Breaking all the conventions of the series, and even a few general gaming conventions, Breath of the Wild is essential for any self-respecting gamer. A new bar has been set in open world gaming.

Surpassing its predecessors in every way, Persona 5 redefines the Japanese RPG with a stylish band of rogues that should please any fan of the genre.

Nioh is among the finest exclusives to grace the PS4, melding samurai action with the framework of the well-renowned Dark Souls series, although its devilish difficulty may send William to an early grave.

A more than worthy continuation of the Trails in the Sky saga, tying up some loose ends from the previous game while setting up events for the following entries. The dungeon crawler game flow of the 3rd may put off some, and the presentation may look outdated, but do not let this discourage you, as the game is one of the best Japanese role-playing games released this year in the West.

Civilization VI is the pinnacle of the series. It's featured huge, sweeping changes, and nothing was left out. Everything has found a purpose, they all work together in tandem but also have a reason to stand alone. Only slight AI issues can be found here, but nothing every other 4X or Grand Strategy game hasn't encountered on a worse level. Civilization VI is, frankly, the best 4X strategy game in the world.

Horizon Zero Dawn is a pure sign of what can be completed with an exceptionally designed open world. Not only that, it has exceptional characterisation and a sincere story that doesn't shoehorn elements, allowing for the organic growth of characters. This is a game that I can barely find any faults with, except borrowing some elements from other open world games. Even so, it made each and every element its own in one of the best games to date.

It took years for Falcom to develop the perfect entry in the series, and with Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana, they finally managed to do so by refining the renewed story focus and gameplay mechanics introduced in Ys Seven without taking away what makes the series so enjoyable. With a well-executed, albeit not really original story, charming cast, fast paced battle system, engaging boss battles, tight challenge level and plenty of side-content, Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana is without a doubt the best entry in the series and one of the best action role-playing games released this year.

It’s an understatement to say that Frontier Developments have outdone themselves with Planet Coaster. With its beautiful cartoon-style, incredible levels of customization and a small selection of fun modes to choose from, Planet Coaster has set a new standard for the genre.

This game is totally deserving of the hype its received since it first launched on PC two years ago. Although its not the prettiest, it is one of the most original.

With Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Naughty Dog have created their very best game and one of the best titles of this entire generation. If you own a PlayStation 4, you simply need to play it and if you don't, this is certainly a good reason to purchase the console.

Oxenfree is whole heartedly one of the best experiences you can have playing games. It is a cornerstone example of how stories can be told in an interactive media, and how to build a supernatural tone around 'average' characters without exaggerating everything.

For those looking for a narrative journey that’s unlike anything else on the Playstation 4, Abzû offers plenty to experience.

Whether you’re visiting Kamurocho for business or pleasure, be prepared to sink another eighty hours into a crime epic that only Sega can deliver.

With gameplay that can shock, amuse and satisfy in the same slowed heartbeat, Sniper Elite 4 is the best game in the series. While it graphics, story and characters can feel a little flat, the gameplay has always been the focus, and is so perfectly tuned to make the rest seem inconsequential.

The best grand strategy game out there. The setting is added an excellent level of authenticity with the battle-plan feature, excellent Ai and a world map that is absolutely splendid to look at and watch the war unfold. Combined with a well developed political and infrastructure system, there is so much that can be done in the game, one that will absorb your time and leave you with lost time.

It offers a real look at developing relationships, choice and consequence, all with the beautifully rendered backdrop of the Shoshone national forest. It's a game that will stick with you beyond the finish and one that you'll want to go back to.

The Witness is an excellent puzzle game, featuring many complex yet fair puzzles, a great atmosphere, an interesting narrative method and a lot of content. With no hand-holding whatsoever, The Witness certainly is not a game for everyone, but those who are up to the challenge will feel enriched once they solve most of the puzzles included in the game.

Dark Souls III is beautiful and terrifying all in one. Intense, atmospheric and so cruel. An essential game for RPG fans and one of the very best games of 2016 thus far.

Although it might not be a perfect game, the sum of NieR: Automata’s unique storytelling meshed with Platinum Games’ style of action, meld together into a title well deserving of being one of my personal Games of the Year.

Project DIVA Future Tone is a celebration of ten years with the Vocaloid crew, bringing nearly every song and outfit handcrafted for the digital singers into one complete collection on PlayStation 4.

Project DIVA Future Tone is a celebration of ten years with the Vocaloid crew, bringing nearly every song and outfit handcrafted for the digital singers into one complete collection on PlayStation 4.

Graphics gripes aside, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is more than the sum of its parts. There are a few issues that make it far from flawless, but it’s still a remarkable game that should be in the collection of every gamer.

Quite possibly the most exciting strategy game to come out in a long time. It's a huge change for such a long running franchise, brings in so many new features that work so well, and looks downright stunning as huge numbers of fantastical creatures create all manners of havok across the battlefield.

Tyranny perfectly encapsulates what makes a role-playing game great. With superb writing, an engaging story and setting, solid mechanics and huge replay value, the new game from Obsidian Entertainment is a must play for all true RPG lovers. Tyranny isn't just about the triumph of evil: it is the triumph of role-playing games.

After such a long and troubled development, many feared that RiME would be a failure, but Tequila Works proved that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. With peculiar storytelling, varied puzzles, well-crafted platforming elements and gorgeous presentation, RiME can rival with the unique beauty of Team ICO's games.

Forza Horizon offers you a huge world to explore. It gives you as many cars, from supercars to off-road buggies, to race how and when you want. Explore the outback, race along the coast. Forza Horizon 3 is possibly the best racing game in the world, just marred by performance issues on the PC and the dull nature of the create-your-own-race options.

Street Fighter V is the series at its best. Whether you're an experienced Street Fighter or a complete newbie, this is your chance to get involved in what will be an amazing competitive experience.

Whether you're an old Pokémon fan or a brand new one, there's loads to love about Sun and Moon. These might just be the very best mainline Pokémon games ever.