There's a twofold joy to Outer Wilds - the thrill of discovery itself, as you slowly decipher the variables that swirl around each not-so-distant world, and of seeing that thrill reflected in a phrase scribbled centuries ago by some castaway alien boffin.
The battles are as gripping as ever but it's the character-driven melodrama that truly enlivens this first-rate strategy game
Children band together against the darkness of a collapsing France in this bleak and beautiful if somewhat rickety medieval fantasy.
Heart-stopping swordfights and deft, panoramic stealth waged across another vast, gorgeously rancid From Software landscape.
Post-apocalyptic Washington DC is splendidly imagined but the insipid techno-thriller plot ensures the struggle to save civilisation can't be won
An insidious, combat-free horror escapade that works marvels in a tiny space - and an intricate portrait of family and superstition
Far from just another map-clearing game, Metro's first above-ground outing is an atmospheric, characterful voyage across a ruined Russia.
All the verbal artistry of Sunless Sea scattered across a gorgeous steampunk cosmos that's a little easier to navigate and thrive in.
An ungainly but hypnotic exploration of worlds in the making and unmaking, and a fresh spin on the ethos of Team Ico's games and Journey.
A moody, well-wrought action role-player with striking, desolate landscapes and a couple of great dungeons.
A blatantly unfinished and uninspired nostalgia project that sheds a certain, peculiar light on the immersive sim at large.
More Hitman: Season 2 than an experience in its own right, but a couple of great maps plus a fun competitive mode make for a solid fan pick.
A childhood bond reimagined as a series of elegant, time-based diorama puzzles, The Gardens Between is short but very sweet.
An ambitious, stylish and savage takedown of British hubris, but clunky crafting, collecting and combat make for a somewhat dull game.
The Metroidvania at its best: a swaggering role-playing beat-'em-up that's very easy on the eyes and dense with secrets.
A beautiful if brief puzzle platformer that invokes the spirit of Flash gaming.
Another fine turn-based battle system and some charming dialogue and visuals make up for an occasionally dry ensemble campaign.
A magnificent nightmare, for those with the stamina to master the gruelling card game that houses it.
A mournful yet bright and enormously warm-hearted adventure with a novel landship mechanic, sublime backdrops and a brilliant score.
Technically shambolic, obsessed with hoarding, and a waste of a once-promising society simulation.