Like its name implies, Contrast is a game with a sharp difference between its highs and lows. There's a lot to like here, but it doesn't make it all that easy to do so.

Decent flying/shooting action with inertia, humour, and a number of design decisions that combine to provide endless amounts of frustration.

Crysis 3 is a decent set of free-form mechanics trapped, like the New York of its embarrassing sci-fi plot, within the bubble of an all-too-often constricting design.

While it's inarguable that Ridge Racer was very much in need of a makeover, Unbounded's formula is far from the required antidote. The focus on destruction has overshadowed everything else to the point where other elements are merely along for the ride. It's all well and good designing a game with a specific focus in mind, but not when that focus renders everything else pointless.

Big Game Hunt is certainly worth a play if you've got the Season Pass, but if you're buying it by itself then its numerous weaknesses make it harder to recommend. It's not bad, but it's not Campaign of Carnage.

Watch Dogs is decent, but as the first entry into the series it’s still trying to find its niche and its style, and as a result it’s a little bland and all too repetitive. It successfully apes a lot of other games without ever really finding a way to stand out on its own, and the hacking isn’t really enough to push it past “me too” status.

Solarix’s admirable goal to marry the mechanics of Thief to the setting and plot of System Shock 2 proves to be beyond the game’s capabilities. The intentions are exemplary, but the execution is marred by eccentric AI, bugs, and an unfortunate attachment to checkpoints.

For a contemporary take on the Sim City formula, CitiesXL 2012 is probably the best option around. Just be aware that it holds this title by virtue of being pretty much the only option around.

A fairly bland and generic first person shooter experience that proves repetitive even in a single episode. It gives little reason to look forward to further installments of the series.

The First Templar is uneven, inconsistent in tone and, to be blunt, wonky in execution.

Only players seeking the gaming equivalent of "easy listening" will derive significant enjoyment from this title.

Omerta is not a title I have plans to revisit, but the single player campaign had a definite spark to it that kept my attention. My advice: keep an ear to your digital download platform of choice and wait for it to make you an offer you … well, you know.

A precise, highly challenging parkour platformer with a heavy emphasis on replaying stages and somewhat unfortunate fascination with projectiles.

If Molyneux's Bullfrog had pulled an all night coding session while watching re-runs of Eurotrash, this is probably the football management sim they would’ve made.

Putting a solid score on a game whose overriding ideology is a rejection of certainty is an act of high absurdity. But it’s also somewhat appropriate for The Old City: Leviathan’s other persistent theme of reconciling incompatible truths.

If you’re looking for single player, "Call of Duty 2" is a better choice. If you prefer multiplayer, "Day of Defeat: Source" or "Battlefield 2" are better choices. If Pterodon Software does some patching this game has potential to excel.

An aggressively contemporary take on a classic series that'll divide as many as it conquers.

An intuitive and hectic burn-fest. But it may well cost you some friendships.

A very mixed bag, but one that's certainly worth a look if the Polis Ranger scenario intrigues you.

There’s no shame in derivation, and Magrunner applies its Portal-like mag-glove idea with confidence. A worthwhile, if unoriginal, addition to the first-person puzzle genre.

Impressive tech, uninspired game.

I like you, Gatling Gears, you seem like a well intentioned fellow, and it's admirable that you're trying to build on the work established by your brother Greed Corp. But I'm afraid I can't just overlook some of these offences. The jury and I are sentencing you to six hours community service, which is about the time most players will spend completing you on medium difficulty.

Sluggish controls and a failure to capitalise on the free-climbing potential leave this feeling generic and joyless. Here's hoping the second episode fares better.

Archenemy is a neat concept, but one which doesn't quite come off due to balance issues. So while DotP 2012 will provide an engaging distraction, it's unlikely to hold you spellbound.

Fun in the early stages but quickly becomes a grind as clumsy, derivative level design and a lack of creativity completely overshadow any enjoyment to be had from controlling a giant, badass robot.

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.

Many more teams and some minor improvements under the hood, but not enough to justify a full price re-release.

As more was revealed, however, numerous bugs caused the game to become unbearably frustrating.