An open-world survivalist horror with deep strategy elements, State of Decay puts the player's zombie apocalypse scenarios to the test in such a thoughtful, complex way that it's almost possible to ignore the awful central narrative and numerous technical issues. It's a rough game, but one worth exploring.

Don Bradman Cricket 14 is one of the best cricket games to come along in a long while. A solid title, it'll keep the hardcore happy, but it might prove too complicated for the casual player.

Halo Wars 2 both illustrates the problems traditional RTS titles have on console, and demonstrates how to overcome them with its excellent Blitz mode.

Yes, there are moments of brilliance here - Archery, Bocce and Gladator Duel do absolutely demonstrate that the technology is sound - it's just presented in such a bland manner that you could be forgiven for thinking Move was only ever designed to be a curious peripheral targeted at the EyeToy market, and it wasn't until Microsoft's arm-flapping last year that they decided to take it mainstream.

For new players, H.A.W.X. 2 offers the ability to jump right in and take the fight to the skies, but if you've never been a fan of this genre before, H.A.W.X 2 won't do enough to change your opinion.

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.

Forza is still the jack-of-all-trades motorsport video game that will appeal to fans of cars and racing them. The passion is still there, albeit slowly being crushed under the ever-growing mountain of poor design choices and cash-grabs. For returning fans there are precious few reasons to upgrade other than the extra cars and tracks. As someone who’s been playing these games since the original, the direction that has been taken is disappointing to say the least.

If you haven't already delved into the Deathspank universe, The Baconing is definitely worth checking out for its humour and zany cartoony feel. However, those already familiar with Spanktopia should be advised that they have already played this game, it just went by a different name.

Probably the best game in the long history of the franchise, Clan Wars nonetheless hews close to a formula that was almost perfected long ago. A dull and frustrating singleplayer mode aside, it offers little more than clan and Steam Workshop support to those who own Revolution. For others, however, it's well worth a look.

It's the 'Simple Life' personified, with all the benefits of running a successful lifestyle block - minus the muss 'n' fuss (not to mention backbreaking labour). Allow yourself a good hour for the learning curve, though.

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

This game has no outstanding issues that would pull its rating down apart from the frustration of not perfecting that jump!

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.

Astroneer provides a (mostly) tranquil environment to explore with your friends, or by yourself to unwind. The fact that the game doesn’t bury you in a collection loop and actually gives you breathing room to explore and tinker will be a downside for some, but for those with the patience, it’s a game you could easily spend hundreds of hours unraveling.

Targeted at the younger set, this game is about as non-violent as a shooting game can get. One of the better Wii controller setups we have used. The game is a poor substitute for a real Nerf war.

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

Below is a solid and well-designed game that will challenge every level of gamer. Steeped in mystery, fans of Roguelike dungeon exploring will feel right at home in this subterranean adventure.

Ruiner's cyberpunk carnage and soundtrack evoke Hotline Miami, even if the gameplay doesn't quite measure up. It's a spectacle, but it's over too soon.

Need for Speed: Heat can be a ton of fun but is held back by incredibly questionable AI. The vehicle customisation and tuning is incredible and the games has plenty of content to keep you racing for weeks. The story feels a little silly but the racing itself is a joy to play. This is the course-correction the series so desperately needed, and I can't wait to see Ghost Games build on this solid foundation for their next entry.

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.

Sony Bend have created a portable version of Resistance that has all the negatives of the franchise with hardly any of the positives.

It could be a fun game for those who want to try something different. There’s a melting pot of DoTA and Dawn of War features than does provide an enjoyable multiplayer experience. But if you are a long time fan of the singleplayer campaigns, I must warn you that EA have unleashed a metaphorical Rodney Hide on the franchise you love.

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.

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.

Ultimately, anyone wanting the next level in rugby titles, or just a fun game with a local flavour, could do a lot worse than Rugby Challenge.

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.

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.

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.

For anyone not yet fatigued by Assassin's Creed's relentless release schedule, Rogue is a fine game in the series, but for those who had their fill of looting and plundering the high seas in Black Flag, this could be one to miss.

Grid is a great looking game and features some excellent driving and physics. It's let down by a questionable damage system and boring design. From the games dull menus to no-frills racing, there's just not enough here to separate it from the pack.

Tekken Hybrid is a pretty reasonable bundle for the hardcore Tekken fan.

Even Killer is Dead's hyper-cel shaded aesthetic can't cover over a flawed, deeply misogynistic title.

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.

Q.U.B.E. 2 is a welcome addition to the puzzle genre but is not without its technical hiccups on the Switch. While it struggles occasionally under the hood, if you're willing to look past these shortcomings, there's a fun game with its fair share of brain-bending challenges for die-hard puzzle fiends.

You can't accuse Infinite Warfare of being light on content, but most of what's here has been seen many times before, and none of the modes represent franchise high points. Also, the multiplayer microtransactions are off-putting.

The campaign's story falls to earth with a thud, and technical problems are currently marring its online component, but For Honor's masterful presentation and combat rescue it from mediocrity. Given a few patches, it'll be a force to be reckoned with.

A brief excursion back into the Fable II world. Not nearly as long as we would have hoped, though the low price tag makes up for that somewhat. The quests are more diverse than in the last DLC. Gives another reason to have a look back into Fable II, even if it is only for a few hours.

As the box says - if you can't wait until "Starcraft 2", then you should give Universe at War a shot.

A James Bond movie tie-in that unfortunately lacks any of the gadgets and fun aspects we expect from 007. Treyarch have created an enjoyable shooter that fails to live up to expectations, and is far too short to be considered anything special.

Many of the issues with the original title have been addressed, but the brevity and lack of replayability make this co-op third person shooter a strictly-for-hire title.

Great puzzle game for those who want to stretch their grey cells. The artwork is fabulous, the level design devious - it has everything you need to while away a rainy weekend.

If you're a fan of Live Arcade games and you've got some MS Points burning a whole in your virtual pocket, then this should definitely be part of your collection. If you're a bit more picky about what you play though, try out the demo first.

Crysis 3 looks stunning and ticks all the right boxes, but the game doesn't do enough to distinguish itself in order to earn the higher marks.

Ghosts will disappoint those only in it for the singleplayer, although – Extinction aside – the multiplayer feels like just more of the same. Those who play online will still get their money’s worth, but a proper evolution of the series’ mechanics is now desperately needed.

A solid squad based war simulator, with an amazing open world and stunning draw distance.

The Witcher Adventure Game is a truly stunning digital version of the board game, that sadly only highlights how much more fun you and your friends could be having playing the physical version.

An unnecessary retread of one of last year's great titles. While still retaining much of the Xbox 360 version's features, it lacks any of the extra polish and content that the additional time in development could've brought.

Gamers who loved the original Mafia despite all its flaws will no doubt embrace the story and flair that this title has, however others expecting another sandbox free-roam title will be dreadfully disappointed, because that, it is certainly not.

Ratchet & Clank Trilogy is a largely successful port of the much-loved action platformer. Looking on them in 2014, though, the flaws are more apparent, and the a couple of design decisions don't translate to the Vita all that well.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite doesn't electrify the way its predecessor does, but it's nonetheless a competent and chaotic, newcomer-friendly yet deep competitive fighter with a huge amount of fight style flexibility.

PES 2014 is a solid title whose lively presentation and animation improvements are offset by slower, heavier gameplay. Not a bad game by any measure, it nonetheless counteracts some of the improvements made in last year's excellent PES 2013.

Age of Empires II: HD will scratch a nostalgic itch for some, but Hidden Path's update doesn't go far enough to bring new audiences to the series.

Ghost Recon Wildlands is a fun romp in a huge world that allows you tackle each encounter in as tactical or non-tactical manner as you please. Your fellow players are what bring this game to life, so best not look at this as a single-player experience.

At times, Hitman: Absolution shines: a perfectly planned and executed assassination provides genuine player satisfaction, an overheard conversation at a train station makes the player feel part of a larger world, or a moment of frantic improvisation when discovered to evade pursuers or silence a witness can be generally thrilling. It's just a shame then that a hefty chunk of the game is padded out with material that isn't nearly as enjoyable.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 has some good ideas, but is held back by conflicting graphical styles and some dull events. The game is made for multi-player and those with enough controllers will find some fun to be had. It's a shame there wasn't just a few more great 3D mini-games or team events to mix up the more boring events.

Half of Mario Golf: World Tour is a worthy, delightful addition to the stable of Mario sporting games. The other half is too exacting and too dull to match that, let alone exceed it.

Rango is a quality example of it's genre and up there with the best movie-game conversions, but with only four hours from A to Z is only really worth a weekend hire.

In an attempt to find as much fan favour as possible, Electronic Arts have managed to spread this title a bit too thinly over both the RPG and card playing genres. There is an entertaining game here, but you might struggle to find it.

The Conduit proves that the Wii can produce FPS play mechanics that are easy to control, however the lack of a cohesive story coupled with bland environments ultimately lets it down.

A worthy RTS game, but not a worthy successor to the crown.

It's certainly not a bad game by any measure, but having played Dead Rising 2 there's little to get excited about with this release. That said, those unfamiliar with the series should dive in here, as shorter load times, a smidge of new content and a checkpointing system do offer a marginally more pleasant experience than that offered by prior games in the series.

Level 5 has chosen to follow a tried and true formula, rather than risking anything radically different. We can safely say White Knight Chronicles will appeal more to JRPG fans than mainstream gamers.

A solid game with some interesting twists, but overall it's about interacting with dinosaurs and killing them. The story feels quite superfluous, so don’t have any expectations of a gripping sci-fi tale - but do expect lots of shooting and killing.

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

Judged purely on its own merits, Mass Effect: Andromeda is a good game. But this is BioWare, and Mass Effect being merely good feels like a failure. It's a little clumsy in places, and daft in others, but I found it mostly endearing despite these quirks.

Cities XL may appear at the outset to be a detailed and engaging new Sim title, however scratch the surface and you'll discover that it lacks the type of addictive gameplay so necessary in this genre. It might be wise to wait for a content patch before investing too much time in this one.

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.

In spite of speculation that EA MMA would be dead on arrival there's a very satisfactory entry here, one worthy of any fighting gamer's consideration and one EA would be remiss to abandon next year.

A James Bond movie tie-in that unfortunately lacks any of the gadgets and fun aspects we expect from 007. Treyarch have created an enjoyable shooter that fails to live up to expectations, and is far too short to be considered anything special.

Runner3 is a fun – if flawed – continuation of the Bit.Trip Runner series. While its stages are beautiful and the whimsical nature of it all is charming, the heavy difficulty spikes make you really work for any sense of enjoyment.

If Red Faction: Armageddon isn't treated like it's going to revolutionize the gaming world, it won't disappoint. It's a solid third-person shooter, there are a bunch of cool weapons and nasty surprises down in those mines. At the same time, there is an immutable sense of repetition at play and things are pretty simplistic in the design department.

Doom 3 BFG is great value, considering everything that is included. But as a stand-alone HD remake of Doom 3, it's slightly disappointing, despite the inclusion of a whole new mission. Just a little more polish would have made this a must-have just for Doom 3 itself. Thankfully its two predecessors are along to provide some added value.

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

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

The Night of the Rabbit wins easy points for its beautiful imagery, clever puzzles and dialogue, but the experience is held back by substandard animations and a lack of mechanical polish.

Beautiful art style, well rounded characters, familiar humour, and heart. At first glance, Broken Age is a visually stunning, polished homage to the adventure games of the past. But it’s over all too quickly, without enough challenges to satisfy, or enough innovations to drive the genre forward.

However, as a long awaited cross-over of two of the most important fighting titles in gaming history, it ultimately feels like an opportunity missed - the whole being nowhere near the sum of its parts.

As with all JRPG titles, you'll either love it or loathe it. Resonance of Fate does require a higher level of dedication than most, however.

There must be a reason we keep buying the same story over and over again, right? While the game certainly has its technical flaws, there's no denying that fans of the franchise will find a lot of love and attention paid to the classic series. It may not add anything truly new to the DBZ saga, but Kakarot is an interesting diversion sure to spawn several sequels or spin-offs.

FlatOut is a mix of the extreme racing seen in the Burnout series combined with the crazy stunts that you would see in Jackass. It's different, and offers something for both the speed freaks and crash-n-burn junkies.

A solid effort but not particularly original.

Total War Battles: Shogun may have very little in common with its hugely respected relatives back in the Total War stable, but it represents a cheap foray into a new market for the team at The Creative Assembly, and there's nothing wrong with that at all.

Strider is basic fare to snack on between larger courses in the release schedule. Double Helix has easily attained its unambitious goals.

Hannah Montana: Music Jam manages to capture everything that made the show such a success, from the music, characters and locations to the ‘Hannah-isms’ and screwball humour.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York is a hell of a mouthful, but one that you should at least take a nibble at. The streamlined gameplay and engrossing story make it an approachable title that artfully embraces The World of Darkness. While its relative lack of role-playing depth, linearity, and brevity may be off putting to some, when taken for what it is there is a lot to enjoy here.

A linear, mission-based action game which is best suited for Transformers fans – although not necessarily younger ones. As far as movie tie-ins go it’s not too shabby.

To the player willing to take the game at a slower pace, with a focus on pure stealth and without the artifice of in game assistance Thief will deliver the goods. For everyone else the reward may not be worth the effort.

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.

Kingdom Hearts 3D has a really good game, perhaps even a great game, at its core. The slick central combat mechanics, sharp graphics, colourful neon-laced design, and childhood-baiting Disney properties all combine to present a game that is often a lot of charming, exciting fun. However, the adage still stands - less is more, and these positive attributes could be so much easier to enjoy if they weren't being broken up by bad writing, frustrating boss battles and a ludicrous excess of development.

A James Bond movie tie-in that unfortunately lacks any of the gadgets and fun aspects we expect from 007. Treyarch have created an enjoyable shooter that fails to live up to expectations, and is far too short to be considered anything special.

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.

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”.

That a crossover as bonkers as Mario plus Rabbids by way of XCOM even exists is to be celebrated, and fortunately it's an absorbing title that's only slightly diminished by some simplistic cover mechanics.

If you're contemplating Homefront as an inclusive package, forget it. Consider it to be a better-than-expected multiplayer distraction at best, and wait for E3 in June to see if we get an apology for the campaign and an explanation as to how the sequel will be better.

Hotline Miami 2 boasts a much larger scope than its predecessor but to its detriment the game insists on channelling players through an optimal path. A competent follow-up.

It's not going to be winning any Game of the Year awards, but it is good fun and a good sign that the Mortal Kombat series might finally be on its way back to figuring out what made it so great to start with… just with less blood this time, but hey, there's always the next game right?

A James Bond movie tie-in that unfortunately lacks any of the gadgets and fun aspects we expect from 007. Treyarch have created an enjoyable shooter that fails to live up to expectations, and is far too short to be considered anything special.

A pared down, stylised version of previous NFS titles with a few new gimmicks. Best suited to younger gamers.