This system works perfectly (and thematically) when you’re simply out to get past and away – a wall kick here, a shoulder-drop there, and on we go over the next railing without looking back. But too often, the campaign missions insist on dropping Faith into open areas filled with enemies and saying “Here, clear these guys out”.

Taken as a whole, Blood and Wine is nothing short of a triumph – a stunning conclusion to one of the best RPG series ever made.

What’s incredible about Overwatch is how every single aspect of the game presented holds the same remarkably high level of detail and polish, and though the lack of progression systems and small selection of game modes may limit the experience for some in the long term, in the short to medium term, this game is nothing short of amazing.

Shadow of the Beast is an action title whose combat simply isn't particularly enjoyable. Throw in some off-putting map design, and you have a game that's a shadow of what it could have been.

Despite a troubled development, Doom is a confident, cracking throwback that pays loving tribute to its much-vaunted forefathers while bringing the noise via cutting edge tech. In a world awash with sci-fi hitscan shooters, it's a breath of fiery air that will delight as it melts faces.

There's no denying that Total War: Warhammer is an enjoyable and accomplished title. But it's also one that takes few risks, and so a sense of what could have been occasionally floats over its crowded battlefields.

Battleborn has plenty of ambition, but it just isn't particularly satisfying to play. It isn't broken, it's just the whole experience feels lightweight and derivative.

Having exhausted my repertoire of adjectives for describing this game I’ve decided to keep it simple: Uncharted 4 is the best game in the franchise and – dare I say it – the best game on PS4. Whether you’ve been part of the series since day one or never played any of them before, it matters not – this one is absolutely worth taking the time out to sit down and enjoy.

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.

Hitman: Sapienza is a great episode marred by server issues. Not everyone is having them, but if you are, you can't progress or access community or live content.

The Banner Saga 2 isn't mechanically distinct from the first game and its story suffers second act syndrome, but it's nonetheless a cracking title that will both satisfy and leave players in desperate need of the trilogy's closing act.

1979 Revolution: Black Friday is a groundbreaking game, not in terms of gameplay, but in its depiction of real historical events in an accurate, thoughtful manner, and its exploration of a genre rarely touched by video games.

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada is a beautiful game that’s flawed but brilliant. Occasionally obtuse but always entertaining, it’s a wonderfully unique way to experience the Warhammer 40k universe.

Enter the Gungeon is a terrific roguelike shooter whose sense of humour and exacting design make for tricky bullet-slaying fun both alone or with a friend.

The Lombax and his trusty robotic companion make their PlayStation 4 debut in style with an entertaining story, great gameplay, and a beautiful galaxy to explore. This is one of the PlayStation 4’s best exclusives by a mile.

MXGP 2 is a great example of how to take promising ideas, and then squander them all with terrible execution. There’s a decent motocross game in here somewhere, but it’s buried by technical issues like a fallen rider under mud.

The Walking Dead: Michonne's second episode features cinematic combat sequences and fascinating flashback scenes, but it is let down by uninteresting characters and scenarios. The game’s final episode has a lot of heavy lifting to do.

Trackmania Turbo isn't substantially different from other games in the series: it's polished, fleet, and enjoyable. That makes it a great purchase for long-neglected console players, but it offers less to series veterans on PC.

Dark Souls III nails much of what made the first two in the series so special, but its world and enemies are unusually drab.

The Division is a great shooter that's primarily let down by glitches, drabness, repetition, and a thoroughly underwhelming first raid.

Quantum Break is magnificent, pushing the boundaries of what's possible both technically and from a narrative perspective.

UFC 2 is hard to get into and not as rewarding to play as it should be, but its smart system design, presentation, and generous helping of content should keep UFC fans occupied – provided they make it through a gruelling training camp first.

Dirt Rally is a tough but hugely enjoyable racer that easily eclipses its competitors and is likely destined for the rally video game hall of fame.

The Hitman Intro Pack is satisfying to play, there just isn't enough of it. This ought to be rectified by the second episode next month, and by then its servers should be stable as well.

Heavy Rain Remastered doesn't go far enough in reworking its source material. It's still the definitive version of Quantic's murder mystery, but it still carries the flaws of its forefather.

Far Cry Primal is more and yet less of the same Far Cry we’ve been playing for the past few years, minus a few fun systems. It's not worth the asking price, and demands more of your time than it deserves.

Superhot is a highly effective expression of the gamer's neverending desire to perform cool action, but it also manages to perform some nifty narrative tricks as well. A clever, minimalistic, and totally badass indie gaming highlight.

The Flame in the Flood is a grim game that challenges players not only with gameplay, but also with subtle ideas about life and humankind. Yet, despite how literary the game can be, it's a deeply enjoyable experience that scratches the primal itch of surviving in the wild.

“In Too Deep” gets The Walking Dead: Michonne off to a rocky start, with the introduction of uninteresting characters, a drab story, and a flat ending. Yet the exploration of Michonne’s past and her emotional demons is fascinating, and offers much potential for the future.

A textbook multiplayer sequel, Garden Warfare 2 builds upon the solid class-based shooting of its predecessor, while both refining the core mechanics and adding a shedload of new content.

While Layers of Fear hews close to horror game tradition all too often, it does offer enough innovation to make it a worthwhile experience - especially when played after dark.

The Following is an excellent expansion by any measure, combining a fascinating narrative and enjoyable gameplay into a great piece of content for fans of the original game. It’s a shame parkour takes a back seat, but running zombies over in the buggy is an attractive alternative.

If anyone had any doubt about Capcom's ability to deliver a frame-perfect fighting engine, they can rest assured their fears are without merit. Sure, there will likely be balancing changes once the masses pick apart the V-Gauge and EX bars, but absolutely nothing at all about the feel of the game seemed "off" to this seasoned Street Fighter veteran.

Crypt of the Necrodancer evolves the roguelike genre substantially with an exceedingly simple addition. The rhythm mechanics, combined with some really great music and the roguelike experience, create one of the best titles either rhythm games or roguelikes have to offer.

Firewatch pushes the still-forming first person exploration genre ahead several steps, with wonderful dialogue, sumptuous design, and a story that examines loneliness in unique ways.

Sorcery smartly updates only the gameplay side of its source material, allowing the original writing to shine through. Though likely too simplistic for hardcore gamers, players looking for a quiet, absorbing role-playing experience will find much to enjoy.

Fun, innovative, and unique, Gravity Rush is well worth your time, bringing an original action-adventure from the small screen to a bigger one.

With great dungeon designs, enjoyable turn-based combat, and a new story that adds context to the turn-based action, The Fafnir Knight makes for an excellent addition to the 3DS library and an excellent homage to Heroes of Lagaard. Recommended.

Unravel is a fleeting yet enjoyable experience, with great gameplay and production design. Experienced players may find it too easy, but it's a gorgeous blend of story and gameplay for everyone else.

The Witness is an expansive and wickedly smart follow-up to Braid, with puzzles to test even the brightest minds. Its mental gymnastics are well worth the occasional frustration, and you'll come out feeling like a genius.

XCOM 2 manages to raise the stakes and challenge of its predecessor without ever becoming too frustrating. Defeat will be frequent and death even more so, but victory is all the more sweet for it. In short, it's bigger, better, broader, and even more brutal!

Bombshell is a broken, boring action game with a tin ear for humour and action that rarely rises above tedium.

Night School’s creepy teen horror more than succeeds at being a chilling supernatural tale, but its real strength lies in its rough, earnest, truthful account of five teen lives and the ways that they grow and fracture under the worst, most unearthly kind of pressure.

Sébastien Loeb Rally Evo is a fantastic rally game with it’s heart in the right place, but occasional technical woes stop it from reaching its full potential.

Blackbird Interactive clearly understands what makes Homeworld such an esteemed series, and for the most part Deserts of Kharak delivers. Only a relative lack of content somewhat lessens an otherwise excellent RTS.

First and foremost, Darkest Dungeon is a concept game that has hit its mark perfectly, a tonal masterpiece where everything from the art to sound, writing, difficulty levels and gameplay features contributes perfectly towards the whole picture that the developers aimed to paint. Turn off the lights, place a single lit candle next to your monitor, and creep hesitantly forward into its dark spaces; the way ahead will be hard, but the rewards are substantial.

Time has rendered Resident Evil Zero somewhat toothless and frustrating, but this HD offering is still an enjoyable throwback that goes down better thanks to some generous helpings of cheese.

Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen mixes the well-worn and overplayed clichés of the genre with just enough new stuff to keep things mostly fresh. Its story may be completely disposable, but the world itself is fascinating. It also has the honour of being one of the best-executed ports I have ever played.

Valhalla Hills is charming, but it lacks compelling problem-solving scenarios, is too repetitive, and has players relying too much trial and error to progress.

Rainbow Six Siege delivers on its promise of tension, tactics and teamwork, but it might not be worth AU$70; there are bugs both big and small that need squashing, there's no server browser, and connection errors are too common. There's something else to consider, too: PC players have been abandoning multiplayer-only titles in record time this year.

InXile's classical RPG translates beautifully to console, and should be picked up by RPG fans – even those neck deep in that other big post-apocalyptic title.

Rodea the Sky Soldier has the odd interesting idea, but numerous gameplay problems betray its troubled development.

WWE 2K16 pushes the franchise further down the sim path, to its detriment. It's also buggy and ugly – a fatigued veteran destined for the bush leagues.

Just Cause 3 understands what the essence of the series is – impressively chaotic sandbox action – and it duly provides mountains of it. Just don't expect too much from the story.

Star Wars: Battlefront is a simplified online shooter for a broad audience that delivers on its promise of Star Wars battle fantasies.

Legacy of the Void is a grandiose Space Opera of the highest order, a stunning conclusion to not only StarCraft II but the entire StarCraft epic that began a decade and a half ago. That’s only part of the story though: Blizzard has also managed to embrace new players with a more forgiving entry point, while also providing more depth and increased skill ceiling for the long time devotee. That might be the real legacy of this game.

Need for Speed is an excellent racing title with a laid back attitude and plenty to enjoy – if you can get past a few of the glaring design choices that is.

Even with its abstract and convoluted single-player campaign, Black Ops III is one of the best Call of Duty packages in years thanks to excellent refinement of the series’ multiplayer, and the return of Treyarch’s well-loved zombies mode.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is a big-budget title that delivers a breathtaking adventure with all the trimmings.

Fallout 4 is a welcome return to the wasteland. An interesting and well-told central story is hobbled by the open world, but this is Fallout and that open world is a joy to explore. PC players will justifiably grumble that the game is obviously designed first and foremost for a couch and controller experience.

Driveclub: Bikes delivers a top-notch bike game for a very low price. Despite some small nitpicks, it stands out as the top of its kind this generation.

Halo 5: Guardians is Halo evolved. The campaign ends with a whimper but is great until that point, and Warzone ably expands the series' peerless multiplayer.

With interesting characters, refined mechanics, and a few excellent new additions, Assassin's Creed Syndicate reminds us what's great about the series. Even those turned off by the bugfest that was Unity will be won over by this terrific entry. It's the best Assassin's Creed game to come along in a long while.

Lego Dimensions gets its crazy pop culture mash-up right, and adds some interesting real-world mechanics to the toys-to-life genre. The financial barrier to entry is high, but it's not bad value by any stretch.

Transformers Devastation is a loving homage to its '80s cartoon source material that features the slick and satisfying combat we've come to expect from PlatinumGames. Shame it's so bloody short, though.

Telltale recalibrates with episode one of Minecraft: Story Mode, returning to younger audiences with a story that’s charming and accessible, and opening a surprisingly nuanced conversation with its players. Older audiences, though, may find its path a bit too well-trod.

Life is Strange got off to a so-so start, but strong storytelling and impressive choice and consequence mechanics boost its first season. Soon the world really gets its hooks in, and you'll enjoy it despite yourself.

WRC 5 sets out with the best of intentions, but poor implementation in many critical areas cripples the fun and leaves it stranded mid-stage.

Hearts of Stone is everything great about The Witcher 3, delivered in a neat little package.

Guitar Hero Live takes some chances and is a better game for it. The campaign and local multiplayer offerings are pretty weak, but GHTV's rotating channels are addictive. It's a shame the game's extra songs aren't available as DLC.

Skylanders Superchargers provides what we've come to expect from the series: high production values, fun for all ages, and reminders that you could spend a whole lot more on additional toys to play with.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 is a shocking game in every respect. It's not even bad-good. Avoid, or ask for your money back.

Bland visuals, rehashed game play, and constant bugs and minor irritations completely overshadow the core Heroes experience. These criticisms, along with the game's complete lack of new ideas, makes it the weakest entry in the long running series. Might & Magic: Heroes VII is best avoided and forgotten.

Armikrog is a game that has had obvious care and exacting attention given to its visual design and animation… at the expense of almost everything else. A bland and woefully short game with asinine puzzles and an unresponsive interface, it’s beautiful but that's about it.

Blood Bowl 2 is a deceptively simple yet tactically deep turn-based sports game well worth your time. For maximum utility, avoid the campaign mode and join a league as soon as possible.

The Talos Principle on PS4 lives up to the hype of its PC cousin. It's a genre masterpiece that anyone with the slightest interest in puzzles or philosophy should pick up as a matter of priority.

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is a truly fantastic trio of games that are a mere rope swing away from perfection.

FIFA 16 is an excellent football game, but while the gameplay tweaks and minor improvements make it the best FIFA yet, the limited scope of new additions and modes make it feel like EA has missed an opportunity to completely establish itself as the king of the football sim.

When Soma is able to stretch its legs and be the horror game fans have been waiting for these past five years, it delivers in giant terror-inducing waves. Sadly, some inconsistent pacing and clunky mechanics weigh it down, leaving us with a good game rather than a great one.

The Taken King is one helluva good apology for the mediocre mis-start that was 2014's Destiny. All of our grievances have been addressed in some way. The loot system is fairer and more sensical, there's an actual story worth emotionally investing in, plus the combat's had an adrenaline shot thanks to new enemies, gats to gather, and exciting new subclasses.

Armello is a solidly-constructed and enjoyable turn-based title that offers a unique setting and plenty of depth.

If this is indeed the final Metal Gear title from Hideo Kojima, he's gone out on an impeccably-produced high. Although the story doesn't match that of past games, The Phantom Pain's gameplay delivers in a way that only a select few open world games manage.

While it doesn’t reinvent the genre or lend it much additional flare, Smite is still a worthy addition to the legions of MOBA games that are now available.

Warhammer 40,000: Regicide is what every kid who played Battle Chess back in the day wished it could have been. It enthralls, but a lack of content and variety may see the majority of players move on far sooner than the game deserves.

Stasis is a traditional point-and-click nightmare that enthralls from the opening scene until the very end. Smart puzzles and breathtaking yet horrific artwork make it not only one of the best adventure games ever made, but one of the finest horror titles to be released on PC as well.

Mad Max has the basics right and looks great, but beyond the first few hours it's a monotonous grind.

Madden 16 is the definitive Madden experience, boasting new gameplay mechanics and features that change the game for the better. New and returning players will easily find something to love about this year’s iteration.

Ultimate Edition proves what an outstanding game Gears of War was and is. It's a meticulously-crafted remake, and the online modes are exemplary. Even if you've played the original, it's well worth a look.

The switch to three dimensions hobbles rather than helps Trine 3. In the wake of the first two excellent entries in the series, it can only be considered a disappointment.

Harebrained Schemes has again struck gold within the Shadowrun universe. Refined Decking and brilliant writing as well as some genuine surprises breathe life into the fantastical future Hong Kong setting. Sadly, some pacing and level design issues stop it just short of the heights it was reaching for.

Until Dawn is the best cinematic horror game to torment players this past decade. It doesn’t hit every beat, but by morning you will have experienced terror, tension, and tragedy, and killed a few of your friends – if you even survive that long.

War Chest is an incredible disappointment given the strength of the series to this point, and the exciting licences within.

While it has its problems, Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture is a memorable, emotional ride through post-apocalyptic England, rife with mystery, intrigue, and a sense of the unknown.

Super Mega Baseball is an enjoyable throwback to a time when sports games were for everyone rather than just enthusiasts.

Submerged is underwhelming. It squanders a promising opening, and its slight mechanics will no doubt give ammo to those who question the validity of exploration titles.

This is cyberpunk! An ugly-beautiful dystopia dripping with atmosphere. Emergent game play and the freedom to play how you want make Satellite Reign not only a worthy successor to Syndicate, but in many ways the superior game.

Rare Replay is an amazing collection of games at a bargain price, and shows what an incredible run the UK studio has been on for the majority of its existence.

Rory McIlroy PGA Tour plays well, but it's also intermittently ugly, and there's isn't nearly enough content here for the asking price.