Much like inspecting the evolution of Rooney’s fascinating mop, you’ll need a magnifying glass to identify the follicles of change that make a real difference to the Football Manager experience.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War can be poignant and contemplative, but it does undermine itself by including a cartoonish villain. Superb art direction and a genuine interest in its own subject matter count in the favour of a game that is unremarkable in a mechanical sense.

Saint's Row 4 is a game that is greater than the sum of its parts. While its systems are lacking in depth, the game provides so much variety and so many tools to play with, that it's hard not to have fun.

Gods Will Be Watching can be frustratingly difficult, but it's also fresh, unique and aesthetically impressive.

And if there’s one thing you can say about Dead Or Alive 5 Ultimate that you can’t say about another other fighting game, this is the only game where you can counter a punch, snap someone’s neck and boot them clean off a cliff in one swift move.

As great as SimCity is - and, it really is - a combination of unnecessary server issues and hiccups with the Glassbox engine tar what would otherwise be the best SimCity game yet.

People who missed Revelations the first time around will find an enjoyable and fully fleshed out Resident Evil experience - while not spectacular, it's certainly closer to the original games in terms of atmosphere than the modern outings. RAID mode and Infernal difficulty also offer compelling reasons for Revelations veterans to grab the HD version.

God Of War: Ascension delivers another strong Kratos outing, albeit one that does slip into a predictable routine a little too often. Fans will still get plenty of mileage from Ascension though and multiplayer is excellent.

It doesn't always follow through on its intriguing ideas but even so, Tales Of Xillia has enough spark, invention and content to keep most JRPG fans happy.

It’s such a shame to see Quantic Dream make the same mistakes they’ve made in the past, because it feels like Beyond: Two Souls could be shaping up to become by far the best thing the developers have done until that hope is destroyed by the games’ poor second half.

A fantastic score-based game that can be let down by its controls when aiming for the highest scores. All the same completely absorbing and the perfect PS Vita game.

An arcade racer in simulation clothing, GRID 2 has lots of surface thrills and spills to delight racing lightweights but lacks substance for those who want to dig deeper.

Stainless Games creates another solid adaptation of Magic: The Gathering, but plays it safe by delivering a product that does little to improve on last year's game. It's the FIFA of collectible card games.

It's a mixed bag for Call Of Duty: Ghosts as the brilliant, balanced multiplayer and thrilling Extinctions mode makes up for an unusually flat single-player outing and wasted Squads mode.

More of the same, really - which should make Trials fans very happy.

A fairly barebones fighter, but an entertaining one all the same. In time, it could be an excellent Xbox One exclusive.

A good but underwhelming entry in the Arkham series that often feels more like an update than a true sequel.

An often exhilarating and tense fighting game that's let down by flawed grappling mechanics.

Colourful, brimming with character and entertaining, Guacamelee offers more than enough content for its low fee to make up for its lack of depth.

Yoshi's New Island delivers a solid slice of Nintendo platforming, though fans of the franchise will find little that's truly new here.

By combining classic Strider elements with a new Metroidvania structure and speedrun tilt, Strider in 2014 is fresh, relevant and fun.

Cloudberry Kingdom stands a tier below Super Meat Boy, Ms 'Splosion Man and N+. It's good fun but multiplayer aside, it lacks the spark needed to really make it stand out among the competition.

A game with a laser focus on a select few elements, Memories of Celceta is likely to appeal to only a small audience - but that audience is going to have little to complain about.

MXGP is a surprisingly intense racing game, thanks to the almost superhuman levels of concentration demanded in order to succeed. It's rough around the edges but good fun once you get to grips with its unique racing style.

If you haven't bought Gran Turismo 5 then - unsurprisingly - this is the one you should opt for if you have any interest. However with Gran Turismo 6, much like a dying swan, the PS3 won't be making an elaborate splash but, instead, quietly fading out of existence.

There's nothing else quite like Deadly Premonition. Part surreal story, part murder mystery, part survival horror, it might swing from great to awful and back with alarming regularity but it's always entertaining and always captivating.

Grid Autosport is undeniably a great racing game at its very base and that will appeal to fans of Codemaster’s best efforts, but sadly there just isn’t enough depth of content to draw in those that would consider themselves on the fringe of the racing game genre.

Lego City: Undercover is a good idea – it just hasn’t been built in quite the right way.

Whilst another sturdy entry in the series, and Clan Wars will be the quintessential Worms game for the near future, we're thankful for Team 17 taking a break from the series.

Good rather than great, this is a retro platformer that does exactly what its peers did 20 years ago while barely changing a thing. If that’s what you’re after, you’ll love it. Otherwise, it’s easily outclassed.

It's feisty, fun and co-op friendly, so as pick-and-play brawlers go, there's little to complain about with Sacred Citadel. Make the trek on your own, however, and it's a slightly different story owing to a rinse-and-repeat sameness that's harder to deny when it's just you eyeballing the same old swarms of enemies over and over again.

There's a lot to like about Final Fantasy 14, but it really is reliant on your ability to overcome a lot of the issues the MMO has had for years. Final Fantasy fans will need to know what they're getting into, but once they do there's a thoroughly engrossing game to absorb yourself in.

The covers tend to drift into cruise ship territory too often but given the extensive song library, eclectic choices and millions of options, Wii Karaoke U gets away with it.

Killer Is Dead packs the style and swagger that's defined Suda 51's output to date, highlighted by the smart, well-designed boss battles. It's only really let down by awkward pacing and the padding between those boss battles.

Blade Wolf isn’t the most essential DLC, but the kind of person that goes through everything on harder difficulties without being hit will get a few hours out of it.

There are glimmers - when Metro: Last Light lets you free to investigate on your own accord - where this game feels genuinely compelling. The repetitive nature of the gameplay invariable becomes a pain to push on with, however. Plenty of potential, but far too restrictive.

A tranquil amble from the Swiss Alps to the middle of the Mediterranean, blemished by an overzealous approach to all things cinematic.

Undoubtedly a game that has been through development hell, but nonetheless a surprisingly entertaining - if flawed - Mass Effect style shooter.

The Wolf Among Us Episode Two: Smoke and Mirrors doesn't always live up to the promise of the first episode and is marred by some technical issues. However, The Wolf Among is still an intriguing and stylish murder mystery that has us eager for the next episode.

A fun and admirable collection of multiplayer games that will bring people together. The only issue is that none of the games are compelling enough to ensure that they keep them coming back.

Due to its mature, breathtaking narrative, perhaps we sometimes forget that BioShock Infinite is, at heart, a true FPS. Clash in the Clouds, on the other hand, will shoot you in the face if you try to forget it.

Dynasty Warriors 8 is hardly a revolution for the series but the overhauled combat, compulsive Ambition Mode and wealth of content will leave long-term fans happy.

Sniper Elite 3 is a marked improvement over its predecessor and provides a fun, tactical third-person shooter experience.

At £15.39 it’d be unfair to criticise Strike Suit Zero too heavily. PS4 gamers might not have the same love for the genre as PC gamers, but if you remember the likes of Rogue Squadron or Descent, this is definitely one for you.

Luftrausers is a well-designed shooter that will most appeal to high-score chasers. Its lack of direction may mean that its appeal is relatively short-lived for some, however.

Defiance does enough new that you won't be disappointed providing you know what you're in for. There's something compulsive about its quest grinding, but at the same time they do lack the variety and depth of world necessary to make an MMO everlasting.

Battlefield 4 is more problematic than it has ever been, but if you’ve already pledged your allegiance by paying for Battlefield Premium, then Naval Strike is a pretty stunning reward. When it works.

It’s a shame the plot and enemies ruin things a bit, because Outlast is a truly effective survival horror for the most part.

No, Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition is not a deeply cerebral experience, but in its defence, it never purports to be. If you're not a fan of chopping stuff up, DW8 is unlikely to change your mind but if you enjoy a little hack 'n slash every now and then, you could do a lot worse than Dynasty Warriors 8: Xtreme Legends Complete Edition. Unless you already have the original Dynasty Warriors 8 version, of course. In which case you're probably better off hanging onto your cash.

Dustforce can often be frustrating, but its well-designed levels elicit a sense of flow that can make Dustforce incredibly satisfying. Dustforce will make you angry, but if you're prepared to put the time in to learn its levels, Dustforce will give you something back.

Bright, bold and beguiling, Puppeteer reinvigorates the humble platformer, with its unashamedly honest and engaging design. Problematic physics and sluggish story aside, we think you could do a lot worse than pay to see this show.

Zombie Studios has certainly got the visuals and rampant multiplayer matches down, but the entry price is too high for most players to pay if they want to succeed.

It’s impossible to say Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is a bad game; this has all the hallmarks of quality you’d want from a Nintendo game. But it doesn’t have anything new or exceptional to praise either, and that’s more telling of the problems of Nintendo these days than anything else.

The smart online modes and novelty of Legends Of The Majors do enough to justify a sequel, in what's a solid if unspectacular edition of the long-running Tiger Woods series.

The tiniest slice of why gamers love Metal Gear Solid, but not enough to make up for the high price.

An average puzzle platformer that is saved from mediocrity by strong visual and audio design.

A good attempt at bringing a handheld game to a home console, although one let down by the same problems that affected the original. Not a bad game, but one with untapped potential.

It is a budget RPG and it feels like one, but that's not always a bad thing.

It's a playful excursion into basic mercantile capitalism, striking the same tones as games like Euro Truck Simulator, turning the apparently mundane into tangible entertainment. Built upon sturdy foundations, and executed effectively, Rise of Venice is a simple game with simple core, but enjoyable all the same.

You'll likely know by now whether or not Deception 4 is for you, but there is an intriguing idea here waiting for you to discover if you do.

When Thief remembers to be a stealth game, to focus on the kleptomanic joy of cleaning a place out unseen, it's great. Unfortunately, Thief tries to do too many other things and does them badly, preventing a good game from being a great one.

Warface is a perfectly fine free to play shooter that looks nice, but it does very little to differentiate itself from certain other military shooters that are on the way.

Plenty of depth there for those willing to make the most of it, but too many barriers for those not already predisposed to like it.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a game fettered by artifice and a noticeable absence of failure animations suggestions a game unfinished. Send Octodad back to the kitchen, he's not quite done yet.

Fuse is two games. As a four-player co-op shooter with friends, it's light, frothy fun that ticks along at remarkable pace with inventive weaponry. On your own, the AI of your team-mates drags the entire experience down and kills the fun.

Simplification and removal of some key components harms the game, though there’s still some great stuff here for younger gamers and those willing to grind their way to it through the tedious story.

There are a lot of faults here – the messy map design, the awkward cover system, the surprising co-op fumble – but Army Of Two: The Devil’s Cartel manages to make its core action of shooting things engaging and fun, and that’s what will pull you through the game.

A quaint stroll through Rapture, but not nearly enough focus in the right areas to make this a must-have BioShock experience.

I wouldn’t call it broken as such, it’s just so … meh. Not terrible, just far from mind-blowing. The big map is literally the coolest part of it. If you want a brilliant open world racer, go for Forza Horizons 2 instead.

Contrast is a picturesque, romanticized vision of 1920s Paris that masquerades as a graceful platformer, falling flat on its face at pivotal moments.

Lost Planet 3 gets the hard stuff right and is ultimately likeable, but its gameplay just isn’t capable of sustaining any warm feelings you might harbour for it.

Content-wise this is more than worth it's full priced retail release however, but a lot of assets are reused – whether from the original or repeated themselves within the game – so you will revisit locations of uncanny similarity.

Burial at Sea is a game that struggles with Bioshock’s legacy and while, generally speaking, it’s unfair to judge a game for what it is not, when you have a game that borrows as heavily from its predecessor as Burial at Sea does, it’s impossible not to be disappointed by what is an inferior imitation.

At its most basic, shooting guys in the face in Killzone: Mercenary can be enjoyable but never gives the player any credit in any other facet of the game. Not to mention a repetitive, uninspired mission structure and pocketfuls of missed opportunities, the campaign length coming in at just under four hours.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z is fun 80% of the time and utterly loathesome the other 20%, the difficulty spikes goring what could have been a light, frothy, tongue-in-cheek zombie hack and slasher.

WWE 2K14 excels in terms of fan service and is generous with content, but the game at its core is severely lacking.

It's a Greek myth that best describes the experience of playing Crytek's Rome-em-up: that of Sisyphus. Ryse: Son of Rome's hack and slash action does offer some fun, but the repetitive nature of its combat will eventually grind you down.

An over-simplified equivalent of the console Civilization game that doesn't even beat its predecessor.

In Team Sonic’s attempt to move on from the old days, every new idea has been thrown into the mix and the game slowed down to allow for this...It’s just not very Sonic and the core of what makes the early games great – speed and simplicity, have been lost in this Lost World.

As it stands, Remember Me is a series of mediocre gameplay ideas stapled to a pretty, hollow shell.

With little to no improvements made over the home console editions, Epic Mickey 2 on Vita remains an underwhelming experience and one that is difficult to recommend. More effort on gameplay and less on simply jamming Disney characters in our face would have helped.

LocoCycle makes a welcome effort to provide the player with enough variety to keep things interesting, but there’s so little depth to its systems and such a lack of consequence to everything that you do...As a result, LocoCycle rarely manages to rise above passable.

Without any real ambition or challenging design powering it, Halo: Spartan Assault is bland, unremarkable and far too safe given the potential of a twin-stick shooter spin-off.

The game is an ambitious experiment in fusing two close genres, but instead of creating some ferocious chimera of an RPG, all Nippon Ichi has succeeded in doing is spawning a sad Frankenstein of a game that doesn’t belong here or there.

Not nearly next-gen in any aspect and not even all that fun to play.

A sub-par strategy RPG paired with a selection of Namco Bandai's, Capcom's and Sega's most cherished franchises.

A quaint idea with a neat gameplay mechanic but poorly executed.

Star Trek is a bargain bin purchase for fans of the franchise and little else. It's average in every sense of the word, but even that is marred by a number of flaws and bugs.

Though there are flashes of interesting ideas, none are fully realized and they are hidden behind a technically shoddy and boring shooter.

Pac-Man and The Ghostly Adventures is just dull. There’s nothing really terrible about it (apart from the voice acting) but that could be its biggest crime. It’s milquetoast. Or milqueghost.

The party atmosphere was always going to suffer by not being on a big TV in the lounge, but Mario Party: Island Tour fails more miserably than we had imagined. For only the most hardcore fans of the series.

Awkward combat, frustrating stealth sections, lack of originality and a hammy story are a few of the many nails in Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow 2's coffin.

Dr Luigi is a solid example of the Tetris-like puzzler, but doesn't do anywhere near enough to justify the price of admission.

Pokémon Rumble U is a crushingly basic and boring game, even by Pokémon spin-off standards.

A poorly structured and mechanically inert oddity that, for the most part, barely qualifies as a traditional videogame. There’s no challenge, no pith, no invention and ultimately no point.

Whether a future patch will rectify a lot of problems with Takedown: Red Sabre or not is irrelevant; Serellan should not have released a game this unfinished in the first place. The core of the game could be good, but not until a number of issues have been resolved.

Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day is a serviceable but uninspired sidescroller. It appears bizarre and distinctive, but in reality, is a dull game that offers appalling value for money.

This is the horror game equivalent of one of those Asylum film straight to video releases. That it comes from some of the people responsible for Condemned is just depressing.