Kingdom: Come Deliverance is a good RPG that ignores fantasy for a more realistic edge. That does make it wonderfully quaint, but also means it can be a little dull, too.

It’s equal parts frustration and exhilaration, awesome when you’re winning, aggravating when a moment’s lapse leads to ignominious defeat. Yet the forward-thinking mission design and the pace and balance of the gameplay means it’s still weirdly addictive and absorbing. It’s no longer the best of its kind, but this is one historical artefact that’s still worth playing here and now.

Isle of Armor is an enjoyable expansion to Pokemon Sword and Shield and brings the franchise one step closer to embracing a cohesive open-world, but it isn’t enough to detract from an experience that is far too brief for its own good.

Fate/Extella: The Umbral Star is a competently crafted hack ‘n’ slasher that suffers from the same issues of repetition as its contemporaries. While making attempts at customization and depth, the core combat never rises to the challenge to match it. For hardcore fans, there are oodles of playable characters and plotlines waiting to be discovered. For others, there are better games out there.

These don’t stop Rifter being a standout game, not only in aesthetics but in the feel of motion. When the flips, jumps and grapples all come together, there’s a rush of adrenaline. And it’s all raised by that bouncing soundtrack and disco visual style. Precision platforming is currently hot and Rifter will easily step into the shoes left behind by Meat Boy and Celeste.

Slime Rancher is an enjoyable foray into virtual ranching, yet fails to provide enough meaningful depth beyond its adorable visual identity.

Knack 2 is a pleasant surprise that improves upon the majority of its predecessor’s faults. It still lacks in genuine creativity and new ideas, but Japan Studio has crafted a confident platformer that acts as a whimsical spark in the PS4’s exclusive catalogue.

It’s packed with the studio’s trademark charm and humour, while providing endless opportunities for adventure. A touch more accessibility for solo players would be nice, as would more varied matchmaking for crews, but this is a game that’s set to evolve over time. A real treasure.

Hey! Pikmin takes the series’ foundations, strips them right back and offers up an experience in which a younger audience will delight. Enjoyable stuff.

With a charming campaign, dynamic score and pleasing graphics, this 2020 instalment is a worthwhile purchase for fans of the series looking for more Olympic fun. Yet, given the fluidity of the focused sports games already available on the Switch, and the brilliance of those on previous Nintendo systems, it pales in comparison and becomes a hard sell unless you particularly enjoy the mini-game structure – or want a game that will keep a sports-mad family busy this holiday season.

I wouldn’t recommend Iron Rain over Earth Defense Force 5, since it fails to deliver the distilled, charming experience I adore from the Sandlot series. That said, it makes some welcome advancements to the formula, with deep customisation features and plenty of loadouts to mess around with. It’s just a shame technical problems are so pronounced, even on the enhanced console. But, for fans of the series, this is worth a gander.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX is an excellent remake which improves upon the original duo of games in myriad ways, yet still remains woefully underbaked when it comes to meaningful mechanics with enough depth to keep you going. As a roguelite dungeon crawler for young players it's really impressive, but genre purists might be let down. Beyond that, this is yet another delightful game which works a treat on Nintendo Switch.

Sure, the lack of a showcase mode is disappointing, but the pros far outweigh the cons. 2K17 gets it right in the most important area, and that’s between the ropes.

Rehydrated is a welcome return for a licensed platforming great. It's wonderfully faithful to the original release while ensuring it has the visual fidelity to stand alongside modern adventures in the genre. While I would have loved an expansion of its levels and a more robust multiplayer offering, this is a remake I believe is essential for platforming fans.

Danger Zone 2 is a great love letter to the Burnout we all know and love, even if it does fall short in many areas that stops it from truly getting to the same level.

Gundam Versus is, without doubt, a unique fighting experience, one that actually proves to be a lot of fun. Naturally, fans of the series will get the most out of it, but anyone with a soft spot for the genre could find themselves pleasantly surprised.

Miyazaki also describes his latest work as “a quiet game for VR”, and again it’s an appropriate view. There are none of the scares or action you’d find in a Souls game. Instead it’s a game about sedate exploration and creeping chills. Not all of the experiments or ideas pay off, but the ones that do make for an absorbing ghost story with just the right amount of weirdness for fans of the creator. Despite being marred by clunky controls this is one of the best games available for PSVR owners.

Black Forest Games' remake of Destroy All Humans is a worthwhile adventure for fans of the series and those who grew up with Crypto's antics on the PS2 and Xbox. However, you'll need to make peace with its outdated gameplay mechanics alongside tired dialogue and story beats, many of which feature a number of offensive stereotypes.

Yooka-Laylee is a nostalgic old-school adventure, but it’s too retro for its own good. Frustrating game mechanics, annoying boss fights and the complete lack of guidance become infuriating as the game progresses...Hopefully, in Yooka-Laylee 2, Playtonic finds a balance between new and old – because it’s quite clear the magic isn't lost; it just needs a few new tricks.

Now the game’s on PS4, it risks being slightly misunderstood by a mass audience. It’s always been an acquired taste, but it’s universally mesmerising.

Serious Sam 4 repackages, rather than reimagines the iconic shooter’s core mechanics in a way that will amuse fans of the original games. Sadly, a lack of innovation and outdated sense of hmour will undoubtedly put off newcomers.

Punching, stomping and walking my way through a Star Fox-esque metropolis and destroying everything in my path for the high score, I couldn’t help being massively underwhelmed by the game itself. It’s an incredibly simple smash-’em-up where you simply have to destroy every building to earn a multiplier and bigger score. Lifting your arms in the air will make your bot fly, crouching turns it into a tank, and lifting your legs up and down makes it walk, while punching, naturally, punches. It felt like a mini-game from the ill-fated Star Fox Zero, and once the level was over, I had no desire to play it again. I hope the full game offers more for buyers than what there is here. You do get Garage mode again in this kit, though.

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.

Outlast 2 takes its original idea and builds on it very well to create a sequel that’s straight up terrifying. A must for those who love nothing more than feeling the fear.

A nice return for the series as it continues to be as light and easy as before. The perfect next step for families who love Mojang’s absurdly successful creation.

My Hero One’s Justice is a competent brawler that makes effective use of its source material to craft something fans will most likely adore.

It’s a game of magnificent vistas and embarrassing glitches, epic ambitions and humdrum work. The world is vast and beautiful, yet filled with dumb animals and even dumber enemies. While never less than absorbing, it can be hideously annoying too.

As far as smartphone ‘uplifts’ to consoles go, Aces of the Luftwaffe: Squadron is one of the better I’ve seen. It isn’t going to challenge shmup fans, but it does gain some points for at least trying to do something original with the formula.