Despite some moments of genuine enjoyment, with a combat system that does its best to entertain, Forspoken never makes the most of its potential. Ultimately, there are bigger, bolder and more inventive action games both already out there and soon to be upon us in an already stacked 2023 release schedule.

ATONE: Heart of the Elder Tree sets out to do a lot in a short space of time and manages to pull it off impressively, even though I wanted to spend even more time within its take on Midgard compared to what it holds.

Dead Space is a remarkable achievement in design on all fronts. A loving and intelligent remake that reminds players of what has been lost in AAA games and what can be found again if you just know where to look.

A stunning One Piece game great for fans and JRPG newbies, but one that won't satisfy hardened min-maxers.

Kynseed is a shockingly robust and fully realised fantasy farming-sim that may overwhelm at first but rewards patience with its countless interlocking systems.

Even after all this time, there remains very few RPGs as creative, colourful and enjoyable as Persona 4 Golden. Though these new console additions don’t add too much to the experience, it was a journey already at a high level of quality and now more fans can experience and enjoy the murder mystery mayhem.

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

Fire Emblem Engage is enjoyable but leaves little impression. If the narrative was more compelling, if the character relationships were deeper and more interesting or if combat was more varied, there’s every chance that Engage would have felt more robust and impactful. In the absence of those things, Engage just feels…fine.

Sports Story doesn’t hit the heights of its predecessor, overstuffed with new ideas and sports that probably should have been left on the cutting-room floor. There’s still plenty here to enjoy, both golf and tennis fans will find something to like and fans of the original likewise, but the trophy could have used a polish.

Lone Ruin nails the brief on what makes an appreciable roguelike – combining a slick and sexy aesthetic with a core gameplay loop that can be rapidly picked up, but is deep enough to beg for mastery.

Removing the combat from a shoot ‘em up is a bold choice that manages to pay off with Swordship. The fast and responsive movement and reliance on wit over brute force create an additive and challenging gameplay loop that kept me coming back time and time again. The occasional frustrating moment can be found when the RNG decides to play rough, and defaulting to one life feels a bit savage, but these are minor gripes when all is said and done. Swordship is a fantastic indie arcade title that will have leaderboard chasers salivating.

With a striking hand-drawn art style and challenging puzzles, Children of Silentown is a decent romp for those adventure game fans seeking a dark journey.

With fun exploration and an enjoyable world to get lost in, Blacktail is a whimsical journey of self-reflection through our favourite fairy tales; not too hot, not too cold but just right.

An unsatisfying shooter brought even lower by an exhausting and all-encompassing script, High on Life can’t commit to its satire or ideas long enough to do anything of value.

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

Need for Speed Unbound sees Criterion put its spin on the formula laid down by its predecessor and the result is a stylish racer that is mostly fun but sometimes frustrating.

Melatonin is a short but kind experience, a hint of melancholy and a splash of retro vibes. It’s less about the challenge (though it's there for those who seek it) and more about chilling out to some cool tracks across some fun levels, with accessibility that should be applauded.

It does feel a little patchwork in places, but Crisis Core is a reunion worth going to. The emotional gut-punch of a finale remains one of the best in the long running series, and that alone is worth the price of admission.

If one were to look at Darktide as a foundation for Fatshark’s newest co-op shooter legacy, you’d be impressed at the sheer girth of it all. This is a title that comes with a fat promise of more great things to come, while already awash in a sea of great things to see and do. Short of some critical failure on Fatshark’s part, I really can’t imagine a future where Darktide doesn’t establish itself as another fantastic team shooter experience for fans to enjoy for years to come. It is a great many things – gorgeous, fun, rewarding – but one thing it is not, is lacking ambition.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet offer a unique and incredibly engaging experience that the series has desperately needed since its transition to 3D back in 2013. Unfortunately, it has also been released in an incredibly unoptimised state which sours the whole experience.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet offer a unique and incredibly engaging experience that the series has desperately needed since its transition to 3D back in 2013. Unfortunately, it has also been released in an incredibly unoptimised state which sours the whole experience.

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.

FIFA 23 signs off on EA and FIFA’s partnership with another solid entry that brings the gameplay experience closer to the real thing, but it’s once again sullied by its Ultimate Team monetisation.

Star Ocean's 25th-anniversary title celebrates its beloved PS2 classic with a spiritual remake, but its adherence to archaic series’ design will ward off new players.

Gungrave G.O.R.E is a thorough examination of what games offered us before they transformed into 40-hour cinematic masterpieces. While its appeal may not be broad enough to interest everyone, it establishes itself as a love letter to a time when your gaming experience was absolutely about bombastic style, personal fantasy and massive high scores.

Evil West might wear old-school clothes, but under the hood it's a modern stunner. Gorgeous and gutsy, the tale of Jesse Rentier paints a dark world where the best way to illuminate your path is by way of a shocking Tesla-powered knuckle duster. It deftly navigates some of the pitfalls that are to be expected when forging a new IP and drops a winning hand that is more aces than eights.

After a slow start to the series, The Devil in Me is a satisfying end to The Dark Pictures’ first season with its fascinating setting and improved gameplay leaving me excited for the second season.

Goat Simulator 3 not only recaptures the crazy fun of the original, but it expands and improves on everything that came before, resulting in a big, stupid sandbox experience that made me smile from start to finish.