Playing as an alien monstrosity is a great idea, and at times works well, but the fiddly controls and awkward mix of gameplay ideas doesn’t gel together well.

An ambitious but uneven action role-player, with impressive visuals and excellent boss battles, that are held back by an inherent shallowness – particularly in the lack of meaningful exploration.

A mediocre rhythm action game that is not made any better by tacking on a silly and insubstantial Persona story mode.

Assassin’s Creed gets back-to-basics with a shorter, more focused – if slightly less polished -campaign, and a return to an impossibly beautiful looking early-era Middle East.

One of the most daring marriages of narrative and action game ever seen, and yet still the end result never fully satisfies as either a game or story.

A great value aerial Mario Kart that flies rings round many other racers that cost ten times the price.

One of the most enjoyable roguelikes of recent years, with the heavy emphasis on RNG saved by some fun co-op options.

An inventive action platformer that manages to be both cute and gory in equal measure and where it seems absolutely impossible that it could be the work of primarily just two people.

Another sub-par remaster of Super Monkey Ball that ruins the precision and elegance of the originals and replaces it with janky, unpredictable controls and shoddy presentation.

That Torment: Tides Of Numenera is still a thoroughly engrossing experience despite its issues speaks volumes, and we’ve no hesitation in describing it as a worthy sequel to the original. But even so, this does not seem the best vehicle for its story or gameplay ideas. And it’s ironic that a game set so far in the future is relying on technology and concepts that are clearly decades out of date.

Like most DLC it doesn’t introduce much in the way of new ideas but if you enjoyed Doom Eternal you’re going to love these new levels and their uncompromising challenge.

Although its addition of plot and characters doesn’t quite work the racing action is as thrilling as ever, with a huge diversity of vehicles and the compelling handling fans have come to expect from the series.

The new gold standard in console real-time strategies, and one that isn't afraid to invent new ideas as well as reinterpret old ones.

Technically impeccable and fantastic to behold, 2K’s first PGA Tour game is already the best golf sim currently available.

Beneath its cute exterior beats the heart of a demandingly difficult brainteaser which rewards invention and persistence, but has no time for trivial puzzles – or gamers.

Slick, high-tech, and impeccably well designed; this is the best golf game of the modern era and the new standard for others to aspire to.

R-Type journeys into the third dimensions but a lack of control and high entry fee spoils the trip.

It owes an obvious debt to Mirror’s Edge but this impressive new cyberpunk game surpasses its inspiration in terms of both combat and first person parkour.

The scuba diving sim isn't a crowded genre but this makes a good effort to dominate it all the same.

A loving, and genuinely funny, homage to old school role-players and the people that play them.

A low-brow mix of Resident Evil 4 and No More Heroes, that is far from the best from either creator but still a fun and subversive shooter.

A polished Metroidvania infused with Africana, whose linearity and overreliance on rote-learning action sequences undermine its otherwise high standards.

It has its flaws but this is still one of the most interesting and original multiplayer games of the year.

A well designed, technical tour de force that lives up to the enticing prospect of an officially licensed Codemasters rally game.

An interesting and personal feeling set of first person histories that barely constitute a video game and yet wouldn’t really work in any other medium.

A welcome new remaster of two of the PSP’s most iconic exclusives and while they’re as flawed as ever this is arguably the definitive version of the games.

It may just be a cynical re-branding of Guitar Hero 5 but if you prefer pop to rock this is still fun.

Another genuinely great PlayStation VR title, that offers innovative gameplay and presentation rather than just tech demo novelty.