Adam Cook
Switchback VR surprises and delights with its jump scare rollercoaster ride through its greatest hits, offering a great reason to don a headset.
Bayonetta Origins is PlatinumGames bringing its A-game to the table, delivering a beautiful adventure with some wild ideas, unique combat, and a superb game from start to finish.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is a great excuse to revisit a classic Wii title, with just enough new additions to shake things up.
Horizon Call of the Mountain is a great launch title with impressive tech shown off at every corner, only let down by some of the climbing.
SpellForce: Conquest of Eo is a good reason to return to the universe, but it feels far less epic in scale when compared to the previous titles.
Fire Emblem Engage is a masterpiece of tactical gameplay design, with a gorgeous look, and depth most games can only dream of.
Yet again, Miles Morales on Steam Deck and PC is another PlayStation triumph, with the only real negative the fact that it has longer loading times than on PS5.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are great games mired by a host of technical issues.
Compelling from start to finish, Bayonetta 3 is an exceptional time and up there with the very best there is - and was worth the wait.
Nonsensory feels like the "newest" of the 5 games on The Jackbox Party Pack 9, in an otherwise middling collection by the masters of mirth.
Warner Bros. attempt at getting things going again with Gotham Knights feels largely flat thanks to unwieldy movement and a world that is more "checklist" than immersive, but in small doses it can be fun, and the heroes all feel unique and work well in co-op multiplayer.
Two top tier games come together in the same package as the PS5 got, only now there's Steam Deck support, and wider PC support: what's not to love about Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection on PC?
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a brilliant sequel full of fun moreish combat and deep customisation that's only let down by the speed of the battles and a heavy front-loading of ideas.
No Man's Sky sits comfortably next to the best ports on the platform. Of course it doesn't sing quite as beautifully as the most high-powered console versions, but really, when you can planet hop in a decked out space ship while having a number two, who cares? Absolute wizardry.
Overwatch 2 plays brilliantly. It's a wonderful shooter full of depth, with unique heroes to master, maps to learn, and hours of your life to lose all over again.
NieR: Automata The End of YoRHa Edition is brilliant: it's still essential, still bonkers. Play this game.
Splatoon 3 isn't the most exciting release on the calendar, but it is the best the game has been. As a standalone game it's a rip-roaring success, and perhaps the game that fans wanted all along.
Should Nintendo support Kirby's Dream Buffet it with updates, new courses, then it's only going to get better. It's a lot of fun, but it's the kind of fun you can't quite see yourself returning to over and over again.
A fully complete, accessible version of Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered that will run on most systems, is at home on the portable Steam Deck, and feels fresh and brilliant even four years after release.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 changes things up in a good way, offering a twist on the most unique combat out there. It's lengthy, engaging, warm, and probably the best RPG of the year. The best one yet, for sure.