Beyond Sol is some of the best things of games like Sid Meier’s Civilization, Sim City, and MOBA like control of your ship and fleet and combines them into one heck of an experience. I’d be hard pressed to remember a time I found a game so relaxing, yet stimulating at the same time.

It’s nothing particularly new, as Telltale games go, but I think that playing with a more family-friendly property has been good for the studio. Those trademark life or death choices were getting a little contrived, so it’s nice to just hang around with a likeable group of characters and go off on a fun, mostly light-hearted adventure. With the occasional eldritch abomination thrown in.

While entertaining for the most part then, Skyhill’s ease of play and encouragingly gentle roguelike mechanics are not quite enough to allow the game to reach the ambitious heights of the structure that it takes as its namesake.

There’s no single feature that will revolutionise Beyond Earth’s fairly conventional approach to strategy, but as a complete package this expansion does a great job of fleshing out the game’s mechanics and giving it a sense of identity that previously was sorely missing.

As a lovely and crazy world to explore with a charming art style and catchy music it’s just fine, but as a game Armikrog comes up significantly short.

The Escapists: The Walking Dead is a decent puzzle game, but lacks the complexity and freedom of its predecessor by offering basic, linear goals.

This game is an interesting take on a well worn piece of history, making it relatable to a wide audience. While learning the game can be a bit frustrating, both puzzle fans and strategy fans will find something to enjoy after you get the basics down.

If you are a hardcore puzzle gamer looking for a new challenge, this game is for you.

All in all, Heroes of Might and Magic VII is a solid addition to the series.

Nevertheless for this Dragon Age fan Trespasser was a hugely satisfying end to Inquisition, and the final choice alone will have huge ramifications. Roll on Dragon Age 4.

Simplistic combat and a lack of variety mean that it begins to run out of steam by the end-game, but if you’re looking for a more relaxed approach to world domination, Grand Ages: Medieval is a perfectly solid option.

Penarium is an excellent game that delivers quality fun with or without friends.

If you’ve got a little extra change in your bank account and feel like trying something out of the ordinary, I’d recommend giving Euclidean a try.

Blood Bowl 2 is a faithful recreation of the board game with improved visuals and a cleaner UI than previous installments. The AI is as poor as ever but multiplayer is really where Blood Bowl 2 shines.

If you’re expecting a game as terrifying as Amnesia and without any adventure game-style puzzles to solve you might have some complaints, but SOMA is still scary, dripping with tension and heart-stopping moments, and it’s easier to find the items you need to solve puzzles than in Amnesia.

Bedlam is a pretty amazing balancing act on multiple fronts. It has a feel that fondly reminds me of Oregon Trail, but with more head shots and acid-scorched bones.

If you’re an adventure fan and not a terminal coulrophobe Dropsy is well worth picking up, just because it tries to do something different.

I wanted to like Hegemony III but it was just too frustrating. The combat works exactly as I like it to with lots of options, and I love the diplomacy aspects, but there’s just too much here that sapped my enjoyment.

The diplomacy is well done, but without a robust battle system and satisfying nation-building to back it up, the game feels like its missing something – it’s all build-up with no pay-off. It’s a shame, because Sphere of Influence does some interesting things with the standard grand strategy formula.

This is an entertaining way for long time fans to re-explore their favorite One Piece moments or even unfamiliar fans to get acquainted with what they’ve been missing. However, when you strip all that away, this is just another Warriors game and certainly not the best playing one.

There are some issues but overall this is a unique experience that deserves to be played.

Mad Max is a decent if, uninspiring time waster.

If you enjoyed playing board games or card games when you were younger (or are still young), Armello will captivate you. The game is beautiful to look at, fun to play, and challenging enough to keep you coming back for more. Even if you’ve never played a game like this before, it’s enjoyable just learning to play and finally getting a satisfying victory.

It’s not essential, and not close to the best that Obsidian is capable of, but it’s another perfectly enjoyable few hours of looting and adventuring.

While in truth, it’s possible that some might tire of its regimented systems and board game esque beats, the fact remains that Renowned Explorers still stands as one of the best surprises of the year so far that wannabe adventurers of any age can enjoy.

The trouble is though, the gameplay is not the major part of the game. It’s the story, and the many long non-interactive cutscenes that often feel out-of-place next to the PSP-quality graphics.

Nova-111 is a clever, albeit brief puzzle adventure romp, featuring an intelligent fusion of setting and gameplay elements. The phase-shift and time manipulation have been done before, but Nova-111 wraps it all together in a charming and humorous package that should provide you with an evening or two of decent entertainment.

For both longtime fans of the series and newcomers experiencing the struggle against the nefarious Dr. Wily for the first time, what Capcom have essentially wrought with the Mega Man Legacy Collection is a consummate assembly of the franchise’s 8-bit era outings.

It may not quite master its new perspective, but Trine 3 is still a charming, light-hearted romp that’s well worth your time.

By offering players a choice between the Hammer and the Anvil, Relic has prevented the British army from feeling like a retread of the formula established in the original game. An excellent addition.

A depressingly bog-standard port then of a game without its own identity, Front Wars elicits the instantly gratifying play of its inspiration, but fails to capture the imagination of Nintendo’s beloved strategy opus as thoroughly as it wants to.

Sorcerer King’s fatalistic themes are tied cleverly in to its mechanics, resulting in the first game in the Elemental series that really feels like it has a distinct identity.

Technical hiccups aside, Blues and Bullets is a raucous and relentlessly entertaining inaugural entry into the episodic adventure genre.

For those willing to forgive its more archaically-rooted foibles however, Way of the Samurai 4 very often proves to be a hugely entertaining prospect while providing a gleefully quirky look at one of the most enticing and formative periods of Japanese history.

The Swindle is a highly addictive and fun randomly-generated steampunk thievery simulator.

Nevertheless A Nest of Vipers ups the ante considerably and makes for a fine build-up to the finale.

In the end, Traverser is a game that shows great a deal of promise in the early going, with its interesting setting and accomplished visual style making the game tremendously easy to get into.

So minor licks of new paint aside, Worms World Party Remastered remains much as it always has been then. Twee to look at and evolving little in this latest instalment but still horrendously entertaining all the same, it’s difficult to be too upset with Team 17’s newest release when it maintains the core of the series so commendably well.

Still, there’s plenty more to keep them satisfied, and the game’s rough presentation and slightly disappointing campaign are easy to forgive when the basic gameplay is so solid.

A bold take on the long-forgotten FMV adventure genre, Her Story might be old-fashioned and light on what some might describe as traditional gameplay, but its sophisticated narrative and entertainingly novel take on detective work both allow it to soar far beyond the zenith of its seemingly outmoded remit.

It’s not essential, and several of the really game-changing ideas are contained in the accompanying free patch, but if you’re a EUIV fan looking for some interesting new challenges, you won’t regret picking it up.

With some more creative level design and a fully fleshed-out campaign, Star Hammer could have really been something special.

Believe it or not, there is an entertaining action strategy game underneath all this, it’s just that with the crushing weight of issues that sit atop it, we tragically rarely see it.

Dirty Bomb is off to a great start, offering a blend of fast-paced team-based action that I hadn’t realised I’ve been missing since the glory days of Enemy Territory.

As it is I believe Kholat is still worth playing but just be aware that frustration and tension will be present in equal measure.

Massive Chalice is lots of fun and highly addictive.

The narrative is interesting, the puzzles are fun to tackle, if a little too simple and yet, if there was just a lot more content and if everything was a little more polished, we would be looking at a great game heavy with recommendation, rather than a good one laden with caveats.

The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing 3 is a good-looking game but the lack of features from the previous entries are a sore point

Game of Thrones is really beginning to kick in to high gear as things start to possibly look up for the Forresters in Sons of Winter, but most importantly the characters start to get much-needed shots in the arm.

Magicka 2 offers a smoother, more comfortable experience than its predecessor, but that doesn’t mean the series has lost its signature charm.

Technobabylon is one of the best adventures WadjetEye have ever published, and that’s saying something.

Those niggles aside, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an absolute triumph and the best open-world RPG around, maybe even the best altogether.

Block N Load offers an intelligent blend of tactical play and madcap carnage that hits the spot in a way that Ace of Spades never did.

A homage to retro classics is one thing but having gameplay that’s both challenging and fun makes Axiom Verge special. If you grew up in that era, you’d be a fool to miss out on this and if you’re new to the genre, I can’t think of a better entry.

Maybe not the best there was or the best there is and certainly not the best there ever will be then, but it’s a good start all the same and after all, legends have been fashioned from less.

Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is an incredibly fun standalone expansion to one of the Best games of 2014, and in plenty of places is tougher.

Overall Broken Age is hugely fun game, but hardly the second coming of LucasArts as many backers probably hoped.

Galactic Civilizations 3 is a constantly rewarding experience, a colossal box of toys with which you can create some truly memorable stories.

Much like the conflict that the game shares its namesake with, Verdun is a ferocious and tense multiplayer shooter the likes of which we haven’t seen in a long time.

The developer’s heart is in the right place, but Solarix just isn’t very good.

Even without the frequent sever issues, Shadowrun Chronicles : Boston Lockdown would be hard to recommended to anyone but the most rabid fans of the setting.

Space Colony HD: Steam Edition is a re-release of a re-release that’s added a few cute little features but kept every single flaw from the original intact.

It’s a good, fun, entertaining extra bit of Dragon Age Inquisition, and if that doesn’t excite you then, well, you don’t need it.

The big draw here is the inventive Necromancer class, which is just heaps of fun, but both the two new races and the range of smaller changes, like the new options for a peaceful victory, are smart additions that will make Age of Wonders 3 feel fresh again to even the most jaded player. Take note, developers; this is how you do a good expansion pack.

Chronicles might be a little tame in places and lack enough variety to keep you interested for long, but it has a charm I feel the other Assassin’s Creed games now lack.

You’d think GTA V had been purpose built for the PC, and that’s because it has been – from the generous array of graphics options, to native keyboard and mouse support – Grand Theft Auto V isn’t disguised as a PC game; it is a PC game.

Maybe Dungeons 2 plays a little safe by ditching some of the more intriguing aspects of the previous game (I still think the idea of using overconfident adventurers as a form of drainable resource is a fantastically twisted conceit that could have been fleshed out further) in favour of going back to the roots of the dungeon management genre, but it’s hard to criticise Realmforge too much for that when the game is this enjoyable.

If you’re looking for a fun, clever little strategy game, you could do a lot worse than pick this up.

Without online multiplayer, all the stages and possessing visuals that are inferior to the console versions, Dead or Alive 5 Last Round manages that rare and horrible thing of making PC players feel like second-class citizens to their console brethren and in doing so, succeeds in heavily tarnishing what is actually a pretty incredible fighting game in the process.

Fire is a sweet, innocent adventure with a very kid-friendly style, and it hurts me to kick it in the teeth. But I will. Behind those innocent looks lies a very basic adventure, with no story, no dialogue, no characters, no personality, and no satisfaction.

It brings suspense and intrigue to the forefront, while still tackling the science fiction and drama effectively. Emotions run high in multiple points, always keeping you eager to see what’s going to happen next.

The story is really picking up gear and I still love how the consequences to the player’s many choices are very unpredictable, but how great it is will depend on the ultimate question: can you lose the Game of Thrones?

All you really need to know though, is this; Pillars of Eternity is a triumph.

In plundering Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag practically wholesale, Rogue proves to be a double-edged sword. As much as Rogue succeeds in servicing those who were disappointed that Unity eschewed Black Flag’s naval shenanigans, the game also serves as a timely reminder just how little the franchise has evolved in recent years, in spite of its relatively novel take on the series’ narrative.

While it may be only three hours long, The Evil Within: The Assignment is a fine slice of DLC.

If you plan to play Nazi Zombie Army entirely in single-player, don’t bother. Get Dying Light or Wolfenstein instead. The gameplay gets tedious very fast and most people will be bored in no time at all. Get a few friends together though and the game comes alive (no pun intended, honest), and that’s clearly the way Rebellion intended it to be played.

White Night’s biggest achievement though is clearly the terrifying atmosphere that pervades throughout its duration. Though certainly not absolving the game of its other flaws, the sense of dread and fear is palpable and in a genre which has largely neglected the finer aspects of its craft, White Night stands out as an exceptional, yet mechanically imperfect proposition.

At the end of the day, Empires mode is arguably where the crux of the experience lies and as such it really does add a lot of crucial depth to a series that is regarded in many circles as a largely one-trick pony. It’s just a shame that similar evolutions aren’t forthcoming in other areas of the game which, some nearly fifteen years on, are now starting to look really quite old in the tooth.

In summary - here’s the city-builder you’ve been waiting for.

As it stands, it’s hard to recommend LA Cops when you can pick up the next slice of Hotline Miami’s gory abstraction at a similar price point.

It feels fresh and unique, and the way the plot and lore slowly collects over the course of the first three episodes leaves me pining for the next two.

Tormentum is a surprisingly addictive adventure game, despite being seemingly so basic.

Gearbox Software today owns the Homeworld IP and remastering the originals might seem a ‘cash grab’ at first glance, but considering the enormity of their effort to bring Relic’s space RTS masterpiece of the late 90s and early 2000s into today’s gaming arena, they more than prove their commitment.

Still, for those who take the time to persevere, New ‘n’ Tasty proves to be as delectable a treat as Abe’s original Odyssey all those years ago.

If you haven’t guessed it already, Raven’s Cry is quite blatantly unfinished.

Get friends together or good all-round players and Evolve can be a blast, but anything less than that and you’ll be bored in far too short a time. In short: not quite the evolution in multiplayer gaming we hoped for.

It’s a comforting reminder that video games can still hark back to their traditional roots and produce an enjoyable experience without any overblown live-action trailer or day one DLC. This is a delight to play.

Dig beneath the effortlessly stylish veneer of Apotheon though and it soon becomes clear that its impressive calibre bleeds through into its homage to the engrossing Castlevania and Metroid games pioneered back in the 8-bit days.

Cities XXL represents a serviceable starting point for beginners certainly, but is simply far too riddled with bugs, performance issues and recycled content to recommend to anyone else who has sampled the series previously.

Total War: Attila is the return to form that the series desperately needed.

I’m pretty sure this won’t appeal to a lot of people. It can be bone-crushingly hard at times and difficult to get into. But by giving you the tools to craft your own escape and leaving you alone to sort it out, The Escapists is one of those classic hands-off games that encourages you to create your own story and incredible moments.

There’s an interesting blueprint here, yet the execution lacks the finesse to elevate it beyond the sum of its parts.

The plot is getting more intriguing by the second and the feud between the Forresters and the Whitehills makes for good drama.

As it is, Deathtrap approaches the qualitative apex of its craft and niggles aside, sets a splendid example of how to marry two genres together to make a superlative whole.

Dying Light is a very impressive game that’s clearly had a lot of care and attention put into it.

The reality is, Life is Strange is a really charming enjoyable experience with a great deal of character depth and an intriguing, if not entirely original, story.

As with Avernum, HoMM3’s sheen has not been dulled by the vitiating properties of time; instead, its unique blend of roleplaying and strategy is just as alluring 15 years on.

The biggest problem Grey Goo has is that it’s far too hard for what it is, which is a fun Command and Conquer-style RTS.