Damn near essential if you’ve yet to experience the horror that followed Emergence Day, and very heartily recommended to those who’ve forgotten just what a special time that was.

A solid console adaptation of an intricate and rewarding competitive experience, but not without rough edges.

An expertly crafted game that boasts stylish, nigh-endless permutations of a simple, engrossing form of stealth.

Zombi is hardly a deluxe version of ZombiU, with numerous bugs and few graphical improvements. It's still a good survival game, but feels outdated and misses the Wii U Game Pad.

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.

Rare Replay is an incredibly high-value retro compilation, which adds to its impressive (but sadly not exhaustive) line-up of classics with new ways to play and interesting bonus content.

N++ is a stylish upgrade over its predecessors that retains the addictive-as-hell gameplay and adds a vast amount of levels.

Epic multiplayer warfare at the starting price of absolutely nothing. Though battles often feel a little too big, there’s nothing quite like it on PS4.

That parade of cathartic moments still makes God of War 3 worth playing, especially given the vividness and eye-popping destruction woven into every major battle. It peaks and drags and peaks and drags, sure, but God of War at its high point was never going to be sustainable.

You would think a game in which you can pimp-slap a moth as a 40ft-tall garbage monster couldn’t possibly be that bad. You would, however, be wrong.

Despite smooth gameplay and fancy visuals, this game is handicapped by a distinct lack of courses and players, leaving it feeling incomplete and rather bland.

It's disappointing drop in quality for a series that we'd held in high esteem, but 'Catch a Ride' does enough to make sure that the next episode should be considerably more interesting.

A huge expanse of wilderness added to an already excellent MMO, Heavensward opens up the world of Eorzea to even greater possibilities.

The Elder Scrolls Online features entertaining quests, dynamic combat, and a whole lot of other people. Sadly, those other people largely feel like an unnecessary addition to the game.

If you played and loved it in 2008, then it's worth picking up for the power trip of playing as Lady. Alternatively, if you've beaten Ninja Theory’s faster, prettier DmC reboot and still have an irresistible urge to combo something, then, flawed though it is, Devil May Cry 4 will deliver.

An ambitious and successful end to Rocksteady’s trilogy, with a standard-setting open world you must experience. A superior main story and less Batmobile combat would’ve made a huge difference.

Yup, it’s still a Lego game. But it’s one of the best in recent memory, full of silly laughs, gentle puzzles and delightful playable lizards.

The co-op heists of Payday 2 hijack new-gen, bringing with them a gym bag full of updates and DLC, but also some familiar problems. Great for newcomers, but non-essential for seasoned criminals.

The new Miracle Cures add welcome new flourishes to the classic puzzle gameplay, and the sheer wealth of content on offer makes this a bargain. Even once you've ignored the awful Luigi bits.

Heroes of the Storm is like a MOBA highlight reel, cutting right to the best moments and doing away with all the boring bits. It's a fast, lean, and relentlessly fun 5v5 experience.

Splatoon is a brilliant and unique shooter sorely lacking in maps and modes, and it desperately needs a refill.

If you can justify the entry fee, this Puzzle & Dragons two-pack offers a solid hybrid of enjoyable puzzle mechanics and RPG-lite monster collecting.

Sloppy combat and ongoing optimisation can't quite spoil this dark fantasy adventure, set in a stunning world of blood and black magic.

The Old Blood is very much an expansion of its fun, entertaining predecessor, but doesn't quite pack the same emotional clout. Still, a great FPS worthy of your attention.

Simple, strategic combat and an assortment of unique bosses make for intense bursts of gameplay that will keep you coming back for ‘just one more go’. And another. And then one more.

Though it sheds many of the series' best elements, Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China has its own charm, and is worth a play for those in search of a simple stealth experience.

Mortal Kombat X has tons of polish, unique mechanics, and the genre's best story mode, but it doesn't do enough to keep players invested if they weren't already planning on it.

It simply looks and plays better than any baseball game ever has. That doesn’t hide the fact that the game also fails to innovate off the field in any material way. While that’s not a fatal flaw, there will come a time in the near future when its fans will demand new and interesting ways to enjoy its beauty.

An invigorated spirit occupying a reassuringly recognisable body, Dark Souls’ life force flows through Bloodborne’s revitalised veins. Intelligent and intense, it's simply PS4’s best exclusive game.

Its two teams of complementary characters make this a fantastic cooperative experience, whether you're playing through the story or the ever-engrossing Raid Mode.

While it doesn't feel as vital as Battlefields past, inventive new multiplayer modes and a fresh, if slightly unfocused campaign make Hardline the worthy TV spin-off to DICE’s big budget blockbusters.

Final Fantasy Type-0 may have started life as a PSP game, but its mysterious world and fast-paced combat are still an exciting mix. Shame about the voice acting and interface, though.

ND Cube repeats some of Mario Party 9's winning formula, but loses focus in trying to incorporate the GamePad and amiibo figures. Ultimately, it's more snake than ladder.

This fresh take on tactics games adds a bit of steam, folklore, and shooter action to the turn-based combat. Plus, it’s hard to pass up the crazy premise of Abe Lincoln fighting aliens.

Adding good new ideas to the formula, but unable to implement them without diluting the overall experience, Hotline Miami 2 isn’t a disaster, but certainly lacks the original’s fiery vitality.

Sharp and deeply satisfying combat carries this imaginative, occasionally cringe-worthy tale, but don't bother if you played the 2013 original.

If you can steel yourself for a challenge and come to grips with an unwieldy checkpoint system, Ori and the Blind Forest will mesmerize you with its lush world and incredible artistry.

Although it remains a simple - and for the most part unchanged - concept, the Mario vs. Donkey Kong formula has been honed to near-perfection over the years. Tipping Stars is far from revolutionary, but for quick bursts of action-puzzling, there’s little better. While the cast of robotic minis might be brainless, the game they star in is anything but.

The good news is OlliOlli2 retains the pure mechanics of skateboarding despite its increased absurdity. The bad news is, just like in real life, skateboarding here is hard, and sometimes the euphoria you feel at the level’s end isn’t worth the grind it takes to get there.

Screamride has a pretty impressive roller coaster building suite and some satisfying destructible environments, but everything else - from the other gameplay modes to its presentation - is a total snore.

Worthy in its (assumed) intent, and visually spellbinding, The Order’s archaic, player-detached approaches to interaction and narrative nonetheless make it a dated and instantly forgettable experience.

With a handmade look, and a different approach to platforming, Rainbow Curse is one of Kirby’s strongest spin-offs, and one of the best uses of the Gamepad to date.

As great as it was when the series first launched on the PlayStation 3 - but that's mainly because, other than a couple of new modes, it's practically the same game.

A tidy tester for your New 3DS’ excellent head-tracking 3D, but there’s too little for old hands to grasp onto. Even if you’re a first timer flyer it’s hardly a direct hit.

Evolve is currently a smidge schizophrenic. Sometimes you play a match and the game's clever systems all coalesce beautifully; creating a charmingly hectic hybrid that occasionally channels Left 4 Dead's frantically back and forth antics while handling like a monstrous Titanfall. Play without mic'd up pals, though, and the pull of chaos is too strong, with battles struggling to keep their focus. The game also feels a little limited.

By combining an improved UI with deeper strategic gameplay, Total War: Attila increments on Creative Assembly’s formula to deliver a strategy game (almost) worthy of its namesake.

Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate doesn’t offer much new above and beyond its predecessors, but it perfects so much of what they tried that it becomes undoubtedly the best in the series, and puts itself amongst the best games on 3DS as a result.

It might not have the Best Game Of All Time credentials of Ocarina of Time, but Majora’s Mask is still one of the most incredible adventure games ever made.

Dying Light parades its lack of invention and frustrates with some unrewarding missions, but it barely matters: there’s an immediate joy in exploring this compelling concrete playground of undead, explosions, and bins.

With a fantastic story (and some awkward controls and puzzles), Grim Fandango Remastered is still the same great game you remember from 1998. Those bugs, though? Those are all new.

Another ludicrous spectacle, but Volition’s patchy action/comedy sandbox doesn’t prove to be a gangster’s paradise.

Generally well polished and deeply atmospheric, this is Resident Evil amplified and with a brand new set of authentically imperfect controls, but let down a little by occasional low-quality backgrounds.

Rugby 15 isn’t just a disappointment; it’s significantly worse than its forebears. The simple stuff is over-complicated, and the basic tenets of Rugby Union are wrong. A nightmare vision of sporting hell.

Duke Nukem 3D: Megaton Edition is a mediocre game that is relying on misty-eyed nostalgia for sales, rather than offering a new spin on 18 years-old content.

Guilty Gear Xrd Sign lives up to the high-speed standards of its predecessors, but doesn't bring enough of its own to the table to exceed them.

A colossal space sim that offers an invigorating amount of freedom. It’s just a shame the multiplayer aspect is so half-baked at the moment.

Take away its vast environment and The Crew is decidedly mediocre. But the enjoyable story and great sense of actually driving, whether alone or solo, means there's plenty of fun to be had all the same.

A chaotically silly party game that’s spliced its DNA with a dungeon crawler and a twin-stick shooter.

Warlords of Draenor may not fundamentally change the way you play WoW, but it does a fantastic job of rejuvenating it. If you've been wanting to come back, now's the time.

Aesthetically scintillating, but equally enthralling in its immense depth, Geometry Wars 3 is a sequel whose design insight is matched only by its endlessly creative sense of fun. Close to perfect.

While it's good to see Nintendo stepping out of its Mario comfort zone, Captain Toad just isn't versatile enough to compete in the big leagues. What would be a budget eShop no-brainer is a little too slight at a higher price.

This is how you do a next-gen remaster. Rockstar has pulled out all the stops to bring GTA V up to speed on PS4 and Xbox One. Beautiful, immersive, essential - it begs to be played all over again.

Same great Smash Bros. gameplay, amazing new presentation on the Wii U. Whether you're looking for technical depth or enjoyable chaos, you'll find it here.

Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is too slow-paced, too easy, and too childish for teen or adult Sonic fans, and its control and design issues make it difficult to recommend even for its target audience.

The leap to new-gen is more of a stumble for WWE, as it drops elements of existing content and recycles a lot more, giving little feeling of quality.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a pleasing amalgam of first-person dungeon exploration and role-playing elements that injects just enough humor to keep things fresh.

The new features are strong, but some of the progress made by Pokemon X&Y has also been undone.

The new features are strong, but some of the progress made by Pokemon X&Y has also been undone.

Beautiful, creative and filled with knitted joy, LittleBigPlanet 3 does however disappoint in its Adventure mode’s comparatively sparse content. Nonetheless, it hands over an impressive array of exceptional design tools for budding creators.

Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal offers some fun platforming and treasure hunting moments, but its tedious mazes and poor story ultimately make it a drag. This one needed more time with a level editor and less time spent forcing players to repeat content.

Never Alone is bursting with promise and charm, but is savagely let down by technical flaws and maddening design decisions. Not even the cutest fox in gaming can save it.

Lego Batman 3 has all the ingredients of the other, enjoyable, Lego superhero games, but is let down by clunky controls, poor signposting and questionable translations of well-known comic book personalities.

Far Cry 3 remains the series’ peak, but Far Cry 4 is a lovely-looking, accomplished offering that suffers from lacklustre writing and an odd lack of purpose.

While walking in the shoes of a Templar sounds promising, Assassin's Creed Rogue's dull story, uninspired characters, and largely recycled visuals offer little the franchise hasn't already done better.

Toybox Turbos offers immediate multiplayer fun thanks to its mix of racing, weapons and forgiving handling. It isn't as engrossing in single-player but if you ever longed for a new Micro Machines sequel, this is as close as you'll ever get.

Beautiful visuals, a likeable Assassin, and fully customisable skills and equipment: you’ll spend months on your virtual trip to the French Revolution. Mind your head.

Dragon Age: Inquisition creates a massive, vibrant world on a scale far greater than its predecessors, and does an excellent job of making you feel in command. The heart of this game rests with its characters, who keep you invested in the action.

Modes and presentation still need some work, but Konami has finally delivered with the gameplay. On the pitch, where it matters, PES 2015 has a clear edge over FIFA 15.

A huge step back for the series, ditching all of the elements that made it a party staple and offering little in the way of variety, or support for any previous SingStar games.

After several years in the wilderness, NBA Live is back and it means business. While it’s not yet ready to take on its 2K rival, Live is a fun game of basketball that’s easy to pick and play.

Multiplayer feels wonderfully fresh, thanks to the added agility of Exo Suit boosting. Sadly, though, co-op is unimaginative, and the story fails to satisfy when compared to previous installments.

Taken on its own this is a sophisticated fantasy RPG executed with consideration and thought, but Lords of the Fallen never really escapes the spectre of Souls, and it can only blame itself.

You've never explored an open world quite like this. Sunset Overdrive's iffy gunplay and inconsistent missions are redeemed by absolutely amazing mobility and an infectious enthusiasm for mayhem.

Civilization: Beyond Earth may seem a bit too familiar for a game supposedly set on a distant planet, but the roving packs of aliens and the new quest system make it an expedition worth embarking on.

With great rhythm gameplay and creative composition, Fantasia: Music Evolved is a colorful title that earns its Fantasia name.

F1 2014 is a fun, accessible and authentic racing sim. But the differences over last year's game are slight and with the classic mode removed, the package it offers is inferior to F1 2013.

Despite letting some of its most compelling aspects die off, The Evil Within is still worth a shot for bringing some unique ideas in the first place, and giving us a new way to think about survival horror.

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is a hilarious, fan-focused continuation of the series' core values. But lacking any truly evolution, it makes for a fun diversion rather than a meaningful new chapter.

More of the same is absolutely fine, as Bayonetta delivers her trademark action in true style. This sequel takes too long to get going and can feel harshly unfair, but when it's at its peak, the action is breathtaking.

Skylanders Trap Team refreshes the toys-to-life magic with new portal tech, charming characters, and engaging gameplay that any gamer can enjoy.

Costume Quest 2 is more treat than trick. Some unfortunate repetition means it’s best enjoyed in moderation, but it’s still colourful, sweet and slightly addictive.

While too simplified to be a sim and too serious to be an arcade racer, Driveclub's online integration, beautiful environments and accessible handling make for a great new-gen racing package.

Deep, intelligent, intense, and utterly unlike any experience before it, Alien: Isolation presents all that's truly great about AAA, and also its evolution.

A highly polished iteration of Smash Bros. that plays great on its own. But when you're afflicted by latency problems in local multiplayer, you'll suddenly become painfully aware of the 3DS version's critical shortcomings.

By turning your every death into the start of a personal vendetta, Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor makes you that much more invested in its open-world. The savage combat and satisfying stealth are just the means to exacting your ultimate revenge.

By combining open-world thrills with simulation racing and letting you customize the experience to your liking, Forza Horizon 2 is an excellent entry in the series.

Improvements largely concern presentation over play, but they're crucial in making you feel closer to the game than ever.

Vast, beautiful, and endlessly satisfying, Destiny is like a gradually-opening puzzle box of ever-more involving FPS depth. What's already there can be explored for tens of hours. What's to come is an incredibly exciting prospect.