Mafia 3 is a great step forward for storytelling in games that is dragged down by its consistently unpolished and poorly executed mechanics.

Defect is an appealing and well-designed build 'n' destroy space shooter that lets you get creative, then challenges you to one-up yourself via a unique mutiny mechanic.

A worthy addition to the systems repertoire, and one that fills the gap nicely between pointless dreck (Nintendogs 3DS) and full-on gaming experiences to come.

With so much content from the rest of the series present here, Tekken 7 is a celebration of the franchise up to this point. The amped-up combat mechanics and the poignant conclusion to the Mishima story are all steps forward, but they are countered by a number of steps back. The lack of a tutorial, forgettable soundtrack, and absence of some staple gameplay modes may alienate newcomers and leave veteran players wanting.

While The Ezio Collection shows its age in some areas, the trilogy allows a welcome return to one of the franchise's best characters and storylines.

World of Final Fantasy could be an ongoing offshoot of the FF franchise, and has all the baggage to prove it.

Final Fantasy XII – The Zodiac Age is far from the perfect game, but it is one of the few in the series I bothered to complete. From its lofty melodrama and rewarding combat and character systems to its missed story beats and sloggy late-game, it's an adventure I will not soon forget. More importantly, it’s one I do not want to forget, which is more than I can say for almost every entry in the series released since this game first saw light 11 years ago.

A surprisingly sensitive, if flawed, retelling of a harrowing time in human history.

Fright of the Bumblebees is a somewhat cautious start for the Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures series. It's great to see the pair back for more madcap mayhem, but it'd certainly be welcome to see a bit more action with subsequent episodes.

Star Wars Battlefront II's campaign is merely okay, and its multiplayer is hamstrung by an awful upgrade system. There's also the spectre of loot boxes hanging over it like a Lightsaber of Damocles. However, it looks and sounds amazing, and gameplay-wise delivers the goods.

The coop campaign mode is extremely challenging and fun to play, yet the best experience to be had with games like Rainbow Six Vegas 2 still resides online in the 16 player lobbies via multiplayer.

A good solid soccer title which builds on previous EA soccer titles. Some glitches here and there and a high learning curve means you will need to stick at it, and might put off newcomers to the series. But an incredible match and graphics engine help to make up for this.

What I can say is that I had a blast with it, and those who remember where Sonic came from probably will too.

Total War: Attila iterates on Total War: Rome II. It represents an interesting diversion for fans of the series, but a lack of of new ideas and polish mean it's unlikely to appeal to a wider audience.

Old school JRPG throwback I Am Setsuna tells an interesting story with a fittingly sombre tone, but features none of the combat oomph of its predecessors.

Psycho-Pass: Mandatory Happiness is a decent example of game from a niche genre. Just don't expect to be doing much more than advancing through dialogue screens and you'll enjoy yourself.

Rise of Iron does a brilliant job in building up the legend of your Guardian, but offers very little innovation or advancement of the game's core features. Despite this, it stays true to what makes Destiny great – offering truly satisfying shooter encounters as a backdrop to a fantastic social experience.

It's the same as the console version, which means you still don't have a good multiplayer game, and it's still third person. Nice of them to port it - shame they didn't give us something to mess about with on a LAN.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is visually appealing and excellently paced, but its frustrating controls and legacy assets peg this as a game released a little prematurely.

Vita owners thirsty for new titles will rightly give an arm and a leg for this one, but they should know ahead of time that it can be hard on the ol' swipin' appendages.

The developer missions may be ordinary but the Adventure Creator that comes with the expansion supersizes the incredible creative license of the original game.

Built on the anime of the same name, Afro Samurai should have been a sure-fire hit. Unfortunately some poor design decisions have hampered its chances at success, but it still manages to entertain with fluid fighting and slick effects. It's just a shame it becomes repetitive too soon.

Virtua Tennis 2009 is a solid, enjoyable game however lacks the finesse of other Wii tennis titles in the market.

The Saboteur had potential, but is let down by a weak combat mechanic and some terrible stealth/AI issues.

It cannot be said enough that underneath all the padding remains that same excellent stealth assassination gameplay. Brotherhood's multiplayer returns largely unharried, and fans enamoured with the series will certainly be able to see through the surplus soft tissue to appreciate the singleplayer's unquestionable inner beauty. The rest will rightly conclude that Assassin's Creed: Revelations is the most disappointing entry in a spectacular series.

Get Even is a strange game. It's almost schizophrenic in its execution, but The Farm 51 should be applauded for trying something different. It represents what I love about independent game development: it maybe a little rough around the edges, but it takes risks and provides a truly unique experience. For that I applaud it, even if I cannot unreservedly recommend it.

Basically the same old Harvest Moon formula with a few new features, but a pleasant little diversion from the pressures and pace of real life - and good value for money.

While Starlink may be a bit expensive for some, there's a tremendously fun game hiding beneath the toys-to-life options. The core combat loop stays satisfying throughout the journey. It's a great first entry in a new IP and I'm excited to see what else Ubisoft does to expand on the universe and gameplay.

You can appreciate what BioWare are trying to do, but personally I am tired of collecting new crew members. I have a fine and full crew; so for myself, right now I would rather have more missions that develop the main story further or give me new ways to interact with the current crew members.

A good solid soccer title which builds on previous EA soccer titles. Some glitches here and there and a high learning curve means you will need to stick at it, and might put off newcomers to the series. But an incredible match and graphics engine help to make up for this.

Fable Anniversary is a worthy game and sure to appeal to fans of the original, but sub-HD cut-scenes, a jumpy camera and a poor targeting system indicate this re-release didn't get the full attention it deserved.

Krillbite Studios' baby sim-cum-horror tale starts strong, but comes undone as it pushes into the supernatural at the expense of the real. It's often scary, but not always effective.

Hacker's Memory mostly builds upon its capable predecessor, but despite an interesting cast, some tedious content holds it back from true greatness.

A somewhat nostalgic wrestling title that fails to hit the standards set by the Smackdown vs. Raw franchise. Good fun though, even with the simplified controls.

Blood Money and Absolution are great games but even with the enhancements they are showing their age, not only when compared to the most recent entries but also to each other.

The focus on action for the first half of the episode takes away from what makes this series great, but the exceptional tone, and excellent storytelling still deliver. Clementine promises to be a unique and compelling protagonist, and Telltale has the potential here to make the most important game in the zombie sub-genre.

The coop campaign mode is extremely challenging and fun to play, yet the best experience to be had with games like Rainbow Six Vegas 2 still resides online in the 16 player lobbies via multiplayer.

The potential was there, but Ghostbusters The Video Game is not as good as it might have been. It's fun when it is a ghost-capturing game, but the addition of third-person shooter elements spoils it.

The synergy between audio and visual in Bit. Trip Presents Runner 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien greatly redeems a game that can become as tedious as its title.

His work gives the game much of its charm, but even Gollum himself can't push this 12-hour puzzle-shooting-platformer adventure past 'above average' and into 'great'.

Red River resembles a game six months of tweaking away from being a masterpiece. As it stands, it's intermittently thrilling (particularly in the larger firefights), but fans of the Flashpoint series will be disappointed by the relatively narrow battlegrounds of Red River and newbies may be utterly bored by the time the first handful of missions are completed. There's definitely room in the FPS world for the kind of cerebral, tactical shooter that this game aspires to be, and beyond a slack initial offering are riches that hint at how great Operation Flashpoint: Red River could be.

While there have been refinements, the core Gears machinery whirs on through another solid singleplayer campaign. More has been altered in the game's multiplayer component, but it's finally a case of diminishing returns for the cornerstone franchise.

Steeldiver is a novel and varied title that should entertain the casual gamer.

PowerStar Golf doesn’t reinvent the golf-game wheel, but it’s a pleasant, laid-back diversion with a fun design sense and great camera controls that outweigh its relatively inoffensive microtransaction system.

Web of Shadows is an improvement over previous Spider-Man titles, but still lacks the punch we expect from such a popular movie-based intellectual property. A poorly told story coupled with mediocre and often repetitive action sequences have thwarted this titles chances of blockbuster glory this Christmas.

Bound's metaphorical story isn't subtle, but playing it is a meditative – if shallow – experience. [Tested with PSVR]

The beauty of the Junior series is that it doesn’t matter who you are, or how old you are, it’s just all about having fun with some wacky looking characters. It's great entertainment all round.

Asura's Wrath has a great story, and manages to offer genuinely enjoyable entertainment despite being light on real gaming substance. As a full price game though, it is hard to justify the cost. For those who can get it on special, it is something worth playing simply as a new experience.

Lego Batman 2 is packed with fun DC Universe content, tricky puzzles and compulsive collecting, but it's let down by the repetitive and often tedious combat mechanics. It's virtually impossible to fail, making the real challenge one of player interest. Combined with clunky controls, there's enough wrong to prevent this game from becoming a Lego classic.

Sniper Elite III sees the franchise creep closer to excellence. It doesn't quite get there, but nonetheless this is a solid title that has arrived in a particularly lean month.

Call of Duty: WWII is a step back into the grounded realism the series has been sorely missing for years. While its single-player campaign isn’t anything to write home about, the new additions seen in multiplayer and the return of Nazi Zombies make for a package well worth playing.

Like Mary Shelley's gothic creation, you'll come to discover that Lords of Shadow is no monster, even if its ubiquitous quick-time events will occasionally see you reaching for your pitchfork.

Hand of Fate is a fresh take on the rogue-lite genre that starts off flush with unique ideas, but by the final few hands it's out of trump cards.

Matchmaking is as woeful as you would expect, and the campaign mode is too short and plays like it was designed by a committee. The Special Ops mode fails to lift the uniform score of this game to anything worthy of remembrance.

Built on the anime of the same name, Afro Samurai should have been a sure-fire hit. Unfortunately some poor design decisions have hampered its chances at success, but it still manages to entertain with fluid fighting and slick effects. It's just a shame it becomes repetitive too soon.

A pocket-sized noir adventure filled with genuine charm and challenge that doesn’t really feel all that comfortable on console.

The Station tackles with some of life's biggest questions with finesse, and will have you pondering it all long after the credits roll.

ScreamRide is fun, but it’s not the Daliesque experience it’s so desperately trying to be.

The good ideas in Zoo Tycoon aren't developed far enough to warrant top marks, but Frontier Developments have delivered a capable game that will delight gamers of all ages.

If you're a dedicated NBA fan then there might just be enough here to keep you occupied. If not, there are better alternatives on the market.

The graphics are the best of any in the franchise and the musical score is perfectly aligned to the medieval setting. But Sims fans might be disappointed by the lack of freedom in this release, whereas RPG fans will probably appreciate the structured gameplay and character development laced with The Sims's typical light-hearted humour.

High Moon's love for the subject matter clearly shines through, so it's a shame that Fall of Cybertron stumbles in a few areas. Transformers fans will still have a blast with the game, but underneath the chrome chassis this is just another compentent shooter. Fall of Cybertron falls short of finally doing the Transformers universe justice, but although it may be faint praise, it is definitely the best Transformers game yet.

Mists of Pandaria has a lot to offer players. Its tone and style are a drastic departure from the super-serious-business of previous expansions. And that is commendable.

All 4 One is a worthy addition to the Ratchet & Clank stable and, judging by the popularity of the drop-in/drop-out style of co-op gameplay that the Lego series has proven so popular, might just be where the future of the franchise lies.

Super Stardust Ultra is basically a prettier and marginally expanded version of Super Stardust HD that can only really be recommended to newcomers.

ReCore is an interesting robotic Frankenstein of various game parts. They don’t always work well together, but when they do the collective whole is a rather wonderful creation. However as not all parts were created equal expect some frustration and the occasional fumble.

Despite its faults, or all the things that could have been more polished, there's a lot of enjoyment on offer. If only Danger Close and DICE were prepared to put in just a little bit more effort during the development process to separate Medal of Honor from the rest of the flock in this saturated genre, we could have been looking at something very special indeed.

In the end, Distant Stars is worthy it for the extra anomalies and the novelty of the L-Clusters alone, though it’s hardly a must have. Paradox’s ongoing support is commendable, but the studio has consistently failed to fix issues that have plagued the game for nearly three years now.

The singleplayer is an enjoyable run-and-gun through Wolfenstein’s Nazi-occult premise but the multiplayer is something of a disappointment.

Invizimals is a great idea perhaps realised too soon. It never feels as cohesive as it should due to technology limitations, and for that reason it's hard to promote it as a well constructed gaming experience. But we'd sure love to see a sequel that irons out the bugs.

Semblance is fun game that nails the fundamentals, but the limited scope and brevity don’t allow it the opportunity to really shine. Puzzle-platform fans will enjoy what is on offer here but will be left wanting for more.

Morrowind is a capable add-on to an MMO that's a leader in story and questing, and is only improving with age.

This was a title we'd all desperately wanted to see perform well, and while the core game does offer a lot of entertainment, it's frustrating to imagine what could have been if only Eden had a bit more vision. It's clear that if there's to be another edition to the series, it's going to need some serious work in order to remain relevant.

A puzzle block game with the ability to shoot things at your foes? Sounds great, but in attempting to appeal to a mass audience the developers have instead made an extremely niche game. If you like puzzle games, you'll love it - everyone else should stay clear.

There’re other arcade golf games to be enjoyed if that is what you desire and while this game does make par, it’s certainly no eagle.

Blood Stone is an able shooter.

Despite some stunning art direction and a rich story complete with interesting and complex characters, Enslaved fails to provide a compelling game play experience to complement its artistic and narrative strengths.

If you want the full flight/action WWII experience on the Wii then pick up a copy of Blazing Angels: Pearl Harbor. However if you've got a tenner to spare or some Wii Points to use up – and from the perspective of value for money – this is well worth a look.

Some stunning visuals and audio mixed with an enjoyable multiplayer experience is quickly forgotten as the poorer design choices found in Capcom’s Lost Planet sequel impair what might have been a great experience.

If multiplayer hadn't been a broken mess the game probably would have scored higher and while good fun, Army of Two fails to be a great game.

The lack of variation unfortunately keeps Zombie Apocalypse from being the great game that it could have been. It feels extremely repetitive and doesn’t offer anything that makes you want to replay it again. Otherwise, it isn’t all terrible.

This game fails to be a really great conversion of a traditional "search and find" style game. The digital medium feels unsuited to a game such as this, and it can be frustrating peering into your TV set looking for some of the more tricky items. The game is much better when played in co-op either locally or over LIVE, as it makes searching more fun and also speeds up the game.

Blood Dragon perfectly captures the essence of '80s action kitsch, but it's often at odds with the gameplay.

The problem here is that The Run fails to really come together to form a solid package.

Full respect to the developers for attempting to bring together a game that allows players to approach the storyline from three very distinct directions, unfortunately it didn't all come together as it perhaps should have with the implementation falling short. Aliens vs. Predator is fun and entertaining when its good, but dull and frustrating when it is not; with more of the latter.

Friday the 13th: Killer Puzzle is a curious marriage of gore and puzzles which unfortunately doesn't quite it right. Fans of the franchise will get more enjoyment than others, but it's hard to recommend this puzzler to any but the most die-hard Vorhees fans.

It lacks the kind of personality you'd expect with titles like these, but does offer the occasional serious challenge to those able to overlook the clumsy controls, annoying camera issues, and fairly average graphics.

For every positive aspect found in Crackdown 2, there's a handful of negative ones. The game is frustratingly bland, lacking in innovation and it really feels like less of a game than the title it's meant to follow on from.

Recommended only for serious Harry Potter fans, or seriously bored kids.

Despite being developed by one of the best action game studios in the business, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order falls short of its predecessors. Gameplay more often than not turns to button mashing monotony and is only briefly satisfying when playing with a new character.

A solid 90's style platformer with some tacked on minigames and a reasonable multiplayer angle. Good fodder for a trip down memory lane, and beautifully animated.

When played with a group of friends The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan is an undeniably fun experience. However, the main story and core game feel rather skeletal when not being filled out by the real-world flesh and blood of your nearest and dearest. Bugs and performance issues constantly nag, but the real disappointment is that as a horror story Man of Medan is not even close to being as smart or fun as its predecessor. I hope the next entry in The Dark Pictures anthology can recapture the gore and glory from Until Dawn.

It's an improvement on episode one, but there's too much inane padding in Out of Time for it to warrant a hearty recommendation.

The amazing artwork struggles to conceal repetitive combat and a game that, at its heart, is incredibly easy. Kids will probably rate it highly, but those who have grown up with the series may tire of it quickly.

Ghost Recon Breakpoint doesn't do anything new but still provides a lot of fun, if you're willing to slow down and play tactically. The game falls short in many areas and doesn't quite keep up with it's competition but shooter and stealth fans will have a blast. Performance issues do hinder the experience and some questionable design choices left me baffled. If you're a huge third-person shooter fan and love open-world games, you wont regret giving it a shot, provided you check your expectations at the door.

If you're an old fan of the series, Climax is a good way to bring the nostalgia up-to-date, but for those used to getting more out of current-gen titles than an arcade sense of speed, it may not be worth the asking price.

Revelations is a lesser experience on console simply because more is expected. Upsized for TVs, several flaws become apparent. A great game on handheld, here it’s merely acceptable.

It has combat in both its campaign and competitive modes that feels extremely appropriate, and there’s a generous amount of very “Aliens” content here. Just expect the plotting and atmosphere to feel slightly stale throughout.