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.