Axiom Verge is a brilliant homage to the 'metroidvania' origins back in the 8-bit and 16-bit eras. Whilst the choice to be so uncompromising in its retro style might not suit everyone, the gameplay in the title remains compelling and manages to maintain that fine balance in the level of difficulty for being challenging for all players without becoming frustrating.

Each location is a memorable one and the progress made past each enemy, boss and area will spur you on to keep going to the end. Those who make it to the end will want to piece together all the lore that has unfolded, as well as revel in the awe-inspiring bosses, but first and foremost you will be happy that Dark Souls III and the Souls series remains untarnished as it comes to an epic close.

Seven years, four seasons, 19 episodes, and one studio closure have all come down to this. Thankfully, the final episode delivers a sendoff worthy of Clementine's arduous and emotional journey. Beautiful and tragic often at once, and thematically tight, Take Us Back is a finale the team can be proud of as they move to whatever is next, and the fans can cherish as the story comes to its end.

Aiming for the stars worked admirably for Obsidian Entertainment with this fantastic sci-fi RPG. There are elements of Obsidian's earlier work, especially Fallout: New Vegas which will delight longtime fans. Yet The Outer Worlds excels most when it has fun within its own unique identity. The wealth of lore and world-building details could be a little overwhelming for brand new players, but a little confusion early on shouldn't stop anyone from taking The Outer Worlds for a spin.

F1 2016 clearly shows that Codemasters are heading back towards the finest installments of the franchise.

Hogwarts Legacy is a magical experience that is bound to go down well with fans of the Wizarding World. Hogwarts and its surrounding areas are crafted in meticulous detail and give players a chance to truly explore some of the most wonderful aspects of the Harry Potter novels. Both open-world and Potter fans should feel right at home here, but anyone that dislikes having to clear a map of all landmarks is going to be in for a tough ride. Hogwarts Legacy is a fantastic addition to both the franchise and the RPG genre, and an adventure you won't soon forget.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a fantastic stealth game with an intriguing story (once it finally gets going) that Xbox Game Pass subscribers and fans of the original really shouldn't miss. Requiem's gorgeous, yet bleak and harrowing world is a joy to explore, and thanks to expanded combat and additional options that allow you to approach stealth sections in whatever way you see fit, the gameplay really is a step up over Innocence. A few performance issues, some slightly underbaked characters, and a constantly whispering Amicia do detract from the experience, but overall, Asobo has created a fantastic sequel here that demands a playthrough.

We are, after all, talking about a game that catapulted the battle royale genre from total obscurity into a genre that’s astronomically more popular than any other. A game doesn’t succeed in that without merit, and PUBG has it by offering a level of storytelling and gameplay intensity that is absolutely unmatched. PUBG is admittedly a game that’s poorly designed in many ways and sometimes even non-functional. It’s also admittedly one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had in my entire life.

You no longer have to wait for new episodes and you may not stress over your decisions if you now know what lies ahead, but for anyone who's managed to miss the series til now, and for its biggest fans, The Definitive Series is unquestionably the best version of the seven-year The Walking Dead saga.

Enter the Gungeon's excellent concept gets bogged down by serious performance issues. There is a lot to like here: the armory of unique and fun weapons and items, a variety of objectives to work toward, and convenient features like teleportation, automatic money collection, and the ability to reload while dive rolling. Every run can be worthwhile, which is a good feeling in a genre that is often so punishing. Unfortunately, the poor performance hinders the core gameplay too much for the Xbox One edition to be anything more than the worst version of an otherwise great game.

Project CARS 2 really does feel like Project CARS version 2.0 with virtually all aspects of the title having been polished and improved. All of the minus points and complaints from the previous title have been addressed, including the all-important playability with a standard controller. In single-player mode, Project CARS 2 has much more to offer than nearly every other title in the genre but this is undermined by the patchy and unpredictable multiplayer at this time. The combination of weather and the new LiveTrack 3.0 engine is simply superb. Each track becomes so much more alive, shining most in less than optimal racing conditions, leaving other track implementations feeling horribly static. Those who only want to race two or three laps at a time will miss the amazing changing track conditions, so this is a title that is for racers, for those more interested in the details of motorsport in general and a much more immersive experience. The title continues to push the genre forward and continues where other titles stop.

Housing a story that is both offensive, yet hilarious, ludicrous, yet serious is a rare achievement but this game accomplishes it. The overhauled combat also keeps strategy a key part of gameplay so tactical thinking is always rewarded.

While it doesn't stack up to PES on the pitch, everything else away from it makes FIFA 17 a worthwhile purchase for fans of the beautiful game.

Prey is a game that makes you question what you're seeing with your own eyes. The shooter caters to almost every playstyle by allowing players to extensively customise their character, choose the best course of action and make their own moral judgements. There are surprises hidden in almost every corner and the most rewards are given to players who take the time to explore the large environment that is Talos-1, both through physical rewards and the extra lore that is tucked away through optional interactions. If you prefer games that allow you to run and gun through a linear story then this isn't for you, but if you like to experience a game at your own pace and in your own way, you can't go wrong with Prey.

Explosive, dynamic, and gorgeous… Battlefield is back! Battlefield 6 hits all the right notes with multiplayer, setting the franchise up for a promising future after its previous blunder. While the single-player is a short experience following a similar story we’ve seen many times before, it introduces us to the brutal war bubbling between NATO and Pax Armata. Newcomers and veterans will find a lot to love about this latest shooter.

With its gorgeous visuals, cars that feel amazing on the track thanks to an excellent physics model, and an approachable and fresh RPG-like progression system that will get its hooks into most players that get behind the wheel, Forza Motorsport is easily one of the best racing games of the year.

While the gameplay and storyline certainly aren't lacking and will likely keep Gears fans amused, The Coalition seems reluctant to let the past go and to move on. Away from the campaign, there are tweaks to competitive multiplayer that include a couple of new game modes, but the real focus of the title is the improved Horde mode.

The story may well be confusing – especially for newcomers – and many characters are sadly lacking in depth, but that doesn’t detract from how fun shooting your way through the game’s fifteen missions is when playing solo and even more so with three friends.

Building on last year's already successful iteration, F1 2017 has been tweaked, polished and refined. On top of all that, a whole load of new content has been added making it feel that there are almost two games in one. There's more to motorsport than just driving speedily around tracks and this year's installment has done its best to capture this. The massively expanded research and development tree and the new engine management system bring an extra level of detail that might frustrate the more casual player but that no doubt delights true Formula 1 fans. The racing remains as good as ever for all levels of drivers and with all of the new championships and invitationals, short track variants and classic cars, there is plenty of racing to be done. In short, this is possibly the most complete F1 title for a long time, and arguably the best in the franchise.

F1 2018 is the best game in the series we've seen in this console generation. It is just about as complete an F1 experience as it can get without going into the realm of full-blown simulation both from the action and management side. The extra depth added by contracts, rivalries, media and team management may not be for those who just want to race, but diehard fans of the sport who follow the headlines day in and day out will have a sense that they are really being involved in a virtual version of the sport. Racing remains the core of the game and Codemasters has continued to make this accessible to all players regardless of their racing proficiency.

Battle Chasers: Nightwar is a magnificent success. At first glance, the beautiful visuals draw you with hopes the gameplay could match how excellent they look... and it does. The JRPG combat requires deep, tactical thought in nearly every battle as you push through your foes. Unlike most RPGs, even the random fights will often require some thinking to determine what to use to benefit you both in the current fight and in future fights, as resources are not always infinite. Bosses most of all can feel like epic battles where your strategy plays a key part in the process. Backed by strong character development and plenty of side content to keep you going, this is an RPG any fan of the genre would be a fool to miss. It's not perfect, but few games ever are. What's here is excellent and it comes highly recommended.

It’s fun, challenging, accessible and deep enough to keep this casual player around, and the few negatives can’t stand in the way of what makes the game so excellent. I’d recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest in the fighting genre, and especially to those like me who just want a fighting game that’s fun to play.

Frostpunk can be overhelming and would benefit from a longer tutorial, so it’s understandable if those new to the genre find it too tricky. But a well-conceived narrative and premise makes it worth picking up whether you’re new to the genre, or have years of city-building experience behind you.

If you're returning to Stoic's Saga then it's more of what you enjoyed, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. If you're a fan of the genre and new to the series, The Banner Saga 2 is absolutely worth your time, just make time for its predecessor first.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider comes just a year after the second game and even though it isn't given the numbered sequel treatment, it feels like a worthwhile final chapter to the Dishonored story arc, albeit brief in comparison. Introducing new abilities on top of the always remarkable level design is the game's strongest suit. Some small bugs disrupt the game and the last level doesn't feel as special as any that came before it. Still, if this is truly the last chapter, Death of the Outsider cements Dishonored as one of the best new franchises of the last ten years and places it among the most consistent trilogies ever seen in video games.

Overall, Tails of Iron ties together a beautiful medieval world with RPG mechanics and a brutal combat system for a challenging adventure RPG you’ll be thinking about long after you put the controller down. Combat is brutally difficult, but although you’ll often be left howling at a defeat, Tails of Iron’s charming world and in-depth combat customisation will have you back before long, ready to try again. Oh, and just one more time for good measure: Damn you, Clubba!

If you're a fan of Kinect, there's no reason why this game shouldn't be in your collection because FRU is a game that is testament to what could be achieved with Microsoft's peripheral.

Thimbleweed Park is a strange ride. It's compelling throughout, with a strange story full of eccentric characters coupled with some very competent and rewarding puzzle construction; arguably the best of its kind, even including the LucasArts classics. It takes a while to get going and stumbles on a few points along the way, particularly with its incessant fourth-wall breaking and a lack of meaningful engagement between the playable characters. As a lovingly-crafted piece of fan service, there are few games out there that can match the level of passion and community spirit on display here.