Strange Brigade is a treat. One that’s jam-packed with action, charm and personality. Everything from the game’s multi-branching level design, to its impressive variety of enemies and weaponry, rarely fails to excite. The game’s mashup of heavy combat, puzzle solving and collectible-seeking, makes for a gorgeously detailed adventure that’s constantly fun and dynamic. This is among Rebellion’s finest work to date.

A Plague Tale: Innocence is grim, dark, and constantly provocative, and yet, it effortlessly manages to remain emotionally radiant throughout. This isn’t just another survival game, it’s a tale that consistently and articulately interlaces beauty with brutality to excellent effect. Whilst the gameplay could have benefited from a bit more depth, the overall journey is mechanically well balanced, and to its credit, unlike anything else. This, is a must have.

A Little to the Left has proven to be a great ‘night cap’ game for us these past few days, one to play for half hour before bed to unwind. It’s also been a nice palate cleanser in between other, more action heavy titles. It’s the kind of game that will suit almost anyone, offering up a fun, chill, satisfying experience.

Technical issues aside, we’ve had a great time playing The Alters. It poses tough choices and requirements to the player, and gives us a tight time limit and a thousand other things to keep track of, all while teasing us with new exposition or areas to explore that we’ll never get to in one sitting. It’s a tough game, but give it the time it deserves and you find yourself deeply invested in Jan(s) home.

Worms Armageddon Anniversary Edition was already packed with enough game to last forever, but the recent update adding even more wormage to the deal is too hard a deal to pass up. An excellent game packaged in a loving way by Digital Eclipse as only they can.

All in all, it’s fantastic to see Super Monkey Ball back after all these years. This Banana Mania collection brings the classic games back to the fore, with hundreds of stages to play, a dozen mini games, lots of cosmetics to unlock and more. The gameplay is as challenging – and fun – as ever, and will no doubt garner a new audience of fans that still have youth on their side.

It looks utterly gorgeous, has an oddly stirring soundtrack, and the core gameplay loop is simply fun to engage with. Traversing the digital landscapes as they fill in and focus in front of us is a treat, and even though they may look initially daunting in size, there’s a smart logic to how they unfold every time. Each new power up comes along at just the right time (well, mostly) and clocking in at around 8-10 hours it’s not an overly long title to get through. Plus, there’s a genuinely interesting story to weave together throughout, and as noted above it’s well worth going back and hunting any missed logs to get the ‘true’ ending. Some weak combat and fiddly UI are the only real blemishes on an other great title, and I can confidently recommend this as something to check out.

In VF5: R.E.V.O. the gameplay and content have never been better. This version feels like the complete package, even if visually it is starting to look long in the tooth.

Sequels often tread in muddy water, either playing it too safely and failing to innovate, or, stepping too far from the concept of their predecessors at the expense of their identities. Rarely do we see a sequel that truly builds upon what came before it, whilst staying faithful to its roots and its character. Guacamelee! 2 is of the latter, delivering an adventure that’s remarkably fluid, constantly enthralling, and thoroughly entertaining.

All in all, chances are if you enjoyed the cozy puzzling of A Little to the Left, you’re absolutely going to enjoy Seeing Stars. The new levels are all brilliantly designed, offer multiple tough solutions, aided by a generous and fairly implemented hint system.

WWE 2K23 is worth the pickup for any hardcore or casual fan of the wrestling franchise. Is it something that you’ll play for weeks on end? Maybe for about a month or two sure. Burnout is definitely there if you don’t let your imagination flow. WWE 2K23 is one giant wrestling sandbox waiting for you to jump in. You won’t be disappointed in what you get yourself into.

All in all, it’s great to have The Dark Pictures back with us after an extended break. The Turning Point feature is fantastic (we’d like to see the older games retrofitted with it), the story is full of interesting twists and turns, and the extensions of more traditional gameplay are welcome. Some choices still leave us screaming at the screen to meet in the middle, but on the whole Directive 8020 maintains the series high bar.

Valfaris: Mecha Therion is a shining example of the scrolling shooter genre, with explosive action, over the top bosses, and one of the most exhilarating soundtracks in a game I’ve ever played. Crank up the volume, grab a beer, and this is an evening of gaming well spent indeed.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a game that you expect quality, and it delivers. When you aren’t crafting and battling with your deck of hero cards there is a deep story to progress and a world to explore. Not only does the exploration feel rewarding but so does the relationships you will be building with your fellow heroes. The best part is these relationships are optional if you are in it just for the card-based battling system, however I implore everyone to give that half of the game a shot. The missions you will be going on are where the game shines the most though. Gathering your favorite heroes and building their decks to work off of each other to pull awesome combos and KO as many enemies in one turn as you can is just so much fun. Very rewarding feeling when you win. Very little in terms of negatives and Marvel’s Midnight Suns is definitely in my game of the year conversations!

I’ve used the term fun a lot in this review, simply because that is the most accurate work for Hotshot Racing. I had an absolute blast playing it, and appreciated its retro arcade feel and looks. Those looking for more in depth racing might come away wanting, but then that is pretty much the opposite of what Hotshot Racing sets out to do – this is pure, simple, captivating gameplay, and a title you can’t miss out on, especially as it’s in GamePass!

After being drawn in by some eye-catching artwork, Leila backed it up with an engaging story and fun puzzles, albeit hampered by controller inputs rather than a mouse. This niggle aside, Leila is an easy recommend for those looking for an evening of puzzles alongside some heartfelt, thought-provoking storytelling.

WWE 2K19 is a wrestling fan’s dream. It’s a treasure trove of modes, wrestlers and customization options, and each is equally worth your time. The return of Showcase mode is welcome, while MyCareer is a huge step up for the franchise and brings it closer to 2K’s NBA efforts. Quite simply, this is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there will be – until next year, at least.

The We Were Here series is in a class of its own, and Forever is the best entry yet. Grab a buddy and get ready to test both your brains over about 15 hours of gameplay that constantly impresses and brings new things to the table.

The Division 2 feels like a watershed moment for the loot-shooter sub-genre. Its mechanics are solid, its performance is great (aside from some minor glitches and bugs), and its content is bountiful. These things make it a rarity in the genre, an outlier from games that launch half-finished and limping from patch to patch and DLC to DLC. The Division 2 is the new gold standard for games-as-a-service – D.C. really is lovely this time of year.

No More Heroes 3 is a solid return of the cult classic series, and one that fans will not want to miss out on. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but give this geeky assassin a chance and you might just be won over.

We Were Here Forever has taken everything about the series we’ve loved so far, and has upped the ante at every turn. Bigger, more intricate puzzles that are incredibly satisfying to solve, and now with cross platform play, there’s even more chance to find a buddy to play with.

Taken as a finished product, Apex Legends feels like the Battle Royale craze growing up. The possibility of new modes and options to be added is an enticing prospect, but what is here is well worth the asking price. That asking price, of course, is free – and Respawn should be commended for its risky approach to a rapidly oversaturated market. Apex Legends is an excellent shooter, and an excellent Battle Royale title.

We Were Here Expeditions: The FriendShip is an excellent entry point into the We Were Here series, offering up something a little different for returning players and a great taste for those looking to try it out for the first time. The puzzles are – as ever – brilliantly crafted, and require good team work to get the best results, but it’s also just as funny when things go wrong too.

I was pleasantly surprised by many aspects of Pragmata. First, the constantly evolving and engaging hacking mechanic, then, the creative level design and puzzles, and finally the emotional bond forming between Hugh and Diana. Hopefully we’ll see more from this new, innovative IP in years to come (hopefully with a much-improved map).

Overlooking the occasional technical fault, Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is well worth your time and attention, especially if you’re a fan of the series. The game bundles together the core experience and all its pre-existing DLC, complete with additional extras and wonderfully remastered visuals. Comparing it to its original version is truly night and day, and it remains every bit as deep, as action-packed, and as brutally delicious as it ever was.

If you loved the original Destiny, you need to play Forsaken. If you loved Destiny 2 at launch but fell off (as I did) because of the disappointing endgame and dumbing down of the core mechanics, then you need to play Forsaken. The only thing more surprising than the turnaround Bungie have achieved is that they have done it twice now – lets hope they don’t need to do it a third time.

The devil you know is back, and it’s more diverse, more energetic, and more stylish than ever before. Devil May Cry 5 is quite simply enthralling across all aspects of its fast-paced and varied gameplay, and comes with a story that’s not only interesting, but well written and superbly voiced. Despite some minor issues with delayed rendering, the Sons of Sparda saga couldn’t have concluded in a better way.

However, slight technical issues aside I feel confident in saying that Martha is Dead is one of the best titles I’ve played this year. Its gameplay mechanics are simple but put to use effectively, but it’s the narrative, themes, and the way this is all tied together that really stand out. It’s gruesome, grim, and will be hard to stomach for some people, but if you’re up for a truly gripping and thrilling tale, then Martha is Dead is a must play.