A lengthy story mode, a host of characters to play as, and numerous online modes to fight your way through ensure Granblue Fantasy Versus definitely won't leave you wanting in terms of content. Learning through playing locally and online is distinctly better than relying on the game’s own resources. But if you’re looking for a casual, relatively simple fighter to play then it definitely fits the bill. Character designs may turn off a few people, but existing Granblue fans will definitely want to see their favourites brought to life through Arc System Works’ fantastic engine.

While it doesn’t have the fun trapping gimmicks of Trap Team or the vehicles of Superchargers, Skylanders: Imaginators wins where it matters most: gameplay. The mix of combat, platforming, puzzle-solving and character progression has never been stronger than in the latest game, and the ability to create and upgrade your own Skylander actively plays into this, making it the most addictive Skylanders yet.

Even after all this time, Burnout Paradise remains an absolute blast to play. The upgrade to 60fps in Remastered only heightens the adrenaline rush, and the game’s emphasis on exploration and quick-fire racing make it a brilliant fit for being taken on the go.

The Persistence isn’t easy – and it can be frustrating – but then persistence tends to bring its own rewards. This is a thoughtful, well-balanced blend of action and survival horror, designed by a team that plays to the strengths of the new VR medium while minimising so many of its weaknesses.

Although the seven games on offer are good examples of the fun, but shallow genre, it’s hard to shake the feeling that with a bit more attention – the kind Mega Man and Street Fighter received – this could have been another must have retro collection.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen is a unique RPG brought to life by its fantastic pawn system and enthralling fantasy world. Forming a ragtag clan of allies before taking on gargantuan monsters is always a blast, helping you feel like a true soldier among a land of unimaginable terrors.

No amount of additional content could sweeten the deal here, though, as it’s simply the purposefully crude WarioWare format that’s to blame for it feeling out of its price depth. WarioWare Gold is the gold standard of WarioWare games, but it commands too high a price for what’s on offer.

It’s a real treat to finally see Taiko no Tatsujin make a splash in the West, with Drum ‘n’ Fun delivering a faithful and fun package for arcade purists, while being a title I’d happily recommend to casual Nintendo Switch owners.

Despite its junior stylings and mountain of cosmetic items, Fortnite’s combat and construction fundamentals are strong enough to sustain weeks and months of play, and as it nears final release, it’s only going to get stronger.

RIGS proves that a fast paced multiplayer FPS can be done in VR. It pushes graphical boundaries and creates an impressive sense of presence, in many ways, showcasing the medium’s glorious potential. It’s also a lot of fun to play, if your stomach can handle it...Yet with only four maps and three modes on offer here, like much of PSVR’s initial experiences, RIGS feels like the perfecting starting point for a great game that was never finished.

Little Nightmares is truly one of the scariest games you’ll play this year.

Whether you’re an avid Zelda fan or casual Warriors player, there’s something for you to love here. The Switch is the perfect console for a Musou experience since this game is best enjoyed in short bursts; prolonged spells almost reveal the secret of its magic, leading to a more laborious experience.

UFC 4 is an enjoyable trip into the world of mixed-martial arts which makes some ample improvements to the formula when compared to previous entries. While it can still feel underbaked and bland in certain areas, such as the career mode, it has been refined with a stellar onboarding experience that makes it super accessible to newcomers.

The fundamentals are satisfying and the expressive charm of Crash and Coco is infectious. Difficulty spikes aside, the strong sense of satisfaction that comes from conquering a truly challenging stage is hard to beat, and the N.Sane Trilogy offers these moments in spades.

Life is Strange: Before the Storm is an underwhelming start to a miniseries that still has plenty of promise. Deck Nine has shown it can create lovable characters and believable drama, yet fails to cohesively implement them into the experience. That being said, things could easily improve from here.

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.

Everybody’s Golf looks good and has the same fun, breezy feel as previous versions, combined with intriguing online modes and a surprising amount of depth. The new open-world, online focus creates a new energy in what has always been a conservative series. On the downside, it’s very grindy in its early hours, locking off a lot of the fun stuff until you’ve put a good ten hours into the game. Hardcore fans may not worry – it gets better the more time you put in – but it’s weird that this most accessible of golf games is less of a crowd-pleaser than it deserves to be. [Initial Score = 70]

Its platforming is clunky, its animations stiff, and you eventually tire of its repeating puzzles—but I’ll remember J.J.’s story, and her inner struggles, for a very long time.

Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town is perfectly shaped to fill that post-New Horizons void in your soul. If you were a fan of the original Harvest Moon game, you’ll find a lot of nostalgia in this retelling of the Mineral Town story, but those looking for complex characters or a compelling story to follow may well be left disappointed.

After a turbulent production, Clementine and The Walking Dead series have both been given the ending they deserve. Not all of Take Us Back lands smoothly, but the finale remains true to the tone of this season and delivers a satisfying conclusion that fans will be talking about for years to come.

No Man’s Sky is a vastly different game compared to its 2016 release. A range of updates, big and small, have culminated in transforming a disappointing space affair into an intergalactic journey that, frustrations aside, is well worth taking.

If the rest of the games in the Variety Pack, and the more expensive Robot Pack, can deliver the depth offered by the RC car and especially the Piano, Nintendo has created something that every child will love. And also something that every child will learn something from.

Pac-Man Championship Edition 2 may have a few additions for the sake of it, but it’s still one of the best score-attack games you could hope to play.

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.

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.

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.

EA Sports UFC 3 is a fine attempt at recreating one of the most complicated sports on earth; a dynamic, exciting and often thuddingly violent fighting game that makes marked improvements to its striking game, but just like poor old Francis NGannou, still needs a lot of work on the ground.

A mixture of lovely characters and a world brimming with imaginative ideas is complemented by a rock-solid combat system and experimental platforming that blend together strangely, but just works. If you're after a smaller adventure in-between the coming month's biggest releases, not much will shine brighter than this gem.