A triumph in both mechanics and delivery, Hitman turns its controversial episodic release model into a true strength that's suited to IO's vast and nuanced sandboxes.
It's an extraordinary game. One that you'll feel faintly lost in at first, while its many systems permeate your grey matter. But all the while its story unfolds and reveals new wrinkles, the sense of place growing deeper.
Initially unwieldy but eventually engrossing, Age of Wonders' latest entry translates its Civ-meets-XCOM formula brilliantly to a new sci-fi setting. Even if the elements of that sci-fi are a bit rote.Phil Iwaniuk
A gripping descent into something between alternate history and fever dream, realised beautifully in audiovisual flair, and lacking just slightly in the combat itself.
There's more than just an endurance racing licence to distinguish Assetto Corsa Competizione from its predecessor. It's more polished, more precise, and offers more scope for long-term single-player satisfaction.Phil Iwaniuk
Familiar, excellent, and polished to a degree that hardly seems possible. If you love taking vintage Porsches for joyrides through environments that'd have a poet bawling then you're going to be very happy here.
A well-judged modern adaptation of one of gaming's all-time great adventures. The PC port doesn't push beyond the PS5's limits though, and who knows how many releases will conclude this remake.
Serious racing for serious racers. Extraordinarily convincing at each of the disciplines on offer.
An incredible exploration portal with even greater potential once its tech issues have been addressed.
As close as you can get to an F1 driver's life without being cussed by Sebastian Vettel.
Simply the best rally sim around, building on its predecessor's already fine foundations.
Still addictively enormous, but more open to newcomers than ever, FM 2020 is a brilliant update to a brilliant series.
No flashy new features or buzzwords, just magnificent racing stemming from a refinement of Grid 1's greatness.
Somehow in this most well-travelled of multiplayer FPS paths, Insurgency: Sandstorm feels fresh and innovative at every turn.
With a newfound litheness on the pitch and deep data analysis, FM21 gives you an easy excuse to relapse.
Funny, fresh, and full of surprises, Typhoon's debut blends genres expertly.
Maintaining an almost impossible level of polish across its many modes, FIFA 19 might not eclipse PES 19 on the pitch, but it demonstrates its worth via The Journey.
A fine balancing act of challenge and intrigue, with stabiliser wheels courtesy of Ron Perlman's voice.
It was never going to be a revolution, but you feel the new features on and off the pitch.
As mechanically polished as driving sims have ever been on PC. Stately and familiar, but finely crafted.