Forza Horizon 6 is developer Playground Games at the very top of its game, delivering the biggest and most diverse series entry yet, and a triumphant celebration of cars and car culture. It helps that it looks utterly stunning too.

While it may not offer much in the way of an evolution over Call of the Sea, as a sequel Call of the Elder Gods nonetheless expands upon its predecessor in a meaningful way, though it fails to deliver a story that's as interesting or as unpredictable as the original. Still, some complex and well-executed puzzles more than make up for its other shortcomings.

A remarkably lovely and unapologetically cosy story of life in vinyl retail, Wax Heads has heart to spare, a diverse soundtrack, an inviting art style, and a unique record-recommending gameplay hook. Groovy.

TerraTech Legion is a pleasant surprise, emerging as a slickly presented, enormously playable, and endlessly addictive vehicle-based survivors-like auto-shooter experience that's well worth seeking out.

An absurdly fun and unique multiplayer throw down, Kiln might be somewhat light on content, but it more than makes up for it with bags of character, immediacy, and infectious gameplay.

Darwin’s Paradox is a stealthy Pixar cartoon, imbued with slapstick platforming.

An ornate and clever sequel that enlivens the formula, with a niggling hint of deja vu.

Who’d have thought that poncle could make a game as simple but addictive as Vampire Survivors, eh? Never played a first-person dungeon-crawler before? Vampire Crawlers is the perfect place to start - it’s a cracking fusion of turn-based battling and roguelite deckbuilding. Get it played.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is fast-paced first-person shooter fun with an inviting cartoon twist. Developer Fumi Games' debt to DOOM and its ilk is plain to see, but it's the monochrome noir look and energetic animation that marks this out as something unique, like a rich stilton or something.

Beyond Words is never less than a pleasure, despite its plain visuals, and it keeps your attention with its delicious layering of mechanics.

Both an engaging mystery and a fine send off for Max and Chloe, Life is Strange: Reunion puts a nice cap on a saga that started life over a decade ago. The only question is, what comes next?

If you're none too keen on roguelites, then Absolum is unlikely to change your mind. But, if you like the idea of a stunning beat 'em up beefed up with the various trappings that come with a roguelite experience, then this will prove to be an unmitigated delight. Turn on the assists, and players of all skill levels can enjoy this.

An energetic and remarkably well made entry into the extraction shooter space, Marathon can be enormously harsh and unforgiving, but stay with it, and it can also be immensely rewarding.

Scott Pilgrim EX is further proof that developer Tribute Games is unbelievably adept at creating sublime retro side-scrolling brawlers,with sumptuous pixel art, fun and varied gameplay, and a brilliantly energetic chiptune soundtrack.

A fantastic third chapter in Capcom's brill Monster Hunter spin-off series, Monster Hunter 3: Twisted Reflection boasts a lovely anime style, an engaging narrative, and ample RPG depth. It's great.

Once again, WWE 2K26 delivers yet another fine bout of grappling, with a huge selection of modes and a colossal roster of Superstars, alongside a handful of meaningful refinements. The new reversal system might not be to everyone's taste, but there's no denying this remains an eminently playable wrestling experience.

Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf emerges as a worthy follow-up to the first game, boasting a smattering of neat improvements over the original, a touching story, and, despite a few moments of frustration, an otherwise enjoyable procession of platforming and puzzles.

A brilliantly effective blend of the old and the new, Resident Evil Requiem succeeds in just about every conceivable department. It's tense, compelling, and an all-round good time.

While dyed-in-the-wool fans of the original might long for the pixellated sprites of old, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined succeeds in being a stellar, loving remake of one of the series' best, with a uniquely appealing 3D doll-and-diorama style. It's all rather lovely.

A truly magnificent game, you'll soon forget that Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade is based upon only a small sliver of the original – it's astonishingly epic in its own right, with plenty of surprises.

A '90s-style movie tie-in you might have seen in an arcade back then, had it actually existed, Terminator 2D: No Fate is a love letter to retro games and a sci-fi classic that might be short, but it's oh-so sweet. Hasta la vista, baby.

Fostering an all-pervading tension from beginning to end, Routine succeeds as an efficient jolt of sci-fi horror, delivering rich environmental storytelling and complex puzzles. The lack of help might turn some players off, but for those willing to stick with it, you'll find a rewarding and immersive experience.

Fifteen stages of comic book nirvana, fifteen perfectly realised Marvel characters, and a bucketload of references for fans ensure Marvel Cosmic Invasion succeeds as another superlative retro-style scrolling beat 'em up from Tribute Games. This is about as good as it gets.

Silent Hill 2 is an assured and richly made survival horror, a fine celebration of the past.

Monster Hunter Stories' tale of Riders and a terrible blight running rampant across its world proves to be gratifying, but it's the nicely realised, straightforward RPG mechanics that makes this a real joy, and more than welcome on Xbox.

Nearly twenty years since it first released, Virtua Fighter 5 still has plenty of mileage left in it. Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage emerges as the definitive version of a great fighting game, with meaningful new features, and challenging fighting mechanics that will keep you coming back.

Developer Digital Eclipse has delivered yet another riveting, reverent compilation of seminal games with rich behind-the-scenes insights, perfect versions of the arcade originals, and a slew of console ports. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is absolutely essential stuff for anyone with even a passing interest in the fighting game series that allows you to violently kill your rivals. A flawless victory, indeed.

If you miss Burnout as much as I do, then you owe it to yourself to take Wreckreation for a spin. This is about as close as we're ever likely to get to a sequel, delivering blisteringly fast open world racing, and superb track building tools.