The world and characters are forgettable and uninspired without any of that deeper lore and storytelling Dark Souls is known and loved for. But despite those criticisms Lords of the Fallen is still worth a look if you’re after challenging combat and a grisly dark medieval world to explore.

Top marks for creativity, but the occasional flaws, bugs and, to repeat my oxymoron, lack of unnecessary depth, make it look like the game could have done with another 6 months of fine-tuning.

Although Strike Vector is enjoyable to play then, its current range of content hardly represents stellar value at a launch price of £18.99 - even if it is all available up front. RageQuit is promising frequent, and entirely free updates over the coming months however, so if you consider that lump sum a gamble on a lifetime membership to a subscription service then it becomes a little more palatable.

Warlock 2 is definitely a step in the right direction – it takes everything that was good about the first game, and refines it a bit, while also leaving the original experience intact.

It's walking down a treacherous path being online only and offering some quite forgettable maps. The lack of bot play means that the 1200 point asking price could end up being all for nothing in the future, which is quite a hefty risk to take.

Dead Island 2's visceral combat can effortlessly pull you into the zone as you slash, shoot, and kick zombies while making sure they head into the afterlife with fewer limbs attached. A simple but effective upgrade system gives you the means to counter any foe, while its varied arsenal of melee and ranged weapons keeps things interesting for a good while. Repetition inevitably sets in well before you roll credits, being reflected both in its uninspired mission objectives and how you eliminate opponents. Its disjointed and confused narrative doesn't do it any favors either, but, as long as you focus on slaying zombies, there's certainly fun to be had here.

If you put the lack of missions aside as a consequence of the budget price tag, Banished is still a flawed game. There's brilliant concepts and a core that shines, but a troublesome interface and a general lack of breadth of content is clearly an issue.

Unfortunately, the last quarter of A Story About My Uncle does become a little too repetitive, and slightly overly obscure grapple set pieces require blind luck more often than skill. That said, this is still a great adventure - one which will return you to childhood fantasy, and one which will far from get your goat.

So amongst the other problems, it's also short and clearly rushed.

The excellent Clan eSport-style multiplayer, Steam Workshop support, Story Mode, and hilarious water system are all reasons to buy Worms: Clan Wars. It can honestly lay claim to being the new definitive Worms game on PC, despite the mangling of the Ninja Rope.

Gas Guzzlers Extreme is still worth the plunge if you’re at all intrigued by a return to its simple diet of racing carnage however.

A unique mix of strategy and RPG mechanics that miraculously loses very few of either.

There are some pretty serious issues with Warlords that really cannot be overlooked. That is not to say there is not a wonderful experience to be had because there is, but it is a case of fully understanding what you are getting into. This will not be a walk in the park, it’s a serious time investment that will become frustrating at some point along the way. Once you get past the obvious issues, underneath the ugly cover is a game that gives you the freedom and space to do what you want. It’s a title that can be engrossing and fun that will literally eat hours of your life away instantly. Hopefully in time some of the smaller issues, like the bugs and UI issues can be patched but I would really like to see a rework of the controls.

Blackmill Games’ dedication to history and realism is certainly commendable, but the result is a game that will only appeal to a very select audience. That said, Isonzo is capable of producing some incredibly tense and atmospheric gameplay.

Rage 2 has some problems, but taken entirely as an FPS it’s probably my favourite game of the year so far. The open world needs a bit more personality, there needs to be more actual story missions, and you could drown in the amount of upgrade options there are - but none of that matters once you get into combat. I spent over 20 hours in Rage 2 and every moment was a blast, with constantly exciting shooting that rivals Doom for thrills. And I’ll be carrying on playing it after this review, too. If you’re looking for a 100-hour open-world game, look away. If you want an FPS, look no further.

With a solid blend of strategy and RPG elements, this game does a good job of putting you in your character’s shoes. It’s refreshing to find a strategy game with this much customization, allowing you to upgrade each character the way you want to, not simply unlocking a new, more powerful unit.

It is complex, sure, and perhaps that will be off-putting for as many as it will be endearing for, but there’s an original game here - one that ought to appeal to fans of both spectrum of genres.

The tragedy of Alpha Protocol is that, hidden behind the mass of technical failings is a superb action RPG bristling with choice and driven by some inspired storytelling.

Massive Chalice is lots of fun and highly addictive.

Those of you yet to delve into the Blood Bowl universe will find a game with hours of entertainment to uncover, provided you manage to scale the steep learning curve and avoid the pitfalls of mismatching. Online however, Blood Bowl is a rare treat - and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Evil West’s old-school sensibilities aren’t what drags it down, although its linear levels might not appeal to everyone. Its combat feels glorious when it clicks, but it struggles to find its stride, resulting in a fun but rather unremarkable adventure. Fights range from exhilarating to boring and outright frustrating, its story is entirely forgettable and lacks memorable characters, while a lack of polish in terms of smaller details like NPC models and cutscenes makes it hard for it to properly stand out. But if you’re looking for an excuse to brutally execute vampires with an arsenal that looks, sounds, and feels great to use, there’s enough fun to warrant picking up Evil West, as long as you keep its flaws in mind.

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

There are moments of pure unadulterated joy packed into this sports compilation, and although it's all over rather rapidly, it's a great ride while it lasts.

The Dark Pictures Anthology still lives in the shadow of Until Dawn, which remains the superior title, but Little Hope is certainly a step forward for Supermassive Games and a guaranteed good time for folks in need of atmospheric Halloween thrills. It may be a familiar cocktail, but the game remixes things well enough that it ends up with a distinctive taste, though your appreciation of the experience will largely depend on what you think of the finale.

Haven exudes an amount of confidence that’s not often seen. Every piece falls into its place and there is never a moment to suggest that developer The Game Bakers had any doubts about the direction in which it wanted to take the game. Its satisfying exploration of interconnected levels, light survival, story-driven visual novel elements, and rhythmic combat all serve the greater experience. It boasts some of the most organic writing we’ve seen in a while and strong protagonists with excellent chemistry. Kay and Yu embody weakness and strength, childlike wonder and maturity, and kick ass together when the need arises. It’s hard to dislike them. Regardless if you’re in it just for its story or want to see everything it has to offer, Haven always finds a way to reward you and never wastes your time.

Project Highrise takes obvious inspiration from a cult classic, but struggles to build compelling mechanics around a proven concept. Constructing a tower still offers its own simple pleasure, but there’s not enough depth here to keep you building a skyline’s worth of high-rises.

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

In terms of bringing old-school Call of Duty up to modern standards, Call of Duty: WWII does fairly admirably, but at the same time every end of it feels like something is missing. The campaign is a tour and spectacle of the terror and intensity of the conflict as the Allies fought their way into to the Eagle’s Nest, but the forgoing of nearly all outside perspectives in favor of an all-American campaign feels narrow in comparison to previous COD outings that have tackled this subject matter. Likewise, multiplayer is as tight as ever and War mode is a solid addition that we hope to see built upon in all further Call of Duty content, but the hub feels tacked on. Zombie Mode is still Zombie Mode and fans will find a lot to discover and challenge in the new scenario, but the stark tones might put off the more lighthearted fans of the mode in its previous incarnations. COD: WWII is far from the worst of the series and players will find a wealth of well-crafted moments and design here, but a few too many oddities and omissions keep it from being the best that Call of Duty has ever offered.