Big Open-World Action-Adventure

In many ways this genre has always been a shining example of the console gaming experience. Horizon Zero Dawn and Assassin’s Creed: Origins are similar in their make-up and both offer incredibly gorgeous, massive open-world adventures. If you’re on Playstation 4 then Horizon is the one to go for, evident by multiple nominations for Game of the Year. If you’re on PC or Xbox One, don’t be too sad because AC:Origin’s is not only similar to Horizon in many ways, it’s also damn good to play and offers a new and refreshing direction for the Assassin’s Creed franchise.

Also check out: Middle-Earth: Shadow of War (Xbox One, PC and PS4), Final Fantasy XV (Xbox One, PC and PS4)

Online Multiplayer Shooter

Online shooters are all the rage these days, whether its shooting at things at your buddies, or shooting things with your buddies. This year has some decent picks for both, with Destiny 2 being a huge hit for online co-operative play with buddies (and versus modes) as well as its brother from the same mother (err, publisher), the hugely popular Call of Duty, which has returned to its World War 2 roots.

Approach with caution: Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (Xbox, PC, PS4) | Take note of this hugely popular title, available in pre-release digital form: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PC, Xbox One)

Story-Driven Single-Player Experience

Sometimes there’s just nothing better than getting comfy for some great story-driven gaming fun. While our two picks are wildly different, both offer up great solo gameplay combined with stories, characters and set-pieces that will have you on the edge of your seat as much as they may have you leaning in to see what your character might say next.

Also check out: Hellbale: Senua’s Sacrifice (PC, PS4), What Remains of Edith Finch (PC, Xbox One, PS4, Mac)

Swords, Fists and Fly-Kicks

While this category can often come close to what we see in action-adventure games, this is more about playing something that really involves you getting up close and personal with your enemies before doing some slicing and dicing or kicky-punchy on their faces. Japan is pretty damn good at this sort of thing, and so both of the games featured here are from the land of the rising sun, or fist. They can get a little crazy-cooky at times, so be warned and also do note that Nioh is designed to actually be really difficult. If you’re thinking about buying or gifting one of these and are afraid that the player isn’t quite cut out for it, be safe and head back up to the action/adventure/story titles.

Also check out: Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

Racing Games

It’s actually been a pretty damn solid year for racing games, with multiple big-franchise entries all going head to head for pretty much no good reason at all. This does mean that there’s a bit of something for everyone though and as a huuuuuge racing/car fan this is a really tough one considering that there are so many options. The biggest surprise of the year has got to be F1 2017, not only because it broke away from its usual annual cycle to deliver the perfect package this year but because… well it’s F1 which means a lot of people might not be that interested in it if they don’t follow the sport. Trust us though, this is one of the best the series has offered in years. Next is Forza Motorsport 7 for Xbox One. Surrounded by controversy for compromising the gameplay/mods system to accommodate a loot-box system, the truth is that when you look past all of that you get a really beautiful, feature filled console car and racing experience. If you only have a Playstation then check out Project CARS 2, it’s the game I actually want to recommend instead of Forza 7 but the truth is that its a bit too hardcore and a bit too finnicky to recommend to just anybody, but for those who really love motorsport it’s pretty amazing.

Also check out: Project CARS 2 (PC, Xbox One, PS4), Gran Turismo Sport (PS4 only), Dirt 4 (PC, Xbox One, PS4) | Avoid: Need for Speed: Payback

Head-to-Head Fighting Games

Fighting games are another one of those classic console genres that have been around forever and still really manage to capture the console experience, especially when shared with friends. While a few well known franchises released new versions this year, Injustice 2 is a run away winner for my recommendation. It has great gameplay, great graphics and a story mode that feels like you are just getting to play out the fights in a pretty awesome DC Animated Movie.

Also check out: Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite (PC, Xbox One, PS4)

Role-Playing Games

The line between role-playing games and other genres is starting to get very blurred as more games adopt RPG elements into their systems more and more. So when we say Role-playing game here, we don’t mean an action game with attributes that you can level-up, we mean the more traditional kinds, and that means everything from big open world western RPGs like Skyrim, to Japanese turn-based RPGs. This year our top recommendations are the new South Park, which provides an incredibly accessible take on Japanese Role-Playing games will still being so incredibly… South Park; and then Persona 5, a game I have not yet personally had the pleasure of playing but has seen rave reviews thanks to not only its style and gameplay, but the fact that it packs in over 100 hours of content. We only feature 2 games, but I also highly recommend you check out Final Fantasy XV, it’s pretty different to FF titles from the past and it’s really rather good!

Also check out: Final Fantasy XV (Xbox One, PS4, PC), Nier: Automata (PC, PS4)

Kicky-Footy! (Sports)

Most sports games these days come out in an annualised format that offers updates more than major sequels, that said, not all updates are created equal. This genre generally revolves around the interest of the gamer, so if your kid or buddy is way into Cycling, the latest NFL title will likely not scratch that itch. That said, good games are good games, here’s our recommendations:

Also check out: F1 2017 (PC, Xbox One, PS4) | Proceed with caution: NBA 2K18 (PC, Xbox One, PS4)  

2D / Side-Scrolling 

It’s a genre that’s as old as the hills that still manages to command our attention, provide intensely gameplay and always attract a lot of artistic style. Cuphead oozes style with its 30s Disney Animation aesthetic, but be warned as it’s essentially a tough-as-nails “boss battles” game for the most part, so put your game-face on for that one. Another title that is just raking in the love is Steamworld Dig 2, and falls into the “Metroidvania” that usually means lots of gradual exploration and improvements as you open up a map more and more.

Strategy

Put on your thinking caps, it’s time for some strategising as you face enemies on the battlefield, or maybe in a parking lot. There wasn’t a ton in terms of strategy this year, but the Xbox One did see the release of Halo Wars 2, the follow up to a possibly very under-appreciated first run that was rather good. XCOM 2 expands and also brings turn-based strategy to the plate with another great entry.

Also check out: Total War: Warhammer 2 (PC)

Survival Horror

Like to sit down and relax to an evening of standing up in front of your couch and being on edge? Well then, horror it is. A fascinating genre that I myself am quite fond of, but not really… right? Well buckle up and get ready for a case of the spooks with these two titles. Resident Evil 7 returns the series to its horror roots, while also switching to a first-person perspective. Evil Within 2 gets a sequel that seems to be a little overlooked, and while not technically a complete survival-horror, I really had a great time with the slower-paced, cautious pacing delivered in this year’s reboot of Prey.

Also check out: Prey (PC, Xbox One, PS4), Outlast 2 (PC, Xbox One, PS4)