Almost like an alternate universe cosplay, Ghost Song is a game that aims to appeal to your nostalgia for the old school Metroid series, while mixing in some additions from recent iterations of the genre they spawned. A few minor missteps don’t detract from an otherwise sensational package, which has a giant, charming and weirdly adorable heart.

Wanderstop is a well-intentioned take on the personal weight of societal burnout and the issues typically found in the cozy genre but struggles to find much ground beyond its initial premise as surface-level commentary and frustrating, awkward gameplay spoils the brew.

It’s an abundance of well written humour that bridges the gap between Skin Deep’s surprisingly deep gameplay and storytelling, despite a few hiccups along the way. I chuckled consistently as each new interaction played out in violent, amusing bursts, popping a few heads and scrambling around the outer hull to surprise an unexpected pirate or two. Sure, it’s not a Sam Fisher scenario, but if you’ve been hankering for a stealth experience with a twist, I can’t recommend this enough.

With a truly spectacular retrofuturistic aesthetic, Routine delivers an immersive sci-fi horror that is incredibly tactile to play, impressively creating tension amongst the silence, but a disappointing ending, frustrating design choices and gameplay repetition stops it from reaching the stars.

A surprisingly complex and mechanically perfect condensation of the Soulsborne experience into the boss rush genre. Eldest Souls not only joins the ranks of its genre champs Titan Souls and Furi, it defeats them.

It sticks hard to the formula established two decades ago, but Once Upon a Katamari’s tumble through history has enough new ideas and relentless charm to make it a worthy entry for fans old and new.

A playable vacuum is enough of a sell for me. Still, the goofy premise, excellent level design and entertaining gameplay ensures that Justice Sucks will strike a chord with anyone who enjoys chasing a high score.

As oddball as the puzzling puffball on the cover, Kirby Air Riders is a spectacular example of twisting preconceived expectations into something weird, wonderful and altogether incredible – inviting you to go fast and kick arse in equal parts.

As a successor to the S.W.A.T. games and tickling a strategic itch that Rainbow Six hasn’t scratched in years, Ready or Not nails the tension and tactical satisfaction that this genre prides itself on. Its single-player Commander mode is one of the better ‘training’ modes for a hardcore multiplayer game in years, though the wobbly AI can lead to many frustrating failures. With friends or a like-minded community, there’s probably no other tactical co-op game this engaging or evocative right now. It’s just a damn shame that the game’s matchmaking does nothing to nurture this experience.

Feeling every bit like a AAA game set in the Horizon universe, Call of the Mountain is an immersive and visually impressive experience that falters somewhat in the combat department.

A clear and cohesive fusing of Tears of the Kingdom’s eons-spanning story and recognisable gameplay with the typical musou trappings means Age of Imprisonment is not just a fantastic Warriors-style game, but a genuinely great The Legend of Zelda title.

Terry’s console debut is well worth a look-in for anyone yet to be charmed by the tale of a town with no laws, a road with no end and a boy with limits. If I could focus on anything with half as much pluck and determination as Terry and his mission to space, I’d be unstoppable. It’s a shame that some pretty egregious performance issues exist in the PS5 version right now, but look past them and you’ll see one of the most absurd, bold, funny and endearing little adventures in recent memory.

I spoke in my preview about Anger Foot having that special something that makes games like Hotline Miami so addictive and multiple hours and many, many doors later, I stand by my early claim. The simple, tight gameplay moves at a frankly ridiculous pace, and the constant barrage of new elements keeps you experimenting to move just that little bit faster. The bosses are a bit hit-and-miss, and the insanity could’ve been reigned in a tad here and there, but that hardly gets in the way of this blisteringly good time. And hey, even if it did, it’s nothing that a bit of sole food won’t fix.

Fans of Control or those simply curious about who ‘that Alan Wake guy’ is would do well to pick this remastered edition up. At a solid asking price, it’s a fantastic narrative experience that’s worth playing even with the janky older controls, while returning fans will get a kick out of reliving the experience on modern hardware.

The mix of point-and-click and beat ‘em up gameplay with a 90s cartoon aesthetic makes BROK the InvestiGator a unique adventure game that should not be missed.

With a revitalised gameplay experience and tighter combat, the actual moment-to-moment gameplay of Overwatch has never been better. Let’s hope the monetisation strategy relaxes a little.

Civilization VII is an excellent turn-based strategy game. As a Civ game, it looks and feels the same as its predecessors but with enough changes to leave long-time fans with something new to learn and hopefully cherish. At times I felt at odds with the decisions, but I always come back to the fact that I still enjoyed my time and will absolutely keep playing this game long into the future.

Wild Hearts is packed with creative mechanics and delightful flourishes that make it a welcome and exciting addition to the monster hunting genre.

As visually striking as it is addictive, Curse of the Dead Gods blends together satisfying combat with a few unique mechanics, making for a roguelite that will eat away at your free time in a big way.

With its eccentric elderly cast, intricate themes, unique agency mechanics and narrative structure, Wayward Strand is a compelling experience that reels you in and leaves you wanting to call your grandma.

Broadside Games’ Bears In Space is an anomaly in the sense that it is like many things, but there is really nothing that is truly like it. As a first-person shooter, it is a chimera that gleefully gobbles up facets of so many other classic games – not just shooters – to create a girthy gameplay experience that can change at a moment’s notice to deliver something completely out of leftfield without giving the player mechanical whiplash. Yes, a moment ago you were casually shooting robots – but this is the Virtua Cop-esque shooting section. And a little later we will do the fishing minigame, okay? On paper it would read like the scribblings of a madman, but in execution it all ties together beautifully into a medley of frenetic fun.

Gothic fairytale stylings and unique mish-mash of systems come together into yet another great example of Zoink's boundless creativity and game design chops. Fans of Burton-esque worlds and tabletop tropes would do well to get Lost in Random.

More than a spin-off, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ additions to combat, entertaining story and brilliant voice work allow it to not only stand apart from Borderlands but surpass it in every way.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity impresses with its narrative and fun hack and slash action from the offset, but dreadful performance and repetitive gameplay ultimately stifle its impact.

Under The Island is a charming, puzzle-filled adventure that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The balance between the game’s systems ensures that progress always feels meaningful, and while it would have been good to see some slightly more rounded out combat and extra polish, there’s enough substance here to make for a fun and memorable adventure.

The atmospheric visual overhaul marks the best part of this exhausting and dated remake, while the villainous AI SHODAN remains a timeless antagonist.

Techland has spent more than 10 years refining its open-world zombie-slicing sandbox blueprint, and there’s no doubt that The Beast is best rendition of that. Techland has clearly been listening to its fans on what they love about the series, as The Beast is a mix of everything that Dying Light has been made of thus far, but all the good bits. It’s got the survival horror of the first game, the heavy action approach of Stay Human and the vehicles of The Following. Castor Woods’ more condensed layout allows for the gameplay strengths to shine, with tight parkour mechanics, brutal and satisfying combat and a terrifyingly tense night time (even if it feels a little unbalanced) makes for a thrilling and comforting experience. It’s great to see Crane return and the story has some good moments, even if it’s a little plain and predictable. Regardless, Dying Light fans will be happy here.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond risks missteps in its attempt to modernise a cherished formula, but for the most part it all coalesces into an entry more than worthy of the series. Even the most vocal diehard fans should be pleased by the fundamentals, and for those willing to accept them, the new wrinkles iron out nicely.