Great visuals alone do not a great game make - and there's unfortunately very little in The Order: 1886 to elevate it beyond being a pretty, but shallow and insipid shooter. It commits the one sin no interactive entertainment should: it's painfully boring.

If you can get past its frequently frustrating controls, there's some decent zombie-shooting fun to be had in Arizona Sunshine.

The Occupation's clever real-time investigations and immensely engrossing story are undone by its dedication to inducing tension by restricting saving, which is exasperated by uneven technical performance.

Destiny 2 does have an identity once again, a solid bedrock upon which to build its future. But whatever Bungie has planned, it’s going to need to be far sturdier than its latest collection of recycled content, uneven new events and a meagre amount of PVP content.

Trailblazers has plenty of charm and style with its gimmick of painting your way to victory, but it barely crosses the finish line thanks to its uneven AI, sloppy handling and lackluster multiplayer.

Good but not exceptional, Warhammer: Chaosbane is a solid and confident slice of medieval melee action. As Gothic as it is repetitive in the endgame phase, it’s still an enjoyable romp in the same vein as many an action RPG from yesteryear.

PlayStation Vita Pets does an admirable job of trying something new, but unfortunately the slow pace of the adventure mode acts as a counteragent to its good ideas.

Exploring the world and causing trouble was really satisfying, but the appeal disappears as soon as you realise there is only one map. Hopefully Steam Workshop expands on the ideas here, otherwise it may not have much lasting appeal. A multiplayer mod is a must for the future of Goat Simulator.

Daymare 1998 is a competent survival horror game that borrows too heavily from its influences to do anything interesting or unique and thus suffers from poor writing and uninspired gameplay.

While Ghost Blade HD isn’t for everyone, it’s hard to not appreciate it for what it is despite the fact that it’s as brutally short as it is challenging: An intricately designed experience of speed and shrapnel coming at you from every single angle. There’s a certain layer of subtlety present, but don’t expect Ghost Blade HD to redefine the genre. Rather, it’s a celebration of everything that made schmups fantastic so many years ago, wrapped up in a tight and bright package.

Agents of Mayhem is a fun game, but it’s also lacking in what we’ve come to expect from the makers of one of the funniest franchises since Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 3 stole our hearts nearly two decades ago.

There's not really very much to say about Super Bomberman R. It's the Bomberman you've come to know and love, which counts very much against its favour once you factor in its cost. It's no doubt fun, especially in multiplayer, but that fleeting fun is expensive.

Doki Doki Universe is enjoyable for the first hour. After that, it becomes unbearably repetitive.

Destruction AllStars is both new and familiar, but it’s a refreshing collection of cars, modes, and madcap driving that shows great promise for the future. A mental destruction derby with some admittedly annoying quirks, there’s plenty of charm under the hood of this game that respects your time and smashes into the competition with a gung-ho attitude and some novel ideas.

Fire and Ice just isn't a good game. While its platforming may be mechanically sound, the game just tries to do too much - and fails at most of it. If you're looking for a return to form for Sonic the Hedgehog, Fire and Ice unfortunately isn't it.

Ooblets is an excellent farming RPG with loads of deep customisation options and a satisfying progression arc, that’s weighed down by an irritatingly cute aesthetic and a battle system that feels like it should have stayed in the oven for a few more hours. [Early Access score = 80]

Mario’s foray in to the sporting world has had its ups and down; soaring highs and disheartening lows. This? This is just middling, a mediocre package unlikely win the multifaceted Mario new fans.

While Liberation offers AC junkies some elements that will keep them happy for up to 15 hours, the game ultimately lacks coherent storytelling, interesting missions and memorable characters.

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.

What had the potential to be a great piece of DLC, is instead an all-too brief episode of missed opportunities and squandered potential starring a great heroine who deserves far better.

There's no competition in the genre on the Xbox One right now, so if you absolutely must shoot marbles then you probably can't go wrong with Sparkle Unleashed. However it feels, looks and plays like a mobile port - which is okay, because that's exactly what it is.

Dead Island Riptide doesn't venture too far from its core strengths, and while that is definitely a boon from a story perspective, it's still panders to the typical rubbish zombie trope.

FlatOut 4: Total Insanity is a fun, nitro-boosted jaunt down memory lane. But while it's good in small does, its lack of variety - in spite a plethora of game modes - and uneven and sometimes frustrating racing experience leaves it running out of gas. Die hard franchise stalwarts should definitely have a look, but newcomers may find it tiring.

While technically impressive that so much can be done on the 3DS, Chase Begins covers familiar territory far too soon, the missing touches from the Wii U glaringly obvious.

WRC 4 is a perfect example of an annualised game at its worst, having churned out yet another sub-par performance which rests on average and has no drive to go further and actually be worthwhile.

Even though it's not visually distinguishable from may of this year's games, I have to admit to having more fun with FUSE than anticipated - when I played it with friends. Playing it alone is a chore, and something best avoided.

Malicious Fallen is often frustrating but it’s also capable of providing some incredible highs. Give it a chance, and it might just surprise you.

Another year, another dip into familiar waters with a game that isn't the revolution that fans have been waiting for. Believe it.