Conceptually, Silent Hill f is every bit the fascinating, uncomfortable step forward the series has needed for a long time. Its deployment of iconography, theme, and tone is both in keeping with what makes the Silent Hill titles so endearing and radically subversive for the genre space (at least within games). To balk at its gendered tale is to balk at the idea of Silent Hill itself. But Silent Hill f needs to exist beyond its concept; its ideas and commentary too weighted to celebrate for simply being there, and its systemic failures too omnipresent to not feel all the while. Silent Hill f is the step forward Silent Hill needs; it’s a shame it was onto such unstable ground.

You can’t argue against the value of free DLC that expands on an already classic RPG. With more inventive, enjoyable combat and a compelling additional story, Throes of the Watchmaker is tougher, perhaps a tad short, but just as entertaining as the main campaign.

When Indiana Jones and the Great Circle plays to its strengths it’s a captivating adventure led by Troy Baker's exceptional performances, but sadly some design choices bog it down and stop it from being a generational treasure.

The thesis of Dragon’s Dogma’s sequel appears to be that the original was ahead of its time, and indeed will likely draw audiences back to the imaginative original. Dragons Dogma 2 is a game filled with genius ideas about how fantasy roleplaying can be turned into a video game. It requires unlearning much of what we take for granted in fantasy action adventures but rewards this with unique and dynamic world events that will constantly surprise players. It is a masterful sequel that polishes every element of its first draft, with the technology to make those ideas into a seamless adventure marked by heart-pounding threats and euphoric discoveries.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon emerges ablaze with FromSoftware’s best impulses. Demanding and rewarding combat is bolstered by series signature customisation and player-driven storytelling to form a masterclass in design philosophy and raw fun.

With writing this outstanding and characters this endearing, Zero fans get a satisfying conclusion to the Crossbell saga minus the sense of déjà vu.

Returnal is a challenging, atmospheric and creative experience that boasts amazingly smooth and satisfying gameplay. Add in an intriguing narrative, graphical excellence and some impressive utilisation of the DualSense controller and Returnal might just be an instant PlayStation classic.

Far more than a card game, Inscryption is a dark odyssey into an even darker narrative – commanding your attention in an exciting, gripping manner.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope expertly toes the line between Nintendo’s penchant for accessible titles targeting younger audiences and Ubisoft’s matured gameplay systems to create an experience like no other.

Buckshot Roulette is an oddly addicting beast. What starts as a series of frustrating dice rolls quickly progresses into a gripping, sinister experience that commands you to keep at it and master its dark payload. It quickly became a game I wanted to run in a window alongside other things, an interstitial challenge I can summon at will. The horrifying maw of the Dealer loomed in the darkness, and I was hungry to keep finding creative ways to force feed him buckshot.

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.