what was already a fantastic stealth experience. Agent 47’s final outing of the trilogy is his best thanks to updated and improved visuals, a fitting end to the story, and more superb sandbox level design. Sure, it could have done with maybe a different couple of tutorial missions to keep things interesting for the Hitman vets and the achievement hunting community, but other than that, there’s not much else to fault with the game. Hitman 3 is a must-play for all gamers.

Pragmata is one of the best action games I've played in years, and I had so much fun playing it that my first instinct is to go back and play it all over again. Wonderfully designed with the hottest action around and a story that is almost certainly not going to get the credit it deserves, it's a marvel that I can see myself recommending to action game fans for decades to come.

With only a small range of licenses and a lacklustre editor, those that value authenticity, an entirely reasonable demand considering that the aim of these games is to recreate the sport to its fullest, may want to wait a few weeks to see how the new FIFA fares before making a purchase.

Titanfall 2 is everything for which you could possibly wish to find in a sequel, answering all of the negatives of its predecessor. While short in length, the campaign is an exhilarating ride that showcases everything that made the first game feel so refreshing, and the refined multiplayer will keep you consumed for months to come. This title is a must own for any first-person shooter fan.

Destiny 2 takes the groundwork set out by its predecessor and refines some of its rough edges, especially in terms of its plot. Bungie hasn't changed the fundamentals of the game but has made it feel a lot more accessible to new players. They've increasing the number of activities there are for players, although the grind does eventually set in. That said, it doesn't quite feel like a sequel. There isn't much in the way of brand new content — a lot of what has been added is the same as before but just repackaged in some way. The title does still have plenty of room to grow and if its life cycle is anything like that of the original Destiny, the game may look and feel different in two years time. With two expansions already on the horizon, we may even see a few changes in the very near future.

Blizzard Mountain's map may be small compared to the warmer parts of Australia, but there are enough new races and activities that are included to keep fans of the game busy. Forza Horizon 3 was already the pinnacle of racing games; the stunning new environment, refreshingly challenging handling and difficult weather conditions just highlight that fact even further. It is an essential purchase for anyone looking to expand their Forza Horizon 3 experience.

A refreshing absence of deck building and expansions puts the focus firmly on playing and having fun. Highly accessible gameplay hits a sweet spot where a parent could enjoy riotous duels with their children then move on to more intellectually stimulating gameplay after the kids have gone to bed. The game's greatest weakness is external, as the small player base limits opportunities for online play. It takes a while for the depth of the game to shine through, but it's worth putting in some time and effort to get there.

Monster Hunter Rise is a fantastic action game that will keep you busy for hundreds of hours, and the upgrades on Xbox compared to the Switch original are considerable. Veteran hunters might feel like the streamlining has been taken a little too far in places, but Rise does often manage to add different kinds of depth in new ways, even if series fans are unlikely to find too much of a challenge here outside of a few notable quests. The Rampage being something of a chore is a shame, especially with it being a key part of the narrative, but it is what it is and aside from the handful of required quests and a related achievement for running 50(!) of the damn things, you can largely ignore it and enjoy the series' more traditional hunts in typically enjoyable fashion.

Moment-to-moment gameplay in Halo Infinite feels fantastic, so it's just a bit of a shame that there isn't more to do with those tight mechanics right now. Multiplayer is superb but you likely already know that, and with that element being free-to-play anyway, there's a massive question mark hanging over whether that should even be considered part of the core experience. The open world setting both giveth and taketh away, but I think it works for the most part, and fair play to the team for trying something new. Right now, it's a damn good game... but when it eventually catches up to its ambitions, it could wind up being something much more impressive.

If you’re looking for deep combat and puzzles in a Zelda style, you’ll have to look elsewhere, but for anyone else, Okami offers a rich world that will undoubtedly leave you happy to have been in.

Dirt Rally is a true return to form for Codemasters' Dirt franchise and may be the company's best title to date.

Cuphead is likely to reveal its deliberate frustrations too late for some people. It's hard not to become infatuated with the game's visuals, leaving uninformed buyers lured in by those blatant strengths to discover only then that it revels in its own relentlessness. This, in turn, could leave some wanting a refund and needing a new controller or two. However, for those that go into it with a co-op partner and with the knowledge that its design is as unforgiving as it is beautiful, it will be a unique and rewarding game. Always unabating but never unfair, Cuphead is tough to overcome but even tougher to put down.

Pentiment is an artistic triumph, and a fantastic choice-based adventure game/RPG with a protagonist that you can genuinely mould to your liking to make everyone's experience with the game likely to turn up different versions of events. It's refreshing to play something so laser-focused on a single setting, and captivating to see how the town and its people change both with time and based on the events that play out around (and because of) Andreas.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is the franchise's best entry since The Last Crusade. Machine Games' "adventure-action" game is one of the most alluring experiences on Xbox and delivers one of the best games of the year. Despite a few small faults, it's an adventure that could entice an introvert to leave the house. To me, that warrants a perfect score for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle!

Mortal Kombat 11 has some design issues, but overall I enjoyed my time and I can sincerely say I'm looking forward to the inevitable sequel.

By far the biggest positive in RotTR is the platforming. This is an Action-Adventure title that leverages the Adventure over the Action. Crystal Dynamics has done a marvelous job constructing a veritable gymnasium of platforming pleasures for Lara to climb, swing, and jump through.

Inevitably, comparisons will be drawn with Dirt Rally, which is something I've deliberately avoided to this point. When stacking one against the other, it feels like Dirt Rally is the elder, more scholastic, and slightly serious sibling. Dirt 4 on the other hand, is the younger, outgoing sibling who, whilst not exactly bouncing off the walls, still knows how to have a little fun. It allows for an awesome and technical approach if you find yourself among those who crave the purest racing simulation worthy of Codemasters' reputation, but Dirt 4 now invites others less experienced to the table with alternate driving modes. They have listened to the critiques of their previous games and created a rally game that truly is for everyone.

Turn 10 Studios has created a title with extremely high production values, a highly polished, extremely playable and as much fun as all of the previous titles in its illustrious history. Fans will love the racing experience, which is as good as ever. The new dynamic weather brings an extra challenge to those willing to brave it, and the new driving gear brings an extra level of personalisation allowing fans to express themselves even more than before. Fans will also be happy to see the return of particular circuits, including Mugello, Suzuka and the newly embellished Maple Valley, and with a potential garage of 700+ cars, there will be something for everyone, including those who want to race trucks — where else will you get that opportunity? For now, Forza Motorsport 7 remains the benchmark for console racing and it will be seventh heaven for all Forza fans everywhere.

With publishers regularly being satisfied with only the most basic of upgrades in remasters, it's not too surprising that the developers have scrimped on some of the potential that this version of Dark Souls could truly accomplish. Despite this, it's still a fantastic game and it is well worth reliving once again or experiencing for the first time.

With a game design that encourages players to invest in its numerous complex, rewarding, and addictive systems, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection proves itself to be one of the finest JRPGs around. Small quibbles about its writing and combat aside, you'll find few games out there can match its quality. Just don't try to rush it. Enjoy it over a few months' worth of shorter gaming sessions — you'll soon find it comfortably becoming one of your favorites.

OlliOlli World takes the tight, rewarding gameplay of its simple predecessors, dresses it up in a beautifully colourful and quirky new art style, and layers on a bunch of new systems that make it even more satisfying to master. It's a masterclass in how to make score attack games that can have players attack the same spot for hours at a time in search of those vital few points that would give them the lead over a rival, with dozens of awesome hand-crafted levels and countless procedural ones on which to chase those big numbers. The manual dexterity required coupled with the breakneck pace of the game can be a little scary at first, but once muscle memory starts to kick in and you find yourself going for timely tweaks and greedy grabs without even knowing you're doing it, you will have finally transcended and achieved Gnarvana. Now, just one more run...

Black Ops 4 is one of the most packed Call of Duty experiences to release in years. Multiplayer could still use some balance and spawn tweaking, Specialist HQ's implementation flopped, and there are still bugs to be addressed. Nonetheless, there is something here that feels like the biggest step in the right direction the Call of Duty series has taken in a long time.

Assassin's Creed Shadows feels like a rejuvenated new entry for the series: more polished, more streamlined, and more feasible in terms of completion than some of the recent games. I appreciated how quickly this game gets going — especially when compared to slower openings, like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. It still boasts a massive open world, something which those older games struggled to make as rewarding to explore as they could have been, but I'm itching to see everything Shadows has to offer. It really does feel like that feudal Japan setting is more worth the wait.