Gary Bailey
Despite being a reboot for the series, Resident Evil VII’s return to survival horror is both familiar and fresh, and it’s easily the best horror game in years.
Resident Evil 2 drags an all-time classic horror game screaming into the new generation, and will terrify both fans and newcomers alike
Forza Horizon 4's handling is the best the series has ever seen, and its shared world gameplay offers an incredible amount of fun. It could well be the best racer out there.
Forza Horizon 3 is close to racing perfection, with stunning visuals, great Drivatar AI and enough content to keep you busy for months.
While most Metroidvanias find themselves struggling with their pace, Iconoclasts never lets up. It's one of the best of its kind and definitely needs to be played.
One of the best strategy games on the market, bringing a unique sense of fun to the genre. A must-play title.
GRID replicates the feeling of motorsport without sacrificing any of the excitement, and it's the most racing fun I've had in ages.
With its intuitive controls and accessible nature, Halo Wars 2 could finally be the RTS to break the console market, and may even be able to take on the mighty Starcraft II.
Familiar Pac-Man gameplay with an added twist, offering near endless fun.
From the comprehensive career mode to the fun of Rallycross and Joyride, Dirt 4 is one of Codemasters' best. And it's the best rally game by quite some distance.
Combining unique and rewarding combat with the freedom to explore its beautiful areas in any order you see fit, Absolver is one of the best adventures of the year.
Chess will always be chess, but with its glorious presentation and wealth of options, Chess Ultra is a Queen in a genre filled with Pawns.
The Evil Within 2 is a game that uses stealth and atmosphere to create some great situations, but its use of sound elevates its scares well beyond those of lesser horror titles.
A revelatory combination of the online PvP survival and competitive shooter genres, well deserving of being labelled as a phenomenon. As an added bonus, you don't have to be pro gamer to enjoy some level of success online.
Figment tackles a potentially emotional subject, but does so without depressing the player. Quite the opposite. Its gameplay and writing come together in such a charming and musical way, you'll find yourself smiling throughout.
Darksiders III is a stunning achievement, bringing the once-dead series back to life with aplomb.
While nothing has actually changed in terms of content, the visual and performance upgrades are much more noticeable than expected. This makes Dark Souls Remastered the definitive edition of FromSoftware's modern classic.
Pillars of Eternity II is incredible. From the layered-but-accessible combat, to the deep conversation systems and sailing around a world packed with quests and events; there are few RPGs out there that can stand up to this giant.
This is easily the best the series has ever been, in both gameplay and presentation. Fans will love the realism, newcomers will enjoy the benefits of the assists and the ever-present rewind function (it's wonderful for correcting your mistakes and learning from them), but everyone can simply enjoy a good race.
Arcade racers are seeing a resurgence of late and Wreckfest fits nicely into that sub-genre, bringing banger racing into the limelight and turning it up to eleven. It may not be named Destruction Derby, but the spirit of the old Psygnosis classic is alive and well in Bugbear's latest racer.