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.

Conscript may not be a true survival horror, but it taps into that legacy and roots it in fertile soil.

We'll be damned if Infinity Ward hasn't gone and pulled it out of the bag this year. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare is yet another delectable dollop of shooty blockbuster entertainment that somehow manages to exceed expectations. Yes, it hasn't really come all that far and no, Infinity Ward hasn't reinvented the wheel. But as Call of Duty experiences go, Infinite Warfare hits the mark.

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.

New IPs at this stage of the console cycle are fairly rare, especially those with ingenuity and creativity in abundance, as well as a little innovation to boot. That right there is Remember Me, a memorable experience with a strong female lead, an epic score, a hugely creative world and some deceptively deep mechanics. Here’s hoping we see Nilin and co. again sometime soon as she’s not someone we’re going to forget in a hurry.

It might not reach the dizzy heights of seminal Resident Evil, but Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is nonetheless a solid fleshy slab of survival horror that represents great value for money and a fun few hours of infected freak shooting.

Decades on, Gradius still proves enormously addictive and exciting. Gradius Origins is a great way to discover how the '80s and '90s shmup trailblazer helped to define a genre, with seven games that still hold up today.

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.

A tasty dish, Overcooked 2 adds extra spice to the first game's stupidly enjoyable co-op shenanigans, with online multiplayer finally in the mix and the ability to throw food around making for even more gastronomic madness.

Elden Ring Nightreign is yet another playful slice of experimentation, with breezy movement and rich multiplayer mechanics.

FIFA 22 offers a slower, more deliberate game of football on the pitch, and that's a good thing. But with minimal investment in new modes or updates to existing ones, this is a good upgrade, rather than an essential one.

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.

Another opportunity to eviscerate Nazis, Sniper Elite 5 is by no means perfect, but it is a wonderfully robust and consistently enjoyable sandbox shooter that's good, reliable fun. And, as if you need reminding, you can put a bullet through a Nazi's scrotum, which will never not be brilliant.

Relatively short but still incredibly sweet, Far Cry New Dawn is yet another fine instalment in the series, and a genuinely excellent Far Cry 5 follow-up that works equally well as a standalone experience.

A Plague Tale: Requiem is a mighty fine follow up to Innocence, and will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Sure, there’s the odd interesting design choice littered throughout and the game has the odd technical issue, but other than that, Requiem is a great way to spend a weekend.

Another year, another Call of Duty, Black Ops 3 is nonetheless a generous package that hits all of the right marks. Campaign is decent enough and Zombies is good fun, but it's the multiplayer that will keep you hooked.

Stunning to behold and hugely enjoyable to play, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 can sometimes prove frustrating, but once you get to grips with it and master its combat, enjoying the blistering battles that ensue is a joy.

Going all-in on realism, with the high level of difficulty that entails, Codemasters has outdone itself with EA Sports WRC, delivering a stern rally racing challenge that pulls absolutely no punches. If you've got the minerals, then this is the rally game for you.

This is a handsome remaster that will hopefully win over new players, but for those already in love with Broken Sword, something is missing.

Dead Rising 4 is undoubtedly a great zombie game, with Capcom Vancouver nailing the open-world and tone once more, but the lack of true psychos in the world does detract from the overall experience. It’s no Dead Rising 3, but it’s still a bloody good game.

It’s good to see you again, Mr. Bond. After more than 25 years, GoldenEye 007 has still got the same magic that made it such a seismic event upon its release in 1997. This Xbox version might be missing online multiplayer and cheat codes, but don’t let that put you off. It’s still utterly wonderful.

Telltale and Batman fans are well catered for in Batman: A Telltale Series' first episode, with a hefty dose of action and intrigue to set things up for the rest of the ensuing saga. We can't wait for more.

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.

If you're hankering for more Borderlands, then The Pre-Sequel will most definitely scratch that itch. It doesn't really offer anything wildly new or innovative, and plays things safe for the most part, but there's no mistaking the sheer volume of fun on offer.

An adventure game with warmth, humour and heart, Broken Age is a joy from beginning to (almost) end. Easily among Double Fine's best.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is the Gears of War that fans didn’t ask for, but it’s the one they got, and it’s actually pretty great, as it happens. The campaign seems to have taken a backseat to the multiplayer in terms of improvements, but it’s worth buying for the multiplayer alone, so there’s that. It’ll tide you over till Gears of War 4 at least, but that’s about it.

Every bit the tactile, heart-rending experience that the first game was, but with added layers of complexity thanks to co-op - as well as enhanced replay value - Unravel Two is a fuzzy, warm hug of a sequel that'll make you smile.

An enormously enjoyable and rewarding dose of reverse bullet hell, Soulstone Survivors tips its hat to Vampire Survivors with chaotic roguelite action, a gratifying sense of progression, and masses of variety.

Completing an HD overhaul for the entirety of the Devil May Cry series, Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition is a definitive package that represents decent value for money for returning players, and is pretty much essential for anyone yet to play it.

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

Capcom has expertly breathed new life into a fantastic game, sanding down some of the rough edges, without compromising the spirit of the original. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is the perfect excuse to revisit Willamette Parkview Mall for some retail therapy. And indulge in some excessive zombie slaughter while you’re there.

Blazing Chrome is a fantastic slice of retro run 'n' gun that deftly pays homage to a golden era of side-scrolling shooters. Badass.

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.

As relentlessly bastard-hard as ever, Trials Fusion coaxes you in with its easy and medium events, before kicking you square in the balls with its later hard and extreme tracks. It's still utterly brilliant, but takes no prisoners. In conclusion: Trials Fusion – good but hard. Just like the other games. Buy it.

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.

While Sonic Generations is far and away the best Sonic game in a long time, there are still enough niggles to put off new players who will not have the same love for the hedgehog and his blend of twitch reflexes and level memorisation. As a standalone title Sonic Generations is a fun, if short-lived, platformer that is great while it lasts, but will probably not captivate you in the same way its forebears did.

A fine game of ice hockey, NHL 24 improves upon last year's instalment, offering some slick new features, and all of the usual modes and other accoutrements you'd expect, all nicely presented.

As Street Fighter approaches its 36th year, Capcom proves that it still has what it takes to make a cracking fighting game. Street Fighter 6 not only feels fresh and vital thanks to its excellent World Tour mode and online Battle Hub, but it cements the series' credentials as one of the best around.

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.

With its engaging story, its excellent voice-acting and enthralling dialogue, Oxenfree is a game to remember, marred only by its constant crashes, which is less than ideal.

Kinectimals is a great start for Microsoft's more family friendly orientated Kinect catalogue and if this can't entice parents to part with their cash, then nothing will. It's adorable, engaging, fun, and really utilises the full potential of the device.

Three-and-a-bit years on, The Outer Worlds still holds up as a fine example of RPG excellence, with choices that actually carry proper weight. On Xbox Series X|S, the Spacer’s Choice Edition looks great, although you can’t help but be left with a nagging feeling that it could be slightly more polished.

South Park: The Fractured But Whole is a case of one step forward, two steps back. From a gameplay perspective, it’s infinitely better than it was in the previous outing, but as a piece of entertainment, The Fractured But Whole simply doesn't measure up to The Stick of Truth. There's no censorship this time, which is good, but it almost feels like the whole thing got self-censored somewhere along the way.

Imbued with a similarly offbeat humour as Starship Troopers and just as gleefully silly and violent, Helldivers 2 also happens to be a fantastic bug blasting co-op shooter, whether played with friends or strangers. It's a thing of beauty.

Despite competition from PGA Tour 2K23, EA Sports PGA Tour manages to set itself apart with polished presentation, tight mechanics, and impressive visuals. While a shortage of customisation options is disappointing, there's no arguing with the overall quality that EA's return to video game golf has to offer.

Its camera might remain somewhat skittish and the upgrades here aren't exactly seismic, but Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, rebuilt using Unreal Engine 5, certainly looks the part and delivers immediate, lightning-fast ninja action, replete with buckets of blood and viscera. It was, and still is, excellent.

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

Peggle 2 is a gloriously addictive sequel that'll slap a great big smile on your face and keep it there.

There's not exactly a slew of karting games on consoles these days, so F1 Race Stars is a welcome addition to the genre and a wonderfully crafted little racing game in its own right. As a 4-player party game, F1 Race Stars is pretty much indispensable. And it's the perfect Holiday gift for little Billy too.

Just Cause 2 isn’t going to win any prizes for its trite story and constricting mission structure, but it’s a game that provide moments that no other game can create. The grappling hook revamp has created a gadget that is nothing short of stunning, but the game’s many annoyances hold it back from dominating the sandbox/open-world genre.

Life is Strange Episode 1: Chrysalis is an engaging and enjoyable first instalment in what promises to be a compelling adventure series. If subsequent episodes can live up to what Dontnod has started, we're in for a treat.

Another superlative iteration of video game basketball with very few flaws, NBA 2K19's biggest problem remains in its implementation of those pesky microtransactions that threaten to eclipse everything the game does right. Look past that, and NBA 2K19 is still unsurpassed.

A spicy blend of story and delicious South Indian cooking, Venba is a unique indie tale that deserves to be savoured. As developer Visai's debut game, this is stellar stuff.

Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series is a great collection for fans of 2D platformers, whether you’ve played these games before or not. Klonoa 2 is the standout title here, but both games are well worth playing, and should hopefully create a new generation of Klonoa fans. They certainly did with me, anyway - where’s Klonoa 3, Bandai Namco?

Wearing its VHS horror influences on its sleeve, The Quarry is an engaging and immensely entertaining choice-driven adventure with a killer cast and a fun, knowingly silly storyline.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage marks developer Don't Nod returning to its Life is Strange pinnacle, delivering a coherent and compelling yarn that expertly flits between an evocative 1995 and a friend's reunion in 2022. Bring on the sequel.

Last year, we said that PES 2019 needs to go big or go home. And while Konami has indeed gone big on refinements and minor changes, the same modes, presentation and lack of licenses holds this year's game back again somewhat. Which is why it's fortunate that PES 2019 still plays a mean game of football. Your move, FIFA.

It's not perfect, but it wears its heart on its sleeve and delivers a game that is plain, good old fashioned fun.

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.

As far as Rock Band games go, Green Day doesn't have the creativity of The Beatles and it isn't doesn't have the same breadth as Rock Band 2. Aspects of its sloppy presentation are a big disappointment, but when the game gets it right (and it often does) it's as good as Rock Band has ever been.

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.

One of the year's most enjoyable indie titles, Night in the Woods is what Kickstarter was made for. Affecting, warm and genuine, it's impossible not to fall in love with Night in the Woods.

Stupidly enjoyable and endlessly charming, LEGO Worlds is the gift that keeps on giving with different biomes – jungles, spooky forests, deserts, swamps, candy lands with gingerbread men and more - an adventure filled with quests and infinite scope to make whatever you want. LEGO Worlds is fantastic.

Expertly revamped and updated for the modern RPG fan, Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake is a great way to discover one of the most beloved entries in the series, with gorgeous sprites, lush environments, and all of the features you'd expect from a game released in 2024.

Skylanders Swap Force is at its core a fun filled kids game with a penchant for clever in-game marketing. It would be nice to be able to experience 100% of the game right out of the box, but where is the money in that? Instead you will probably get a thoroughly enjoyable 60-70% of the game and if you decide to call it a day at that point you will have still had plenty of fun.

Keeping the core fundamentals intact, Trials Rising is every bit as enjoyable and challenging as its predecessors, but is marred slightly by the introduction of a pointless levelling system that only serves to lock off tracks and force you to needlessly grind. That core Trials gameplay is still sensational, though.

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.

A beautifully crafted love letter to Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Mania is everything a Sonic game should be and more. I'd be deliriously happy if SEGA carried on making them like they used to; if it carried on making more games like Sonic Mania.

Codemasters has gone the extra mile for F1 2016, addressing almost every last one of F1 2015's shortcomings, while delivering an in-depth and enjoyable Career Mode at its core. Factor in all of the other modes and touches, and F1 2016 is not only the most authentic Formula One game to date, it's also one of the best in some time.

Few games manage to pipe so many jaw-dropping sights into your eyeballs and even fewer deliver such complex, enjoyable puzzles and traversal challenges. Shadow of the Tomb Raider does all of this and more, its exhilarating predatory combat the icing on the cake.

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.

Original Life is Strange protagonist Max Caulfield makes a welcome return in what is an immensely compelling and enjoyable sequel to her 2015 introduction. Unravelling Life is Strange: Double Exposure's murder mystery, using its timeline-hopping mechanic, is remarkably good fun.

Despite sometimes descending into colourful, eye-hurting confusion at times, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 is a relentlessly entertaining and stupidly fun game that you can't help but play with a big, dumb grin on your face. Great fun alone, online with strangers or in co-op with friends, Garden Warfare 2 is never anything less than a joy.

With the console version of The Sims 3, EA have successfully recreated the addictive popular life-sim that's undoubtedly had a popular life on PC, and they've done it with relative ease. Sure it may not be as detailed and have the same community-creative outlets that the PC version does, but it's clear that the console version is for those that don't have an affinity towards PC gaming and haven't otherwise experienced it... Like myself.

A stupidly fun arcade racer that confounded our expectations, Onrush is the perfect game for those seeking something immediate, accessible and effortlessly entertaining.

An unflinchingly violent and gruesome survival horror that ratchets up the tension from the get-go and doesn't let up, The Callisto Protocol is superlative stuff, and a must for anyone with even a passing fancy for Dead Space and its ilk.

A wonderfully realised fantasy world that is equal parts entrancing and disturbing. The story is well realised and will keep you enamoured until the credits roll. There are a few niggles here but nothing to stop Alice: Madness Returns from being a wonderfully different slice of entertainment. Now who's for tea?

Drivatar is a brilliant innovation, but where's the weather, night racing and improved damage model? Turn 10 has a lot of room to improve with the next Forza Motorsport game. For now, Forza Motorsport 5 will do.

With satisfying combat, breathtaking visuals, a decent campaign and a surprisingly entertaining multiplayer mode, it may not break new ground in terms of gameplay, and it offers little in the way of variety, but what it does, it does well.

Giving a whole new audience the chance to discover the exploits of fledgling defence lawyer Phoenix Wright and his bizarre world, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy is fantastic. There's no reason to object to this, Your Honour. I rest my case.

A marked improvement over last year, but the absence of pace is sorely missed. FIFA 16 is not as good on the pitch as PES this year – again – but it’s a great football game regardless, with unrivalled off the pitch options.

There’s no doubting that FIFA 14 is an improvement over last year’s version, but that improvement is very slight and those who aren’t ardent FIFA fans would probably never notice the differences. Having already played the next-gen version – with the new Ignite engine – I’d have to say you’re probably best off waiting. That one at least feels and looks like a different game, this one does not. Still, FIFA 14 is as great as ever.

Ubisoft Montreal has conjured a fairy tale world that you'll enjoy spending time in, a text-based RPG adventure with its own line in rhyming. Child of Light is a glorious game, short and yet sweet, memorable, gorgeous; an incredible feat. And for the small price you'll be paying, Child of Light is definitely more than worth playing.

Another dose of rallying heaven and hell, DiRT Rally 2.0 is hard-as-nails, uncompromising and bloody brilliant.

Milestone settles into a cosy groove with MotoGP 24, building upon the work it's accomplished on the series in recent years, delivering another dose of realistic sim racing. Not short on depth and detail, MotoGP 24 is also a welcoming racing game that caters to players of all skill levels. Lovely stuff.

Tough to get into at first, MotoGP 22 soon starts to pay dividends once you get the hang of its tricky handling and various nuances. The superb 'NINE Season 2009' mode, meanwhile, is worth the price of admission alone.

It may not be nearly as culturally seismic as Final Fantasy, but Fantasian Neo Dimension is proof positive that Hironobu Sakaguchi is an RPG maestro – it's another memorable tale that deals with big themes and neat systems, and its arrival on consoles is more than welcome.

A slender and streamlined FPS made by just one person, Bright Memory: Infinite is quite the feat – an action game that flies by at a lick, bombarding you with slick set-pieces and cracking gunplay. This is a first-person shooter distilled to its raw elemental components, and it's marvellous.

If you’re looking for a third person shooter with intense, heart-pounding gameplay, The Club is the perfect game for you. On the other hand, if you like to stroll around, taking in environments and having a relaxing time, avoid The Club at all costs.

Taking inspiration from Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Lies of P leads the pack of FromSoftware imitators. It has an intriguing and arresting world and some brutal, assured combat. With a hollow hero in the middle.

A sequel that eclipses its forebear in just about every department, Revenge of the Savage Planet is an immensely enjoyable platforming adventure with a lovely vein of slapstick comedy and daft satire lampooning unchecked corporate avarice.

Every bit as infuriating, enjoyable and insanely gratifying as an action RPG of this type should be, The Surge is great fun, thanks in no small part to its unique limb-cutting loot system and some tight combat mechanics.

Billed as a game that will blur the line between single-player, co-op and multiplayer, Brink actually does the opposite and reaffirms the general consensus on Xbox Live that multiplayer is king. Frankly put, unless you're playing Brink with and against human players, the game is mediocre at best. Get into a game with players that want to co-ordinate as a team against a group of like-minded foes, and Brink will almost certainly satisfy on every level.

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.

Saints Row IV: Re-elected may score low in terms of its visual overhaul, but the game’s ability to amuse and thrill is undiminished.

Sorry We're Closed is a cool game and a bit of a one-off. Ostensibly, it's a survival horror experience inspired by PS1-era examples, but there's more to it than that. It's also about relationships and love, in all their various forms. It's wonderfully weird, and we're here for it.

Operation Guns is superb.

A definite improvement over Steep, thanks to the Mass Races and the new bike discipline, but Ubisoft Annecy has still got a lot of work to do if it wants to break into upper echelons of gaming. It should look to Playground Games and how they craft an elite open-world sports game if they want to reach that next-level, then maybe they too could be mentioned in the same breath as SSX Tricky. Fingers crossed, the potential is definitely there!