HADES
GAME OF THE YEAR
We were pretty sure this one would be a heavyweight clash between The Last of Us Part II and the only-just-out-at-long-last Cyberpunk 2077. But while we were wowed by Naughty Dog’s relentlessly bleak take on the post-apocalypse and look forward to hanging out with Keanu in Night City, it’s this fantastic dungeon-crawler that takes the big one – and represents an inspiring win for indie developers. While in most games death is a punishment, in Hades it’s something you look forward to, with each return to the Underworld promising a fresh exchange with one of its residents, a stat boost or a new weapon. Thanks to its endlessly varied combat, consistently entertaining script and vibrant art direction, we’ve found this to be the best distraction during a time in which distractions have never been more welcome. from £18 / PC, Switch