All in all, Injustice 2 is surprisingly fantastic. Combat feels very weighty and satisfying, the graphics look incredible, characters look fascinatingly detailed and even the bass-heavy sound design is top notch. DC and fighter fans should definitely be giving Injustice 2 time.

The Witness is an excellent puzzle game, featuring many complex yet fair puzzles, a great atmosphere, an interesting narrative method and a lot of content. With no hand-holding whatsoever, The Witness certainly is not a game for everyone, but those who are up to the challenge will feel enriched once they solve most of the puzzles included in the game.

Dead Cells sets a high bar for what can be accomplished within the framework of a Metroidvania. Each randomly generated encounter feels like it was handcrafted for the player and are as challenging as they are rewarding.

Final Fantasy VII Remake is a masterful modernization of the series' classic formula. The game is an extremely solid JRPG that looks, sounds and plays great, despite some pacing issues and linearity. That said, the unexpected story twists may sour the experience a bit for those who expected a faithful remake.

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition finally brings the fight to everybody. Whether you want button mash with friends, prove your skills to the world, just engage in some low-stakes solo fighting, Arcade Edition has you covered. If you’ve been holding out until now, it’s time to step up to the streets.

Astral Chain is, without a doubt, one of the best games ever released by Platinum Games and one of the best Nintendo Switch exclusives to date. With its combination of explosive action gameplay, which masterfully blends together mechanics taken from previous games developed by the studio, engaging investigation and exploration mechanics, an enjoyable story and huge amount of content, Astral Chain is a game that no fan of action games should pass on. That's even in spite of some issues here and there, such as the low challenge level and unbalanced evaluation system that makes it too easy to get S+ ranks.

Accessibility and style are both Guilty Gear -Strive-'s strongest suits but some baffling omissions and online problems keep Arc System Works' latest from entering the pantheon of elite fighters.

CAPCOM's new PRAGMATA IP feels like a return to old-school design: extreme linearity, no unnecessary bells and whistles, and a narrative barely worthy of such a name. There's beauty in such simplicity, and the game's main quirk, the real-time hacking mechanics, provides a fun, yet original combat experience. However, it doesn't go much deeper than that in any regard, ultimately satisfying the player without leaving any lasting memories.

Whether you're an old Pokémon fan or a brand new one, there's loads to love about Sun and Moon. These might just be the very best mainline Pokémon games ever.

Pikmin 4 adds or reintroduces a lot to the series’ formula, including caves, nighttime missions, and an adorable doggy sidekick, to the point the game starts to feel a bit busy and unfocused. Fortunately, like a well-managed Pikmin squad, the game comes together in charming, effective fashion by the end. While the franchise may have bloomed slightly brighter in the past, Pikmin 4 will still provide a bountiful harvest of fun for longtime fans.

Kentucky Route Zero is a fascinating story with a thick atmosphere and themes which will leave you thinking long after playing each act. It's one of the best stories I've ever played or read in a video game, and I implore everyone to play it. Kentucky Route Zero is something special.

Nothing short of a technical marvel, Clive Rosfield and Torgal are among some of the best character action duos and their 70-hour epic adventure across Valisthea will forever be remembered in Final Fantasy XVI

Gran Turismo 7 is an excellent game. It looks fantastic, with features like the photo and scapes modes, making the game look eerily photo-realistic. On the track, racing is top-notch. Every car feels unique; every change in the garage and every decision on the track matters. However, it doesn't mean there aren't issues. Always online requirements have failed me numerous times and lost progress when the servers have died; this is before launch. In addition to this, there's just a looming issue of time; the game doesn't value your time with the campaign (cafe menus), having it move at a glacially slow pace at best. Also, the soundtrack is atrocious. Still, whatever faults I find, they are far outweighed by overwhelming positives.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is an excellent adventure/action game that features one of the best Indiana Jones stories, great level design that rewards exploration, and awesome ray traced visuals. This might just be the best game dedicated to Dr. Henry Walton we've ever seen, and I'm certainly hoping for more.

Dragon Ball FighterZ is possibly the greatest Dragon Ball game of all time, and already one of the best fighting games of the year, if not the best. Great fighting and amazing visuals collide in this excellent anime fighter.

The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening looks gorgeous, sounds beautiful, and tells a twee and compelling tale. While the game can be played through in around ten hours if you know what you're doing in advance, new players will find a lengthy and engaging Zelda game to love. Whether it's your first time playing Link's Awakening or your dozenth, you will still find a gripping Switch game that you'll remember for another twenty years.

Insomniac has found a way to weave together the human side of Peter Parker with the combat and web-slinging of Spider-Man to create a web of intrigue that any PlayStation 4-owning superhero fan should play.

Okami is a game that doesn't get the love it deserves. Hopefully, with this beautiful HD rerelease, more fans will come to enjoy the simple pleasures of being a Sun God wolf with a magic paintbrush.

Whether you're an old Pokémon fan or a brand new one, there's loads to love about Sun and Moon. These might just be the very best mainline Pokémon games ever.

OlliOlli World has a chill vibe that allows players to enjoy performing skating tricks, whether to clear platforming challenges or just to challenge themselves to the highest score. The game offers little else besides cosmetic rewards, but it more than makes up for it with its replayability and addictive nature. It's the perfect game for those who want to play a game with the same level of depth as the Tony Hawk or Skate franchises.

Saros is a phenomenal roguelike that would have been more notable had Housemarque not already set the bar so high with 2021's Returnal.

The Nonary Games contains two of the best-known escape room games (except for perhaps Crimson Room) together in a timeless package. The updates to 999 make it the most definitive version to date, although Virtue's Last Reward feels just the same as it did the first time around.

A fairy tale that has stood the test of time and shows the true beauty of George Kamitani. If you enjoy games made by Vanillaware, you can't miss this high definition remake.

Silent Hill 2 is the best game Bloober Team has made. A faithful reimagining of the original, bringing it to the modern day without losing what made the original the best horror game ever, using modern game mechanics to improve where they could, and expanding on what was already an engrossing world. Without any shadow of a doubt, a resounding success, one that will likely come as a surprise to many.

F1 2019 is yet another excellent racer developed by Codemasters. With a wealth of positives, such as the improved feel of the racing, as well as how great the game looks and a number of new gameplay features, the game was bound to shine. The minor negatives, such as new modes like the Senna/Prost challenges feeling shallow, are minor blips in what is an otherwise outstanding game.

Inside has a foreboding atmosphere that's second to none, set by the masterful use of lighting, shadows, colors and sound. Although padded at parts (even for a four hour game), it's still able to keep you gripped. The puzzles are somewhat basic for the most part and the ending of the game is one of the worst I've ever encountered, simply not fitting in with the rest of it.

Sonic Mania Plus is an essential upgrade if you already own and enjoy the original version of the game. Newcomers should also give this updated offering a look, as it captures what made classic Sonic uniquely appealing, while fixing some of the base game’s shortcomings. Sonic Mania Plus still has a few lingering issues, but, overall, this heartfelt hedgehog homage has been honed to the next level.

Sunless Skies delivers in ways you don't even expect it to. The atmosphere is incredible, and the stories almost addictive. The world is beautiful and the danger is tantalizing. It might be deadly, but it's well worth the trip.

Total War: Warhammer II takes the fantasy setting to its next logical level. Bringing in completely unique factions, giving them all a personality of their own in the franchises most focused campaign ever has led to an incredibly compelling game. The only problem is that the old Total War issues of poor AI with diplomacy still prevails and that the economy is easy to game to your advantage. Still, altogether an outstanding release.

With its engaging story, dark atmosphere, charming characters, and excellent combat, Tales of Arise provides an experience that feels both new and familiar at the same time, making for a game that both long-time fans and newcomers will enjoy. While the excessive linearity and the removal of multiplayer will disappoint some, the pros far outweigh the cons, making Tales of Arise one of the best entries in the series to date.

Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition brings one of Nintendo’s best open worlds to a new audience with confidence, offering up much-improved UI, smartly-streamlined mechanics, and some intriguing new content. While the game’s presentation could perhaps use a touch more polish, Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition is an out-of-this-world Switch RPG worth experiencing before Nintendo launches its next hardware.

Forza Horizon offers you a huge world to explore. It gives you as many cars, from supercars to off-road buggies, to race how and when you want. Explore the outback, race along the coast. Forza Horizon 3 is possibly the best racing game in the world, just marred by performance issues on the PC and the dull nature of the create-your-own-race options.

The MARVEL vs. CAPCOM Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics is a fantastic celebration of the series, showcasing some of the best fighting games released by the Japanese publisher in the late '90s and early 2000s. Although the lack of cross-platform play reduces the collection's appeal, the additional options and extras are welcome enhancements that make playing these timeless classics on modern hardware even more enticing, especially on consoles.

Rocket League is a great, exciting game, and none of that is lost on Switch, even if it is a less pretty version of the game. If you want a Rocket League experience you can take on the go, this is the perfect way.

The animation alone is nearly worth the price of admission, but if you want imaginative bosses to fight as well, you're in luck with Cuphead. Just make sure you're prepared to die - a lot.

Diablo IV is a return to form at a much needed time for Blizzard. It delivers incredibly fun hack and slash action combat, a greatly improved skill system, and a ton of things to do, not to mention the best story told in the franchise yet. It also looks awesome, sounds great, and runs well (except for rare instances of traversal stuttering)...That said, it sticks a little bit too closely to the rulebook, which works against it in a few areas. The open world is not as dynamic as one could have hoped, with events getting repetitive rather quickly. The side content doesn't provide any real narrative juice, and the endgame replayability may not be as deep as needed due to limited randomization and lack of certain features.

Quite possibly the most exciting strategy game to come out in a long time. It's a huge change for such a long running franchise, brings in so many new features that work so well, and looks downright stunning as huge numbers of fantastical creatures create all manners of havok across the battlefield.

With its huge number of new and returning monsters, new gameplay mechanics, and great refinements to the formula, Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak is the massive expansion that the latest entry in the series deserved to get. While the jump from High Rank to Master Rank doesn't feel as big as it was in previous entries in the series, Sunbreak does so many things well that most of the hunters traveling to Elgado and the Citadel will hardly be bothered by it.

With the streamlining of some of the most annoying aspects of the Monster Hunter experience and some excellent additions to the formula like Wirebugs and Switch Skills, Monster Hunter Rise reaches the heights of the best entries in the series with ease. While not all of the changes and new features have been for the best, like Rampage Quests, their general quality level, and the amazing PC port, do make the game one that's worth playing for both long-time fans of the series and newcomers.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 is better than the original game in every possible way, introducing many quality of life improvements and fixing some of the biggest issues like the linear progression system and more. And with a simple yet engaging story, excellent exploration, crafting and building mechanics and multiplayer features, the game is an excellent title that no fan of the Dragon Quest series and sandbox games should pass on, even if they never played the original.

With production values that are through the roof and an extremely engaging story, Death Stranding is among Hideo Kojima's best games. The moment-to-moment gameplay, however, falls short due to its repetitiveness, and the long stretches without any real action make it difficult to recommend the game to all open-world fans. Death Stranding is something different, and only approaching it with an open mind will reveal the brilliance of its themes, its characters and its hauntingly beautiful dystopian world.

Guilty Gear Xrd Revelator will have zero complaints from new and experienced players, but Xrd Sign players who are less bothered about roster updates will find less to enjoy.

It's a shame, but like many Wii U ports that have popped up on Switch, this is an incredibly high-quality title that frankly doesn't give players enough of a reason to play it again. If you never played this game before and never owned a Wii U then it's a great game to play and you'll adore the challenge, but if you've played it all before, like me? Fun to revisit, but hardly essential.

Mario Kart World is a bold and ambitious new entry in the world’s most popular racing franchise, delivering smartly updated mechanics, a collection of gorgeous courses, and an open world that impresses with its scope and variety. Admittedly, the game doesn’t quite manage to eclipse the giant that is Mario Kart 8 and some classic modes don’t mesh perfectly with the new sandbox approach, but there’s no denying Mario Kart World gets the Switch 2 off to a peppy start.

Dishonored 2 is the best stealth action/adventure game on the market. It's filled with memorable characters and locations, not to mention empowered by superb art style and gameplay. No gamer should miss it, though if you intend to play on PC you might do well to wait for the update that's scheduled to bring a slew of performance improvements.

Bayonetta 3 is the series’ best entry yet, offering an engaging universe-hopping story, bombastic cinematic moments, and refined action that’s both accessible and deeper than ever before. The game can feel slightly hemmed in on the Switch, but Platinum pummels every bit of possible performance out of the hardware. Whether you and Bayonetta have history or not, this is an engagement not to be missed.

Out of the Park Baseball 18 is one of the best sport-simulation games on the market. Lagging slightly behind its football rival primarily due to a terrible interface. Once you get sucked in, though, it's extremely compelling and a great learning aid if you know little about baseball.

Ghost of Yōtei is a worthy sequel to the already excellent Ghost of Tsushima, building upon that game's foundation with an equally interesting (albeit quite different) plot and select improvements to combat and open world exploration. It may feel a little too familiar, not to mention similar to the previous game, but that sensation is quickly forgotten amidst all the fun you'll have in Ezo.

If you played Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age back in the day and want to go back for nostalgia, you’ll love this. If you’re a new player interested in playing for the first time – keep in mind that this is definitely a game that shows its age. Though, if you have sufficient patience, it’s a story well worth investing in.

The gameplay is very engaging, though can sometimes outstay its welcome at parts with a mixture of levels that range from the extremely interesting to dull and repetitive. Whatever its flaws, Wolfenstein is a great game that's well worth playing and will keep you coming back for more as you purge the US of Nazis.

With a huge amount of content and a tightly designed, challenging action RPG experience, Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition is a game that can keep those willing to delve deep into its gameplay systems engaged for hundreds of hours. Despite some issues, like incorrect button prompts for mouse and keyboard controls, optimization problems and visuals not much improved over the PlayStation 4 release, the PC version is a solid port that's worth your money, especially if you have the system capable of taking advantage of exclusive features like Ultrawide resolutions and up to 120 FPS gameplay.

Star Ocean: The Second Story was already the best entry in the series by far, and the amazing work done by Gemdrops propelled it further into the Galaxy, turning it into an even better game that is far more enjoyable than the original. As such, Star Ocean: The Second Story R isn't just the best entry in the series but also one of the best remakes ever released, masterfully updating the gameplay where needed without touching what already worked great back in the late 90s.

As the culmination of the Total War: Warhammer trilogy, the story-focused approach combined with massive multiple-part battles feels like the right thing to do. While aspects can make you feel rushed, this is undeniably intentional as you're in a race against all other factions on the map, and the more I play it, the more I like it. The battles feel genuinely epic, with even regular ones seeing significant improvement thanks to excellent design. AI improvements on the campaign map, combined with the unique features of factions, also add another layer to the game. There are a few niggles here and there; the AI has issues during battles. Corruption on the campaign map also feels imbalanced, but while these can be irritating (corruption mainly), they are minor issues in the grand scheme. All in all, Total War: Warhammer III is an excellent game.

It’s a complete, classic package, at a great price. Each character you play as feels just as you remember it, but sharper. Each classic stage starts as you remember it, and then transforms into something completely new. Sonic Mania is a love letter to fans and a testament to the Blue Blur himself - a modern classic that Sonic fans old and new have to experience.

Following on from Shadow Tactics, Mimimi Productions have continued their excellent form with Desperados. While the maps can be a little dull and the game arguably slow, the level of tactical nuance and environmental storytelling, as you progress through engaging and challenging missions, is second to none. Desperados III is an undeniably great game, the best in the series and arguably one of the best in the genre.

With a much more serious and ominous narrative this time around, Monster Hunter Stories 3 manages to balancing the joy of hugging your Poogie with the challenge of besting an Elder Dragon in manual combat.

A blend of touchscreen controls and physical buttons makes this one of the most convenient ways to play Civilization VI, and the portability makes it the best version to play on the go. Recommended to everyone who's looking to build a nation or take over the world.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is a true return to form, and one of the scariest games in years. It’s only let down by the fact it loses its fear factor by slightly outstaying its welcome.

Warframe is definitely one of the best free to play games available right now, and a fantastic shooter in its own right. It's fun and frantic, with loads of content to sink your teeth into for hours. Whether by yourself, with friends or with random people found through matchmaking, this is a great game, well worth your time.

Once you check in, you won’t want to check out. Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a vibrant interactive CGI movie, beautifully-designed brainteaser, and top-notch action game, all rolled into one. The game isn’t perfect, but its frustrating moments are brief and don’t tarnish the experience as a whole. Luigi’s Mansion 3 stands shoulder to shoulder with Switch must-haves like Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey – it’s scary good.

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon is without a doubt one of From Software's most unique and polished experiences in the last decade. However, there's a certain expectation of AC Pilot skill getting into the cockpit that even making it through until the final chapter requires an established familiarity far above and beyond any Soulslike pedigree.

An incredible example of how to take a classic series and modernize it with updated graphics and voice acting while still keeping what made the original so charming. If the story stayed strong all the way through, it would be my favorite in the series hands-down. Nevertheless, it's still in the top three Dragon Quests that I've ever played.

Octopath Traveler II plays it safe when it comes to its core gameplay, offering a handful of small positive tweaks that don’t entirely make up for returning problems like clumsy party management and battles that take too long to wrap up. Thankfully, the game also takes a big, confident step forward in writing, offering a cast of well-wrought, interesting characters and a vividly-detailed world you won’t soon forget. Octopath Traveler II may have the same old engine under the hood, but the road trip it takes you on is well worth experiencing.

Barring a sci-fi horror tale that doesn't quite nail the slow building reveal, Housemarque has absolutely succeeded with their fusion of third-person shooting and roguelike elements in Returnal, one of my personal favorite PlayStation 5 titles so far.

Guilty Gear is a hardcore fighter, both to its benefit and its detriment. On the one hand, fighting game players will adore Guilty Gear for its fast paced gameplay, beautiful art style and deep tools for learning advanced techniques, but for anyone not either immersed in fighting games or the Guilty Gear series it’s a tough, if not impossible sell. A wonderful game, but not one likely to earn any new fans.

Ultimately, Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered might be the best remaster I’ve ever played. Everything is updated and beautiful, without losing a single thing long-time fans loved about the original. If you’ve ever wanted to see where the online multiplayer craze started, this is it – and it holds up amazingly well.

With a clean, intuitive new UI as well as tutorials that introduce both new and veteran managers to all of the major systems in Football Manager 2019, it's never been as easy to get into the game. Thanks to a myriad of upgrades, both large and small, the series as also never been this good. Unarguably the pinnacle of the series so far, with only a few remaining issues like press conferences and player conversations, this is sure to be the highlight for all budding managers.

I don't think there are any bad Fire Emblem games, and despite that Birthright still manages to be one of the better ones.

One of the best Zelda games, even if it hasn’t aged amazingly. Returning players and those new to Twilight Princess are sure to adore this, though the HD remaster doesn’t hide its age.

Injustice 2 on PC is a great version of a wonderful fighter and love letter to the DC universe, but some PC players will find the capped framerate to be a disappointment. Despite that, Injustice 2 plays great and looks better thanks to the higher resolutions available on the PC version. If you’re a DC or fighting game fan and have the hardware to output this on High settings, it’s a worthwhile investment.

Mini Metro is nothing like real public transport. Millions of people don't have to use it each day, but they might just want to instead.

F1 2021 has undeniably struggled with COVID and the limitations it has put on both the sport and the game. However, either despite or because of these limitations, this manages a step forward that the series failed to take two years ago, it brings a genuine story to the game. Braking Point is an undeniable success and, one would hope, marks a starting point in which Codemasters can advance as the series moves forward. Beyond this new mode, almost every aspect has been polished to a diamond-like shine, with the only aspects needing improvement are the MyTeam mode, which already looks lacking as a story of progression when compared to Braking Point, and the poor AI in team management. Despite this minor issue, there's no doubt in my mind that this is the best of the franchise so far and a great launching point to the next generation.

Cadence of Hyrule ends up being a shocking blend of a rhythm game, action game, puzzle game, dungeon crawler, and roguelike, all in one. It's actually pretty stunning how well the developers have managed to blend all of these elements together and still come out with a cohesive and refined experience. The game looks amazing, plays marvelously, and the music is not only the most important part, but it's the part that delivers the best. The Crypt of the NecroDancer formula isn't for everyone, but this game is borderline unmissable.

Chivalry 2 is a fantastic medieval multiplayer brawler created with care by the studio that first heralded the genre. Although there are a few missteps and issues here and there, you'll have an absolute blast playing whether you're a battle-hardened knight or a noob nave.

Tactical RPG fans and those that love the chaotic nature of Rabbids owe it to themselves to check out both Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and its prequel Kingdom Battle for a gaming experience you won't find on any other platform.

Metroid: Samus Returns is another wonderful 3DS game that gives owners yet another reason to pick up their 3DS consoles, even with the Switch’s growing library. It looks great, plays great, and is as faithful to older Metroid games as you could ask for. All we can hope for now is that this is just the beginning of the 2D Metroid renaissance.

Dragon Quest VIII is hailed as a classic, and rightly so. Dragon Quest VIII on 3DS is a great place for new fans to jump on, as well as a perfect way for those who played it to relive a classic – and on the go, too. One of the PS2’s very best JRPGs is back, and it hasn’t aged a day.

The expansion was so close to perfect. If it wasn't for the update that Blizzard released where they went from undertuning everything to overtuning it, the expansion would have been perfection. The quests are fun, Hero Talents provide lots of cool options, and the music really makes the areas of Khaz Algar magical and threatening, all at the same time. Admittedly, the story for this expansion could have done with being a little longer, as it felt quite short overall compared to previous expansions. However, there is still time for them to add more in future patches.

Deep Rock Galactic features everything a first-person shooter needs to be great: excellent mission variety and character design, an engaging gameplay loop, smooth co-op and huge amount of content. New players will feel a little overwhelmed by the various customization options, but those willing to invest time in learning all of the gameplay systems will find an extremely polished experience that will keep them engaged for a very long time. These dwarves are a little rowdy, but they are tough, and they are here to stay.

Wasteland 3 features everything only the best role-playing games do: an engaging story powered by excellent writing, compelling characters, tons of customization options, and a deep tactical combat system that feels fresh even after dozens of hours. But, most of all, it features a living world that reacts to what the player does, and changes depending on how the player decides to deal with the troubles ahead, providing a role-playing experience of the highest degree, one that very few games can boast of.

13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim is a riveting tale of high school students, the giant robotic Sentinels they pilot, and a battle against invading kaiju across multiple timelines. This Kamitani-directed JRPG would have been a better read without the cumbersome addition of combat to distract from the plot.

The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom brings some new ideas to the table, but in the end, the game is more about modernizing the classic 2D Zelda experience. The attention-grabbing echo copying mechanic has its pros and cons, but where Echoes of Wisdom consistently hits is in the tried-and-true design of its world and dungeons, which are as good as any the franchise has delivered in the past. This may be Zelda's first starring adventure, but past Legends still echo strongly here.

With Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition, Paradox Arctic managed to do make a computer RPG playable on consoles with little frustration, thanks to the cleverly redesigned UI and controls. For the rest, Pillars of Eternity: Complete Edition is just as great as it is on PC, with excellent writing, world-building and characters, an involving and challenging battle system, and true roleplaying.

Cal Kestis' latest journey, this time to seek out a long-lost Jedi stronghold on Tanalorr, should feel intimately familiar to fans of Jedi: Fallen Order. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor builds upon the successes of the original title but doesn't quite do enough to stand up on its own merits.

With an engaging story, well-developed characters and lore, and a huge amount of meaningful content, Starfield is one of Bethesda's finest games and one of the best role-playing games released in the past few years. The lack of seamless exploration and real innovation of the typical gameplay formula from the studio are noteworthy, but those willing to forego these issues will find a reactive and sprawling sci-fi universe to lose themselves in for hundreds, if not thousands, of hours.

Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition is the only, true definitive edition of the Square Enix Japanese Role-Playing Game, thanks to the superior graphics quality and several gameplay and story enhancements, which are also included in the consoles' Royal Edition.

DOOM: The Dark Ages is a rip-tearing fun ride that reigns in some of the excesses of DOOM Eternal, bringing the gameplay closer to DOOM (2016), while adding meat to the story in a long, meaty, campaign across over twenty stages. Put simply, if you liked DOOM and DOOM Eternal, you will like this, even if there are a few minor missteps.

The Forgotten City just feels so satisfying to play. You'll constantly be solving little mysteries and discovering new secrets to hit you with some immediate gratifications, all the while working on the larger puzzlers and tangled storyline to reach the end.

Konami has promised (and delivered) a faithful reproduction of Snake Eater, brought forth into a new console generation without deviating from the title it was based on.

Frostpunk is an excellent-looking, excellent sounding, and great playing organic growth and succession from the original. Spreading further along the wasteland, you have to balance more as you deal with politics, resources, factions, and ever more challenges, often including settling and building in new areas. Still a challenge, but more approachable, this is yet another city builder that will shine out amongst others.

Miles Morales is a far more charismatic hero than Peter in Parker in Marvel's Spider-Man and there's no better way to tell his story than with his own game as a PlayStation 5 launch title. While shorter and more compact than Peter Parker's adventures, this quick trip to Harlem should be on any superhero fan's wishlist.

Control features Remedy's most original setting yet, the studio's most open-ended game environment yet and great action combat that makes you feel like a badass. The game also stands out on PC as one of the finest examples of real-time ray tracing to date. It shouldn't be passed upon by any action/adventure game fans, even if it's not quite a masterpiece.

While Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess may not be the best action game or the best tower defense game around, Yoshiro and Soh's journey is undeniably compelling. Thanks to great map, scenario, and enemy design, along with plenty of viable tactical options and a wide arsenal of abilities, this new IP from CAPCOM stands out as one of the most surprising titles of the year, held back only by minor issues, such as a shallow narrative and a low challenge level.

Tunic is a charming, absorbing adventure that recaptures the feel of the original The Legend of Zelda better than almost any other game out there (including some of Nintendo’s own efforts). The game’s enigmatic nature won’t be for everyone and a late-game difficulty spike may frustrate even old-school fans, but overall, Tunic is a successful link to the past.

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun is a fantastic return to form for the real-time tactics genre, with a particular emphasis on stealth based gameplay. Reminiscent of Commandos, it offers a fantastic tactical approach in a brilliantly designed world that will do more than enough to grab anybody’s attention. Not without its difficulty, it's never too hard that it's unfair.

With a high spike in difficulty that demands respect and practice to scale over, DJMax Respect is a journey that will take you through the last dozen years of Korean rhythm games with a roster of many of the series' greatest hits.

The Outer Worlds is pretty much exactly what you'd expect from Obsidian. The first-person action RPG features a great setting, fantastic writing and remarkable, complex characters to meet. The moment-to-moment gameplay isn't as exciting, though, failing to measure up with the best in the genre. Still, there's plenty to like here as long as you know what you're getting into, not to mention the potential for a sequel to be much better, particularly if the developers had a higher budget to work with.

With a gripping and often disturbing story, a setting unlike anything seen before in the franchise, and gameplay that blends new ideas with a familiar framework, Silent Hill f shows that the series is not only back, but stronger than ever. While performance issues and a short runtime do impact the experience, they in no way diminish what is a triumphant return for one of the most important survival horror series ever.