The biggest issue is not that the development set their sights incredibly high, but simply that this kind of game is a mammoth project, and there is simply no way that a limited budget can pull off something of the standard of, say, Skyrim. Risen 3 is a raw, entertaining experience that lacks polish but offers substance.

It's priced just right as an impulse purchase, and offers so much content that anyone who's ever enjoyed a tower defence game should get a kick out of it.

The game plays perfectly fine, but it just shouldn't have been made this way.

Really this is an expansion pack, and it's going to cost you almost as much as a new game, so if you are a veteran of Diablo 3, be aware of that.

Velocity 2X takes everything that was great about the top down shooting action of Velocity Ultra and not only improves it, but adds a whole new layer of depth: platforming. It creates a new hybrid genre that's seamlessly blended together by its creative narrative and delicate balancing of controls for each style of game play.

Despite its unyielding dedication for all things realistic, I rather enjoyed the demanding style of play The Golf Club prides itself on, even during the first few hours, where the game will either draw you in or turn you off completely.

The big question is whether people who have played the game before will get anything out of the upgrade. I do believe there's enough content in there to justify the purchase, and if you're a fan of Warriors games, and somehow missed either of the game's previous releases, you can consider Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate essential. It really is Koei Tecmo's Smash Bros.

This is the absolute best episode of the season, with meaningful choices and memorable moments. No Going Back is a solid payoff to an otherwise sometimes uneven season.

In the interests of variety, evolution, and the survival of creative thought, Hohokum is a game that needs to exist and be celebrated by those who can appreciate it.

It is a shame that Master Reboot seems to nail the atmosphere so well, because the story, puzzle and to a lesser degree visual elements, just do not come together to create a fully realised and enjoyable package.

The shooter sections feel out of place, and they almost feel like they’ve been included to flesh out the already short campaign. Which is a shame, because the action is perfect.

Smart ideas paired up with smart writing and an enthralling mystery make for another true game of the year contender.

In an era where every title feels like it is trying to play catch up to Call of Duty in the FPS genre, Metro still stands out as being willing to take a few more chances. It wants you to spend time in its darkly atmospheric world.

The audio and visual presentation are awesome and The Walking Dead seasons 1 and 2 are favourite narratives of mine, so immediately this table appealed to me. Smart table design makes this table a good deal of fun, if perhaps just a shade more cramped than I would have liked.

Gripes aside, if you are looking for a colourful, fun and humorous shooter, Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare should fit the bill nicely.

The limited budget of an independent developer is clearly on show from start to finish, but there's an earnestness to the game that is really quite appealing. But if "walking simulators" don't do much for you, don't expect to get much out of this either.

One might be quick to dismiss CounterSpy as nothing more than a half-broken stealth game, but you’d be remiss for doing so. I for one prefer to look at it as a half-working stealth game, one that has passion and enthusiasm where it counts. Dynamighty may not have hit a home run the first time around, but based on the love of the medium of the team there, I wouldn’t count them out just yet.

Overall Gravity Badgers is worth the time and thankfully the levels that cause the most frustration can be overlooked and forgotten thanks to the exceptional boss battles.

If you consider yourself an adult, say anywhere between the ages of 18 and yet-to-expire, I dare say that you are burdened by an inner-child, a nostalgic whisper that reminds of a simpler lifestyle, fantastical expectations, and games that made you feel adventurous, alive.

Granted, the worst of Zen Studios pinball tables is better than almost anything similar pinball games have managed, but there are better offerings for Pinball FX 2 than Guardians of the Galaxy as well.

Disgaea 4: A Promise Revisited is the kind of game that can ruin sleep patterns and kill productivity. But it's all worth it because it'll keep you chuckling right up to when that favourite Prinny hits level 9999, dood.

A brilliant game with new mechanics that purposely attempt to divert away from chess could sell on its own merits, rather the rely on the reputation of the game it is so eager to alter.

Cuts to the core of an action JRPG, the combat, and does an admirable job of making something worthwhile out of it.

One of the saving graces I found with Nindroids was the fact it, like some other recent portable LEGO games has been made more, well, portable friendly.

Akiba's Trip: Undead and Undressed is fun while it lasts. Though it is not for everyone, and though there is much more that could have been done to make the parody theme stronger, if you are willing to check your brain at the door, there is a good time to be had here.

Table Top Racing's small issues are not enough to ruin what is essentially an easy, casual party racing game, but they're enough to ensure that it's never going to be remembered as a classic. Then again, it's being sold for a couple of dollars, so you can't really lose either.

Cellar Door Games' Rogue Legacy is inherently hardcore and unapologetically retro. It's a game that should be marred by repetition, yet its careful blend of genres features such great variety and personality it's near impossible to stop playing.

This is a game by Peter Molyneux who, for all his misfires in recent years, remains a guy who is fiercely intelligent and deeply committed to creative game development. The fact that he allowed this game to fall into such a cynical monetisation model shows just how enslaved developers and publishers have become to free-to-play games, and that makes Godus a symbol, but for reasons that Molyneux probably didn't anticipate; it's a symbol for just how infuriating free-to-play has become.