Playing UNBEATABLE makes you feel like you’re watching pirated episodes of your favourite show. Its janky narrative structure and limited content make it feel appropriately criminal to grow attached. However, while frustrating at times, these jagged edges are part of the charm. UNBEATABLE feels like an unapologetic guilty pleasure.

Skate Story is an allegorical love letter to skateboarding that expertly captures the essence of skating’s humbling mechanical vocabulary like few other games do. Thoughtful and inventive in unexpected ways, Sam Eng’s boundlessly creative dive into an absurdist underworld is as nourishing as it is refreshing.

Playing Kirby Air Riders is like learning a new language – it takes a lot of compromise, and it’s not for everyone. It’s those who master the basics who will soon find many new ways to approach each game mode, providing depth and replayability. If you meet Kirby Air Riders on its own terms, you will be rewarded with a gauntlet that’s bursting with thrills, depth, and charm.

Demonschool is the renaissance of classic Shin Megami Tensei design principles in a tight-knit retro package. Charming side content and colorful students will captivate players into its pre-established world, filled with stylish horror and strategic action-oriented battles. Whilst its fast-paced plot may leave some struggling to keep up, its simplified UI and protagonist Fayes' energetic disposition help guide you through every new development. Its streamlined approach to strategy makes it inviting to anyone who is looking for a short yet clever tactical RPG.

Dispatch is everything it needs to be and more. The vocal performances are emotive and captivating. What’s more, the title boasts a compelling story and excellent presentation; it does its damnedest to make your choices actually matter when tailoring your story. Dispatch is busy with heart, charm, and narrative weight.

Jurassic World Evolution 3 feels like the sequel fans have been waiting for. It’s ambitious, dramatic, and far more rewarding to master. The dinosaurs are expressive, the systems deeper, and the parks finally feel alive. It still struggles with micromanagement fatigue and the occasional bug, but the creative freedom makes it easy to forgive. Frontier hasn’t reinvented the park sim, but it’s refined the formula beautifully.

The Outer Worlds 2 boasts better-crafted, more deliberate storytelling alongside a wide scope for meaningful player choice. While there are undoubtedly problems with polish, and the combat system still needs some work, The Outer Worlds 2’s writing and commitment to world-building are enough all on their own. The depth of customisability will draw you back in, asking you how you might save the day next time around.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is a return to form after the misstep of its third entry, comfortably sitting alongside Ninja Gaiden 2 as a fast-paced action romp that makes you feel like a master ninja. However, some weak level gimmicks and an unremarkable central storyline hold it back from dethroning the earlier games in the franchise.

Pokémon Legends Z-A manages to be simultaneously promising, fun and disappointing. Pokémon series is the highest-grossing video game franchise on earth, and as a major release from this series, Pokémon Legends Z-A feels leagues below what it could be. However, if you are able to cut Game Freak some (perhaps unearned) slack, then you’ll find plenty to enjoy on the mean streets of Pokémon Legends Z-A. It’s not a monumental leap forward, but there is genuine innovation here. Amid Pokémon’s reputation for stagnancy, this is very much worth celebrating.

Digimon Story Time Stranger is a spirited, if occasionally ropey, JRPG adventure with buckets of heart and a sinewy monster taming system. Fans of the franchise will feel right at home amongst its luscious environments and intense set-piece battles. However, those wary of simplistic, earnest anime melodrama may find the narrative grating.

Final Fantasy Tactics - The Ivalice Chronicles offers the definitive incarnation of an iconic title. Built upon a skeleton of robust, deeply engaging strategic combat, the sinews of Final Fantasy Tactics’ main storyline continue to flex with impressive strength and resolve. Brought to life with stellar voice acting and an array of welcome quality-of-life improvements, Creative Business Unit III has achieved something highly impressive. Though the title’s commitment to old-school pacing and gameplay loops may leave some out in the cold, those looking for the definitive Final Fantasy Tactics experience will find it here.

The world is more gorgeous than ever, and it’s a joy just to be able to make a return. Hades 2 stands as a worthy sequel and companion to the original, both of which stand together as brother and sister.

Silent Hill f is a visually striking evolution of Konami’s beloved horror series, packed with cryptic lore that’s a treat to unpack. While the pace of combat struggles to feel sleek amidst the atmospheric story, macabre enemy designs, and a spine-chilling soundtrack more than make up for what it lacks.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is unequivocally the best way to play Metal Gear Solid 3 if you’re all about modern comforts and higher frame rates. But under all the modernising gloss, it’s the same silly, daft game full of world-saving babble, over-the-top performances, surprise-stuffing, and a confounding script that’s very much a product of its time, for better or for worse.

If you’ve been looking for a SWAT simulator for console—and judging by the game’s popularity on the PlayStation Store, a lot of people have—Ready or Not really is as good as they come. It could do with some more polished controls across the board, but VOID Interactive has done a great job bringing the game to a lot more players, even if PC gamers must suffer some very minor consequences.

Death Stranding 2 manages the rare trick of being both desperately monotonous but profoundly engaging, banking towards one of these two poles depending on how much you’re willing to put in. It’s a game that demands that you meet it half-way and shed expectations, your pace dictated by your stomach for patience and perseverance. But if you do, it’s a wonderfully strange and roaring spectacle.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a multiplayer game for people who prefer single player games. It’s a celebration of the power of silent connection, of fleeting virtual bonds, of giddy celebratory gesturing between strangers, and of collective, gruelling perseverance. It's a fresh take on the steep challenge of the Souls formula that burrows into you, begging to be repeated. It delivers a frenzied high that’s quite unlike anything FromSoftware has produced so far.

DOOM The Dark Ages is an unrelenting barrage of visceral hyperviolence that comes at you thick and fast, leaving you overstimulated and exhausted but thrilled and gratified.

Though imperfect and moored to indelible design traditions and gameplay rituals, Assassin's Creed Shadows fizzes with style, intention, and detail, curating the best parts of the series into a confident and deeply enjoyable journey through feudal Japan.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is one of the best and most welcome surprises of the year.

You already know if you'll like GSC's newest entry in the series. If you like Call of Pripyat, you'll like this. If you didn't, Heart of Chornobyl rarely hides any true improvements to the formula. It's exactly what fans expect, albeit with a fancy, oftentimes gorgeous, new lick of paint and some modern sensibilities, but it's Stalker through and through - for better and for worse.

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a stunning virtual reality game, and a damn-good workout. Yes, you feel like Batman, but the game is more than just a simulator for Dark Knight roleplayers. It’s proof that any game concept can be adapted to a VR platform with enough care and skill, and it’s proof that VR has the sauce many claim it doesn’t. If you have a Quest 3, you need to play Batman. If you like Batman, you need a Quest 3.

Micro-transactions aside, NBA 2K25 is one of the best sports games to date. With its variety of game modes and stunning realism, it offers more than its predecessors. This game is a true delight for basketball fans, and if you're willing to overlook a couple of flaws, you're almost guaranteed to get hooked.

FC 25 is the first genuinely good FC game in years. A complete tactical overhaul underpins the game’s quality, with sweeping and much-needed changes to Career Mode backing it up, unfortunately, somewhat at the expense of Clubs and Ultimate Team.

Frostpunk 2 is a worthy sequel that ramps up the grit and immersion, but sheds some of the original's magic in the pursuit of innovation.

Endlessly creative and playful, The Plucky Squire's effortless hop between intertwined 2D and 3D worlds is an ode to the illustrated delights of storybooks.

DeathSprint 66 taps into a deeply disturbed corner of your imagination and begs you to die over and over again. You can't help but play along - it's that fun.

A faithful remaster of a classic RTS game with many enhancements that improve on an already great game.

Astro Bot is special, a beaming reminder that bright, unfettered play is a truly wonderful thing.

Space Marine 2 is a solid successor to Space Marine, fits well into the Warhammer universe, and offers engaging and fun action combat and shooting mechanics. It is slight marred by a limited map pool creating repetitiveness in the game's multiplayer progression-based features.

College Football 25 is exactly the return to the series that fans will have wanted. The gameplay is solid, and sets itself apart from Madden in a way that rewards dedicated players, and the Dynasty mode will alone will keep you engaged endlessly. A lack of depth in the other modes and some fiddly UI pull the experience down a bit, but never by enough to hinder what the game does best.

While Nobody Wants to Die is not a long game, that short length has allowed the developers to pack in a solid detective story and a beautifully designed world with surprisingly deep lore. The investigation mechanics aren’t the best, but don’t let that put you off this slick, quick love letter to old-school detective films.

Shadow of the Erdtree is a sensational companion to the base game that feels remarkably fresh and a subtly progressive evolution of the Elden Ring formula.

The Final Shape is Destiny 2 firing on all cylinders, balancing a story of overwhelming odds with expertly paced combat and puzzles, all set in stunning environments. Much of the earlier complaints about the barrier to entry have been addressed, making for a seamless entry into the latest campaign.

Don’t get me wrong, F1 24 is by no means a bad, or even average game, and if you’re a fan of the series, you will absolutely have a great time with it. The new changes there are meaningful, especially for veterans of the series who enjoy getting to grips with the deeper mechanics. But if you’re a casual player just looking to jump on and do a few races now and then, F1 24 may feel less like a brand-new title, and more like a $70 update to a game you already own.

Despite minor blemishes, Fabledom is nothing short of enchanting.

For all the praise I’m about to heap on Senua’s Saga Hellblade 2, it’s a game I never want to play again. An odd thing to say, but one said with the best of intentions.

Sand Land is a charming ARPG romp thanks to its madcap cast of vehicles that manages not only to faithfully adapt Akira Toriyama’s vision, but to expand on it in his trademark style to create something that will delight newcomers and old-school manga-heads alike.

In Tales of Kenzera: Zau, grief and acceptance tug at your heart between bouts of refined combat and slick traversal. While seasoned Metroidvania fans will want more diversions and mystique, the game’s platforming abilities and challenges do justice to its setting.

Dragon’s Dogma 2's commitment to unscripted monster hunts, visceral combat, and interlinked systems guarantees a story lurking around every corner. By trading modern guardrails for know-it-all handmade companions, it entrusts you with the 'venture' in action-adventure. But weak quests and animation jitters hold it back from excellence.

Alone in the Dark is a considerate reimagining of a pioneering classic, weaving together nifty puzzles, edge-of-your-sofa combat, and clever scares.

Helldivers 2 delivers hilarious fist-clenching moments with rock-solid co-op shooter fundamentals but is held back by repetitive missions.

P3R’s poignant tale of acceptance is bolstered by smart combat refinements, deeper friendships, and a soundtrack you already love.

Infinite Wealth honours its dying dragon and rising star with a Hawaiian platter of side stories, memoirs, and dynamic combat.

Tekken 8 is the ultimate Tekken game. A glossy veneer of modernity encases a strong foundation that builds upon its predecessors to great success. In every regard, Tekken 8 matches and surpasses the very best that the series, and the fighting game genre as a whole, has to offer.

Through a blend of a Metroidvania structure and a dutiful nod to its side-scrolling past, Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is a lean and assured mechanical treat.

House Flipper 2 takes the tedium of everyday chores and successfully turns it into a fun and deeply satisfying experience, with enough variety and modes to make it the ideal game for when you just need to kick back and relax.

With loadouts to assemble and coordinated teams laughing to the bank, every breath of The Finals’ destruction does justice to its game show ambitions.

Look past Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s dull story and you’ll find spectacle and freedom lurking in its Na’vi customs and breathtaking ecosystems.

A joyous and relaxing city builder that will make you think.

Super Mario RPG is unapologetically fun. While a simple combat system and lack of challenge may not appeal to hardcore RPG fans, brilliant writing, iconic characters, and a world bursting with charm make it a delight to experience all the way through, and a perfect example of a remake done right.

Dredge: The Pale Reach is a rewarding, albeit bite-sized slice expansion that taps into what made the base game one of this year's most compelling indie efforts. For those after more of that unique, unsettling coziness, The Pale Reach should scratch that nautical itch.

Like a Dragon Gaiden might be a short ride but it stands tall among its larger brethren. Bond-like combat refinements, a tight plot, and fun mini-games build on the same old Yakuza heart.

This game is a shining example of how annual releases should be done. FM remains the standard bearer that all football games should be following.

A contemplative adventure that won’t set the world on fire, but its logical and tactile climbing mechanics are genuinely fun and present a compelling proposition to keep exploring in spite of its relatively short length.

Ghostrunner 2 is bottled mechanical magic, a blisteringly-paced celebration of movement where death is a rite of passage.

Cities Skylines 2 is a well-loved home that picks smart renovation over a sweeping revolution. With incredible visuals and immaculate detailing, few cities can eclipse this colossal effort in terms of sheer freedom and choice.

It's hard to find fault in a game that will no doubt have you hankering for a radioactive spider bite of your own. Reality being what it is, you’re better off playing Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 over and over again.

Lords of the Fallen is a game that wears its passion and love of the genre on its sleeve. A gorgeous world, gripping gameplay, enthralling bosses, and depthless worldbuilding persist in spite of some rough edges and a struggling sense of unique identity.

Hard-hitting, fact-paced, and action-packed. NHL 24 has hit the sweet spot between challenging and enjoyable.

Forza Motorsport’s refined handling, next-gen visuals, and responsive physics tempt you with an accessible yet familiar thrill, especially when you avoid spiraling into a bend.

While Separate Ways plays it very safely, it is an easy recommendation for those who want some more Resident Evil 4 Remake in their lives.

As any larcenist knows, all the best robberies begin discreetly before snowballing into a wild frenzy soundtracked to upbeat electronic music. Payday 3 does this with brimming style, before running away with the money.

Back with a vengeance, Phantom Liberty builds on the high notes of Cyberpunk 2077 to deliver a gripping storyline packed with both heartfelt moments and refined RPG systems.

With gorgeous next-gen visuals, spine-wringing combos, and new Kameo fighters, Mortal Kombat 1 is less a reboot and more an accessible yet fulfilling return to form.

Lies of P is a masterclass in utilising passion and inspiration to create something distinct. While its execution isn’t perfect, the enthralling grimdark world of Krat and the overall excellent gameplay make for a fun experience many Souls-like fans are sure to enjoy.

Starfield is the enchantment and wonder of space bottled and fleshed out into something grand and ambitious, thoughtful and attentive, janky at times, often funny, but always charming.

Stunning vistas paired with a stirring soundtrack and refined combat shoulder Sea of Stars, one of 2023’s most charming RPGs.

Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon is a masterful return to form for the series that incorporates the modern design philosophies of From Software. It’s a dystopian world with a brutally gorgeous aesthetic and refined gameplay elevated by exceptional boss battles. Any fan of the series new or old will find something to love.

Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon is a masterful return to form for the series that incorporates the modern design philosophies of From Software. It’s a dystopian world with a brutally gorgeous aesthetic, and refined gameplay elevated by exceptional boss battles. Any fan of the series new or old will find something to love in this title.

Overall, Madden 24 hits all the right spots with exciting gameplay, incredible graphics, and fun new game modes. It is extremely difficult to put the controller down regardless of its flaws.

Baldur’s Gate 3 gracefully spins atop a tightrope guided by dice rolls as it delivers the player-driven excellence of a tabletop road trip.

F1 Manager 2023 improves on its predecessor in every way possible, with new driver development attributes, sprint races, more depth in car part development, more driver tactics, realistic tyre degradation, a whole new mode full of real-life scenarios, and more. The downtime between races is still a little dull, but it's finally a worthy pickup for every Formula One fan.

Telltale’s entry to The Expanse feels like an obvious move. A world rife with conflict, character and violence is reimagined through the snarky and laser-focused lens of Camina Drummer - and it’s brimming with life and excitement. This carefully spun narrative buries the arbitrary action gameplay, and is totally worth the few hours you’ll need spare to sink this game.

Remnant 2 successfully evolves on its predecessor, isolating and expanding upon the best aspects to create a cohesive and challenging shooter experience, supplemented by stunningly designed environments and a unique story system. A cooperative game at heart, its single-player campaign takes a hit, but never enough to substantially detract from the game’s successes.

Jagged Alliance 3 is a worthy successor to the franchise that brings modern graphics and characters to life in engaging turn-based tactical combat. Its world is well-built and its supporting elements add much. But the game remains rough around the edges here and there, with a fairly standard storyline and a learning curve that could be more accessible.

Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals feels like an evolution of its predecessor. It presents us with a new perspective of both Edward’s Island and Camena that both add to the overall mystery of the paranormal world they reside in but also keep to the series’ down-to-earth storytelling.

The game isn’t above jolting you with the odd jump scare, but it’s far happier to politely trouble your sleep.

Trepang2 is an excellent ultra-violent shooter that balances intensely satisfying combat and stealth gameplay with a tight, engaging narrative full of mystery. With perfect pacing, immersive boss fights and a thought-provoking ending, it achieves everything it aims for with the precision and technique of a super soldier.

F1 23 is a fast-paced thrill-ride plunging you into the extraordinary world of Formula One. Braking Point 2 is a huge success, and while other elements of the game have barely changed, the gameplay itself is as addictive as it is enthralling.

Diablo 4 feels like the apex of the series, bringing together everything great about the previous entries. It isn't without its minor flaws, and the success of the endgame content is still up in the air, but for once Diablo has a gripping story, phenomenal graphics, and a gameplay loop that doesn't innovate too much but is certainly better than its predecessor.

Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece on all fronts. A consummate masterstroke of game design and worldbuilding, unrepentant in its pursuit of player freedom, well-deserving of a place among the greatest games of all time.

Lego 2K Drive is a breezy kart-like racing game with plenty of things to do, a unique twist in its customisation options and overall, the kind of fun you’d expect from a Lego game - although its microtransactions leave an uneasy taste in the mouth.

One of the best Star Wars games of all time, Jedi Survivor delivers on everything Fallen Order set up and then some. A space-faring epic full of twists and turns, with rock-solid combat, and a gorgeous universe holding numerous secrets mean the Jedi games are unmissable for any Star Wars fan.

There aren’t many boxing games around, unfortunately, and so while Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition isn’t perfect, it’s a must-have for fans of the sport. But even PSVR 2 owners wanting a game that will give them a good workout should check it out, thanks to its demanding physicality. Whether you’re completing a training montage or going toe-to-toe with imposing opponents keen to knock your block off, this is a title that entertains, and exercises, in equal amounts.

A strong, compelling narrative that's only made better by great visuals and superb voice acting.

WWE 2K23 isn't a revolution, but a welcome evolution to the series with just enough new features that are sure to please WWE fans and newcomers alike.

Complex systems are made simple, by committing their clutter to muscle memory, and play—good play, at any rate—requires that you, like Selene, ride its enigmatic loop.

God of War Ragnarok is a masterpiece, dense in its strewn spectacle and narrative bulk, nearly overwhelming in its vast scale.

Home to some of the most immersive experiences, detailed graphics, and engaging features in the sports game industry, NBA 2K23 has set the bar of excellence for what a world class sports game is truly made of. Though its clear-cut inconsistencies across the next and current generation editions diminishes its overall potential, NBA 2K23 has still risen to the top as one of the best sports games of the year.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a visually stunning and emotive fable that pierces through the noise of the most contested of release periods as a captivating triumph.

Metal: Hellsinger merges rhythm, violence, and the fury-laden chugs of metal to create a unique kind of carnage that's a pleasure to conduct despite, at times, feeling repetitive.

The Last of Us Part I is a beautiful thing to behold, honouring your recollection by surpassing it.

From control to innovation, Madden 23 delivered one of its best full game experiences to date. However, a push for creativity has led to stark inconsistencies from year to year, leaving many unsatisfied with modes like Face of the Franchise.

This is where Stray succeeds. It offers us delectable opportunities to act out the behaviour that so bewilders us, in very celebration of that bewilderment.

What saves Norco is that the visions on offer belong as much to the imagined as the troublingly real.

You can sense, in Weird West, a developer both returning to his obsessions and toiling on a fresh frontier.

Despite its obvious muses, Tunic manages to rise above mere flattery, by paying deeper homage to the medium itself.