Sea of Thieves isn't a complete game. Much of what's present is enchanting, but repetition will claim most before the kraken does. Check it out on Xbox Games Pass for a month, or hold out and hope that it is filled out in time.

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.

Tumble VR is let down by the frankly piss-poor tracking of both the DualShock 4 and the Move controllers, making the precise block placements the game sometimes demands tricky.

When The Occupation works, it’s a thrilling investigative adventure that allows the player freedom to explore and chase leads in a way that feels incredibly exciting. Frustrating controls can be overlooked, but unfortunately, the bugs in the game are incredibly persistent and capable of completely turning a promising experience into one that’s too annoying to go on.

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.

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

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

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.

Whether you have an hour to sit around and knock off 30 levels or just a few minutes between trains, Ivy will feel like a worthwhile purchase.

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.

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.

The Lego Movie Videogame follows the instruction manual too closely, hitting the same same plot points as the movie, and even rehashing some of its gags. This is the kind of tie-in we thought we'd seen the back of.

Dadliest Catch is a wily, outstanding title in the vein of infamous freeware QWOP. With awkward controls, volatile physics and formidable environmental puzzles working in compelling harmony, Dadliest Catch makes the player the architect of physical comedy in a brilliant and idiosyncratic way.

Heroes of Ruin would like to be the 3DS' Diablo, the 3DS' Gauntlet, the 3DS' Hunter: The Reckoning. Unfortunately, n-Space fails to endow the game with challenging gameplay or engrossing storytelling, apparently hoping that the solid multiplayer will draw audiences. In a marketplace where there's nothing new under the sun, we need a more interesting hook than that.

Daedalic Entertainment’s State of Mind wants players to explore the idea of what is it that makes us us, but never provides the player any real opportunity to do so. You simply follow the path and mark off another check mark. In the end all you’re really doing is little more than counting electric sheep.

FIFA Manager 09 contains every detail a micro-management nut could possibly want, and probably a few they won't. For the mainstream football game enthusiast this will probably be a snore-fest, but the true management fan will be more than satisfied with the depth on offer.

These gripes aside, however, there is still plenty of satisfaction to be gained from MLB 2K11, for both baseball devotees and curious cricket-fans alike.

Complex mechanics wrapped in a overly-childish shell leaves the latest entry in the Pokemon series feeling like a missed opportunity with no clear target audience. From it's dire gameplay, to its tedious mechanics and terrible story, there's little to love here. This unfortunately is one you definitely do not want to catch...

Beenox is capable of making a decent Spider-Man game – in fact, they have made two already – so the culprit here is surely that this game was rushed out to coincide with the Amazing Spider-Man movie release.

Daemon X Machina does enough to satisfy those wanting solid mech combat. Good looking effects and blisteringly fast paced combat, coupled with tight controls makes this one a must-play for fans of the genre. Despite nailing the mech side of things, the game boasts one of the most unlikable roster of characters I've encountered in years. Despite the forgettable story, the game managed to hold my interest for the duration; I just couldn't tell you what it was about...

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.

Blackguards is a strong RPG with top-notch tactical combat that's let down by some needless complexity and less-than-convincing voice-acting.

A classic arcade game is brought to XBLA the way old titles should be. With a fresh coat of paint but still keeping the same feel and magic that made it great and popular in the first place.

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.

There's no big-budget fanfare for this title, no horde of developers, no committee meetings and embargo dates. Instead you have a clean, honest arcade naval shooter for a little over thirty bucks.

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.

On balance, Nier is a varied and engaging experience that for JRPG fans, is certainly worth a look.

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.