When actually playing basketball in game, or even managing how your player spends his time, NBA 2K16 is a realistic and fun experience. Unfortunately, it's broken up far too often with online issues and Spike Lee cliches.

Forza Motorsport 7 is the exhilarating, technical racer you expect it to be when you’ve finally put rubber on the track. But outside of that it’s a mess of randomised loot boxes, microtransaction structures, tepid progression and watered down multiplayer support. A real bump in the road for this illustrious racing franchise.

If you’re a die-hard football fan but also a lover of the behind the scene workings of football, this is a game that will give you all of that to your heart's content. For the rest of us football fans, I’d suggest sticking to the latest iteration of FIFA.

While the game is amazing at its core, it's beset by infuriating bugs. The Journey shows promise, but drags on too long, becoming a dull grind before it comes to a close. It's a good start for FIFA on its new engine, there are too many kinks that have yet to be worked out.

Life Is Strange 2’s ending differs depending on how good or bad a father figure the player has been to Daniel, and it could be argued that this is what gives the game a semblance of replay value. That argument crumbles to bits when one considers what an arduous slog a lot of the game has been to play. While there are undeniable moments of power in Life Is Strange 2’s story, they’re strewn too far apart to make playing the game over again attractive. It’s a decent story, but as a gaming experience it disappoints, which is a real pity, given how good its two predecessors are.

The Dragon of Dojima returns for one more adventure, with the stakes higher and more personal than ever in this touching farewell to a Yakuza legend. With a tale that closes the book on a long-running saga, Kiryu’s farewell results in a story that is as satisfying to watch as its gameplay is as underwhelming to consume.

Online issues and forced connectivity for single player modes keep NBA2K15 from being the year's best sports game. Impressive visuals and rock-solid core mechanics however, make it a necessary addition to any NBA fan's library.

Spelunky is a well-designed game, ideal for a gamer who loves platformers and variety. However, it is a rogue-like platformer with randomised levels, and gamers looking for constant progress or easy rewards will not find them here.

It’s a game for the fans and genre veterans, who will find hours worth of fun in this title with which to consume their lives. Everyone else though, might be happier getting their RPG kicks from a different source.

There is nothing wrong with FIFA 15 and it plays great, but so did FIFA 14 and for the first time in a long time I cannot find a reason to upgrade. If you have FIFA 14 then just stick with it, you’re not missing out on anything.

Despite collecting three of Mario’s most well-known games, Super Mario 3D All Stars doesn’t justify their porting onto the Switch. With minimal improvements, few features that truly make it feel like an “Anniversary celebration” and some bafflingly lazy design choices, 3D All Stars feels like more like a quick cash grab.

Pillars of Eternity on Switch is the same fantastic CRPG with great writing, strategic combat and interesting lore but unfortunately dips in quality due to some below par performance and a less than handy translation of the game’s menus to the Switch’s controls.

When Tearaway Unfolded is good, it is stupendous. With an excellent aesthetic and tons to offer. However, the slow points and repetitive aspects rob it of some of its charm, especially when they drag on for far too long. While an excellent kid's title, be warned that some sections might just make them cry in frustration instead of delight.

With one of the most addictive turn-based battle systems you’ll find today in a JRPG, Tokyo Mirage Sessions was a blast to play. It’s just unfortunate that the story and characters were about as bland as flavourless rice cakes.

ABZU is at home on Nintendo’s Switch. The simplistic, but vibrant visuals shine on the Switch’s screen, and the system doesn’t falter in its presentation or performance. There’s perhaps a little more aliasing than you’d find on its bigger console and computer counterparts, but the three-hour long adventure has been faithfully ported.

Football Manager 2017 offers inclusive functionality, making sure your decisions as a manager can either win you the trophy, or bankrupt your club. It's fun, but it starts to feel like little more than admin after a while. That, I suppose, is the point.

For someone who played and loved the original, I'm sure this expansion will be a welcome excuse to return to this world. However, Dark Arisen just does not deliver in the same vein, and falls short of being exciting in a new way. Instead, it seems to continue on from the original - incredibly inspired, and yet lacking in follow through.

Episode 1 can be guardedly recommended, then. It stumbles in parts, sure, but it also proves that DontNod has some ambitious ideas for this installment of its teen adventure series. On top of that, it ends intriguingly enough to ensure that many who play through it will want to see what the next episode holds.

There’s a lot of joy to be found in Paper Mario: The Origami King, but its shallow combat and monotonous nature makes for a glib experience that crumples under pressure.

The emulation is perfect, the extra features are great and the Switch is the perfect system for this bit of nostalgia. Unfortunately, the collection of games is a little lacklustre, with the real standouts games that we’ve seen bundled together many times before.

The Ninja Saviors: Return of the Warriors is that kind of slice of classic cake that brings with it the pros and cons of a bygone era, but at least it’s the kind of game that makes you lust for the nostalgia-tinted days of funnelling coins into an arcade stand and engaging in some cathartic mayhem. Easy to pick up action, retrotastic visuals and a chance to feel like a hero with a power fantasy that works delightfully well on the Nintendo Switch.

A reworked yet subtle combat system, visuals that'll make you think that you've fallen under a Genjutsu spell and a story that has finally reached its climax. This final chapter is purely for the fans.

DOOM is a technological marvel to behold on the Switch, and the fact that id Software got it working at all seems like a miracle. But the magic comes with some heavy concessions, making DOOM on Nintendo’s handheld a more difficult recommendation for Switch players than any other platform.

Unfortunately the boss encounters and disposable side missions sully whatever good this content had going for it. Still, despite my grievances, I feel as though Team Ninja are finally finding their groove with the DLC and I’m hoping that the final one will knock it out of the park.

Life Is Strange 2: Episode 2 is a disappointment. While it contains a number of revelatory moments and a couple of scenes that pack real tension, thanks to its lousy pacing and absence of agency, only the most committed fans of this series are advised to pick it up. Here’s hoping Episode 3 picks up the pace.

Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity falters greatly in its narrative. The time-traveling aspect felt like a cheap and easy way to rewrite history without actually adding much to the established lore. That said, this did allow Princess Zelda to shine which ended up being a pleasant surprise. The gameplay is the main hook and it’s a bloody fun one at that. There is lots to love here if you can ignore the weak story.

At its core, For Honor is a stunningly great game with exhilarating combat the likes of which are hardly seen. But it’s crippled by online issues that reduce its core multiplayer to a frustrating mess.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the game, nor is there anything to make me recommend it. If you love JRPGs, you might enjoy this. If not, it will probably reinforce all your negative ideas about JRPGs.

The Farce is strong in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, as TT Games doesn't deviate too far away from their usual formula of puzzles and slapstick.

Life Is Strange 2: Episode 3 still has a problem with pacing and may put off players who aren’t diehard fans of this series. But for those willing to forgive some of its more mundane passages, this episode delivers a pretty compelling denouement and hints at better things to come.

Despite being the prettiest game on the Wii U that has plenty of charm, poor gameplay design and frequently unnecessary spikes in difficulty make this a game that will only appeal to the most die hard of Platinum fans. Not so wonderful, after all.

Wario's relentless onslaught of microgaming still packs in a tonne of fun, especially for newcomers. For long-time Wario players, WarioWare Gold is a blessing and a curse. It’s nice to have a collection of games from across the franchise in one collection, but it also means that fatigue and familiarity can set in pretty quickly.

It’s a game that could have used some more polish. The experience gets clunky at times, the user interface can be needlessly complex, gameplay can be unbalanced and the general visual appearance can be decidedly uglier. But there is more than meets the eye here; State of Decay does offer value for money, in a way that few modern blockbuster-budgeted games can, for a mere third of the price that you’d usually pay in the end.

Like Journey, it’s the sort of game that works as a sort of blank slate on which to project your own feelings of loneliness, loss, unease, and perhaps even peace – but as much as I tried, I found no such emotional connection. No sorrow, no joy…just nothing.

Offworld Trading Company is an enjoyable strategy game for those averse to combat, allowing players to become ruthless capitalists taking over Mars. While it has many excellent elements, it's simply lacking that unique spark that would make it a truly stellar game with hours of replay value.

WRC 8 presents a complete rallying experience with its team management and career components. But while the driving does deliver a fun time, it's frustrating on a technical level and there are the visuals won't distract you from that fact.

Shu is great in its presentation, but falters with its raw mechanics. It provides a solid, albeit simple platforming experience.

Whispers Of A Machine is a solid Point & Click adventure underpinned with some intriguing choice mechanics, boasting a solid, if not revelatory plot. Worth seeking out.

XCOM 2 on Switch is a functional, enjoyable port that falls prey to some of the weaker hardware offered by Nintendo. If you can look past all the performance issues and long-ish load times, XCOM 2 continues to be one of the best strategy games ever published.

The story presented in this first chapter isn’t the most engaging, but the writing, coupled with the detail makes it all come together. As is usual though, I find it hard to recommend until all of its episodes are released and we can judge it as a whole - but this first episode is indeed promising, laying the groundwork for what should be a grand adventure.

It should be an easier purchase to make if you haven’t played DDD before, but other than that, it’s hard to recommend this collection if you’re only getting it for 0.2, however awesome it may be. I do also understand just how starved Kingdom Hearts fans are however, so do know what you’re getting yourself into, but take solace in the fact that even though 0.2 is short, it’s a thrilling ride.

MotoGP 20 will tick all the boxes for what a game based on the most exhilarating racing sport on the planet should offer, but it’ll seldom exceed your expectations thanks to its sterile presentation and no-thrills approach on the track.

Mortal Shell is an excellent entry in the Souls-like space with some fantastic ideas around character progression and combat, but is unfortunately let down by a health system that discourages exploration and an element of tedium that unnecessarily pads out encounters.

L.A. Noire is still a strange, sometimes brilliant game that you should try at least once. But if you’re returning to try and recapture what enjoyment you might have had with it six years ago, you might find yourself staring at a package that hasn’t aged well at all.

It’s hard to justify the maps in Uprising, because as a whole they lack several appealing aspects from the first DLC pack, Revolution. Mob of the Dead on the other hand, is going to be an essential add-on for zombie fans. There’s a moment of brilliance present here in Uprising, but it's fleeting.

While its premise is absurd, Sushi Striker's core action/puzzle mechanics are undeniably fun and initially addictive. It wears a little thin though, with the campaign becoming laborious well before it comes to an end. Thankfully the multiplayer is superb, and is a perfect fit for both the 3DS and the Switch.

The Dragon of the North DLC does little to shake up the Nioh formula, providing familiar environments with uninspired boss battles. That said, this is more Nioh, and the strength of the base game should still give you the challenge and thrill of combat despite the DLC's downfalls.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest is a disappointingly brief and unengaging role-playing game in a format that doesn’t lend itself to engaging gameplay or deliver on a satisfying narrative. While there is potential under the hood, I can’t say I enjoyed playing very much at all.

The minimalist art design is beautiful, and its characters are wonderfully expressive and emotive despite their simplicity. There’s an elegance to Pode, that belies its imperfect platforming and frequent frustrations.

While it shows moments of brilliance when played with the right group, Evolve simply can't consistently promise that level of experience. Play with good friends or play as the monster - but anything else will leave you feeling irritated and unsatisfied.

Buggy, tired and rushed are just some of the examples why Arkham Origins is the weakest title in the Batman trilogy. This isn't the game that Gotham deserves, nor the one that it needs right now.

The Escapists 2 is an ingenious and sometimes frustrating romp with a rewarding experience that’s often just out of reach. A follow-up to 2015’s deliciously popular prison-escape simulator, The Escapists 2 stays true to fans with more freedom and level variety but fails to endear detractors.

Lara Croft’s final adventure in her revival trilogy is easily her weakest yet. Shadow of the Tomb Raider’s story fails to critique the heroine in the many ways it attempts, while aging gameplay mechanics and troublesome new additions undercut deeply satisfying exploration and an exquisite visual presentation.

Though it doesn't have the emotional weight of The Walking Dead or the witty humour of Tales from the Borderlands, Minecraft: Story Mode's best episode yet shows the series fulfill its promise.

It’s difficult to adequately explain or describe Hohokum. It’ll fill you with a child-like sense of wonderment with its abstract exploration, but as a game, its definitely a case of style over substance.

Though its brevity's become it's biggest talking point, there's much more to Ground Zeroes than meets the eye. Beyond that it's accessible, featuring the most fluid stealth the series has shown - and delivers a promising glimpse at the future of Metal Gear Solid.

Cattails doesn’t quite reach the heights of the titans it attempts to mimic. Despite its flaws and shortcomings, it remains a compelling enough adventure survival simulator - one that cat lovers in particular will find plenty of joy playing.

GT Sport isn't for people who want to take racing seriously; it's for people who want to take GT Sport seriously. Superb driving mechanics and pretty graphics do little to hide just how little there is on offer. It asks too much and gives too little.

I mean…it’s Worms. If you feel like paying full price for this latest entry because you happen to have a filthy love for watching the little fellas massacre each other then you’re sorted. If you’re wondering if you should stick to any of the other 20-odd Worms games that you already own, then Worms W.M.D isn’t going to change your mind easily.

Onrush is the perfect game to play after a long day at work. It’s fast, it’s fun and somewhat cathartic as well. Unfortunately the lack of content and a cooperative multiplayer focus that’s never fully realized will leave you rushing to play something else after a few sessions.

When the game works, it is fantastic. Unfortunately, the rest of it feels average and frustratingly built to make players fail. While obsessive collectors might see replay value in New Game+, the story and gameplay simply aren't compelling enough to warrant more than the original 20 hours for completion.

Valentino Rossi: The Game knows everything there is to know about the man behind the number 46. I just wish it knew a little bit more about crafting an exciting MotoGP game.

Brushing its hilariously goofy teamwork aside, Star Trek: Bridge Crew is a shallow, repetitive experience that even the most optimistic Star Trek fans will struggle to sink their teeth into. It’s a missed chance at making piloting your own craft a pleasure, and a sore disappointment.

Fireproof Games' The Room remains an engaging, clever puzzle game. It's a delight to uncover the secrets hidden within the mechanical boxes, but the Switch version just isn't a good value proposition.

Like all board games, Gremlins Inc is designed to be played with friends. If you're going to play this on your own, it's hard to recommend, but if you want to destroy your friendships by cheating over everyone on your path to victory, this might be a digital board game that's worth your while.

The roguelike elements didn’t quite work out for me, but I’m sure Sundered will find its audience. Though I learned not to hate them, I would have preferred if the game stuck closer to tradition. It becomes a good game, but until you really become acquainted with how it works, it can be a frustrating and monotonous slog.

Boring on your own and offering nothing particularly memorable for gameplay, but if you're looking for a fun game for couch co-op that can be completed in an afternoon, this is an easy purchase.

Lego DC Super-Villains is a light-hearted and surprisingly lengthy romp for the whole family. Gameplay doesn't break from the established Lego formula, and the controls can actually be frustrating at times. You'll soldier on, though, thanks to an entertaining story and lovingly-recreated DC universe – especially if you're a comics fan.

Semblance is a frequently delightful, innovative platformer that's all about breaking the rules. When it’s at its best, it’s devilishly clever, but it has a curiously stilted pacing and flow. Its subversive take on mouldable platforming is fun to play, but ultimately its underutilised core concepts will leave you wanting more.

Just Cause 3 is genuinely fun most of the time, but it’s the periods where its not that hurt it most. Add to that some mystifying design decisions around progression and upgrades, and you’ve got a game that attempts to go bigger than its predecessors while forgetting some of the elements that made them so good in the first pace. A fun, albeit flawed game.

When it all comes together, Rainbow Six Siege offers some of the best multiplayer action you'll experience this generation, but the anaemic content and lack of a cohesive single player campaign mar what should be one of this year's best shooters.

Make no mistake about Paper Monsters Recut. This game will not push your platforming skills to the limit, it is a simple platformer that is aimed at a much younger audience, but if you give in to your casual side and give it a go, you might just end up enjoying it.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind are well-told and compelling mystery games presented in a loving remake that improves on the original titles while sometimes remaining a little too faithful to outdated designs.

With a nostalgic vibe and excellent value, Mighty Switch Force 2 is worth a download if you're in the mood for a quick and fun puzzle platformer. It won't be your game of the year, but it might entertain you for a couple hours.

A vertical shoot-em-up that does its best to modernise the genre with an upgrade and progression system. It successfully captures the spirit of older games of its ilk, but the perpetual grind may dissuade many players.

Cat Quest’s combat can get stale and the lacklustre dungeon design definitely hampers exploration, but the surprisingly entertaining story and cool loot system is enough to keep you engaged to see it through to the end, if, you’re playing in short bursts.

The game is minimalist and doesn’t add enough to justify the cost. Despite the lustre of the event, the game is badly put together. I cannot recommend this for anything other than a shelf adornment.

Episode 4 has some truly engaging moments, but the issues that have plagued earlier episodes persist. By now, it’s likely that only the diehards – those who forked out for a season pass – will see this through to the end.

Project Warlock has its moments, but the retro good comes with some nostalgic bad. If you’re able to look past its flaws, there’s a chunky and satisfying first-person shooter that still manages to be a blast from the past when you get to grips with it.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind are well-told and compelling mystery games presented in a loving remake that improves on the original titles while sometimes remaining a little too faithful to outdated designs.

Super Mario Maker is every bit the engrossing, feature rich creation tool that it is on the Wii U, but only if you plan on sharing your creations with a very limited pool of people. Its lack of real course-sharing rips out the heart of what made this title so captivating on the Wii U, making it a clear second best choice.

Alan Wake makes his official debut in Control in full force, delivering a very large helping of lore and storytelling that goes down great with the overall game experience. If only he had a brought a small side of new gameplay mechanics as well, because the formula remains pretty much the same.

Even if Just Dance 2017 isn't the greatest game, it's still a whole lot of fun. If you have previous iterations, I'm not sure the new modes or songs are a reason to upgrade, but if you don't have a home dance game, this is well worth picking up for kids or partying adults.

This new alternate history DLC for Assassin's Creed 3 is actually a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Unfortunately, it's a very short inhalation of gameplay and ideas.

Honestly, the only way that I could recommend this game, would be if you happen to have just discovered the franchise or you’ve been practicing Sitting-Under-A-Rock-Jutsu for the last decade. Otherwise, save your cash for the upcoming Revolution.

Cricket 19 won’t be winning any awards nor pioneering new things, but it is a fun game to pick up and play. It’s simple, intuitive and makes cricket accessible to just about anyone.

Batman: Return to Arkham is neither the game that Gotham fanboys deserve or need right now. Not even the dark knight can foil a plot to downgrade the visuals of two video games which defined his legend for a new medium several years ago.

Kirby's debut on the Switch is a vibrant and fun game that's best played with friends. It's cheerful, colourful and its blend of new and old mechanics works, but it's missing the inventive spark that separates good Kirby games from great ones.

Dragon Ball XenoVerse 2 makes some massive strides towards improving on some of the deep flaws of the original game. It’s just a super-shame that it also forgets to actually add anything to that foundation to help it feel like a true sequel. I’m just Saiyan’ that is.

It's a delightfully irreverent, casual tabletop warfare game that offers some surprisingly satisfying strategy gaming. There are a few fundamental flaws that are overshadowed by slick production values and some wonderfully witty writing.

Sniper Elite V2 Remastered is a decent package, and while it does show its age in some mechanical instances, this slice of nostalgia is still a great appetiser for the next big chapter in Fairburne’s European safari.

When it’s hitting the highs you expect from a PC Port, Gears of War Ultimate Edition is simply the best way to experience Delta Squad’s first mission. But its unavoidable lows keep it from being an easy recommendation.

The Surge is a flawed but ultimately enjoyable action RPG. While it can be incredibly frustrating at times, the fantastic combat and body part targeting system does enough to overshadow the bad parts.

My Time at Portia wears its influences on its sleeve but fails to build both a compelling world and charming inhabitants to engage with when reaching for the same lofty heights. Its loop of resource gathering and intricate building is implemented well, but it lacks the charm to make it all cohesive enough to be alluring.

Assetto Corsa may try to parade around on console as a video game, but it’s not fooling anyone. It’s a simulator made for those that want the most realistic driving experience possible. Even then, it’s fairly rough around the edges and is only in any way recommended to diehard racing fans who are willing to drop money on a decent wheel and pedal setup.

As Marvel games go, Iron Man VR doesn’t quite hit the high mark set by the superlative Spider-Man, but it’s an often engaging and exhilarating experience to step into shellhead’s signature armour. Long load times, overused padding and poor writing mar what would otherwise be the ultimate Iron Man adventure.

Simple mechanically, yet sophisticated in its story, Draugen is a brief exploration of grief, trauma, and mental illness wrapped in a compelling mystery that only occasionally drops the ball.

Infamous: First Light provides a bite-sized experience, a mere sliver of Second Son. It mirrors that games main themes and focuses on the best of its powers, but is let down a little by its bfrevity.