The gameplay is very much like Uncharted, only with no guns. In the future no one has guns, except the flying robots, who have some kind of energy cannons.

For the most part Split/Second: Velocity hits the mark like a cargo ship through your windscreen. It’s extreme fun and effortless to get into, like the best weekend party games should be, but may struggle over the longer term.

The game isn’t designed to be a videogame masterpiece, but it succeeds in doing what it attempted to – entertain.

For the average fan, Madden 25 on Xbox One offers little in the way of upgrades, making it hard to justify dropping another $120 for the game. On the other hand, for the hardcore Madden player (and I know there are a lot of you in New Zealand), the improved realism offered by some of the mechanical changes under the hood make this a hard game to pass up.

Combine all of the above with a plentiful array of button mashing moves and abilities, and you’ve got a heck of a lot to play with.

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.

A spirited good time.

And there you have it: three Metal Gear Solid games for your HD console, updated with care, and still with all the elements of the series you may love or despise. The lack of the original MGS is, once again, really stupid. But otherwise, if you're a fan of these games, you shouldn't hesitate in grabbing these versions if you're looking to play them again.

Rugby Challenge is not without its problems. But there is depth behind its flashy veneer. Perhaps most importantly, there doesn't seem to be anything that ruins the game by overbalancing it. It embraces different playing styles, and rewards learning the skills associated with each.

Besides a camera straight from Robot Hell, there’s a real Heart to this little indie brawler.

But without the Circle Pad Pro, it's a bit of a bumpier ride - albeit a more portable one. The four face buttons now control the camera, which is vastly inferior, and makes a lot of difference. Seriously, Nintendo can't come out with revised 3DS hardware soon enough.

An old-school side-scroller, with the occasional throw-away 3D sequence included, that makes no concessions to the trend of making games so simple you can complete them by just pressing a button occasionally.

If you were a fan of the first Darksiders, then this is definitely a worthy sequel that you should enjoy. However, if you are new to the series I would advise reading up on the first one a little so the story isn't too confusing before you pick it up. Either way, if you enjoy a dungeon crawling adventure game with RPG elements, then I can easily recommend you grab a copy of Darksiders 2 and embrace Death, with just a few reservations.

So, is Pro Evolution Soccer 2016 better than FIFA 16? If you want an easily accessible game where you can mash the tackle button without fear of being sent off, or tap the shoot button to fire in a bicycle kick from outside the penalty area, and if you don’t care about having all the big name clubs, strips, and squads, you might decide that yes, PES 2016 is better than FIFA 16. Otherwise, no, it’s not.

Titanfall 2 is designed just well enough, and with enough layers so to not be entirely derivative. Hero simulations are so vastly abundant in this industry - so if you’re going to play one, you might as well choose from those who do it the best.

I found Deus Ex to be very entertaining overall, but the lack of consistency with the first and third person camera angles, and the poorly conceived controls, do take their toll.

This is yet another game that I have enjoyed more than other critics out there. Yes, there are bad aspects to the game, and I feel I’ve listed them all above, but the story and characters found in Lost Planet 3 are more than enough reason to pick this up.

With heaps of charm and innovation, you’ll be hard-pressed to resist the pull of Gravity Rush 2.

I daresay that this is the perfect girlfriend game; in fact, most situations have you paired as a girl/guy duo which really sets the mood. Shooting zombies is great, but shooting them with friends is even better.

A thoroughly enjoyable Kinect experience and highly recommended for the wee ones this Christmas.

So are you a diehard nut who can’t get enough Portal action? Then you’ll probably already own this one. And if you’re new to the whole thing, Still Alive is easy to recommend. But everyone else in between, you may be better off saving your pennies for the inevitable Portal 2.

Finally, and this may be inconsequential to the game, or indeed the entire Mass Effect universe, but why are there so many Australians in space?

Sadly by the time my twins are old enough, we'll probably be up to Kinect 3.7, where it will monitor your blood pressure and check for Vitamin C deficiencies while you sing the 'ABC song'. But for now, those with little ones in the household, a Kinect-equipped console, and a decent amount of safe living area by the TV, you should give Kinect Sesame Street a go and watch the fun that unfolds.

Deep and rewarding.

PixelJunk Shooter 2 is the faster, more difficult second half of the original game. But in no way is that a bad thing. There are more frustrations than the first, with a lot of levels demanding multiple replays to avoid some surprise deaths.

Both the simple controller and the easy-to-understand gameplay mean that anyone can have fun with the game.

It’s fascinating that for all of the 3D, more technologically advanced Sonic games that we’ve seen over the years, this retro approach is still the best in over a decade. It’s mainly thanks to the development team being able to channel the essence of what made Sonic so successful in the first place. The decision by Sega to engage with independent studios Headcannon and PagodaWest Games after their passionate work in the Sonic fan community was a stroke of genius. It’s not perfect and it’s not ground-breaking in the slightest, but it’s still great to see Sonic back in good form after so many years of neglect.

It's the only recent player in the genre and, while not bringing any monumental innovation to the genre, its high definition graphics certainly give it a bunch of new clothes.