A beautifully designed love letter to the heyday of video game arcades, 198X uses its passion for a bygone era to tell a touching story that is also a reminder of just how powerful video games really are.

According to Xboss Phil Spencer, even if Fable 4 is real (Oh Spencer, you scamp!), Microsoft’s new strategy is to reveal games when they can show off gameplay before they announce a release date.

Borderlands originale was an easy 10-hour game and triple that with its superb DLC, whereas Borderlands 2 gobbled up dozens of hours with a similar format, larger world and expansions threw fascinating new wrinkles into the game. How big is Borderlands 3 going to be then? Pretty big, I said while wiggling my eyebrows.

Dynamic and dangerous, there’s no other fighting game like Samurai Shodown on the market. After a decade away, this latest chapter proves that idea once again with the sharpest swordsmanship combat around that manages to unleash a barrage of modern cuts while still retaining the magic of the original game.

Johnny Silverhand is his name, and burning down cities is his game. So what’s the dealio with the character who can trace his origins back to an unpublished story from the original pen and paper game?

FromSoftware is at the height of their game currently after receiving rave reviews for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and they’re taking that buzz back to familiar stomping grounds that hopes to evolve the ideas that have become their trademark: Challenging brutality, rich fantasy and well-crafted worlds. Elden Ring is the name of the game, and it just so happens to feature some world-building from none other than double-pirate George Arr Arr Martin.

There are still those who are willing to get up at the crack of dusk and boot up their console to find him for you. People who’ll risk digital life and limb to let you know if Xur is selling a treasure or rubbish. I just so happen to be one of those people. Maybe you’re stuck at work and can only log in later tonight. In that case: Where is Xur?

Chocobo World may be missing from the package, but Final Fantasy 8 Remaster will have a few other extras for returning and new fans.