Mortal Kombat 11 is so close to being the best all-round fighting game package, but falls just short due to an aggressive need for currency grinding to unlock content.

Romeo is a Dead Man is Grasshopper Manufacture at its most confident and its least conformist. It's got its fair share of rough edges, but the combat is satisfying – offering a challenge without being frustrating – and the sheer inventiveness in its myriad art styles and its bizarre plot ensure this is an adventure you won't have seen before. Anyone with an interest in wandering off the beaten track of familiar third-person action adventure games should check this one out.

Not quite Yoshi’s Island beater, but closer than he’s come in a long time.

Comfortably the best kart racer on PS4 and Xbox One, and earning a creditable second place on Switch, this is a seriously impressive calling card for its unsung makers.

Three Hopes is one of the best musou spin-offs released to date, combining its tried-and-tested gameplay with a level of story depth that was missing in the Fire Emblem Warriors. Its sheer scope may be a bit much for players simply looking for a hack-and-slash action game, though.

Epic Mickey Rebrushed takes one of the Wii's most visually unique platformers and fixes the camera and control issues it deperately struggled with before. The result is a far better way to play the game, finally allowing players to focus more on the wonderful art direction and storyline.

Like any swordsman learning their craft, Ishin! starts unsteady and builds in confidence. Some ideas struggle to earn their place in the overstuffed mix, but with a propulsive tale, told by some of our favourite gaming characters, it’s easy to get swept up in Like A Dragon: Ishin!’s samurai cool.

An uneven action experience gets by on a huge amount of charm and a gorgeous visual treatment that more than holds its own ten years later.

While Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is more Horizon mechanically, narratively it's the strongest story told in the series with excellent new characters and vital plot developments that set the stage for Horizon 3.

Jamboree is one of the best Mario Party games to date, due to the sheer number of modes available and their general high quality. It still hasn't managed to shake some of the core issues of the series (especially when it comes to balancing the game for younger and less experienced players) but judged against previous entries it stands out as a top offering.

Nintendo has delivered a joyous compilation of three platforming classics, but it's difficult not to feel like it could have been even more.

Beat 'em ups were flatlining when Scott Pilgrim was originally released. A decade later the genre is in rude health, but it's a testament to the game's quality that it still stands tall as one of the better examples. Fans may be disappointed, however, that practically nothing has been added to the game after all this time.

Vampire Crawlers’ deck-building gameplay is incredibly smart, and the runs never feel like they stretch for too long. It takes every smart decision made in Vampire Survivors and translates it beautifully to a new style of gameplay. Even if you’re not usually a fan of roguelites or deck-builders, you need to try Vampire Crawlers.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is another strong Nintendo remaster which doesn't mess around with the original too much, but delivers enough improvements (particularly in terms of visual detail) to make it a worthwhile release. The controls still aren't perfect and Luigi's Mansion 3 is the better game but the sheer charm crammed into every crevice means it's still absolutely worth a look.

There’s very little in Invector that you haven’t seen before, but that doesn’t mean any of its elements are unwelcome. Instead, Hello There Games has cherry-picked the more enjoyable elements from a number of different music games and brought them all together for a game that may consist of second-hand ideas but will have you up all night with that elusive ‘one more song’ feeling regardless.

Despite the tumultuous landscape of live-service games around it, Marathon firmly carves its own place in the extraction shooter genre with an unmatched presentation and breakneck rhythm.

Le Mans Ultimate is an exceptional racing sim that offers quality racing. It's sorely lacking in features, however, especially if you're a solo player.

EA has delivered another worthwhile FIFA package, but while Street Football and FUT seasons breathe new life into some areas, others remain stagnant and barely improved.

The Switch 2 version of WWE 2K25 is the best wrestling game on a Nintendo console since at least the N64 era, certainly the GameCube one. It's not without its faults, some of which are present on all versions of the game, but the overall package is a brilliant offering. It's satisfying enough as an annual iteration on other formats, but as the first non-broken WWE 2K entry on a Nintendo console since the 480p era, it's a revelation for Nintendo-playing wrestling fans.

Little Nightmares 2 is a cautiously expansive sequel which expertly paces its shocks and creepy atmosphere. The detail and weight of its locations are unnervingly believable, while its monsters are hellishly otherworldly. Exciting, brutal and darkly humorous, we just wish it gave us more reason to stay longer.

Whether you've played the Wii version or not, this remaster offers enough content to keep both newcomers and veterans busy for a while. As a Kirby game it's fairly typical and doesn't do anything particularly revolutionary, but what it does offer is strong, entertaining platforming.

IO continues its tug of war between Hitman: The Story and Hitman: The Assassin Simulation. For the most of Hitman 3 the latter wins out and delivers classic hit after classic hit. Wobbly conclusion aside, it’s a must for existing fans and a great introduction to gaming’s boldest, baldest stealth series.

WWE 2K26 offers another net gain over its predecessor, ensuring the series continues to evolve in a positive direction. While its new reversal system will initially divide players and the spectre of microtransactions continues to loom over MyFaction, the overall package introduces more quality-of-life features to ensure each of its numerous modes is better than it was last time.

Fans of the Two Point series will already know that Two Point Museum is a silly but compelling simulation which is easy to learn but hides a surprising amount of depth and variety. The new expedition mode, despite feeling a tad lootboxy, nevertheless ensures that this isn't just Two Point Hospital or Campus with a new lick of paint, meaning while we'd heartily recommend it to newcomers, veterans who thoroughly rinsed its predecessors shouldn't worry about this just being more of the same.

Its impact may be lessened these days – something that’s unavoidable given that the source material is a decade and a half old – but from its engaging intro crash sequence to its controversial (and slightly tweaked) ending, it’s still a thrilling journey through madness.

Still Wakes the Deep is a short but effective game with brilliant performances, a deeply atmospheric setting and fun creature effects. Critics of the hand-holding found in the 'walking sim' genre likely won't be converted, but those looking for an engaging story they can play through in a night or two will strike oil with this one.

The capabilities of the PlayStation 5 enhance and improve a pre-existing game series, rather than give us something altogether new. This isn’t a bold reinvention for Ratchet & Clank, but the same relentless, varied, sometimes funny, always charming, fun action game, only with some fancy new tricks and a higher price tag.

Sifu is a master of hand-to-hand combat, injecting its kung-fu showdowns with exhilarating fluidity, tactical depth and cinematic scale. Its structure is harder to fully embrace, though, as it demands a lot of repetitious dedication to even reach the final stages. At times that feels needlessly punishing, but the thrill of the fight should help pull you through.

If you’re primarily a solo player, this is an exceptional FPS with more action than you’ll find in most other games’ campaigns (and an incredible metal soundtrack to boot).

It's very much the Symphony of the Night revamp Castlevania fans asked for, but newcomers may relish its eccentricities too.

Rather than trying to bring Sony's classic golfing series into the modern age, Bandai Namco has ensured Everybody's Golf Hot Shots feels like one of the older games in the series. That's certainly not a negative: it has a devoted fanbase for a reason, and the decision to stick with the three-press swing system and provide lots of single-player content results in a pleasantly authentic old-school Everybody's Golf experience.

As long as you can withstand its often extremely disturbing content, Martha is Dead is a absorbing and atmospheric adventure with a brilliantly realised setting and a beautifully haunting soundtrack. We can’t stress enough that it won’t suit all tastes, however.

A brilliant conversion of an entertaining sim: if only all console ports were treated with this level of care.

Age of Imprisonment may be the most serious of the Hyrule Warriors games to date, but it's also the one with the most engaging and rewarding combat. Fans of Tears of the Kingdom may be annoyed to see an essential retelling of part of its story, but the side-plots add more depth to make up for this to some extent. Fans of the Warriors gameplay style will be absolutely catered for here.

While its plot and performances sometimes had our eyes glazing over, there's still no doubt that Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is an impressively vast adventure which has clearly been designed with the player's comfort in mind. With swift exploration, an engaging combat system and a wealth of side quests, things are already compelling from early on, and that's even before the mechs turn up and kick things up another level.

Although its open world is wonderfully designed, Mario Kart World's undercooked Free Roam mode means it's not utilised to its fullest, turning what should have been an exciting new direction for the series into a disappointment. This is thankfully salvaged by the traditional Grand Prix, VS Race and Online modes, which are as brilliant as ever, and the exceptional new Knockout Tour battle royale, meaning the overall package is still well worth your time.

Though Mario Party Jamboree’s Switch 2 additions are of mixed quality, its best additions, which take advantage of the Switch 2 hardware, undoubtedly elevate what’s already one of the best series entries.

Sackboy doesn’t have the tight movement tech of Crash Bandicoot 4 or the butter-melting charms of a game like Astro’s Playroom, but it’s well worth a look if you’re in the market for an innovative platformer that makes the most of the PS5’s exclusive features.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater does exactly what we wanted it to. It's a way to play the PS2 classic on modern hardware, with a fresh coat of paint, and contemporary controls. While those looking for a more expansive remake may be left wanting, translating much of MGS 5's excellent gameplay to the PS2 classic is more than enough for us. After a difficult decade, Metal Gear is back.

Lego Horizon Adventures won't top any game of the year lists, but it's an enjoyable retelling of Aloy's first story, mixed with witty, Lego Movie style writing, and gameplay that will entertain the whole family.

Dead Rising is still heaps of daft, gory fun, and the Deluxe Remaster is an excellent excuse to catch up with Frank. Almost every change that's been made to the new release is for the better, and while it won't blow your socks off like Capcom's other revisited classic, we're more than happy to spend another 72 hours with Mr West. He's covered wars, you know.

Solar Ash is a highly original open-plan platform game. A slim move set that rewards momentum is the perfect means of exploring its swirling, broken landscapes and executing its more exacting challenges. While some of its elements feel overly simple, that doesn’t detract hugely from a clinically focused and fresh experience.

Valhalla’s sober detailed research is undermined a little by some slightly tipsy execution. But this is a hearty, bawdy Viking feast of a game which spins a fine tale and offers plenty to get your teeth into.

Falling slightly short of Odyssey’s genius, Donkey Kong Bananza is still a thoroughly entertaining Switch 2 platformer, with a heartfelt story, and DK’s most memorable adventure in years.

Silent Hill F is certainly a diversion from the main series in a lot of (mostly welcome) ways, but it's still very much a Silent Hill game at heart. By focusing more on action – especially after a surprising twist halfway through – it risks alienating some survival horror fans by making combat the priority rather than the last resort, while some of its puzzles are too obtuse for their own good, but it's still an astoundingly beautiful game that horror fans really should experience regardless of its flaws.

With its relentless stream of clever ideas, It Takes Two is one of the most memorable and inventive co-op games of the modern era. Just make sure your partner knows their way around a DualSense controller.

Newcomers may find it overwhelming, or slightly slow going in the early stages, but the campaign offers a great introduction to the genre, and the building blocks of Age of Empires. Don’t be surprised if you sit down to play a quick game, and then suddenly look at the clock to find that 3 hours have passed, your tea has gone cold, and the army that you’ve been meticulously building has been wiped by a garrison of archers you completely missed.

With its twisted style and humour, RAD offers a fresh take on the roguelike, proving there’s plenty of life in the genre.

FIFA 21’s numerous small improvements make it the best in the series by default, but compared to recent entries in the series it’s easily the least revolutionary, with no major new modes or features to speak of.

Monster Hunter Rise Sunbreak is an excellent expansion that will please those Hunters desperate for something new, just make sure you’re prepared, or you’ll quickly be rather sick of the sight of a group of Palicos hauling your lifeless body up the road.

Under the Waves is an emotional adventure that handles distressing subject matter in a touching way. There are some issues with the execution, but the overall experience is a memorable one.

With a string of improvements across all its existing modes, WWE 2K25 outdoes its predecessor in pretty much every way. The weak link is the new Island mode with its cynical pay-to-win mechanics, but throw a Cena taunt in its face and pretend it doesn't exist and you'll find more than enough elsewhere in the game to keep you entertained for months.

Monster Hunter Stories 2 is a solid and thoroughly entertaining turn-based RPG. As long as you can put up with some bad jokes and relatively low difficulty, there's a lot of fun to be had here.

Like its 3DS predecessor, Pocket Card Jockey takes a delightfully silly premise and uses it to create an oddly engaging and highly engrossing puzzle game. Its repetitive nature makes it a one-trick pony, but if it's a trick you click with it's difficult to put down.

Hi-Fi Rush is oozing with style and confidence, but like a messy first album, there are some deep cut tracks that don’t hit as hard as the opening few hits. What can’t be denied, however, is how excited we are for the sophomore effort, and the seemingly limitless versatility that Tango Gameworks have shown off in this bold, out-of-nowhere joy.

A handsome port of one of the best team shooters of our time, if not necessarily the best place to play it.

Enhance's Tetris Effect follow-up is a loud and brash, if somewhat unrefined, synaesthesia puzzler that’s more visually dynamic than its predecessor, but often at the expense of gameplay clarity.

Oblivion's importance to the history of not only RPGs, but modern video games, can't be undersold. It's a game that deserves to be enjoyed by a modern audience, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is a great way to do that. Issues with the game that were slightly annoying in 2006 are maddening in 2025 and may turn off new players, but for millennials who still talk about The Dark Brotherhood, it's a lovely nostalgia trip through one of gaming's best RPGs.

Need for Speed Heat feels like a return to form for the franchise. There’s very little new here, but what is here is certainly a crowdpleaser for anyone who has dipped in and out of the 25-year-old racing IP.

WWE 2K22 is the comeback fans of the series have been hoping for. While it still won't trouble WWF No Mercy for the 'best WWE game' title, it's the first time in many years that the series has delivered both in and out of the ring.

While it takes a while to get going, Arcade Paradise is an outstanding celebration of the '90s arcade scene with a generous helping of fully playable retro love letters.

Nintendo's toys-to-like experiment can feel like magic, but also requires a sizable living space to work effectively.

Raccoin is a deeply dangerous game. Full of personality, deep, addictive gameplay, and a great visual style, it's a game I'll revisit for years. Some early game resistiveness doesn't dampen an experience that sits comfortably alongside Balatro and Vampire Survivors.

The Making of Karateka is a powerful statement of intent for what promises to be a superb series of interactive documentaries. Not everyone will click with the idea of focusing on a single game rather than your typical retro compilation, but those interested in the creative process will be fascinated by the content provided here.

Gears of War mostly nails its strategy debut with an accomplished, but no-frills alternative to XCOM.

The original DS Diamond and Pearl were great back in the day, and 15 years later this new coat of paint makes them just as entertaining. The improvements may not be as drastic as some may have hoped, but what's here is a solid Pokémon adventure regardless.

The original DS Diamond and Pearl were great back in the day, and 15 years later this new coat of paint makes them just as entertaining. The improvements may not be as drastic as some may have hoped, but what's here is a solid Pokémon adventure regardless.

When taken in isolation, Resident Evil: Requiem is fantastic, and a genuinely brilliant entry into the mainline series. It’s still straddling that line between fear and power, and while Grace might not have Leon’s roundhouse kicks and one-liners, she can always fall back on the Requiem. It’s a game designed to challenge you, not pull your last precious hairs from your head (unless you try Insanity difficulty). Capcom has once again delivered a polished and beautiful Resident Evil game, it’s just not quite amongst the best.

All this enthusing notwithstanding, we're not sure Control is Remedy's finest action game – that accolade probably still goes to Max Payne - but it is perhaps Remedy's best-written and staged game.

The huge expansion and changes to the single player campaign are great, the size of the world and the joy of exploration are the best in the series, and the new Pokemon and battle mechanics introduced all sing. However, it’s just impossible to shake the thought of how much better the game would feel if it was on more powerful hardware, or simply ran acceptably on Switch.

Fallout similarities are distracting, but get into The Outer Worlds’ narrative meat and a more distinctive adventure emerges.

For anyone who’s still just dabbling with the genre, there are a slew of genuine retro shoot ‘em ups – many of which have been published on the Switch by Hamster itself – which serve as perfectly fine entry points at a fraction of the cost. For those who already adore shooters, however – the sort of people who call them ‘schmups’ – Sol Cresta is a fantastic entry that won’t leave you disappointed.

AEW's first game gets a lot more right than it does wrong. Its Story mode may be a little short and it may be lacking when it comes to customisation options, but its solid in-ring combat system, its sense of humour and its emphasis on violence make it a viable, edgier alternative to the glossy WWE 2K series.

Mario & Luigi Brothership is a triumphant return for the series, maintaining the spirit and action-oriented platforming of its predecessors, coupled with fantastic exploration and satisfying battle mechanics.

Two Point Campus takes its predecessor's lighthearted premise and expertly transfers it to a different environment. Its difficulty curve can be erratic andit has some bugs, but it's a laugh-filled time nonetheless.

RoboCop: Rogue City feels outdated at its core, but this actually works in its favour. With no pretensions that it's offering something revolutionary, the game focuses on delivering big dumb action scenes interspersed with engaging detective work. It has an engaging story and well-written dialogue, all wrapped in a package that shows clear love for the source material.

A solid collection of three brilliant visual novels, this Apollo Justice collection may not offer a lot more than HD-friendly versions of the handheld originals, but the quality of the source material means that's enough to entertain regardless.

While some ideas get lost in Bayonetta 3’s endless sprint to keep you entertained, there’s no other action game with this imagination, wit or style. Prepare to explore its mad depths for weeks.

Borderlands 4 is a great RPG shooter with rewarding, engrossing gameplay. Some of the set dressing, like the bland new characters and pointless grappling hook, take the shine off, but the sheer amount of fun we've had with the game can't be overlooked. Borderlands 4 reminds us exactly why we were such big fans of the original two games, and falls on its sword in learning the mistakes of 3.

The Wii U classic is just as entertaining as it was back in the day, even if it’s more of a port than a remaster.

The huge expansion and changes to the single player campaign are great, the size of the world and the joy of exploration are the best in the series, and the new Pokemon and battle mechanics introduced all sing. However, it’s just impossible to shake the thought of how much better the game would feel if it was on more powerful hardware, or simply ran acceptably on Switch.

Nier Replicant is at once an improvement over the original while still retaining its dated design frustrations that’s not quite at the bar of modern remasters. Yet for all its flaws, the story, bolstered by its grand otherworldly score, has the same deep emotional depths that first won over new fans, and if nothing else, you won’t find a more mismatched bunch of outcasts worth caring about.

It may have had a mixed reception earlier this year, but Sonic Frontiers' final form is a brilliantly refreshing adventure that gives the series a much-needed shake-up. The occasional control and camera 'quirks' still pop their head up, but they appear far less frequently than Sonic fans will be used to, making for a much less frustrating experience overall. We would absolutely welcome more of this.

Lively combat and engrossing social clubs keep you busy, but it’s the much-improved detective story that elevates Lost Judgment above the original.

Full of personality and variety, Princess Peach Showtime delivers a performance that’s better than the sum of its parts, with some shallow mechanics lost in the glitz of its cabaret show. The challenge is definitely geared towards youngsters, but even experienced players will find it difficult not to be charmed.

Immortals of Aveum delivers high-octane magical action and a world we're fascinated by. While the narrative itself is predictable and the dialogue between characters can border on excruciating, the rock-solid gameplay is a magical foundation for EA to build on and develop into something special.

As a sequel, Hades 2 is ambitious, and delivers one of the most satisfying roguelite experiences in years. Yet, it can’t escape the shadow of its predecessor, and in trying to add every idea possible to amplify its scale, the story ends up losing the trademark weight of the studio.

It’s amazing how little Rage 2’s issues matter, because of how enjoyable the combat is. The slow start and uninspiring open world may damage the pace, but it’s a game that truly excels when you’re treading the line between being hopelessly outgunned and a super-powered Rambo.

Assassin's Creed Shadows finally takes the main series to Japan, and does so in some style. With excellent gameplay, a compelling narrative and a massive, beautiful world to explore, it is so much better than many expected it to be. Even if it's not the game that saves Ubisoft, it did exactly what it needed to, bringing confidence back to one of modern gaming's biggest and most troubled franchises.

Another fantastic retro compilation from Digital Eclipse that celebrates the golden era of TMNT games with the level of respect they deserve. Newcomers may find a couple of the games haven't aged too well, though, and while there's a huge gallery it doesn't provide as much narrative as we'd have liked.

Light in story yet heavy on atmosphere, basic in function yet more cohesive than previous entries, Shenmue 3 is a worthy sequel and exactly what fans have been waiting for.

On the track, Disney Speedstorm is a fantastic karting game with great handling and a host of unique features to set it aside from generic Mario Kart clones. It's very much a live service game at its core, though, so players not willing to put in the time (or the money) may not find it compatible with their gaming habits.

F1 22 is the best game in the series, but not by a distance. The improved handling and supercar challenges are cancelled out by the lack of a story mode and the superfluous new F1 Life mode, making for a game that gives as much as it takes away.

Once you get going and start experimenting, you'll realise just how astonishingly complex, and wonderfully inventive, Autonauts really is.

Scott Pilgrim EX takes everything that was great about the first game – the combat, the music, the beautiful pixel art – and throws it into an all-new adventure rammed with game references. The open-world structure and relatively short length won't be to everyone's tastes, but if those aren't a problem to you then it's a must-have.

This is an excellent PC port with Steam Deck support that elevates to it to a must-own for anyone with Valve’s portable. While Sony may never make a PlayStation Vita 2, if its support of the Steam Deck continues as more and more PlayStation exclusives migrate to PC, it’ll soon feel like the next-generation Sony handheld many of us have always wanted.

The new Forza is the best in the series to date when it comes to the look and feel of serious motorsport racing. Its relative lack of modes means it's something of a one-trick pony at launch, but that trick is an impressive one.

The game has never looked better, and now stands toe-to-toe with the other Sony tentpoles on the platform. While the gameplay changes aren’t enough to shake the nagging feelings or repetitiveness, engaging combat and a well told story are more than enough reasons to play through the game again.