The focus placed by The Riftbreaker's gameplay loop on resource management may be too monotonous for some players. It's a game that focuses on its base-building mechanics more than its Action RPG mechanics. Still, it's a decent mixture of both that can either be loved or hated by players.

While some issues persist, such as bad story pacing in the first half of the game, mediocre writing, and limited scope, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Reunion does a great job of modernizing the original game without taking away what made it so unique. The vastly improved visuals and the combat system overhaul make Reunion the best way to experience Zack Fair's story, and one of the best remasters released by Square Enix to date.

Hardspace Shipbreaker does everything it wants to do, and does it well. The shipbreaking is fun, tactile, and rewarding. The story is humorous, thoughtful, and engaging. And the music is relaxing and thoughtful.

V Rising may not have the deepest survival game mechanics around, but that is hardly a problem. The game crafted by Stunlock Studios masterfully weaves mechanics from very different genres to provide an experience like any other on the market. While solo players may find the experience becoming a little stale over time, everyone else will find plenty of reasons to remain in this world, whether it's to perfect their characters or build the most haunting vampire castle ever seen.

I can’t think of a single FIFA game that brought about as many big changes to the series as much as FIFA 19 has.

Ape Out is great if you've only got a few minutes or a few hours. Its simple design, constant excitement, and reward loop mean you can be satisfied with one turn or twenty.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is an essential JRPG for fans of the genre. If you own a Switch and have enjoyed JRPGs in the past, then you should get it, absolutely. In a year which had games like Tales of Berseria and Persona 5, it just might be the best JRPG of 2017, and that’s saying something.

For now, it's looking positive, even though it certainly has its issues. [Review in Progress]

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is a very respectable retrofit of two of the best old-school tactical strategy games of all time. Some may question who the audience for this package is as it doesn’t offer much new content for experienced commanders, but these are still objectively high-quality games and this remake does little to diminish their charms. If you’re new to the Advance Wars series or just looking for a more convenient way to play some of its best entries again, this remake is likely to capture your heart (and free time).

Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun - Aiko's Choice is more of the original, which means it's more of one of the best real-time tactics games around. The few issues that you could have with the original, such as the difficulty curve, are made worse due to the location of these missions within the larger story - and with it being standalone - which could make it inaccessible. The lack of introduction to characters, presuming foreknowledge, also means new players will find it hard to get into. Even with these flaws, I could only recommend it as it looks great, sounds great, and plays even better.

With a new focused story, a harshly beautiful new area, new weapons, enemies and skills, Horizon Zero Dawn The Frozen Wilds is a worthy expansion of the open world game developed by Guerrilla Games. Ultimately, it's more of the same, as the expansion lacks any major new gameplay mechanics, but when so much love is put into a product, is it really an issue? Highly recommended to all Horizon Zero Dawn owners.

In a year brimming with amazing JRPGs, FANTASIAN Neo Dimension stands out as one of the best, thanks to its charming characters with well-developed backstories and interactions, emotional story moments, solid combat system, and a very distinctive visual style. While these elements are the evolution of what Hironobu Sakaguchi did with the Final Fantasy series, their execution makes the game a must-play for both longtime fans of the genre and newcomers alike.

A more than worthy continuation of the Trails in the Sky saga, tying up some loose ends from the previous game while setting up events for the following entries. The dungeon crawler game flow of the 3rd may put off some, and the presentation may look outdated, but do not let this discourage you, as the game is one of the best Japanese role-playing games released this year in the West.

Path of Exile is nothing truly new, but it is a well crafted and incredibly deep game in the loot grinding genre. Particularly recommended if you can play it with friends.

Regardless of my complaints, Atelier Sophie 2 does many things right to warrant a recommendation. It’s a great entry-level RPG with some intricate systems that will keep you entertained. The turn-based system might be a turn-off for some players, but I believe that we could work more with this genre, and Gust seems like they are willing to experiment more with it.

Little Nightmares is a freshly scary experience that feels like a gothic storybook come to life despite some technical hiccups and awkward controls.

Grounded is undoubtedly one of the best survival games around. While it falls into some of the same traps, getting very grindy and gatekeeping progression while not signposting as well as it should do, there's little doubt that it's a very engaging game. Where many games will give you a world to play around in, Grounded places you in a living, breathing world and has you engage with every element in interesting ways.

Disc Room is an outrageous experience built around one single philosophy: getting cut in half by spinning discs. However, the challenges for surviving as long as possible and grazing past enemy attacks satisfies a craving that only the most polished of Japanese shmups could satisfy.

Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is a faithful adaptation of the tabletop RPG, featuring an engaging story, well-written characters, and extremely deep gameplay mechanics. Although Owlcat Games' did their best to make the game feel welcoming to newcomers with plenty of in-game resources, tutorials, and difficulty customization options, the depth of the experience can be intimidating. Those who brave through the initial confusion, however, will find one of the best computer RPGs released in recent times.

Arceus offers you a chance to play your childhood dream. It's not perfect but it offers something more engrossing and satisfying than anything else Pokémon has come up with.

Helldivers 2 is broken at launch. That much is almost unquestionable. The game has many high highs and also abysmally low lows. While I can recommend it for players who are seeking a good time due to the physics and the wacky situations a group of players can find themselves in at lower difficulties, it also is a tough recommendation for players seeking thrills with challenging yet fair content. That may change in the future if the developers can fix all the bugs and connection problems.

Mortal Kombat 1 is one of the franchise’s most bloody-entertaining entries to date, offering up refined action, smartly revamped fighters, and a story mode that delivers a surprisingly-coherent plot and plenty of blockbuster thrills. A lack of compelling modes and meaningful character customization does hurt, but Mortal Kombat 1 should be a heart-ripping hit with fans even if the overall package is slightly anemic.

With its excellent combat system, complementary mechanics, solid level and enemy design, and engaging story, The First Berserker: Khazan stands out as one of the best action RPGs in recent years. While its heavy inspiration from FromSoftware and Team NINJA’s latest titles is a little too evident, and PC performance issues occasionally impact the experience, the tale of Great General Khazan is a compelling one that makes for a great game and the perfect introduction to the world of Dungeon Fighter Online.

A guided experience from beginning to end, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined does away with any sense of exploration and challenge by holding the player's hand whether they want the guidance or not. What could be the most beautiful rendition of the greatest entry in the Dragon Quest series is instead Reimagined to be the beginner's first JRPG.

Although the game was a lot of fun and I enjoyed the actual gameplay elements of it, the story just didn't grab me. Initially, I was also deterred by the massively contrasting art styles and the finicky menus. Overall, the game is a pleasant experience, appropriate for gamers of all ages. If the story had some more flashy dramatics, it may have pulled me in earlier. The Plucky Squire is very evidently a product made with a lot of love, and you can tell that from the level of polish it has.

Marvel's Midnight Suns is a strong tactical RPG that feels like something that wouldn't be amiss in the MCU. Some elements can feel a little bloated, but it's a very strong game. The characterisation is top-notch, with some excellent scriptwriting and voice-acting to support it. Outside of the RPG aspects, combat is fun, engaging, and challenging - particularly at higher difficulty levels. I've had a lot of fun with the game, and I'm still having fun with it, and I can't help but think that fans of the genre - and Marvel - would enjoy it as much as me.

The best grand strategy game out there. The setting is added an excellent level of authenticity with the battle-plan feature, excellent Ai and a world map that is absolutely splendid to look at and watch the war unfold. Combined with a well developed political and infrastructure system, there is so much that can be done in the game, one that will absorb your time and leave you with lost time.

This is a game with genuinely days upon days worth of missions, challenges, objectives, characters and things to collect. It's not content light by any means - though it also doesn't change up at any point during its entire playtime. This is a pretty great Dynasty Warriors game, and Warriors fans will find hours of fun, but I'm not sure that more casual fans of action games will find it as endearing.

If you have even a passing interest in rhythm games, this one is essential. Loads of fun, wacky beats to play along to, and it just doesn't get old.

Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is a solidly-crafted experience, offering up satisfying action, appealing visuals, and that reliably-addictive roguelite formula. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite deliver the sharp writing or mechanical depth of obvious influences like Hades or the quirky individuality of its own predecessor. That said, if you're looking for a low-barrier roguelite for younger players or newcomers to the genre, The Eternal Die is a solid gamble.

While The Last Campfire might not be bristling with new ideas for the genre, it packs more or less every kind of puzzle you could expect and embellishes the package with immerse charm and creative ingenuity.

Iconoclasts takes the Metrovania genre to a new level of polish and charm, with plenty of secrets and a story that's surprisingly refreshing for the genre. It may not reinvent the wheel but rather shows that there's still plenty that can be uncovered when you apply seven years worth of polish to the sidescrolling standard.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO is undeniably one of the best games based on Akira Toriyama's series. With an engaging story mode that includes intriguing what-if scenarios, a combat system that's easy to learn but challenging to master, a massive character roster, and impressive attention to detail, Spike Chunsoft has created a must-have for Dragon Ball fans. If you've ever wanted to be Goku and scream your heart out before unleashing secret techniques, this is the game for you.

Command & Conquer Remastered Collection is, simply put, an amazing value for money at only $19.99. Containing two legendary strategy games that have been masterfully touched up, looking great and also including the ability to see the old view for comparison, the games have also been touched up with new modern features as and when required, without sacrificing what made the games the iconic titles that they are. There are ever so slight issues with pathfinding at times and the difficulty can ramp up at an insane level, with the AI almost seeming like it's cheating, but overall this is the best remaster I've ever had the pleasure of playing and one that I can't help but recommend to anybody and everybody, even those brand new to the series.

Watch_Dogs 2 is a textbook example of a great sequel. It takes what was so much fun from the first game, expands it and cuts away most of what the players didn't enjoy.

The Ringed City is possibly the best DLC of the series - Bloodborne's Old Hunters included. It's challenging, intriguing and mysterious, like a good entry in the Souls series should be, but takes all of those factors to the max. A wonderful conclusion to the series, but we can't help but want more.

Treyarch has arrived guns blazing with this year's Call of Duty entry. All three pillars of Campaign, Multiplayer, Zombies are among the best they've been in years. While some players might lament the addition of Omnimovement to the gunfights, there's a dynamic feel to the new mechanics that make Call of Duty feel more like a personal action movie.

With its excellent detective story, extremely likable characters, and welcome improvements to combat and investigation mechanics, Lost Judgment won't disappoint any fan of the original, of the Yakuza series, or anyone looking for a very mature story. The game doesn't try to shake up the original formula, which may definitely put some players off, but this is hardly a problem when quality is as high as it is in the latest game from Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio.

A true blast to play, thanks to a beautiful presentation, great writing and an excellent, varied gameplay experience that never feels stale, with plenty of optional content that makes everything even better.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider succeeds in giving Lara the character growth she needed and also brings the reboot trilogy to a satisfying closure. It does so mostly by refining the strong gameplay foundation set with the previous installments while delivering a great action/adventure experience in terms of storytelling and audiovisual spectacle.

New features have brought Football Manager 2018 closer to the beautiful game than ever before. Personalities, the hierarchy and social groups all play a part in the way you interact with the players. The system is rusty but still revolutionary for the series as it brings an ever more emergent way of telling stories. In addition to this are improvements throughout the game in how data is viewed and represented.

FAR: Lone Sails is a remarkable game that attempts to convey a message through its presentation and gameplay, without using any words, and totally succeeds in doing so. The experience may be on the short side, but if you're looking for something truly artistic and beyond much that has been done so far, look no further.

Superhot initially seems like style over substance and as it develops, it proves that this isn't the case. However, it decides to take substance too far which can actively detract from the game. However, the gameplay, great design and added features more than compensate for any detracting factors.

The shooting and looting of The Division 2 each are strong enough on their own that a lackluster story and proliferation of glitches aren't enough to sour this trip to America's capital for a bit of R&R in the Dark Zone.

Ghost of a Tale is one of the most unique action role-playing games released in recent times. Its highlights are the charming story and characters as well as the stealth-focused gameplay. Sadly, some technical issues do get in the way on PlayStation 4, preventing the game from reaching its full potential. However, if you're looking for a game that can make you think, look no further, as Ghost of a Tale tackles a handful of very important issues in a mature and very thoughtful way.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is a successful remaster for anyone wanting to shut out the world and grind away your problems for a while, and remember simpler times. The classic Tony Hawk gameplay only seems to have gotten better with age, and the custom parks are sure to keep you skating for hours after you've washed the career mode. Even though it's not a faithful remaster of THPS 4, and your mileage may vary on the soundtrack, any fan of the series would do themselves a disservice to skip out on grabbing this remaster bundle.

A long lost tale of courtroom heroics and tribulations, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles is finally available in English for the first time and well worth the six years long wait.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a faithful follow-up to the first outing, managing to expand in every way while staying true to what made the first great. With solid gameplay, a fantastic story that's excellently acted and presented, and set pieces that could challenge even the biggest game in the industry, if you like the first outing from Asobo Studio, you will love this.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is a definite step up for the series, thanks to the many tweaks made to the RPG mechanics that powered the previous two entries in the series, better storytelling, great atmosphere, and meaningful side-content. Even with the tweaks, however, Assassin's Creed Valhalla is still an Assassin's Creed game at heart, so those who are not into the Ubisoft open-world game design will hardly change their opinion with the game. Everyone else will probably love every second of Eivor's adventure, especially if they are into Vikings and ancient Norse culture.

Metro Exodus is an incredibly atmospheric, engaging and compelling shooter that places an onus on the player to think on their feet, thanks to stringent limitations on ammo, supplies and the resources required to make more.

If you liked Subnautica, Subnautica: Below Zero still has the base of what made the original great - the charm, the wonder, the building and even some of the exploration - but this has been tempered somewhat. The story-focused approach here is interesting, even compelling at parts, but the game doesn't do enough to keep you on track or from getting lost in the many enclosed caves, caverns and tunnels running throughout. Also, like the original, this does have its fair share of bugs and issues. Still, no matter the issues, it is still a genuinely good game. While it may not be as good as the original, it's still up there as one of the better survival games around.

Super Mario 3D All-Stars contains three legendary games and this package allows you to experience all of them, the way you remember them. Whether or not these games hold up as competitive, contemporary pieces of entertainment is one question, but they do serve as an amazing time machine taking me to the moments I shared with friends and loved ones years ago, and this is a perfect way for you to form new memories with yours. This compilation features three of the very best 3D platformers of all time, at their best.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a decent game, but one that becomes repetitive quite quickly, though fans of this sort of action combat could find it enjoyable.

Pyre is an admirable attempt to create a new hybrid -- part sports, part RPG -- but only one of the game’s halves is a true success. Surprisingly, that’s the sports half. Pyre’s world is an enticing one, it just isn’t conveyed in the best way. If you’re a sports game veteran willing to try something a bit different or somebody who mostly enjoyed past Supergiant games for their sumptuous audio and visuals, Pyre should light your fire. Unfortunately, those hoping for another full-bodied action-RPG experience similar to Bastion or Transistor may be left a bit cold.

The Banner Saga 3 wraps up its six-years-in-the-making epic in poignant, gripping style. The game’s tactical battles still have some issues, but their rough edges have been sanded down to the point they no longer detract from the game’s stellar writing. The Banner Saga 3 deserves to be held high as a prime example of both video game storytelling and a crowdfunded project done right.

Hitman 2 is yet another well-executed entry in IO Interactive’s killer franchise. The game lacks some of the refinement expected of a world-class assassin, but the top-notch level design and some small, but key improvements to the series’ core mechanics more than make up for a few presentation and polish issues. Hitman 2 isn’t quite the shot to the heart it could have been, but it’s close enough to count.

Although it tries a little too hard and fails to properly capture the best horror tropes, The Evil Within 2 is a great, imaginative game with enough tension that you probably won't mind the relative lack of horror.

As someone that loves Dark Souls, I can say I enjoyed aspects of Salt and Sanctuary, but comparing the two games side by side seems incredibly unfair. Similarly to the Souls games, Salt and Sanctuary requires time and patience for players to reap its true rewards. While that may be attractive to some, it doesn’t quite have the same level of depth and finesse that would warrant it as a worthy substitute for one of the greatest RPGs ever created.

Creaks renovates a well-worn genre, delivering one of the most satisfying indie puzzle-platformers in some time. Between its stunning visual and audio design, absorbing world, and perfectly-balanced puzzles, it’s hard to find serious fault with any part of this game’s construction. If you’re a fan of puzzles or Amanita Design’s past games, you need to grab a flashlight and delve in.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a first-class fighting game experience, featuring rock-solid core mechanics, impressive production values, and a story that wouldn’t be out of place alongside the summer’s biggest blockbusters. Of course, the game also suffers from some of the drawbacks of big-budget game development, including grindy customization and tacked-on microtransactions, but that stuff is largely superfluous. Beneath the triple-A fat, Mortal Kombat’s bloody heart still beats as strong as ever.

The Spyro Reignited Trilogy is the best way players have to experience the first three entries in the Spyro the Dragon series. The remasters are extremely faithful to the originals, with a couple of additions and smoother controls that make all three games a joy to play. Sadly, some technical issues prevent the Trilogy from being the best remaster ever released, but it's definitely close to it.

Little Nightmares II often manages to recapture the unsettling essence of Tarsier Studios’ original game, but almost every attempt to expand the formula falls flat, resulting in an experience as lumpy and misshapen as the game’s shambling monstrosities. If you loved the original Little Nightmares and need to know what happens to Six next, this sequel might be worth your time, but more fair-weather fans may regret reliving this particular bad dream.

Super Mario Party Jamboree doesn’t bring anything overly surprising to this well-worn series, and not every mode and minigame will put you in a festive mood, but overall, the game offers plenty to celebrate. Jamboree may not entice those who have had their fill of Nintendo’s shindigs, but those still down for a good button-mashing bash should appreciate just how much they’ve stuffed into this goodie bag.

The Last Guardian takes you on an experience to see and feel things that no other game can. Essential for anyone who wants to see a game which pushes boundaries and genres.

Forza Motorsport 7 is a great game. There's no doubting you'll enjoy a lot of your time with Forza, but you're also guaranteed to run into a few problems here and there. It's extremely approachable and simply oozes content out of the gate. Racing is fun and exciting even at the worst of times. It is, however, marred by an invasive microtransaction system as well as elements of the game feeding into this, either forcing a grind or inevitably letting you pay real money to have easier access to later content.

With its solid gameplay mechanics, excellent world-building and character development, The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel III is an excellent Japanese role-playing and a more than worthy new entry in the long-running series. Some small flaws like slow pacing do not impact the experience as much as the lack of knowledge about the entire series do, which lessens the impact of several events and plot development. This makes Trails of Cold Steel III a game that must be played only after the previous two entries in the series have been completed.

The makers of MLB The Show 23 clearly heard the complaints about a lack of fresh features in recent entries, as this year’s game offers up the new exciting and enlightening Storylines mode as well as significant tweaks and improvements to Franchise, March to October, and Diamond Dynasty. A lack of innovation when it comes to core gameplay keeps this year’s title from being a true home run, but it’s at least a strong double.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a solid alternative to other games in the mascot-racer space, offering speedy, stripped-down action, a few clever twists, and perhaps most importantly for some folks, courses that feel more like those in Mario Kart 8 than the less universally-beloved Mario Kart World. A general lack of content and originality keeps CrossWorlds from fully breaking away from the pack, but it’s at least in striking distance of the winner’s circle.

Rock Band Rivals offers less than expected, considering the state in which Rock Band 4 was released back in October last year. The content provided is not quite sufficient when taking the length of the Rockudrama and the poorly executed Rivals mode into consideration.

Geared towards a younger or perhaps less experienced player base, Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin carves off a big piece of hunting joy while trimming away the fat.

Gears 5 is excellent, albeit with a major narrative downfall. While the finale of the campaign definitely left a sour taste in my mouth, the game was so good that I want to keep playing the Horde and multiplayer modes just to get more Gears 5. The atmosphere and gameplay in the campaign were different to what I expected, in a good way, and I'm looking forward to where the series goes next and how this narrative finally finishes up in the sequel. Until then, this is the best Gears game in years, with an excellent multiplayer suite to back it up. Practically essential on Xbox One, and a great option for PC owners too.

Clubhouse Games 51 Worldwide Classics is the best minigame collection on Nintendo Switch, but just like Super Mario Party, playing alone is an act of futility. This will be essential for gatherings with friends once lockdown concludes, but if you intend to sit with this by yourself, you might be better sitting out entirely.

NBA 2K19 is better than ever on the court, but, like a lot of top NBA stars, the game is a bit too obsessed with making money by any means necessary. NBA 2K19 struggles to strike the right balance – the game offers some refreshing story and gameplay improvements, but they don’t quite make up for an aggressive monetization scheme that hasn’t been updated in any meaningful way.

This is possibly the best Tekken has ever been, and a slightly slim selection of modes can’t take away from that. If you want one of the best fighting games to be released this year, Tekken 7 is essential.

The Thaumaturge is a touch underdeveloped and rough around the edges in some respects, but it delivers where it counts, serving up a unique, immersive world, affable cast of characters, and a satisfying amount of freedom to chart your own course. The Thaumaturge bodes well for the upcoming Fool's Theory remake of The Witcher, but it's no mere audition. This is a memorable RPG that casts a strong spell all its own.

It seems Capcom ran out of inspiration partway through making Mega Man 11, as only half the game’s stages, bosses, and Special Weapons are up to series standards. There’s some old-school fun to be had with the Blue Bomber’s latest if you can ignore the bad stuff, but given the eight-year wait, this feels like a Mega misfire.

One of the most delightfully charming puzzle games of in recent memory and the dollhouse-style puzzle boxes are wonderful to explore and it's cute and adorable all the way through. Sadly, Wii U owners will find few reasons to pick up this edition of the game, but anyone who hasn't already played Captain Toad will find a puzzle game they'll finish and just want more of.

As a remaster, Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune And Dunan Unification Wars definitely succeeds at updating the two classic JRPGs while staying faithful to the original games' art direction, although a few more options and quality-of-life features wouldn't have hurt. Even if the remaster somehow failed to deliver a quality updgrade, however, Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune And Dunan Unification Wars would have been a worthy purchase for any JRPG. The two classic games have stood the test of time incredibly well and still provide extremely compelling gameplay enriched by charming casts and thought-provoking stories that are still worthy of experiencing in 2025 as they were back in the late 90s.

This final episode of Life is Strange 2 showcases the powerful emotional storytelling that video games can harness. It is a fantastic example of the medium and the perfect end to a series that continues to deliver on its high expectations.

WWE 2K23 is the best entry this long-suffering franchise has put out in nearly a decade, offering mechanically-sound action, a pair of satisfying MyRise career mode storylines, and a handful of other well-executed, if limited, additions like WarGames. WWE 2K23’s gameplay and presentation could still use some further polish and not all of its modes are must plays, but for the first time in a long time it feels like this series’ star is on the rise, even if it hasn’t achieved main-event status yet.

Wandersong is an accessible, uplifting adventure that deftly builds to a memorable crescendo. Sure, the game has a few rough edges, most of which can be attributed its humble indie origins, but it more than makes up for its shortcomings with its heartfelt characters and story. Put on your adventuring hat and cape and warm up your pipes, it’s time for an emotional world rescue.

Burnout Paradise Remastered is like a finely-tuned vintage car – sure, it’s quirky and a bit archaic, but those concerns melt away once you get behind the wheel and rev that engine. Blasting around Paradise City is exciting, rewarding, and a great low-stress tonic for when modern game design gets you down. Oh, you’ll be pleased to take this one home.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga sets its sights sky-high and largely does justice to that galaxy far, far away. Its truncated treatment of the movies occasionally disappoints, but charming, content-packed sandbox stages mostly make up for any story mission shortcomings. This blocky take on George Lucas’ family drama is worth enjoying with yours.

There are few titles more deserving of being called one of the truly essential experiences for the Vita than Severed. If you own the latest PlayStation handheld, do yourself a favor and pick this up: you won't regret it.

All that said, Cryo Archive is still an incredible endgame reward for the players who make it there, and in the meantime you get to enjoy the rest of Marathon's wonderfully designed zones. Now that I've experienced Cryo Archive, I can definitively say Marathon is the full package for shooter fans, stealth game fans, and anyone who feels like they've been missing some of the magic that made Bungie the iconic studio it is today.

A lovely art style combines with some great crafting mechanics in this delightful RPG. It really is the best Minecraft-like I’ve seen, and with the charming Toriyama art style and more structured progression system, it’s a game you can play for hours. Recommended for young gamers, Dragon Quest fans, and anyone looking for something new on Nintendo Switch.

Although the allure of returning to one of the most engaging Elder Scrolls titles might be overwhelming, Skyrim Special Edition itself feels dated, with little improvements made in terms of gameplay and graphics. You'll play it for hours, but you'll keep wondering why.

Torment: Tides of Numenera is a role-playing game like very few others, giving players total freedom in how to approach any given situation, even allowing them to complete the game by avoiding most fights through this deep choices system. With excellent writing, lively and creative world, engaging story and characters, and solid mechanics, the role-playing game developed by inXile is a game that those who love immersing themselves completely in fictional worlds have to play at all costs.

Although it might not be dragging people away from Call of Duty or the giants of the genre, PvZ: Garden Warfare 2 has a great atmosphere and some really enjoyable moments. If you've ever wanted to do battle as a piece of corn, sunflower or superhero zombie, this might be the only game to fill that niche.

A new cast, a new school year, and the same, sadistic Monokuma. All of these come together to create another unforgettable series of killing games that will have even seasoned Danganronpa veterans guessing.

Smart, simple and loads of fun - there's plenty to enjoy about Planet Robobot, though many gamers will be deterred by the lack of any real challenge.

Live A Live is a fascinating lost piece of gaming history that offers up an impressively-varied cinematic saga well ahead of its time, although a slide into more traditional JRPG tropes in its third act diminishes some of what makes the game special. Live A Live is an unpredictable journey worth experiencing, but like life itself, it may leave you feeling a bit worn down by the end.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE Encore is definitely the definitive version of the game - who needs the Wii U GamePad, anyway? JRPG fans and those who love idol culture will find a lot to love here, but this certainly won't convert anyone who hasn't liked JRPGs in the past, like Persona 5 and other games might. A great title to have in your Nintendo Switch library.

Granblue Fantasy Relink offers plenty of options for players to engage with in terms of content. It's an action RPG that is easy to pick up and difficult to master when it comes to its character roster choices and mechanics. However, when you get to the deeper aspects of it, it doesn't offer much of note compared to its peers. Still, the way the game delivers its narrative as well as how impressive and tough its boss fights are is definitely worth bringing up. Overall, this is a solid game that could have been a bit more intricate.

If you’re looking for fun arcade baseball action with a bombastic presentation, Super Mega Baseball 2 is a no-brainer. The easily adjustable difficulty makes these a great game to play with kids. While it won’t have any of the big names in baseball, you can still find a lot of fun in the deep customization and easy-to-pick-up controls.

With the release of WWE 2K24 this series no longer feels like a carny outcast amongst the other big sports franchises. While the game’s core action could stand to be even further refined, fun new mechanics, match types, and a fully-developed suite of modes, including significantly improved Showcase and MyGM offerings, are worth cheering for. While maybe not quite the total package just yet, WWE 2K24 feels like it’s ready for the bright lights.

Diablo II is one of the best ARPG's in gaming history, and Vicarious Visions haven't made many changes for Diablo II: Resurrected. Visually, there's a stark difference and it looks great while keeping the atmosphere. A few quality of life changes help keep this fresh and make it playable on consoles, but it just doesn't go far enough at points. This ageing master may have had a facelift, and it's one you can have a fantastic time with, but you can hear the creaking of its bones.

Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order is yet another excellent game developed by Respawn. With its excellent story, charming characters, engaging platforming and combat mechanics, the game is a must-buy for any self-respecting Star Wars fan, despite a lack of innovation which doesn't truly harm the experience as a whole.