Platinum is great; this game is not. [Xmas 2014, p.79]

Joyous and colourful, it's a shame that the motion tracking can be off at times. [Xmas 2014, p.79]

It's too derivative and frustrating to contend for Dark Souls' crown. [Xmas 2014, p.78]

So good that it almost seems deceitful: like a CG trailer of what the highest level of fun might look like. After 17 years, it's incredible that the series still has such power to astound and excite.

Full of an overwhelming amount of stuff to do this is insane value for money and pretty to boot. Still, we can't help but feel a shake-up is needed for Far Cry 5 to prevent series fatigue.

Enormous, handsome and in love with the subtleties of world design, storytelling and class-based combat. The finest Dragon Age yet, and the most accomplished RPG so far on Xbox One.

Glosses over the changes and additions made in Black Flag, but it's more than deserving of recognition. The skill and attention to detail make this hugely accomplished, if flawed. It's a return to Brotherhood - but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Unapologetically rugged retro-romp where every inch of progress is cause to break out the celebration cake. Not for the faint of heart, but in the short term, it's a pleasing challenge for the faint of wallet.

Some of the most inventive use of Soulsian systems we've seen yet. [Dec 2014, p.91]

The phone is smart, but the story is dumb, and all the better for it. Just don't expect major innovation. [Dec 2014, p.90]

It's hard to overlook the lack of a killer hook. [Dec 2014, p.87]

Thankfully, the trusted combo-move heavy, cutscene-riddled one-on-one scraps also return. [Dec 2014, p.87]

It feels vague and unfocused. [Dec 2014, p.87]

A game that feels both very new and very old at the same time. [Dec 2014, p.87]

Tries to juggle too many balls at once, ends up dropping most of them and hoping you won't notice. [Dec 2014, p.83]

A jarringly inconsistent first poke at next-gen hockey. Makes bold leaps forward in terms of game day presentation, physics and AI, but large swathes of it seem unfinished. [Dec 2014, p.82]

It's beautiful, it's comical, but it's a shame that it feels so lacking in solo play. [Dec 2014, p.82]

Let down by money-grabbing that manifests in entirely unsubtle nudges towards buying new characters. [Dec 2014, p.79]

Modern, pretty and competent, but devoid of stupid fun and a soul. [Dec 2014, p.78]

Unlike the game's spotting endings, our conclusion has a bit more force to it: Holmes is guilty of gimmickry, but gets time off for good intentions. [Dec 2014, p.78]

Kevin Spacey might take top billing, but it's the array of powerful PMC tech that's the real star of the show, making the stalest formula in contemporary videogames feel remarkably fresh.

The wackiness never clicks, but the relentless combat momentum certainly does. It won't change the world, but does a very good job of splattering it with mutant blood.

A surprisingly playable stealth endeavour from Cyanide, with a startlingly repulsive lead.

F1 2014 delivers on the racing, but its lack of new features suggests a stagnancy in the series. We're eager to see what 2015 delivers, and if things get booted back into gear.

Evil Within grafts Resident Evil 4's gold standard survival action to a far less forgiving world. That it even comes close to matching Capcom's masterpiece is cause to celebrate. And sweat. And quiver.

The Pre-Sequel! is a brilliant expansion, if not quite a brilliant game in its own right. Come for the Australians, stay for the low-gravity combat sections.

United Front has created a version of Hong Kong packed with things to do and the excellent combat and driving ensure it's always fun. If you've not played it, we're a bit jealous.

It looks and sounds the part, but the table layout can feel a little claustrophobic. [Nov 2014, p.91]

A confident step up from the already impressive first part and a tantalising taste of what's still to come. [Nov 2014, p.90]

Brimming with charm, but it was clearly designed with PC gaming in mind. Playing it with the Xbox One controller instead of a mouse becomes something of an exercise in patience. [Nov 2014, p.87]

There's hidden depth beyond the ugly exterior. [Nov 2014, p.87]

It's packed with strong moments, but the finale feels disjointed. [Nov 2014, p.85]

A game that manages to wrestle some originality out of the point 'n' click genre - with only limited structural problems - while making us laugh in the process, this is an all-too-rare pleasure. [Nov 2014, p.84]

Madden's most impressive showing since the original Xbox days. Now lessons need to be learned from the best sports management sims to lend Connected Careers true longevity. [Nov 2014, p.84]

Unique stealth-horror thriller that combines great pacing and smart design with razor-sharp AI that's unpredictable in all the right ways. It's an arduous undertaking, but it begs to be experienced.

A bit broken, quite derivative and short on narrative appeal - but rich with customisation possibilities and enjoyable at the level of the firefight.

Monolith might not have the basics quite down, but the Nemesis system is the year's most original game mechanic, and makes for a game that feels - and reacts to your play - unlike any of its peers.

While it tries too hard at times, it's difficult to deny D4's zany charm. There's something irresistible about a game where you have literally no idea what's coming next. We're stoked for the next instalment.

A triumph in so many respects that lets itself down with some technical issues and a world that needed more variety in the way it looks. That, however, shouldn't stop you from picking this up and loving it until the end of this console generation. Forza Horizon 2 is an accomplishment, and a showcase for what open-world racers can do.

FIFA is always at its best when the pitch is tilted in the attacking side's favour, and this year's is a peach. It's not the 'true' next-gen FIFA we've been waiting for, but it's as dynamic and thrilling as any entry in the series thus far.

Not quite the epic journey into the unknown we were hoping for, mostly thanks to poor writing and a reliance on XP farming, but a treasure trove of single and multiplayer adventures nonetheless.

Battlefield 4 hasn't been too stable since launch, but this pack helps. Varied maps and a fun new mode - we like. [Oct 2014, p.97]

It may be tough, but Crown of the Sunken King delivers some of the series' best, most intricate level design so far. [Oct 2014, p.96]

A large, open world and plenty of options can't make up for trainwreck technology, bad writing and clumsy combat. [Oct 2014, p.93]

A comprehensive intro to Magic, but Duels is hardly the showcase it needs to be. [Oct 2014, p.92]

More of the same goofy, eccentric zombie-killing action Dead Rising fans love, sprinkled with Capcom callouts. [Sept 2014, p.96]

It might not have much depth, but if you just want to have a good, silly and above all violent old time, Zombie Driver does the trick - and this is by far the best version going. [Sept 2014, p.92]

Occasionally incredible and often frustrating. [Sept 2014, p.91]

Yes, it's another yearly update with sub-par visuals - but a couple of new features are all it takes to make this the best of the series so far. [Sept 2014, p.89]

The very definition of cheap and cheerful, Sixty Second Shooter Prime matches simplicity with speed to make a shooter you don't mind either losing or switching off after one round. [Sept 2014, p.89]

Essential for anyone with more than a passing interest in games as a whole. [Sept 2014, p.87]

Repetitive and rather mindless gameplay make playing Putty Squad an experience we're unlikely to return to. If nothing else, it's a stark reminder of just how far games have come. [Sept 2014, p.87]

4A Games can't turn back time, but it's done everything to ensure that both Metro games feel comparable to today's standards. Beautiful, compelling and distinctly original, Redux is a must.

Technically superior in every way to plain Diablo III and still as ruinous to your everyday life as ever before. The hearty challenge remains beyond the credits, making it definitely worth your time.

Not quite forgettable, thanks to sturdy core concepts, a diverse line-up of cards and some infuriating micro-transactions.

Waters down the Sacred formula until it has no taste at all. You'll spill more grey matter than you'll actually use playing it.

The second DLC pack is definitely the strongest, and with the recent updates you should be loading this up if it's fallen off the rotation. Tell your mates, too - you'll need someone to play with.

A smart, bloodthirsty blend of ideas from MOBAs, action games and the RTS, with intense yet rewarding multiplayer. Beware the microtransactions, though.

Thanks to intelligent combat, a lovely aesthetic and some great concepts, this imperfect dungeon-brawler stands out from the crowd.

An unusually exotic cake. [Aug 2014, p.93]

A good value-for-money offering that expands and fine-tunes one of the Xbox 360's rougher diamonds. [Aug 2014, p.93]

Wonky, repetitive and short but oh so very unnerving. [Aug 2014, p.87]

Things are heating up...[Aug 2014, p.85]

Typically entertaining multiplayer gameplay let down by single-player campaign riddled with indecisive AI and unfunny narration. [Aug 2014, p.85]

It boggles the mind that these kinds of games are still being made. [Aug 2014, p.83]

Mixing tense action sequences and clever character development with thoughtful scripting and meaningful dialogue, Cry Wolf is a spectacular end to an excellent series.

Though its more advanced controls can frustrate, this is a bold brawler that just wants to have fun. Just don't play when hungry - you'll be craving an enchilada before the first act is through.

Activision's Transformers adaptations shed a little more charm and fascination each time they transform. This super-lean take feels like the last OK offering before the rot truly sets in.

Clumsy but just about competent, this plays its one note well enough to satisfy anybody who wants to spend hours peering through a scope.

Despite its shtick wearing slightly thin towards the end, at around 4-5 hours long this doesn't outstay its welcome. And it certainly ensures we'll never look at creepy green-hued night vision footage the same way again.

As valiant an attempt as its name suggests, but ultimately this is a story simultaneously too big and too personal for the tappy trappings it's been couched within.

Strong, frequently brilliant fun, but it's still only GRID 2.5. There's variety compared to its predecessor, but it never escapes the feeling that it's just a stopgap for whatever's coming next.

Like the Transformers games, this is one of those shallow, mandated movie tie-ins. [July 2014, p.87]

A promising debut, but just too light on options - both inside and outside the Octagon - to be the champ it desperately wants to be.

A completely unremarkable WWII shooter with more bugs than Pixar's second feature film. There's nothing offensive about it, it's just subpar in every possible way, from AI to controls to visuals to voice acting. Feels like a launch window 360 game.

An interesting concept that's backed up with almost nothing of consequence. Most of the game involves plodding around pressing one button, and even the puzzles solve themselves.

The definitive version of an already excellent fighting game, Ultra Street Fighter is the pinnacle of Capcom's tinkering with the title, and shows just how far one game can go with a little bit of love from its fans. That said, we're ready for Street Fighter 5 now, please.

Thoroughly competent and very handsome, Watch Dogs feels like it's too late to the party, and suffers with its confused tone, unlikeable lead, and a city that doesn't do enough to make itself distinguishable.

A seductive package. [June 2014, p.91]

One of the series' highest points. [June 2014, p.90]

The exact antithesis of Titanfall. [June 2014, p.84]

Not so much a misfire as misplaced. [June 2014, p.76]

An average game made viable by its low barrier to entry - but outperformed in almost every way by the giants of its genre. One to dabble with, but think before committing real money.

A genuine treat that excels in escapist shooting and rah-rah bad-guy killing, yet still finds time to be soulful, emotional and occasionally melancholy. It's better than it has any right to be.

Titanfall's first load of DLC is a mixed bag of three maps, one dud but two gems. Fans of the game will find it essential, and if you're looking to come back in this is a great temptation.

Capybara's created a truly new kind of shooter, both in-your-face and slyly intelligent - held back only by just how good its central mechanic is and how much more it could have been used for.

After a fairly subdued second episode, In Harm's Way cranks things up a notch and then some. This is tense, unforgiving and utterly brutal stuff - Telltale at its finest and a breathless reminder of what makes this series so brilliant and unique.

A great, witheringly tough retro platformer that will amuse/abuse fans of Super Meat Boy and the Sonic series.

An accomplished intertwining of robust mechanics, beautiful aesthetics and delicate storytelling make this a game not to be missed, but a slight shallowness stops it just short of brilliance.

A terribly slim idea for a game, with none of the slick execution, elegant scoring or busy leaderboards to make you want to improve, or even bother trying again. [May 2014, p.93]

They need to start working on their polish and QA. [May 2014, p.91]

For a series aimed at children, it seems to make the unusual mistake of underestimating them. Too often, combat and puzzles are reduced to doing what you're told. But if you're in love with Middle-Earth, there's enough homage to make this worthwhile.

It's currently missing much of the content that will make it great - online multiplayer, and user-created tracks. But an Xbox One Trials fills a crucial gap in the next-gen lineup.

It's still a fantastic football game and will get you in the World Cup spirit but don't expect to be playing long after the real tournament ends. One to get if FIFA 14's starting to feel a bit too familiar.

Bluepoint Game kicks anxiety to the curb with a smart, efficient port, that's fundamentally the same as Titanfall on Xbox One. If you can't afford a new console, save your pocket money for this.

Telltale make the most of what could have been a flabby third entry by piling on the pressure and ensuring you know that no-one is to be trusted. That said, the game's mechanics are clearly starting to show, which doesn't do the story any favours.

It may lack in variety, but the core conceit of Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut is both sound and consistently enjoyable. Swoop in with your ship, turn into a robot, destroy everything, get the hell out. It's not subtle, but it is good, wholesome, dumb fun.

There are still moments when you can't know for sure if an individual failure is down to your own skill rather than the sensor itself. But for everyone else KSR represents a new high point for the genre, proving it can work as much more than just a passing gimmick. A huge leap in the right direction, then, but it's got a way to go before it's entirely frustration-free.