A game of two halves: one gripping, strategic and beautifully balanced, the other dull and grinding. Unfortunately, you have to be able to to deal with both.

The Legendary Starfy never completely shakes the sluggish nature of its initially vanilla gameplay, and the game offers very little challenge for hardened platform veterans, but it's a pleasant romp that continually improves as it progresses.

It may or may not be the blood-soaked ending to the franchise, but it's easily one of the most enjoyable games in the series and one of the most unapologetically fun games of the season.

Short, simple, and wonderfully inventive, Hohokum's bizarre aesthetics and enigmatic level design make for a consistently surprising, enjoyable romp.

And gameplay wise, so what if Carbon isn't redefining the street racing genre - really, at this point, what could? It still hits a sweet spot of intensity, danger, and style.

It doesn't last all that long, and the wonky difficulty spikes early on may deter some players. But there's something refreshingly terrifying about staring down a faceless, leech-tongued shambler, or fleeing for your life from a razor-toothed water beetle that's as big as a sack of potatoes.

Despite the re-hashed ideas, there are more than enough unique tweaks to the formula to warrant giving Gyromancer a spin.

While those negatives seem significant on paper, the reality is that when you're actually playing, you'll find that the game's intensity has a way of luring you back for more.

Two-player Wi-Fi games are fun, but there's no true online play or career mode. So while you do get all the stats and most of the gameplay, there's none of the pizzazz of the consoles. It's a compromise, but it works.

Wrap a sensible license around a sparkly fighter and you've got a winner.

Sure, it lacks the depth of something like Dead Space: Extraction, but if you're just looking to blast zombies with old friends, it's hard to do much better... on the Wii.

No doubt a niche offering, but it does what it sets out to do really well and is perfectly suited to on-the-go gaming sessions.

Homeworld's operatic space combat is as engrossing as ever in its third outing, although a weaker story and a slightly odd cover system dim the shine of its star.

Absolver feels like a (difficult, sometimes frustrating) step into a larger world, and if you can hang with it, it'll leave you hungry for more.

Dreamfall ends on a cliffhanger. If it's all the same to the creators, we'd rather not wait another six years for a resolution.

Adding phenomenal, modernized improvements to the Metal Gear franchise, Ground Zeroes is effective at getting you hyped for the future of the series. Still, it feels like an expensive tease that only gives you a taste of what’s to come.

Too bad it's only ad-hoc - a true online mode would have brought all the Ace fans together in a maelstrom of missiles and inappropriate language. Instead, we'll all happily settle for a portable version that, despite its flaws, is a rocket-powered ballet that'll ensnare new and old players alike.

A mixed package: a competent but bland single-player campaign, plus a considerably better co-op campaign, along with some creatively fantastic multiplayer modes. If you're easily scared by horror movie clichés you might get scared by the attempts at creepiness, but we didn't find it scary at all.

Styx: Blades of Greed takes this dark fantasy stealther open world further with fantastic results, slotting together complex bases to create dense settings for sneaking that neatly expand in complexity as you progress. Some tech problems and guard simplicity can irritate, but the huge array of creative problem solving, from decoy clones to fireplace scuttling, makes this a world worth getting lost in.

Hitman's Marrakech level is a vibrant, righteous continuation of an excellent format.

There's something special with Innocent Sin, but only the most dedicated RPG fans will ever be able to truly appreciate it. At least they can finally experience the part of Persona 2 they never knew.

The Expanse: A Telltale Series makes for a compelling prequel to the show with a few glaring issues outshone by complex, engaging characters.

Tropico 5 cuts out the fat of previous entries and builds upon its strongest features. While the new dynasty system is disappointing, the narrative context provided by eras and world events is outstanding.

With three new highly-entertaining maps and several new vehicles (including the tankbusting A-10 Warthog), the extremely affordable, easily downloadable Armored Fury is a must-buy for Battlefield 2 junkies.

The best episode of Life is Strange 2, with some lovely character moments, a decent cast, and a welcome twist to the always excellent soundtrack.

Although this is essentially more of the same with a couple new elements, it’s executed well. The photorealistic graphics, edgy atmosphere, and riotous gunplay mix masterfully to create phantasmagoric art.

Lighter, more focused and ultimately more linear than its predecessors, Forgotten Sands never quite feels like a "real" Prince of Persia game, but its popcorn plot and slickly designed, trap-filled environments make it wildly enjoyable anyway.

Jazzpunk is uniquely ridiculous and undeniably hilarious. It's not afraid of making you work to find all the funny, which turns even the tiniest throwaway joke into something special.