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.

P3P is still a terrific remake from a bygone era and a gold standard in handheld JRPGs on the Switch.

Dredge blends cosmic horror and local fishing economies into a robust but expertly paced adventure that rewards your investment with a strange tale, engaging mechanics and a unique, wonderful vibe.

Positively overflowing with meaty, tactical combat and terrific character writing, Trails of Reverie is held back by its dated presentation and sky-high barrier to entry.

The best Life is Strange game yet. Through the concept of empathy, True Colors manages to drive video game storytelling to new heights. An expanded scope, hugely impressive production values and new, bingeable format make this a must-play for fans of narrative adventures.

Sumerian Six is clearly going to excite that contingent of weird and wonderful people who love to solve puzzles in a murder-y way. The aesthetic on offer, combined with the fun and fanciful tale of the Engima Squad meeting up and working together to take down a magical Nazi warlord, is plenty to grab you and hold tight. Just keep a pocketful of patience for any silly shit that happens while you’re save scumming your way to victory.

Despite the game’s issues, many of which I haven’t the space to detail, I could not help but keep playing. Although it feels like Guardians of Azuma would have benefited from a bit more development time, there was enough satisfaction and enjoyment in the steady cadence of explore-build-socialise-rinse-repeat that I simply didn’t want it to end. In good news for anyone sharing these sentiments, to a certain extent it doesn’t end; you can continue to explore, expand your villages, and develop your relationships in the post-game. The main gameplay components fit together like jigsaw pieces, and, if you can look past the issues, on the whole it’s a bit of an unpolished gem – multifaceted, perhaps a little scratched up, but ultimately with some value under those surface imperfections.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero does a decent enough job in carrying on the legacy of the 3D arena fighter, with some fun if slightly tricky mechanics and a story mode that does just enough to be enjoyable in its own right. Ultimately it serves its purpose as an entertaining slice of the animated series, despite not feeling wholly unique to the franchise. I would have loved an even broader story mode, allowing a greater number of the available roster to be playable, but fans of the previous entries in the series will no doubt flock to this modern iteration solely to play online. Time will tell if there’s longevity here, but as a total package there should be more than enough to appease even the most die-hard of Dragon Ball fans.

A challenging brawler that punishes recklessness and demands perfection, Sifu’s genre-leading combat and roguelike mechanics blend together to create an early Game of the Year contender.

Bungie successfully makes a grab at the extraction shooter crown with Marathon. Rook is a revelation for solos, and Cryo Archive is the best endgame experience in the genre. It is mean, yet fair, with more than ample flair. The biggest issue is that you’re currently not playing it, hence my matchmaking woes.

Generic boomer shooter gunplay and a stretched-out runtime could be make this a cold case for some, but the incredible rubber hose aesthetic and entertaining noir setting should help see most detectives through to the end.