Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag isn't perfect, but an intriguing story, great cast of characters and improved stealth gameplay helps steer the series over choppy waters.

However, it is rather irritating that one of those extra units is something so essential as the medic class, which gives those willing to pay more a significant advantage. Even with that drawback, Great Big War Game lives up to its name and is a great pick for any strategy game fan.

Harmonix has clearly listened to and addressed any criticisms levelled at the original, resulting in an improved sequel that rarely misses a beat.

It's a whip smart action title that's satisfying through and through, and gets the Summer of Arcade off to an absolutely rollicking start.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle isn’t just a masterful execution of a licensed game. It takes everything that MachineGames has learned from the Wolfenstein series and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay to create a deeply fun cinematic experience that explores Indiana Jones as a character and will really have you hooked as you take up the call to adventure.

A lack of decent bonuses makes the Definitive Edition a hard sell for existing fans, but for newcomers it's a slice of platforming perfection that will make the wait for next-gen blockbusters easier to bear.

Diablo 3 was always going to be a great fit for console given its intuitive and infectious gameplay, but Blizzard deserves plaudits for the skill with which it has handled the porting process.

While the puzzles are fun and challenging, it is the game's presentation that puts it over the top. The world of Nihilumbra is gorgeously realized through fantastic artwork, animation and a haunting soundtrack.

Max Payne 3 is an excellent shooter, providing hours of entertainment in both single and multiplayer modes. While it does prove occasionally repetitive, and isn't as sophisticated as some shooters on the market, its compelling plot and stylish storytelling techniques make up for most of the game's shortcomings.

As brilliant as it is bloody, Resident Evil 7 doesn't just give the franchise a refreshing reboot, but also raises the bar for future survival horror games...If we had to nitpick, we'd say the campaign's a bit short and the enemy variety slightly lacking. Those are small gripes, however, for a game that consistently gave us goosebumps the size of golf balls.

And that's Rise of the Tomb Raider in a nutshell. The parts that weren't so great about the reboot are better, while the best bits are bigger, louder and more plentiful.

For a more traditional challenge there is also the survival mode, which drops blocks at timed intervals for a fast-paced challenge. It all plays fantastically on the iPad, and makes for a unique twist puzzle fanatics will enjoy.

Barring a slightly more restrictive career mode, Forza Horizon 2 more than builds on the solid foundations laid down by its predecessor. Forza Horizon 2 easily records a podium finish ahead of what is going to be a busy winter for the racing genre.

FIFA 14 is far from a revolutionary release, and it's arguably inferior to the much improved PES 2014 in terms of pure footballing gameplay. That said, FIFA 14 is the most complete virtual footballing experience available today. Whether in single or multiplayer, there's enough to keep fans busy well into the new football season and beyond.

Final Fantasy XIV newcomers might have to jump through hoops to access the new content, but believe us when we say it's worth the effort.

Dance Central 3 continues to pack in authentic routines and a rigid scoring system, but new multiplayer options, mini-games and story modes make it the most inclusive, innovative and enjoyable entry to date.

While the system has been blessed with multiple must-have Mario adventures, it's a delight to say there's now an essential one from his often overlooked sibling too.

It walks a tightrope of intrigue that balances quirky systems, fun combat and obscure secrets with frustrating circumstances, weird world-building and curious design choices, and somehow manages to make it across, and if you embrace all it has to offer, you might too.

Whether you're an ardent fan who has logged into Destiny every week since launch, or someone who set down the controller the moment the credits rolled at launch last September, everything has been tweaked and changed for the better for everyone.

OlliOlli 2 is a great example of a sequel done right. The developer has been very astute in identifying areas that could be expanded on, tweaked and refined, while leaving the excellent controls, campaign and daily challenges untouched.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a fantastic game that we have never experienced before, and is a window into the future of next-gen gaming and what it's capable of. We are addicted to its world and everything in it, and we don't mind risking our reputation saying that it's easily our game of the decade, despite it missing out on the Video Game Awards for 2020...This is a brutal, visceral world to live in, where death seeps through the concrete jungle and every job you take on feels like the beginning of your dark end in this unforgiving landscape. Yet every time we complete a quest and receive some EuroDollars for our effort, we find ourselves itching to rush back into the danger and discover what other horrors await us.

It's an essential purchase if you're new to the series and love role-playing games, but a harder sell if you've already explored every nook and cranny of the vast and beautiful game world on a bigger and more capable screen.

The implementation of minimalist strategy is brilliant really, with clever systems that are fun and challenging to learn. And while the experience is short-lived after you have learned everything, it's a unique experience that is well worth taking the time to master.

Fans of the original will wolf down everything this revamp has to offer, and if it passed you by back in 2006, this is the best way to experience it for the first time.

New features like the Hunter Styles and Arts and Prowler mode are a gift to less experienced players, while the sheer wealth of content and great online play will please long-term fans.

The Talos Principle ties its seemingly disparate parts together beautifully, making for a game that is every bit as smart as it purports to be.

Cities: Skylines successfully caters for the audience left disappointed by SimCity with a level of accessibility tailored for casual city builders, combined with enough substance to delight veterans of the genre. Colossal Order has learned from EA's mistakes and brought us a game that steers clear of those pitfalls and emerges as a pioneer in its category.

Studio Ghibli, meanwhile, has helped to create a memorable and touching narrative that's sure to strike a chord with gamers both young and old.