Phoenix point is a little rough around the edges, but if you manage to look past its bugs you'll be treated to one of the most nuanced and entertaining turn-based strategy games to arrive in quite some time.

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.

While it’s reminiscent of Journey, The Wind Waker and Ico, RiME is so much more than a grab-bag of borrowed ideas. Combining art, craftsmanship, enigmatic storytelling and engaging gameplay, it does what the likes of Bound and ABZU couldn’t: wrap a powerful experience inside a compelling game. I’m still working out whether RiME is a masterpiece and, if so, where it sits in the pantheon of greats – but one thing’s for sure: if you love the games it’s inspired by, you’re going to love RiME as well.

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.

Yakuza Kiwami is a dazzling remake of an underappreciated classic, improving upon its source material in so many important ways. At times it can feel dated, but that doesn’t stop Kiwami from proving Yakuza is once again one of the best things on PS4, and perhaps any other platform.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is the best game Vanillaware has ever made. This entrancing tale of teenagers thwarting the apocalypse through the means of giant robots and time travel is truly one of a kind, subverting the tropes we’ve come to expect from anime and science-fiction to craft a story that easily sits amongst the genre’s best.

Another re-release for Ōkami may seem unnecessary, but the variety of options the Switch provides makes it a great fit. The motion controls may be a bit fiddly, but luckily, they’re not the only way to play. They offer a nice alternative for those interested.

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.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a triumphant RPG experience and one of the greatest games you can play on Nintendo Switch right now. It takes the series’ formula and propels it forward with some fascinating new changes, and every single system works in tandem to create something rather stunning. Technical blemishes aside, Intelligent Systems has really outdone itself here.

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.

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.

Much like Resident Evil 7 before it, Devil May Cry 5 paves an impeccably exciting future for itself with new locations and characters that don’t just pull Capcom’s hack ‘n’ slasher into the modern generation, it kicks it through the door and throws away the key. Devil May Cry 5 isn’t perfect, but Hideaki Itsuno’s latest effort builds on what came before it while staying true to everything I love about Dante and friends. Consider my Devil Trigger thoroughly pulled.

Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom is a JRPG delight that embraces the best of classic design and combines it with some new and exciting ideas. The lacklustre plot and underdeveloped characters are unfortunate, but don’t distract from what is an otherwise fantastic package. It doesn’t reach the exceptional heights of its predecessor but remains an essential part of any hardcore RPG fan’s catalogue.

The switch to first person works wonders for the series and we have a game that feels completely fresh while at the same time has so many moments that will lead series fans to reminisce...Its constant changes of pace, intense action and genuine terror make Resident Evil the most enjoyable horror game I’ve ever played. Is it the best Resident Evil game? No, not quite, but it’s very close.

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.

Destiny 2 is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played this year, and tackles one of the biggest issues with the first game. Featuring a stellar, albeit easy, single-player campaign, excellent combat and class mechanics, and the most enjoyable cooperative multiplayer I’ve seen in a shooter since Gears of War 4, Destiny 2 is a must-buy.

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.

Hellblade triumphs equally as action game, mythic quest and psychological character study, bringing together some amazing visuals, great performances and ingenious design. It’s short-lived but perfectly paced with a blend of action and puzzles that grows in richness and complexity as the game goes on. While some might prefer Enslaved or the DMC reboot, I’d call it Ninja Theory’s best work yet.

This is a real love letter to the Street Fighter series. Eleven genuine classics (and one stinker) all ported with great care and with a museum of developmental and concept art, soundtracks and an interactive timeline of the series that’ll take a good hour or so to look through, it’s a great way to celebrate Street Fighter’s 30th birthday even before you factor in the online and training modes for the four marquee titles.

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.

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Sage is genuinely one of my favourite remasters in years – I can’t remember a time that I’ve smiled as much while playing a game. Good humour combined with smart mechanics and that Nintendo absurdity make for an exceptionally good mix. The game is as good today as it was back in 2003, and new addition Bowser’s Minions is a very entertaining extra. This is truly one of the finest RPGs there ever was.

Nioh 2 is an absolutely Herculean effort from Team Ninja that shouldn’t be overlooked as we approach the busy season. They’ve managed to make a game that stands on its own beside some of the best From Software games, a soulslike that is brimming with ambition and brave new ideas.

While its cutesy aesthetic won't work for all, Portal Knights is a game that capitalises brilliantly on both its RPG and sandbox elements, elevating the merits of both. With seasonal events planned to keep players' attentions and an endless canvas to explore once you've completed the Story mode, this is a worthy challenger to Minecraft's throne.

Overlook these little niggles and Divinity: Original Sin 2 is the best RPG to make it to consoles since The Witcher 3. It’s vast, engaging and surprising. The willingness to accommodate many different types of play may have its drawbacks, but once you’ve understood the systems and given thought to what kind of hero you want to be, you can sink literally hundreds of hours into your life on Rivellon.

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.

Jurassic World: Evolution is the best kind of management sim, one that wraps challenging decisions inside a slick, fun experience with humour and a little family-friendly gore.

AI: The Somnium Files is yet another winner from Kotaro Uchikoshi, expanding upon Spike Chunsoft's renown formula and pushing it in bold new directions. It can fumble in its visuals and mechanics, but look beyond a few of its weaker elements and there's a truly original adventure brimming with excellent ideas.

The first episode of Mr. Robot is a solid yet slow start to a promising episodic adventure. It successfully translates the tension and intrigue of the show into a text-based experience that excels at times, despite its questionable pacing.