The perfect blend of narrative and gameplay, coherency and strangeness, Control is a game we'll be talking about for generations.
Super Mario Maker 2 is an almost perfect package, putting equal emphasis on discovery, creation, story mode, and outright brilliant gameplay.
The Division 2 is a seriously accomplished looter shooter, with a gameplay loop that keeps on giving, and an endgame that will keep you playing for months (or years) to come.
Anthem is ultimately severely flawed, and very unfinished. There's half a good game in there, but it doesn't do enough to diminish the overall feeling of emptiness and repetition.
One of the best Wii U games gets a wonderful Switch remaster that brings to life its multiplayer mayhem better than ever before.
Pokemon Let's Go is a superb surprise, a fully-fledged Pokemon RPG with interactivity that brings the series to life in a way that's never been done before.
The quirks of what seem to be a last-minute rush out the door development strategy don't detract from the fact that each Hitman 2 level is wonderfully crafted and full of potential for inventiveness… and silliness.
At its core, Starlink: Battle for Atlas is a fantastic space exploration game, with solid flights, fights and enemies, but can be a complicated toys-to-life proposition to recommend, and understand.
Perfects everything Origins did and enhances them in ways you never thought an Assassin's Creed game could. Odyssey has it all.
Overcooked 2 is everything you loved from the original but with the heat turned up a centigrade or 100. Mad, manic and utterly hilarious, this is one co-op game to beat.
A bizarre coming together of Smash Bros. and Mario Tennis that strangely works, even if the Adventure mode occasionally frustrates.
Despite some opaque game mechanics and missing tutorials, turns out running a dinosaur park is brilliant fun and the best time sink you can play.
Moonlighter manages to perfectly balance the best bits of Stardew Valley, Dark Souls and Binding of Isaac for a game that just keeps you coming back for more.
Sea of Thieves is bursting with potential for storytelling in a watery paradise, but doesn't have enough to keep players coming back.
A Way Out elevates co-op gaming in a way nothing has before, bringing players together to create one beautifully told story that everyone needs to experience.
All Fe's colour, charm and cute make it utterly recommendable despite its flaws.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a brilliantly crafted prequel series that does well to highlight just how integral Rachel Amber is to the whole series' overarching story.
If you skipped Sun and Moon last year, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are must-buys. Sci-fi storytelling, plenty of new content and adorable critters all included, but feels too soon a release to make the most of the innovation.
Need for Speed Payback successfully returns to its Fast and Furious roots with aplomb, but a focus on the grind and a beautiful but empty world means it ultimately falls short of greatness.
Super Mario Odyssey successfully brings the series up to date and opens it up to a new audience, while still retaining every ounce of its nostalgia and retro charm.