What it loses in realism it makes up for with variety and a strong presentation.

For now though, if you’re considering picking up that second season 400 Days is damn near essential – and if you’re not, then it may well change your mind.

Despite it's downfalls, El Shaddai is a memorable experience from start to finish. It offers a quirkiness and sense of style that is not only unique, it's surprisingly refreshing.

This is a game that's worth immersing yourself in. There may be a few bugs now, but they'll inevitably be fixed in a patch soon, and there's more than enough here to keep you coming back for more Thrax-spanking action.

Warband is a huge improvement over the original game, but we'd have to wait for a sequel in order to see anything really new and exciting (aside from multiplayer I guess).

Call of the Sea feels like a mix between a puzzle game and a 1930s pulp novel. It blends these varied genres to mixed success; the puzzles are largely solid but you can find yourself banging your head against the wall in frustration for some, and the writing can be a bit campy but is carried by brilliant voice acting. While the game is decent, the visuals, the acting, and the setting are top notch. If entered with the right mindset, The Call of the Sea can be a good companion for an evening in.

You’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of Far Cry 5, but we don’t think anyone will go away thinking it’s the best Far Cry game. Because it’s not.

Dead Space 3 is a game that looks sleek, is polished to the last minute detail, and is full of some stunning set-pieces. But beneath those shiny distractions, it lacks any real sense of soul, slotting in among a raft of other third-person shooters, never causing you to feel anything other than short bursts of panic and relief.

If you can stand the time period, then this serves as a perfectly adequate medium between Hearts of Iron's grand strategy, and Men of War's more tactical focus.

In the end, Per Aspera is not the deepest colony builder, nor the most challenging. But it is still a fun game to play, in a relaxing kind of way. And when you zoom out and see your bases stretch across the surface or the planet begin to irrevocably change, it delivers a feel-good gaming moment. Narrative and a sense of scale are ultimately what set Per Aspera apart from other games in the genre. If you are looking for a laid-back terraforming experience, combined with an interesting story, try out Per Aspera. If you want a more personal or detail focussed colony building experience (one where you feel like you are overseeing the human settlement of Mars), than you're better off playing Surviving Mars.

Its story may cut a strange and meek figure against the explosions and grenades and tanks of the boisterous ‘in-crowd’ parading itself around at this time of year, but it’s one nonetheless worth visiting, and one which begs for brains over brawn.

If you've got time to kill, Tropico 4 is perfect. It hasn't changed much since its predecessor, but it's still an excellent simulation – something that's welcome in the era of visuals-conscious FPSs and lacklustre adventure games. A modernised concept, that's perfectly period.

Roadcraft is an excellent addition to Saber’s roster of sim titles. Focusing on construction over driving represents a step forward, showing that this formula can do more, especially when the mechanics and depth are as impressive as they are here.

The combination of strategy and role-playing still stands out from the crowd and the added bonus of so many extra quests, items and units crammed together really adds value to the game.

In all Sorcerer Kings Rivals remains exactly what the original was, a decent game. It lacks the customization and in depth options of its competitors’ but it’s theme and unique qualities make it a fun experience, at least for a while.

Europa Universalis IV has been out for going on seven years, and with that comes the seven-year itch. I’ve been a long time fan of the game since its release and it’s my most played game on Steam by quite some ways. Emperor sees a lot of changes, both in the DLC and the free patch that accompanies it, but despite all this, many of my underlying complaints with the game persist seven years on. If you’re a fan of the franchise, this patch is one of the best, but it’s probably only worth buying if you’re a central European player.

We’re only a week into 2022, but I’m extremely happy to be starting my year off with a game as fun and well put together as Fights in Tight Spaces. Though it occasionally feels like a bit of a grind, the focused gameplay and pleasing visual style make this a great game for players to come back to over and over.

A largely straightforward motorsport management game with a distinct visual style, Golden Lap manages to offer tactical race simulation with off-the-track drama in a minimalist package. It may not satisfy hardcore petrolheads, but for slightly more relaxed race enjoyers, it’s a fine sim experience.

If you like a hack and slash game in the style of "Diablo," then you’ll definitely enjoy Titan Quest. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a true role-playing experience in which bashing things with a sword, spear, axe, bow, or some other weapon isn’t the only way to achieve your goal, you’re probably better off playing "Oblivion" or waiting for "Neverwinter Nights II."

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.

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.

It really feels like a lot of effort was put into Starhawk, and that effort has certainly paid off. After dusting off my PS3 to play it, it seems Sony have finally found a new exclusive title to show off and be proud of.

There are small issues with the HD conversion – especially in the menus – but this still feels like one of the more accomplished HD collections this generation.

It's a lot of fun, visually pleasing and nods towards players who've been with SEGA since the dreaded Dreamcast days.

Mafia II is exactly the sequel Mafia fans have been waiting all these years for.

While Armada isn’t big on scale, it is big on fun. It is one of the rare good entries of Games Workshop’s liberally licensed universe, and as such, it is a must-try for any fan of the Warhammer 40,000 universe.

The rhythmic chants of bygone planes is something that easily get your juices flowing.

Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments is more than just an excellent detective adventure, it also absolutely nails the essence of being the pride of Baker Street and in doing so provides an exciting roadmap for where Ukrainian developer Frogwares will take the series next.