All in all, Battlefield 6 feels very much like a game of two parts; the campaign is an exhilarating spectacle that lacks any narrative interest whatsoever, while the multiplayer is just all out chaos is the best way. It will have its learning curve for new players, but DICE certainly has a very good online shooter contender this time around, and it’s something that will keep drawing me back for some time as I attempt to get even remotely passable at it. Hopefully before the next game…

Overall, if you enjoyed previous Forza Motorsport titles then you’re again going to enjoy this one too. It has plenty of racing, lots of tracks, and even more cars to be getting involved in. Forza Motorsport is slowly pushing more and more towards that sim racer but there is still plenty of the arcade feel to keep things accessible to newcomers and being an Xbox Studios title you can guarantee long after you’ve finished up the single-player content, there will be countless weekly additions of multiplayer events to keep you coming back for more should you wish to make this your number one go to racer. For me though, it’s simply just more Forza.

Mortal Kombat 1 meets its lofty expectations and continues to set the standard for fighting games. The invasion mode didn’t blow me away, but with seasonal updates it has the potential to become great.

For the King is undoubtedly one of the most distinct, intriguing, and fun RPG roguelikes in recent memory, and what’s more, the content value is through the roof. Despite the odd technical hiccup, the game succeeds in blending so many mechanics together without making a mess, and yet respectably manages to remain accessible and exciting throughout. If you’ve even a smidgen of interest in this game, you owe it to yourself to pick this up.

There’s hours upon hours of entertainment here bolstered by satisfying combat and a story that will engage throughout, although the addictive nature of playing Valhalla often overwhelms the enjoyability – there are so many distractions and enhancements that make it a fully bolstered adventure that you’ll find yourself lost and entrenched in time and again. Valhalla swings for the fences and lands a satisfying and devastating blow that will certainly be felt by most players who experience it, just don’t go looking for a game-changer.

Despite some very minor issues, F1 2018 is the best of its kind, and certainly the best in the series so far. The high level of visual and audio detail, grouped with the care and attention to authenticity, collectively makes for an experience that’s robust, faithful and deep. Codemasters’ subtle yet noticeable changes over F1 2017 takes an already distinguished racer and makes it bigger and better than ever.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is very enjoyable and should appeal to many with its distinctly memorable characters and almost limitless customisation opportunities. It certainly has a high entertainment value bringing a more up to date and fresh approach to a genre that other developers have tried to revive with somewhat less success. The music is exciting flowing seamlessly through different areas and never becomes irritating. No part of play gets frustrating because of the ability to skip or customise levels and the depth of design in every character and their dialogue brings it all together so seemingly effortlessly. A confident thumbs up.

Soulcalibur VI offers a surprisingly deep game with some robust systems laying on its impressive foundation. Here, strategy and timing is equal to brute force, making for a fighter that’s tactical, fluid, and engrossing. The game’s two lore-heavy story modes, although convoluted, serve up a great deal of content on top of the game’s PvP sections, with no shortage of additional extras to unlock elsewhere.

While I may not be fit to rule the new world, I sure had a depressingly great time with Frostpunk. The difficulty will no doubt put people off – especially those going in blind – but persevere and there’s a deep, rewarding strategy title here that will get it’s hooks in, and drag you down with it.

Kunitsu-Gami continues the trend of gameplay excellence that has blessed all of Capcom’s recent releases. There are just some parts outside that feel like they should be more streamlined.

Nidhogg 2 doesn’t stray too far from the concept of its predecessor. This, depending on what you want from a sequel, will be for the better or for the worse. Regardless, there’s no doubt that this game offers one of the best and most tense 1v1 experiences in recent memory. What I found most compelling is how in-depth and robust the game can be, whilst remaining totally accessible and fluid throughout.

Camera control aside, Tin Hearts has been an utter joy to play. It’s charming, clever, looks and sounds lovely, and has just the right puzzle difficulty to have us looking forward to coming back for an hour or so each night.

With the new handling model, Braking Point 2 and F1 World, F1 2023 has the fresh coat of paint the series has needed for some time. For the first time in a while, I can see myself dusting my wheel off and racing rather than settling for just commentating.

Without being so finicky though, RIDE 5 is a superb bike racer. It balances fantastic visuals and incredible bike detail with plenty of breakneck speeds and thrill-inducing racing moments and whilst it doesn’t change too much from the already successful formula that the series has become renowned for, this is certainly an enjoyable adventure for bike aficionados.

Two Point Hospital is a familiar yet refreshing take on the PC classic that will satisfy veterans and newcomers alike. With its Dad humour and simple but deep gameplay, the game will keep you trying to achieve those perfect star ratings for hours on end. If you’re missing the 90’s nostalgia of management sims such as Theme Hospital, Theme Park and Rollercoaster Tycoon this will certainly cure that longing for the glory days.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is one of the best metroidvania games of the gen, sitting in a league shared only by an elite few. Everything from its deep story and its diverse combat systems, right through to its remarkable gameplay variation and mechanical depth, is quite simply outstanding. Despite the occasional bug, this is as close to perfect as a game of this type can get, and one that’s certainly been worth the lengthy wait; this, is a must have.

Overall Tails of Iron is an enjoyable experience. Action-RPG fans will find a lot to like here. I know some people don’t like 2D games, but everything here works well, especially the beautiful art and the combat. Some of the side quests can feel like a drag, but the main questline will draw you in and keep you hooked.

Twelve-years is a very long time but Ghost Trick’s return to relevancy is a very welcome one indeed. The premise is as deliciously absurd as it is effective at drawing you into the game’s puzzle-heavy gameplay, the artstyle is immaculate and indubitably expressionistic, and although it’s rather short, it leaves a thunderous impact. Ghost Trick may no longer be ghosted by merely existing on a Nintendo handheld – now you can rejoice in playing it for yourselves and bask in the remastered experience of a well-loved and superbly-made classic.

Cat’s Quest III is a worthy sequel. Fans of the previous game will have a blast and enjoy being back in the world of cat-puns.

Moonlighter is easily one of the best action RPGs of the year so far. Its mashup of shop management and dungeon crawling results in an experience that has magnificent pacing, interesting mechanics and fluid gameplay. This may sound like a cliche, but Moonlighter is the definition of easy to pick up and hard to put down. It helps that it’s so accessible, making it suitable for both genre fans and newcomers alike.

Far: Lone Sails is a game that says a great deal without ever uttering a single word. Much like Dear Esther, it’s a journey that can be interpreted in many ways, and as such, your view of its gorgeously desperate world will constantly vary throughout. It’s a shame, however, that such a compelling canvas is slightly held back by its simplicity and its short length. Still, it’s a fascinating tale that deserves attention, just don’t expect too much from its gameplay.

Ravenswatch is a superb. Complex, innovative, and just downright satisfying to play.

AAC is a great game visually and playability wise, smooth and enjoyable but also filled with signs of frustration. If you’re a fan of these types of games you will have a ball, if you’re not then you may find a controller embedded in your T.V. set quicker than you think.

Hitman 2 is surgical – it’s a focused experience that knows what it wants to achieve and exactly how to do it, much like its protagonist. All six maps are wonderfully replayable, and in reshuffling older content, IO seems to be on the cusp of the “games as a service” wave in a way not attempted by other developers. More locations would have been welcome, and Hitman 2 feels like somewhat of a supplementary package to its episodic brother at times, but there is nothing else out there like it.

All in all, WWE 2K25 is pretty much all you’ll need for your pro wrestling fix in gaming. It has more modes and superstars than any one person can reasonably play with in a year, and while the Island is underwhelming, there is so much other good stuff it’s easy enough to overlook this. That it looks and plays better than ever in the ring is just icing on an already dense cake.

Jusant has utterly wowed me these past few evenings. The simple but effectively done climbing mechanic is supremely rewarding to use, giving us a great sense of accomplishment even though really it’s probably harder to fail than succeed. Combine this satisfying gameplay with a touching, well told tale and some stunning audio visual work, and you have a game that is all but essential playing in my eyes – Game Pass subscription or not.

Resident Evil 3 is another solid Capcom reinvention. There’s a wonderfully tense atmosphere punctuated with an action slant that means it’s never really as scary as it could be, but it still manages to get a good few moments in. Nemesis is initially terrifying, though his best moments come when it’s a one on one fight, the encounters in the world with him tend to be brief and easily overcome. Even at it’s worst though it’s still better than the majority of titles out so far this year and well worth a look.

Inertial Drift is a fun arcade racer that brings a unique mechanic to drifting that works very well. While the tracks can be a little hard to read at times, after a few plays this becomes much less of an issue. There are plenty of cars to unlock and try, twenty tracks to learn and a decent story mode to help with learning the intricacies of the controls and modes. There are better overall arcade racers out there, but Inertial Drift definitely deserves a look if you fancy something a little different.