One of the best horror games on PlayStation VR, as well as an impressively inventive first person roguelike that Dead Space fans in particular will appreciate.

A great tie-in and, much more importantly, a great game. Generous in terms of content and childish fun.

So the question is: how good is the new map pack? And without hesitation the answer is: very good indeed.

A decently tweaked iteration of EA’s domineering football sim, but while the changes might not be seismic they are all positive.

Irredeemably shallow but effortlessly entertaining, this unexpected tribute to a lost genre will make a beat ‘em-up fan of anyone.

An inspired approach to co-op and non-player characters turns what could’ve been just another Dark Souls clone into one of the most interesting action adventures of the season.

A very brave attempt to use video games to inspire empathy and share grief over one of the most sensitive subjects imaginable.

It spends too much time recreating the genius of Metroid rather than adding to it, but this is still one of the best examples of the genre in recent years.

An inspired new take on Doom style shooters, as seen through the prism of bullet hell shoot ‘em-ups and roguelikes.

A remarkable comeback for the franchise, with a redesigned game engine and control overhaul making for a very entertaining experience.

A fantasy musical adventure which has big laughs to match its big heart, while being built around charming, if shallow, gameplay mechanics.

Insurmountable problems with the controls stop this from being another Platinum classic but it’s still a fun game, overflowing with charm and wonderfully silly action.

The best Nintendo sports title for several years and although it offers little in terms of innovation it’s certainly not short of content or addictive fun.

It has more new content than any other New Play Control! game but this is still inferior to the original.

A welcome return for multiplayer music games, even if there’s relatively little new to add to the experience – and a few things that have been taken out.

Despite borrowing so much from so many different games Capcom’s Western style role-player remains very much its own game – with plenty of interesting ideas of its own.

A rather disappointing end to such a ground-breaking trilogy, where all the bold new ideas seem very much at odds with the core gameplay.

Despite borrowing so much from so many different games Capcom’s Western style role-player remains very much its own game – with plenty of interesting ideas of its own.

The real test for Mercenary is whether the game would stand out if it was released on a home console, but the answer to that is probably not. The nods to GoldenEye offer some deviance from the norm but overall Mercenary does too little to distinguish itself from the competition. That there is no competition on the PS Vita gives it something of a free pass, but it still seems more like a proof of concept than a standalone game.

It’s a shame this is a greatest hits compilation and not a sequel but seeing the full madness of the series in one game is a wonderful journey of imagination and surreal humour.

An interesting stew of ideas and great presentation can’t make up for a game that goes out of its way to frustrate and discourage its players.

Not the most polished of officially licensed golf games, but its passion for the sport and wide variety of options make it a very playable and fun experience.

The art and character design is likely to put off as many as it attracts, but underneath is one of the most forwarding-thinking new fighting games of the generation.

Proof that first person shooters – and pretty good ones at that – can work with VR, if handled with the right amount of delicacy.

More content than usual for a Call Of Duty map pack and the new Face Off mode is a neat variation on the usual team-based action.

It’s very much its own game however, its Czech roots evident in both its art style and slapstick sense of humour, which features a much rowdier demeanour than past games from the studio. CHUCHEL is an irreverent, surreal rollercoaster ride that never lets ideas or cultural references outstay their welcome.

A turn-based roguelike set in a universe that’s similar to but legally distinct from Doom, and where every choice you make has immediate and long term consequences.

Another disappointing instalment of the once great franchise. Inconsistent level of realism, poor presentation and too few positive innovations.

The 2D visuals are absolutely stunning, but the simplistic action and pretentious storytelling undermine what could have been a true neo-retro classic.

In theory this is one of the best zombie games ever made, but in practise it’s riddled with technical flaws that fail to put the necessary meat on its undead skeleton.

It’s actually quite hard, and has its own minor unlockables, which further justifies the already perfectly reasonable asking price.

The road to Sonic's redemption is a long one, but this is a much surer step towards it than any other game in the last 15+ years.

It's not the best the series has to offer, and it's clearly just a PlayStation 3 port, but Disgaea was made for portables and has never worked better than on the PS Vita.

A superb action puzzle hybrid that works much better on the Xbox 360 than it did on the DS, making it one of Treasure's best ever games.

It's preaching only to the converted but if you can stomach both the story and learning curve this remains a rewarding and innovative fighter.

There is innovation here and even if it’s not always in exactly the areas you’d wish it’s enough to ensure that Call Of Duty’s status as the world’s favourite FPS is still largely deserved.

A brutal, albeit familiar, survival game that’s thoughtfully designed and elegantly refined, and as a result easily the best game of its type on PlayStation 4.

It has its flaws but this inspired mix of first person shooter and traditional roguelike offers a level of freedom and tactical decision making that many bigger budget games can only dream of.

Another engrossing example of traditional Japanese role-playing, that’s still accessible enough for anyone to enjoy – as long as they’ve played the first one.

It’s got a well-designed touchscreen interface that’s more than enough to handle the necessary stealth and occasional violence, even if the game’s graphics and core gameplay are starting to feel a bit creaky 17 years on.

An inspired piece of Final Fantasy 7 fan service, and a very good remaster, but as a standalone game the story and gameplay has very little value.

Harmonix are still the masters of their craft but this feels less like a rebirth for Rock Band and more like a cash-grabbing backwards step.

A fantastic movie adaptation that may not look the part but manages to perfectly translate the action of John Wick into video game form.

A solid second episode that meanders a little at first but has some of the most complex and thought-provoking moral decisions in any video game to date.

It’s a shame it isn’t a full remake, but The Dark Descent remains one of the most frightening and atmospheric video games ever made.

While it’s undoubtedly accomplished and has console-grade production values, it’s never as feverishly gripping as its inspiration. Its viewpoint feels too narrow, and it has a nasty habit of letting the controller go unresponsive at the worst possible moments. It also only shows Xbox button prompts even with a DualShock connected.

The gimmick is great, and playing as a villain works extremely well, but as a game this doesn’t play as fair or as fun as previous instalments.

More a new episode than a full-blown sequel, but the clever blend of strategic, tactical, and moral decision-making is as compelling as ever.

None of the additions are essential, but all of them are interesting to at least some degree. But you’ll have to wait till DLC Pack 2 to know if the expansion pass is really worth it.

It has some unfortunate gameplay failings, but in terms of disturbing atmosphere and surprisingly serious subject matter this is one of the best horror games of the year.

One of the most interesting things to happen to both massively multiplayer online games and shooters in years, and already a hugely enjoyable game in its own right.

A slightly disappointing sequel, that sacrifices too much in pursuit of the almighty dollar, but this is still a great all-round racer with something to please almost every kind of petrolhead.

An extremely solid tag team fighting game that’s bound to become even more impressive over time, assuming it can sort out its launch performance problems.

Splendid recreation of basketball with game-changing, innovative evolution cards – but it can’t escape the bad taste the microtransactions leave.

Jeff Minter returns with one of his most surreal retro tributes so far, but if you can keep your sanity it's also one of his best.

A daring, and largely successful, attempt to show the civilian side of war, that succeeds as an interactive drama even when it occasionally fails as a game.

A mess of compromises and sops to more casual gamers and yet somehow the game still manages to offer a fun and accessible facsimile of real air combat.

The whole concept runs contrary to many of the series’ strengths, but it’s still hard not to be engaged by what remains some of the best storytelling in gaming.

One of the most beautiful video games ever made and if the gameplay isn't quite as angelic it's perfectly righteous in its own way.

It's nostalgia first and game second but you'd have to really hate Ghostbusters to not enjoy this tie-in.

Arguably the most disappointing Super Mario game ever made, and one that certainly doesn't deserve the world 'New' at the beginning of its name.

Some of the most natural dialogue ever designed for a video game - in terms of quality and interaction - helps to make a superior supernatural thriller.

A sprawling action RPG with a poignant love affair at its heart, whose enjoyable combat and supernatural detective work is all in pursuit of a morally ambiguous goal of your own choosing.

The best Dead Rising so far and purveyor of some of the most entertainingly absurd weapons in all gaming – just don’t expect any depth or longevity.

A hugely ambitious and imaginative, but still very roughly hewn, simulation of medieval combat.

EA's tennis and Wii MotionPlus debut is a success after all and an encouraging sign for the future.

The best Pro Evo has been all generation and, for players looking for a more in-depth and grounded game of football, a genuine alternative to FIFA.

This is a sequel afraid of what its predecessors stood for and too timid to focus on and perfect their strengths. It’s a real shame that it’s the game’s creators that seem the most scared in Dead Space 3, rather than the players.

An infinitely better game than you'd expect, but one that falls just short of true greatness.

Zelda may have inspired one of the best Dynasty Warriors games to date but the end result is still well below average by any other standard.

A clever spin on the MOBA genre that strips away the complications and nerdy presentation to create a fast-paced but deceptively complex action strategy game.

No matter what you think of the original games these are an excellent trio of remasters, that will please existing fans and help to create new ones.

A disappointingly direct copy of Journey that offers an incredible audio and visual treat, but lacks the deeper meaning of the original.

A pointless rehash for series regulars, but if you've never experienced the joys of being a totalitarian dictator this is still good clean city-building fun.

An excellent start to a prequel series that taps into the same style of sincere storytelling as the original, making a previously unsympathetic character seem vulnerable and likeable.

A thoroughly entertaining and highly playable Metroidvania, that goes beyond being a simple retro homage and offers some memorable gameplay twists and storytelling surprises.

A perfect fighting game for beginners and one of the best uses of the DC universe so far in games, even if it still only feels like the tip of the iceberg in terms of unrealised potential.

A disappointing second episode that’s 90 per cent filler and, apart from a good turn by a ghostly Handsome Jack, severely lacking in humour.

Repetition and overfamiliarity are always the best ways to nullify fear, but until they set in this is one of the most effectively scary video games ever made.

It’s still as embarrassingly low-tech as ever but this is easily the best of the 3D games, with a surprising amount of ambition and invention, not to mention real-time combat that actually works.

A useful upgrade to previous iterations of Virtua Fighter 5 and while it still exhibits the same old flaws, it ably demonstrates why this is still one of the most revered fighting game series in history.

A sci-fi short story masquerading as a video game, and while it’s often fascinating and beautiful it makes even other walking simulators seem fast-paced by comparison.

The spirit of old school arcade racing is reborn in a homage to everything from OutRun to Lotus Turbo Challenge, and despite a few bumps in the road it’s all just as much fun as you remember.

Yet another current gen disappointment that can't hold a candle to the ever improving FIFA series.

An ambitious release that focuses on new animations and gameplay innovations but the execution needs refining, whilst matches feel too heavily skewed in favour of defence. [Provisional Score = 70]

You won't miss Phoenix Wright at all in this winsome, if still unnecessarily frustrating, spin-off.

Another highly competent map pack, with no stinkers and a few potential classics - particularly the new Zombies level.

Half a decade’s worth of expansions deliver a dizzying array of features but this stylish survival game still frustrates as much as it entertains.

it does eventually start to feel a bit samey, however elegantly drawn it is.

A complex strategy game with some severe accessibility issues, especially on consoles, but give it a chance and it’s a rewarding and deep sci-fi experience.

A well designed, turn-based roguelike with a winning art style and a wide variety of options – even if it is a bit too random.

While it shares some of its playful approach to perspective with Gorogoa, this is no puzzle game and involves no player choice, but it does have a pleasing emotional resonance, even if the relentless melancholy eventually makes you want to go back to Poinpy.

A joyous, challenging and chaotic first person sandbox of destruction, that also requires tactical thought and planning, with a huge amount of extra content and fan-made add-ons.

Not only one of the 3DS's best launch games but also one of the most accessible and entertaining turn-based strategies of recent years.

Garden Warfare 3 in all but name, but while it’s not an emphatic improvement on the previous games it’s still a highly enjoyable, family friendly online shooter.

An even better game than the original, whose innocuous visuals hide a tense and unpredictable survival horror of surprising potency.

Despite all the effort to seem wacky and surreal this is an oddly un-engaging follow-up to Excite Truck.

SWERY’s latest work seems unusually derivative at times but the mix of disturbing atmosphere, surreal situations, and serious subject matter is still hugely engaging.