Simultaneously a new Ghostbusters movie and an enjoyable videogame. Rough around the edges, but the superb scripting and unique humour make this a breath of fresh air.

Unfortunately, the additions to NSMB2 merely add more spokes to an already heavy wheel, so to speak. It's not a bad game by any means, but it's one that steeps itself in nostalgia to mask an experience that falls short of the revival that the New Super Mario franchise really needs these days.

If this genre has intimidated you in the past, Tabula Rasa is the perfect entry point with its user-friendliness and swift tempo. Calling it a clean slate may be a bit of a stretch, but Richard Garriott has certainly provided gamers with something unique.

The later stages of the game do sharpen the experience somewhat, at least. A full suite of powers gives you more to balance in combat, and some barriers require a modicum of acumen and skill to remove. But this isn't enough to stop Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden's from feeling leaden-paced. Its open world remains in the shadow of renowned predecessors, with few of the testing puzzles, fascinating landmarks or riveting combat situations that built their reputations. Having forged my way through to its ending, I doubt Banishers will haunt my thoughts for long.

Dead Rising 3 excels at what it does best, which is mainly killing zombies in deeper ways as your undead-slaying skills grow over the game. And it’s smoother than ever to maximize that quality time of chainsawing a zombie in half. Yet the lack of combat annoyances only amplify the flaws of the writing and the lack of mission variety. Dead Rising is closer than ever to realizing its full potential, but its many mistakes make it clear that it isn’t quite there yet.

The only significant new features in this version are Sixaxis control in some of the mini-games, two new multiplayer levels and a female spy skin for multiplayer. Double Agent is a little predictable as we’ve seen many similar puzzles in the prequels. However, there are some memorable new set pieces and a greater focus on storyline.

The biggest on-field addition is the Weapons feature, a nifty little option that makes it easy to spot mismatches and exploit or avoid them.

Switchball is one of the finer, original Live Arcade titles to grace the service in a while, and is undeniably addicting. Even if you plan to play for just a few minutes at a time, you'll find yourself losing hours to the creative puzzles and intuitive game play.

It is surprisingly fun, challenging and addictive despite its near terminally cute premise.

Skylanders Giants is essentially more of the same. Developer Toys for Bob has added more characters, collectibles, and mini games to the already solid offering of the original title, but if you were expecting the giants themselves to make a significant impact on the gameplay, you might be a little disappointed. Still, the lengthy campaign is fun while it lasts, and gathering Soul Gems, leveling up your figures, and grabbing hats is as addictive as ever.

As a solo experience, Dead Space 3 is the weakest entry in the series. The tension's still there, but it's the kind you can kill bullet by bullet until nothing is left except the dull pangs of tedium. But when you're dismembering Necromorphs with a friend at your side, it becomes a greatly enjoyable cooperative adventure. Just don't expect to feel much of that distantly familiar fear-based anxiety--in Dead Space 3, that's one terrifying monster that's nowhere to be found.

A thrilling, authentic recreation of Star Trek that brings out the team player in everyone. Just a shame it's such a pain to set-up.

Both an incredibly faithful take of the Scott Pilgrim story, as well as a frustratingly inconsistent beat-em-up that is elevated by the art style and soundtrack. While it's great that fans news and old have a chance to rediscover its quirks, it's by no means a forgotten masterpiece.

Although the core gameplay hasn't changed much in over ten years - Ridge Racer is as fun as ever. It runs as smooth as butter, and with the rare ability to be displayed at 1080p for HDTV owners, it's plenty pretty enough.

A competent and crunching MMA sequel that brings key improvements to the Octagon but stumbles when the action moves to the ground.

Absolutely gorgeous and a joy to behold, but sticks too close to Journey's formula for its own good.

A cool game, and a gorgeous showpiece for Xbox Live Arcade, holding up well with the likes of other trippy titles like Geometry Wars and Space Giraffe. But the repetitive gameplay doesn’t really hold up like it should. And the game’s crazy presentation will only take most gamers so far.

It's certainly got the "accessibility" part down, and – despite its lack of long-term appeal – it's a uniquely humorous city builder that's worth a look on the merits of its well-honed core mechanics alone. As a sequel, though, Tropico 4's just passable. If only its developers had time control powers; then maybe they'd have eased off the fast forward button and taken the time to flesh out their game.

Chloe’s enhanced angst might grate a little, but there’s no denying Before the Storm is going to be another brilliant Life is Strange game.

WWE 2K26 is a brilliant wrestling game where it counts – but I recommend waiting a couple of months to purchase, to see how MyFaction and Ringside Pass rewards play out in the medium-term. For now, action in the ring is solid, and some of the best in the series, but it can sting when rewards feel so miserly and centered on monetization over skill.

It's tough to justify paying for a tweaked version of a game you can play for free on PC, but the free one doesn't let you cast fireballs at a wight who controls an army of giant rats, so it evens out quite a bit.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name is a return to form for series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu with it’s beat’em up gameplay, but cheapens previous send offs by merit of existing.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A offers a true slice-of-life Pokemon experience thanks to its anime-style real-time combat system and wholesome worldbuilding elements. While its single-city setting can sometimes feel a bit samey, Lumiose is densely packed with things to do and discover. This is a world worth getting lost in.

Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture is brave, it’s challenging, and it’s essential. How The Chinese Room has managed to convey this level of narrative artistry, while simultaneously offering us the freedom to dig through it’s characters’ lives so freely, is beyond me. It has to be experienced to be believed.

Date Everything is a masterclass in character design, full of wonderful faces based on everyday household objects that spring to life who I love getting to meet. Still, juggling 100 characters is an ambitious undertaking, and a lack of nuance means some feel flatter than others, sacrificing some depth. Date Everything is at its best embracing interpersonal dynamics that make the house feel alive. Still, it's well worth working from home for this.

A superb second next-gen season on the digital turf – but subtle Ultimate Team tweaks amplify the ‘pay to win’ criticisms that stalk this series annually.

Fire Pro Wrestling Returns is overtly geared for wrestling fanatics. That fact, coupled with its ridiculously cheap price tag, will be enough for the hardcore to give it a go, but casual wrestling fans will probably tap out.

And heaven forbid you tire of repetitive creature-clobbering - take your game online and swap in up to six players, then keep on playing solo after they've left, or bring them back again later. Come on... how cool is that?

There are a few issues with Big Red One (particularly a slow trudge through the Africa campaign and spots of truly artificial intelligence), but fans of the series will find it enjoyable, intense, and an improvement over earlier chapters.

While we stay delusional in hoping for a Valkyria Chronicles 3D or an Ogre Battle 3D, there is no question that Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars is one of the standout launch titles for the 3DS.

Excitebots is a step up from its four-wheeled cousin and possibly just bizarre enough to hold your attention for far longer.

Web of Shadows is a passable, but sincere, form of flattery to the king of the genre.

Graceful Explosion Machine is the gaming equivalent of empty calories. It's pretty to look at, super smooth, and has some interesting weapons, but there's no real hook to keep you sustained beyond the act of moving around and blowing up aliens.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a surprisingly well-executed roguelike that melds well with the core of Elden Ring and even builds on it with a refreshingly rapid pace and spectacular new bosses. It's also excellent with friends, making for a superb co-op experience, but limited matchmaking options and mixed bosses mean it can be as frustrating as it is fun.

Flawless control, sleep-stealing gameplay ... there's just no reason to skip out on this perfect, mutated storm.

Non-fans will be confused by references to little played NES and Game & Watch games. Oppositely, Nintendo fanboys will enjoy the references, but won't like settling for imitations of games like F-Zero and Zelda instead of the real thing. In spite of all that, Nintendo Land is great introduction to the Wii U, even if it lacks the longevity of Wii Sports.

Still surprisingly swing-and-miss online, but for long-lasting and moreish solo play, NBA 2K22 is its only competitor in a two-horse championship duel.

One of the most unique multiplayer experiences we played in a long time. The RTS elements create significant strategic depth and the action is a blast. Once we got a hang of the somewhat complicated gameplay systems of building bases and driving the various vehicles we didn't want to put the controller down. If you've been looking for engrossing, chaotic, large-scale multiplayer battles, Starhawk is going to satisfy your needs.

Buy it, finish it, love it, because if this takes off we’re going to see a renaissance of new-old games. And if that happens, a whole new batch of gamers will grow up learning why rock-solid gameplay, not tera-flipping flop-bib shaders, make games truly exceptional.

A great package overall and especially for long time MMA fans. There are some minor sticking points in the controls and some will miss their favorite UFC fighters, but if you want a fuller experience of what mixed martial arts is coupled with superior online modes, you can't do better than EA MMA.

Need for Speed Unbound is a great showcase for a new generation of hardware. Criterion has delivered a high quality, breathtakingly fast open-world street racer that is both technically superb and strangely familiar.

If pro hoops was a one-man video game gang this year, we’d be pretty happy with Live. Luckily for us, though, competition is king and Live falls a couple of free throws short of the superior "NBA 2K9."

It's simply frustrating that, even after several previous installments, the series has yet to improve significantly – even moreso since a lot of the issues holding it back seem easily fixable. As it stands, Rune Factory 3 is a solid game – just not a great one.

It never takes any chances but delivers an overall solid beat 'em up. Inconsistent difficulty, nonexistent story and a lack of gameplay variety hold Shank 2 back, but those looking for a better playing experience from Shank's last outing might want to give the sequel a try.

Back 4 Blood is brilliant, co-op fun, with an interesting card system, but it's marred by terrible bots, awkward solo campaign choices, and a lackluster PvP mode.

Amnesia: The Bunker is a bold new direction for the series, and it chiefly pays off with brilliant scares and disempowerment of the player. The bottlenecked level design can be frustrating though, as can the nature of do-overs with the beast hot on your heels.

The flashy, splashy art style is cute without being annoying, new elements are introduced at a nice pace, and it’s just plain satisfying to create goofy contraptions that keep our charismatic little cartoon glutton alive and puzzling.

Despite a few lurches here and there and some so-so exploration, Mario & Luigi Brothership offers an enjoyable voyage with smooth sailing, and a punderful script that brings the laughs. It has a new developer and an extra dimension, but the same dedication to humor and brotherly love.

Street Fighter 5 is deep, endlessly fun, and immensely inviting, but local competitive play is currently the primary way to enjoy it.

With its increased pace, defensive tweaks, and reincarnated fighters, Soulcalibur V feels like a sorely needed reinvention for a series whose formula has gotten too long in the tooth. It feels as accessible and nearly as entertaining as Soulcalibur II and soundly one-ups its HD predecessor. You won't realize how much you wanted this revamp until you've put in a few hours on the arcade sticks.

FFIV stands completely on its own so if you look at it as a PSP release of one of the greatest RPGs with some extra bonus content thrown in, it's an easy sell.

There's nothing wrong with the fundamentals, and the online play is sweetness, but a couple more weeks in the situation room would have helped this war sail smoother.

Dying Light 2 offers a great open world playground for zombie survival, but lacks an impactful story or meaningful choices.

As it did with its reimagining of Modern Warfare, Infinity Ward has used the past as a point-of-reference rather than a blueprint, and the result is thrilling. The MW2 campaign is reliably unrevolutionary, and the multiplayer is bold enough to press against expectations – even if it isn't successful in everything that it tries. Call of Duty is slowly wading outside of its comfort zone, and it's all the better because of it.

Little gameplay innovation.

The biggest disappointment is the sheer lack of innovation in the game engine and graphics. Yes, the shooting mechanic is a little different, but for the most part the gameplay is the same as the last few FIFA games.

At least Alien Swarm doesn't try to be anything other than what it is. It's an online action shooter with plenty of things to shoot at.

Carimara: Beneath the Forlorn Limbs is a fairy tale mystery packed with character and a gorgeous sense of aesthetics. Magical card-based conversations make unravelling what happened satisfying, and though this is a short but sweet vignette it'll stick with you.

Fantastic at capturing the charming spirit of the Dragon Quest series, but the repetition in its arena design cramps on its personality. Best played in short bursts.

Embracing player motivations from start to finish, Humankind refreshes the 4X genre – even with a couple of technical kinks.

The only question that remains is, with four games in this series and countless other similar titles, how much longer can this engine be revved? Still, by offering up plenty of vehicles, racing styles and gameplay modes, ATV Offroad Fury 4 is a solid racing experience.

There's no doubt that the gameplay of Men of War is brilliant, but seeing as Assault Squad is only a multiplayer expansion and features a steep learning curve, it's hard to justify the $35 asking price. Fortunately, those seeking a more campaign-based experience won't have to wait long - a Vietnam-themed title is due to be released shortly.

Two distinct gameplay styles see EA instil genuine change. Manager mode is great, and many areas of Ultimate Team are improved too, with attacking gamers rewarded in particular. EA Sports FC 26 serves up all the teams, all the kits, all the players – and all the goals, all the time.

While it eventually hits near-unplayable levels of insane difficulty, Killzone: Liberation stays fun enough to keep you playing no matter how frustrated you get.

Promise Mascot Agency's oddball, sometimes grotesque characters are actually incredibly charming, and the town of Kaso-machi is great to explore. These yakuza-managed living mascots can be messy mechanically thanks to poor balancing, but I'm won over by its truly immaculate and bizarre vibes. It's hard not to love the result, even if it could be a lot tighter.

If Anomaly Warzone Earth was any indication that tower offense games were good, Anomaly 2 confirms that they’re amazing.

If you’re the kind of gamer who loves a quick and competitive romp through gaming of yesteryear, absolutely give Final Fight: Double Impact your consideration. Mike Haggar is one mayor who definitely deserves your vote.

It’s pretty accessible, with simplistic interfaces and beautiful eye candy all around. But considering that those arcadey enhancements are what’s supposed to make this game unique, we can’t help but feel casual fans would be better off playing MLB 2K7 on easy difficulty.

This is a loud, often spectacular dash through countless set-pieces and ragdoll pedestrians. However, 'trying not to crash' isn't as fun as racing or combat, but that's what you'll be doing for 95% of the time. It's just not as fun as it should be.

If you love all things MK, you'll see Shaolin Monks as a special milestone in the franchise and a reward for your loyalty. Otherwise, it's just a fun brawling diversion with lots of gloopy blood and two unlockable characters. Either way, it's good stuff.

It hurts a bit to have to pay $60 for what is basically a slight upgrade to an old game.

Easily the best Sonic game since the hog's Sonic 2 glory days. Surprisingly, modern Sonic's levels are the more impressive and fun and, while low-speed control is still clumsy, the wealth of quality action scenes cherry-picked from the past two decades make the overwhelming majority of Sonic Generations an absolute blast.

Like the movie and comics, Scott Pilgrim the game speaks perfectly to a specific generation of people that will absolutely enjoy this breezy blast from the past. And anyone who's wanted a new yet classic brawler will be satisfied by this no matter how they feel about Scott Pilgrim getting a life.

Sonic has defined the company for so long - for better or for worse. Drop the 400 points and see where Sonic came from...back when he starred in <I>good</I> games.

The elements of a fantastic and creative action game are all present and correct, and at times Quantum Break is indeed both of those things. But unfortunately its various disparate parts tend to get in each other’s way, leading to a needlessly complicated presentation that inhibits anything from shining as brightly as it should.

World of Final Fantasy's opening hours show a lot of promise for fans and newcomers alike, but the longer you spend with it, the more its lack of depth becomes apparent.

Wik: Fable of Souls may not be the most exciting Live Arcade title, but it scratches an action/puzzle itch that few other games can match.

Universe at War takes a lot of chances, and most of them pay off in the form of a unique real-time strategy experience. Just grin and bear the campy story and you'll find plenty to love here.

From the full-screen attract mode to the cars-flipping-everywhere 'Congratulations!' sequence on the Expert track, Daytona USA is a joyous, jubilant celebration of everything that made arcade games so exciting and got us into gaming in the first place. Get it.

Madden 26's presentation and franchise improvements are authentic, fantastic, and worth a sustained play. It's still narrowly edged out by the fun and flair of College Football 26, but the gap between these sibling games is closing, inch by inch.

It's a harsh world full of woe, yet making your way through Hell is Us still manages to be enjoyable. A lack of hand-holding and some great puzzle design regularly provides a sense of achievement, with frustrating moments unwelcome but just about rare enough to forgive.

Its impressive Adventure mode stays true to the anime and creates an experience typically not found in a fighting game. Its enhanced combat system, coupled with its large roster of characters, makes for fun offline and online matches that will keep you exploring the ins and outs of each character.

Of course, the real star of PAA isn’t the gameplay, but the humor. It’s a lot like playing a comic strip, and should be approached as such.

The perfect way to pass a couple of hours, but it will leave you craving more game and a box of Krispy Kremes.

An accessible and captivatingly strange new breed of versus fighting game, Arms is another Nintendo knockout for Switch.

Add in online multiplayer support for up to four wannabe tycoons, and you've got the best railroading sim since the original Railroad Tycoon. Some gamers may find Sid Meier's Railroads! a little on the simplistic side, but it makes for a nice, light snack.

Darksiders Genesis is a fun, but samey hack-and-slash romp. I've always admired the Darksiders franchise for jumping to different styles of play from game to game: Darksiders Genesis is its biggest jump yet, and one of its most successful. Though it feels understated, thanks to a pulled-out camera and a less flashy approach than the original three, it's a well-designed gauntlet of quick, mashy fights and light brain teasers. It's not going to set the world on fire, but it's all good fun.

There’s definitely room for AAA-level downloadable content on Live, and whether you pay $15 or $30 for Lumines, it remains one of the best games of 2005 and 2006 and a must-play. If you're a puzzle nut, this is manna from heaven.

Sporting a beautiful look and feel and more modes than you can shake a stick at, it’ll cure your football fever all season long.

A well-designed and enjoyable puzzler. However, control issues, repetitive music and a lack of tactical freedom mean it's unlikely you'd choose to play this over real Hitman on your console.

Kirby's Return to Dream Land makes absolutely no concessions in its quest to appeal to a wider audience. Newcomers will still feel welcome, but at the same time, longtime Kirby fans will also feel fully respected too. It perfectly integrates old Kirby staples with new features like the super abilities, and despite the Wii's graphical shortcomings compared to 360/PS3, it couldn't be more visually appealing.

Sew-tably adorable, Yoshi’s delightful platforming makes a charmingly inventive addition to the 3DS line up.

While the formula's got its flaws, it turns out motion controls complement The Godfather 's free-wheeling violence and intimidation almost perfectly, making the game world more immersive than before.

If it seems like this has been one long bitch session about the game, it is. That's the deal with these types of RPGs - tons of uphill struggles and unaccommodating features that make the experience borderline miserable at times. But for some of us, the Fantasy followers and old-style gamers, it's nice to sneak in such a guilty pleasure in between all the over-produced RPGs that hold your hand every step of the way.

The long wait is now over: our gaping mouths declared it officially worth it after seeing the startlingly gorgeous Heroes world.

The Mega Man Legacy Collection perfectly preserves six classic Mega Man games without any extensive changes or modifications from the developers. What changes it does bring are entirely optional and only serve to enhance the experience.

This is a great, if short, horror game with impeccable looks and fantastic atmosphere. It's scary and full of character, but with a barely five-hour run time your enjoyment could depend on what you paid for it.

Dungeon Defenders is a worthwhile addition to your game library with plenty of content for the price. Although the combat falls short, the tower defense gameplay, RPG elements, and the challenging game modes will have fans of tower defense delighted.