Starfield

Xbox Series X (Bethesda)

Game developers Bethesda are bosses at creating vast worlds where players can wander at will and choose different paths, characters and lives. Their Elder Scrolls series was ensconced in the fantasy genre and Fallout dealt in post-apocalyptic dystopia, so it makes sense to venture into science-fiction for their new outing.

And what an outing it is: a solar system, modelled on our own, featuring over 1,000 planets which you can visit from the comfort of your spaceship (albeit with occasional interruptions from space pirates). While the backdrop is interstellar, the gameplay is familiar.

There’s the main quest - gathering mystical artefacts from around space which indicate signs of an alien civilisation - and countless side quest rabbit holes, involving everything from bounty hunting to space cowboy law enforcement. Gather a wardrobe of pistols, rifles and laser weapons for jetpack-enabled battles. Built outposts on planets, harvest minerals for cash, and create a crew from folk you encounter on your adventures.

Depending on your social skills, conversations with friend or foe can result in violence, feuds, collaborations, and maybe even romance. Your ship can be spruced up with better engines, shields, weaponry, and fancy interiors, or sold for a better ride at your local spaceship store. The space battles, conducted from your cockpit, will tickle everyone’s inner Star Wars nerd.

The vast loneliness of space is captured better in No Man’s Sky, but when it comes to adventure, action and memorable characters, Starfield goes to infinity and beyond.

9/10

Pixel 8 Pro (Google)

The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is either a blessing or a curse. AI experts like Mo Gawdat, former executive at Google X, reckon humanity will be co-habiting the world with entities billions of times more intelligent than us within a decade. And where will this leave us?

For the time being, distinctly better off - especially when it comes to smartphone AI.

The latest Pixel phone uses Google AI for studio-quality photo editing and enhancement. Has a stranger photo bombed a holiday snap? Erase them from existence without denting the backdrop. Someone’s blinked in a selfie? Replace their eyes with ones from another photo.

Google AI also allows you to screen calls and interpret face-to-face conversations in other languages: the tip of the iceberg in Google’s chunky Pro, which spits out high decibel audio in accompaniment to its bright and breezy 6.7” display. Thanks to a powerful Google chip and 12GB of RAM, the phone is snappily efficient and has some brilliant quirks - like the ability to read the temperature of objects such as cooking pans and drinks.

The camera set up is magic too. The 50MP camera creates some of the best low-light shots found on an Android. Close-ups and selfies are satisfyingly sharp. Google’s gadget costs around €1099 and comes with a stack of extras, including six months of Fitbit Premium and three months of free YouTube Premium. Nothing artificial about that.

9/10

EA SPORTS FC 24

Xbox Series X (EA)

After 30 years scoring for FIFA, EA has gone it alone this year. But the loss of a multimillion-dollar licence hasn’t affected morale as - once again - every pro footballer on planet earth sticks their nose in. That’s over 19,000 licensed players, making up 700 teams, kicking their way through 30 leagues, including the Premier League and Ireland’s own SSE Airtricity Premier Division.

It's business as usual on the pitch. Players dip into league, playoff and friendly matches. Volta street football returns, turning barrios and basketball courts into five-a-side warzones. EA’s rebranded footy franchise stretches its legs with new highlights. The tutorial system is improved over past FIFA games and Ultimate Team - in which you build your own dream squad - can now include men and women playing on the pitch together.

EA have been busy tweaking the beautiful sport over the last year. They’ve gathered data from 180 real-world matches, using cameras around stadiums to capture footballer movements, and virtual players have unique capabilities modelled on their real world skills. All multiplayer online modes in the game are available for cross platform play, so Xbox Series X owners can compete with their cousins on PS5.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of FIFA, EA has barrelled the first division.

8/10