Echoes of Wisdom is an exemplary game. It has completely obliterated the limitations of the old top-down Zelda formula and will have huge gameplay ramifications for the next generation of Legend of Zelda games, whatever form they take (Zelda Maker seems so obvious). It’s heartbreaking to see some control oversights and the glossy plastic art direction hampered slightly by the technical wobbles. I barely cared, though. I just wonder how I’ll be able to go back to the overhead adventures of the little green-hooded twink after this.

If what you want is to re-experience Horizon Zero Dawn – or experience it for the first time – with some of the prettiest visuals you’ll see in modern gaming, this will get you there. But more than that, if you’re interested in game design and production, especially on the artistic side of the process, it’s a fascinating look at what is arguably a “best-case” remastering effort where ambition and capital were clearly in abundance.

Yakuza 0 doesn’t do enough to justify its director’s cut title, but the main story arc remains a benchmark for a franchise that has only grown in popularity, so what better time to give it a run on a console that can do it justice.

Redeeming a fantasy metropolitan police department is a strangely pedestrian setup for a JRPG. Forgettable plot aside, Zero features some of the best writing and character narratives in the genre.

Challenging combat, rewarding platforming, engaging exploration and a surprisingly unique story has Survivor in the conversation for the best Star Wars game ever released.

An amazing new array of systems reinvents DOOM once again, delivering a bombastic and brutal new way to smash demons. With awesome new cosmic threats dying to meet the serrated edge of your shield, The Dark Ages may well be the best age for any aspiring Doom Slayer.

The Forgotten City is a beauty to behold no matter the eye, a deeply contemplative story matched with wonderful puzzles based in classical antiquity.

With Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Konami has crafted a visually arresting re-release so fawning and reverent that it reads entirely incurious. Fans of the source material will no doubt relish the opportunity to play a more modern-feeling take on a generational piece of art, but such a seemingly important work should inspire more.

In this devilish game of thrones, you scheme or suffer a terrible insult. And maybe put a few friendships on ice.

Pragmata is a surprisingly great homage to late-2000s survival horror and platforming classics with enough identity and sauce to shoot for the moon.

Tunic surprises and delights. It doubles down on its environmental storytelling which may put off those looking for a cruisy experience, but true adventurers will be well pleased with the little fox and his quest.

This is a game where you play with cards – but it is not a ‘card game’. This is a narrative adventure where your outcomes and relationships manifest by way of interactions, and the cards will absolutely influence such a thing. It is divination by its very definition – seeking knowledge of the future by supernatural means. That future is yours to mold by the choices you make and the connections you shape.

Jusant is a gorgeous and relaxing puzzler with well-design climbing mechanics that evolve over the course of a very tight five-hour runtime.

Date Everything! is a fun experience where you can truly date everything – from your computer to your sink, to that teddy bear you’ve kept for years. This dating simulator is a great introduction to the genre, and it makes the time fly by when playing. Each character you come across is a new object with a unique personality, and it is such a blast discovering all 100 of them. Has this game made me question every object in my home in the real world? Absolutely. Now I can’t help but think what personality my shower has and if my bin hates me. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

While the gameplay isn’t going to leave much of an impact, the twists and turns of Asya’s dramatic journey through war-torn Europe is surprisingly well told, and is further heightened by its unique aesthetic and satisfying soundtrack.

Death's Door feels great to play, it's beautiful to look at, and the characters and world are beyond memorable – clock in and get your reap on.

I’ve already fired up a new save file just to get a taste of those first few hours where the way I ran my mascot business really mattered, and to re-experience the joy of immersing myself in Kaso-Machi and all of the strange and wonderful folks living there. There’s just something so oddly wonderful about this work, an unmistakably scrappy “indie” texture that permeates the piece. Go in expecting not to roleplay a savvy manager and talent agent, but to cosplay one in a world where a guy can be made of road signs and an asexual ex-yakuza can be hit on by a Tetris block.

nirvanA Initiative combines the best of AI: The Somnium Files’s presentation with the sharpest puzzles and best writing across Team Zero Escape’s catalogue.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the franchise's best platformer yet. With memorable levels, tons of content and gorgeous visuals it's a great package and one that'll satisfy all skill levels.

This spooky age of piracy has charming supernatural characters and visuals, but the hardcore stealth action on offer is an uncompromising, often unwieldy beast.

Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy is the essential final chapter to the Ace Attorney courtroom experience. It's a hilarious, heartwarming, and mind-bending experience that will leave you cheering at every triumph and gasping at every ridiculous twist.

As the often overlooked and underappreciated cousin of the Ace Attorney series, Investigations holds a certain mystique that may have been missed by most casual fans. The change in formula and lack of a sequel translation meant that it was hard to invest in, and so it missed the opportunity to be praised alongside the more mainline entries. But this remaster has done all the right things to right such wrongs, easily communicating that Edgeworth is every bit as enjoyable as his spikier haired adversary – with a fun tale that steps comfortably out of the courtroom and onto the global stage.

Death Stranding Director’s Cut is a visual and technical marvel that introduces a number of features that, while not essential, absolutely add to the overall experience.

Iron Man VR is an achievement in fully realising a Marvel hero power fantasy and is a must-try experience for any interested Quest 2 owner.

Hitman 3 does an excellent job of wrapping up the World of Assassination Trilogy, pairing the predictable yet enjoyable narrative with the refined and forever reliable Hitman gameplay.

Ubisoft have built upon the foundations of its immensely satisfying city-building blueprint with a winning retheme, but a few too many technical and interface issues mean Anno 117: Pax Romana falls just shy of a recommendation.

F1 2021's new story mode and level of customisation and accessibility make it perfect for hardened racing fans and those looking to take the genre for a spin.

Ambitiously creative, Skate Story delivers an offbeat and artistically memorable narrative adventure with some excellent technical skating sequences. It’s not without some issues, but its strengths and individuality make it well worth a look.

The HD-2D Remake renaissance is, gladly, here to stay. This glowed-up pair from Dragon Quest’s origins look, sounds, and feels fantastic while balancing innovations and classic frictions.

It still amazes me that TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is real, but the eight-year-old within me is incredibly glad it is. Reliving the classic arcade games with a whole new lens made me smile from ear to ear, but newcomers and youngsters alike should find Story Mode a good way to introduce themselves to the wild, brawler antics. It’s a must play, even beyond the wonderful nostalgia factor.

Hogwarts Legacy is the most definitively accurate and exciting wizarding world adventure people could hope to experience, short of getting a real-life invitation to Hogwarts. With hours of content and a wealth of wizarding wonderment, you’d be hard pressed not to enjoy yourself to an impressive capacity.

Resident Evil Village is a technical masterpiece, featuring a fantastically realised and foreboding setting with a great sense of balance between action and horror elements. The king of survival horror refuses to relinquish its crown.

The Night is Grey is a serviceable point-and-click experience that sees its gorgeous art style and animations overshadowed by a disappointing ending and frustrating puzzles.

For a game, let alone a series, to have a 30 year long history and fanbase is no small feat and Revolution’s work has retained its audience and place in gaming culture for a reason. Broken Sword: Shadows of the Templars is nothing short of a masterpiece, and the fact that we’re still playing this game decades after its initial release is proof of that. Reforged feels like the perfect way to honour the game’s past but modernise it for new audiences. There’s something calming about returning to a game that’s so familiar and such a part of who we are. I cannot thank Revolution enough for the joy that Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars has brought me over the years and I hope the game finds a new audience and sparks more love for the point-and-click genre.

An unassuming but essential bit of art preservation, Bravely Default Flying Fairy HD Remaster is an excellent way to experience one of the best RPGs of the 21st century. Team Asano’s love letter to the genre remains a fresh and engaging medley of systems and theme, even if the new Switch 2 minigames add little to the already wonderful experience.

The Drifter has everything you want from a modern point-and-click adventure – a banging story, excellent characters that are unabashedly Australian, and expertly designed puzzles. It’s one of the best adventure games you’ll ever play and it feels like an evolution for the genre, and Powerhoof deserves all the acclaim about to come its way.

As a whole, Until Then is a memorable experience, and one that will stay with you long after its end. The narrative will speak to just about anyone who has ever had to face challenges alone when there should have been someone beside them, but it’s also a gentle acknowledgement that, despite how things may sometimes feel, you don’t always have to go through everything on your own. The story also builds in a quiet reminder that the sun will keep on rising no matter what you’re facing or what you’ve lost, and while this can sometimes be an uncomfortable reminder of one’s ultimate insignificance in the universe, there’s also a strange comfort in knowing that, despite everything, life will always go on.

I’m ultimately glad Super Mario RPG exists. I’m even glad it exists as it is here, a pitch-perfect remake that drags one of the stranger bits of Nintendo’s history into the light, allowing new audiences the chance to experience it, new RPG players a welcoming and family-friendly gateway into the genre, and fans of the original a lovingly restored version on modern hardware. It’s good, very good even. For my gold coins, a romantic ideal would have made it great, smoothing some of the edges for modern audiences while sharpening others to give the game the same impact it would have had nearly 30 years ago. Super Mario RPG is beautiful, entertaining, reverent and a little too effortless.

Fear the Spotlight masterfully captures the look and feel of a classic PS1 horror title while leveraging modern concepts and gameplay features to produce an atmospheric and nostalgic experience that every lover of horror should enjoy.

11 Bit Studios strikes again with a fresh take and setting that borrows from the brilliant mechanics of This War of Mine and sends them into space.

If you’re in it purely for the single player content, you’ll find a lot to love in Splatoon 3. It’s disappointing that there’s pretty much nothing else for you if you’re completely offline – without live servers we haven’t even been able to access the included Tableturf Battle card game or spend any time customising anything – but we’ll have more to say once we can actually get stuck into the rest of the game. [Review in Progress]

Battlefield 6 had the weight of a franchise on its shoulders after the misstep that was 2042, a burden that only intensified with the promise of a return to the days of Battlefield 3 and 4. Stepping back into and refining the class system has reignited the squad-based fire that Battlefield is known for. At the same time, advancements to gunplay and player movement have resulted in some of the most satisfying moment-to-moment gameplay you can find in the first-person shooter genre. A serviceable campaign/tutorial, some fantastic maps, and a new mode that could unseat Conquest mark an incredible start for what should be a long-running title. Battlefield 6 is more than a return to form; it’s one of the best entries in the franchise.

It's probably not going to win over haters of the original, but for returning fans or those who jumped in at Automata this is a fantastic update to a cult classic game that also happens to bring with it some very exciting new surprises.

Charming, witty, and hard to put down, Two Point Campus scores an approachable A for the armchair administrator.

Unpacking is the perfect game to unwind with and provides unique and cosy storytelling through its simple point-and-click mechanics that will keep players wanting more.

MIO wears its tough-as-nails metroidvania influences proudly, but spends enough time contorting familiar ideas into punishing gauntlets and rewarding patience with dazzling artistic spectacle that it truly comes into its own.

Stray is everything I wanted from it, an enjoyable and engaging journey across a well told tale that is every bit as cute as it is mysterious. More importantly, it made me feel empowered and brave in the face of uncertainty – I can’t remember the last time I’ve audibly cried out in delight so many times in the space of a few hours. Cuteness overload, no doubt.

Riding the momentum of the past two entries, 2K24 brings with it enough new content and meaningful changes to easily be considered the best wrestling game on the market today.

Is this new version of Dead Rising worth the investment? As a long-time fan, it’s an easy yes from me. The original experience still holds up to this day, despite some obvious problems that remain, and as much as I’d have loved if Capcom had tweaked other key areas or perhaps added some new modes or characters to the existing package, the visual overhaul and UI improvements make for the most polished version of Frank West’s escapades to date. I’m glad that the franchise wasn’t completely swept under the rug after all these years, and the hope now is that the respectful work put into this rerelease will lead to a full revitalisation in the future.

Triangle Strategy riffs on TRPGs of old without letting nostalgia get in the way of modern sensibilities. Exhilarating combat, sumptuous HD-2D visuals and an enthralling narrative with massive replay value make this a must-play for RPG fans of all kinds.

The gameplay of A Space for the Unbound isn’t overly deep, but its simplicity is more than made up for by its exceedingly entertaining and emotional storytelling.

Starfield is a magical, if a little clumsy, first journey to the stars for Bethesda, the RPG maker reminding us of the power of player freedom, engaging writing, and just a little jank.

Moss: Book II is an outstanding sequel, improving on the great foundations of the first game making it one of PSVR's must-play titles, even in 2022.

Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar offers steady and reliable gameplay with an excellent balance between consistency and novelty that keeps you engaged through its many hours of content. There are plenty of small details and design choices which help to elevate the experience, and while, equally, some of the game’s systems could use a few tweaks, it’s an easy recommendation for fans of the genre.

The recipe wasn’t played with too much, resulting in a solid compilation of two titles that remain infinitely enjoyable, if a touch complicated by reality.

A masterful, methodical journey through the shadows of Edo Japan – brilliantly polished and perfectly paced, my only real sadness is that there was not more of it.

For all it does to add value to the existing package, smooth over existing bumps and enhance presentation, FANTASIAN’s PC and console release is held back slightly by some of the fundamentals of the Apple Arcade original. But at the end of it all, Neo Dimension absolutely feels like the definitive version of an already-excellent little RPG that looks fondly back on Hironobu Sakaguchi’s gameography without using nostalgia as a crutch to skimp on innovation.

Such is the joy of Two Point. It’s a lot of lessons about middle-to-upper management under capitalist rule, and it’s also a lot of slapstick gags and grueling puns. It could partly be because this is the richest and most polished effort from the team so far, but I reckon the Museum theme might have Hospital beat for what it brings to the little sim-lite niche that Two Point has carved for itself.

It’s nice to play a Pokémon game that feels like it was made with love. Pokémon Legends: Arceus sure is not perfect, but it’s a loving attempt to take the series in a different direction, and it mostly nails it.

Beacon Pines is a title that I will find myself recommending to people with as little context as possible – a gorgeous and charming example of unique storytelling that simply must be experienced blindly to fully appreciate its cute and quirky tale of curious conspiracy.

NetherRealm Studios has scooped up all of its favourite toys and re-distributed them across the playroom in a way that has revivified the Mortal Kombat experience, birthing perhaps the most solid and enjoyable fighting game I have ever encountered.

From the first moment I saw The Plucky Squire, I knew it was something special. Every trailer, every preview – right up to actually playing the game, it has delivered on every frolicsome promise that All Possible Futures showcased to us. The technology on display in bringing the book to life is so appreciable that you can’t help but gush about it to anyone within arms reach – it’s just slathered in that special something that elevates a game from being ‘just another notch’ on your interactive media bedpost, and instead reserves a spot in the hallowed halls of games you will love talking about and referencing for years to come.

It’s difficult to place in the face of the game’s overwhelming and evident visual prowess but there’s a quiet self-consciousness to Neva that leads it to places incrementally but mountingly less than it should be. There are moments and even stretches of ingenuity and beauty that paint a portrait of a developer entirely in control of their craft, coalescing into a richly satisfying emotional conclusion. Neva’s path to this place is less certain though, resting too neatly atop a pile of influences and structural choices that rob it of being more than its aesthetics or touchstones. Perhaps most simply, Neva is a good game from a studio capable of greatness.

A tight card-driven skirmisher is the beating heart of a deeply troubled Marvel game, burdened by feature creep and endless hours of terrible dialogue.

Turn 10 has displayed its technical proficiency and understanding of the sim-racing genre once more with this stellar entry into the Forza Motorsport series. It is a shame that an always-online requirement casts a shadow that looms over what is an otherwise genre-defining game.

Oblivion Override is an easy recommend to fans of rogue-likes, robots and smashing the shit out of stuff. It might not have the staying power of some of the genre’s heavy-weights, but what’s on offer is top-notch, fun to play, and a great first showing from the studio.

Level Devil is a unique 2D platformer that will have you fighting your instincts to survive unpredictable obstacles in its nostalgically simple worlds. Nothing is as it seems and the game is actively against you- rage if you want but keep pushing and you’ll soon escape hell in just a few short, but entertaining hours.

Ys VIII remains a fundamentally great action JRPG that looks its best on PS5, but its underwhelming DualSense feedback is a huge missed opportunity.

Crafted with intelligence and brimming with chaotic good vibes, Helldivers 2 sets the kind of tone many others in the action space should take notice of, overcoming some early tech issues by being a sheer delight to play.

Call of Duty has long been criticised for its lack of innovation and endlessly rehashed and recycled features, and it’s true that BO6 does not reinvent the wheel. However the fact I (and many others) have enjoyed this series for so long with only a few exceptions makes me wonder if Call of Duty itself is the wheel. Just when I think it’s time to join all the other angry old jaded gamers and shake my fist at the clouds and feebly declare that CoD is dead, an entry like BO6 comes along that takes me back to the joy I experienced when I first answered the annual call in the first place all those years ago. It’s the sweaty palms and sore hands, the thrill of the online kill and the hours that melt away and take the stress of the real world with them. Yes I’m older and not half the sweaty squeaker I once was, but as long as there’s room for me on the virtual battlefield, I’ll be there.

The original PowerWash Simulator was my go-to chill out game for the longest time, and I’ve no doubt PowerWash Simulator 2 will fill that some role for quite a while. But this go around I’m also much more drawn to playing it like, well, a video game. There’s just enough new depth here to tease out a bit of strategy and self-imposed challenge, and I’ve enjoyed rising to it – especially when there’s a scissor lift handy.

Rosewater combines the Wild West and traditional point-and-click mechanics with relative success, taking players on a road trip that is more about relationship building than the trip’s purpose. Which is both its biggest selling point and frustration. Rosewater is full of well-written and performed characters, but it’s hard to care about all of them when they’re not your headline.

Wylde Flowers is a pleasant place to exist, the kind of game you can simply relax with and appreciate its colour and let the stress of the real world slip away. Come on by for its cast of inclusive and engaging characters, stay for its simpler take on the lifestyle genre with a clever, magical spin. Some might prefer a little more detail or options to really make it your own, but it’s an island worth visiting if Tom Nook’s insistence on spending more nook miles has become an annoyance.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4 is still a Tony Hawk game at heart, and as expected, plays brilliantly. As a package, the plethora of content on offer is easily the best way to revisit the masterful skating experience that was THPS 3, even if it entirely overshadows the meek representation of THPS 4 within the title.

Paper Trail is a perfect example of a simple but engaging mechanic done well. Its difficulty is spicy enough to make you feel like a moderate origami genius, but not so difficult that you want to throw your crudely crafted swan into the fiery pits of hell. Folding reality itself may perhaps have lent itself to a bit more metastory meat, but a chill colourful aesthetic and a nice feeling of momentum should be more than enough to sate the average puzzle fan.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles' one-two punch of newly-translated ports is a fantastic package for both newcomers and long time fans, even if it falls prey to longstanding pitfalls. A compelling narrative stacked with an eclectic cast and top-notch writing drives a satisfying, if simple, gameplay loop that's like little else in the genre.

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante hits all the right notes of a choose-your-own-adventure game, with just enough of its own spin to stand out from the crowd. A dark fantasy world rife with pseudo-historical politics and tensions are just the icing on the cake.

Cult of the Lamb stands as a true masterpiece of not one but two genres. I just couldn’t find any issues that got in the way of my enjoyment of its various mechanics, and the love I have for my clan will continue long past the final boss encounter.

To completely divorce myself from my long love of Warhammer, I would still estimate Space Marine 2 as an exceptional gaming experience. The narrative can only get as deep as the genre allows but even within those limits it plays with interesting ideas, the very nature of the beast being one of disconnection, with forty generous millennia distorting our concept of sensibility and preservation. This is a universe of conflict, pain, and endless peril, and Saber has made it incredibly fun to inhabit, with plenty of reasons to revisit and – most importantly – convince your mates to join in.

With stunning visuals, incredible performances and a poignant and grim narrative that hits hard, A Plague Tale: Requiem is a truly compelling journey even if it buckles under its own ambitions along the way.

Little Nightmares II doesn’t reinvent what people liked about the first game, and it doesn’t need to. It’s a more handsome, slightly bigger and occasionally more disturbing follow-up that hits all the same horrifying notes and introduces some new and memorable antagonists. It’s a must-play for fans of the original, and a delightfully morbid curiosity for the morbidly curious. I can’t wait for the Internet to collectively demand that Long Teacher gets in the goddamn bin.

Set in a vibrant cartoon world and exploring relatable themes, Apopia: Sugar Coated Tale is a hidden gem in the adventure genre that sees you saving the Kingdom of Yogurt while finding out more about yourself in the process.

Nudging into pole position for this generation of the kart racing genre, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is all gas, great gimmicks and most importantly, great fun.

Monster Hunter Stores 2: Wings of Ruin has made me a believer that not all JRPGs will rub me the wrong way. Its charming, lovely story mixed with its wonderfully engaging combat and being able to kidnap monsters create a fantastic experience which also adds to the depth of Monster Hunter's world and lore.

Turnip Boy proves he's no one-hit wonder, taking a slightly different direction to his debut yet still hitting all the right notes. Fun to play and enjoyable to master, it’s a creative action-shooter that shouldn’t be missed.

Refining, tweaking and improving on every aspect of last year's iteration while introducing a number of worthwhile new features, WWE 2K23 continues to build series momentum, managing to be the best wrestling game in years.

Team Ninja and PlatinumGames' collaboration brings a stylish new numbered entry of this hallowed series into the modern era. Some old problems persist, but it's nonetheless a (very) bloody good time with some of the slickest action gameplay out there.

Improvements on the already entertaining LEGO formula such as a tighter perspective and reworked combat systems make The Skywalker Saga's retelling of the nine mainline Star Wars films a blast for fans of all ages.

Burning Shores may not feel essential in the grand scheme of things, but a solid self-contained story and dedication to character depth make this the perfect excuse to return to this brilliant action-adventure RPG.

Grime packs a mean punch in both its platforming and combat, with a visual design that's worth writing home about. Its mediocre Metroidvania aspects are what keep it from being a must-play, however.

Repetitive combat and exploration pad out this wonderfully remastered cult JRPG experience that falls just short of a recommendation.

Rainbow Billy: The Curse of the Leviathan is a cute and cuddly family RPG that sacrifices depth for accessibility. This lack of substance may turn off older players who may be used to more complex affairs, but younger players and their parents will discover a great way to get acquainted with a popular genre of games.

Ubisoft's big, bold swing with Assassin's Creed Shadows mostly connects, proving that it was right to hold off on the Hail Mary Feudal Japan setting until it had honed the series’ RPG trappings. Shadows’ attempts at new ideas don't all land the same, but it excels in the areas that matter most in these games with a gorgeous, rich and well-researched world to explore, compelling stealth gameplay and a story full of intrigue and fresh takes on historical figures.

A harsh yet engaging narrative drives Bahnsen Knights down the streets of hell, flanked by vivid violence and stomach-churning scenarios. It’s short, but it packs a punch all the same.

As is sometimes the way, after reading my thoughts back I get a sense that perhaps I have been a little harsh. This remaster is undeniably beautiful, and faithfully recreates the experience of the original Ninja Gaiden II and its Sigma version on modern consoles – this much is certain. But despite its gruesome and oft entertaining spectacle, many aspects of its design, be it the one-note linear structure or godawful camera, mark it with a certain quaintness that isn’t entirely becoming. It was fun to replay this moment in time, but I don’t see myself going back for more. I’m watching very keenly to see what the extraordinarily talented people at Team Ninja and PlatinumGames can cook up with Ninja Gaiden 4 – hopefully we’ll see what a true modern reincarnation of this legendary series looks like.

Backed by a stunning art style and the voice of Geralt of Rivia, Tails of Iron is an excellent action-adventure RPG that offers a challenging yet satisfying Souls-inspired experience in a captivating medieval world.

Borderlands 4 realises the full potential the series has always had, delivering that unmistakable Borderlands experience but with a ton of modern sensibilities to establish itself not simply as a fun co-op shooter, but as the definitive example of what a fun co-op shooter should be.

Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is a story-rich, isometric stealth game that features heavily realistic close-up cutscenes, simple controls, layered depth and detail that creates an immersive experience. As you traverse through various locations, plan your strategies, sneak, and knock out many enemies, you’ll uncover just how far siblings will go for each other.