If you've never tried an MMO, Wildstar may be the game to get its hooks in to you. If you're a veteran, I have a strong feeling that you will like what is on offer.

FFXIV: A Realm Reborn is truly a new and improved MMORPG. It takes all the best features from MMOs and Final Fantasy games and combines them in this fantastic package. The PS4 is its ideal platform - this is the Final Fantasy game that I've been waiting for.

Once you get used to all the mechanics, you’ll find yourself, and even though it can get really frustrating at times, Xenoblade Chronicles X remains engrossing even after dozens of hours of play. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I’m really feeling it!

As a stand-alone experience, The Tengu’s Disciple is a bit on the short end and there’s not much to the story at all, but it does provide some of the best boss battles to date. If the rest of the upcoming DLC provides the same level of gameplay and showdown quality as this chapter does, then Nioh 2 is going to have some incredible longevity going forward.

Metro Redux sets the bar high for what a HD remaster should be – not only a visual upgrade, but a gameplay touch up as well. Metro 2033 benefits the most from this, and owners of Last Light will have a tough time finding many improvements. Still, if you’re yet to visit the bleak world of the Moscow underground, there hasn’t been a better time.

Pikmin proves that you don't need sex, violence or gimmicks to make an incredible game.

The new funky Mode dials down the challenge, but Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze remains one of the most inventive and exciting 2D platformers. It may not be surprising, or as fresh as it once was, but it's varied and challenging gameplay cement it as one of modern gaming's best platformers.

On the surface of it , Puzzle & Dragons Z and the Super Mario Bros. edition of the game are mindless match 3 puzzle games -but that casual, family-friendly aesthetic belies a pair of deep and complex strategy RPGs.

Far Cry 4 takes everything that made its predecessor one of 2012's best games and improves upon it. A true sandbox, most of its fun comes from the stories you create as opposed to its lacklustre narrative. If you loved Far Cry 3, you'll love what its sequel has to offer.

Rare Replay is more than a collection of old games from one of the most revered developers in the world. It's a digital museum that stands as a testament to how wonderful and wondrous video games have been, and continue to be.

Tropical Freeze is a marvel. Though it doesn’t deviate from expectations in the slightest, it’s an exceptional, and exceptionally tough platformer that just about every masochistic Wii U owner should play.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is a loving remake of a decades-old game remake with just enough modern touches to make it worth playing again. Graphical overhaul aside, it’s perhaps a little too faithful to the original, while additions like the dungeon-builder are a bust. Newcomers get to experience one of the quirkiest games in the series, but for those who’ve played through it multiple times, there’s little reason to play other than nostalgia or adoration - both of which are perfectly good excuses to return to Koholint.

Bloodshed’s End concludes the Nioh saga on a high note with amazing bosses and a new challenging mode. Not to mention it has some truly nostalgic throwbacks to Ninja Gaiden, and that alone, makes it a worthwhile experience.

Filled with secrets to be found, and strong foundation on core combat, Hyper Light Drifter is a deep experience. Fun for a seven hour journey of exploration, or many more hours for completion, it offers plenty of value and enjoyment for its price.

Volume is a must play game for anyone who claims to be a fan of the stealth genre, while still being a suitable entry point for stealth game virgins. It's gentle while still posing challenges, even if gaming veterans will find ways to cheese the system. The script and voice acting take it to a whole new level of greatness.

New Pokemon Snap captures the magic of the original game without ever losing focus, expanding on that game with a vastly increased collection of Pokemon, colourful zones to explore, and a few other interesting developments behind the lens. It's a delightful adventure that imagines the world of Pokemon as a lively and cathartic safari.

Sunset Overdrive’s stylistic gameplay and juvenile attitude doesn’t make it a title for everyone. It is, however, an incredibly fun, visually beautiful open-world title that exhibits the best parts of what a sandbox game should be. Tight, stylish movement, engrossing combat and chaotic online fun makes Sunset Overdrive a no brainer for any Xbox One owner.

As an origin story, Yakuza 0 is a perfect starting point for series newcomers, and a wonderful look in to the past for those already familiar with Yakuza. While its combat can become a slog, soaking up the sights and sounds of a 1980s Tokyo criminal underground is enchanting.

Resident Evil 3 Remake continues to the raise the bar of what it means to be a remake. It can feel rushed in places, but the sheer terror of Nemesis and the return to form of Jill Valentine makes it an experience you don’t want to miss. Just be sure to bring extra clean underwear along for the ride.

A delightfully charming platformer, Sackboy:A Big Adventure untethers the knitted knight from the creation-focused LittleBigPlanet and gives him his own grand adventure. In doing so, Sumo Digital has delivered one of the most thoughtful, interesting, and love-laden platformers in recent memory, resulting in a perpetual delight.

Season 2 of Telltale’s Batman saga is off to a grand start, nailing all of the traditional beats that you’d expect from a dark knight game while staying true to its vision. Epic and ready to set up the caped crusader against an even deadlier menace in the months to come, Bruce Wayne’s world is once again fraught with peril and tension.

Despite some annoyingly prevalent fan-service and clunky fetch quests, Shantae and The Seven Sirens won me over with it’s beautiful realised world, charming characters and thoroughly polished metroidvania design.

Call of Duty: WWII is a great entry into the long-running series. Sledgehammer has done a fantastic job in creating a Call of Duty that will appeal to contemporary fans and those fans who might have favourable memories of earlier games in the series. It often walks a fine line between thoughtful representation of World War II and typical Call of Duty flamboyance, but it’s a line that Sledgehammer walks with confidence. The result is a Call of Duty that feels assured of what it’s trying to accomplish, and what it accomplishes is riveting, entertaining and at times hard-hitting.

For over twenty years, Pokémon has been a source of joy and adoration. If Pokémon Let’s Go is an indication of where the franchise is headed in the future, it’s easily going to enjoy another two decades of love from a whole new generation of fans.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is an excellent port of an excellent game - though its difficulty may be a little off-putting for newcomers.

For over twenty years, Pokémon has been a source of joy and adoration. If Pokémon Let’s Go is an indication of where the franchise is headed in the future, it’s easily going to enjoy another two decades of love from a whole new generation of fans.

If you remember when "multiplayer" meant friends and a multitap, Towerfall: Ascension will fill you with glee. With its healhty dose of old-school adversarial local multiplayer, fans of games like Powerstone or Super Smash Bros should already have Towerfall: Ascension in their libraries.

There’s a lot to love about South Park: The Fractured But Whole. The action is clever, the humour is even smarter and the quiet little mountain town is still as charmingly familiar as ever when you’re not busy farting your way out of danger.

Concrete Genie is a short, deeply moving expression of creativity and life. Despite embracing some generic mechanics towards the end, Concrete Genie is a bold, passionate game that bears one of the most stunning aesthetics I’ve seen all year.

ARMS is another great new IP from Nintendo that shows their growing commitment to robust, competitive online games. Its elegant flow of fighting is supplemented by numerous options of continued experimentation, with a strong suite of game types to keep you playing for hours on end.

Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition has all of the quality of the 3DS version that built on the Wii U original (and some of the more recent Fire Emblem Warriors improvements added for good measure) and none of the drawbacks.

Necrobarista is a touching, emotional journey that features an excellently written and easily lovable cast of characters. While the “memories” within the game are frustrating to unlock, it wasn’t enough to detract from an otherwise excellent experience.

A more civilised game for a more elegant franchise, Disney Infinity 3.0 has found its groove this year, with a an improved and flexible Toybox that'll keep the younglings busy for hours.

A decade of gaming in a single package, the latest return to Pandora still stands tall as a testament to brilliant game design, and even with a few technical concessions along the way, it makes for one handsome pack of fun.

Combining fantastic story telling, intriguing characters and tons to do, Rogue takes Assassin's Creed to the pinnacle of old generation capabilities. Niggling issues are still present, but the story and characters make the experience seriously worthwhile.

If Guardian of Gotham tense atmosphere and hard choices are anything to by in this penultimate episode, then Telltale is on the verge of delivering the definitive Batman story in video game form.

Akane always ends in violence, bloodshed and the death of the titular hero. It’s the journey towards that inevitable conclusion, that makes this retro-styled experience one of the finest examples of its genre as it deftly weaves a subtle strategy with some of the tightest action on the market today.

It may be a bit of a stretch to see if any game holds up after 15 years, but Destroy All Humans! is still a mindless romp of manic mass destruction that excels in the replayability department. A brilliantly polished slice of nostalgia, Destroy All Humans! knows exactly where to focus its energies with its silly story, updated gameplay and a graphical overhaul that is light-years ahead of the original invasion.

Sonic Mania is a celebration of everything that made Sonic the Hedgehog such an enduring, beloved character. Plus adds to that, making one of the best Sonic games in decades even better.

Fast Racing NEO wears its F-Zero inspiration on its sleeve, and manages to fill the void left by that series conspicuous absence. As its name suggests its fast, but it's also clever, beautifully designed, challenging, and above all, fun.

Total War: Attila is a complex and diverse strategy game that will offer returning Total War fans their fair share of ups and downs.

Ratchet and Clank: Nexus has enough content to keep fans happy, and despite the abrupt ending, caps the Future series off nicely. Solid and charming, it’s most likely the final game in the franchise that’ll appear on the PS3, but it bows out with a bang.

Disney Infinity has made some massive strides this year, improving on several features that were left in a rough state when the game debuted. Some of those corners are still feeling like they’ve been ignored, but the game does a fine job in promoting that creative spark amongst the younger members of the family.

EA Sports have taken a fantastic game and tweaked it to make it just that little bit better. The passing mechanic feels slightly worse but in the end that is also forcing players to utilise the entire range of passing abilities so it is possible that this is by design. FIFA 16 is the best FIFA to date.

It's fresh enough to the point that it's alien, yet it's still Call of Duty underneath that futuristic surface.

Though bare-bones in presentation and lacking single player content right now, Street Fighter V offers a perfect blend of accessibility and depth, making it a fun fighter for players of all skill levels.

One of the games on the PlayStation is now one of the best games on the PlayStation 4.

It’s superbly paced and well scripted, and though still missing that necessary level of polish, an experience you’ll be remiss to pass on.

Call of Duty: Ghosts is a great new addition to the franchise but it is definitely showing its age now. Far too many invisible walls and glitches in the single player campaign show a lack of due care and attention which I didn't expect from Infinity Ward. The multiplayer experience more than makes up for it though.

It might not quite hit the highs of Bowser’s Inside Story, but it’s still essential; yet another must-have title to the 3DS’ ever-increasing library of incredible first party games.

If the servers worked all the time and we could play offline then this game would easily score 9.5, but that elephant is huge and a problem.

Guitar Hero Live provides a whole new experience to veterans, yet manages to be accessible enough for those who are only just starting their digital rock careers. It’s a solid title,though the streaming service GHTV could use some tweaking to make the game an absolute must-have.

Reaper of Souls takes Diablo III and makes it much better, simple as that. I would highly recommend it to any fan who has decided to skip it. This is what Diablo III should have been.

A minor improvement over the first episode. New enemies, new weapons, and a slightly longer duration – if Capcom can keep this up, Revelations 2 will definitely be a great game overall.

The game has obviously been lovingly crafted by a team of developers who live for online multiplayer and they have pretty much got everything right. But at some point someone should have pointed out that a large portion of the gaming audience also like single player and playing just for fun.

Unflinchingly tense and grueling, Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation is a better sequel to Ridley Scott's original movie than the film that followed it. Dripping with as much atmosphere and attention to detail as it is with acidic Xenomorph spittle, it's hardly let down by its weak narrative and unnecessary padding.

Despite some boring locales and an over-reliance on the darkness just for the sake of it, Amnesia: Rebirth is an excellent horror game with some fun puzzles, well-written characters, and genuinely terrifying moments.

A story told with deft delicacy while not pulling any punches along the way, If Found is a gorgeous slice of storytelling told with deceptively minimal inputs and maximum talent.

A slow-motion bullet ballet extravaganza, The Hong Kong Massacre is a lean and mean action gameplay whose core gunplay makes for a satisfying and challenging loop that’ll leave you feeling like a hardboiled action star after every face-off.

A solid new addition to the Call of Duty experience and some of the best maps I've played in a long time.

It wants its audience to switch lenses, zoom in and accept that war involves relatable individuals on all sides. No matter the uniform they’re wearing, or where they’re from, they bear the burden of choice and consequences at a personal level, carried out in seconds and minutes, just like us.

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath is a short and sweet expansion of new stories, characters and gruesome action that gives fans more of what they love.

Despite these drawbacks though, Battlefield V offers some of the most rewarding, visceral WWII action in any game out there thanks to genius little tweaks to gameplay and immersion, all produced with an audio-visual technical mastery that is second to none. With its free live-service component as well, the future for the franchise looks very good.

Picking up the ball that Fire Emblem: Awakening passed to it, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright is a second chance at jumping into an iconic franchise for the first time and getting lost in the magic of love on the battlefield.

If you’ve become disillusioned with modern-day Pokemon, then Nexomon is super effective at appealing to your nostalgia. It looks great, the price is stupidly low and while it may feel derivative at times, the quality on display with this capture ‘em all experience is on par with Nintendo’s top-tier offerings.

Through Splinter Cell: Blacklist, Ubisoft has reminded us of what a force of nature, Sam Fisher truly is. The take-home message is that there's still life in the old dog. While, the game may be a compromise of sorts, with a merger of concepts and ideas, its true success lies in how flexible and rewarding the gameplay is.

Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser’s Minions is a mouthful, but this remastered classic is a keen reminder as to why the series has maintained such a high bar of RPG quality over the years. Its established formula and rhythmic pace make it a hard adventure to put down, even if some of its parts are more superfluous than substantial.

Gears of War 4 is a satisfying, if not overly familiar, return to some of the series’ best beats. A distinctly dark campaign dishes out welcome surprises and disappointing repeats in equal measure, while its refined Horde mode and thoroughly engaging multiplayer round off a package that any franchise fan should be happy to rev through.

For better and worse, Nioh 2 feels like more of the same. Tired environmental design and rehashed gameplay elements sully what is otherwise an addictive and exhilarating loot-based hack and slash samurai adventure.

It was rather refreshing returning to Guild Wars 2 after an extended absence. With mountains of fresh and exiting content, Guild Wars 2 Heart of Thorns is most definitely worth it if you’re a fan of the franchise. The new map is beautiful to behold, and there is friendship around every corner.

It’s cheerful, colourful. charming and incredibly inventive, making the best use of the Vita’s unique features since the system’s release. It’s a showcase, not just for the Vita but for the creative minds at Media Molecule.

Dawn of War III is a solid entry into the series, the campaign is a refreshing and well-built return to form. I’ve had as much, if not more fun in multiplayer than I’ve had in the previous games. All that remains now is to wait for the inevitable expansions, desperately hoping they bring your favourite faction back (c’mon Tau and Necrons!)

Dragon Quest Builders 2 refines its formula and cuts out many of the frustrations from the first game, delivering a more structured story and rewarding pacing that lets you see your hard work gradually blossom rather than be swept away. It's an engrossing sequel that is difficult to pull away from, and now far more welcoming to start too.

Though not as brutally challenging as its forbears, the first chapter of The odd Gentleman’s King’s Quest is a delightfully charming, funny and beautiful game that any fan of old adventure games will love.

Company of Heroes 2’s weakness is its strength, as much as some aspects of the game disappoints, others make up for it tenfold. This masterpiece is an opiate of World War II themed strategy, it will have you coming back for more.

While still definitely a family-oriented franchise, Skylanders: Superchargers is also a whole of fun for adults. Vehicular gameplay adds a whole new aspect to the gameplay, although it also makes the pull to buy ever more toys feel even more necessary.

Rock-solid design with a somewhat annoying user interface that wobbles between novel and intrusive, 88 Heroes is a platformer with heart and personality that’ll have you wondering who you’re gonna call when Doctor H8 rocks up to threaten the world. Spoiler: Anyone another than this lovable collection of misfit vigilantes.

Death Stranding starts off at a poor pace but eventually blossoms into a captivating tale with intriguing themes, solidified by compelling performances and an eventually satisfying pace to its gameplay. Not all of its systems mesh comfortably, but there’s enough here to drive you towards the eventual poignant conclusion.

Kyloton’s approach to speed in TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 2 is one that still carries with it absolute love and reverence for one of the greatest races on the planet, mixing a passion for performance and geography into a thrilling spectacle.

Airscape is the platformer of the 90s with a ton of 2015 thrown in to shake things up. It does a great job of adding enough that’s new (or downright weird) to interest platforming purists or those just looking to avoid red lasers of death a few levels at a time when they have an hour to spare here or there.

Little Nightmares is grotesque, creepy, and unnerving – but it’s also beautiful. It’s an odd juxtaposition, but one that carries on through the game. For every bit of ominous ambience, there’s something to marvel at. It succeeds in its goal of evoking child-like fears, with a lingering, pervasive sense of terror that wrenches your gut.

What it lacks in raw innovation it more than makes up for in pure joy. Mario Kart 8's bare-bones presentation is offset by its solid core racing, and is an essential purchase for every Wii U owner who appreciates fun.

Wild, adequately beautiful and a reminder of what a real need for speed truly feels like. Burnout Paradise Remastered may not be essential for anyone who has already spent many an afternoon committing its many and shortcuts streets to memory, but as an example of how racing games can fuse euphoria and momentum into one packed package of V8 action? It’s the original benchmark that hasn’t a single ounce of torque.

While it fails at being a game, Attentat 1942 succeeds at being an experience. It sacrifices all aspects of player choice and interactivity at the expense of delivering a compelling and interesting story. It can be praised for exploring an aspect and setting of a famous conflict that most games wouldn’t touch on.

Bloodroots is an aesthetically gorgeous, grindhouse inspired action game with a glorious combat system that’s unfortunately spoiled by some poorly designed platforming segments that just refuse to gel with the game’s core mechanics.

Ni No Kuni 2 manages to showcase that even without Studio Ghibli, Level-5 can still create a truly wondrous and magical JRPG. Even though the new features and strategic elements feel undercut by its easy difficulty, this is still a fine example of what the genre has to offer.

Yoku’s Island Express is whimsical, charming and a joy to play. It’s developed by people who have an obvious love and deep knowledge for both pinball and Metroidvania games, and frequently delights and surprises by taking established genre conventions and quite literally flipping them about.

Panic Studio's port of Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus may be a game of compromises, but the amitious effort still manages to capture not only the complete content of the original game but also its very essence.

Atomega may look cartoonishly simple at first glance, but there’s a wonderfully mad game of evolution at play here when you dig deep beneath its blocky surface.

As a stopgap between Darksiders 3 and the eventual Darksiders 4, Genesis scratches an itch in an unconventional manner that deserves some appreciation for trying something new along the way. Darksiders Genesis is action and co-op play firing on all cylinders. Even if I do need to strap a pair of binoculars to my face to see what I’m doing.

Borderlands 3 may be a brain-dead story of already dead on arrival memes and a cast that is largely forgettable (Save for Tannis, I still love you for being my socially inept spirit animal), but it’s easily the most satisfying power fantasy of the year thanks to its amazingly tuned gunplay and a sophisticated flow of action that picks up the juvenile slack.

Flashy, brutal and deeper than you'd expect. Killer Instinct is back baby.

It may have a few inconsistencies that can otherwise hamper the fine action in front of you, but this is the Wolfenstein return that for the most part, manages to mix deliciously old-school violence with a new generation of visuals and storytelling.

While maybe straying a bit too close to older games in the series, Doraemon Story of Seasons still delivers a charming role-playing farm experience with a gorgeous aesthetic and satisfying gameplay loop.

Batman: The Telltale Series may stumble a bit in the opening act, but it quickly hits a comfortable stride with a promising first episode as Bruce Wayne steps out of the shadows.

A scrappy and bloody brilliant strategy game that builds further upon the idea of survival strategy, Conan Unconquered doesn’t stray too far from its primary influence but it does offer plenty of unique substance that gives it its very own flavour. Now that, is what is best in life.

Gorgeous pixel art, a massively deep combat system, and the pure elation that can only be earned from vanquishing nigh-unstoppable foes makes for a solid package of fun in Star Renegades.

There is no doubt that this expansion offers some great value to newcomers, offering them the whole Company of Heroes 2 multiplayer component for as little as $12.99. For those who already own the game, the new factions and maps will offer differentiation, but not a great deal of value.