Incredibly fun and worthy of a multiple playthroughs, Avalanche's latest will hopefully spur other developers to construct similar love letters to arcade gaming's glory days, whether they have a triple-A engine at their disposal or not.

The static narratives and roguelike gameplay in Sunless Sea don't always gel together harmoniously, but Failbetter Games has succeeded in delivering a tense and engaging experience and a rich and atmospheric setting.

Monster hunter Freedom Unite lays the foundations for more small-scale MMORPG games and proves that they can be done successfully with handheld consoles while still remaining action orientated to appeal to hack & slash fans.

A real challenge to... you know, that other sandbox game... Saints Row 2 expands on the original with a dizzying level of complexity. Stilwater is back and bigger than ever - there's so much to see and do you'll be entertained for hours.

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 Brigmore Witches shares its predecessor's lack of narrative propulsion, but is nonetheless a compelling package that all who own Dishonored should locate and devour. Several new elements expand the core title's already generous gameplay options, and the two conclusions to Daud's bloody saga are both satisfying.

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is an exceptional strategy title for the DS. It may be hard, but it has tremendous replay value and will keep you entertained for hours. Highly recommended.

However, Toy Soldiers: Cold War easily shrugs off these complaints and will force a grin onto the mug of even the most sceptical player for the duration of its campaign. There is not a lot of offer beyond that, but for twenty bucks it'll fulfil your hankering for both action and '80s nostalgia with winking enthusiasm.

SouthEnd has produced an endearing experience that deserves to be judged on its creative merits alone, and one that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the month's high profile releases.

SteamWorld Heist is a delight right from the very beginning. A beautiful stripped-back strategy game that ditches many of the genres bells and whistles in order to focus on the action, it offers an appealingly new perspective on one of the oldest genres in video games.

Travel the universe and meet hordes of interesting alien species, then shoot them repeatedly in the face - with friends.

There’s no question Sunset Overdrive lives up to the hype. It takes a while to adjust to the style of play it demands but once you do, you discover the pure joy that comes from playing a brilliant game. Flitting about the tippy-top of Sunset City, alternating between grinds and wall-runs to blow away hordes of hilarious enemies is a thrill you won’t soon forget.

Its novel use of mechanics, its comic writing, and its retro aesthetics make Super Time Force a sure bet for those in search of light entertainment.

After wave upon wave of bad console to PC ports recently, it's nice to see Gearbox have taken their time with Borderlands. It's a highly capable title that lends itself well to mouse & keyboard control, and has enough depth to keep players keen for months.

Rage is a strange beast, at once very deep and very shallow. Though unlikely to win game of the year, there is still much to like about what is on offer. There is heart here, and there is fun to be had, but unlike in the past this most recent release by id Software is not going to change the world.

While the game retells the campaigns of its namesake in somewhat linear fashion, developers The Creative Assembly have retouched and introduced a number of new gameplay mechanics that create a much more intricate experience than any Total War game to date.

Considering three games in a single package makes for a difficult reviewing process. Those who consider themselves fans of the previous games, but who missed an installment, or those who sold or lost the games ought to consider this collection closely. Similarly, gamers who enjoy 3D platformers will find something to love in these PlayStation 2 pillars of the genre.

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.

All in all, Waveform is a fantastic casual game which revels in both frustration and addiction. And best of all, this extreme enjoyment will only set you back the tidy sum of USD $7.

Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty is what downloadable content ought to be: expansive and apart. It's instantly recognisable, but it experiments with many of the gameplay mechanics players are familiar with. It introduces carefully conceived and thoroughly realised new non-player characters, and provides an encapsulated encounter that any fan of Borderlands 2 would do very well to consider.

Take one part Lemmings, combine with liberal but equal amounts of undead flesh and 8-bit pixel art. Heat vigorously. The resulting decoction is something more potent than its constituent parts that delivers a wholly unique and heady rush. This action puzzler will have you quickly hooked. Side effects may include compulsive level replaying, RSI of your click finger, and loss of sleep.

Some pop in and loading issues aside, Gran Turismo 6 represents a return to form for Polyphony Digital.

Is it the best FPS on the Wii? That's a tough question, but even if it's for the splitscreen offline multiplayer action – then GoldenEye 007 is a must-own for any Wii gamer.

When most people think of the looter shooter sub-genre, they think of the Borderlands series. Borderlands essentially created the mould for what a looter shooter should be. Lots of shooting and lots of looting. I don’t think any other looter shooter loots or shoots as well as Borderlands 3 does. Borderland 3 is the best game in the series, not by breaking the mould, but by expanding and deepening it.

MadWorld is a must-have for any Wii owner looking to branch out from sports titles. It's rated for a reason however, and the cartoon violence won't appeal to everyone.

FFXV's ambition is laudable, but it's flaws are too big to fully cast aside. The result is an interesting and spectacular-looking title likely hampered by a protracted and unfocussed development.

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.

A nice beginning for what we hope will be regular DLC updates for this great game.

Boasting some clever innovations and generally smooth execution, Civilization: Beyond Earth is a sure bet for fans of the long-running series.

We were well impressed with this one; it offers great value for money, with plenty of variety and flexibility, plus the option to workout with a friend… EA have well and truly nailed it.

SoulCalibur V is meant to be played with people; anybody expecting a rich experience from the singleplayer, like that found in earlier entries in the series, will be disappointed. Play with friends or online and it's easy to quickly discover a deep and rich fighting system that can be a lot of fun.

Super Scribblenauts isn't so much a sequel as a successor to 5th Cell's innovative DS game. Adjectives allow for more creative solutions to puzzles and a tidier interface make for an superior experience, but one that players of the original may feel too familiar with.

In Wasteland 2, InXile has a classical RPG that will vindicate its early supporters on Kickstarter.

You won’t regret investing in this game and adding it your Arcade collection, because I can guarantee whatever you thought was your favourite Arcade game just got knocked down a notch.

Treyarch has hit back at detractors with a comprehensive take on the Call of Duty mantra.

Rockstar has gone all out to make a great street racer with this latest Midnight Club release. Packed with hours of gameplay and incredible visuals, you'll probably still be playing as your Christmas dinner gets cold.

Far Cry 5 is a handsome, mechanically dazzling, engaging title fused to story that doesn't deliver despite early promise.

It presses all the right buttons to create a fun, varied and emotional side mission.

Mirror's Edge is a refreshingly different game on the PC platform, with a unique use of the first person perspective.

Building off Super Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc's absurdist murder mystery base, Danganronpa 2 marries the series' strong crime-solving mechanics with a bizarre, hilarious dayglo nightmare well beyond the craziness of the original.

The Fractured But Whole is more of the same. It's occasionally hilarious, but often misses. Not even an updated combat system and interesting new skills can disguise that fact that it is just The Stick of Truth in a different and less-interesting costume.

Death of the Outsider is a fitting conclusion to the Dishonored franchise. It embraces everything the series is known for, while offering up smart refinements and more immediate player agency. If not for some pacing issues and narrative missteps in the final act, it could have been the best entry yet. Instead, it must settle for being merely being great.

With wonderful combat and more charm than any game I can name off the top of my head Steamworld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech is a very easy recommendation from me despite a few undercooked ideas.

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.

God of War III Remastered is a must-buy for those that missed out five years ago, but while the game's not full-price, veterans are probably better off waiting for a PS4-native sequel.

Battle Chef Brigade serves up a delectable fusion of disparate flavours that create a dish far greater than its parts.

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.

A lovingly made puzzle laden parody of fantasy games that injects its own unique personality in between the deliberately laid layers of cliché and trope.

Possibly the best Buzz! title yet - certainly the best we've seen for PS3.

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.

Religion and espionage alone do not a revolutionary gameplay experience make, but combined with the strategic combat overhaul and a generous helping of new content, it all adds up to far too much time spent playing into the wee small hours.

Inevitably, two years of gamer fantasies must come up against those first hours of playing and in at least one or two regards, be found a little wanting. But Watch Dogs more than makes up for it with a range of unexpected pleasures, from its winning script and characterisation, to its real success in turning hacking into an engaging gameplay mechanic. A must-play for new-gen owners.

While it might not be revolutionary, there is a surprising amount of new content and old fashioned fun to be had inside the cartridge, which is all one could hope for from a mid-generation Pokémon release.

Blend the arcade style gameplay of the classics, some new and improved features and superior visuals - the result; Tekken 6. The hours of entertainment that can be had with the Tekken series is fantastic and Tekken 6 by all means does not fall short.

Despite being an average FPS game, Dark Athena manages to provide solid entertainment, mainly due to the inclusion of Escape from Butcher Bay.

Tyranny comes to a screeching, premature halt, but prior to that it spins an absorbing tale with which player actions have long-reaching consequences.

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.

The Banner Saga is an absolutely gorgeous, engrossing RPG that features well-balanced and pleasingly tactical turn-based combat. It's a linear journey, but one that's definitely worth taking.

Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince re-establishes the series as a leader in the genre. I can't remember the last time I played a puzzle game that made me feel so smart and satisfied. It's magical world is full of wonderful inhabitants that further bring the world to life. If you're even remotely interested in puzzle games or are just after your next great co-op experience, you owe it to yourself to play this one.

How time flies… it’s hard to believe that EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 is the fifth release of the series on current generation consoles. Forget any other golfing games out there, if there are any – Tiger Woods is where it’s at.

Hand of Fate 2 improves on its solid predecessor, but it's a couple of cards from a royal flush.

Uncharted: Golden Abyss gets most of the way there; it is a stunning exhibition piece for the Vita's power and graphical capabilities (and a more subtle exhibition piece for its gimmicks), and it's a smart, modern take on treasure-hunting fantasies with enjoyable characters and classical themes.

The first level of the game does a great job of introducing you to the world of Condemned. This game has thick (and I mean thick) atmosphere. Almost every level oozes with evil, tension and fear.

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

Blood & Truth absolutely nails VR with a high-octane ride through a cinematic story filled with action packed moments and some of the best gunplay we've seen on PSVR to date. If you own a PSVR setup, you need this game. For those that don't have the headset, now may be the time to make the jump.

With its broad appeal and simple, intuitive controls, Wii Sports Resort will have everyone up off the couch having fun… Wii guarantee you’ll love it.

Outlast gets the visuals and sound right, has some great mechanics, and will provoke feelings of dread and horror in even the most jaded gamer. It's cat-and-mouse sequences are a repetitive dirge, but elsewhere this is a strong first offering.

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.

The Darkness II's less dour, more fantastical take on the shooter is a welcome change of pace to the string of samey combat scenarios publishers have assured us we can't get enough of over the past five years.

Pokemon Sword & Shield doesn't take enough risks or attempt anything really new and important. The overwhelming amount of re-used assets and shortcuts leads to one of the biggest missed opportunities on the Switch to date. Newcomers will find a lot to love here, with no previous games to measure it against, but longtime series fans will likely be left wanting in almost every area.

New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is a perfect addition to the Switch's ever-=growing library of excellent games. A huge amount of content, coupled with perfectly executed tight controls makes this entry a must play for any and all fans of the genre.

Trials Fusion delivers exactly what one would expect: the usual high-class core gameplay in a new setting. It's not radically different to other games in the series, but for the moment, that's completely fine.

Call of Duty is undeniably a piece of propaganda fiction that glamorises and bolsters the image of war, as well as the perspective and ‘righteousness’ of western forces. That said, the campaign of this reboot of Modern Warfare tries heavy handedly, and at times problematically, to more fully and authentically tease out the ethics, complexities, and perspectives of one of our world’s biggest current conflicts. Though far from perfect, there is still absolutely some important ideas and experiences for players in this campaign, ones that may even open your eyes to a new way of thinking about warfare and the people in it - especially when thinking about ways that we can and should be fighting here in New Zealand, by accepting the refugees of these conflicts and contributing as much aid as possible.

Thanks to top-notch mechanics and the deep well that is Greek mythology, Ascension is a winner. It may not be the absolute best God of War game, but it's certainly worthy of the moniker.

It may not look the best these days, but this revamped Darkstalkers collection plays like a dream and boasts excellent netcode to boot. Throw in a great tutorial system and it's a winner, particularly at arcade title prices.

Buzz gets a few enhancements and new features for the PS3 version, but it’s the same game we’ve come to love and still the best quiz game around.

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.

Yet another quirky PSN title that just screams replayability. It's challenging, but ultimately may prove too frustrating for the casual gamer which it appears to be aimed at. Nevertheless, good value for money and definitely one for the platform/side-scroller freaks out there.

Pokemon Sword & Shield doesn't take enough risks or attempt anything really new and important. The overwhelming amount of re-used assets and shortcuts leads to one of the biggest missed opportunities on the Switch to date. Newcomers will find a lot to love here, with no previous games to measure it against, but longtime series fans will likely be left wanting in almost every area.

Puppeteer is a delightful platformer whose attractive patchwork visuals and fairytale-style story are complemented by great voice acting, clever presentation, and a neat gameplay twist.

Tomb Raider: Underword manages to impress on so many levels.

While it may not have the epic sweep and polish of a Rockstar title, Sleeping Dogs is refreshingly streamlined, serious, and contained, even as it pays homage to its sometimes less-than-grounded source material.

Like an old friend come back to life. Ace Combat 7 feels like a neat and tidy resurrection, bringing back everything you missed from flight simulator games, while consequently reminding you why the industry lost interest in them.

Company of Heroes provides ample entertainment for strategy and history enthusiasts alike, but it suffers significantly from the burden of expectation created by its lineage.

Rime is a pleasant title that's extremely easy on the eyes, and perhaps a little too easy on the brain.

If you thought first-person shooters couldn't be done justice on the Wii (and I was in that boat) then Red Steel 2 will make you think again. It's stunning on the eye and gets your blood pumping both with the onscreen action and the physicality required to play it.

Naughty Dog has been done proud. These games demonstrate how innovative the developer was even decades ago with its unique approach to camera-work, level design and overall tone. It is Vicarious Visions that's at fault for this collection's pitfall. Its decision to leave gameplay largely untouched is questionable, but the overall lack of polish on the package itself is inexcusable.

I have full faith that Polyphony will set these minor issues straight for the full fat, maximum fuel, premium octane, environmentally ignorant release of what is undoubtedly, the greatest car driving experience to visit the console world.

Those expecting a quantum leap forward in this release will be disappointed, however the multitudes of people eagerly anticipating the kind of clever twists and darkly humorous social commentary Lionhead excel in will not come away empty handed. The trip to Albion is well worth the price of admission.

Beamdog has delivered the definitive Icewind Dale experience.

Pokemon Sword & Shield doesn't take enough risks or attempt anything really new and important. The overwhelming amount of re-used assets and shortcuts leads to one of the biggest missed opportunities on the Switch to date. Newcomers will find a lot to love here, with no previous games to measure it against, but longtime series fans will likely be left wanting in almost every area.

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

As if it weren't clear by the title, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance indulges the ridiculous. This entry into the now-hallowed franchise is one of the very best.

The best experience with this title will be had by someone who enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins until the very end.

A truly spectacular soccer title with exceptional player animations, ball handling and gameplay to boot. The AI will provide a significant challenge, but the implementation of one of the most advanced and complete online modes will mean that this game will truly last you a long time.

Pokémon: Let’s Go is a fun, light nostalgia trip for long time players, and an easy on-ramp into the Pokémon console games for new players. Its greatest feat is presenting a stunning graphical style and approach which wonderfully blends players desire for 3D Pokémon games with the core tenets of the franchise – setting high expectations for the Generation Eight debut on the Switch next year.

PGA 12 features the same kind of gradual evolution found in all EA Sports titles. The big-name improvements, such as Move support and the Masters content are welcome, and will no doubt inspire many to part company with the funds required to participate.

Much will no doubt be made of the similarity between Reckoning and Skyrim, but both offer sufficiently different experiences to keep all RPG fans attentive. Those growing weary of Skyrim can certainly look to Reckoning to provide another world in which to become wholly absorbed, and although not professing quite the sophistication or polish of Bethesda's juggernaut, there's plenty here to cause Hallmark to run out of "I'm Sorry, Please Forgive Me" Valentines cards this year.