Dynasty Warriors: Origins is a truly fantastic game, and between the four campaigns, training mode, and new unlocks hidden behind the thrilling Ultimate Warrior difficulty, 'Visions of Four Heroes' offers a solid chunk more of that experience. However, at just under half the price of the base game, it's easy to feel like there should've been a bit more that's actually new. Our recommendation: pick it up on sale once the sequel is announced as a nice way to tide you over, especially now the Dynasty Warriors 3 remaster has just been delayed indefinitely.

The remaster wants to remind you of what it was like to play Oblivion in 2006, but some changes make it lose sight of this and it feels just enough like a different experience to be jarring. At the same time, this version does not commit the other way and retains some of Oblivion's notable flaws – resulting in a game that's caught in the middle and does not quite work either as a remaster or as a remake.

Businesses & Hobbies' disjointed nature ultimately means it doesn't realise its full potential – though this can be somewhat mitigated if you have invested a fair bit into The Sims 4. Having a decent range of packs helps to take greater advantage of the customisable side of business gameplay and make up for some of the expansion's flaws.

If you've never played Until Dawn, the remake is a good time to experience this cult classic. It's as fun and thrilling as it was in 2015. However, while the remake improves upon the original in some ways, the overall improvement isn't vast enough to the point where this version is a must for those who've played through the game once before.

Metaphor borrows defining features of Persona yet executes these ideas in a less meaningful way, and in taking much from the beloved series, it takes a long time for Atlus' latest to carve out its own identity.

Space Marine 2 is a brutally fun action game that will be best experienced with friends in multiplayer, and while the gameplay and story itself are serviceable and don't do much to innovate the series or genre, fans of Warhammer or anyone looking for an old-school shooter will have a good time turning tyranid swarms into puddles of blood.

It's a cohesive (and pretty saucy by the game's standards) expansion that doesn't quite nail all of its ideas.

The struggle to portray a vivid world and a sense of place results in the game failing to make much of an emotive impact. Once the credits rolled, there was very little about the experience that stuck with us.

Stellar Blade is a hard game to pin down in the end. The combat really sings in its moments and the boss fights are some of the most memorable you’ll encounter in this genre, but it’s bogged down by a bland story, uninteresting characters and the need to make boobs wobble in every second of every cutscene. There’s some fun to be had in there if you can look past its issues, but in an age of games costing £70 or over, whether it’s worth that is entirely questionable.

Alone in the Dark isn’t a perfect experience or a five-star return to form. However, the game really nails the tone, and it is just a joy to explore Derceto and drink in the spooky vibes of this Lovecraftian detective thriller. There’s enough twists and turns to have you hanging on until the end, even if the latter half of the game feels a little too reliant on action that isn’t quite up to snuff.

Lil' Guardsman is charming and novel enough that it's worth playing, but a flawed approach that skirts around aspects of the core idea holds the overall experience back.

There are glimpses in here where some of the potential shines through, but not enough. Held back by a lack of depth and polish, the big selling points of the expansion struggle to flourish, resulting in a pack that's underwhelming despite its initial promise.

It is a game that tries to evoke a feeling of discovery at every possible turn, but in doing so loses the element of wonder fairly quickly. Instead, Wonder's strongest moments are when it takes a breather, taking the time to set the scene while letting the platforming do the talking.

At its best, Fang and their friends' journey is affecting and thought-provoking, and while their time threatens to be cruelly cut short, the time we spent at Volcano High was mostly well-spent.

Immortals of Aveum is the perfect example of a mid-tier experience. There’s some good ideas in there – and some things are executed well – but with so many others not feeling quite right, enjoyment will really vary person to person. We hope Ascendant Studios gets the chance to have a second shot at casting a spell on the genre. If given the space to jettison some tropes and really focus on their concept, there could be something really special here.

The final two cases are undoubtedly a huge cut above the others that take place in Kanai Ward, and it's a shame that the game takes so long before hitting its highs. But stick through to the end, and Rain Code eventually delivers a satisfyingly twisty adventure in spite of its shortcomings – helping to somewhat fill that Danganronpa void.

It's clear that a lot of love has been put into making AEW: Fight Forever fun and feel good to play. It's just a shame it falls short in certain areas related to story, features and creation. Despite this, there's a lot for AEW fans to like here and we definitely recommend it, because much like All Elite Wrestling is an alternative to WWE, it's nice to have an alternative in the wrestling game space too.

Aside from the audiovisual presentation, the Advance Wars remake plays it considerably safe. That isn't a bad thing in itself, particularly since the foundations of the game mostly hold up. There is still plenty of fun to be had here. But it also means that this package is less interesting than it could have been.

Scars Above is a competent third-person action game. The story is just interesting enough to pull you through, while the combat is solid enough that you won't find yourself bored of the moment-to-moment battles. There's little here that you wouldn’t have seen before, but there’s some fun to be had in it's familiarity for sure. It’s just a shame really that, in its efforts to be a solid action-adventure, none of its ideas were explored any deeper as we’d have loved to have seen the team swing for the fences in one area or another to produce something truly standout.

Engage plays confidently and is a highly enjoyable game when you're thrust into battle, the small innovations pushing the strategy and combat into new territory for the series. But it's held back by bland storytelling that fails to provoke much emotion or convey a sense of drive as you canter towards the next destination on the world map. It's a solid Fire Emblem, but lacks the lasting impact to rank as a classic.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are big and ambitious and bold, but it's hard not to imagine what they could have been if they’d just been given a little more time to cook.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are big and ambitious and bold, but it's hard not to imagine what they could have been if they’d just been given a little more time to cook.

It's a shame that, despite looking great and having a good concept at its core, some poorly-executed ideas lead to a frustrating experience overall. For a new studio to produce a brand new IP is obviously a mammoth task and commendable, so here’s hoping the team get another chance to get a grip on this universe and tighten up the experience.

If you loved Zero Dawn and simply wanted more, warts and all, this is easy to recommend. But if you were looking for something groundbreaking with a lot more polish, then Horizon Forbidden West is really a mixed bag.

Games like HeartGold and SoulSilver, and the more recent Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, won over fans because they elevated the originals – either by adding engaging new features and areas, or by reimagining their visual style in order to capture the way players felt their beloved childhood games used to look. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl struggle on both these counts, meaning they can only really be recommended to die-hard fans of the originals. Luckily for any newer fans of the series, there are plenty of other, much better, Pokémon games to dig into.

Games like HeartGold and SoulSilver, and the more recent Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, won over fans because they elevated the originals – either by adding engaging new features and areas, or by reimagining their visual style in order to capture the way players felt their beloved childhood games used to look. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl struggle on both these counts, meaning they can only really be recommended to die-hard fans of the originals. Luckily for any newer fans of the series, there are plenty of other, much better, Pokémon games to dig into.

Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain shines as a party game, adopting a family-friendly approach that evens the playing field regardless of each player's age and experience. We had a lot of fun with our family and friends across the 20 puzzle activities featured in this accessible and budget-priced package. It's just a pity that there aren't a few more minigames (or a slightly more substantial single-player component) for greater replay value.

Cottage Living will make a lot of fans happy, and there are plenty of positives in the expansion's attempt to make good on the farming and countryside themes. It's a shame then that a number of aspects hold the pack back from realising its full potential. Henford-on-Bagley is a nice enough world, but errs too much on the safe side to leave a lasting impression.

Dream Home Decorator isn't for everyone, but those who enjoy renovating homes will be impressed by a generous variety of items and an engaging new career, even if the amount of new gameplay is on the slight side. It's a shame that the pack has launched with a troubling amount of bugs, and anyone considering making the purchase at this moment in time should keep that in mind.

Legion doesn’t quite reach the lofty heights of its San Francisco predecessor. Your team isn’t as endearing, the missions aren’t as fun and the story is just not quite as engaging. Though, if you take the time to explore the streets of London, and make it your playground, there is still lots to like. The gameplay loop is addictive once you get into it and if you can look past the bugs and pantomime voices, you’ll be happy you digitally toured one of the worlds greatest cities, albeit a bleak one.

The Sims 4 Star Wars: Journey to Batuu delivers one of the most vibrant and memorable worlds yet, but is let down by a weak narrative, dull missions, and a self-contained experience that fails to play to the franchise's strengths.

Perhaps the most interesting part of Death Stranding's legacy will be the fascinating and barmy hype train we've all been riding for the last few years. It's certainly been a fun ride, but the destination wasn't worth the wait.

Days Gone seems to have taken many cues from The Last of Us and Uncharted, but fails to match their standards. Thrilling chance battles with Freakers are punctuated with meandering and dull flashback chats with your wife, bookended with abrupt loading screens, with one mission even forcing us to pick flowers.

The core mechanics are strong and locations are stunning, but the game's pacing and surprising lack of gunplay seems like a bit of a missed opportunity that makes the gaps in action even more apparent. Nevertheless, we're sure fans of the previous games will enjoy closing out the trilogy.

Nintendo has produced a game which is occasionally elating, often frustrating, but which definitely feels like nothing we've tried before. Assuming you're willing to overlook its flaws, ARMS could be a welcome addition to your growing collection of Switch games.

Farpoint proves that first-person shooters very much can work on PlayStation VR, but it never feels like this even believes itself that it's the definitive one. While Farpoint is certainly a fun adventure that you'll have a lot of laughs, and frights, with, there's little of narrative or strategic originality here and the idea that this will have a long life of competitive multiplayer seems to be hopeful at best.

Andromeda leaves behind the series' problems in another galaxy only to acquire a whole new and interesting set in this one. What BioWare has produced is our least favourite game to bear its name. Had it not been for this review, we would have given up during the game's hugely monotonous mid-segments, whose sense of physical scale isn't matched by equally towering, or even semi-interesting, design. BioWare is a pillar of the gaming landscape, but somewhere along the line the Andromeda project veered off course. Who knows where this leaves the franchise, but any sequel is going to have to rediscover its focus, or just like the Initiative, fans may also choose to emigrate to pastures new.

If you can find a team of friends to enlist into your squad, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Wildlands is, well, wild. However, the sheer amount of travelling, planning and stealth required for numerous missions doesn't lend itself to online co-op with random drop-in muggles. But steaming through an endless line of ridiculous drug kingpins in a big world with an even bigger arsenal is intoxicating fun that'll keep you coming back for another hit. Just pick the right squad, or you'll become a literal ghost pretty quickly.

On many levels Dead Rising 4 is a disappointment, content to riff on the slapstick violence and revive past glories but showing no real desire to do anything new. There's precious little depth and the combat is shallow, while some sections seem designed to show up Frank's inability to cope with tooled-up human foes. Yet there's something weirdly cheerful and festive about Frank's misadventures, about crafting homebrew weaponry and putting it to work.

Steep gets nearly everything right – it looks great, plays well and has the sort of depth and exploration you'd expect from one of Ubi's open world games. It has some really irritating foibles, but nothing you can't live with. What it lacks is that special something that keeps the action fresh and the kind of compulsive, obsessive hook that would have you coming back for more. It's a beautiful extreme sports game, but oddly forgettable.

It may have problems, but Final Fantasy XV is bursting with personality and it's hard to dislike. Like any true friend, you'll learn to love it despite its flaws.

Super Mario Maker 3DS is a great port, with creation tools that work wonders on the touchscreen and the Challenge mode is a brilliant addition. It's only besmirched by the fact online sharing is so very limited. Perhaps with a future update? We seriously doubt it.

The campaign's story is interesting, and even heartbreaking, but it's weighed down by repetitive gameplay and lurks in the shadow of the great moon that is Modern Warfare Remastered...Then there's the multiplayer, which is the same great stuff that you always wanted with some new, tasty additions, but isn't anywhere near as good as that on offer over in WWI with Battlefield 1.

Mafia 3 has one of the best soundtracks in any game ever and is good in brief stabs, but it's difficult to recommend when its rays of mafioso sunshine are buried beneath poor mission design, repetitive action and forgettable bloat.

Like a robot that's been cobbled together from spare parts, ReCore has a complicated identity. It's often a platformer and a third-person shooter, but it sometimes feels like a shoot 'em up or a character action game, and it's all underpinned by RPG systems...Because of this muddled personality, it never fully delivers on anything, leaving us with an enjoyable experience, albeit one with a few issues at its core.

This isn't a casual gamer's sim-style racer, but if you're looking for a more authentic driving sim Assetto Corsa might just win your heart.

Although Deus Ex GO is a neat little package with great visuals, tricky puzzles and a compact storyline, it's let down by a control system that isn't as tight as its forbearers.

Although there are moments of warm loveliness in Grow Up's story, beauty in its world and some brand new abilities, there's no getting away from the fact that this feels like B.U.D's difficult second album.

This isn't quite the indie, arthouse Ratchet and Clank, then, but it's distinctive, unusual and frequently inspired.

If you like your Metroidvanias it's well worth diving in.

While fans will find something to love in its hardcore gameplay and old-school character design, non-fans should steer well clear.

Homefront: The Revolution has plenty of ambition and a handful of good ideas, but it's spoilt by the clumsy execution. Much as we love the mix of gameplay styles and those classy customisable guns, we can't get over the lifeless gunplay, clumsy movement and woeful AI.

Shadow of the Beast might not be exactly what true fans were expecting, especially with a few strange gameplay and narrative choices, but there's still something here for everyone. It's short, but it's only £11.99 and there's plenty of replayability here - not to mention it's two games for the price of one.

It's not hard to knock Battleborn, but that shouldn't take away from the fact that it can be a blast to play. It still gives you the variety, the sense of growing power and the competitive thrills of a good MOBA, while also dishing out the kind of madcap, crazy shooter action that Borderlands fans have come to know and love.

The graphics are basic and the controls can be tricky. Switching cameras is a nightmare when you can't remember the positions, making the business of stemming the tide of bots a little more stressful than it should be. Yet Starfox Guard turns out to be weirdly addictive.

Sometimes great, sometimes rough but mostly patchy, Star Fox Zero is depressingly mediocre. Fox and the gang deserve much better next time around.

UFC 2 is the best attempt to date at turning the sport into a game, and seasoned fans will no doubt be able to overlook its shortcomings and enjoy it for what it is - a gorgeous-looking but ultimately flawed fighter.

It's not as technical as Street Fighter, not as chaotic as Smash Bros and not as fluid as Tekken, but if it just offered a bit more of a challenge and some more depth, it would be right up there with the best of them.

OK, so Unravel kind of runs out of steam, and there are times when the game is so frustrating that you'll want to throw Yarny in the cat's direction. But then this isn't a game that's defined purely by its platforming and puzzles. Indeed, by the time the cracks appear, you'll be too in love with little Yarny and too emotionally invested in the journey to turn back.

If you're planning some solo monster slaying and don't know your Cloud from your Squall; your Lightning from your Yuna, then you might want to check out something like Monster Hunter instead. However, if you still blubber like a baby every time someone mentions the name Aeris, then Final Fantasy Explorer's exceptional level of fan service will warm you up like a Chocobo onesie.

It's certainly not the best in the series, but it's a creepy game with a great atmosphere and one where you actually have to plan ahead. If only they fixed that ruddy camera.

It's a stylish game with fun platforming, smooth combat and mostly good stealthy bits - and a definite improvement on its underwhelming predecessor.

From its intense firefights to its wanton destruction and carmageddon, Just Cause 3 ​has all the hallmarks of a classic action movie - it's just a shame the end result is more Van Damme in quality than vintage Schwarzenegger​ or Stallone.

Like a rookie player with bags of potential, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash has that raw ability, but it lacks the finesse to be a champion.

More doesn't necessarily mean better, but compared to last year's rather anaemic offering, WWE 2K16 feels like an Andre the Giant step in the right direction. If the series keeps on improving at this rate, we could have a future hall of famer on our hands.

Halo 5: Guardians features an underwhelming, confusing and surprisingly banal campaign that's not actively bad, but equally not quite good enough to warrant a purchase on its own.

Mad Max is at its best when you're hurling through the desert with a pack of murderous bandits on your tail, but the on-foot portion of the game feels derivative and largely uninspired.

The Swindle is a good game on the cusp of greatness, but falters from a structural identity crisis that is hard to ignore.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour is far from a double-bogey catastrophe of a golfing game, and has all the fundamentals to challenge for honours. With a little extra love and lots of additional content, it could potentially go beyond par and soar like an eagle.

F1 2015 lays the foundations for the future by getting it right on the race track where it matters most. Ultimately, however, it's still in need of some bodywork to bring it fully up to speed with feature-heavy past releases.

There is the odd flourish of creativity, but it is hard not to feel like it's all been done before, and better. There's still plenty to enjoy, but it doesn't quite carve out its own identity. In short: it's finely crafted, if a bit woolly.

Good enough, but incredibly safe, and definitely a factory line production that inspires little other than blandly trundling through the game, chuckling a bit at some jokes and ignoring most of them.

If you already own the original on PS3 or Xbox 360 there's not an abundance to write home about. If you don't, Crimewave Edition is still worth your time, but it's far from the perfect score.

Magicka 2 is fun in the right circumstances - i.e. when you've a friend or three in tow - but even then it's a case of an all-too-familiar experience to the first game. That's not in itself a bad thing, as the Magicka formula is a solid one, but it is disappointing - there's hardly any progress from the first game. For a sequel that took four years to hit, that's just not good enough.

Chronicles: China is a valiant attempt at expanding such offerings, but it doesn't hit the bar of quality or originality that its genre peers have already set.

It's fun and accessible, but doesn't offer enough substance to serve as anything more than fodder for a few lazy Sunday afternoons.

There's no doubt that The Sims 4 is all the richer for 'Get to Work', but it is merely one small step towards building the game into a worthy successor to its classic counterparts and satisfying a vast fan base.

While there's good fun to be had in co-op mode, and players who like their shooters chock full of zombies won't be disappointed, this feels likes a somewhat limited package on the whole.

Although the real-time sections are weak, they aren't overused and there's always something interesting coming up.

It's by no means a bad game, but it's hard to say it ever drags itself out of mediocrity. Yet at the same time it's an experience that's hard not to recommend.

As it stands, it's a game that could really benefit from some additional content if it's to evolve into the next must-have multiplayer shooter.

With Dying Light, Techland has most certainly improved on Dead Island's melee-focused, open-world formula, but it still hasn't perfected it.

As a budget bundle, Saints Row 4: Re-elected and 'Gat out of Hell' is worth considering if you're looking to waste a few weekends before this year's influx of blockbuster releases.

'The Dark Below' has its moments, but it's ultimately an underwhelming and frustrating update. The Crucible maps are a pleasant surprise, and the Raid is excellent, but the story missions and Strike are short lived and more of the same.

Ubisoft may want us to form crews and connect with fellow racing fans, but as it stands, we'd rather just get behind the wheel, turn up the radio and explore this staggering country by ourselves.

While Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiris fails to sparkle in single-player, it really comes alive when two or more players join the mix. Working together to solve puzzles and navigate tombs is good, but selfishly screwing over your friends in pursuit of the best treasure is great.

WWE 2K15 is the equivalent of an upper mid-card wrestler attempting to crack the glass ceiling of the WWE. It's close to achieving its potential, but just comes up short in a few key areas.

You could do worse than LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham. A lot worse. But if you've played a LEGO game in the last three years and are looking for a new, different experience, you'll be left wanting.

Never Alone is, nevertheless, an important game offering a fascinating window into a rich and ongoing culture among native Alaskans. And if you are open to accepting that cultural exchange then the barriers dividing the people of the world get a little bit smaller, and we all grow closer to never really being alone in the world again.

But when it comes to the story itself, there is a nagging sense that either a piece of the puzzle is missing or perhaps that the puzzle just wasn't as interesting as it first seemed.

Its lack of subtlety in its mechanics, it's rather clunky nature and its somewhat dull, basic setting mean it will never be more than a decent distraction: a game to play in between other games, or while you wait until Bloodborne early next year.

This is not a revolution as far as open-world games go, it's more of a compendium of recognizable elements that have been twisted just enough to make them seem new and different for the uninitiated.

It's a game capable of delivering real moments of magic, but is too often marred by inconsistent Kinect controls that can turn those feelings of joy into frustration.

So who is F1 2014 aimed at exactly? Well, with a 'very easy' difficulty setting, more forgiving handling (unless you turn assists off) and shorter, customised race weekends, F1 2014 is probably the most accessible iteration yet.

The inclusion of playable villains does just enough to prevent a tried and tested formula from turning stagnant, but with Disney Infinity and Nintendo's Amiibo amping up the competition in the toys-to-life category, future Skylanders titles may have to do more to cement the series' position as market leader.

While fundamental gameplay problems make it difficult to create a truly exceptional gaming experience, Disney Infinity 2.0's real strength lies in the creation aspect itself, something which makes it ideal for a younger audience.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments is not without its issues, but it is loyal enough to its source material and the adventure genre to make it worth a look if you're a fan of either.

Iron Fisticle can still shine for single-screen co-operative play, since having a friend along allows for co-ordination that cuts through the monotony. But while the random enemy patterns were intended to extend replayability with a different challenge each time, the way they are actually implemented ends up making levels feel more uniform.