Those RPG elements carry across to character too.

The core combat and stealth mechanics set in Origins are back, but this time you get more flexibility in how your skills develop thanks to three branching upgrade trees and upgradeable, customisable weaponry and armour. You play as an ancient Greek mercenary, or misthios, navigating the Peloponnesian War as you fight to stop a sinister and secretive cult, merrily assassinating enemies along the way. There’s no major reinvention here, but bold choices put a new twist on Origins formula, and good performances elevate it far above the franchise it comes from. If Assassin’s Creed Origins served as a soft reboot for a series in desperate need of some change, Odyssey is a much more subtle update, something I didn’t expect to say about a game that pits you against the mythological minotaur. And with so many intricate game systems at play, from weapon degradation to a stunning weather system, Red Dead Redemption 2 may ruin every other open-world game for you. The missions are action-packed, story-driven and wildly varied – from high-pressure missions like robbing a train to more relaxed missions where you simply go fishing – the game offers something new at every turn. While playing, we’ve been stopped by outlaws trying to rob us, we’ve helped a woman being attacked in her home, we’ve helped convicts escape prison carts and more – all while randomly exploring the scenic countryside between missions.

You can have impromptu conversations with passers-by, intimidate witnesses to crimes to avoid becoming wanted and when you want a little R&R, you have can hunt over 200 species of animal, go fishing or play dominoes or cards with a variety of Wild West friends. The open-world of Red Dead Redemption 2 is sprawling and varied, but it’s the finer details that make it feel dynamic and lived-in.

Xbox one best games of 2017