Overall this is a game only a niche market will enjoy, anyone else looking for a great SRPG without the massive amount of dialogue should check out Disgaea 3, or any other of the SRPGs on the PS3. While, it has its moments, the battles just take far too long to get to, and the game suffers from the omission of an English dub and poor translation.

Tales of Hearts R won’t convert anyone, but fans of Japanese RPGs would do well to pick this up.

A thinking man's FIFA, but still lacks that variety and depth.

A beautiful, expertly realised world.

Rogue is not one of the best in the series, in fact I’d put it pretty low on the pole. But they did give it a good try and there’s hope for more intricate gameplay in the future, though this is certainly the last AC game developed for the previous gen consoles.

A bigger and more beautiful Far Cry 3.

Questionable presentation aside, Shin Megami Tensei IV is a solid game. Even with advancements in accessibility, it won’t be for everyone, but fans of JRPGs should definitely check it out.

Bayonetta 2 is bigger, faster, crazier, and prettier than the original, and is very much deserving of your time.

Interesting control scheme, but not much else.

The most polished, versatile platformer I've had the joy of playing.

There’s no hyperbole when I say that Dragon Age: Inquisition is the best RPG I’ve played in a long time. Hell, it’s the best game of any genre I’ve played in a long time. It’s a shoo-in for Game of the Year in my books, a masterclass in game design that deserves a spot in everyone’s game library.

The game is great, the Singstar Mic app isn’t.

It just simply isn’t the breath of fresh air that Black Flag was last November. While that took something that was loved from AC3 and ran with it, Unity takes a few giant steps backwards and finds itself in what feels like a bigger, better looking AC2.

For me however, I’ve found Beyond Earth to be the Civ-equivalent of reading a John Grisham novel: you know it’s not really the best of its kind, but at the same time it is quite more-ish.

Longtime Halo fans get the opportunity to quickly and easily revisit their favourite levels, or jump into a reinvigorated multiplayer; newcomers to the series get the best, most seamless experience of the Halo series.

While getting a handle on the physics-based challenges takes time, especially in co-op mode, what kind of puzzler would it be if it was easy?

I forgot how happy I could get while angry.

While the changes here may sound minor to someone only casually interested, those small increments (in addition to the movement overhaul) mean the world to its returning fan base. The culmination of changes in Advanced Warfare make it the freshest playing entry in the series, and the largest departure from its norm.

I couldn’t recommend a purchase of Lords of the Fallen. However, if you are a fan of the masochistic hack-and-slash action RPG genre and wouldn’t mind a change of scenery, or always wanted to try a Souls title but found their barrier to entry a bit daunting, this might be worth a hire to blitz through the campaign one or two times with a few different builds.

Although it has dated visuals, it comes through on a gameplay front - for fans at least. The battles feel epic due to the number of drones on the screen. In the end, that’s what these titles are all about - epic battles that keep these titles going.

The absolute best part of the game, though, is the soundtrack. Hand picked by Pharrell Williams, the list surprisingly contains a large number of tracks produced with beats by Pharrell. If anything’s gonna make you a baller, Public Enemy followed by Missy Elliot and then Busta Rhymes will make you a baller. The only thing missing is the Monstars.

I don’t think I’ve had this much fun with any other game so far this year, it’s been a true highlight. I can’t wait to jump back in and replay my favourite sections, compete for higher scores and have some fun in the Chaos Squad mode.

Yes, Skylanders will make your wallet cry out for mercy, and parents the world over are probably dreading their kids’ Christmas Wish Lists this year. But their latest offering, Trap Team, is more than just a money grab. It’s one of the most polished, expansive (expensive?) platformers available and is sure to entertain a wide audience, both young and old if you have the cheddar to keep up.

A worthy successor to the main Borderlands series, if a bit rough around the edges. Enemies and boss fights are bland, but this is more than made up for by excellent level design, hilarious dialogue, loveable characters, and an expertly realised, brilliantly Australian world.

One of the most rewarding games I've played on the Vita.

Despite the size, Smash Bros. feels right at home on the 3DS.

Challenging puzzler – but it's still just Lemmings.

One of the best games of the last few years gets even better.

The Evil Within becomes less of a game and more of a haunted house ride, where you just roll with the changes and wait for the scares.

The game is an anachronism, proving that transposing ideas from the past (without thinking critically about how they should be represented in the present) doesn’t always work.

A ridiculous learning curve hides a fun RTS.

The dearth of content and poorly implemented online systems make Driveclub feel incomplete. Coupled with the fact that PlayStation Plus members get a reduced-content, but fully featured, version of the game with their subscriptions, there’s little reason to buy the full game.

The best JRPG this side of Atelier Rorona Plus.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor takes the combat of the Batman games, the stealth and exploration of the Assassin’s Creed games and combines them into a really fun package.

Minecraft isn’t for everybody (fortunately, there’s a free demo that you can try), but for those who will hear its call, it’s easily one of the best games available on Xbox One.

A game that’s more terrifying when there’s nothing happening.

An embarrassment for a great franchise.

My time with Starwhal: Just the Tip was a roller coaster of emotions. I didn’t enjoy the Challenge levels, but once the ghosts started appearing I found I liked them a bit more.

You could say that Shadow Puppeteer is the quintessential indie game - with a compelling gameplay hook and captivating story. It has potential coming out its ears, but the lack of budget means a lack of polish, especially in the control department.

For real FIFA fans, you’ll want this latest update not just for all of the new content, but also for the finer adjustments and improved goalkeeper AI. For more casual fans however, there might not be enough glaringly obvious updates from last year’s edition to do a Mexican wave for.

The involved writing and story design more than make up for any shortcomings in graphical fidelity.

I’m sure plenty of fans will find this to be the perfect complement to Trigger Happy Havoc, but in my opinion, that was a game that is at its best as a single, self-contained experience. No sequel needed.

If you’ve ever wanted to visit Europe, soak up the history and culture in Italy, or bask in the sun on a beach in southern France, then it may not be the game for you. Also, if all you want is a serious racer with the Top Gear guys telling you what to do, then stay well clear. However, if you’d rather bounce maniacally in a Dotcomesqe euro-rave or rip up a hillside of vineyards in a re-conned VW van, then Forza Horizon 2 may be just your thing.

The visual style of the game is striking, but the touch-based controls make it clumsy and can cause large amounts of rage. Murasaki Baby makes a great airport game: if you have the patience and an awkward portion of time on your hands, it’ll definitely keep your mind preoccupied.

The characters are quirky yet interesting, and I’m looking forward to returning to their world. If you’re willing to give decent motion controls a shot, and like the idea of a bizarre private eye anime, I would say that D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die - Season One is well worth the investment.

With video games being blamed for stunting imaginations in young minds, it’s refreshing to see a game that promotes a creative spark.

Overall Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate should please fans of the series - it has plenty of variety in characters. As for anyone else looking to get into the series, this title suffers from the same repetition as the other musou games. You can have quite a bit of fun by making the characters spout unwholesome lines though.

For console owners, Metro Redux is a chance to experience a top-quality, story-heavy, immersive shooter with the kind of visuals that high-end PC users have had the privilege of playing. It’s also great value for money when you consider the two full-story campaigns and additional DLC content included within.

Destiny isn’t a bad game, by any means. If you like sci-fi shooters, you’ll get a good 20 hours of enjoyment out of this. But that’s really all it is; a fun, forgettable shooter that plays it safe and sticks to what’s been proven, with nothing to really set it apart from it’s peers.

The game is addictive and a lot of fun. What the Wii U offers over and above the others is that you can play it both on the TV or solely on the gamepad.

Great for the PC crowd, provided you have a controller.

And yes, it is another Sims iteration, but at the same time this one feels clean and fresh. The emotional interactions are really interesting, and the combination of these with different Sims' personality traits and aspirations can make for some great unpredictability. Despite what’s been left out, The Sims 4 feels like it’s heading in the right direction.

It’s not a ground-breaking title, and those last few levels almost had me rage-quitting, but the traits allow for some fun strategies and if you’re wanting an enjoyable sci-fi story with your TBS/RPG elements, then Halfway is more than worth the miniscule price being asked for it. I look forward to the sequel (please).

Football games have never been better than Madden 15.

Remembering that players won’t need Second Son to play, it’s a great opportunity for new-comers to the InFamous series to get stuck in. But those who got their fill with Deslin’s earlier adventures, you probably won’t find much new on offer here - apart from an interesting new character to get to know.

No Going Back is a fitting end to the second season of The Walking Dead. It's well written, expertly paced, and comes to a conclusion that is surprising, distressing, and pays a clever homage to Season One...But therein lies the rub: Season Two is good, and great at times, but it never reaches the lofty heights of its predecessor.

Because of the way the story progressions are designed, with most missions clocking in at around fifteen minutes, CounterSpy would be a decent PS Vita title.

The better stealth mechanics, the improved load screens and interfaces, and new character models are just some of what make the Metro worth another run through.

The Swapper is a beautiful, haunting thing. It’s rare for a game to leave you feeling emotionally numb, but also satisfied by the journey. All of The Swapper’s parts operate in concert, creating a masterful puzzle platformer that deserves to be remembered.

Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition is as good as it could possibly get. The only problem it has is the obvious one; if you have the original release on PC, or on the last-gen consoles, it’s up to you if you want to spend $80 on an expansion pack. And is any expansion pack ever going to be worth the price of a full game? But, if you didn’t buy the original game, get this.

Ultra Street Fighter, while good, doesn’t quite live up to that Ultra name. The new mechanics and balance changes will keep the game fresh for months to come, but the new characters - which are largely the reason this is a paid update and not a patch - bring next to nothing to the game.

There’s a solid foundation to Orbital Gear. The momentum-based aerial acrobatics are fluid, and mastering them is rewarding. The weapons are varied, and it’s interesting how they interact with the game world. It’s disappointing then, as the delay they have in firing is at odds with the one-to-one ease of movement the game is built around.

If you’re considering this game, stay away. There are better Yu-Gi-Oh! games out there, and there are better digital card games out there. The only reason I can think of to buy this - and there’s no hyperbole here - is for the three exclusive physical cards it comes with.

What should really sweeten the deal for PS4 owners is the Remastered version of The Last of Us also includes the follow-up downloadable content, such as Ellie’s prequel chapter titled Left Behind. Which easily adds another two or three hours to the length of gameplay and expands on the riveting character developments.

Minor technical problems aside, Oddworld: New ‘n’ Tasty is a game that recognises the limitations and shortcomings of the original. It addresses these, somehow making 17-year-old mechanics malleable, and shapes them into a mould that painlessly accepts contemporary production standards.

The only thing being scared away by the Wayward Manor’s ghost is this reviewer’s patience.

This is definitely one of the better episodes of The Walking Dead: Season Two, and the best chapter of a Telltale game in a good few months.

So, Cry Wolf has its moments. But for the most part, it’s a slog, an underwhelming and forgettable end to a series that showed so, so, so much promise.

Despite a little wear and tear, the original Ratchet and Clank Trilogy more than gives you bang for your buck.

An amazing looking game with amazing gameplay.

Overall though, it’s a fun new game mode. And for Killzone - it’s an interesting experience working as a squad, rather than a group of individuals. There is no question that you’ll need to work together to win the game.

So in the end, Valiant Hearts is something of a flawed masterpiece. But it’s a masterpiece nonetheless. This is a game that definitely won’t be for everyone, but it’s something that the videogame industry has been in dire of need of.

In conclusion, if you are picking it up for the first time, this is obviously the version to get. This is an improvement in so many ways - including navigation of Arland, swappable costumes, and everything you can harvest from such as wells, are highlighted.

If you enjoy twin-stick shooters like Geometry Wars, then maybe you can give this a try. It’s definitely a competent game for the genre and will scratch that itch, if you’ve got it.

Overall, it’s a tepid entrance into the ring for EA Sports and their new UFC title.

Thankfully the game is a lot of fun!

In the end it's a great PlayStation Vita game that is a bit too simple and a touch too cute to translate perfectly to the bigger Xbox 360 console. But terrorizing a planet has never been this friendly, this upbeat, or this much fun.

Gorgeous visuals. Tight driving. No personality.

Not the snafu it could’ve been and a decent war strategy game.

Vita Pets isn’t an original purebred, but it is a winner in the league of it’s own genre recognized for its triteness. There are a couple of problems with repetitiveness that may feel like you’re chasing your own tail, as well as the irksome voice acting. Look beyond this, and you’ll find an entertaining world of activities and a virtual best friend you’ll be happy you invested time with, even if it does feel monotonous at times.

In the end Watch Dogs has plenty going for it, without quite living up to the hype. But, Aiden Pearce is a great character, and a very nice design, and the story has an engaging cyber-noir vibe going for it. Just keep your eyes down and your smartphone charged.

Lemmings Touch feels like a throwback to a bygone era which the industry forgot. The core mechanics still feel fun enough, but the game is so bare bones and plain that it feels like a missed opportunity.

Tomodachi Life is undoubtedly a strange and hilarious game, but there's little to keep you around once the quirky humour starts losing impact.

It’s worth the nightmares it leaves you with.

Despite the new power of the PS4, the town is essentially (if you’ll excuse the pun) dead. NPCs stand or sit in the same place constantly, their faces devoid of emotion. The only one who actually looks alive is the man with seven glowing bullet holes in him.

In Sheep's Clothing was something of a letdown, especially compared to the calibre of the previous episode. It's an exposition-heavy hour and a half that does little to move the plot or develop the characters, and would have better as a concise, 15 minute introduction at the start of the final part.

It’s a new Worms game. That either appeals to you or it doesn’t.

It’s probably one of 2014’s most hyped games, and it delivers on some levels. It is just let-down by the fact that Watch Dogs promised so much two years ago when it was revealed.

It’s a great looking game. The look and feel is wonderful and moody, punctuated with flashes of red, such as a boy’s blowing scarf or a blooming flower found at the bottom of a well. And it’s great seeing games coming out of all corners of the world. But this only makes the experience all the more frustrating.

Poor pacing, clumsy scriptwriting, and an overall lack of polish (even by indie standards) make it all to easy to bow out before this monster can sink its claws into you.

Overall Transistor certainly shows how far Supergiant Games have come from Bastion - which was a great effort. Unfortunately, it’s missing some essential elements in an RPG (such as the aforementioned grinding) making a few bosses harder than they should be.

It’s not going to be the best first person shooter you’ll play, but it’ll be one you remember once it’s over.

The most grim episode yet, for better or worse.

The most fun you can have with yourself.

Bound by problems and suffocating great ideas.

A charming platformer. It comes loaded with a sense of style and humour that only developer The Behemoth possess. An incredibly funny narrator, adorable creature design, and cut-scenes that look like paper-doll puppetry all amount to a stylistically cohesive game that has tight platforming to boot (albeit with a few mechanical hiccups).

It was alright. Casual handheld game, for sure, arcade-ish and replayable. It’s nothing gripping, not by a long drive (see what I did there?). On the huge plus side though, when you hit a perfectly spun ball with precision timing, the ball does take on a distinctly familiar blue Super Saiyan aura.

Easy and enjoyable and likely to appeal to casual gamers.