We expected big things from the studio behind Mark of the Ninja and Shank, and in Don’t Starve, we got them. It’s a wonderfully dark survival-craft game with great scope for emergent, unique experiences, even if it will make you rage occasionally.

King Oddball is a fairly large package and, although it certainly is odd, it doesn’t do enough to be truly interesting, and despite a lot of levels and some decent physics, it’s not particularly captivating.

It ticks all the boxes you expect from Assassin’s Creed, whilst also integrating a few new ideas into the mix that help to make the game stand out as a distinct entity.

The final few levels show some brilliant design, with ingenious solutions to be discovered with the tools you’re given, but it’s only after ploughing through at least 50 levels that you’ll get to see it.

Fans of the genre will definitely find more enjoyment but, to the average player, there isn’t much here to strongly recommend.

An intriguing premise and interesting art style aren’t enough to drag Violett up to the level of other more accomplished point and click adventures.

This will truly appeal to those who lived through the years during which these games were first served up to the masses, the hardy old-timers who would recognise a Power Glove with a knowing wink.

Spartan Assault takes all the aspects that made the Halo series popular – expansive levels, an epic storyline, cutting edge visuals and inventive gunplay – and throws them all away.

Kick the Kitties is a solid game, but what it should really be applauded for is existing at all. It proves that even the craziest idea can be turned into a fully functioning game – and a quite enjoyable one at that.

It is difficult to criticise a game, however, when it delivers a shedload of genuinely taxing levels at such a great value price point. It looks terrific, with sharp, bright environments that make plotting the trajectory of your cube easy on the eye.

The Room Two is an essential title that every gamer should make it their mission to experience.

Oddities with drift handling aside, this is as classic as arcade racers get, and for track-based thrills and spills, you could do a lot worse.

Max: The Curse of Brotherhood oozes personality in both its design and gameplay. Sure, the idea of drawing your way out of puzzles is no longer a completely original one, but Max has puzzles that are so cleverly designed and fun to play through, that you forget this fact and focus on the fun you have solving each conundrum.

It may be too short, but it attempts to make up for that with a decent variety of extra modes and a very well implemented group dynamic.

An interesting addition to any casual gamer’s mobile library, but it will only really appeal to hardcore Whovians or people interested in getting into it. Still, it’s a fully featured match-3 game with enough of a twist to keep you invested for a while.

Best enjoyed for ten minutes at a time, it looks nice and has all the addictiveness you’d expect from the genre. Sadly, you can find plenty of games that offer almost the exact same challenge for free if you check your phone’s marketplace.

Battle Worlds: Kronos is a game with its heart in the right place, but it’s difficult to enjoy. Attractive presentation and intriguing strategic elements are present, but the hours of campaign gameplay are largely fluffed by an extreme level of difficulty – and that’s thanks to a ridiculous number of enemies in lieu of smart AI.

Perhaps Tank Domination’s biggest victory is its seamless online multiplayer, which is one of the best real-time multiplayer systems I have seen on iOS.

Having a couple more categories on offer after buying the app in the first place would have been nice, but the selection that is available isn’t terrible. Just make sure you’re not playing with the same people over and over, or you may find the same words cropping up again and again.

Terraria on Vita is a joy to play and just different enough from everything else to stand out.

The problem with Fightback is that if you don’t actually want to spend more of your own money, there is little in the game that is going to make you want to wait and come back later.

Gomo does have some real charm in its simple yet appealing visuals and its strange sense of humour, but it is seriously lacking in the gameplay department.

Utterly brutal, The Walking Dead is back with multiple bangs. Telltale emotionally batter us over the head repeatedly, telling us to forget things that matter to us in real life.

It never makes you feel like you have to spend money, it gives you plenty of things to do and, while there’s a point where it would seem that you can’t play any more unless you spend some cash, all you have to do is wait a little while and you’ll be able to play more without any problems.

Createrria ultimately fails in its attempt to allow you to create games; instead it is at best a glorified level editor for retro platformers and Angry Birds clones. Those who stick with it may eventually build something great, but the majority will drop out after a few hours at most.

This is another gentle, feel-good indie release that provides a most enjoyable alternative to blasting people or taking in a high definition sports match.

As poor a cash in as this reviewer has ever had the misfortune to play.

Being broken into two parts only serves to hurt Broken Sword 5. The game was clearly developed as a whole and then chopped up – meaning you are left with all of the exposition in Episode 1, and none of the pay-off.

Beyond appearances, there’s not much that’s new or any more interesting than we’ve seen before – although Freedom Cry does hint at greater things to come. Recommended, but not truly essential.

Those of you who finished Stealth Inc and immediately wanted more will get a lot from The Lost Clones. If you never got through the original game, however, then this DLC pack brings nothing to the table to make it any more worthwhile. More of the same, then, but that’ll be more than enough for some.

The visuals are a mess and the atmosphere is flat and generates no excitement.

It brings absolutely nothing new to the existing release besides a slightly updated loot system, but adds a genuinely compulsive survival mode for those who want to play out their zombie apocalypse fantasies without constant calls for help and a mountain of busy-work to get through.

Arguably the pre-eminent puzzle title for the Wii U, don’t let the fact that this is half a decade old put you off. It is a fresh take on a classic game that makes fine use of the hardware.

Gran Turismo 6 isn’t perfect, but it’s frighteningly comprehensive.

The problem is not wholly in the execution or even in the intent; the very act itself is questionable. After playing this, I had to ask myself, “What is the point of this?” If I wanted the same experience, I could have easily gone back to Silent Hill or Racoon City for a much richer, nostalgia-filled trip.

There are so many elements of Lococycle that don’t work well, or that are just plain boring, it is hard to see how the game could have been released on Xbox One.

There are a lot of characters here, and the game covers quite a bit of narrative ground, but the presentation and combat engine are just so clumsy that it’s impossible to recommend Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers to anyone but the most desperate fans of the anime.

Gamers who enjoyed the past Nintendo DS games will find plenty of new content and ideas at play to encourage them back – especially as the extra 3DS development time has brought the features more in-line with the Wii U version.

Visually the game is stunning, and at times can be mistaken for an actual game of basketball. Everything has received a visual makeover and it sure looks impressive. The gameplay is as solid as ever and is great fun, whilst still being a first class simulation of the sport.

If you don’t own the game already, but do own a PS4, then you’d be daft not to pick up Injustice: Gods Among Us: it’s a terrific fighter that runs incredibly smoothly, whilst retaining that ultra-cool ideal that only a comic book can deliver.

The story is interesting and moderately compelling, and lasts a decent amount of time to boot. The missions can feel a little bit easy and overly repetitive, but when you’re just playing it in 30 – 60 minute chunks, it doesn’t feel as bad as it otherwise might.

There’s plenty to do, but be prepared for some mild annoyance.

Trine 2: Complete Story is still a brilliantly charming game, and the PS4 version is the definitive iteration by some distance, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that Frozenbyte need to move on now and work on number 3 – or something new altogether.

The title Soul Calibur 2 HD Online isn’t so much a lie as an unfulfilled promise, but even the lacklustre implementation of web battling can’t change the fact that Soul Calibur 2 is still a big, beautiful, balletic, and brilliant 3D fighter, and arguably still the best entry in the Soul Calibur series.

It’s a shame that some modes haven’t made the cut for the next-gen version, but you’ll only miss them if you played them a lot. Career Mode and FUT still offer incredibly high value for money, and this is probably the best version of FIFA to date.

The reality is, when you pay for a retail title you expect something a bit meatier. And while this looks, sounds and plays great while it lasts, you will find yourself screaming for more.

It may ultimately be a little shallow, but it has bags of charm and there is more than enough on offer here to provide hours of animal magic.

Rainbow Moon’s cutesy style and twinkly audio design cleverly disguise a genuinely challenging, surprisingly sprawling adventure with enough depth and variety to appease even the hardiest strategy-RPG fan. Forced grinding and unexpected dfficulty spikes aren’t all that enoyable, but they’re not game-breaking either.

A reasonable, lengthy but frustrating single player campaign paves the way for a compelling multiplayer experience the likes of which you’ve never seen before – visually speaking, anyway.

Gameplay-wise, it’s solid – but the frustrating approach to difficulty and the clear focus on getting your money through in-app purchases doesn’t make for a particularly compelling game.

I can only hope that something else comes along soon to show us what Kinect 2.0 is truly capable of, because if this is it, we’re in for another generation of shockingly disappointing movement-controlled video games.

The changes to the running game are infuriating at first but really become great once you’re accustomed to them, and the passing game, although not as prominent compared to previous years, is still great fun.

A relatively plain platformer boosted by a vivid and surreal art-style, Icycle: On Thin Ice is just about crazy and unique enough to warrant a look. Bite-size, fun-packed levels make for a game that doesn’t overstay its welcome, and stands out from crowd both artistically and mechanically.

Physics puzzling is the name of the game and for the hour or two that it lasts, Cubicity offers a pleasant workout for the mind that’s slightly frustrating, but full of enough eureka moments to make it worthwhile.

If you can disengage your brain and just plough through the endless array of same-faced enemies, you’ll enjoy the glorious visuals and well designed audio – but this is a game destined to be forgotten fairly quickly, even if it does help prove the Xbox One has more power than we first thought.

It looks like a family-friendly game, but this one is aimed at the hardcore players, and when you consider it’s a new IP for a new console, that’s kind of brave.

It’s a shame there are only five levels, but what is here is eye-wateringly good.

LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is proof that both franchises have their place and appeal in the video games industry, but it’s also horribly exposing of the repetitive, tired mechanics employed to actually create a workable gameplay experience.

Ironically, Bravely Default is one of the best Final Fantasies in years. Taking the very best of 8/16-bit entries of the series, and bringing them up to date with some beautiful graphics, clever features and engaging gameplay, this is a must for someone looking for a more traditional JRPG.

Unfortunately, there’s a real sense of deja vu this time around, and the next Picross game really needs to try something new to breathe life into the series.

It’s refreshing to play a racing game that doesn’t feel stale when played alone, and that’s all thanks to Drivatar keeping things fresh every time you race.

There is still plenty of fun to be had when taking on some of the more successful mini games with a group of friends locally, but the game as a whole does come across as more of a re-tread of something we have played time and time again.

Defense Technica is a bland, run-of-the-mill affair. It brings almost nothing new to the genre and relies on tried and tested mechanics.

The authenticity to the series shown in the cutscenes and the general presentation would be enough to make an average game a little more attractive to fans – but, sadly, this is way below an average game.

For the entire duration of my time with Tearaway, I was beaming from ear-to-ear at the magnificence taking place in the palm of my hands. It has taken quite a while, but at long last the Vita has an original IP that it can truly call a killer app.

Don’t expect to be utterly blown away by Shin’en’s latest – but don’t sleep on its ability to deliver a subtly compulsive experience, either. For less than a tenner you get a full thirty stages to play through, with some delightful touches that, for the most part, outweigh the flaws.

Hakuoki 3D: Memories of the Shinsugami suits a very particular niche, and it does so with admirable confidence.

A triumph from start to finish. Beautiful, colourful, amusing, and bereft of any cynicism whatsoever. An utter breath of fresh air that plays like a dream; this is almost certainly the game Nintendo should have launched the Wii U with. However, here we are, finally getting the incredible Mario title we deserve.

This is the perfect case of a game being based on a great initial idea, but being slightly let down by it’s execution.

The story is stunning, as we’ve come to expect, but it doesn’t quite scale the heights of the main game’s campaign.

Sadly, it devolves into a tedious, irritating scavenger hunt that fails to keep up the momentum and burdens the player with repetitious busy work that makes the short playtime seem merciful rather than miserly.

Whilst the design of Morphopolis may have won it many fans already, this does seem to be very much a case of style over substance.

Haunting, atmospheric and highly playable, Crowman & Wolfboy adds just enough depth and content to make it more than your average auto-runner, while a Metroid-Vania-like approach to new abilities and level exploration add some real replay value to an enjoyable game.

When it works, Contrast is a beautifully executed vaudevillian tale of sadness and intrigue, but when it doesn’t, the frustrating glitches and awkward controls will drive you mad.

Bringing forward all of what made Wii Fit so great in the first place, then adding new features and the Wii Fit Meter means that Wii Fit U is an excellent package designed to get friends and family playing games while getting fitter.

Small annoyances aside, Firaxis have taken a great game and made it brilliant. There’s so much content and so much to see and do in Enemy Within that one playthrough is unlikely to do it.

Stealth Inc. was made for handheld gaming, and to have it available on another platform is a bonus. No matter which edition of the game you purchase, you can expect some simple old school gameplay and modern-day challenge that can be enjoyed everywhere.

It rewards those of us who know A Link to the Past’s version of Hyrule like the back of our hand, but makes enough concessions for those who didn’t play the original the first time around.

The story is clichéd, badly delivered and far too derivative of games like Uncharted. The gameplay is irritating – let down by strange design choices and niggly control issues; sadly, what little the title does well is mired in these basic gameplay complaints.

The Typing of the Dead is stark-raving bonkers, yes, but it’s that lunacy that keeps you wanting to play.

Intuitive controls, excellent pacing, a smart script and sublime visuals mean there is much fun to be had here. If this is the last time we get to control Ratchet and his robot buddy, then it’s a rock-solid way to go out.

Whenever a game can surprise you, it’s obviously a good thing. Stick It To The Man definitely does that at points – but, when it’s touted as a comedy and the laughs don’t come in thick and fast, disappointment follows.

Aggressively un-enjoyable. Senseless level design, poor hit detection, and cheap deaths combine for a wholly repellent experience.

Me Vs. You tries to do something a little different, and while I can’t fault the developers for their good intentions, the simple fact is that two player games don’t work if the rules are too complicated and the user interface is too bewildering.

Blood of the Werewolf is a short ride and, ultimately, a forgettable one.

Ultimately, Valhalla Knights 3 is a looting, levelling dungeon-crawler and nothing more, and it’s not a great example of the genre.

A licensed simulation that provides the die-hard fans with everything they want, but also allows the newcomer to learn and build and even have a fun arcade thrash around some very pretty tracks? That seems a pretty good template to me. If the limited multiplayer was expanded upon slightly, it would be even better.

Fiesta Run is very similar to Rayman Legends. Much like that game, it’s an elaboration on what has come before (as Jungle Run was to Rayman Origins) and offers the same amount of fun and challenge as before. While the impact isn’t as great this time around, there’s plenty to enjoy with the second helping of mobile platforming goodness.

Easily one of the best mobile games I’ve played this year, Anomaly 2 is a tour de force of impressive visuals and exciting gameplay that raises the bar for mobile strategy games. It’s a refreshing take on a genre that clearly has some new ideas left in it.

By discarding any semblance of plot, characterisation and conventional mechanics, Proteus is a brave and highly original title that forces you to use your imagination, and forges unforgettable memories through simple exploration and a sense of wide-eyed, almost childlike wonder.

Final Exam is undoubtedly an attractive game with a lot of fun in store, particularly with a friend, but the chaotic brawling is unfortunately countered by frustrating drawbacks in many areas.

Infinity Ward could quite easily have rested on their laurels, stayed in their comfort zone to release Modern Warfare 4 this year with little negative critical reception. Instead, they’ve done something bold with the franchise they gave life to, and as a result have created the best Call of Duty game since Modern Warfare 2. Big, brash and absolutely stunning.

Battlefield 4′s multiplayer is as bombastic as ever, featuring that exceptional mix of infantry tactics, vehicular warfare and big-budget destruction, and the tweaks to the class system and character progression are welcome (but yet to be fully field-tested). The flipside of the coin is that the campaign is soulless and uninspired, the graphics take a knock in fidelity for the sake of prettiness and the overall package comes out as slightly imbalanced.

The awkwardness of waving a large GamePad around and unresponsive controls make this one of the less enjoyable party offerings available on the system.

The story is the best in the series but, when it comes to gameplay, Warner Bros. Montreal seem to have taken the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mantra and done the exact opposite.

It’s a shame that such an interesting possibility falls so flat. Perhaps a little more development time could have yielded more positive results, but as it is we end up with a running time of around 5-6 hours that feels like it outstays its welcome ever so slightly, purely because the longer you play it, the more it falls apart and the more it becomes frustrating.

The best Pac-Man game ever. The formula may be an old one, but sometimes the old ones are the best – or at least they would be if they didn’t have Facebook integration.

They may have hit minor issues in the beginning, but they should be applauded for tackling these head on for the subsequent releases. With complaints over the length of some chapters, the translation issues and the long wait for this last chapter, the trilogy is definitely greater than the sum of its parts.