Arkham Knight is certainly a bigger, and in many ways a better game than its predecessors, but those attempts to make it ‘more badass’ do more harm than good. Even so, any frustrations I have with Arkham Knight don’t take away from the fact that I was unable to stop playing for four days straight, frequently in awe. It’s a stunning achievement in many ways, a game of ridiculous polish and obvious effort, and its best moments are good enough to make the worst moments worth bearing.

In a world of 200 hour RPG epics, it’s nice to have something so focused on a core experience. There’s depth here for those seeking it, or you can just make visitors cringe by showing them all the bone-breakers and finishers. Look, Nanna, this guy gets his spine ripped out through his mouth.

It’s better on the Wii, but Xenoblade Chronicles is still a top-notch JRPG.

Stunningly beautiful visuals, a wonderfully grounded score, and effortlessly graceful controls make Ori a must-have for anyone looking for the new exemplar of ability-gated platforming.

Get it for the Final Fantasy XV demo, stay for the surprisingly deep and enjoyable campaign.

Mario Party 10 holds few surprises, but still offers great moments if you spread them out enough.

Bloodborne is intricate, deep, rewarding and terrifying all at the same time.

A very hard experience to swallow for a modern player. [Issue#257, p.79]

Monument Valley continues to be wonderful. [Issue#257, p.79]

If "Lovecraft inspired" immediately excites you, this is definitely worth a look. [Issue#257, p.79]

An extremely esoteric game, but discovering every single thing it offers doesn't really matter. [Issue#257, p.78]

A very cool puzzle game, but one that relies a little too heavily on the inherent brilliance of its concept. [Issue#257, p.77]

Wave Wave's entire aesthetic is basically Super Hexagon, and it's gameplay is similarly inspired by it. [Issue#257, p.76]

As it grows more complicated it also becomes more satisfying. [Issue#257, p.76]

Not many games can claim to be "edifying." I think this one can. [Issue#257, p.75]

Telltale's take on normal people trying to be Vault Hunters is off to a great start. [Issue#257, p.74]

Super fun on your own, but needs more freedom in co-op. [Issue#257, p.72]

Great strategic action, made better by the addition of an open campaign. Some tutorials would have been nice. [Issue#257, p.71]

It's a fine sequel but plays it a little too safe for our liking. [Issue#257, p.70]

The main characters are somewhat derivative, but the narrative is thrilling. [Issue#257, p.68]

Well at least it's better than ACIII. [Issue#257, p.66]

Not without its flaws, Particulars is still a fine example of the amazing Australian indie scene. [Issue#257, p.62]

It's everything I wanted it to be, and Melee's true successor. [Issue#257, p.60]

So THIS is why these games are so popular. [Issue#257, p.58]

Probably the best next gen exclusive we've seen so far. It's not perfect but a great return to form for Insomniac. [Issue#257, p.56]

Utterly broken right now, but the central appeal of four Halos on one disc is irresistible. [Issue#257, p.54]

Best Dragon Age so far, hands down. Pity about the naff writing. [Issue#257, p.51]

The free-to-play cash-grabbery is invasive, but the game is a lot of fun. [Issue#255, p.77]

Ultimately isn't very enjoyable to play. [Issue#255, p.76]

This is a great time-killer. [Issue#255, p.76]

A gorgeous, compelling, exciting turn-based strategy game. [Issue#255, p.76]

It's a must-play. [Issue#255, p.76]

Cherry picks the best parts of a number of other racing games to wonderful effect. [Issue#255, p.72]

Amazing audio, good looks, very average gameplay. [Issue#255, p.70]

On its own merits, it's an utter joy...but it's also pretty clearly a primer for the Wii U version. [Issue#255, p.68]

Definitely inspired by the Souls games, Lords of the Fallen still has enough brutal majesty to stand on its own. [Issue#255, p.66]

Yes, even with sh.tty story and questionable gender politics. [Issue#255, p.64]

Old fashioned in all the right ways (and some wrong ones too). [Issue#255, p.60]

Thrilling from start to finish, Alien: Isolation is the game fans of the franchise have long been waiting for. [Issue#255, p.57]

Gauntlet needs DLC. Badly. Still, good fun in the short term. [Issue#255, p.54]

Addictive combat with a multitude of variants and silky smooth gameplay make this hard to put down. [Issue#255, p.51]

An intriguing and gorgeous little game that's sure to frustrate as well as captivate. [Issue#255, p.48]

Almost perfect 4X fun. [Issue#255, p.45]

Often very pleasurable, even if the main missions drag. [Issue#255, p.42]

The Pre-Sequel hits a sweet spot where it isn't cringe worthy but rather a celebration of the Australian sense of humour. [Issue#255, p.39]

A real screen snapper. [Issue#254, p.75]

This isn't an amazing game in and of itself, but the series' many fans may enjoy playing around with the universe. [Issue#254, p.75]

Maybe the most beautiful game you can run on your iPhone. [Issue#254, p.74]

A confused narrative propped up by bells and whistles. [Issue#254, p.74]

A pleasant enough romp. [Issue#254, p.71]

Pleasantly hellish in places, unpleasantly hellish in others. [Issue#254, p.70]

This is what we like to see from downloadable content. [Issue#254, p.68]

A truly versatile play experience that should continue to grow. [Issue#254, p.64]

An improvement in some ways, but a let down in others. [Issue#254, p.63]

[Pictogram of mild disappointment] [Issue#254, p.62]

A little too obtuse to be truly great, Flockers still delivers some great puzzle solving if you can deal with a lot of trial and error. [Issue#254, p.60]

A grim, tight, wonderful story of prostitution, loan-sharking and power plays. [Issue#254, p.59]

As excellent and generous rhythm game first and a loving series tribute second. [Issue#254, p.56]

Not just a loving tribute to apocalypses past, Wasteland 2 is an incredible, engrossing experience. [Issue#254, p.53]

Ambitious and intriguing, but fails to live up to its potential. [Issue#254, p.50]

An ambitious if repetitive combination of shooter and loot based ARPG. A boost in loot drop frequency could definitely boost the fun/score. [Issue#254, p.47]

While Rhythm of Fighters isn't the best in the genre it is one of the most generous, offering plenty of content for your $1.19 and reasonably priced DLC. [Issue#253, p.81]

It's more over the top aesthetically than it is in terms of mechanics. [Issue#253, p.81]

This is an inoffensive little game with little to say about celebrity and which features monetisation strategy that damages the gameplay model. [Issue#253, p.80]

The more you play, the more you realise that this is an extremely simplified take on Crazy Taxi. [Issue#253, p.80]

80 Days successfully condenses a journey of epic scale into a simple interface. [Issue#253, p.80]

Firefall is a very well-constructed MMO framework that lacks a heart, soul or reason to return. [Issue#253, p.76]

The two-player training mode and 3v3 team battles function exactly as advertised. [Issue#253, p.75]

Enjoyable until unlocks become a micro-transaction resisting grind. [Issue#253, p.74]

The combat system is far more nuanced than you would usually expect in a platformer. [Issue#253, p.72]

Deeply disappointing in just about every way. [Issue#253, p.70]

Manages to capture the rewarding highs and terrifying lows that define the souls series. [Issue#253, p.68]

This is the best version of Diablo III to date. It feels right, it's hugely addictive and it has the ability to dilate local spacetime like a good ARPG should. [Issue#253, p.65]

It's forceful, gotta give it that. [Issue#251, p.82]

Sadly the simplified physics model makes driving a chore, even if it's still fun for the occasional quick hoot around the track. [Issue#251, p.78]

Artfully drawn, confronting and informative this is a different look at war, its consequences and it isn't afraid to put you though the wringer. Play it. [Issue#251, p.77]

Combines the best aspects of old-school RPG approach and modern mechanics. [Issue#251, p.76]

Despite tense moments and imaginative worlds, Among the Sleep doesn't quite live up to the potential of its unique concept. [Issue#251, p.74]

Visually impressive but hampered by overly complex controls and a fighting engine that captures few of the intricacies of MMA. [Issue#251, p.71]

A nice little reintroduction to the genre's enduing popularity. [Issue#250, p.75]

It looks and sounds nice, at least. [Issue#250, p.75]

This is fairly unobtrusive for a free to play game, but you might as well stick with Trials Frontier. [Issue#250, p.74]

The platforming here is simple, but also pleasantly familiar. [Issue#250, p.74]

Proof that, sometimes, style "is" substance. [Issue#250, p.74]

A bit abstruse, but beautiful and engaging nonetheless. [Issue#250, p.69]

A better game overall than its predecessors, but not quite the revolution we were hoping for. [Issue#250, p.66]

A solid premise let down by rote design. [Issue#250, p.64]

Demon Gaze offers a simple yet addicting handheld RPG experience, distracted only by its flirty anime desires. [Issue#250, p.62]

The best Mario Kart ever. All faults are forgiven when you're drifting the inside of a vertical corner. [Issue#250, p.58]

The Little Engine that Could of action RPGs. [Issue#250, p.56]

Oodles of fun in perhaps the most living game world we've ever experienced. Holster your weapon and hack the planet. [Issue#250, p.53]

Intelligent level design, solid plot and gunplay options aplenty make this puppy something you'll want to revisit. [Issue#250, p.60]

It's a game you'll often stumble through like a botched hit. [Issue#249, p.77]

Fun and addictive, and a great way to get into the genre. [Issue#249, p.77]

Frontier doesn't stand so well on its own, but it's a neat free appetiser. [Issue#249, p.77]

Space Breaker would work a lot better if it just slowed down a bit. [Issue#249, p.76]

An extremely enjoyable rogue-like that works really well on iOS (but still, Vita version please). [Issue#249, p.76]

Terribly ugly and just a little too dumb, Moebius feels unloved and abandoned by its developers. [Issue#249, p.73]