While it may not always feel fair, you’ll be hard pressed to find a game that’s as intense and rewarding as Dark Souls II.

While it’s still riddled with technical issues on occasion, very rarely does game writing soar this high.

If you can work through the mind numbing first couple of hours, Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky blooms into an addictive JRPG. Much like an alchemical formula, the individual pieces of this concoction are less impressive than its whole – just don’t jump into the release expecting to make something out of nothing.

While it lacks the endearing appeal of some of its older siblings, The LEGO Movie Videogame is still a strong cinematic tie-in that serves as a perfect accompaniment to the big screen blockbuster – even if you should ensure that you visit the theatre first.

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition doesn’t solve the core gunplay issues that plagued the release’s original outing, but this is still a fine upgrade for those merely looking for some rotten flesh to fire at.

Tales of Symphonia deserves your attention. If you can stomach JRPGs at all, you owe it to yourself to check it out. The biggest disappointment in this compilation is the sequel, so we recommend picking up the first game cheaper from the PlayStation Store.

A truly brilliant television tie-in. Every scene is stuffed with references and Easter eggs, and the dialogue is so authentically written and acted that you really feel like you’re playing through an episode of the show. Performance issues and minor irritations do hold the experience back a touch, but this is still a must-play for fans of the franchise.

Gunslugs packs a real punch by giving you plenty of bang for your buck.

Contrary to what its name may suggest, Pac-Man Museum isn't a stuffy building stacked full of the mascot's bones, but is instead a great way to celebrate a classic franchise – assuming that you're willing to cough up the cash.

Lords of Shadow 2 falls short of the high bar set by its predecessor, with niggly control issues, a somewhat empty open world, and frustrating stealth sections sucking a bit of life out of the experience. Fortunately, fans of the original release will undoubtedly enjoy the exciting combat and stellar graphical design on offer here.

It’s more likely, then, that the developers thought that a popular name and a cheap budget would turn a profit – and with a boxed product and the promise of DLC on the way, we imagine that it’ll probably make a fortune.

At its blistering best, Strider is a joy to play – its silky smooth controls making it difficult to not feel like the unstoppable agent himself. It's a welcome return to a beloved franchise, but it falls just short of maintaining the momentum that's expected of it, and instead opts to slice its way into a new generation with some less than exhilarating gameplay additions.

Like a cheesy 80s pop record, Earth Defense Force 2025 is so bad that it’s almost quite good.

While there are glimmers of an outstanding experience, the title’s amalgamation of ideas never quite forms a perfect circuit, making this an interesting experiment that could have been so much more.

Outside of its gripping boss battles, Toukiden: The Age of Demons doesn't do much to get you excited.

Dustforce is a very enjoyable game for the most part, but its later levels suck the entertainment out of the experience, as it becomes little more than an exercise in anger management.

This second chapter picks up the ball from the first episode and runs with it.

Ys: Memories of Celceta doesn’t bring anything new to the action RPG table, but makes such strong use of its combat that it’s still hard to put down. It may not have the most engrossing narrative or original ideas, but it still manages to keep you hooked throughout the course of its campaign.

This is a touching, intelligent, and largely refreshing extension to the core escapade, and while it’s not exactly brimming with narrative revelations, it’s still a beautiful story that you shouldn’t let pass you by.

This title expertly fuses classic arcade staples with modern game design to provide a sleek gaming rush right in the palms of your hands.

Doki-Doki Universe is a unique and quirky timewaster that unfortunately runs out of steam due to a lack of challenge and variety in its gameplay. While the colourful characters and brilliant art style keep it off the scrap heap, those craving a more involved experience would be better off summoning a different title to add to their collection.

It’s not perfect, but Outlast is still arguably one of the best survival horror games in recent memory.

Featuring a colourful collection of memorable characters, some sweat-inducing gameplay, and a narrative that has more twists than a Hollyoaks omnibus, Spike Chunsoft's bloody tale of high school life will keep you engrossed from start to finish.

Surge Deluxe is a shockingly enjoyable experience built upon an engaging leaderboard system that constantly encourages you to up your game.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is an exceptional port of an already entertaining escapade, but outside of the extravagant visuals, there’s not a whole lot to sweeten the purchase a second time.

There’s clearly been a lot of love invested into Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse – Episode 1, and it will take franchise fans on a trip down memory lane as a result.

Unresponsive controls, dull combat, and obnoxious humour that even the most immature gamer would find difficult to smile at makes Zombeer a complete creative disaster.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with Twisted Lands: Shadow Town, but it just doesn’t feel at home on the PS3.