With a fast-paced and addictive gameplay loop, not to mention a solid amount of multiplayer content to keep things feeling fresh, I can see myself coming back to NWC: NES Edition time and time again, even if it’s just to shave a millisecond from my reigning records.

While the game suffers from a lack of 3D, Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is still tons of fun to play, keeping younger gamers entertained with its accessible gameplay whilst older players will find tons of collectables and an exciting multiplayer mode to keep them occupied.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door may not be anywhere near as ambitious as other modern remakes such as Final Fantasy 7 and Resident Evil 4, but it didn’t really need to be. This is a fantastic and faithful remake for the Nintendo Switch, with enhanced visuals and reworked music breathing new life into this GameCube classic.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a great option for young children who want a casual collectathon to sink their baby teeth into without fear of any difficulty spikes halting their progress. The variety of stages and abilities also helps to keep the experience fresh, while simultaneously never becoming so complicated to prove intimidating or confusing. That said, a lot of the inventive mechanics do feel undeveloped, lacking the required time to be fully explored. The low difficulty ceiling, even with collecting every single collectible, will likely put off older gamers – especially with the likes of Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Yoshi’s Crafted World doing a greater job of pleasing multiple audiences.

Super Mario RPG is a gorgeous reimagining of the SNES classic thanks to the highly detailed 3D animations. Those looking for a dose of nostalgia will be pleased that this is an extremely faithful remake, with just enough tweaks to make it more accessible to a new generation of gamers without diluting the magic of the original.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage is a condensed version of the modern Assassin’s formula. That may disappoint some who hoped for something that felt new while also significantly harkening back to the series’ past. Stealth does get a boost, alongside occasional engaging narrative and characters, but there’s plenty of padding that dampens the fun.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a fantastic addition to the franchise. Every level is bursting with personality and the fantastical new power-ups and abilities offer a lot more motivation to look further into every nook and cranny. The characters are a joy to control and all the platforming elements feel seamless. The Wonder Flowers are a very welcome addition, adding a lot more dimension to what I would previously call a very cookie-cutter experience. The only downside – if you can really call it that – is that Wonder can’t exactly stand alongside its peers in terms of storytelling or sheer size. Super Mario Bros. Wonder doesn’t break the mould for 2D platformers, but it has built upon what came before wonderfully and I would highly recommend this game to anyone looking for a calm, cosy experience on the Switch.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is exactly what you want from a sequel, building upon the web-swinging traversal and thrilling combat with numerous upgrades, while also making the most of the PS5's cutting-edge hardware for improved visuals and instantaneous loading. The story is excellent too, with one of the best on-screen adaptations of Venom to date. If you're a Spider-Man fan, this is an essential purchase for PS5 owners.

Starfield is an excellent RPG in the same mould as Skyrim and Fallout, but with a sci-fi spin. It features a deep skill tree and rewarding side quests to eat up your free time, as well as fantastic gunplay. But it hasn’t quite reached the high expectations for space exploration, with technical limitations and countless bland planets making the journey into the stars a rather mundane one.

As a successor to the hugely popular Final Fantasy 15, Final Fantasy 16 leaves a bitter taste in the mouth. Sure, the crucial elements of a Final Fantasy game are all present and accounted for – engaging boss battles full of impressive visual effects, fluid combat and an interesting storyline – but for every win, there’s a massive fail, be it the bland semi-open world devoid of much to do or the frankly uninspired never-ending list of fetch-style side quests. Charming voice acting, a plethora of twists and turns and Hollywood-esque cut scenes helped keep me entertained through the majority of the 40-hour campaign, but once it was over, I was done. There was no urge to explore the semi-open world or even dive into the new Game+ mode. It’s very much a one-and-done affair, which hasn’t been the case for previous Final Fantasy titles I’ve played.

My love for Pikmin 4 only grew stronger the more I played. This is a great Pikmin entry to delve into as a newcomer and all the new features and characters should offer enough of a change to seasoned Pikmin players. The animation is incredibly endearing and creates a wonderful atmosphere throughout the game. The creepier sections may be too overwhelming for very young players but will be highly appreciated by older gamers. If you don’t mind a breezy game that doesn’t offer up much of a challenge, I implore you to check out Pikmin 4 and see what these cutesy little creatures have to offer.

Resident Evil 4 Remake not only does right by its original source of inspiration, but it also sets a high bar for what modern day remakes can be. All components of the story have been finetuned into a more well-thought out package, and that’s before mentioning the game’s full use of today’s graphical prowess to deliver a more terrifying interpretation of rural Spain. The core gameplay also retains what made it so great back in the day, but with modern amenities such as a parrying system, quick-select for weapons and the ability to run. And despite the new improvements, the increased aggressiveness of the enemies ensures that the game never feels like a cakewalk. I don’t know who still needs to be convinced at this point, but Resident Evil 4 is a masterpiece that I cannot recommend enough.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom doesn’t stray too far away from the hugely successful template of Breath of the Wild. But by reinforcing its predecessor’s strength for experimentation with the new building mechanics, while also telling an engaging story and opening up new locations to explore, this is a perfect sequel to the greatest game to ever grace the Nintendo Switch.

Dead Island 2 has been long in the making, but it might’ve been a little too long. Various aspects of the game, from the semi-open world to the tongue-in-cheek characters are reminiscent of zombie titles from 8-10 years ago and do little to reinvent the overly-used zombie trope. The only real saving grace is the combat, which when paired with the gory flesh system provides visceral, satisfying melee combat that’ll keep you entertained throughout the otherwise dull campaign.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a faithful adaptation of the Game Boy Advance classic, with charming 3D visuals giving it a welcome facelift. With the gameplay mechanics largely untouched 22 years after the release of the original however, Advance Wars feels rusty and basic compared to more modern strategy games on the Nintendo Switch.

Metroid Prime’s core game design hasn’t aged too well in the years since its original release, but in this Remastered version, its visuals and sense of atmosphere have never been better, making it an easy one to recommend for Metroid fans already familiar with the series’ quirks.

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe, a remake of the Wii classic, is everything you want a Kirby game to be: colourful, adorable, and tons of fun. While hardcore gamers may be after more of a challenge, casual and younger players should dive head-first into Planet Popstar to see what it has to offer.

Horizon Call of the Mountain has set a new benchmark for VR games. Rather than trying to shoehorn classic game mechanics into the VR format, Guerrilla Games and Firesprite have rebuilt the likes of combat and climbing from scratch to result in a wonderfully immersive experience. This is one of the absolute best VR games I’ve ever played, and is a must-have purchase for anyone who buys a PlayStation VR 2 headset.

Fire Emblem Engage feels like a love letter to loyal fans of the series, providing pangs of nostalgia with recognisable characters, as well as an even deeper combat system that builds upon already solid foundations. Engage isn’t the best entry point into the series, and is rather shallow in terms of story and character development, but the combat is enjoyable enough alone to keep players engrossed until the end.

God of War Ragnarök is a spectacular sequel, retaining the same ultra-satisfying combat as its predecessor, but with a more grandiose story to boot.

FIFA 23 is a modest final hurrah for one of the most iconic game series of all time. It feels like EA Sports is saving the big advances for its EA Sports FC replacement coming next year, with FIFA 23 only offering marginal flourishes of something great and a lot of repetition. On the pitch, the game of football is good – better in many ways than FIFA 22. Animations are smooth and varied, there’s more free-flowing action and more variety in player types. Yet, everything else feels half-baked. Career mode is, to put it mildly, awful and Ultimate Team remains a cash grab that’s only for those willing to put far too much into it. The commentary is equally terrible, and while the larger focus on the women’s game is great, it‘s too limited.

Bayonetta 3 is the third instalment of the series, featuring new playable characters and a wide array of beautifully designed monsters. The ability to control Demon Slaves is endlessly fun and running around as Bayonetta feels very fulfilling. While this game does have its flaws, I think it’s a hack-and-slash that almost anyone can play.

Mario and Rabbids Sparks of Hope provides the same enjoyable turn-based combat as its predecessor, with some minor tweaks to make it more accessible to a wider audience. A greater focus on the Rabbids opposed to the Mushroom Kingdom feels like a backwards step though, with the slapstick crossover comedy failing to sparkle this time around.

Splatoon 3 feels like a fresh coat of paint for the series, with a new story mode as well as additional weapons, stages and enemies. With the main multiplayer modes largely unchanged compared to Splatoon 2, series veterans may feel aggrieved that there aren’t any substantial upgrades or new game modes. But Splatoon 3 still offers spades of fun and will no doubt be one of the leading multiplayer titles on the Nintendo Switch.

Even though it doesn’t provide the gameplay overhaul that some gamers were no doubt anticipating, The Last of Us Part 1 is still the best way to enjoy one of the most intelligent and well designed games of recent memory. The updated visuals helps to breathe new life into the story, and the world it presents has never felt more immersive. And that’s before considering the plethora of accessibility features on hand, enabling swathes of gamers to play the game for the first time and see what all the fuss is about.

I can understand Volition wanting to reboot the Saints Row series given the original launched all the way back in 2006. But the latest entry feels like a backwards step for the developer, with this release misses out on the over-the-top satirical humour that made the series so beloved. As a result, Saints Row now feels like a mediocre open-world action game, becoming just like all of the games at which the series used to poke fun. Mission objectives are bland and repetitive, while the story is boring and lacks cohesion. Worst of all, the slapstick jokes rarely land and are arguably more cringeworthy than they are funny. You can still have fun if you simply want mindless chaotic action, but I’d argue you’d have a better time with the likes of CyberPunk 2077 or even Saints Row The Third Remastered.

Two Point Campus is a fantastic simulation game that blends together management, quirky graphics and interesting characters to create a unique experience. With intuitive creation tools and a satisfying finance system, you’ve got everything you need to make your dream campus.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a great action RPG with an outstanding story. The characters are likeable with engaging arcs, while the cut scenes offer jaw-dropping spectacle. Combat is enjoyable enough, although the introduction of larger parties and swappable character classes both have major drawbacks, which can make fighting enemies feel repetitive halfway through this lengthy adventure.

There’s definitely a lot to love about F1 2022, whether it’s the revamped physics engine and clever AI, or the incredible levels of detail on tracks and in the cockpit. The inclusion of F1 Life as a main social hub is an interesting move and adds a new arcade-type dynamic to what is traditionally more of a sim title, while the addition of supercars adds a fun element alongside staples such as race weekends and a practically unchanged career mode. It’s really the little things that make F1 2022 such a great game with little flecks of extra realism added to a tried-and-tested formula and while it isn’t perfect, it’s definitely a shining entry.

Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a fantastic game. While I may have found the beginning to be a little slow, once the battles pick up there are hours of fun to be had. The button-mashing technique is simple but thrilling and will please anyone that enjoys racking up large combos. Hacking and slashing through enemies feels rewarding, and the added strategic element allows for experimentation in how you take on each battle. And ignoring the awkward camera, the style of the game is wonderful to look at, with each playable character having their own distinctive style and aesthetic. This game has ignited a love for Fire Emblem that I didn’t even know I had, and I think this is a great choice for anyone after a new Switch game.

Mario Strikers: Battle League Football offers a fantastic and typical Nintendo spin on football, with thrilling gameplay and a high skill ceiling likely appealing to a large crowd. However, the lack of fleshed-out single player modes is a big disappointment, and so is only really worth the outlay if you’re willing to engage with the online multiplayer.

In lieu of a direct sequel to Until Dawn, The Quarry packs almost everything that fans could have asked for. The game’s longer opening and more intricate mystery ensure that the characters and the narrative are far more compelling this time around, and while the game doesn’t pack quite as many scares are Until Dawn, it’s easily a far more polished product. If it wasn’t for a few cheap deaths, issues with the Death Rewind mechanic and the abrupt nature of the ending, the game would be held in much higher esteem. But even with those problems, I can easily recommend The Quarry to almost any gamer out there.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a triumph and everything fans hoped it would be. For Star Wars fanatics, the love of the source material can be found in the game’s countless details, and it’s hard to imagine a more polished Lego title than this. Even if you’re a complete novice to the world of Lego Star Wars, the game is so much fun as a co-op adventure that you’ll soon come to love it. Not since It Takes Two have I enjoyed spending so much time in a digital world.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an absolute joy to play. The dozens of copy abilities keep combat engaging right to the end, while the focus on collectables and puzzles makes up for the lack of intricate platforming. The low difficulty may put off older players looking for a challenge, and it isn’t quite as ambitious as the likes of Mario and Zelda, but this is still a thoroughly enjoyable adventure that’s brimming with charm.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is one of the most innovative titles the series has seen in a long time, with the new game mechanics and features making me wonder how I’ve ever played another Pokémon game. Game Freak created a great story that puts you in a position you’ve never been in before, with more quirky characters and hours of fun, with over one hundred side quests to boot. The main thing that lets down Arceus are the graphics, which are overly simple and bland for a Pokémon game, and downright depressing when compared to any other Switch title.

One of the more accessible and engaging entries in the series, Gran Turismo 7 offers tremendous breadth of features and an excellent driving experience in a very polished package. As a driving experience, GT7 glides along fabulously – it’ll make a virtual petrolhead out of you.

Elden Ring is a fantastic RPG for any hardcore gamer looking for a new world to explore. Combat is weighty and takes place in a wonderfully intriguing world full of dungeons to explore and monsters to battle. The only downside is that its high difficulty will be a stumbling block that will continue to put some players off, despite the improved accessibility that comes with the open-world format.

All in all, Battlefield 2042 has been a real labour of love for me. The initial launch was remarkably underbaked, but I can’t deny the enjoyment that comes from firing a rocket launcher into a tornado. This may not be the best FPS multiplayer game available, and there are still plenty of issues that need ironing out, but there are occasionally some thrilling moments that you won’t be able to experience in the likes of Call of Duty or Fortinte. It remains frustrating having to pay full price for a multiplayer game, but if you’re already a fan of the franchise and don’t mind missing out on the campaign, you’ll likely enjoy yourself here. The nostalgic aspect of Portal mode will also draw fans in, and of course, the 4K graphics make it very pretty game, even if it has its cracks.

Horizon Forbidden West is a superb sequel, adding even more robot monsters to slay while introducing a deep crafting and upgrade system that creates a rewarding Monster Hunter-style gameplay loop. Platforming still feels clunky and there are a few annoying technical issues at launch, but this is still one of the best first-party games to arrive on PS5 yet.

Dying Light 2 features a co-op system that lets you play alongside a friend for the majority of the campaign. I was unfortunately unable to try out this feature during the review process. It’s also worth pointing out that there isn’t a PvP mode here, unlike the original game, although Techland has promised that unspecified post-launch content is in the works.

Rainbow Six Extraction is a great co-op shooter, seeing you take on hordes of aliens in squads of three. There’s a wide selection of character abilities and upgrades here, with rewarding level progression to boot, but the limited content on offer at launch fails to justify the steep cost, leaving Extraction feeling more like an expansion pack than an independent entry in the Rainbow Six series.

Football Manager 2022 is the best entry in the series yet, building on the superb foundations that came before it. There haven’t been many major improvements for on-pitch tactics, but the likes of staff meetings, the data hub and expanded deadline days all help to make the experience even more immersive to keep up with the modern duties of a head coach.

For those fans who are after a stab of off-road simulation, there’s plenty about WRC 10 that grips your attention, with plenty of love and care put into delivering an authentic driving experience that measures up to the 50 years of World Rally Championship racing. But it’s also a game with a few ‘off the road’ decisions that puncture parts of the experience.

Forza Horizon 5 is a marvel of a game and a standout title on the Xbox Series X. It’s a near-perfect racing and exploration game that looks stunning, plays like a dream, and just begs to be played over and over again.

Halo Infinite is at its best when sticking to the basics. The shooting feels fantastic, especially when paired with the new Grappleshot, and its story is well written and engaging, even if it lacks an epic conclusion to sign off the 343 Industries trilogy in style. But while I’m happy to see 343 Industries experimenting with new ideas, I’m not a fan of the open-world format, which feels generic and features repetitive objectives. Fortunately, this doesn’t negatively impact the more linear missions, so you’re still getting the classic Halo experience for the most part. It’s the multiplayer that’s the main highlight for Halo Infinite though. It doesn’t really bring anything new to the series, but its superb gunplay and simplicity make it hugely enjoyable.

Call of Duty: Vanguard does have its moments, even if they are quite few and far between. The campaign goes back and forth between innovative and entertaining, to repetitive and bland, while the Multiplayer and Zombie modes don’t bring anything new to the table other than how impressive they look.

Mario Party Superstars is an enjoyable package of some of the very best mini games in the series’ history. Like with most Mario Party games, it’s best played with a group of friends as the CPU simply isn’t that fun to play with, and relies too much on randomness in order for it to be hugely enjoyable when playing against strangers online. You could make the case that Superstars feels like a backwards step for the Mario Party series with the limited number of boards, lack of character-specific features and omission of motion-control mini games, but it’s still a hugely enjoyable experience when playing in a large group with friends and family.

After stumbling out the gate with last year’s Avengers, Square Enix has managed to steady the ship with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. For the story alone, the game is well-worth playing, but it’s the abundance of lore, well-written dialogue and gorgeous locales that elevate it as one of the best Marvel games to date. If the game’s combat bore a tad more finesse, and if some of the glitches had been ironed out before launch then Guardians would be more in line with the quality we’ve seen from Marvel’s Spider-Man, but the game has shown that Square Enix can make the most of the license when steered in the right direction. I’m now very excited to see what the company can do next.

Back 4 Blood is an excellent co-op zombie shooter, with a card-based perk system and wonderfully satisfying gunplay building upon the fantastic foundations of the Left 4 Dead series. But if you’re planning on playing solo you may want to stay clear, with a design clearly optimised for multiplayer.

Metroid Dread perfects the metroidvania formula that its predecessors established, while also elevating the series to new heights with highly rewarding combat, stunning 3D cutscenes and new stealth segments that provide greater variety to the gameplay. It won’t be for everyone due to its high difficulty and a lack of accessibility options, but this is nevertheless one of the best games in the Nintendo Switch library. If you’re a fan of Super Metroid, you’ll love it.

Alan Wake Remastered does a decent job of updating Remedy’s classic survival horror to look like a current generation game. The only minor quibble I have is that, given its focus on light vs dark, Ray Tracing is an odd omission. This, plus its stellar writing, which has aged surprisingly well make it a great game for any player yet to experience Alan Wake.

There are a number of welcome changes in FIFA 22. The gameplay is more rewarding and the animations are finally interesting. There’s more intricacy to build-up play and often a much more satisfying finish. But there’s also no getting around the large number of bugs, the fairly modest improvements in various game modes and the continued focus on paying to win in FUT. FIFA 22 is certainly more Europa Conference League than Champions League.

Deathloop is one of the most innovative games from a major publisher that I’ve ever played, using the time loop mechanic to fantastic effect. With lots of clever puzzles and engaging combat, as well as a genius multiplayer element, this is one of the best games of 2021 yet.

Deck Nine and Square Enix took a gamble when ditching the episodic blueprint for Life is Strange: True Colors. But the decision has paid off, delivering one of the series’ more refined entries to date, and one that isn’t hampered by needless padding. Even though it’s held back slightly by one too many glitches, Haven Springs is a joy to explore, and Alex’s journey of grief and the importance of expressing your emotions is one that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Nearly two decades after its first entry, the WarioWare series still knows how to keep things feeling fresh, but the series’ chaotic bombardment of micro-games is as addictive as ever. While the experience might not be as rich as say The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Odyssey, Get it Together! is still tons of fun to play.

Sonic Colors Ultimate is a faithful remake of the 2010 game that you’ll probably enjoy if you’re either a dedicated Sonic fan or a child that doesn’t mind the easy difficulty and childish dialogue. Otherwise, there’s not much to love here, with floaty gameplay and an unengaging story.

I had a lot of fun with Humankind, with its deep city building mechanics keeping me glued to the screen for hours on end. But with its unique multi-culture mechanic failing to improve upon solid foundations set by other turn-based titles, I’m unsure why anyone would choose to play Humankind over the likes of Civilization VI. That said, with a fantastic combat system and its unique core concept, Humankind has lots of potential to develop into a more competitive title in the strategy genre, so keep an eye out for future updates and DLC.

Psychonauts 2 is a fun, endearing puzzle platformer full of quirky challenges and entertaining dialogue. If you’re a fan of the original, or just enjoy platformers, Psychonauts 2 is a great purchase. The only downside is that its graphics and combat mechanics can feel a little outdated.

There were times during my playthrough of Mario Golf: Super Rush where I really got into the fun of golf, analysing the details of a course and fist-bumping the air when a shot went exactly like I planned it. But these moments were bogged down by a lack of content and a truly disappointing single-player campaign. Super Rush might appeal to some, but for the majority of Switch owners, I’d recommend skipping Mario’s latest trip to the links.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a fantastic remake, with Nintendo elevating the visuals and adding many quality-of-life improvements. The introduction of physical controls is the best addition, providing a secondary option for those who despise motion controls. With some of the best dungeons in the series, and a unique take on combat, Skyward Sword HD is a must-play for Zelda fans and Switch owners.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart is one of the best entries in the series yet, with gripping chaotic shootouts, exhilarating platforming and a charming story. Thanks to the extra firepower of the PS5, there are also lots of next-gen upgrades to enjoy from the jaw-dropping 4K visuals to the immersive DualSense feedback. This is a must buy for PS5 owners.

Biomutant is a charming open-world RPG that is blatantly aimed at children, with a low difficulty level and overly cutesy tone that will likely put off older gamers. Combat is fun with a large range of craftable weapons and mutant powers at your disposal, but boring puzzles and a barebones story means there isn’t much else here to keep you captivated.

Resident Evil Village is a great horror game that is sure to delight newcomers and old fans of the series. The horror setting has moments that are genuinely terrifying and the game’s narrative feels suitably satisfying, and grotesque, to entice fans of the genre. The only downside is that its increased focus on combat can make it feel a little too easy, even when played on the normal difficulty setting. If you’re looking to experience the true horrors on offer here, I suggest you crank up the difficulty.

If you have a PS5 then you need Returnal. The game will absolutely trounce you with everything it’s got, but once the mechanics start to resonate and the overarching narrative gradually falls into place then it becomes near-impossible to put down. Returnal sets a new standard in the roguelike genre.

Outriders does a decent job outgrowing its reputation as a third person Destiny clone. Offering solid shooting mechanics, a surprisingly meaty story campaign and fun and intuitive character development system it earns a place as one of the best third person shooters to arrive this year. The only downside is that technical issues hinder a lot of the endgame’s funnest parts.

It Takes Two is one of the best co-op games I’ve ever experienced, and if you’re on the lookout for a great platforming adventure that you can play with a friend or spouse, then I can’t recommend it enough. Sweetening the deal even further is the fact that only one person needs to own the game for two people to play it online. You can’t ask for anything more than that.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is both a welcome return for a platforming classic and a novel expansion of what made the game so special back on the Wii U. There’s a solid chance that millions of players missed out on its excellence back in 2013, so now is the perfect time to take it for a spin.

Little Nightmares 2 is a fantastic horror game full of clever puzzles, haunting encounters and one of the most atmospheric settings I’ve experienced since Limbo. But a few unforgiving elements and AI quirks can make it more frustrating than fun to pay.

The Medium is an enjoyable survival horror that's held back by a lacklustre narrative and a signature mechanic that never reaches its full potential…Even with Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka's score ringing across its twisted soviet world, Bloober Team's latest project pales in comparison to the legends that came before it.

Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends and the Secret Fairy is a brilliant sequel that expands upon everything that made the original great, while forging a path forward that can be further expanded upon in the trilogy's final chapter.

At the heart of Control Ultimate Edition – Cloud Version is a great game; it should be enjoyed by fans of the action genre or, indeed, fans of Remedy Entertainment's previous titles. The problem is that by pivoting Control to the cloud gaming model, there are numerous issues to consider, including wait times, downgraded graphics and occasional audio-sync issues. If this is your only means of playing Control then there's a chance you could look past these problems and enjoy the core product, but I'd recommend the other versions of the game any day.

Hitman 3 is an accomplished conclusion to IO Interactive’s stealth trilogy, even if it fails to reach the ambition set out by its narrative, often losing focus on what made it so special in the first place...Look past such flaws and you’ll find the murderous shenanigans intact, continuing to offer a superbly engaging experience that encourages you to play levels again and again in search of the perfect recipe for assassination.

Fans of classic brawlers really can't go wrong with Scott Pilgrim vs The World: The Game – Complete Edition. It's gorgeous, satisfying to play, and has a positively banging soundtrack from pop/rock band Anamanaguchi that stands the test of time wonderfully.

This is a great exercise experience for Nintendo Switch that makes excellent use of its motion controls, although the game doesn't introduce quite enough changes to stand out from its predecessor.

CD Projekt Red has created a triumphant RPG experience with Cyberpunk 2077, yet it often falls under the weight of its own ambition…Exploring Night City is an unparalleled joy, depicting a dystopian world with an unmatched level of detail in the genre. I lost myself for hours, but such immersion also unveiled a number of deeper issues with its lacklustre themes and problematic writing.

As DONTNOD’s first self-published game, the effort that’s gone into Twin Mirror’s world building should be commended. Between the added gameplay elements introduced by The Double and Sam’s Mind Palace, not to mention the colourful cast of characters living in Basswood, Twin Mirror had my attention from the get-go, but its short length prevents it from delivering an emotional journey comparable with anything the studio has done before.

Football Manager 2021 is a winner and a real worthwhile upgrade not only for those who played the previous game but also those who might have lapsed in recent years. This is the most realistic version yet, with deeper player interaction and more varied communications with your team and key staff making you feel even more like a real manager.

If you’re after an open world experience that’s a little different from Ubisoft’s usual output, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a colourful adventure worth considering. Using Breath of the Wild as its blueprint, this is a mythical adventure with plentiful charm and enough distinct ideas of its own to stand out. It’s a shame that the lacklustre narrative and archaic approach to the genre holds it back from true greatness. Despite such shortcomings, this gorgeously refreshing take on Greek Mythology is crammed with creativity across its impactful combat, engaging puzzle design and lovable cast of characters. As a new franchise, I can only see it growing stronger in the years to come.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is an enjoyable action romp and a worthwhile expansion of the Breath of the Wild universe. Those hoping for a deep narrative expansion of the universe will be underwhelmed, but being able to spend more time with these wonderful characters is more than enough to leave you satisfied.

Godfall currently feels very familiar: it unashamedly borrows the loot system that made Destiny and Borderlands great, attempting to mix it with hardcore Souls-like melee combat. In the first few hours, this makes the game feel a little dull. But the core mechanics feel well built and could act as a stable base for the game’s more interesting character building and co-op dynamics, of which I’ve currently only scratched the surface. [Review in Progress]

Demon’s Souls is a masterpiece. Bluepoint Games has crafted a beautiful remake that embodies everything that made the original experience so special, maintaining all of its vital elements while building upon everything that matters. This can proudly join Breath of the Wild as one of the best launch games of all time.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is a solid entry in the blockbuster franchise that looks stunning on next-gen consoles. While its campaign fails to deliver on its potential, it still takes you on a thrilling tale of explosive espionage as you uncover the true identity of Perseus. Combine this with an old-school multiplayer component and expanded Zombies mode and you’ve got a shooter experience I can easily recommend.

It seems fitting that after a long absence, it’s the original pioneers of the rhythm genre that are now bringing it back with full force into the 2020s. Much like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, Fuser seems simple enough at first, but while those past titles stopped short of actually teaching you how to play an instrument, Fuser goes that extra mile by giving you the tools that a professional DJ would have at their disposal...Harmonix has finally made good on the concept of music mixing offered up by its DropMix card game some years ago, creating a gameplay loop that’s immensely satisfying to play and incredibly addictive once you understand the mechanics. Time to get the sparklers out – the rhythm genre is back.

Melody of Memory is a loving homage to the legacy of Kingdom Hearts, aiming to honour almost two decades of absurd excellence whilst also forging a new path forward. If any franchise is going to make a rhythm game an integral part of its overall plot, it's Kingdom Hearts, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Dirt 5 isn’t the next-gen technical showcase you were probably hoping for, but its excellent off-road tracks are an absolute delight to race on while superb modes such as Arcade, Playgrounds and Online/Offline multiplayer provide enough gas in the tank for numerous revisits.

Bugsnax is a strange, satisfying and utterly engrossing journey into another world – one that is never afraid to embrace its stranger side even if it means leaving your mouth agape in amazed confusion. While the act of capturing and eating Bugsnax is a frequent delight, the finer qualities of Young Horses’ latest outing comes in its story and characters. Underneath the otherworldly designs sits a beating heart of close-knit relationships and relatable issues I found myself growing immeasurably fond of.

Assassins Creed Valhalla is hugely enjoyable entry to the series, offering an enthralling Viking RPG experience with super-satisfying combat and exploration of medieval England. However, as a consequence the series has drifted away from its stealth roots, giving the Creed series an identity crisis.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a brilliant expansion of Insomniac's beloved superhero adventure from 2018. It shows why Miles Morales is the franchise's greatest strength, while also proving how much of an impact the next generation will have on visuals and performance. If you're picking up a PS5, this is essential.

In the modern landscape it's easy to believe we've seen everything the medium has to offer, but then a title such as Astro's Playroom comes along and redefines all previous conventions. It's pure platforming excellence and hopefully spells a bright future for one of Sony's finest current mascots.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is a triumph, and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio should be commended for redefining such a seasoned franchise, despite the backlash it might have received. Leaving Kazuma Kiryu behind hasn't been easy, but Ichiban Kasuga and company have crafted a compelling path into the future that I cannot wait to see continue.

As a short, enjoyable romp that can be shared with friends either locally or online, Little Hope is worth the price of admission. The title's move to more accessible gameplay ensures that it can be enjoyed by a wider audience without issue, and the visual prowess of its characters is second to none. In both scares and narrative however, Little Hope doesn't come close to matching the same heights reached by Until Dawn, meaning that true horror lovers should probably look elsewhere.

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is yet another stellar adventure that will find a welcome second home on Nintendo Switch, and I sincerely hope that it attracts both newcomers and hardcore fans alike.

Watch Dogs Legion is an enjoyable open-world adventure that provides you with a beautiful vision of dystopian London to explore, but its ambitious mechanics simply don’t reach the heights I was hoping for.

Star Wars: Squadrons is the dogfighting experience in the iconic sci-fi universe we've been waiting for, and the game is supremely passionate about making this something that genre veterans and hesitant newcomers can enjoy with minimal obstacles.

Frictional Games has crafted one of the finest survival horror experiences in recent memory with Amnesia: Rebirth. It never forgets what made the original so compelling, placing as much importance on the haunting things you can't see as it does on the ghastly monsters placed front and centre. However, tired horror conventions occasionally shatter the terrifyingly atmospheric immersion, holding this new Amnesia entry back from excellence.

Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is an excellent platformer, and carefully builds upon the legacy established by Naughty Dog so many years ago.

FIFA 21 is an often great football game packed with content and modes. The few gameplay tweaks that are here make for a better overall experience and keeping Volta around adds some variety. Sadly, the redesign of career mode focuses on the wrong features and feels like a wannabe Football Manager without any of the depth.

If you’ve already got PES 2020 and have found other means to update the squads and kits, there’s very little of note here. The changes are minimal and this edition is likely just for those who decided against picking up the previous entry. But if a cheaper version of PES has you interested this is a great starting point. Yes, there are plenty of issues with the modes, commentary and AI but most of that just fades into insignificance when you’re actually playing a game. Until the next-gen version arrives next year, this is the best representation of football you’ll find.