Before the Storm is a glimpse into a struggling mind. It is a not a blank canvas to create your own character, but the story of one person meeting another. Beautiful and flawed.

Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle looks, plays and sounds better than you would've ever expected from such a confusing crossover - an interesting take on the X-COM formula that can start to feel tedious, but starts amazingly and will keep many players stuck into the turn-based strategy shooter.

Albion Online is a fun sandbox MMORPG with a clever progression mechanic and deep player-economy. The mid to late game grind and hardcore nature might turn away anyone looking for a more casual experience.

Absolver features one of the best fighting systems to be found in gaming. In addition to this, it looks and plays fantastically. However, it's let down by a few balancing issues, some glaring design problems caused by the unpredictable multiplayer feature. The end-game, however, could make for one of the best multiplayer experiences the year has to offer.

It took years for Falcom to develop the perfect entry in the series, and with Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana, they finally managed to do so by refining the renewed story focus and gameplay mechanics introduced in Ys Seven without taking away what makes the series so enjoyable. With a well-executed, albeit not really original story, charming cast, fast paced battle system, engaging boss battles, tight challenge level and plenty of side-content, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana is without a doubt the best entry in the series and one of the best action role-playing games released this year.

Ys Seven is the first entry in the long-running series to feature a variety of features and mechanics that have become a staple of the series, such as a bigger focus on the story and the party mechanic. While the renewed focus on story slows down the pace a bit, especially with its slow first few hours, the game's fast-paced combat system, engaging dungeon exploration, and fun boss battles make Ys Seven one of the best action role-playing games released in years. With some technical enhancements and a 60 FPS frame rate, the PC version is the definitive edition of Falcom's excellent RPG.

Warriors All-Stars digs deep to bring together a roster of unlikely Koei Tecmo heroes, but the roster just isn't large enough to build your perfect five-person dream team.

White Day is a game that might not make a lot of sense, but is a very interesting touchstone for building a atmosphere of anxious, awkward horror.

This game is totally deserving of the hype its received since it first launched on PC two years ago. Although its not the prettiest, it is one of the most original.

While The Escapists 2 appears to be a bombastic, fun loving adventure through misfortune and triumph, it turns out to be mostly a long and patient game of planning, and luck.

Despite Yakuza Kiwami sharing a near perfect reflection of 80's Kamurocho from Yakuza 0, there's still an important story to tell. The city of Kamurocho welcomes all with a wide array of minigames, sidequests, and the most Majima cameos of any Yakuza title to date.

F1 2017 is the best in the series and arguably one of Codemasters best titles. A few minor flaws slightly blemish what is a brilliant game, which looks, sounds and feels fantastic to play. Furthermore, a more extensive career mode with a host of other modes gives the game great variety and longevity.

While LawBreakers isn’t the most popular game on Steam right now, it’s not something you should ignore. For FPS fans clamouring for something new and innovative, you have finally got what you’ve been asking for. If you are looking for a game with a high skill-ceiling that tries to bring new ideas to the table, definitely consider picking up LawBreakers.

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.

Matterfall is a challenging game with simple controls and stylish combat. While some sections are more frustrating than others, it'll keep daring you to come back and try to beat it once and for all.

Observer is a very interesting first person adventure game featuring a well-crafted setting and characters as well as the team's signature transitions, which manage to carry everything forward in spite of the gameplay which gets slightly repetitive over time. While the single elements may not be particularly original, the sum of the parts more than makes up for it, making Observers a worthy purchase for fans of psychological horror and dystopian settings.

Ken Follet's The Pillars of the Earth is a surprisingly well grounded game. As mundane as the subject matter may seem at first, it's incredibly absorbing as you follow the lives of realistic people. While not perfect, suffering from general adventure game problems of backtracking and long-winded puzzles, the game more than makes up for it with compelling characters, a great script with fantastic voice acting and an aesthetic design that benefits the game greatly.

Sudden Strike 4 is a sound tactical game with a great depth of units and tactical options. It is, however, let down by limited AI which leaves missions feeling more like set problems to solve rather than dynamic battlefields, limiting any replay value.

Blending powerful imagery, unrivaled visuals quality, an excellent combat system and a unique setting that mixes Norse mythology with mental illness, Ninja Theory fully delivers on their independent AAA pitch with Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. This is one of those titles that, albeit not flawless, should be experienced by every gamer at some point.

Cat Quest does exactly what it says on the tin - this is a full RPG experience, condensed into a few hours of play, stuffed to the brim with adorable kitties and cat puns. If you want a short but sweet RPG with plenty of moments that will make you smile, Cat Quest can be a great choice, especially for kids.

Children of Zodiarcs is a charming little tale that fits very comfortably in the Venn diagram between tactical RPG’s and games of luck.

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is an intense shooter that stresses teamwork over running-and-gunning. The chaos on the battlefield truly shows you what it's like to be under fire.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel takes the best of the Trails in the Sky games and enhances it to new heights. While the school setting isn't particularly innovative, all surrounding mechanics have been masterfully implemented, resulting in a game that's incredibly engaging despite the slow pace and a few other minor issues. Additional, the wealth of PC exclusive features make the game one of the best consoles to PC port ever released.

Aven Colony has the trappings of a good city-building game but simply lacks the depth to make it so. While the game looks great and plays well, the setting of space is underused outside of its aesthetic and the lack of variety or challenge inevitably leaves the game feeling dull.

Archangel puts players into the cockpit of the only giant mech capable of resisting a global terrorist threat. It's a great way to spend an afternoon, although the higher price tag might turn off some players. If you want a finely crafted shooting gallery with a compelling story to match, climb aboard and prepare for battle.

Redeemer is a flawed title at best. It's a brawler at heart and succeeds on that line, offering visceral and often entertaining combat. However, the inclusion of cheap enemies and a hugely fluctuating difficulty curve makes for often irritating experiences in a number of levels. Though not a large concern for the genre, the story is a mess throwing in characters and concepts with no explanation.

It’s well polished and offers moments of great fun, especially in co-op, but as a single player experience the game is slow and starts to drag quite quickly. In some aspects it feels rough and unfinished. As it stands, if you have a friend to play Solstice with, you’re likely to enjoy your time with it - but if you’re going to attempt the game solo, then maybe wait for a sale.

I like Miitopia, but I can’t really recommend it to anyone. Maybe people who still regularly play Miitomo (do people still do that?) but other than that… Just, don’t bother. It’s a game that plays itself, and you’re supposed to derive your entertainment from simply watching things happen. It’s a struggle to suggest this even to younger gamers - I can see what Nintendo wanted to do here, but Miitopia is honestly a flop.