Thrilling mechanics, plentiful missions and robust unlocks make it the Top Gun for genre fans who own the system.

One of the most relaxing games I've played in ages. Submerged is a game happy to let the player explore, with minimal challenge making for an experience that focuses on player exploration and stopping to enjoy the view. The story of the children and the desolate world around them slowly becomes clearer, leaving just enough room for the player's personal interpretation.

The unfortunate truth is that its narrative fails to deliver a coherent and satisfying conclusion to the series, but as a stealth sandbox The Phantom Pain is peerless.

Sunless Sea is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling, atmosphere and exploration that spins a unique, tense and frequently tragic new yarn every time you play. It's a shame that the spiteful economy and repetitive early game gradually forces you to focus on the systems, not the stories, but the quality of the writing elevates Sunless Sea into something rather special indeed.

Deathtrap brings hectic tower defence, satisfying Diablo-style combat and compelling persistent progression together in ultraviolent gothic style. Smart design choices and satisfyingly hectic moments abound, while the level editor is a stroke of genius.

Freaking Meatbags makes three hackneyed genres feel fresh and exciting again, uniting real-time strategy, tower defence and twinstick shooting with the simple joys of obscene genetic experimentation. Though it sometimes feels like the prototype for a timeless classic, the tiny team managed to deliver a solid, stylish, humorous and satisfying package at a bargain price.

Even if the mechanisms of this game seem a little dated now, we're reminded how the story and its characters are timeless in their good humour and quality, and in that respect, this Remaster should hold almost as much joy for newcomers as it does for returning fans.

An enormous, expansive and peerlessly written RPG that succeeds both on the strength of its world and its innovative campaign structure. So long as you're willing to read and exercise a little imagination, that is.

Level design is still exceptional; expansive with a real sense of place.

State Of Decay: Year-One Survival Edition is the definitive way of experiencing this fiercely unique zombie sim and a true highlight of the survival genre. Though still rough and ready, it's undeniably a complete package.

The gorgeous HD assets and stonking amount of included DLC are well worth the price of admission, but it's a shame that The Pre-Sequel's performance issues stop this collection from being as handsome as it should be.

While it may be short and lack replayability, Funcom have delivered a well-crafted and finely tuned psychological experience with The Park. The exceptional audio design helps to build a chilling and tense ambiance that will delight fans of The Secret World, while even newcomers can enjoy the chilling tale of one mother’s search for her son. A true psychological thriller that you'll want to play with the headphones on and the lights off.

A fantastic package, containing two meaty match-3 RPGs and hours of quality content without a single microtransaction. Accessible, deep and involving, it's great for killing a few minutes or an entire evening at a time.

The addition of online co-op gives the campaign mode a great boost. There are some irritating connectivity issues in co-op and zombies though. The competitive multiplayer is much smoother and reliably packed with maps, modes and a dizzying array of unlocks. You'll struggle to find a shooter with more value than this year's Call of Duty.

Horizon Shift is a seriously impressive bit of SHMUP. Fierce and fresh, it rejuvenates ideas from classic shooters with a sensational twist of its own.

It doesn’t fix everything that was wrong with Destiny, but The Taken King does enough in all the right places to make it a highly enjoyable FPS experience overall. A renewed focus on narrative and a streamlined progression system helps to push Destiny in the direction it should have been heading all along.

Though its one-track mind and ruthless AI takes some getting used to, the robust mechanics, great interface and presentation are an incredibly impressive feat from a one-man studio, while sensational shipbuilding and fleet battles prove incredibly satisfying.

The game mode strip down this year by Codemasters with F1 2015 is evidently step one of many for a reboot of the popular franchise. Where modes have been taken, major improvements have been made. A whole new game engine giving advanced visuals and handling makes F1 2015 the best yet.

Hyperdimension Neptunia U is a superb tie-in, a saucy parody and most importantly a satisfying handheld brawler in its own right.

Splatoon blows third-person shooting wide open with its wildly unique mechanics and uninhibited sense of fun. Approachable for newcomers and enjoyable for old hands, it's an impressive Wii U exclusive, though we'll have to take Nintendo's promises of free DLC and updates on trust.

While there are still blemishes that stop it matching the heights of Brotherhood or even Black Flag, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate restores faith in the series by delivering a highly enjoyable open-world experience. Jacob & Evie make for entertaining characters in a beautifully crafted Victorian London filled with content that will keep you busy for weeks.

While admittedly good-looking, there's not much here for anyone that played the game five years ago. For newcomers, especially those without a PS3, Kratos's bloodthirsty pursuit of vengeance is a titan of the action genre. You may want to wait until the price is right though.

The stealth options aren't quite as reliable as last time, but the core shooting experience is incredibly fun with meaty weapons, a ramped up pace and enjoyably over-the-top characters.

While the decidedly average combat and alarming number of technical gremlins are disappointing for a title that's been in development for so long, The Witcher III: Wild Hunt is still a must-buy title for genre fans.

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a devastatingly unique strategy game with the pedigree to back it up. Fun and challenging, blending turn-based tactics with third-person shooting, there's nothing like it on the market.

Like a box of assorted chocolates, you might not like everything in the box, but what does take your fancy will have you coming back for more. Coming in at the perfect price point, the Jackbox Party Pack 2 gives you five varied games that will entertain you for hours. Perfect as a party piece, especially with Christmas just round the corner.

This interactive horror movie is heaps of fun and packed with moments that'll have you and anyone watching jumping out of their skin. Being able to kill off characters you don't like is more fun than you'll want to admit. You'll definitely want to play it more than once too to put the cast through hell again and again.

Keebles is a deceptively difficult fusion of cutesy physics puzzling and vehicular engineering. Fun and wholesomely frustrating once you smash through the challenge curve, but plenty of potential goes untapped due to its roots as a Windows 8 app. Nevertheless, a robust and incredibly addictive first attempt, and a foundation that Burnt Fuse will hopefully build into a sensational franchise.