I did enjoy my time rolling with Circle during his journey to complete himself. The story was great, the graphics matched the simple premise of the game, and rolling through the game's beautiful scenes while listening to its relaxing music was a great experience. But with its high peaks, there are also low valleys that I just cannot get past. Tough to follow dialog bubbles really disconnected me from the story at times, and frustrating sequences like the magnetic fields and cloud hopping really hurt the entire experience overall.

An endearing and impeccably-made reboot of a Capcom classic, Ghosts 'n Goblins Resurrection not only looks really good, but it doesn't compromise on any of the aspects that made the original so special.

Biomutant is a scrappy and charming open world RPG, but despite its many systems and gameplay mechanics, there isn't enough depth and direction to make this game truly great.

If you've never played a Mass Effect game before, you can consider purchasing the Legendary Edition an absolute no-brainer. If you fancy revisiting BioWare's seminal sci-fi saga (and frankly, why wouldn't you?), then, equally, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is essential. Bottom line: you need this.

Hood: Outlaws & Legends takes a unique 4v4 multiplayer premise and fails to do it justice. While the art style is cool and the concept is neat, the execution falls short with a lack of content, balancing issues, and a slew of frustrating elements.

An esoteric little gem, Dragon Quest Builders 2 is an enormously enjoyable RPG-building sandbox hybrid that deserves time and attention.

Enjoyable in a mad, pantomime sort of way, Resident Evil Village feels like a pretty significant step back from Resident Evil VII, and a toe back into the absurd. It's a game you're unlikely to forget in a hurry, for entirely the wrong reasons.

If you're a Yakuza fan, you've probably already bought Judgment in your head. If you're not, then this is a great place to start, Yagami's hardboiled crime saga a remarkably engaging, surprising, and rousing journey from beginning to end.

A welcome revamp to a more than decade-old cult classic, NieR Replicant ver.122474487139... will be equally inviting to Automata fans, NieR veterans, and newcomers alike. Only a lack of variety, a lightweight combat challenge, and disappointing boss encounters put a downer on proceedings.

Outriders is a looter-shooter built upon solid enough foundations, and its blend of gunplay and powers can prove intermittently enjoyable. But it's also a game lacking an engaging narrative heart, characters that you'll care about, and any sort of exciting long-term content. The quest for loot will only sustain you for so long.

I understand that Balan Wonderworld wasn't made with me in mind – clearly it's meant for a far younger demographic. But even from an objective standpoint, I can't figure out why anyone would want to voluntarily sink hours of their life into such an annoying and incoherent game.

A game that provides a healthy dollop of pathos with its co-operative fun, It Takes Two is an unadulterated shot of joy brimming with inventive puzzles and smart ideas. Sure, some of its metaphors for the breakdown happening in May and Cody's relationship might be a little heavy-handed, but there's so much to love here that it's hard to care about such trifles. It Takes Two is a breath of fresh air and total.

If you’ve spent hundreds of hours with Kazuma Kiryu over the years, then the conclusion to his sprawling arc in Yakuza 6: The Song of Life won’t disappoint. And if you haven’t played a Yakuza game before, you’ll still get a whole lot out of this. Yakuza 6 is a sensational game.

Despite contriving its fair share of unsettling moments, Little Nightmares II is a disappointing follow-up to one of 2017's most pleasant surprises. It might be a bigger game than its forebear, but it certainly isn't better.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood fails to satisfy as a stealth game or a brawler, and is let down by poor AI and shoddy presentation. At its best, it’s playable, but commits the cardinal sin of just being boring.

Layers of Fear showed early promise, Blair Witch demonstrated that Bloober could resurrect a dormant movie license to great effect, and Observer saw the studio successfully turn its hand to cyberpunk horror. The Medium is a similarly excellent game, serving as further proof of the developer's horror expertise and its credentials as an exciting creative outfit.

The third act is often the hardest, and with Hitman 3, IO Interactive has managed, somehow, to mix things up and make it feel fresh. Some will celebrate the lengthier, curated stories, but those who love Hitman for its replay value will be slightly dismayed at Hitman 3. Nonetheless, it's still a great bloody video game.

The game will perpetually get compared to WWE All Stars and I think it’s fair. I have to admit that through my rose colored glasses, I remember All Stars as the better overall title at launch, but the lack of roster depth (including no women) and the fact that it died off because its parent studio did really hurt its potential. The fact that Battlegrounds still that potential to be discovered and 2K can do so much more with it makes this an interesting title to watch, and one I’d recommend giving a shot if it intrigues you enough.

Cyberpunk 2077 is an incredible but hugely flawed video game. At its core lies a deceptively deep-RPG, set in one of the most wonderous cities every created in video games and it’s genuinely an experience I’ll never forget. It’s just a shame it’s such a bloody bugfest, though.

A thoroughly enjoyable first-person adventure brimming with mystery, intrigue and intricate, well-thought-out puzzles, Call of the Sea is a journey into the unknown that proves both rewarding and memorable.

A movie tie-in that thinks outside of the box, John Wick Hex is an unexpected and unique strategy game with more than a few neat ideas up its impeccably tailored sleeve. Yet, a steep difficulty curve, some fiddly controls, and a frustrating sense of repetition cramp its style. However, cool heads and sharp wits will prevail.

Immortals Fenyx Rising is a strange beast, then. Much of it feels very familiar, and you won’t find many things here that haven’t been done before. Yet, it manages to pull together so many different aspects with such proficiency and love for the source material that it’s impossible not to simply enjoy soaking it all up, in an adventure worthy of the Greek heroes of old.

For some reason, I always have a preconceived notion that I won't enjoy this year's Call of Duty. How can a series that releases every single year without fail possibly maintain a consistent quality bar? There are detractors who'd say it doesn't, but let's be honest – it does. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is very good.

One of Codemasters' best racing games, DIRT 5 is an unbridled shot of adrenaline-fuelled fun that's impossible not to love. Superlative stuff.

Assassin's Creed Valhalla is yet another impressive entry in Ubi's unstoppable franchise. The hidden blade is back and as lethal as it should be, combat remains a joy, and Eivor proves an immensely likeable lead in a glorious world of dizzying scope.

The Falconeer offers up an incredibly crafted world with a deep mythology that is begging to be explored further and gliding over the open sea on the back of a falcon is pure fantasy, but while the game’s dogfights can occasionally be thrilling, they can soon become a bit repetitive. Samey missions and a lack of options in combat ultimately mean that The Falconeer doesn’t quite nail the landing.

There's a reason EA singled out Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit for the remaster treatment – it's still great. Throw in all the DLC, all of the features the original had, and a litany of impressive visual enhancements, and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered is most definitely a racer worth returning to. And if it's your first time, well, lucky you.

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is about the importance of friendship and striving to become a better person, which is a message we could all do with right now. It also happens to be a sensational new dawn for a series that's brave enough to shake up the formula and accomplished enough to pull it off with aplomb. To quote Ichi, “let's do some hero shit!”

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope provides an entertaining horror romp that is high on tension, but perhaps a little too low on actual scares. Regardless, its mix of good performances, excellent visuals and an intriguing mystery will keep you engrossed throughout, even if it falls a bit flat in the finale.

Ubisoft Toronto has done a fine job in bringing a broken, near-future London to grim life in Watch Dogs: Legion, and playing as anyone you like has a certain appeal, but ultimately, it doesn't quite work as well as one might have hoped.

From a design perspective, Cloudpunk is fabulous. Stunning soundtrack, a lovely little voxel-art world, but the game itself (and the bugs! So many bugs!) don’t really inspire like the world itself. In truth, it gets incredibly repetitive and rather boring the longer the games goes on, and the narrative isn’t strong enough to get its hooks into you.

Torchlight 3 is, by the very definition of the word, okay. It’s a perfectly serviceable ARPG that is just fine. It’s kind of fun, but gets repetitive rather quickly. And while Echtra's ARPG effort looks really pretty, it’s completely middle of the road stuff.

It looks inviting enough, and an accomplished platformer it may be, but Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time is also bastard hard. For the most part, however, Toys For Bob's Crash outing is good, wholesome fun while it lasts.

FIFA 21 isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind, but it improves upon last year’s game in almost every area, with an enhanced Career Mode proving to be the highlight. Even if it doesn’t offer much that’s new, it’s the best football game we’ve had in years, and a fitting send off to a generation of FIFA games on Xbox One.

Star Wars: Squadrons is the spiritual successor to X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter you've been waiting for, with a compelling story and tight, exciting gameplay that makes every multiplayer match a fast-paced, seat-of-the-pants experience. Rest assured, this has got it where it counts, kid.

A more than welcome return for a seminal crime classic, Mafia: Definitive Edition has all of the attributes you could possibly want from a great remake – fresh visuals, overhauled gameplay, and a reverence for its source material.

Unless you've missed a few iterations of NBA 2K, there are few – if any – reasons to delve into this year's offering. NBA 2K21 features the same old insidious microtransactions that have marred MyCareer for years, but provides very little that's genuinely new or fresh. Capping off the generation with a whimper, we remain hopeful that NBA 2K21 is a lot better on next-gen platforms, because this current-gen version is a lukewarm rehash.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning is certainly starting to show its age, but the game still offers some great combat and a deep, high-fantasy world. If you’re looking for an expansive RPG to get stuck into, you could certainly do worse than Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning, as long as you keep your expectations in check.

As far as immediate arcade thrills go, few games can compete with the level of gratification you're guaranteed to get from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2. If you enjoyed the originals or fancy seeing what all the fuss is about, you're in for an absolute treat either way.

If Marvel's Avengers were an MCU movie, it'd be Age of Ultron. It's perfectly entertaining and well put together, with some great set-pieces, but it isn't necessarily one you're going to return to again and again.

We need more games like this, please. Funny, irreverent, varied, and utterly superb, Lair of the Clockwork God is definitely worth snapping up.

KT Racing has excelled itself with this one. WRC 9 is the French studio's best rallying effort to date, with a superb Career Mode, licensed cars and tracks out the wazoo, slick, responsive handling, and a surfeit of options.

While there are numerous better and more comprehensive racing games out there, Project CARS 3 is nonetheless a remarkably solid racer in its own right, with a slew of cool options, customisation features, cars, tracks, and more. If you're in the market for a spiffy new racing title, Project CARS 3 is certainly a solid choice.

After a rocky start, No Straight Roads settles into a rhythm, but its action is off-key, in spite of its edible looks and funky soundtrack. Regrettably, No Straight Roads is an action game that doesn't quite hit the high notes, with execution that falls some way short.

Wasteland 3 is as deep a CRPG as you’re ever likely to play, with meaningful choice and consequence in abundance, if you can get past the frequent crashes and array of irritating bugs.

Manifold Garden is a stunning puzzle game, one that will leave a lasting impact on you, not just for its thought-provoking puzzles, but by virtue of the fact that you're essentially playing an actual piece of art. It's bloody delightful!

While it's undeniably wonderful to have Battletoads back after such a lengthy hiatus, not everything in here hits the mark. When it does work, however, Battletoads will tickle your funny bone and maybe even conjure warm, fuzzy memories of the '90s originals. You should toadally play it.

Trimming away the fat to reveal a lean and mean sequel, EA Sports UFC 4 puts Career Mode in the spotlight, turns Knockout Mode into an arcade-style one-on one, and throws in backyard bouts for good measure. And while it's a gross oversight that Jean-Claude Van Damme and the soundtrack to Bloodsport are missing from KO Mode's Kumite, EA Sports UFC 4 is nonetheless a worthwhile new entry. We're just surprised there's no Fight Island.

Mortal Shell pays homage to FromSoftware's greats, offering its own unique gameplay wrinkles and an excellent combat system. With only three major dungeons and four weapons, this is a streamlined experience, and if you can push past the slightly frustrating opening hours then you'll find a wonderfully rewarding Souls-like that will keep you coming back for more.

A loving throwback to the grand old days of defunct adventure game masters LucasArts, Darkestville Castle wears its influences on its sleeve, and as such, it's a beautifully orchestrated tribute. Fortunately, it also happens to be a fun and engaging point-and-click yarn in its own right.

Tannenberg isn’t trying to compete with the Battlefields and Call of Duty’s, as it’s a completely different experience; one much slower paced, deliberate and brutal. Some will be turned off by is clunkyness and sluggish gameplay, but the realism and recreation of WWI battles is on a whole other level. If you’re looking for realistic trench warfare, Tannenberg will pit you in 40 player WWI battles that history buffs will relish in.

Yes, Yakuza Kiwami 2 is the third Yakuza game for Xbox One this year, but on the strength of this, SEGA can keep them coming as far as I'm concerned. If you've played Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza 0 (and even if you haven't) you need Yakuza Kiwami 2 in your life. You need Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima in your life. Now let's have Yakuza 3, 4, 5, and 6 on Xbox, please.

Carrion is an excellent power fantasy that casts you as the monstrous villain in your own horror film. The wonderfully gloopy animation and conception of Carrion’s meaty monster makes it enjoyable to play, especially when tearing through the unfortunate humans that stand in your way. But dull exploration, a lack of memorable environments and disparate gameplay ideas that never really come together, mean that Carrion never truly reaches its full potential.

Destroy All Humans! is never better than when you're carrying out the remit of the game's title. When you're doing stealth missions, it's not nearly as fun. As far as its remake credentials are concerned, meanwhile, this is a perfectly solid, serviceable piece of entertainment, if somewhat unremarkable. That said, if you lapped up Destroy All Humans! fifteen years ago, you'll no doubt be more than happy to do it all over again.

Creaks is a wonderfully atmospheric game that is ingenious in its execution, with a unique art style and excellent sound design. The sheer number of mind-teasing puzzles can be a little relentless at times, but the way that the game's systems evolve and interact with each other over time is incredibly impressive. If you have any love for brain teasers, you should probably consider picking it up.

If this is how F1 goes out on current-gen, Codemasters should be proud of where it's taken the series, not only in making it more open and accessible to players of all skill levels, but also in bringing unprecedented depth, detail and immersion. Make no mistake, F1 2020 is the best Formula One game money can buy and a stellar racing experience in its own right.

Observation is without a doubt one of the best puzzle games of the year. You’ll be instantly drawn into the story within the first few moments of being S.A.M. and become completely enraptured.

Disintegration blends together FPS and RTS elements to create a satisfying gameplay experience, with weapons that feel great to use and battles that will have you constantly on your toes. Campaign missions can be hit-or-miss and the game's storytelling is a little slight, but an enjoyable multiplayer mode will keep you playing once the credits have rolled.

A robust and engaging dungeon-crawling action-RPG with depth to spare, Minecraft Dungeons might not have the wealth of stats and loot that Diablo and its ilk have, but it's an enormously impressive take on the genre, regardless.

Golf With Your Friends is good for a laugh, and the more people you can get involved, the more fun you'll have. The concept is fantastic, but the execution is a little lackluster, resulting in a title that just about makes the par.

Manic marine mayhem, Maneater is a one-of-a-kind shaRkPG that can feel a little one-note at times, but it's never anything less than an unhinged, knowingly daft piece of entertainment. You get to be a shark and eat people, for crying out loud. It's fun and guaranteed to make you smile, (you son of a bitch).

A sci-fi horror that gets better with perseverance, The Persistence is worth delving into, despite more than a few frustrations. Give it time, though, and you'll ultimately discover a rewarding roguelike experience.

It's been more than 25 years since the last Streets of Rage game, and while ostensibly, Streets of Rage 4 might seem like more of the same, there's no way that could ever be considered a bad thing. Streets of Rage 4 is well worth the wait.

SnowRunner is a slow game, requiring a lot of patience to get through. If you're willing to give it the time investment it asks, then you will find a satisfying experience here, with each contract you take, and each road you traverse, unfolding into one big puzzle to tackle. A hoard of customisation options also allows you to tinker with your trucks to your heart's content. If that sounds up your street, then SnowRunner might be for you, but don't expect to get anything done fast.

Yakuza 0 might be the better game, but Yakuza Kiwami is the best way to experience where the series began. Additions like 'Majima Everywhere' inject a sense of knockabout fun to proceedings, while cracking heads is a persistent, unending delight. There's no excuse not to dive right into Yakuza Kiwami this very second.

A party game that transforms a horribly mundane activity into something uniquely pleasurable – especially with friends – Moving Out provides co-op furniture shifting that will in all probability ruin relationships, just like Overcooked did. And that's got to count for something.

There is fun to be had here, especially in some of the more ridiculous endings, but even those are examples of tonal whiplash in a title that plays it straight for the most part. More film than game, The Complex doesn’t gain enough from the premise of being interactive - instead, it ends up as a strangely paced movie with a lack of focus and not enough tension to draw players in.

Short it may be, but Resident Evil 3 is also delightfully sweet. Or as sweet as a survival horror game possibly can be, anyway. Pared back, streamlined and completely brilliant, you'll have a blast outrunning Nemesis all over again.

A proper thrill-ride, DOOM Eternal is the sequel to DOOM 2016 that we wanted, and then some. Going to hell has never been so damn heavenly.

Backed by an amazing art style, a great soundtrack and a selection of heartwarming characters to take you through the story, Ori and the Will of the Wisps is pure platforming perfection.

Two Point Hospital is a most excellent return from the abyss for the ‘hospital simulator’, one that is wholesome, colourful, incredibly creative and a joy to behold. It does tend to get a little repetitive after a while, but up until that point you’re in for a real treat.

Yakuza makes its long-awaited debut on Xbox One with the best entry in the series. Yakuza 0 is a superlative game, boasting outlandish and violent combat, bizarre peripheral characters, and a story that introduces two great protagonists in Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima. Play it and you'll quickly become fully invested in all things Yakuza.

A profoundly boring racing game that initially holds your hand, then tears it off and eats it. Overpass is too hard, too irritating, and just too damn loathsome an experience to recommend in any way.

Darksiders: Genesis is a neat concept with a frankly bizarre execution. While the isometric viewpoint is cool during certain scenarios – namely Strife’s twin-stick shooter gameplay – everything else doesn’t really fit, especially the awful platforming. It’s not a bad game, it’s just not a very good one.

A transcendent magic realist adventure, Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition is a singular experience that rewards perseverance and commitment to its vision.

An okay strategy game that doesn’t take advantage of the fantastic world of The Dark Crystal. Dull missions and strange gameplay quirks make this game difficult to recommend.

One of Rebellion's best games, Zombie Army 4: Dead War is a thrilling and utterly relentless jaunt that will see you blasting Nazi zombies for months on end.

Alone or with a friend, life as an explorer for Kindred Aerospace is dangerous, but it's also a lot more enjoyable than it should be. Journey to the Savage Planet is good, clean, planet colonising fun.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is an experimental indie game that through all its issues and idiosyncrasies, can be fun for anyone seeking a survival game with a difference.

Flawed it may be, but Simulacra is an interesting thriller in which you get to play detective. The found phone concept is a smart hook, while the storytelling delivers a yarn that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

Civilization is finally back on consoles and boy is it still bloody fun to play. With plenty of new systems to get your head around, some fairly intuitive controls and the ability to wage war on your neighbours because they look at you funny, who can possibly say no to that?

While Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is strong with the Force, it's held back slightly by some irritating bugs. Fortunately, none of them can detract from the overall experience, its superlative combat and absorbing, enjoyable take on the Star Wars universe.

Afterparty is a disappointing follow-up to Oxenfree, one held up from being an absolute car crash thanks to two wonderfully written protagonists and some crackling dialogue between the two. With lame mini-games, bugs galore, and a story that promises so much and delivers so little, Afterparty will be an Afterthought in no-time at all.

A very competent, well-made survival horror adventure with clear BioShock inspirations, Close to the Sun is a smart and compelling game marred only by some ill-advised showing of naff monsters.

Turns out a reboot is just what the doctor ordered. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is the best the series has been in quite some time.

The Outer Worlds is not only a breath of fresh air and easily one of Obsidian’s best ever games, but it's an experience that can truly wear the player choice badge with pride. From the RPG elements to how you play, The Outer Worlds truly is your adventure. Just don’t kill anyone’s parents in it, okay?

A wretched, annoying puzzle game that consists primarily of tedious busywork. While Felix the Reaper has bags of personality, a vein of dark humour, and the inimitable voice of Sir Patrick Stewart, it regrettably isn't nearly as fun as it looks. As far as I'm concerned, Felix can go dance off the edge of a cliff.

The Bradwell Conspiracy is a game whose lofty concept doesn't quite match its execution. Its light, fairly arbitrary puzzles aren't particularly challenging, but its strong narrative is deployed almost perfectly throughout to weave them all together. The Bradwell Conspiracy is still an enjoyable journey, however, and certainly worthy of your time.

Once again, Codemasters has proved that it deserves a place in the grand pantheon of racing game developers with GRID. Alongside the DiRT games and F1 series, GRID is another exemplary racer that will scratch the itch of even the most demanding racing game player.

Not as good as Ghost Recon Wildlands, Ubisoft Paris' follow-up has a few new ideas up its sleeve, but is ultimately lacking. Sadly, Ghost Recon Breakpoint feels like it's been hastily gaffer taped together, then kicked out of the door, bugs and all.

After the first Yooka-Laylee, you could be forgiven for not being desperate for more, but Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a more accomplished and markedly different game to its forebear. And it's all the better for it.

'Anime Dark Souls' was its billing, but it’s not until Code Vein breaks free of the tried-and-tested formula that it shines brightly. With a difficulty balance that stretches from a leisurely stroll to hair-tearing madness, it’s hard to know who this game is for. Code Vein is fun, though. Really, really fun, and a great place to start for anyone keen to dip their toe into a more chilled and relaxed Souls-like title.

Delivering another strong outing, FIFA 20 proves once more that it's a football game truly to be reckoned with. There are issues, but few are serious enough to really mar the overall experience. Ultimately, FIFA 20 is fantastic, its new VOLTA Football mode being a particular joy, while FUT proves endlessly compelling yet again.

On the pitch, as always, Konami almost gets it bang on with eFootball PES 2020, but off the pitch it's seriously lacking in the balance and depth department.

Is Borderlands 3 the best one yet? Not quite, but it's incredibly close. While it may not eclipse Borderlands 2, Gearbox has crammed Borderlands 3 with more chaotic gunplay, more ridiculous guns with which to wreak havoc, and more silly humour. More of everything, then? Yep. Borderlands 3 is one big bundle of fun.

NBA 2K20 is so similar to last year's game that it's hard to wholeheartedly recommend it like we normally would. If you haven't bought an NBA 2K game in a while, then by all means, don't hesitate to dive right in. But if you're still happily playing NBA 2K19, there's really no reason to make the switch. Major, sweeping changes are clearly in order, and we hope to see big things happening for NBA 2K21.

Once again, The Coalition proves itself as Gears of War's ideal custodian. Gears 5 is one of the best entries in the series yet, delivering an unrivalled package that still boasts the best headshots in the business.

Managing to make the forest seem oppressive and claustrophobic, Blair Witch is adept at creating a tense and foreboding atmosphere, while weaving a compelling narrative that still proves exciting, even if you've sussed out the final twist hours before the end. You'll never look at trees the same way again.