Relic’s attempt to create a more dynamic single player campaign is partially successful, but the systems of company permanence don’t entirely gel with the inflexibility of an Iron Man save system, and the map is light on grand strategy.

Clementine’s characterisation and her interactions with adults are strong as ever in this fraught episode. Two-fifths of the way through the story is still too early to judge how other themes, characters and plot strands will pay off, but the build-up suggests it’ll be worthwhile.

Those who've never played Crysis before and who fancy an excellent shooter with a goodly amount of freedom shouldn't hesitate to pick this up. This sort of action hasn't really been done much since the game first launched, and it's rarely been done better. If you already have Crysis and a PC that can run it, though, you can safely skip this: while a worthy port, it doesn't quite match its originator.

The core gameplay is well designed and executed and there's plenty to do if you fancy a change of pace. With the FPS genre currently defined and dominated by standardised modern-military shooters, Rage comes as a very welcome breath of fresh air.

Easily the most engaging WWII experience I have had in quite a while. I would not recommend this game to anyone new to the FPS world. However, if you think you are good, you should seriously consider purchasing this title.

What could’ve so easily turned out to be disastrous piece of self-indulgent trash, replete with dumb “hey, remember the 80s, they were so 80s!!” referential humour, succeeds in paying worthy tribute to its subject matter. It’s trash alright; sublime, entertaining trash that lifts the desert chrome absurdity of VHS action movies and dumps it all over a compact version of Far Cry 3‘s open world and open choice combat.

Aside from improved visuals and the (admittedly rather welcome) handling changes, there's no radical departure from the TrackMania formula here. If you read that as a criticism then, well, maybe you've already overdosed on previous releases. For everyone coming fresh to the track, TM2 is a rapid-paced, rapid-restart extravaganza and still an absolute delight.

While the game background history will be more than familiar, Panzers does have a real fun-factor. Thanks to the great visuals and the quick paced free-flowing nature of the gameplay we think this has to be one of the best this year.

Conquest of Paradise adds colonial and indigenous mechanics which undoubtedly improve the main game, but does it in a way that introduces a new problem or two.

All is not perfect in the future, but Trials Fusion is another worthy entry in the series’ bizarre bike-bouncing world.

Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes is a short, but mechanically very sound, sandbox stealth appetiser for The Phantom Pain. Just be aware that its value is in experimentation and replaying scenarios, rather than lasting narrative.

Despite the faults though, Revelations remains an intriguing proposition because of gaming's finest Italian hero after that plumber in dungarees. Seriously, if there was an Oscar for game characters Ezio would walk it more often than not. If you're less entranced by Mr Auditore then Revelations is a more difficult sale.

A top-notch racing game that artfully straddles the line between arcade and simulation, without being either too daunting or too simplistic.

Hardship and displacement in a Nordic-inspired world make for a splendid, and splendid looking, RPG.

Some purists may cry foul with the dropping of the skill feature and the new HUD design but overall, fans of the first game should be happy that Invisible War maintains the same level of storyline depth and open-ended gameplay that the Deus Ex name is known for.

That being said, this is still an Uncharted game. Every Uncharted game comes with a certain base level of precision and execution, and that hasn't been lowered here. Golden Abyss gets a pass, but it doesn't come with honours.

Driver: San Francisco would be an easy game to recommend if the mission design of the single player campaign were on a par with the quality of its technical elements. As things stands though, it seems that some good gameplay ideas have been wasted on level designers that simply didn't know how to make best use of them.

Although the game is hampered by a collection of small problems (camera blur, imprecise controls and dubious AI pathfinding), there are enough moments of simulated natural wonder to submerge those doubts. It really feels good to be a divine dick again.

The Brigmore Witches does honour to the base game it expands on.

I have logged more hours with this than many of the RTS games I have reviewed because it was both enjoyable and reasonably challenging. I can hardly wait for Phase III.

There's no doubting that The Darkness II is a fun game, but it could have been so much more than that. Improved pacing could have solved the second act woes and defining a more meaningful way of communicating the narrative would have made the plot and character development more engaging.

A "launch" build with some features still in infancy, Elite: Dangerous nonetheless offers terrific space flight ambiance and trading progression befitting of the once-revolutionary series. In a few months time, this title could be outstanding.

While breaking absolutely zero new ground for its genre, Ground Control II’s single player gameplay is solid all around.

The sound in King Kong is fantastic. From the music to the ambient background to the massively intimidating roar of Kong, there is nothing bad here. If immersion is what you are looking for, look no further.

It has a near flawless presentation and expertly juggles the two genres it incorporates.

The inclusion of a teaching system, Kasparov videos (which I could only access via media player), etc, is a nice touch, but the interface is awkward at best. This is probably the best chess engine out there right now.

If I had access to this back when I was learning the game, I think I would have been a much better player earlier on.

Play it with care and attention, and this is another six hours or so of Dishonored for a mere £8. In short, this is the DLC I've been waiting for since October of last year.

As rewarding to play as it is mentally exhausting. Company of Heroes 2 consolidates the progress of its predecessor, expands into some new territory and keeps alive the grand tradition of major PC RTS releases.

Despite the uninspired combat system Fable 3 still ranks among the best titles available on 360. What it lacks in complexity it makes up for in warmth, humour and fun. A wonderful cast, setting and plot make it a hugely entertaining game that most players will fall instantly in love with.

It's Far Cry 3 again, for people who don't want to play Far Cry 3 again. Far Cry 4 doesn't innovate much and so there are a fair few I've-Done-This-Before moments, but it's still just as well-crafted and just as much fun.

If you like RPGs, strategy or even action games, you'll love this; it looks great and it's pretty addictive. The free-to-play model means you've got nothing to lose by trying it out. Whatever the case, this is one of the finest free-to-play MMOs to date.

That being said, PES should still be top of your shopping list if you're after a game that takes the most exciting elements of the beautiful game and concentrates them into one package.

06 has also improved on last years manager mode. Here you get to take charge of any team in the world during a 15-year career. You’ll have eight staff members you can upgrade as you make more money, a management board to answer to, sponsors to deal with and even newspaper interviews to give. Sheer class.

The overall presentation (although a little strange) works well and the animated menus are especially nifty. However, the redesign of the attribute system and the inclusion of the corny ‘Trick Stick’ that takes all the effort out of the Uber tricks mars the good reputation of an otherwise impeccable series of games.

Often frustrating and sometimes unfair, but the glorious flight mechanics, general compelling gameplay, and attention to detail mean Luftrausers is easily worth considering.

An impressively strong showing from 38 Studios. Considering it's an original IP, the team have created a wonderful world for us to explore, and it wont be going anywhere. From the fantastic combat to the polished visuals and audio design, this title has so much to offer. The comparisons in quality to Skyrim shouldn't be laughed at - Reckoning is the first title to offer a legitimate challenge to the Elder Scrolls juggernaut.

An acceptable game for the fans, though not a particularly good port in any way, shape, or form. If you have a 360 controller and love the series then you'll have a fairly good time, but you might want to consider waiting for a price drop.

Each level is varied and different from the last, and is easily capable of generating excitement and tension when they see fit.

Assertive: The Sports Interactive lads have had a solid pre-season, I think Football Manager 2015 can really crack on for top honours from here.

BioShock Infinite adapts to stealth with surprising ease, and the art design is as spectacular as ever. Irrational's final release may somewhat lose the plot, but if you've been on board this long you can likely tolerate the incredible leaps of faith it demands.

I think I feel for The Wolf Among Us what most people feel about The Walking Dead‘s first season, insofar as I can forgive it pretty much every fault it has because of the way it perfectly blends characters, setting, atmosphere, and plot.

It is addictive, and does have some brilliant and different features, but many RPG fans will feel that the flaws could easily have been ironed out with the extreme delays in this game’s production.

If you're lacking the time-attack obsession gene, or get easily discouraged by tricker games, Dustforce probably isn't for you. Everyone else, get your brooms at the ready.

A series entry that puts pure stealth above silent slaying; afflicted by segmented levels and weak cinematic aspirations, but buoyed by an impressive Contracts mode.

It takes some risks, and as a result ends up feeling gimmicky and repetitive in a few rough spots. However, the game does succeed in making a great action game by including a colorful cast of characters and adding a few RPG elements for good measure.

Frustratingly hard at times, and very unforgiving. If you aren’t the type of person who can resist the urge to break your PS2 controller if you have to play the same 20 minutes of a level over and over because the boss kills you right before he’s about to die, you may want to stay clear of this one.

MX is probably the finest off-road racer to date. A long-awaited and worthy heir to the Motocross title and definitely worth the asking price. Highly recommended.

A great game let down only by some missing lobby features.

Essentially, WipEout 2048 is the perfect advertisement for what the PS Vita is capable of in terms of in-game aesthetics. It also serves to demonstrate that the system's games do not need to engage with all of its features to pass Sony's certification criteria.

Payday 2 is what the first game should've been: a more than competent co-op shooter with replayable levels, multi-mission jobs, an option for stealth, and loot bags full of style.

A touching and bold portrayal of World War One in wonderful animated style, Ubisoft Montpellier’s Valiant Hearts shows that videogaming doesn’t have to be an Anthem for Doomed Youth.

It lacks depth, and could not be considered a truly involving challenge. Nor does Castlevania have the instant appeal and playability of other titles.

Not quite the sum of its parts thanks to awkward level design and a reliance on repetition. Technically sound, but the overall experience fails to hit the high notes.

If it were possible for Marmite to return from the grave, Dead Rising 2 would be that game.

The broad stylistic flourishes do a fair job of masking the underwhelming reality of much of the gameplay, but once Greaves’ tall tale is told you’re left with a pretty linear, whack-a-cowboy shooter in a no-horse town.

Driver: San Francisco would be an easy game to recommend if the mission design of the single player campaign were on a par with the quality of its technical elements. As things stands though, it seems that some good gameplay ideas have been wasted on level designers that simply didn't know how to make best use of them.

This effortlessness is, to my mind, Music Generator's greatest threat: it makes everything seem so easy that living rooms everywhere will be exploding with dreams of electronic dance greatness.

Black is on the short side (around 8-9 hours worth of play) and the replay value is minimal, unless you want to go back and redo missions to get all the secondary objectives, all of which are not required to progress anyway.

Almost the opposite of its predecessor: a lesser story that isn't particularly well told, but with a staggering amount of exploration, side-quests, post-game content, and surprisingly deep mechanics.

So it’s not the most challenging of games, nor does it extend the downhill racer genre much. Despite this, it’s mostly a pleasant diversion.

An improvement but still lacks the depth and sophistication of FIFA. Fans of the series will be pleased but there's little here that'll sway FIFA fans.

Crown of the Old Iron King is another accomplished and well-constructed addition to Dark Souls 2, with a pair of bosses who rank alongside the best the series has to offer.

State of Decay holds together like a rusty, duct-taped piece of DIY weaponry, but offers an unusual, open-world survival exercise that few other zombie titles can match.

Perhaps more than any other long-running series that has featured on the current generation of hardware, Madden NFL 12 has that classic end-of-console-era feel to it. The team have seemingly stopped trying to improve the game in any major way and are waiting for the next generation to take things to the next level.

A combat-heavy, side-scrolling jaunt through the wonderfully unhinged realm of Ancient Greek mythology. Apotheon unites presentation and theme to tremendous effect through its stylised, Grecian pottery worlds.

A huge improvement over the first game. There is enough content to keep even the most die-hard fan playing for a long time. Take it online, and the replay value is seemingly endless.

It’s far too early to crown this season as a successful follow-up to Telltale’s first foray with The Walking Dead, but there are enough threads of character intrigue to suggest that Clementine and her new crew have a promising (that is to say, heartbreaking and terrible) future.

Putting aside nostalgia, and putting aside a genuine longing for more games in this vein - yes, Baldur's Gate really is that good.

Perhaps more than any other long-running series that has featured on the current generation of hardware, Madden NFL 12 has that classic end-of-console-era feel to it. The team have seemingly stopped trying to improve the game in any major way and are waiting for the next generation to take things to the next level.

A fast-paced thrill-ride in a solid single-player campaign, complemented by an above-average multiplayer component.

One of the most amusing and cheerful games I've seen since... well, Psychonauts. Easy to play, but very, very hard to put down.

Advanced Warfare might not be advanced enough for my liking, but it's a return to the typical fast-paced, explosive gameplay of CoD titles that aren't called Ghosts – and it works alright on PC, too.

A surprisingly successful effort at wrapping an RPG around a rhythm game. Come for the Final Fantasy name, stay for the music.

Fraught firefights and desperate scavenging in an uncaring world.

As I said earlier, Arcade Edition is the finest outing of the series. Capcom have said that this third edition of the game is to be its final outing which, is both a relief and a shame.

Perfectly decent and enjoyable enough, but the lack of scares hurts it more than you might think.

Enjoyable, authentic, and oh-so-cool... when it doesn't break.

It has just enough to keep you enthralled despite these shortcomings, yet the relatively low reply value means that it is not a title you’ll keep coming back to time after time.

Full of personality with a lot to offer beat 'em up newcomers and veterans alike.

Brings a few changes from the original release and seems like an overall better polished title. The learning curve however may stop this game from having any sort of retail success and won’t appeal to the masses. This game is for hardcore strategists only—tank rushers and zerg herders need not inquire.

That being said, PES should still be top of your shopping list if you're after a game that takes the most exciting elements of the beautiful game and concentrates them into one package.

The truth is Farcry Instincts Predator is a great game for first time around players. For anyone else, it’s sadly more of the same.

Open for Business isn’t one of those expansions that are so good that they make you want to go out and buy the original game just so you can play it. Having said that, this title is the best of the three expansions currently available for "The Sims 2."

Friendlier F1 handling in a Grid 2 wrapper, Grid Autosport is a tour through the Codemasters back catalogue. Single player is hampered by predictable AI, but tuning options and improved cornering elevates the multiplayer above Grid 2's.

Season Two's early promise has consolidated into sporadic flashes of greatness, but the consistent excellence of Clementine's character alone isn't enough to carry the series. It needs the lift of an outstanding final episode.

Cheesiness aside, Assault Horizon is an endlessly thrilling and mature addition to a franchise that continues to soar above its competitors.

Tropico 4 is a fantastic game, there's no denying it, but its core audience is the one that's likely to be most disappointed with it.

The short version is this: Tales from the Borderlands' second episode is just as good as the first, and considering I'm not eager to pile on the praise for an episodic series that still has a long way to go, that's really saying something.

A gem of an expansion for a jewel of a game. It improves upon the original without rethinking it too much. The basic mechanics are maintained and the improvements serve to make the game more playable.

Maybe the game should be renamed NBA Live Roster Update as it's basically the same game as NBA Live 05 with the up to date player transfers.

A diverse and well balanced multiplayer game, given extra value and intrigue through its single player mode.

F1 2013 can make even the most naive neophyte feel like a legend. But if you’re already a legend of previous games, there may not be as much here to impress you.

Soul Calibur V is a game worth your time and effort, mastering its systems and dispatching opponents in a blaze of high-tempo violence is immensely satisfying. Newcomers may find the going a little tough, but the well-balanced cast means you'll not be left biting the dust for too long.

A great strategy-RPG hybrid that’s a patch or two away from being an exceptional one.

A solid opening to what could be a genuinely interesting episodic adventure. The mystery seems compelling, the characters are largely likeable, and the presentation is impeccable - but the emphasis is on "could" and "seems". It's still just episode one.

The game is almost too difficult at times, and will probably appeal only to the die-hard RTS fan. If you want a challenge in the WWII arena, this is just what the doctor ordered.

Like almost all DLC it falls well short of mimicking the impact of the original game, but that's to be expected from a three hour/1200 MS Point experience.