The game playfully prods at the ridiculousness that is superhero culture, but it does so in a respectful and knowing way. [Issue#142, p.106]

Infinity Ward has really struggled to push the Call of Duty formula forward in any meaningful or significant ways. [Issue#142, p.96]

It is no masterpiece, but Battlefield 4 is a good starting point for the genre moving into the next generation. And boy, is it pretty. [Issue#142, p.94]

Lococycle is initially very enjoyable due to its marriage of different elements from popular genres, but the ideas unfortunately soon run dry. [Issue#142, p.93]

Simply a bit boring. [Issue#142, p.92]

Zoo Tycoon will have a very narrow appeal beyond families. [Issue#142, p.90]

The previous title in this series is still to many the most complete racing simulator ever made, but Forza 5 exceeds it in several ways - not enough to displace it, but enough to fully merit its place on the Forza podium. [Issue#142, p.84]

Nothing more than forgettable. [Issue#142, p.79]

It is fundamentally not an innovative package, and hopefully Polyphony Digital will decide to make a few significant steps towards the future next time. But this is an enthusiast’s dream and very much the game that series vets have always wanted it to be. A slightly rusty old banger perhaps, but also the most reliable motor in town.

As a classic RPG with some of the best writing and purest example of D&D mechanics in a videogame you really need to play this, but as a ‘remake’ this needs more work to be worthy of the same praise as its older brother.

If this is what Square Enix can do when they outsource the Final Fantasy property (even spiritually) we hope to see the core series go down this route, too; it’s a damn sight better than the numbered entries’ recent efforts.

Killzone: Shadow Fall is so full of influences, struggling to balance so many different ideas across the eight or so hours of single-player that it fails to settle cohesively. Even worse, nothing here feels particularly new. Killzone: Shadow Fall is an immensely enjoyable shooter but one busy distracting itself from being anything more.

There’s plenty of depth to the mechanics here for those that want to sink their teeth into a new fighting system, and there are some informed nods back to the franchise’s roots, but if you were intending to buy an Xbox One on the promise of playing this until you could afford another launch game, chances are you’ll get bored of it by the end of launch week.

A Link Between Worlds is a remake and a sequel, then – both a tribute to a classic and a worthy successor in its own right. For all the changes, it’s still recognisably Zelda, and a legend this powerful can comfortably bear another retelling.

It’s easy to see a new franchise in Ryse; one that could potentially rival God Of War if it maintains the momentum of the latter half of the campaign. However, the gameplay is so rote and uninspired that it merely hints at a more robust and rewarding experience that it fails to deliver. Ultimately, it makes for a few hours of passing entertainment, but it’s certainly not one for the history books.

The true triumph for Media Molecule is that none of the ‘extra-curricular’ controls or feel forced or unnecessary. On the contrary, each and every one feels natural and works just as you would expect to it should.

Capcom Vancouver has therefore given the Xbox One something that PS4 does not have right now: a strong triple-A exclusive. Dead Rising 3 dares you to dream about high the bar can be set for the open world game during this generation on a technical and creative level, even with its obvious flaws in mission design. Not bad for a launch title.

Super Mario 3D World might not be a “game changer” like Super Mario 64, but it’ll always be remembered as the one that let the cats out.

To be honest, we spent the majority of our time just cruising around the county, drooling over the views and picking off random racers that happened across our patrols.

None of this is entirely new. [Issue#141, p.122]

It is so mortally by-the-numbers that you'll genuinely believe you've already played the game before. [Issue#141, p.120]

The appeal lies in the customisation options and the complex online battle system. [Issue#141, p.120]

The controls occasionally feel clunky. [Issue#141, p.117]

Absolutely Capcom at its best. [Issue#141, p.115]

The new game is stuck in the same artless quandary as far too many annual series updates. [Issue#141, p.113]

Outside of the new animations, it's hard to see where NBA 2K14 has really advanced ahead of last year's outing. [Issue#141, p.112]

There is a steep learning curve within Soul Hackers. [Issue#141, p.111]

Playable, yes, but nothing new. [Issue#141, p.110]