To say the least, Assassin’s Creed II is a disappointment – not because it’s bad, but because we were promised so much more. Everything Ubisoft claimed they were changing has stayed the same, and what little new touches they’ve included fail to impact in the long run.

To say the least, Assassin’s Creed II is a disappointment – not because it’s bad, but because we were promised so much more. Everything Ubisoft claimed they were changing has stayed the same, and what little new touches they’ve included fail to impact in the long run.

Can I recommend Death Stranding? Not really. I don’t think it can be directly labelled ‘good’. It’s a full price, full length, but all too frequently sluggish game. However, if you’re a Kojima fan, I don’t think you’ll want to miss out on this deranged roller coaster ride of an experience and that really elevates it for me.

Is Bayonetta 3 worth playing? If you’re already a fan, absolutely. Just don’t expect it to be the absurd larger-than-life addition than we all hoped it would be. If you’re on the fence about it – this isn’t going to be the one to change your opinion. The combat is still there, even if it is starting to rust up with age. There are still signs of that unhinged expressiveness the others are renowned for under the layers of bleak environments and flat out boring narrative. The whole thing can still often look colourful and eruptive, but is heavily anchored by the limits of the Switch – truly a cruel fate for what could be one of the craziest worlds to experience in a game if Platinum Games would be set free to do as they please. It really is a shame, especially after such a long wait. It’s not a bad experience by any means, and it did have fairly unreasonable expectations to live up to, but it ended up falling rather short in just about every way. For any other series that might be satisfactory, but not for Bayonetta. It deserves better than just ‘good’.

Rockstar's continued insistence on favouring animation over character control makes for an unnecessarily sluggish core game, but it is one that eventually settles into its own set piece groove, and ultimately gets swept up and propelled forward by the momentum of its story and impressive portrayal of its setting.

In short, Chronophantasma Extend is the biggest, densest and all-around definitive version of the BlazBlue series, but the overarching story mode and massive learning curve may put off potential newcomers to the series. For those brave enough to venture forth, this mechanically solid and visually resplendent fighter might just have enough features to make a BlazBlue fan out of you.

In contrast to last year’s effort, none of the game’s high points are as memorable, and in addition, quite few gunfights start to border on routine as you get further into the game. For that reason, combined with the selection of other erratic blemishes named above, World at War is a notably less appealing game.

It falters in just enough places to make you think before you hand over your money.

It falters in just enough places to make you think before you hand over your money.

Again I would question whether this would still be as compelling the second time around, but I think there's still enough secret stuff hidden away to keep me coming back for a few months.

Harking back to Elika for a second, I have to admit she is a fantastic addition to the series, and as gimmicks go she is significantly better than The Sands of Time.

It falters in just enough places to make you think before you hand over your money.

In contrast to last year’s effort, none of the game’s high points are as memorable, and in addition, quite few gunfights start to border on routine as you get further into the game. For that reason, combined with the selection of other erratic blemishes named above, World at War is a notably less appealing game.

Personally I’m hoping this release was simply a way to hold the fanatics over until the Switch Pokémon title rears its head in a year or two. Until then, I’d recommend playing Ultra Sun/Moon in bitesize chunks because it can wear pretty thin and quickly become a grind when playing through it rapidly. It should be enjoyed a little at a time or saved exclusively to be played on the go as a fun little time killer. The challenge and fun are waiting right there at the end for those who want to power through for it. It’s just a shame there are so many little things that pile up against the experience, like the pokémon-infused pokédex that never stops asking the same questions over and over or the lack of Pokémon-worthy music.

It feels largely unchanged from its predecessor, but the general core systems it is based on are well refined enough that it still offers a good challenge for those with the patience to tackle it.

Devil May Cry 4 despite its best efforts is still a puritan affair. There are many flaws that will put off newcomers, but for those who can tolerate those flaws there is an addictive, enjoyable and rewarding game just waiting to be played.

Ultimately, as interesting as Spore’s concept is, the actual gameplay works against its offer to let you be creative, and the gameplay isn’t really worth the sacrifice of the creativity - especially when the standalone creature creator was released ages ago. For a fiver.

Devil May Cry 4 despite its best efforts is still a puritan affair. There are many flaws that will put off newcomers, but for those who can tolerate those flaws there is an addictive, enjoyable and rewarding game just waiting to be played.

In the end, SOMA does not quite share the scare factor of Amnesia, but it does exceed it from a storytelling standpoint, as well as nailing that same attention to detail that creates a tense atmosphere filled with both beauty and horror. A definite purchase for the Halloween season.

The Ultimate Edition comes packaged with both DLCs – The Foundation and AWE – which add whole new sections to explore and much more story to uncover, as well as include a very cool crossover with Alan Wake. They do mostly stick to the same formula, sadly, with AWE throwing in a couple of new light-based elements I would have liked to have seen more of, especially in combat(!), but once again both of them managed to compel me all the way through; mostly out of sheer curiosity and love of the world and its enigmas. I would really like to see more of this universe in the future and I think Remedy could get super creative with regards to upping the ante around the action. There’s the potential for a total game changer here and, after all, there are plenty more doors to discover in the Motel *wink wink*.

Dynasty Warriors: Origins lays a solid foundation for the series’ future. It’s a positive step forward, offering the best gameplay and visuals we’ve seen in the franchise so far. The storytelling approach also provides a more in-depth exploration of familiar characters we’ve followed for over 24 years. The developers have done an excellent job enhancing the combat while maintaining most of the core elements that fans love about Dynasty Warriors. Let’s face it, a sequel is inevitable, and the missing features here could easily make their way back in future instalments. If this game is any indication, there’s plenty to be excited about for what comes next.

It’s a shame that the console version of Darkest Dungeon couldn’t have been a bit smarter with its controller layout, because the rest of the game shines in brilliant darkness as it did on PC; the 2D artwork is a great mix of hard lines and grotesque imagery, quite similar to Hellboy and other comics by Mike Mignola. The persistent narration is delightfully campy with its dreary delivery and macabre musings, and the fear of death (or insanity) makes every duel feel like a tense brush with death. And players will die, again and again and again. But like a certain other difficult series centered around darkness and sun bros, Darkest Dungeon’s maddening tendrils will manipulate even the most frustrated folks to try again…but consider sticking to the PC version to avoid the added frustration of fumbling around with the controls.

So, Electronic Symphony is not the ultimate Lumines, then, but newcomers will be blissfully unaware, and to old fans this game remains essential regardless. Scarcity notwithstanding, it is still one of the finest puzzle games there are, by virtue of simply being Lumines.

Despite being impressed by its visuals and attention to detail, I hadn’t first realized how short and lacking in substance it was, and I always begrudge video games like that being released in the first place.

Whilst the weight of the FFVII hallmark gives the game an undeniable sense of gravity, at times it feels as if it also smothers it.

For those who already owned both Danganronpa games in handheld or PC, this PS4 collection offers little-to-no additions, and becomes a case-by-case basis of whether it’s worth dipping in again. For newcomers, this is a bargain price for two of the most memorable adventure games in years, featuring all sorts of stylized artwork and utterly insane twists and turns. It may be more of an extracurricular than a mandatory course, but this collection tour of despair is still worth enrolling in.

Grammar and graphical issues aside, Detention is still a game that is easily digestible, but will still leave a lingering aftertaste once its tragic tale reaches its course. The bar for storytelling in videogames continues to be set higher with every new title, be it Indie or Triple A, and the horror genre continues to innovate in new and exciting ways.

All in all, this is what a sequel should have been: a combination of the good from the old with a number of tweaks from the new.