Oil Rush could have been an all graphics, no gameplay showcase for Unigine, but somehow they have managed to make a neat looking and refreshing RTS that makes for a great evening in front of the computer.

Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark is an easy recommendation for anyone who loves playing Japanese tactical role-playing games. It has no shame in displaying its inspiration on its sleeve, mainly because it takes that inspiration and wears it proud, refining the gameplay with its own spin on it. With many difficulty options featured here that opens up the genre to many people, there really is no reason to not check out Fell Seal: Arbiter’s Mark, and with a lovely 32-bit throwback presentation, there is a tasty meal here that is full of heart and love for the genre.

R-Type Dimensions is a worthy attempt in catering to series fans, shooter fans, and retro fans at the same time. It’s easy to get into, but quite hard to master.

Double the score if you have a totally puerile sense of humour.

It’s been some time since I’ve enjoyed an NHL game as much as this one – regardless of your interest in hockey, you’ll find that NHL 14 is the best hockey simulator available and a blast to play.

This is unquestionably the best Transformers game ever, a game to satisfy a yearning fanbase, a game instantly accessible for any non-affiliate who simply wants a good hack ‘n’ slash, and a sufficient platform on which to build a series.

While I am disappointed with the removal of Weapon Master Mode and the terrible story, I simply can't deny that SoulCalibur V is a great fighting game. Adding in the critical metre makes for a deeper game, but it still feels like SoulCalibur. I regard SoulCalibur II as the best in the series, and while SoulCalibur V isn't quite up to that masterpiece, it's still has soul that's burning brightly.

It might be another roguelite, but Revita is a great addition to the already expanding catalogue of great roguelites. I personally do not play that many, but among the majority of the major players in the genre, Revita brings a well built and solid implementation of the roguelite design into a fun, addictive, and challenge 2D twin-stick platformer. Its distinct health currency mechanic adds a layer of strategy to build a risk-reward system on top of the genre’s foundations and the mechanic helps the game stand out from others. The only downfall is that after a few hours the room design becomes repetitive, as there is only so much that can be done on a 2D plane, but the constant unlocks help Revita to be a great package met with a good soundtrack, solid action and a well thought out game design.

I found it a ton of fun and terribly addicting to the point where I just consumed it in about 2 days.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen to this day still remains a one of a kind game with some innovative ideas that you cannot find in any other RPG. With all the technical hiccups gone, packaged here is what marketing people would call the “Definitive Edition,” and for existing fans, all the improvements from running on PC hardware are alone worth a revisit to the world of Gransys.

Aviary Attorney could’ve quite easily been a birdbrained game built solely to ruffled some of Capcom’s feathers. However it quickly becomes clear that JayJay and friends have more than enough smarts to even outwit Capcom’s much loved attorney at some turns.

For the most part the game is full to the brim with new ideas, clever strategic boss encounters and as a result is a breath of fresh air for the genre on the DS.

Another great entry for the lawyer, building on past titles and upping its arsenal of mechanics to keep players hooked.

Mulaka is not a perfect game, but it makes sure to show the uniqueness of the Tarahumara culture and demonstrate that Mexican culture can be interesting. Mulaka follows an entertaining story, with a good formula for its controls and mechanics, and while it may have some flaws, it isn’t anything that should spoil the overall experience. The sound and visuals match each other, letting the player become hypnotized in Mulaka‘s world until the game ends, which takes around 6-8 hours (depending if you want all the collectibles or not). Mulaka is a fun little game that I say is worth your time for anyone into action/adventure games.

I can commend Square-Enix for what they were trying to do with XIII-2. I personally didn't think much of XIII as it abandoned the stuff I liked about the series. XIII-2 brings some of it back, making it a great compelling JRPG, but what it brings most for me is that I found it much more fun to play, and that's a correct thing for any game to do.

In the end, Fight’N Rage can’t escape its short run-time which is prominent with every Beat ‘Em Up game (they were originally created to serve as short Arcade experiences, after all), but the branching story paths, combo-heavy characters and numerous unlockable extras more than make up a full package filled with incentives to keep playing. As a modern throwback to Arcade classics, Fight ‘N Rage is one of the very best in the business right now.

It might be thin on story and full of bizarre chatter, but solid mechanics and great game modes make this a jolly great time for anyone with an interest in towers, defence or raspberry lollipops.

It is clever, smart, and once you get into it, damn addictive.

I was ready to expect “just another Gears game,” except I was pleasantly surprised by what I got to play. Sure it’s not completely new, but People Can Fly has moved Gears of War in an alternative, more arcade-feeling direction that I can totally get on board with.

Gameplay is what truly makes Mankind Divided shine, and here, any problems with the racial story is made up by having a complex and immersive world with level design purposely built around the idea of Deus Ex‘s choice gameplay.

Sure, it would be nice to have more throws, more submissions, more customization and such, but hell; they need SOMETHING to add to the next one. For those of you who are UFC/MMA fans, this is an essential purchase, no questions asked

2017 may have been an exhausting year filled with quality videogame releases across different genres and multiple platforms, but Tokyo Xanadu eX+ is still worth setting aside some time for, especially for those starving for more Action RPG hybrids. The exp and loot grinding is still there for hardcore fans, but the smooth and solid action adds an extra layer of responsiveness and fun that can’t always be felt with turn-based battles, resulting in a winning combination that will eat up more of that free time no human could possibly have at this point.

Even if it takes ideas from other games, it mashes them together to make a complete game that plays well and does its inspirations proud. Darksiders is a nice surprise that is well worth 15+ hours of your life to complete it.

Company of Heroes 2 might tread familiar ground, but that ground is an amazing foundation.

The problem with Boomerang X is that I loved it but I can’t even point out even a single great moment as part of my recommendation. It’s a gorgeous outline of a title that doesn’t exist – an enchanting but ephemeral concept that is likely to simply fade out of people’s consciousness, even if they really enjoyed it. There’s currently nothing to anchor it in memory but there’s so much space to play with. I am begging to see more for this one, I just hope it’s not too little too late.

It may be a B-tier RPG, but it’s a very well-made B-tier RPG that is just as addicting for JRPG fans as the A+ classics.

Before the Storm redefines what a Life is Strange game can be. Going into this mini-story I believed the series needed the backing of supernatural mythology to carry the narrative, but Before The Storm proves that to be false. Life is Strange simply needs great well written characters, and when you place them in a compelling situation they will blossom. Where Life is Strange goes from here will be very interesting, but as long as the creators continue to treat the characters with the respect they have evolved to deserve I for sure will follow.

Sam & Max Save the World is undoubtedly one of the funniest games I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. It’s as easygoing a game as you’re ever going to get, and provides a superb change of pace from the barrage of space-marines-with-guns titles that seem to plague the Xbox 360.

Dying Light 2 goes bigger in all areas and tries to be ambitious with its story, but does not quite hit the mark. Like I said in the beginning, it was never about story that made the original a cult hit, it was the stuff you could do within its sandbox, and when it comes down to that, it still is a terrific time being in the world of Dying Light.

Such frustrations aside, Metro 2033 is still a pleasant addition to an otherwise played-out genre and setting.

Due to the game’s short length and easier 2-player difficulty, especially considering the second player’s unique special ability is to wipe out everything on the screen with a giant laser beam, an endless mode would have gone a long way. Of course, there is both a higher difficulty and New Game+, as well as silver and gold challenges for each level, but I still hope to see some extra two-player focussed content in the future. Fortunately, I’m still a good while away from completing everything for now and I’ll be passing that second controller to anyone I can get. Wunderbar!

Greed Corp has been a welcoming surprise.

Without a doubt, the PSVR needs more games like Moss; its use of VR prioritizes long-lasting immersion over cheap gimmicks that end as soon as they begin, and it also shows how VR tech can be used to create a more personal engagement between the player and the character (waifu simulators notwithstanding).

Boom Blox is a game built for the Wii, not because of it. Unlike many other games on the platform it is hard to fathom playing without a Wiimote in your hand. If only for that reason alone it is a title that deserves attention, but thankfully there is much to praise the Boom Blox about.

Hitman has refined its gameplay, while having options that help newcomers, but should not upset existing fans, and as such, is a solid start that hopefully keeps getting better and upping the variety with each mission added.

Dawn of War III brings with it a campaign that starts off on the slow end, but eventually warms up to be an enjoyable, if fairly standard, single player mode. It’s the inventive multiplayer that is the biggest change, and one that will upset traditionalists who wanted a return to the original game. The blend of both predecessors’ ideas to bring the mix of base building and hero powered Elite units goes well with the new focus on exhilarating, faster-paced multiplayer. But if you hate the idea of a game that promotes aggression, pushing hard and relying on having such powerful units that can turn the tide of battle, then your experience with the game is no doubt going to wane. While it won’t be a genre defining twist nor shape the future of RTS multiplayer, it’s still remains a unique take on the typical RTS conventions and one I’ve grown to relish more as I keep playing.

It’s cute, charming, and lots of fun, with enough challenge to stand up on its own right among other platformers.

Few gaming series can steal as many hours from me, no questions asked, quite like Pokémon. I'm currently clocked at 28:37, which was enough to beat the Elite Four but not enough to lose interest. Is this the strongest entry to date? Probably not, nor is it the innovative leap that some gamers expected but you can cogitate all you like; there's a consistently enjoyable adventure to be found here, and that's all that matters.

The story might be forgettable, but Grand Kingdom‘s gameplay certainly is not. This is a game that features a refreshing and unique battle concept for a genre that can often feature formulaic combat, mixing its deep mechanics to bring a challenging, beautiful and inventive game that is a fascinating breath of fresh air for tactical RPGs.

Other than a few slight problems I would recommend this to any card game fans out there, it stays true to everything we love about card games while adding its own unique twist. Abrakam has done a great job accomplishing their goal for Faeria; by focussing development on its extensive single player mode, it gives me hope for developers to implement something similar in their own card games for the future increasing replayability and attracting more of a casual scene to an often competitive genre.

Apart from the main story missions, of which there are only three, and the handful of survivors that need your help, there's not a lot else to do apart from slaughter as many zombies and bad guys as you can.

I'll go on record and say that this is the best kart racer in some time (yes, even better than Mario Kart 7) – now that's saying something.

A perfectly polished and presented package. It offers extreme-tricking and adrenaline-fuelled racing and does it in a refreshing and challenging way.

If you’re looking for a new puzzle-platformer game, look no further - Pangolin is fantastic!

Jaw-dropping presentation and art aside, Dust: An Elysian Tail is a delightful experience that deserves just as much attention from gamers as the designer put in when creating the title.

While combining three different play styles doesn’t result in three times the game, it does equal into a polished 2D experience that’s well worth your time.

In the end, while we in the Western world have been blessed with a few Hatsune Miku games in the past, nothing comes close to what Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Future Tone offers. Its arcade roots might mean the highest difficulties are some of the hardest songs the series has introduced on console due to not having an identical controller to the arcade, but there is no denying that this is the Hatsune Miku game to own above all other titles available, while at the same time being an amazing value proposition.

Overall, Dragon Quest Heroes II is easily the most lovingly-recreated celebration of fanservice since Hyrule Warriors. There is an undeniable charm in its presentation, dialog and audio cues, and the shift towards more gameplay variety than the average Musou title is greatly appreciated, even if it isn’t the biggest step forward. There is also an RPG worth’s amount of extra content, including periodic updates featuring additional characters to fight alongside and powerful new foes to fight against. Musou titles may more commonplace than sports games these days, but this is definitely one of the few worth seeking out, and an absolute must-have purchase for longtime Dragon Quest fans.

So it's not COD, but whether it carves out its own niche is another matter entirely. Future Soldier emanates the soul of a game that has been lovingly crafted by a team that are devoted to pleasing its long-running community, allaying fears over too much dumbing down of the series to please the COD crowd.

Etrian Odyssey IV is an engrossing, challenging and rewarding handheld RPG that will keep you busy for weeks to come, whether you’re a newcomer or a veteran.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes may be short, but it sure is sweet.

Teardown is a demolition fan’s wet dream, a sandbox of beautiful carnage that also happens to be a great puzzle game.

I’ve found it hard to recommend deck builders recently because I’ve either thought they were clones of other games, not all that exciting or they have too much going on, however, in Monster Train they have managed to balance replayability and creativity. If you’re a fan of deck builders or are new to the genre, I feel comfortable saying you will love Shiny Shoe’s unique take. It brought back my love for deck builders, has a soundtrack that you will be humming daily, and a creative art style. It’s definitely, in my opinion, well deserving of the overwhelmingly positive review scores it has received on Steam.

For those who enjoyed the storytelling of Zero Escape and other works by Kotaro Uchikoshi, AI: The Somnium Files is a no-brainer purchase, and might just be his most solid game yet. Even if the random bits of humor and cringeworthy risque dialog might prove a detractor for some, the strongest story beats stand out completely unhindered along with the cast of characters and the fascinating near-futuristic setting, not quite as dystopian as other futuristic police stories, but every bit as engaging and thought-provoking.

This is a game that people should stomach to experience how horror games can make you feel when set in an isolated dark environment with minimum ammo and a huge monster tracking you down. A truly dreadful experience, in a positive sense, which is something only horror games can deliver.

Greed Corp has been a welcoming surprise.

Despite it's various drawbacks, Smugglers 5 is an impressive and exceedingly addictive game.

Shortcomings aside, for a game that everyone thinks of as a shameless copy of Rock Band, Guitar Hero: World Tour has come off extremely well, and throws in more than enough good ideas of its own (and some slightly rubbish ones, admittedly) to make itself a worthy contender to the rhythm-action throne.

If your dying for more hardcore strategy RPGs, then you certainly can’t do wrong with Disgaea D2, it’s great, but just remember, you might have a feeling that you’ve been here before.

Overall, Tales of Symphonia Chronicles is one half fantastic and one half decent, but more importantly, it is easily worth the price of admission for the first title alone.

The name might be generic, and sure, the game is not exactly doing anything new for the genre as a whole, but Rebellion has made sure its series got the improvements it required – the level themes, great feeling gun combat, and plenty of content to beat – to take it to the next step to deliver something extremely fun and enjoyable to play, to the point where I feel the series has jumped up a notch from being good fun to a great bit of entertainment.

The story moves slowly, and can take a while to get through, and while not much about it feels new, it does a good job of taking already established elements and making them into something fun.

Capcom hasn't touched the gameplay, but they've sharpened the look and left it fully intact without cocking it up (looking at you, Konami!) to bring new and old gamers a taste of top quality action games that still reign supreme today. Well, at least two quality action games that is.

Ghostrunner has focused itself on bringing a precisely sculpted, fast, action puzzler that wonderfully blends all its design and action with the beautiful visuals and a banging soundtrack. It is challenging, and yes, death will be a plenty, but the developers have done good job in making sure the live, die, repeat nature of the game is as frustratingly free as possible, leaving its well designed mechanics to shine. Ghostrunner is an absolute blast to play, and when everything flows, it flows in such a electrifying manner that there is a euphoric delight in overcoming its challenge. Ghostrunner is not the longest game, but the experience it leaves the player at the end of it is one of great satisfaction.

Project CARS 2 takes the foundations of its father and builds upon them, improving all aspects, but some areas have received more upgrades than others. This is no doubt a better racing game than its predecessor, with amazing visuals, fantastic sounds, more variety in cars, tracks and events, while featuring a dynamic weather system that stands above the rest of the pack, but the buggy AI sours the overall racing experience. Project CARS 2 also has that feeling that it is made for racing wheel accessories than a controller, and while the improved controller support is good, it’s still not the gold standard in the genre. It’s a rather hectic time for racing fans, with a few games coming or already out within such a small release window that there are many options to pick from for racing fans, and Project CARS 2 deserves attention for bringing great simulation racing, but stands out more for the unique driving-in-the-weather experience that cannot be found in any other racing game.

With great feeling melee combat, gruesome action, solid level design and brutal difficulty, this game is a hell of a lot of fun and is ideal for anyone looking for more first-person action to cure an itch for cooperative fun who doesn’t mind grinding on the side to impress the rats with their better gear.

It’s certainly on my list of games to show to first-timers and I can only hope there will be a steady stream of DLC challenges to come. Releasing at a very honest price, I’d say Lethal VR is a must have and will be recommending it strongly.

It is a great game, one that is a faithful update to a game that only four years ago attained universal acclaim, but in that time, things have changed and, for better and for worse, Resident Evil 5 has only made baby steps when compared to the giant leaps that its predecessor made, and because of this, won’t be getting near that perfect 10. The issues with A.I and the controls will put off some of the more fickle gamers, but for those of you who part with their £40, like an A.I controlled Sheva to a horde of zombies, you’ll find plenty here to get your teeth into – fans and newcomers alike.

With stealth based gameplay, a slight air of an escort mission, and touch controls all looking to trip them up, they come out almost unscathed. If nothing else, that alone should be seen as a victory.

It might not be to everyone’s tastes, but it makes a whole bunch of interesting and bold design decisions, and I guarantee you’ve not played anything quite like it. For those reasons alone, it gets a glowing recommendation.

This is easily the best Lego game to date, and although lacking any huge leaps forward in the gameplay department, still offers a lot of fun for anyone who picks it up.

Overall this is a game that should not be passed up simply because you have already put in so many hours on another game. Rather it should be experienced for what it is and all other developers looking to dip a toe in the MMO pool should take note that this is how to breathe life into an otherwise stagnant and overcrowded free-to play market.

There is a lot to love about Cities: Skylines and it gets a lot right for fans of the genre who felt crushed by SimCity’s disappointing release.

As I mentioned earlier, Legend of Grimrock is a game crafted for a specific audience with the express purpose of providing a pure, faithful recreation of an old genre - though it's appeal isn't necessarily restricted to it.

With an online multiplayer mode as well as replay features, not to mention several difficulty options that'll make players thankful for a quicksave button, Sam's second outing is for serious gamers everywhere.

It’s a celebration of a genre, and one done with such style, such detail and such incredible imagination that it’s difficult not to love it. Brutal Legend won’t appeal to everyone, but to those it does, it’s sure to hold a very special place in their blackened hearts.

Overall, despite scope for improvement in future installments, EDF 4.1 is an accessible, enjoyable and unique experience to any newcomer prepared to suspend triple-A gaming logic. For veterans, it’s the the best outing yet for this beloved oddity.

If you choose to play this game, which you probably should, play it all the way through to the very end. It's an incredibly ambitious game that sets out to tackle an issue that most other games will often only hint at.

Packed with content and hilarious multiplayer modes, Trackmania Turbo will entertain for many hours to come, and is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a clever solo or multiplayer arcade racer on consoles.

This is definitely a return to form for for the franchise. It's not as good as the original game, and much as that was what I was hoping for, it's not a disappointment.

Overall, Half Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax Ultimate Boy is a very enjoyable game with fantastic characters, a winning formula that never seems to wear out on you and one with a fair amount of replay value. It is an RPG in its most basic form presented to you in a format that is simple and entertaining.

I’ve come away from my great time with Space Tow Truck a little smarter, a little more knowledgeable of some basic mechanics of physics and in the history of science in general.

If you like the idea of a sandbox western then this is money well spent. In what other game can you earn a ‘dastardly’ achievement by saving a damsel in distress, then putting her on the rail road tracks to meet her fate?

Everyone else who hasn't played Crush and is into puzzle games will no doubt enjoy Crush3D. As puzzle games go this one has an exceptional game mechanic that's driven with great level design and enough challenge to make your brain hurt. Marvellous!

Title arguments aside, there's no doubt Rovio have created one of the best games in the App Store to date.

And while there are plenty of popular titles that could have been added to the collection, including Earthworm Jim, Gunstar Heroes, Splatterhouse 2 and 3, and perhaps a few games from the SEGA CD and Saturn consoles, there is still more than enough bang for your buck here. It may not be the ultimate collection fans wanted, but it’s still a jam packed look into a time when the Genesis does what Nintendon’t.

It’s fast, colourful and most of all fun, and at the bargain price of 800 MS points (£6.40 in real money) you can’t really go wrong. A must buy for fans of fast paced arcade shooters.

If you want to shoot people in a different way and have a tolerance to learn, then ShootMania is the place to go and do that, and the future can only look brighter once the community floods the game with their creativity.

Ultimately, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is a game that doesn't attempt to be anything that it isn't.

The game does not push the genre forward, but what is here is an exceptionally fun fighting game that is slightly cheaper than full price. Its visuals are great, the combat is ridiculous, exciting and entertaining, the characters all feel bespoke and broken, and the mechanics, while not the deepest, have layers to them. This helps DNF Duel hold the interest of serious fighting game players, while not making the casual player suffer. Amazing online netcode is just the icing on the cake for this eccentric fighting game, a title that will most likely be remembered for the insanity that is ensured to happen in every match.

In the end, Trover Saves The Universe is an adequate-playing videogame that is defined by its style of humor. If anyone reading is on the fence, the best thing to do would be to check out Rick and Morty, as it is the easiest (and cheapest) way to determine if that type of comedy is appealing to the individual or not, the same way the recent South Park games also rely on the writing and wit of its source material. For fans of the series, this game is an absolute no-brainer and is just about the funniest videogame released in a long while.

It may not be the Castlevania as fans know it, but MercurySteam has taken successful mechanics from combat-focused, character action games and blended it with Castlevania’s lore.

Testament can't quite make up its mind what type of game it wants to be with the change of camera location and controls, and it has its issues with repetitive sound effects, but the storytelling is top-notch. If you're a fan of mystery games, point-and-click adventures, complicated puzzlers, or you're just a sucker for a good story, then The Testament of Sherlock Holmes is a no-brainer.

A perfectly polished and presented package. It offers extreme-tricking and adrenaline-fuelled racing and does it in a refreshing and challenging way.

GTFO oozes amazing atmosphere and tense gameplay, it is well designed with a philosophy taken from old game design about learning while playing to let players discover how to overcome the game’s challenging missions. This game delivers on making players feel isolated, stuck in claustrophobic environments surrounded by the deadly sounds of monsters awaiting their next snack. GTFO stands out as a unique cooperative horror experience due to its gameplay design, one that I am fully relishing, even after countless deaths and failed runs.

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is a fantastic achievement for Telltale Games, the Lego games having been yearly (even bi-yearly) released since 2005 have never really moved forward the franchise, until this iteration and it is a fantastical leap.

It’s excellent to see an action platformer on the Wii that is an original concept, and doesn’t fall prey to many of the routine mistakes of the innumerable other shoddy efforts that have been pushed out onto store shelves. However, I fear that Mushroom Men will fail to find its target audience and be overlooked, as the fact that it failed to make it into the Wii’s top 40 games in its first two weeks on sale appears to prove.

This is a solid release of arcade games that have been given love and care. That is all one asks for when bringing old games to the new consoles – to be represented in the best possible way.