FIFA 15 is an excellent game of football and its presentation and modes are peerless. PES 2015, though, is arguably the best pure representation of the sport ever made.

FIFA 16, as a whole, feels like a new foundation for the series. It takes a little readjustment and not everything is quite in place yet, the lack of tactical difference and the clear scripting are stark in comparison to PES 2016's on-field excellence, but its action feels fresher and built for further improvement. And the work off the pitch remains exceptional.

The delivery may need a little work, but Gone Home’s story is one that’s well worth being a part of. It’s dense, rich, striking and moving; few games this year will leave quite such a mark, and despite a few missteps, it could well prove a watershed moment for interactive storytelling.

It’s testament to Codemasters’ calibre as a developer that they have so successfully revitalised a sport that’d been forgotten in games.

This is a generous, technically excellent and genuinely fascinating omnibus.

Football Manager 2019 is the most compelling and involving upgrade of the game since, for my money, the superb FM14. While some old niggles remain --press interaction still needs its proper overhaul, for instance-- its commitment to openness and accessibility has not come at the cost of its extraordinary depth. Quite the opposite. We go again.

So yes, a similar story indeed. Because despite all of this, PES 2018’s extraordinarily good action continues to push the peripheral stuff where it belongs... in the peripheries. But in the context of continuing to assert itself as the purist’s choice, there is still plenty of change needed off the pitch. Still, that football eh? Bloody hell.

It effortlessly switches from tense stealth to tactical but speedy combat, managing to put most games in both genres to shame in the process.

For players who want to work up a sweat in front of their consoles it's one of the best titles available.

Renegade Ops is, without doubt, a fantastic amalgamation of the tongue-in-cheek comic world and the high score shooter, reminiscent of arcade classics such as Desert Strike. A bullet-fuelled adventure in which battles are vicious, bosses are silly and a great deal of fun can be had by all.

With a comprehensive class-based multiplayer rounding off the package, Bound in Blood is an altogether more polished prospect than its predecessor. At the very least it’s a hugely enjoyable parade of satisfying shooting galleries. But when it finds its stride, it’s a thrilling, wild ride down a road that remains surprisingly less traveled.

From the beautiful storyboard cut-scenes, to the outstanding voice-work, to the stunning soundtrack (courtesy of the highly talented Amon Tobin), to the compelling plot, the classic gameplay, the incredible environment; you start to become overloaded by the praiseworthy content. It is by no means flawless, but inFamous is a compelling, incredibly enjoyable video game and an essential addition to any PS3 owner's game library.

While grown-up gaming is dominated by dark and brooding fantasies, Kirby makes the case for sweetness and light among families.

The oddest thing, however, is how a game that's so breathlessly paced for a good 12 hours succumbs to bloat. As Dead Space 3 creaks towards its denouement, you get the feeling that Visceral packed the first three quarters of the game with such incident, they ran out of stuff to include in the final stretch. It's never dull, but never as consistently engaging either.

There'll always be limitations on console, and it's highly unlikely the game will ever compare to it's PC counterpart, but this is an impressive port and a brilliant game regardless. It's made even more of an ominous time-glutton by having you sprawled out on the sofa, pad in hand, mind, so be careful.

Perhaps the biggest innovation here is also the most controversial. Making good on their ‘The world’s game’ tagline and pre-release promise that this would be their most inclusive iteration yet, EA Sports have now extended their integration of women’s football to Ultimate Team, the series’ most popular – and lucrative – mode which sees gamers collectively spending billions of real-world pounds buying virtual Panini-like packs of players to assemble the best teams possible.

Where a great narrative drives forward a game with beautiful crafting and insightful detail, occasional repeat conversations and low-lit confusion make it a little disjointed in places and can break the otherwise powerful immersion.

The plot’s exceptionally strong too, albeit with one rather jarring bit of progression that didn’t feel hugely believable to me, mainly due to the game’s brevity. It’s enough to stop it being up there at the pinnacle of game storytelling, but only by a hair’s breath. Otherwise, the dialogue is believable, sensitive, thoughtful, the plot surprisingly gripping, and the potential deviations and outcomes are all equally satisfying. It’s £2.79 on Steam, 2-3 hours long, and I absolutely highly recommend this little gem.

Like any commercial videogame Skylanders Giants asks for a substantial investment from its players, but it rewards this with an experience to match.

A world with a sense of humour and fun that will appeal to children and adults alike. A bit like a Pixar film, then. How about that?

Video game narratives can be great, but nothing will surpass the stories we create in collaboration with a game – emergent, unscripted moments that pop up unplanned and create lasting impressions, and that’s where Mankind Divided excels.

This take on Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy puts a premium on character and storytelling, with surprisingly impressive results.

I also really appreciated the fact that there’s a mini-games menu outside of the main quest which offers a more Wii Fit-like experience, allowing you to hand the Ring Con to friends test your skills against them.

The atmosphere is, in a word, anxious - and it’s impossible not to internalize it. Particularly when faced with Quick-Time Events (QTE) which, more often than not, lead to a horrifying death.

A fascinating, if somewhat incomplete package, then. Modern Warfare is a game looking to re-carve its identity as the world’s most evocative and recognisable shooter. A tough feat, despite all the resources clearly thrown at its inception. There are clear missteps along the way as Infinity Ward walks its line, but the direction is an exciting one.

Essentially, Point Lookout feels more like an organic extension of Fallout 3 rather than a collection of missions bolted onto a new environment. A couple of technical glitches aside, this DLC is sure delight players who want to test their mettle in a great new locale.

A great package. While not all of it will suit everyone’s taste, it is worth the price of admission for Final Fantasy X alone. However, if you already picked it up on Vita or PS3, the jump in visuals isn’t quite worth the gil.

Some of the best multiplayer action money can buy. In fact, it's a testament to how good the multiplayer mode is that this title scores as high as it does, given that Killzone 3's campaign plot is undercooked to the point that it's actually still bleeding.