Beneath the fluff and frustrations lies a truly unique game with a wondrous world and a central mechanic that can often cause moments of pure exhilaration. It's a fun, but deeply flawed experience.

Assassin’s Creed Chronicles: India is a game that should have everything going for it with its great visuals and setting, established world and an interesting protagonist. Instead we're left with an average game with a bland narration that's frustrating to control and play. It's truly such a shame.

It’s a middle of the road RPG in a sense, because it skimps out on some of the deeper mechanics that the genre is known for while double dipping on others. In a sense it’s the best type of RPG for a mobile device such as the 3DS then – offering bite sized worlds to have fun in for a short time and a combat system that links up with this design perfectly. But it’s deep and long enough to be considered a wholesome adventure, and one that never loses its way in terms of writing, challenge or intrigue along the way.

The second expansion pack for the Sims 4 certainly delivers the goods. There’s lots to be done, a bunch of new goodies to interact with, new areas to explore, and interesting clubs just waiting to be created.

Packed with fan service, beautifully rendered and more challenging than you'd imagine. Star Wars pinball fans are going to feel a stirring of the Force in their pockets with these Resistance and First Order tables.

Though there are some annoyances, Tetris Ultimate preserves the core gameplay that has kept people hooked for three decades. Unfortunately, it does very little to differentiate itself from the norm.

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.

The change in tone set by the last episode continues, and for a while is darker and sombre than a children’s game should be. And, by the end of it, it feels like the story’s come to a close, though there’s still another episode left.

On its own, the Freeze episode isn’t much longer than any of the preceding Arkham Knight episodes that built up the DLC content for most of Arkham Knight, but it’s massively satisfying to see Batman’s cold-hearted cryogenics expert get some much-needed closure – as well as see Batman: Arkham Knight wrap up on at least one post-launch high note.

The second chapter of King's Quest is still as charming as it’s ever been, the writing is sublime, the art-style is still magnificent and its orchestral soundtrack is wonderful - but it's hard not to feel a bit disappointed given the lengthy wait.

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!

Fat Princess Adventures dispenses with the strategy of the first game, instead focusing on hacking and slashing. If you're looking for a light-hearted, casual Diablo-styled romp that's perfect for the whole family, Fat Princess Adventures is worth gobbling up.

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.

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.

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.

It’s quite possibly the most authentic Star Wars shooter ever made thanks to some amazing visual production values, but with shallow action and very little ambition to do more than necessary. Just like the films.

While the franchise still needs to overcome some inherent flaws, Assassin's Creed Syndicate feels refreshingly different and a joy to play. With believable characters and fluid gameplay that feels trimmed of its excess fat, it is the best Assassin's Creed game to come out in years.

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.

Fallout 4 carries over a number of problems from the past, and some of the more streamlined changes end up hampering the experience - but despite all of that, it’s a fantastic game that delivers one of the most compelling and addictive worlds this year.

Its mere existence proves that the RTS genre, despite the flood of MOBAs in recent years, is very much alive and well. It’s clear that Blizzard have poured every resource at their disposal into making the definitive StarCraft II experience. The result is something truly special. Legacy of the Void should not be missed.

A tennis game that lacks motion controls, signature Mario silliness or even the effort for unique cut scenes, the only thing Mario Tennis Ultra Smash has going for it is that it's functional and vaguely entertaining for short periods of time.

If you can look past the terrible controls, barely optimised visuals, useless trick system and erratic frame-rate issues then MX vs. ATV Supercross Encore might appeal to you.

Not the best of reboots, but certainly not the worst, the latest Need For Speed plays it safe with a reborn franchise that is focused on finding the lust for momentum that it had lost in previous installments. A solid start, even if it doesn't finish ahead of the pack.

Crystal Dynamics have effortlessly done the impossible with Rise of the Tomb Raider, crafting a sequel that is superior to their reboot in every single way possible. It’s a bigger, more expansive experience that has a captivating narrative, engrossing gameplay loops and an absolutely stunning presentation. Rise of the Tomb Raider is one of the best action games ever crafted, and a generational leap forward as the series looks towards the horizon. Lara Croft is in good hands.

In the end it is still Call of Duty and if you aren’t a fan of the run and gun mechanic then you are probably not going to be a big fan. However if you’ve ever enjoyed any Call of Duty game since World at War you are going to love this. Easily the best multiplayer I’ve experienced in years along with a strikingly unique single player campaign plus a bucket load of extras and a massive community to enjoy it with. You can’t go wrong picking it up this year.

Cut from the same cloth as Limbo, Nikola Kostic's puzzle platformer Albert and Otto exudes a strange, otherwordly charm. It's equally fantastic and frustrating, with the experience hampered by it being not quite as polished as it should be.

Less zip and more of a lashing, Chibi-Robo: Zip Lash has all the basics it needs to be an enjoyable platformer but trips over itself with some baffling design choices and an un-inspired candy center.

A solid city-building and economic management game, one that provides an addictive experience. As the end game draws on however, some players may experience fatigue and move on. Fans however, will find a sim that will eat up dozens of hours of their time, especially if they are out to establish a perfectly balanced economy.