An amazing title which further solidifies Xbox Live Arcade's position as a fantastic platform for gamers and developers alike. Highly recommended.

Super Mario World 3D pares back some of the complexity seen in recent Mario games in favour of multiplayer gaming, and it works wonderfully.

Blizzard have stuck to what they know with this sequel to one of the most beloved RTS titles of all time. Don't expect any revolutionary twists to the classic gameplay - although what is included is imbued with the kind of perfection you've come to expect from one of the best developers in the world.

Overall, Street Fighter 4 doesn’t bring a lot of new ideas to the table but it does do everything better than any previous incarnation, which is exactly what we wanted.

For anyone looking for the ultimate in expression and aesthetic satisfaction, or merely searching for a game that will virtually limitless exploration and achievement, Minecraft offers it all.

Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC is the definitive version of Rockstar’s Western epic. The game has never looked as good, nor played as well. This is one of the best stories Rockstar has ever told, even if their storytelling has become a little predictable, but that cannot take away from how exceptional the whole package is it.

It doesn't matter what you're playing it on: Hearthstone is a fantastic CCG that gets the balance just right and needn't cost players a cent.

Despite being unable to match the PC in terms of graphical splendour, there's plenty here to keep you occupied, and fans won't be disappointed with what the developers have crafted.

Epic have managed to improve on Gears of War in almost every respect with this much anticipated sequel.

Mass Effect 3 is an utterly brilliant bookend for an outstanding franchise.

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.

Without the pro instruments Rock Band 3 is a strong rhythm game but nothing extraordinary. With Pro Mode, and the new Pro instruments this game is a shining light in a genre that had become happy with mediocrity.

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.

With Super Smash. Bros Ultimate, the development team set themselves the lofty goal of bringing together an incredible amount of the franchises back catalogue of characters, stages and other miscellanea. With this much fan service-focused content, there was always the danger that the game would get buried beneath it. But thankfully, the game sits proudly on top of it, in this game that simultaneously celebrates the very history of gaming while presenting a deep, incredibly fun fighting game for everyone and everyone, no matter how you choose to play.

It’s a rare game that keeps you ruminating over the meaning of its background elements long after you’ve finished playing it. It’s also a rare game that demonstrates exactly what the medium as a whole is capable of. Do not wait: play it...Inside is absolutely astonishing.

Forza Horizon 4 continues the incredible success of this series, taking its already lofty achievement to even greater heights. The team at Playground games have created a title that cleverly balances realism with fun in a dynamic, beautiful world with a wide range of exciting and meticulously designed events and activities.

It's pretty much what we expect from this epic franchise, but the limited scope and fairly mundane ending hasn't rounded off this franchise with the dignity it deserves.

Uncharted 3 has the ability to elicit high excitement from its players through a tight and polished combination of gameplay styles, and through it's unmatched art direction. It's let down only slightly with a kind of shallowness, and a linear quality unbefitting a game of this quality. But these small niggles aside, Uncharted 3 will have players leaning forward through some of the best action sequences in gaming, and will be a favourite for both long time fans and those new to the series.

Rock Band is more than a simple video game, it's a highly interactive social experience. There's enough depth and fun here to keep you and your friends entertained for months. A must-have for the festive season!

A tremendous title on PS3, Journey is even better on PS4 thanks to a better resolution, improved frame rate, and sharper textures.

Bloodborne is both perplexing and awe-inspiring, a challenging but rewarding title that will absorb or repel with equal strength.

The Witcher 3 is a triumph. CD Projekt has delivered a world that is epic and textured, and a narrative composed of swelling crescendos and artful asides. This is a studio at the top of its game delivering a title that’s now at the top of the field. Quite simply, The Witcher 3 is unmissable.

Simply put, it's the best console racing experience you're going to have this year.

The stealth portions are somewhat simple in execution but satisfying when you get it right. When you are high above the enemy scoping them out in order to plan your attacks you really do feel like Batman.

Last year I named Divinity Original Sin II the best game I had played this millennium. This year I need to amend that statement. Divinity Original Sin II – The Definitive Edition the best RPG I have ever played. Its transition to console might not be a smooth as I would have liked, but there are a slew of improvements and welcome additions that make it more than it was, and the exceptional quality of the game is undeniable.

Rock Band is more than a simple video game, it's a highly interactive social experience. There's enough depth and fun here to keep you and your friends entertained for months. A must-have for the festive season!

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is everything you could want from a port. It features a wealth of content, and feels like a response (and then some) to fan criticisms of prior games. But for me, the real triumph of this game is the symbiotic relationship between the game and the new system that it inhabits: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is proof that Nintendo wasn't just blowing smoke when it proposed the Switch as a portable console experience. I got a profound sense of satisfaction and enjoyment by having this game with me on the go and getting to play it whenever the opportunity arose. It is, in many ways, a dream come true.

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.