With eclectic writing and characters in addition to things to do and places to explore, Shenmue 1 & 2 are brilliant. Very few older titles of that generation still hold up so immensely well today. A stone-cold classic.

Pro Evolution Soccer remains the best, most accurate representation of football you can play without suddenly realising you can play out from the back like Harry Maguire.

The Division 2 is an excellent shared-world shooter and a how-to guide for big franchises looking to make a sequel.

It’s uncomplicated fun, and it should deliver fun evenings defeating Spidey’s Rogue’s Gallery, exploring the city or even just pelting around at high speed hoovering up collectibles.

If you have a 3DS, love RPGs and never played the PS3 original, consider Dragon Quest VIII an almost essential purchase. If anything, its easy-going style and accessibility make it a better fit for the handheld console than for the original platform, and you’ll struggle to find a JRPG that’s easier to pick up or harder to put down.

Some fans may feel aggrieved at the removal of certain modes. Season mode is now completely absent, meaning you’ll have to battle through the entire 162 games if you want to complete a year in Franchise Mode, and some of the creation options have been stripped out of the game entirely. However, this is easily one of the strongest sports franchises out there.

While it isn't quite the neglected classic some claim, Bulletstorm was always a fantastic, hugely entertaining FPS. Nothing about that has changed: this remaster does a good job of bringing the visuals more up to date, and if you’re an FPS lover and haven’t played it, you really should.

There might not be a lot of competition for the best baseball sim title, but MLB The Show 17 knocks this one out of the park. It’s a massive, multi-mode effort with fantastic graphics and a flexible approach that lets you enjoy it in your own way, and with Retro mode and Diamond Dynasty it has both casual gamers and the hardcore baseball fan sewn up.

Its storylines run the gamut from deftly handled through to daft, and ludicrous liberties are taken with Tolkien’s characters and lore...All the same, none of this matters because Shadow of War doubles down on everything that was already brilliant in Shadow of Mordor for a good 30-40 hours of stupidly absorbing stealth, action and warfare.

WWE 2K18 is a great wrestling game with a crazy amount of depth that feels a bit too similar to 2K17 to really hit new highs. If you love the franchise, however, this will rock your world.

The Ringed City is a must for Dark Souls fanatics, and not just because it’s almost certainly the final chapter in what has become a cult classic series. It’s a great piece of DLC in its own right, with thrilling boss fights, gorgeous locations and an appropriately sad, mournful ending...If you count yourself among the hordes of gamers who adore these games for what they are, then you’ll find this last jaunt through a perilous, dying world where everything wants to kill you over and over again a joy.

Gears 5 is the series' most ambitious entry to date, bringing with it an endless wave of revolutionary ideas that the franchise has been in desperate need of for years. The Coalition's mark has finally been made, and it's one that focuses on narrative importance alongside bright, energetic mechanics that show that Gears 5 can happily stand alongside this generation's other blockbusters without fear.

F1 2018 is still a game that shines on the track, then. Forget speaking to journalists in the confines of a press paddock – this is a sport about being at the cutting edge of technology, inches from a solid metal barrier, in the sunny streets of a tax haven. And god bless it.

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.

The Escapists 2 is everything the first game was and more. Give it some time and it won’t be long before its claws have sunk in and you’re hooked.

A very welcome arrival to a sphere of gaming that has been dominated by the likes of Forza and Gran Turismo recently, Onrush has a lot of potential to develop into something special if it can find its audience. It may threaten to lose its way here and there, but the possibilities are obvious. Even in its current state it’s more than likely to show you a very good time indeed.

The story mode is fun, if slightly cliched, and you can simply ignore it if it’s not for you, while Ultimate Team is still as addictive as ever. The slow-paced gameplay and numerous button combinations might irk some people, but get used to it and it’s thoroughly rewarding.

The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners is an enjoyably immersive foray into the iconic undead universe, only occasionally held back by a handful of rough edges.

While other console Minecrafts have it beat on resolution and maximum map size, the Nintendo Switch Edition is the only version to give you all the authentic Minecraft goodness wherever and whenever you want to play...It looks good, plays well and hits all the classic Minecraft buttons, but with the bonus that your Minecraft addiction is a little easier to fit in with normal life. Throw in some of the best themed Minecraft content around and you have a must-have for Switch gamers, albeit not the absolutely best version of the game.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle is yet another great Nintendo Switch exclusive, and one of the most original Mario titles we’ve seen in a long time. It may not do much outside of the core combat, but even that is enough to keep you entertained for its duration. Just be prepared for the sharp difficulty spikes, and don’t expect the game to go easy on you.

There’s still something a little old-school about Dawn of War III’s RTS action, but when it scratches those same old itches so well, there’s very little reason to complain. It’s a game that takes new influences from the MOBA and uses them well, mixing up powerful Elites with tactically interesting units to create great battlefield moments, while spinning an interesting yarn from three different perspectives.

There are first attempts from studios with more years behind them, more people involved, far more hype and even greater promises – and even then they’ve fallen flat. Alter Army is imperfect yet assured, unfair yet legitimately challenging, and absolutely worth a few pounds from your wallet and a few hours of your time.

For Honor is a real surprise. In terms of gameplay mechanics it’s top-notch, visually it’s excellent, and there’s a decent if fairly formulaic campaign to play through. It’s in For Honor’s multifaceted multiplayer, however, where Ubisoft has has struck gold. Testing your combat knowledge against real players, either in one-on-one duels or in large conquest-style battles, is both thrilling and unique in the action genre.

King of Fighters XIV is very much a new KOF game. It retains all of the hallmarks of the series, from the beautiful backgrounds and giant roster to the challenging combos and large amount to learn. If you’re into the genre and are looking for something that will reward you for putting in time, then SNK’s reputation for building fighting games that allow for that should speak for itself.

Familiar territory but with better graphics, plus a few nice-to-have but non-essential extras...My biggest concern are the controls, since the Switch clearly isn't built for fighting games. The Switch Pro controller is an effective fix, but it's expensive. If you don't already have one and invest in one just for this game, you're looking at £95 – which is quite steep for a game that's nearly 30 years old. This is no reflection on the game itself, however. I had a blast.

Much of what’s been altered are small steps to further enjoyment, because EA has the fundamentals down. Is it unrecognisable from Madden 16? No. Is it more playable? Yes. Ultimately, that’s all that matters, and all that’s needed to make this title a success.

Fire Emblem Warriors is superb. It successfully translates the beloved RPG series without sacrificing any elements for which I have adored the series. With countless characters, a robust upgrade system and plenty of modes on offer, you’ll sink hours into this stylish hack ‘n’ slasher without even knowing it.

I wouldn’t make it my first Total War – go for Atilla or Warhammer instead – but if you’re looking for a more serious, less knockabout saga, Thrones of Britannia is a winner.