Bladestorm: Nightmare's vast battlefields only become truly welcoming once you're embedded deep within its progression system, but those who are on the lookout for a bit of tactical action will definitely want to test their mettle as a mercenary all the same. While combat's never spectacular, and the game isn't quite as strategic as it perhaps promises to be at first glance, it's still easy to get lost in this historical hack-'em-up's rewarding gameplay loop.

Valley of the Yetis feels like a medley of Far Cry 4's greatest hits, and while none of the missions stray particularly far from the established formula, you'll still have fun scavenging for weapons and building your defences, which at least makes up for the disappointing Yetis.

If you want a hard-as-nails adventure that'll have you swearing at random people on the street, then this might just be the game for you. La-Mulana EX is a quality recreation of the titles from yesteryear, but perhaps lacks a little soul of its own as a result.

Even though it can take a little while to truly click, this is a unique and refreshing entry in Square Enix's beloved franchise, and a one that's a prime candidate for an even better sequel.

Its ambition is modest, but the execution is good, with ridiculous plot beats, larger than life boss fights, and solid puzzles. Only the dismal environments let this instalment down, which are more lifeless than the corpses that you'll be pumping full of lead.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number is certainly worth giving a go if you revel in action and the thrill of risk/reward situations. While newcomers may be left in the dark, fans of the first game will most likely complete it feeling pleased and satisfied.

You'll know with a single glance whether you're interested at all in playing The Awakened Fate Ultimatum. It's a niche hardcore RPG with an undoubtedly Japanese style of storytelling, falling victim to almost every cliché in the book throughout its duration – but doing so unashamedly.

Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea is the perfect end to an enchanting and mysterious trilogy, reaching the high point that the series has been leading up to.

White Night does a lot right, delivering a great story which only dips slightly in the run up to its conclusion.

Oreshika: Tainted Bloodlines' story could have done more with its fascinating premise, but the real meat of this experience comes in the form of its constant and dynamic gameplay systems, which allow for a superb sense of progression.

DmC: Devil May Cry - Definitive Edition is one of the more thoughtful remasters on the PS4, and its emphasis on modifiers means that you can more or less tailor the experience to your tastes.

You'll need real perseverance to get the most out of Flame Over, but once you get to grips with the game, it'll grow on you like an out-of-control inferno. Packing plenty of replay value, this is hard to put down once you straddle its early hurdles – and while we're not convinced that everyone will be willing to put the work in, the few that do will be fighting fires for some time.

Limbo holds up incredibly well on the PS4, but it would have been nice to see a little more from this port – especially seeing as it's not cross-buy compatible.

Zombie Army Trilogy is an enjoyable co-operative shooter that's a lot of fun when played with others. Unfortunately, it runs out of steam all too quickly, giving you a severe dose of déjà-vu once you realise that you're playing very similar encounters, with only the backdrop changing.

This is another enjoyable romp, though, which sprinkles just enough new ideas into the experience to make it stand on its own. Most importantly, the action is much tenser this time around, and while it's still largely ridiculous, it will have you squirming at points.

While the gameplay ties into various personality traits in some interesting ways, the puzzles are nowhere near challenging enough, allowing you to power through most of what this title has to offer in just a few hours. As a result, unless you have a penchant for unique indie titles, you won't need to take a test to work out that this probably isn't the game for you.

Silly and colourful, Starwhal: Just the Tip makes a great first impression. At first you'll fall for the title's fun-loving attitude, but beyond that, it has some of the most entertaining competitive multiplayer that we've seen in a while.

Tight controls, top-notch levels, and tons of content ensure that this sequel makes a clean landing – the only stumble being that its excellent local multiplayer mode isn't quite ready for prime time yet.

Gameplay is quick, satisfying, and often chaotic, and the stratagem system gives the action a unique identity. The only question mark here is the one that hangs over the title's community, which must be sustained if the shooter is to realise its impressive potential.

It adds some key stuff, including zombies, which will no doubt tempt even the stingiest of DLC shoppers. Whatever you're willing to pay for it, you won't be disappointed when you finally pull the trigger.

Atelier Ayesha Plus: The Alchemist of Dusk offers the perfect start for fledgling apothecaries. However, while its features are vastly improved over titles in the previous trilogy, its combat system is outshined by successor Escha & Logy. Thankfully, for those playing exclusively on the Vita, this issue can be cast aside, and you'll find an in-depth storyline with oodles of character development here.

Motorcycle Club feels unfinished. The repetitive races, dreary challenges, horrendous sound, and unbalanced motorbike classes ruin what could have been a promising game. Unless you're utterly desperate for a two-wheeled arcade racer, then you'd be wise to ride as far away from this release as possible.

It's hardly a revelatory release thus far – but this could yet be great.

Trivial Pursuit Live! is an amusing, original adaptation of the original board game. Its terrible online mode, visual slowdown, and lack of variations let down what is otherwise great fun with friends. For the right people, under the right circumstances, you won't see a single problem. For everybody else, this is one to buy later down the line.

Sadly, if you've been holding out for a more traditional Dragon Ball fighter, Dragon Ball XenoVerse isn't it. It is, however, a well realised and refreshing take on Akira Toriyama's universe, which allows fans to appreciate the source material from a whole new angle.

Despite being a little overwhelming at first, Dynasty Warriors 8: Empires blossoms into an engrossing, addictive hack and slash adventure that fans won't want to miss. It's a shame that the game's bogged down by poor presentation and an unstable framerate, but along with the property's trademark combat, strategic elements add some variety to the mix, and the vast amount of customisation options and role-playing systems allow you to forge a legend that's more than worthy of the Three Kingdoms.

htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary has an interesting story and some decent art, but the touch controls and trial and error puzzles make it a hateful affair.

Despite low expectations, AeternoBlade manages to show some promise in its time manipulating mechanics – especially when they're used to solve puzzles and explore. Ultimately, though, this single strength is compromised by the rest of the package.