A genuine improvement on the original and so stuffed with content that you’ll need several new Final Fantasy games before another sequel is necessary.

It’s not short of spectacle but in terms of innovation and variety this is nowhere near as forward-thinking as Bungie would like to pretend.

Relatively generous in size and scope, but being Second Son in miniature only helps to highlight what a hollow spectacle the game is.

Almost a great sequel, but the improvements to the sims are overshadowed by the shopping list of peculiarly random missing features.

The name and anime aesthetic may seem off-putting, but combined with the original this is some of the most engaging interactive storytelling of the modern era.

An impressive mix of game styles, and some of the most rewarding speed runs in recent memory, but that only increases the speed at which levels start to blur into each other.

Still the funniest and best-looking entry in the series, even if it’s the least innovative. And despite a few graphical flaws the PS Version is the definitive edition.

One of the best remasters so far makes surviving the Russian apocalypse more horrifying than ever, although none of the changes address the games’ more fundamental issues.

The first Telltale finale where your choices carry true weight, but the inconsistent and contrived characterisation means it comes at considerable cost.

Another uninspired expansion that features some enjoyable new enemies and encounters but fails to excite in the same way as the parent game.

A disappointing and unnecessary sequel that squanders the potential of its story and is saved only by the series’ customarily excellent combat.

The least brown shooter ever made, with the colourful graphics and accessible controls supported by an imaginative and surprisingly well-crafted online experience.

By ironing out the last few wrinkles from the original console versions, and adding in a few extra features, Diablo finally feels at home with a gamepad.

The presentation is excellent but by trying to use every trick in the PS Vita’s book the game does far more harm than good to the portable’s reputation.

One of the best action puzzlers for several years, made all the better by some surprisingly distinctive storytelling and visuals.

An inspired mix of roguelike and platformer that dares to be fair with its rewards and its penalties for death – although not necessary its random medical conditions.

There’s a kernel of an interesting idea here but it’s so grossly underdeveloped that not even the involvement of Neil Gaiman, and a respected developer, can save it.

Still a stunning achievement in both storytelling and third person adventure, and although this is the definitive version the differences are still minor.

One of the best remakes ever, but also a puzzle platformer that defies its age to offer an enjoyable challenge to gamers both young and old.

A competent but unsurprising slice of downloadable content that features a solid challenge and plenty of content, but too little in the way of new ideas.

Some great ideas and fantastic graphics, but as fun as it is to see so many genres mixed together Abyss Odyssey doesn’t do any of them any real justice.

A surprisingly satisfying end to a highly uneven season of adventures, which manages to show off both the best and worst of Telltale’s storytelling craft.

Civilization on a smartphone (or tablet) is still an enticing prospect but this so-called sequel shows very little improvement over the original and is now missing a major play mode.

A longer running time helps address one of the few flaws with the original game, and single-handedly makes up for the lack of official new Metroid and Castlevania games.

A bafflingly dull extension of a franchise that barely deserved one sequel, let alone three; with tedious mini-games and laughably bad use of the 3DS camera.

A nice idea in theory but the super shallow gameplay and micro-budget presentation make this portable strategy game only marginally better than its home console namesake.

One of the most impressive indie titles of the year and arguably the most cinematic and accessible 2D shooter of the modern era.

An always welcome celebration of one of the 16-bit era’s most innovative and cinematic arcade adventures, even if its gameplay irritations are even more obvious in today’s world.