Riot Games’ new shooter is already being hailed as a threat to Fortnite, Counter-Strike and Overwatch – and barely anyone has played it yet25 best video games to help you socialise while self-isolating On a Tuesday in early April, viewers around the gl...

In the shadow of plot devices like destiny and impending doom, moments of kindness give journeys emotional powerIt is a narrative standard in role-playing adventure games: the hero is pitted against a Big Evil, who has a strategic or chaotic hunger to ...

Mojang Studios; Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, Xbox One (version tested)This retro-tinged hack-and-slash spinoff has plenty of Mojang character and humour – not to mention baby zombies and charming references to the original MinecraftWhen the idea to make a...

From farming to trucking to bus driving, why do millions play games that replicate regular jobs in forensic detail?There is no escape for me this time. The rear axle of my pick-up truck is wedged on a boulder protruding from the mud in the middle of a ...

The iconic maze chase has been played billions of times, created one of the 80s’ strangest sex symbols, stupefied Martin Amis – and is now enshrined in a leading art museumIt was on this day in 1980 that one of gaming’s most iconic characters made his ...

PC, Mac, iOS; Dreamfeel/Annapurna InteractiveDelicate illustrations depict a world slipping away in this poignant drama, with memories we’re invited to help young Kasio eraseAn emotional and richly detailed reflection on growing up in mid-90s Ireland, ...

The in-game party where you can listen to DJs, do cartoonish challenges or hurl burgers while dressed as a banana is a mass-participation godsendMy son is dressed as a giant banana and he is throwing hamburgers at me. I am making my getaway on a solid ...

Resident Evil was reanimated, Coffee Talk brewed up a mindful treat and Final Fantasy VII made our dreams come trueThe desert-island alternate-life game that’s spawned a thousand memes, Animal Crossing offers a cute, stress-free and eminently controlla...

Nintendo’s record-breaking new game has been embraced by a world in isolation. Its creators talk about how it was made for sharingAnimal Crossing has been a thing for almost 20 years, but this year it has exploded. You cannot scroll through any social ...

As a delivery driver in a Blade Runner-style landscape, the thrill is to dip into client’s lives. Just don’t ask what’s in the packageThe city of Nivalis is, at once, arrestingly beautiful and awkwardly familiar. With its streaking hover cars and pink-...

The wildly popular game gives players a place to socialize with others or simply escape while on lockdown for coronavirusAs shelter in place orders around the world have left many people trapped at home indefinitely, some have found a new place to meet...

Xbox livestream showcases new titles designed to support the advanced features of the forthcoming consoleMicrosoft has revealed 13 games coming to its Xbox Series X console when the machine launches this winter. In an hour-long presentation, streamed l...

World’s most popular video game to celebrate launch of new party mode with live event featuring Deadmau5 and Steve AokiFortnite developer Epic Games has announced that the game now has 350 million registered players. In a tweet published on Wednesday, ...

iPad/iPhone (PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions forthcoming); E-Line MediaRealistic marine-diving game shines a light on the deep oceanA mellow and overtly educational game about marine wildlife, Beyond Blue is an opportunity to submerge yourself ...

PC (version tested), Xbox One; Microsoft Game StudiosIt wouldn’t be Gears of War without gore, and combining strategy with viscera dispersal aplenty, this cerebral twist on an old favourite remains true to formBloody sci-fi shooter series Gears of War ...

Pay-monthly service sees huge surge in players and gaming time due to Coronavirus lockdownMicrosoft has announced that its Xbox Game Pass subscription service has passed 10 million members. The initiative, which adopts a similar model to Netflix and ot...

Many of us are finding it hard to concentrate on books during lockdown – so here are some games that do fascinating things with words and storiesIt has been one of the many cruel ironies of lockdown: we all have time to read more, but the constant unce...

Scrolling beat ’em ups went out of fashion years ago, but this lovingly created sequel offers all the action and fun of a 90s arcade game In the Netflix animated series Hi Score Girl, a romantic comedy set in early-90s Japan, Haruo Yaguchi, a low-achie...

PC; 2K GamesIn the terrifying aftermath of an invasion from space, a motley band of superheroes must keep the peace in City 31Beginning where most disaster movies end – with cities ruined and civilisation in utter disarray – XCOM: Chimera Squad is abou...

Professional Minecraft modeller Adam Clarke suggests eight great builds for Guardian readers – send us your best screenshotsWith lockdown entering its fifth week, Minecraft is proving a useful venue for friends and families to meet up, play together an...

The global sporting calendar may be empty, but games such as Fifa 20 and AO Tennis let you set up a cup competition in your living room Euro 2020 postponed, Wimbledon cancelled, baseball’s opening day delayed: the coronavirus pandemic has decimated th...

Striking a perfect balance between friction and flow, could this battle royale hit be the perfect shooter game?That’s it. I have now played Apex Legends for over 500 hours. The online multiplayer shooter, developed by Californian studio Respawn Enterta...

PS4; Square EnixHailed as one of the greatest games ever, its remake is superbly reimagined without losing the distinctive quality of the originalModern remakes of classic films inevitably disappoint – but the opposite has tended to be true of video ga...

Sony has put its PlayStation title of the year on hold indefinitely. Are we likely to see the crisis disrupting other games – and even console launches?On Thursday night, Sony announced via its PlayStation Twitter feed that the long-awaited post-apocal...

PC (Oculus Rift, Valve Index, HTC Vive); Valve CorporationThe classic shooter series gains a thrilling new perspective, thanks to VR tech that works symbiotically with the narrative Virtual reality and the Half-Life series have both struggled with the ...

Don’t fret about your kids overdoing it in front of the TV. Games will offer comfort and variety during the coronavirus crisisAs with millions of other parents around the world, when our two sons get home from school this afternoon, we have no idea whe...