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 the new additions to High on Life 2 make for a more enjoyable shooter experience than its predecessor, there’s a lack of technical finesse that holds it back. Overall, however, this is a leaner, meaner, and just all-round better game than the first one.

The mechanics of Reanimal are slightly plodding and airless, with not much by way of creativity or challenge, but the spectacles are often impressive.

New content there may be, but there's little in Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties that's genuinely fresh, and the combat mechanics are beginning to feel slightly old hat. But this is a Yakuza game, and is therefore inherently good fun, balancing substory silliness and levity with a gritty crime narrative. It's also a good, solid remake that's well worth playing.

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.

Code Vein 2 definitely feels like a sideways step in many respects. However, much like the original, it’s still a hell of a lot of fun.

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.

If stylish art can raise a game, as though it were a toast, then MIO is proof that no idea – no genre – is ever quite done with us, so long as we have good cause to look again. As we read, on finding the rusty shell of an old contraption: “It’s not dead yet, except if you decide it to be.

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.

A rarity, Thank Goodness You’re Here! lovingly mocks the North of England, and it has several good laughs, but it does underwhelm in its play.

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.

Another nice batch of games to revel in with family and friends, The Jackbox Party Pack 11 is an essential survival kit for awkward gatherings. Laughter and merriment shall inevitably ensue.

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.

A messy and rather poor campaign, Multiplayer and Zombies modes that fail to offer anything new, and a general dearth of innovation means this year's COD instalment is a bit of a damp squib. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 still has plenty to offer, but, quite honestly, we've seen it all countless times before.

Seventeen levels of cruel and unusual punishment, Biped 2 might look all cute and welcoming, but it's a deliberately nasty and unforgiving twin-stick platformer that, when played solo will drive you insane, but in co-op, will also make your friends hate you.

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.

An enjoyable and addictive survivors-like bullet-heaven auto-shooter, Let Them Come: Onslaught will eat up a good few hours, but with only two characters and four levels, you will be desperate for more.

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.

While the puzzles in Keeper never properly challenge, you’re won over by the easy pace and the sheer oddity of the visuals and story.

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.

If the first PowerWash Simulator casually sponged away hours of your time, then prepare to be inexorably immersed once more. PowerWash Simulator 2 takes everything that the original did so well, and offers meaningful improvements to the formula. It's time to clean up once more.

There is a tone of playful improvisation to Ball x Pit – of pros in an experimental groove.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 goes light on RPG mechanics and its action is somewhat lacking. And, yet, being at the heart of Seattle's political machinations, embodying a powerful vampire and engaging in brutal, bloody combat, is a lot more fun than the sum of its parts would suggest.

Retaining the look and feel of the original tower defence classic, Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted remains an unbridled joy sixteen years on – the colourful visuals are crisp and appealing, and the bonus content will keep you hooked for hours on end.

If you've yet to play a Katamari game, then Once Upon a Katamari is as good a place as any to start. Its time-hopping adventure offers a fresh spin on the series, with new mechanics and additions that only serve to enhance a winning formula.

The Outer Worlds 2 is a thoroughly enjoyable sequel, boasting an injection of adrenaline-fuelled gameplay compared to the original. We can't help but feel like it's lost a little bit of its soul when it comes to choice and consequence, but that doesn't take away from the overall experience. Just temper your expectations.