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.

The historical strategy game’s enjoyable combat is let down by some frustrating bugs, and a tutorial that rushes through itself. In the end, Numantia really does feel like it needs one or two more rounds of good polish. Still, if you’re a fan of hex-based combat and you’re willing to push through all those issues, there’s a good game lying beneath.

All ages gameplay, a colourful world to explore and a platforming mascot who has some potential to join the legends of the genre in the years to come. Super Lucky’s Tale won’t push your skills too far when it comes to its imaginative level design, but it’ll still be a cathartic way to wrap up the year thanks to its nostalgic focus on the past.

Star Wars Battlefront II is a gorgeous, incredibly fun shooter that builds on its roots with a host of new content, welcome gameplay tweaks and a fun single-player campaign. But all of its improvements are overshadowed by the Star Destroyer of crooked business decisions and terrible progression, making it a hard sell right now.

If you love choose-your-own-adventure games, Hidden Agenda is compelling enough to make for an evening’s entertainment, especially given its price – but it feels more a glimpse of what could be enabled by mobile-connected games in the future, than a showcase of them at the moment.

It’s a simple well-presented trivia game’s perfect for quick, bite-sized casual gaming for the whole family. Its questions aren’t nearly as varied or interesting as the ones you’d find in You don’t Know Jack, but they definitely have broader appeal. If trivia’s something you enjoy, and you miss games like Buzz, Knowledge is Power is lot of fun.

Need For Speed Payback is several bad ideas on four wheels, a drab racer whose potential is rear-ended by an underhanded upgrade system and a story that belongs in a direct-to-DVD bargain bin.

It’s definitely fun in short bursts, and is perfectly suited to the Switch with its casual, light-hearted multiplayer. That said, it’s just not especially engaging or memorable. As far as rhythm games go, this one going to be a bit like Marmite. As a rhythm game. it’s not nearly as quirky or interesting as something like Rhythm Heaven - and as a sports game, it can’t top Wii Sports. As a combination of both, it’s unique - but the sum isn’t as good as its parts.

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.

Bigger, bolder and brighter than ever, the LEGO formula remains unchanged in LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2. While evolution isn’t a building block for this latest entry, fan service, gorgeous visuals and an absurd amount of content certainly is.

It may look lovely and run well, but Sonic Forces' uninspired level design and lack of flow prevent it being much fun to play.

Elex is far from perfect. It can be a frustrating experience and the horrible combat system could be a deal breaker, but it’s undeniably an ambitious title with a promising future.

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.

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.

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.

The game is severely hobbled with cripplingly poor gameplay and pervasive glitches. The exclusion of bigger competitions and some international teams leaves players with a wafer-thin, ultimately disappointing experience.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus is a rock ‘n roll rebellion that manages to blend thrilling shoot ‘em up action with heavy subject matter and a narrative that begs players to rage against the machine with as many bullets as possible.

It’s impossible to pinpoint a fault in Super Mario Odyssey, which both elegantly and eloquently surprises and calls back to its storied history. It’s a game full of surprises; one that plays with your expectations and supersedes them in almost every way. If you have a Switch (or are yet to get one), it’s simply essential.

Assassin’s Creed Origins is a pharaoh’s tomb chock-full of shiny treasures for gamers, especially those fascinated with Ancient Egypt. The side quests may feel a little repetitive, but the credible, nuanced characters and diversity of the main plot make up for it. And with so much to explore and do in its jaw-dropping setting, Origins is exceptional.

The Evil Within 2 is a shining example of how to expand your game world while still having it remain a focused experience. Minor bugs cannot hinder what is ultimately a bloody (pun intended) good time.

Jydge is superb in its approach to a niche genre. It’s violent, it bends to your particular whims thanks to an onslaught of constantly available upgrades and it never takes itself too seriously as you dispense instant jystice.

2K’s fifth WWE game has all the style and none of the substance of WWE games of old. All show and no actual in-ring talent, everything new in WWE 2K18 is quickly superseded by an uneven graphics engine and a career mode that’s certified G for Grody.

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.

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.

Fire Emblem Warriors does a better job of blending two disparate series than Hyrule Warriors did. Fire Emblem’s ethos remains intact, perfectly accentuating, and enhancing Warrior’s’ patented hack-and-slash gameplay.

The areas in which Total War: Warhammer 2 improves on its formula are plentiful, resulting in one best put together Total War games to be released. While the fantastical Warhammer setting won’t appeal to some, particularly a few of those who’ve enjoyed Total War’s previous historical releases and were expecting more, it’s wonderful to see the wonderful world of Warhammer come to love so expertly and vividly. If you’ve played and enjoyed Total War: Warhammer 1, then it’s a near given that you’ll love what’s on offer here.

Ignore the obvious Pokémon comparisons, and you’ll find that Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters is a charming RPG that manages to take a familiar idea and easily reinterpret it into something fresh and youthful. Yo-Kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters is the sum total of that experience, a reset on a pair of established games that adds even more to its distinct formula of crossing through to the other side. All aboard the Hex Express for this one.

FIFA 18 makes some notable and important changes both on and off the pitch, but it’s a formula that still often feels at odds with itself. And while EA is trying to recapture its former glory with the series, it continues to lose ground to the competition. Even if FIFA 18 is the best entry in the series for some time.