There's simply nothing here to justify you buying it ahead of 2K's b-ball champ. [Jan 2014, p.84]

Embrace it like a comfortable pair of shoes. [Jan 2014, p.84]

If you don't own a Vita, Velocity Ultra for PS3 is still a must-play - just keep in mind that you're getting a less-than-flattering upscaling of a modern handheld classic. [Jan 2014, p.84]

While I’ve got my steel toecap in the puppy’s ribcage, I might as well say that the galaxy-trotting do-good gig gets repetitive quickly.

An unmistakably devilish puzzler with a truly hellacious price tag, that it’s so flippin’ brilliant only gives Angry Birds: Star Wars’ exclusive-to-PS4 cost extra sting. C3P-no.

In its single-minded effort to deliver the best console racer handling the world’s seen, Polyphony lets a number of technical issues drive on by for yet another game.

Even if you just own the Starter Pack models there’s still hours of fun to be had levelling up in the returning Arena modes.

A heartfelt story and unique take on platforming combine to make this an engaging, yet sadly short-lived, adventure.

Level progression will try even the most patient of gamers. [Christmas 2013, p.94]

Over-complicated. [Christmas 2013, p.94]

Fantastic for kids. [Christmas 2013, p.86]

Expect an open world Hot Pursuit and you’ll be enthralled in the maniac violence of weapon-fuelled cop chases and beautifully rendered exotics. View it as an ambassador for next-gen racing, and it falls a little flat.

I awarded the PS3 version 8/10 and while this is a marginally better game, the final product has to be considered a disappointment when weighted against its lofty expectations – and sphere-kicking stablemate, which has already set the bar high for PS4 sports sims.

Mastering hard games can be supremely rewarding, but overcoming a punishing encounter in Knack more often draws a sigh of relief rather than a loud whoop and fist pumps.

From the first bounce, it feels like a genuinely new generation of sports game has arrived. All the depth, drama and longevity you take for granted by now, and even some new ideas to match its next-gen looks.

This has its moments but it’s barely worth the patience needed to find them. Or anything else. If you want a Metroidvania experience on Vita then get the excellent Guacamelee instead.

In a game bursting with invention, Tearaway’s head-jumping kills feel uninspired and unsatisfying, and a predictable array of foes does little to alleviate that. Good job combat’s something of a rare occurrence, then. All Vita’s unique control aspects are exploited brilliantly within another beguiling Media Molecule universe.

FIFA 14 is one of the few launch games to have evolved in ways that aren’t solely graphics-based, and every one of its changes brings clear, distinguishable improvement. This is an essential day one purchase and – quite literally – the football game you’ve waited generations for.

The first twin-stick shooter of the next generation has a good chance of being PS4’s dark-horse killer app at the console’s launch. It’s hard to remember ever having quite this much fun whizzing around blowing up things in space. Resogun showcases how stunning arcade games can look with PS4 tech.

Most importantly, of all the launch shooters on PS4, this is the only one to try and do something different and vary its formula. Something it also does with visibly new tech rather than shored up current-gen code. It’s a combination that makes Killzone Shadow Fall a great experience and strong start to PS4.

It’s such a rare treat to find yourself blown away by a game you had no expectations of. I don’t want to ruin that feeling for you, so forget everything you just read after hitting the ‘buy’ button on the store, so you can enjoy the through-the-looking-glass wonderment of SITTM afresh. I can think of only one reason you wouldn’t go and play this, and it’s that you hate fun.

Appalling textures, clunky systems and gameplay you have to shake yourself away from. [Dec 2013, p.95]

Falls into the trap of sludgy platforming. [Dec 2013, p.94]

The tracklist is one for the generations. [Dec 2013, p.94]

An HD remake of the highest order. [Dec 2013, p.84]

A good game, but one you’ve played before. The single player is sorely lacking innovation, but the online side is strong like bison, even if the power of PS4 is sadly missing.

There’s a lot of highly polished content in Ghosts, and although it’s disappointing to see that it doesn’t truly embrace next-gen possibilities, I can’t lambaste it because I’d be denying the loveable bombast it doles out in wild, indiscriminate sprays. But yes, there should be a new engine powering all of it, plus genuine innovation always trumps the best-of atmosphere that pervades the solo campaign.

Simple but wonderfully effective, combining ‘Ooh what’s that?’ invitations to explore with ‘Ooh isn’t that lovely’ moments of beauty. Size doesn’t matter with a gem like this.

So this is a beautiful, sun-drenched idyll in which you’ll never want for something to do, and as such Black Flag is an excellent pirate fantasy. However, the core game is undermined by issues which should have been booted out of the franchise years ago. Eavesdropping missions have always been abysmal, and there’s a boatload of them here.

This isn’t Street Fighter or Soulcalibur, because it doesn’t set out to be. And it’s time series critics accepted that.

What we have then is a wonderfully strong start to what looks set to be another great Telltale episdoic. Smart, dark and stylish, and with plenty of intrigue as to where things go from here.

There are some familiar elements – Arkham City’s ice grenades reappear as the mechanically identical glue grenades for example – and most of the gains are in scale and size rather than substance, but this is still a satisfying adventure with only a few minor faults that’ll keep all but the hardest to please happy.

One very welcome addition is NHL 94 Anniversary mode. [Nov 2013, p.94]

Anniversary features disappoint. [Nov 2013, p.94]

Technical teething issues aside, FFXIV is a blinding online RPG. [Nov 2013, p.92]

Beyond’s a huge technical step forward for interactive drama, but seems less resolute than Heavy Rain not to stray back into familiar game territory. Commit to it like its actors do to the eccentric plot, though, and the rewards are gigantic – Holmes is where the heart is. Another essential purchase for interactive-drama disciples featuring a knockout turn by Page, but one that spreads itself thin telling its story through so many genres.

So it’s F1 2013’s ability to recreate a boring season in a fascinating way, rather than its ticket to oil-stained memory lane, that makes it a worthy purchase.

Beautiful and bizarre, the likeably certifiable antics on show are ultimately undone by a repetitive structure, lack of ideas and undercooked scraps.

A curiosity that rewards, but shouldn’t be showered with praise. There are fewer new ideas in here than it seems in the opening level, but pace-changing pursuits and a dreamy Debussy vibe mean it’s still well worth playing.

For anyone already ingrained in the series, the opportunity to build your own team and take them online will be irresistible. But truthfully, for the uninitiated, there simply isn’t enough here to satisfy those of us desensitised by the bombast of bigger budget western games. Deliberately low on story but high on detail, Verdict Day is one for the (armored) hardcore.

You can let out a disappointed sigh out at the bawdiness of Dragon’s Crown, but you should remain allies for the heroic fighting, hidden depths and looks that will make the even sternest knees knock. A lute-played love song to everything fantasy, Dragon’s Crown brings crisp combat with all the RPG trimmings.

Gameplay is the best it’s been on PS3, and presentation is improved, too, with Jeff Stelling’s pre-match, half-time and post-match links upping the broadcast feel yet again. Whatever your thoughts on annual sports games, you really mustn’t miss this one unless you want to spend the next nine months feeling like a defeated play-off finalist.

With games often lasting five minutes or less, you don’t feel like you’ve lost a lot when you inevitably cark it. While the familiarity you gain with the opening world does get frustrating – you spend a lot of time there – there’s a one-more-go compulsiveness to Spelunky that leaves you chasing more gold than Jr (they called the dog Indiana).

When PES 14 truly shines, though, it outplays its megaton rival in several key areas. If you’re willing to scrape beneath the surface and accept its technical and licensing shortcomings, then this offers a nuanced, deeply rewarding game of football. If Konami can iron out those issues next season, PES United could yet be champions.

There’s simply more here than in any game before, and yet quality is never sacrificed for quantity. Personal favourites will persist, but it’s hard to put anything else on top of the pile. Everything you’ve ever wanted a GTA game to be, and a whole lot more. Consistently hilarious, constantly compelling and combining never-before-seen scale and ambition. This is going to make next-gen look bad for a long time to come.

A strikingly beautiful game that suffocates its solid action core with clumsily scripted waffle and a hodgepodge of bizarre ideas. [Oct 2013, p.90]

Monsters has a humble ambition, and succeeds in it without making too much fuss.

The world is colourful, creative and wildly diverse – you’ll side scroll your way through castle dungeons, haunted forests and pirate ships to name just three – and is brought to life with Dahl-esque wit and flair by a hilarious cast of characters.

The closest Killzone Mercenary comes to having a thing is in its touch controls, and as satisfying as they are the marriage of console shooter and iOS game doesn’t elevate it into the realm of the exceptional.

Functional and at times enjoyable, but in a derivative way that rarely stands out.

It’s an ancient evil residing in a new place, and the marriage of Blizzard’s defiantly old-school dungeon-crawling with its mesmerising craftsmanship works unquestionably. A deceptively simple and expertly constructed Beelzebub-basher, translated smartly for a platform not immediately receptive to the genre.

Level design is so good – so intricate, yet always presenting the right level of challenge – that you take for granted how effortlessly it pulls off each chapter’s musical finale. Racing through a crumbling castle in sync with a gibberish version of Ram Jam’s Black Betty has no right to be this thrilling.

A swing and a miss, but a game that at least delivers an easily wieldable flying model and holds your attention for the first few missions by virtue of endless 'splosions. [Sept 2013, p.95]

No amount of ragdoll-fumbling can save this Gothic horror show. [Sept 2013, p.94]

At just 2.99 this offers fiendishly addictive bursts of blood-splattery for your handheld. [Sept 2013, p.94]

Promise is let down by its execution. [Sept 2013, p.94]

A capable and involving massacre-'em-up shaped from a rusting cookie cutter, but one begging for modernisation via an engine overhaul and some good ideas. [Sept 2013, p.90]

Good-looking but with simple repetitive combat, there's not enough on offer here to back up the potential of its two-girls-one-game premise. [Sept 2013, p.89]

It's fun at first, but the difficulty quickly shifts from "enjoyably challenging" to "I hate and want to dismember you." [Sept 2013, p.88]

A great platform-puzzler for kids. [Sept 2013, p.87]

More hands-on control makes for a marked improvement on last year's sadistically tedious effort. [Sept 2013, p.86]

When the combat works it’s excellent, and the pinstripes-and-fedoras setting always appeals – as does Carter’s wonderfully overblown, “My God… the humanity” personality. Sadly, however, once you’re past the first few hours you’ve seen the best of what’s on offer. The tactical squad combat is hugely enjoyable and rewarding at times, but let down by inconsistency and repetition. Turn-based marvel Enemy Unknown’s remains the Xcom game to beat. Joel Gregory

It’s a clever use of Disney licences that kids will absolutely adore, even if grown-ups will be less enamoured by the mission – and merchandise – structure.

Sam’s learned new tricks, gained an almighty toybox and feels righteously superhuman to control, but spreads himself thin in an effort to impress.

Occasionally excellent, often mired in mediocrity, Saints Row 4 is inferior to Red Dead Redemption and even five-year-old GTA IV in almost every way. And while you’re always likely to miss when comin’ at the kings, Volition’s effort still falls short of the more cohesive Sleeping Dogs, the expansive frolicking on Just Cause 2’s Panau and the polished pantomime of Infamous 2.

A sequel with increased complexity but no more finesse than the original. Payday 2 has a swag bag full of worthy ambitions, but overstretches when it comes to execution.

Although Scrooge’s pogo-stick jump is a tad unresponsive, this is a handsome, crisp platformer that occasionally makes me happier than a duck doing backstroke in a giant bin full of bullion. Well, in-between doing all the swears.

So much of the success of the core series came from the sense of attachment to the characters that developed over time, and that was never going to be possible here.

Ni No Kuni has more charm, Resonance Of Fate’s combat is richer, and Persona tells a far better story. And even then, if you’re intrigued by the Tales series then Vesperia is a better starting point. Fast, fun combat let down by a so-so story and lifeless environments. We’ve seen worse – and weirder – JRPGs, but also a whole lot better.

Do Not Fall is a game of constant death & gnawing tension, rather than enjoyment. A very well put together platformer; it just utterly barbecues your nerves.

This is a fairly immersive and rewarding experience, but more variety would help keep you hooked. The AI generated levels do make Cloudberry an interesting place, but the princess might have to wait a little longer than expected for you and Bob to get around to rescuing her.

Stealth Inc’s mechanically fascinating, and holds you in just the right level of contempt as a player to keep you bashing your head against its heavily guarded walls. Now go forth, and break my heart on those leaderboards, you nimble-thumbed dream-stompers.

A shoddy, cynical cash-in that has absolutely no right to be retailing at 32 Pounds. [Aug 2013, p.95]

Warning: if you hate hard games, don't play this. [Aug 2013, p.94]

The already absurdly wooden voice acting is sometimes marred with bugs. [Aug 2013, p.94]

A surprising, raucous, lovingly updated loot-fest. [Aug 2013, p.93]

It says a lot about Dust 514's quality when shooting through menu screens is more fun than shooting guns. [Aug 2013, p.88]

Interesting is the word. It’s interesting to see how each level works, how each element works together in a level so ingeniously. Stealth Inc’s mechanically fascinating, and holds you in just the right level of contempt as a player to keep you bashing your head against its heavily guarded walls.

Riding to actual Hell over 1000 miles of broken glass using your own scrotum as a toboggan would be more enjoyable.

In a game as average as this humour is the X-factor. For some, Deadpool elevates it; for others, he renders it nigh-on unplayable. I call it nearer the latter and – for the sake of your taste – hope you do, too. Like the main man himself, this is utterly chaotic: funny, fun, rubbish, forgettable. Sadly, the hit rate of that first attribute is too poor to save it.

Unless you’re anti-games lawyer Jack Thompson, you’ll enjoy Hotline Miami for what it is: an impossibly stylish indie tour de force about playing with your food. With its incredible soundtrack in your ears, neon flashes in your peripheral vision and endlessly, shamefully gratifying combat in your hands, you’ll learn to stop worrying and love the wrong.

This is a game that understands the hardcore racer, and that it’s important to choose the font of your bike number. But it’s also a game that believes its handling to be so compelling it doesn’t need to dress up nicely to achieve, say, an 8/10. It isn’t.

Basic gameplay, a by-the-numbers story, and graphics from a bygone era leave this PSP port stuck between a rock and a really outdated place. [July 2013, p.100]

More spider in the bath than friendly neighborhood superhero. [July 2013, p.100]

It's all rather one-note. [July 2013, p.100]

Charming, engaging and affecting, this is a unique experience that any indie fan should take in. Finally, a positive use for the term 'bro-op.' [July 2013, p.98]

When such a talented developer hits these creative, narrative and technical heights, the result is a game that wouldn’t look out of place smuggled into PS4’s launch lineup. The acting is more believable than LA Noire’s hi-tech gurning. There are sneaky set-piece excursions that outdo even Metal Gear Solid 4 at its best. And tying it all together is an utterly mesmerising world instilled with a seamless sense of time and place. This is a work of art in which amazing sights and sounds fuel an emotionally draining, constantly compelling end of days adventure.

Visionary ideas unfortunately fall to a formatted medium. The game world is ambitious and brilliantly realised, but sadly the fighting and platforming can’t keep up. Still, Remember Me is fictionally fresh with a finger on the pulse.

Like four boring cover-shooters layered together. Inventive firearms aside, there’s a crippling lack of ideas: the weapon interplay is mild fun, but it can’t elevate the bland whole.

Lacking its predecessors’ ideas, but a worthy twilight joyride for the Ego engine that nails the white-knuckle speed and screaming tyres like few others.

Immaculately presented and infectiously bombastic. [June 2013, p.108]

The hot toddy of PSN games, if you will. [June 2013, p.107]

More characteristic of the franchise. [June 2013, p.101]

Sometimes ugly, often stupid and always unoriginal, but it still does 'shooting men with guns' well enough to be fun. [June 2013, p.100]

There are absolutely leagues of depth lurking beneath the cutesy surface. [June 2013, p.104]

While nobody could accuse this £11.99 PSN offering of being smart or original, like a fancy-dress night out in an animal onesie it still provides plenty of act-first-think-later thrills.

Like one of nature’s colossal ice cubes trying to crash poor Leo and Kate’s trip, Revelations sadly hits a stumbling block. In one key area, the action has unforgivably regressed from 2005’s Resi 4. Specifically, enemies now barely react to your bullets.

This is - at pretty much all times - entertaining, stylish and hugely enjoyable. There are tightly scripted blasts of action one minute, more open, pensive situations the next...There are individual parts of Metro: Last Light that are easily the equal of Bioshock Infinite, and sections that are better than COD. [June 2013, p.95]