A beautiful, colourful, and bitingly satirical sci-fi Metroidvania that also has a welcome respect for your spare time.

A far less significant improvement on the original than many will have hoped for, but still an enjoyable co-op shooter with a largely unique setting.

At last an HD collection that seems at least somewhat complete, and manages to recapture the magic of what made the original games so influential.

A loving tribute to the past and present of Japanese role-players, with some impressively clever time travel powers and gorgeous artwork – although it’s a shame about the random battles.

An occasionally biting satire of post-Brexit Britain, that also happens to be one of the best – and shortest – graphic adventures of 2016.

A welcome reboot of a great rhythm action game, although the lack of new ideas and disappointing soundtrack leaves things a little off kilter.

As a game it still clearly doesn't work in anything like the way it's supposed to, but as a party game novelty it currently has few equals.

Some truly innovative ideas that all MMOs would do well to take notice of, but they and the intriguing narrative are wasted on the tedious and derivative combat.

A frustrating mix of the best and worst of Persona results in a disappointing Shin Megami Tensei spin-off that prioritises streamlined gameplay over innovation.

It's not the backward step of the PS3 version, but this tactical shooter still lacks real advancement.

Hugely disappointing portable debut that replicates the basic look of Gran Tursimo but rips out its heart.

A wearingly competent Soulslike that seems to have no interest in inventing anything of its own and which is nowhere near as refined as FromSoftware’s best games.

Easily the best of the Dark Pictures Anthology series, which finally manages to serve up some interesting characters and effective horror scenes, with an appealingly gothic atmosphere.

Although it feels more like an early access release at this point, this is a promising start for what should eventually eclipse Vermintide 2 and all the other Left 4 Dead wannabes.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 was always a much better game and while there’s some novelty (and possibly nostalgia) value to playing the original it doesn’t warrant a new full price release.

Putting looks before substance doesn't seem so bad in this superbly surreal first person fighter.

A disappointingly shallow and unfocused adventure that is aimed solely at a young audience - and even they’re likely to feel somewhat bored and patronised by the end.

It's a mystery why Mitchell has allowed Pang to remain dormant for so long given this consistently clever, if slightly cheap looking, revival.

One of the most unlikely remasters of 2016 is also one of the most enjoyable, as long as you like retro shooting, cowboys, and robots.

It may have been cutting edge in 1997 but the Shin Megami Tensei series, and Japanese role-players in general, have moved on a lot since then and this entry is really only for completists.

The comedy is an acquired taste but the presentation is an unqualified success. However, it's the gameplay that's the real problem in this tedious 2D actioner.

A polished, witty mix of golf sim, platformer, and roguelike that offers sterling value for money but can’t quite overcome an increasing sense of repetition.

A charming pixel art retail management sim with a surprisingly involved plot, whose well-structured gameplay keeps you engaged right up until the disappointingly abrupt ending.

A delightful sojourn in bleakly beautiful landscapes, that has you steering a herd of giant yak-like beasts while gently wrestling with controls that aren’t afraid to embrace the organic waywardness of your charges.

A quietly powerful, deceptively smart narrative adventure about childhood and football which succeeds as a thoughtful reflection of not only a moment in time but memory itself.

A walking simulator that’s also a love letter to The Thing, transplanting its blend of naturalistic realism and abject horror into an immaculately recreated 1970s North Sea oil rig.

Another big budget game more obsessed with impersonating its favourite films than creating any genuinely new script or gameplay ideas.

Fire Emblem has the potential to make a great partner, but this badly made and painfully simplistic crossover is as disappointingly dumb as all the other Dynasty Warriors games.