Games Radar+

It's such a shame, because there is a great game in here. Biomutant's world and its characters are wonderful and brilliantly silly, but these elements clash against some of the more serious elements of the core story. The intensely formulaic and repetitive moments distract from the brilliant ones that'll have you nodding in approval, or laughing at its bizarreness.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition strikes the difficult balance of appealing to both long-time lovers of the series and people who have never played a minute of it. The changes to Mass Effect 1 make it playable in a modern game world, while visual upgrades massage the eyes and lightning-fast load screens ease the wait throughout all three titles.

It's not the first time dodge ball has been recreated in video game form (props to Kunio-kun and the rest of the Super Dodge Ball gang), but it is a unique fusion of arena combat and the original gym class contest of champions. Most importantly, it's a hell of a lot of fun to play.

A beautiful-looking game, which is perfect for those with a lot of patience and a natural desire to uncover the truth. I just wish it was more interactive and allowed to do more than just ask questions.

I recently completed another playthrough in preparation for this (along with some Revelations and Veronica, just because) and number 7's reverse home invasion slasher terror is still up there as one of the greatest horror games of all time. Resident Evil Village is an enjoyable, occasionally silly, monster hunt that's entertaining but almost completely resets all the incredible work Resident Evil 7 did to reinvent the series.

Returnal can be messy, tough, and perhaps a little too uncompromising for a $70 game. And yet, despite the moments of pad-clenching exasperation, it remains a moreish experience even after you’ve plumbed its depths.

With cross-play available regardless of console (or console generation), if there’s a PS5 under your TV, you might as well aim there. Hopefully, in a year minus a global pandemic, the dev team can also bring some added visual kick, and keep expanding the feature set to completely separate the two. MLB The Show 21 is strong in so many areas, yet also an opportunity missed – and not only in relation to Jackie Robinson.

Outriders is a brash and bold looter shooter that will keep you entertained through the campaign and side missions, but its endgame content gets repetitive fast.

It Takes Two is a Pixar-worthy adventure that consistently innovates, offering players an excellent co-op experience unlike any other.

Monster Hunter Rise is a great adventure, providing fascinating new tools like the Wirebug and walking a fine line between arcade and fast-paced HD gameplay. The Rampages are a neat new addition when used sparingly, but a reliance on online hunts to finish Rise’s story is a puzzling step.

Bravely Default 2 is just top-to-bottom quintessential JRPG fun. It's nostalgic but innovative, complex yet approachable, and overflowing with character. I'm thrilled to see the Bravely series continue, and I hope to god it doesn't take another six years for Bravely Default 3.

Quirky, creative, and constant good fun, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury blends Mario gameplay old and new with great success, creating a title that feels worthy of his 35th birthday celebrations.

There are some good puzzles and things to take in, it just lacks the punch of a memorable antagonist compared to earlier encounters. Even without a really impactful ending however, there's still a great, creepy, weird, and memorable game here with moments that will bother you long after it's done.

The Medium isn't even really a horror game, despite the setting and themes, and lacks any scares bar an early cheap jump. For a studio so focused on creating psychological horror it's hard to see this mildly spooky action-adventure as anything other than a misstep.

This is a great end to the trilogy, with a satisfying conclusion made from enjoyable and endlessly entertaining levels. Well done 47.

Both an incredibly faithful take of the Scott Pilgrim story, as well as a frustratingly inconsistent beat-em-up that is elevated by the art style and soundtrack. While it's great that fans news and old have a chance to rediscover its quirks, it's by no means a forgotten masterpiece.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a paragon of open-world gaming, offering the kind of freedom to explore and define your character that provides a new pinnacle for the genre. It takes everything we celebrate about open-world games, and learns from it, implementing best-in-class variations in a world that's so dense and detailed.

Still, there's more than enough in the game's Adventure mode to recommend Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 to the dedicated and the curious. While this falls firmly on the side of evolution, Skill Battles are a strong new addition to the game's lineup of modes, while the rat-a-tat joke delivery of the story adds a flavour that you just don't get in other puzzle games. This inexplicable cocktail remains potent for any puzzle lover.

Beyond Light delivers one of the best raids in Destiny history and some of the best story moments in Destiny 2, and that's more than enough to make up for a few disappointing gaps.

Football Manager 2021 may not revolutionise the series, but instead it adds countless quality-of-life improvements – including ones to the match engine – that make it the best Football Manager game to date.

Even when you're done with the story, there are so many reasons to go back in just to try and ace a level, or beat your time in a Knight trial, or keep adding to your costumes, or to try some offline co-op with a friend. If you're a hardened gamer who is more interested in the brutality of Demon's Souls or the street swinging of Spider-Man: Mile Morales, know that Sackboy can hold his own with both of them and deserves a place in your PS5 must play list.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is a fantastic hack-and-slash romp, and it deserves to be referenced as more than just a spin-off. Age of Calamity wholeheartedly embraces Breath of the Wild, using familiar musical cues and the same charming art style to give players a key sense of welcomeness, before diving headlong into the frenetic combat.

Black Ops Cold War feels more like an iteration in the style of an older COD, by continuing the experience rather than expanding it. The basics are as refined as they've ever been and feel excellent to play, but by only polishing existing mechanics and adding little new in relation to recent games it feels like a great foundation, provided there are plenty of post-launch content drops.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War feels like a game that’s sorting out its identity after government experiments left it obsessing over numbers and presidential assassinations. It’s like it wanted to be different, but not too different, and I wish it went for broke.

It's a small thing, but petting the eagle brought me joy every time. So did The Pathless, really. You could knock it out in one long binge – or a short binge, if you only focused on beating the spirits – but I finished it over a couple of days, and I constantly looked forward to playing more of it.