A fine option for those on PS4 craving more strategy. [Issue#167, p.93]

A welcome outlier in the genre. [Issue#167, p.91]

Activision and Robomodo should, frankly, be ashamed of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5. If promises to fix the game are met and it, eventually, becomes a more faithful entry to the classic series, the Birdman’s last outing will still go down in history as an absolute hatchet job.

Neither offensive nor agreeable. [Issue#167, p.88]

A memorable indie title that shines in company but falters without. [Issue#167, p.87]

It’s a shame that the driving, flying and underwater sections quickly become so dull. There’s a fun game hidden in here – if you don’t mind trudging through a vehicular challenge every now and then.

NBA 2K16 is masterful at providing a re-creation of what we expect to see from a TV broadcast. [Issue#167, p.84]

For fans of the series, this is an essential purchase, and for first timers, this is a great opportunity to get hooked. [Issue#167, p.83]

As far as free-to-play goes, this is deeper than most and will become quite the time sink if you have the patience to master it. [Issue#167, p.82]

Serious gamers after a good mixture of challenge, story and mechanics may be left wanting. [Issue#167, p.79]

PES 2016 is inconsistently superb, but it can no longer be ignored. Football fans have a difficult choice to make this year. You can follow the money and glamour of FIFA or embrace the grassroots love of the game in PES 2016. Neither choice seems wrong to us, but neither is perfect yet either. What we do have finally though, after a decade or so of waiting, is a real contest.

But overall, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate is a very difficult game to dislike. It was never intended to break the mould, it’s no kind of reinvention and it probably won’t win the series many new fans. It is resolutely more of the same, but robust and varied with it.

Considering the state of Platinum’s last licensed title, The Legend Of Korra, not to mention the clear budget and time constraints from Activision, Transformers: Devastation could have been much worse. But then again, it could also have been much, much better.

The expansive main campaign runs at a native 1080p/60fp, giving every ship, nebula and hyperspace jump a captivating presentation. The control scheme maps well to the Xbox controller too, providing access to every facet of your vessel. Elite: Dangerous offers an experience like no other, it’s just a shame the sins of the past still sting as painfully as they did on PC.

When you’ve wasted 15 minutes watching two pixel people chat each other up but never move to the bedroom to seal the deal; it’s these scenarios where getting caught by the cops or feds becomes a frustration instead of a punishment. It’s almost like some people don’t want to get murdered. Rude.

Ultimately, however essential we say this update is, it’s only relevant if you’re a Destiny sceptic and haven’t already upgraded. If this is you, pick it up – the price is steep but there’s a huge amount of content here, plus you won’t fall too far behind. If you’re a new player, thanks to this update this is now one of the best ‘shared-world’ experiences out there – one that you’ll find hard to put down due to its stellar FPS mechanics, enormous scope and undeniable progression.

While little has changed on the surface, it’s fair to say that Infinity 3.0 improves on both of the game’s core pillars without really wobbling either.

A great game hampered by a new model.

There’s plenty of content to be found in Tri Force Heroes, with a healthy set of stages that – despite its clear multiplayer leanings – are still fun to play through on your own. It’s blatantly never going to rival the Ocarinas or Wind Wakers of the world, but as a game for Zelda fans to get stuck into while they wait for the next main event, it’s an excellent stop-gap.

Ultimately, Happy Home Designer feels more like a mini-game from a main Animal Crossing title, albeit one that controls like a dream. As a cheaper eShop release designed to spark interest in collecting the cards it would have been fine, but as a full price game its one-trick-pony style is far too repetitive for some.

Our gripes about the game’s seemingly random cuts aside, we can’t deny this is the best party game available on the new consoles.

Impressive visuals aside, Maiden Of Black Water is unashamedly last-gen in design. It’s creepy enough to give you sleepless nights and the story’s better than that of previous games, but you’ll have to put up with occasionally clunky controls if you want to enjoy this tale. It’s just about worth it.

There's just an overall lack of subtlety, from the controls to the music, to the story-telling. [Issue#166, p.100]

The music and black-and-white sketch style offer a refreshing change of pace to much of what's out there. [Issue#166, p.100]

It delivers a touching story and wraps it around a compelling puzzle platformer. [Issue#166, p.99]

It will certainly give your grey matter a workout, but it's clear that this would be better suited to mobile. [Issue#166, p.99]

Dream is ambitious, but players will need to be persistent and forgiving to enjoy what it has to offer them. [Issue#166, p.98]

Promises more than it can deliver. [Issue#166, p.98]