Sam Loveridge
The realism has really been ramped up this year, making every pass, tackle and goal attempt feel accurate and worthwhile. The goalkeepers and graphics have vastly improved too, even if the more realistic referees might frustrate you at first – just as they do in the real game.
The best thing you'll play on PS VR at launch
Asking whether someone should buy Bloodborne or not should be countered with "do you think you can hack it?" Contrary to what some insufferable self-identifying 'hardcore' gamers may think, it doesn't require masses of experience and being willing to sit down for six-hour sessions.
If you enjoyed the original OlliOlli, then this sequel is an absolute must-have. For those who didn't play the original, OlliOlli 2: Welcome to Olliwood is the better of the two beasts and will have you kickflipping and grinding all day long. Multiple modes, lots of replayability and a wicked soundtrack create a perfectly addictive little combo.
We didn't think it was possible, but Tearaway Unfolded has surpassed the original PS Vita version. It's story is longer, more expansive and the papercraft even more impressive. It manages to celebrate the PS4 and the DualShock 4 in its gameplay too, making the overall game package completely appealing and utterly adorable.
While the action sequences might feel like old hat, there's no denying that Chloe and Nadine's very personal adventure will go down as one of Uncharted's best.
The first Mike Bithell short feels like a pleasant stretch of the grey matter, offering players a story that keeps the intrigue throughout.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Nintendo has made fitness fun again with Ring Fit Adventure, with a package that's as easy to use as it is a great workout.
Planet Zoo is a complex, deep simulation game with too much to give, if you can get past the minimalist tutorials.
Super Mario 3D All Stars' package of three of the best 3D Mario games are just enhanced and tweaked enough to be an enjoyable revisiting, but without removing the classic charm.
Bugsnax will be remembered for its brilliant crafted world, characters and titular Bugsnax for many years to come, despite some repetition and frustrating load times.
Eastward might fumble the ending, but that doesn't stop it from delivering a fantastic journey.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy tells an utterly memorable story, with brilliant takes on the Guardians themselves, even if the gameplay could be more adventurous at times.
A well-thought-out online mode lifts Nintendo Switch Sports from being a sheer nostalgia trip, to an experience well worth the investment.
Once you get a handle on the unique rhythms of this university simulator, Two Point Campus can be incredibly rewarding, particularly when it gives you the space to appreciate just how fine-tuned the needs of each of your campuses really can be.