XCOM Chimera Squad has come from nowhere to be one of the most compelling games of the year
I wasn't expecting to like Gears Tactics this much, and the tactical layer is phenomenally enjoyable. If this is all you want, Gears Tactics is a must-buy. However, a lack of memorable moments and the lack of a grander strategy layer to dig your teeth into could leave some itches unscratched, despite the quality shown by Splash Damage and The Coalition.
Modern Warfare 2 is the technothriller action blaster you need right now, and it's shown why it's still one of the best entries in the Call of Duty franchise… even if it is a bit silly.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been a long time coming. If you're a Final Fantasy 7 fan, you've likely already bought this, but if you're a fan of the Final Fantasy franchise or RPGs in general, this is likely to be the game by which all over RPGs in 2020 are judged. Fan service, charm and a killer aesthetic certainly don't hurt things, but some confusing combat choices and a story that's a little too busy stop it from being a true classic.
Tight gunplay and a solid, ambitious crack at AAA VR mean that Half-Life: Alyx is one of the big hits of virtual reality. While the combat could be a little too mellow for some, the ambulatory opening is dripping with atmosphere and provides a nice way for players new to VR to get familiar.
Iceborne is another generous layer of content for Monster Hunter World fans, but along the way it also makes a lot of welcome changes that existing players and newbies will enjoy.
For 99 percent of people, we'd recommend giving this a miss. There are better games out there and what Shenmue 3 does do well, largely the world and the process of digging into it, is ruined by the many many things it doesn't quite pull off. If you're a big fan of immersing yourself in a world or you loved the earlier Shenmue games, go wild, but your money would be spent better elsewhere.
Aesthetic, soundtrack, car customisation… Need For Speed Heat has it all except for the most important part: the driving. A clumsy drifting mechanic, clumsy feeling cars and a lack of physicality hamper the game, but that doesn't mean you can't have some fun with it.
This is a stunning return to form for a franchise that many people were just about ready to write off. By being big and bold with the return of its most successful tentpole, Activision has given a new lease of life to the shooter.
John Wick Hex is a near miss and feels deeply dissatisfying to play. Which is a shame, because it's got heart, and we're gutted this gamble didn't work out.
If you've got friends, you'll probably enjoy playing this with them, but it's a shame that despite the many areas Ghost Recon Breakpoint has improved in, it's still making so many infuriating choices.
The usual Wolfenstein brilliance is here, and MachineGames have shown they've got a great handle on splattering fascists.
Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 is a budget reimagining of a fan-favourite series that fails to live up to the heights of that franchise. It plays and looks like a last-gen game, and it was a struggle to plow through the game, even for review purposes.
The Sinking City is a near-miss, and a unique foray into surivival horror. It doesn’t coddle you, and it certainly doesn’t do any hand-holding, which makes it a unique detective outing let down in its execution by a number of tiny flaws.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night could be one of the biggest surprises this year. For Castlevania fans, this represents the best chance you'll ever have to experience that franchise's golden days. For everyone else, this game is a tightly paced and engaging explore-'em-up that will devour your attention span and reward you appropriately.
F1 2019 is the best release in the series so far, but the iterative design of the franchise combined with Codemasters' trademark care and attention for racing makes that perhaps unsurprising.
Rage 2 is one of the year's most disappointing titles. However, the shooting is some of the best this generation when you've finally dedicated enough time to unlock different abilities and poured a couple of upgrades into one of the best shotguns in gaming.
For Total War fans, there's lots here to enjoy. It's the best historical Total War game since Shogun 2, and one of the finest this series has seen thus far. However, for those drawn in by the bombast and spectacle of Total War: Warhammer, this game can feel flat by comparison.
World War Z is nearly the Left 4 Dead sequel I've always wanted. The jump to third-person shooter doesn't grate, nor does the wholesale lifting of elements from the much-better Left 4 Dead series.
Trials Rising isn't going to set the world on fire, but it achieves what it sets out to do with aplomb. It's a simple concept, executed with flair, and if that's not worth applauding then what is?