Knack II is a fun beat 'em up platformer best suited for kids and families and shines best with its seamless co-op and more varied action-combat - the story and hero is still dull as ever, though.

Ark: Survival Evolved has more bugs than the grill of a Mack truck and your first introduction to the game can feel akin to the sensation of being hit by aforementioned truck, but peel away the layers of abstruse game mechanics and you’ll find a strangely compelling game that’ll make you feel like the Pope of Dino-Town at times and want to open a vein in a hot bath at others.

Well worth a look for those who may have skipped its initial release after becoming disenfranchised with the direction the series was taking.

Absolver is an ambitious and unique indie fighting game/action-RPG with ample character customisation, compelling PvE and PvP content and an engaging martial-arts focused melee combat system that rewards practice.

Overall it’s a lot of fun to play… it’s clearly not meant to be taken seriously so if you really want your show down at the O.K. Corral you may be waiting a bit longer yet. But if you like the idea of a stylized shootout with a bit of humour and a large dose of fantasy then you could certainly do worse than this. It’s a pretty decent price as it is but I’m sure there will be a decent discount in a Steam sale at some point… but if you’ve got a few spare dollars hanging around and you want a bit of fun… give it a go.

For the multiplayer fans of ESO this is certainly a worthy addition to your growing landscape, for those who generally prefer a solo experience you probably won’t get much out of this. The world of The Elder Scrolls grows ever larger, I wonder what is next?

The VR market is still in it’s early days and much of what’s available is so called on rail shooters so it’s nice to have something a bit different. Something that uses the space extremely well and gives us a bit of humour with not a zombie in site. I should also note that the development team really are passionate about this project and made some adjustments while I was doing my review playthrough… they have some big plans for the game in the future as well so it’s a good game to support, it’s pretty reasonably priced and for the sake of something a bit different I’d certainly recommend it.

I hope there will be an improvement with the interactive features of the game for the next instalment as I am really looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds. However, if not, then I may lose interest in completing the entire game and just read the original book instead.

StarCraft Remastered is a true test of time and although the original still works well today, the remastered version is a fun experience. Sure, it’s a little clunky here and there but Blizzard have really brought the game into the 21st century, especially with its revamped graphics that look glorious, not to mention multiplayer updates. All in all, it’s a fun trip down memory lane that just highlights the memories again and for those who have never played it before, it will allow them to experience what all the Terran, Zerg and Protoss fuss was all about.

I’ve been playing golf games for about as long as I can remember but they do tend to veer more towards the simulation rather than arcade fun. Everybody’s Golf I think finds a nice little middle ground of sorts… it’s certainly goofy and doesn’t take itself seriously at all… but the gameplay is still geared around making the shot the best you can, aiming for maximum power and maximum accuracy or adjusting power and adding a bit of back spin to stop the ball as close to the hole as possible. You can play it aggressively or you can aim for a bit of finesse… chances are either way you will have a lot of fun. Certainly a good game to add to the collection with that pick up and play style that can see you accidentally playing for hours when you thought you were just going to grab a quick 9 hole game.

Although not as impenetrable to newcomers as earlier entries, F1 2017 in some ways falls victim to the curse of annual releases; with such a rigid release schedule in place the opportunity to meaningfully expand upon last year’s effort is reduced and often the best you get is possibly a new mechanic and a whole heap of fine-tuning of established mechanics. With F12017, its big new trick is the in-depth career mode and extensive level of customisation that comes with it and the rest is just a refinement upon the (Admittedly fun) foundation of previous games.

This year in Madden they really stepped up their game, ‘Long Shot’ is one of the best things Madden players have seen in a while, and many players wanted it. ‘Long Shot’ had its many faults but going forward in the next few Madden’s the Career Mode will get better and it will be more interesting. Lovers of Madden should get this game because it has many new additions. If you haven’t got a Madden in a while it’s a good idea to get this one. But all together, Madden 18 is a good game with many new perks, and it’s headed in the right direction.

Episode 1 of Life is Strange: Before the Storm is a genuinely fun and well-written return to the intriguing world of LiS with similar profound themes, extensive character development and ‘hella’ interesting high-school drama. Deck Nine have introduced compelling new ideas in their prequel while remaining respectful of the original source material, and fans will be hard-pressed to find fault in their faithful rendition of the somber atmosphere of Arcadia Bay.

The Last Day of June is probably one of the most original stories of 2017 that really pulls at your emotional heartstrings. Given the ‘loss’ of the game, each player will interpret this differently as you explore a life and lives as we follow the journey of Carl, June and those around them. Sure, this review is a little vague but I so don’t want to spoil this game for those that want to play it!

Hellblade offers an engrossing single-player cinematic experience coupled with Ninja's Theory's tight melee combat systems and responsive controls. An enthralling sensory onslaught for the eyes and ears.

Despite its shortcomings, I enjoyed my time with Agents of Mayhem. The gameplay is extremely solid and, combat-wise at least, deviates enough from what was on offer in the Saints Row games to hopefully entice players to at least check the game out.

Outside of Batman Arkham VR (also quite short, but awesome), this is the most fun you can have as Gotham’s caped crusader at the moment. I eagerly await the next installment, same Bat series, same Bat hard drive.

The gameplay isn’t anywhere near as dated as you’d expect and, while not as blood chillingly terrifying as many fans profess, the game definitely gets the heart rate up into the high hundreds.

Yakuza Kiwami is a worthy remake for the twisty, well-acted story alone and the fact that it is being sold at a cheaper price than current new release games is extra incentive to check it out. Combat is fun, the city feels live and there is so much stuff to do, from the mundane stuff like darts or shooting pool, to the very weird stuff like MesuKing, which is essentially rock paper scissors featuring sexy ladies in skimpy bug costumes. Long time franchise fans and newcomers will find plenty to like with Yakuza Kiwami, even if it falls slightly short of its later entries.

Although not quite on the same level as the previous games in the Uncharted series, Lost Legacy is still a very worth play with some new gaming mechanics added and truly impressive graphics. The only letdown of the game is that it does feel a little similar to the previous Uncharted games which is not a bad thing. Thankfully the protagonists are both interesting and fun, however Chloe is really the star of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and given her mysterious history, I wonder if we’ll see more of her?

With as solid a foundation that Housemarque has created here, the potential for a truly boundary breaking game definitely exists but the short length, lack of replayability and immense difficulty spikes dampen the overall experience.

If gathering resources, exploring, and “go get this for this, or find an item or persons for this” kind of quests are your deal or if you just want a change of pace, Yonder: the Cloud Catcher Chronicles is just for you. More experienced players may find some of the shallowness of the story and game play to be a little off putting. However younger players and those that desire a passive bit of simple gaming away from the loads of violence driven games with no choice but violence in them will have a good time with Yonder: the Cloud Catcher Chronicles. Though I must give this warning… you may smile.

Lone Echo is an incredible leap forward for VR via its ability to capture both zero gravity and space environments. It does have its fair share of interaction and progression bugs, but not enough to significantly detract from something truly special. Those prone to motion sickness, ease into it.

By the end of the game, I felt like I knew these crew members quite intimately which I’m guessing is part of the charm of Tacoma. Like us, these people are flawed individuals and given your involvement as an observer, it almost feels like a psychological experiment. On that note, Tacoma developer Fullbright should be commended on creating a very original game and given they were responsible for Gone Home, it’s great to see them using this premise and adding another layer of complexity with some very clever story telling.

Would I recommend Gorn… absolutely… but don’t blame me for any damages!… seriously… be very careful!

If you’re new to the game then this is the definitive version, even if it still possesses the design flaws the original had, but make sure you come into Patapon knowing full well what you’re getting yourself into.

It’s almost like a proof-of-concept for Mii characters that’s arrived a little late (after all, it’s been over a decade since their introduction). I wouldn’t really call it a game, because the gameplay isn’t the main focus. Miitopia is about having a pop star RoboCop fighting a dark lord Pikachu; the absurdity of the randomness that comes with filling a video game world with whomever you darn well please, and there’s something to be enjoyed from that.

Hey! Pikmin is a great game to add to your library. It’s a solid addition to the series and it freshens up the formula with the perspective shift, but having said that, don’t expect a game that’s on par with the previous console games. A Pikmin fix is always good though, so enjoy!