Traversal is fluid and fun, combat is enjoyably simple, and the level design is often lovingly crafted, but it never comes close to stepping out of its comfort zone and trying something remotely memorable.

Misplaced microtransactions sully the experience slightly – but this is still only a few scratches short of a flawless victory.

The best way to determine whether Paperbound is for you is by answering one simple question: can you assemble a group of people to play video games with on a regular occasion? If the answer's yes, then put this on your watch list; it's a fun and fulfilling casual brawler that will provide solid afternoons of multiplayer action. If not, then you should probably consider closing the book on your interest in this.

The lack of information about the world makes you feel like you're just roaming a random castle or tower, like those Mega Drive roguelikes where the only goal was to get to the end. The length and price just help to make this excellent idea more unattractive.

It's the under-the-hood gameplay improvements and additions that really make the difference, then; engaging in mental battles with base runners, pitchers, and even outfielders is a big part of the experience this time out. As a result, this is the best entry in a franchise that's showing no signs of slowing down – even after ten years of success.

It's by no means a bad game on the whole, but it opts to float idly on the side of numbingly average rather than attempt to stand out in any way. Well, unless you're making music videos.

While the industry's current love of rehashing games that are barely a year old is something that we should all be very suspicious of, Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is so much more than just a simple clean-up job.

Jamestown+ has a great foundation in that it's an extremely addictive and equally challenging shmup, whether you're playing alone or with friends.

While those with no love for the franchise will, unsurprisingly, find nothing for them here, it does – as a result of the visual upgrades – provide a handsome jumping on point for newcomers, as well as a great way for the Borderlands faithful to catch up on anything that they might have missed.

From start to finish, Bloodborne revels in its unique – if somewhat masochistic – approach to entertainment. There are very few games that cause you to curse their developer one minute and sing their praises the next – but this is one of them. It is, quite simply, a sensationally designed and superbly refined offering.

Scram Kitty DX is a hard game to get to grips with, but is a wonderfully unique take on some more traditional genres.

If you're the type of person that likes to brag on Twitter about how many times Bloodborne has kicked your backside, then Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones may just be the challenge that you're looking for. Others should pause before purchasing, as your patience threshold will determine just how much enjoyment you get out of this sneaky sequel.

At the end of the day, we're not entirely sure why R.B.I. Baseball has been revived. A full-on, retro styled game would perhaps be a reasonable alternative to MLB The Show, but this game ventures way too closely to Sony's series without having the budget to compete – and it makes a poor connection as a consequence. Bench this one, and get your baseball fix elsewhere.

Repetitive gameplay and a lack of original ideas drain this enthusiastic athlete of energy, however, and you'll be tired of the free-to-play experience long before you reach the finish line.

This game is a testament to the type of human creativity, innovation, and wonder that are sometimes only possible with indie games, and now that it has graced Sony's systems, you can understand why it will continue to entrench itself as a classic for years to come.

It hangs around briefly, but Doodle Kingdom proves itself a worthy addition to the Doodle ranks.

Rack N Ruin is a lot of fun when everything clicks, but these moments just don't happen often enough.

If you've never seen the appeal of these types of games, then chances are this won't change your mind. Devoted fans of the genre, however, will no doubt adore Tom Happ's opus.

If you want to build up a stable of obsessively rendered motorcycles, each tuned to your exacting tastes, then this may get your internal engine roaring for a while – but everyone else will find a competently made racing game that, beneath all of the gusto of its creepy announcer, never really hits top gear.

Life Is Strange: Episode 2 – Out of Time has an excellent ending, but it's letdown by pacing issues that make the events leading up to that point feel inconsequential.

Through three episodes, the developer has shown that it's more than up to the task of delivering a story worth residing in George R.R. Martin's world, and this latest episode is a shining example of where things could be heading moving forwards.

If you missed out the first time around, Toukiden: Kiwami shouldn't be avoided. The expanded storyline provides a great backdrop for the property's addictive gameplay loop, and a wealth of new content, coupled with some thoughtful tweaks and additional features, gives returning players more than enough reason to renew their slaying license.

As it stands, without any online functionality, no creation suite, a litigious gaggle of performers, and dodgy mechanics, this game is all but impossible to recommend to anyone.

Small in both scope and budget, Slender: The Arrival is little more than a rest stop on the way to something bigger and better.

It's a decent game that gets points for originality of concept, but how much value it has is down to how much you enjoyed previous entries in the franchise, and how much you'd like to see the Cop FPS genre become a thing.

Episode Four: Metamorphosis' lop-sided nature means that it's individually weaker than its immediate predecessor, but when you consider its importance to the story, you'd mad to miss out. Just make sure that you get the good ending, sit back, and soak up the silliness.

This instalment feels like it's treading water, waiting for future outings to move things forwards. The humour and characters carry things a bit, but Episode 3 will need to be much better.

Shiftlings is a fun, quirky title that may surprise those who decide to give it a go.