The Castlevania series is back. There are lots of things to love about Evil Empire's Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, from its rewarding, interconnected world to its brilliant soundtrack, but issues with the game's balance might bring the experience down for some.
It has some issues than can annoy, such as difficulty spikes and a couple of troublesome forced stealth sections, but these don't stop Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival from being a thrilling rollercoaster of a survival horror experience. Sexy, gory and grotesque are perhaps the best words to sum it up.
Silver Pines is a stunning debut for Wych Elm, being a game that combines the survival horror and Metroidvania genres to great effect. This is a game dripping with atmosphere that will quickly get its hooks in you and not let go. Only its clunky combat brings it down a little, but not enough to stop you from having a blast with it.
One of the best arcade racing games in years, Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a stunning debut for Fuse Games. With its thrilling racing action that feels like a cross between WipEout and Burnout and its engaging runs-based campaign mode, this is a triumph. The only let-down is that it doesn't have a more standard Arcade mode to let you set up your own events.
Ghost of Yotei Complete Edition is the definitive way to play one of the best games available on PS5, with Echoes of Sekigahara offering a new glimpse into the life of Atsu, and Most Wanted mode offering a new way to enjoy its thrilling combat. If you already own the base game, consider the Complete Edition upgrade a must-have.
Dynasty Warriors 3: Complete Edition Remastered achieves its goal of breathing new life into a classic Dynasty Warriors experience, but with no changes to the gameplay, it soon begins to feel too basic and repetitive.
Like last year's Absolum, Mexican Ninja combines the roguelike and side-scrolling beat 'em up genres, resulting in a fun gameplay experience with added longevity and depth. There are some issues, though, with performance being iffy on PS5 at times, and the action occasionally being too hectic for its own good.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is yet another brilliant entry in the Ace Combat series, with a lengthy campaign and fun multiplayer. There are some minor annoyances, but once you're in the air dogfighting, they're easy to overlook.
Silent Hill: Townfall is yet another unique and brilliant entry in the Silent Hill series, placing more emphasis on stealth and puzzle solving. It's the story at the heart of the game that's its biggest asset, though, keeping you wondering what exactly happened in the picturesque town of St. Amelia.
Control Resonant might frustrate you at times, especially in its early hours, but the more you dig into it the more enjoyable and rewarding it becomes. Weird in the most wonderful of ways, its creativity makes it one of the highlights of the year.
Sniper Dan is the hidden object game for those who typically don't like hidden object games, with you having to shoot at objects rather than simply find them. Throw in lashings of humour and multiple ways to play, and you have a game that's fun and accessible for all.
After perfecting Spider-Man, Insomniac Games turns its hand to Wolverine and achieves similar success. Marvel's Wolverine is a cinematic action game with frenzied, brutal combat that really captures the essence of the character, and its globe-trotting story will keep you hooked from beginning to end.
Like It Takes Two and Split Fiction, Switch 2 exclusive Orbitals is a co-op only experience that demands players work as a team. And while it's not quite as finely-tuned or inventive as Hazelight's titles, it's still a great deal of fun to play.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword perhaps doesn't make the best first impression and takes a little time to warm to, but once all of its system are in play, it becomes pretty enthralling. Ultimately, it's a game worth picking up – even if only for its spectacular, and challenging, boss fights.
Putting you in control of a popular character from A Plague Tale: Requiem and letting you experience an important chapter of their life, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy exchanges rats and stealth for combat and puzzles, and is captivating from beginning to end. As long as you don't mind puzzles that involve reflecting light, anyhow.
From its engaging puzzles to its thrilling combat, with The Sinking City 2, Ukrainian developer Frogwares has demonstrated that it is perfectly capable of creating a captivating survival horror adventure.
Its combat is simply okay, and you'll likely enounter the odd annoyance here and there, but Duskfade is an enjoyable 3D platformer that's clearly had some love poured into it by its developers.
Accessible to players of all skill levels but offering a high ceiling for pros, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is one of the best fighting games currently available. From its great selection of modes to its stunning presentation, this is a must-have for Marvel fans and fighting game enthusiasts alike.
It's let down by numerous issues such as dull map design and combat that feels scrappy when you're up against multiple enemies, but those with patience will find an enjoyable experience at the core of Beast of Reincarnation. Its highlight, though, is of course Koo, the adorable dog which accompanies you on your adventure.
DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations offers a meaty new campaign for you to rip and tear your way through, complete with a new tool – the Chain Spear – which grants you greater mobility than ever before. Ultimately, it's DOOM at its best, making it a must-have.