We may have passed the watershed for interactive storytelling of this nature some years back, but Telltale continue to refine and polish their craft to such an extent that even the misery of the narrative can’t hold us back from wanting more.

Arise: A Simple Story, while being a simple game, has an immense amount of things going for it. Its time manipulation mechanic is well implemented and makes you want to explore each stage thoroughly. Its beautiful, soothing and very well made. I am sure most players will find something they like about this quirky little title, I for one, found a lot to like about it.

Age of Wonders III is a must for anyone that will enjoy spending a lot of their time controlling the fights rather than just clicking auto-resolve.

It’s genuinely fun once you hit that sweet spot and shows off the PS4’s potential in a big way, it’s just a shame that it plays it very very safe throughout.

A bold experiment that pays off, Guitar Hero Live moves in a new direction that's vibrant, exciting and contemporary.

It’s not perfect but it’s one of the best online titles ever released.

A brilliant Indie time-killer that's easy to pick up but oh so difficult to put down, Dicey Dungeon deserves lavish praise for its simple design but perplexing gameplay. A must-have for deck-builder fans and dice junkies alike.

It’s not like everything that needs to be improved is touched in one go; nor do we get that brand-new and surprising title. So here we don’t get that ten out of ten rating but Sports Interactive deserve praise for again delivering the best football management simulation around.

Visage has so much going for it as a horror experience that even the most frustrating control issues are easily forgiven. The deep themes of dread and trauma may be too much for more casual gamers who just want a good jolt, but Visage is an absolute must for hardcore horror fans looking for some substance behind their scares.

Elite: Dangerous is a superb game with plenty of room for growth and maturation.

The seeds of a story are there, however, and we can only hope that the writers are more confident grasping this particular nettle in future episodes.

A visually beautiful and hilariously well-written experience let down by an overbearing and clunky fundamental gameplay system. Unfortunately, Paper Mario: The Origami King falls flat in its attempts to bring one too many things into the fold.

With a little more focus to its early stages, these might have been forgiven; as it is, as fine a game as Attila might be, it stands more as a refinement than a revolution for the series.

With beautiful presentation, fantastic emulation, and the potential for co-operation, this is a great collection for those who have fond memories of the old-school.

Whilst not quite in the same league as Zen’s endeavour into the Star Wars universe, mainly due to the table feeling far smaller than its predecessor, The Walking Dead is a fun blast for a few hours and a great introduction to the table range for newbies.

A hell of a lot of game for your money and for the most part a ton of fun, sadly it outstays its welcome leading to total fatigue as you enter the overly long unnecessary home stretch.

Detective gameplay mixed in with Yakuza DNA wrapped up in an engaging crime thriller story with superb voice acting and memorable characters.

While a bit simplistic in some ways, the simplicity of Autonauts lends itself beautifully to engaging gameplay and fun to all who play it.

Forza Motorsport 5 is quite simply car porn running at 1080p, 60fps. Visually stunning and without a rival on the next gen stage.

Skylanders Imaginators is a great step for the franchise, far from perfect and still quite the drain on the wallet but fresh enough to keep even the most fatigued Skylander player (or parent) coming back for more. The addition of the joyous loot grind along with (finally) the ability to create your own Skylander, coupled with a lengthy yet colourful and downright fun campaign, Skylanders Imaginators shows that this is one toys-to-life franchise that isn’t going anywhere.

It might not be technically the best, but it’s more enjoyable than anything since Modern Warfare, or perhaps even the first time we returned to Castle Wolfenstein.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is a beautiful monster, with the best bits of multiple games stapled together to make a fun, if occasionally frustrating, action game in the Star Wars universe.

Featuring genre mastery at the utmost level, Lab Zero Games have created something truly special with Indivisible. Taking such a hefty adventure on the go with the Nintendo Switch is an absolute delight.

It’s very nearly a very good game, and certainly the best introduction to the series for new starters, but it just misses out on feeling like a must have gem.

It falls short of greatness, but the story is enough to keep anyone riveted.

I have nothing but good things to say about Knights and Bikes, it has a great story, great presentation and it is fun to boot. It has a beautiful art style, great music and will keep you entertained throughout its short but very sweet campaign. If you like simple but entertaining games, you will love it, as I did.

More an update than a new game, it's great to be able to re-access your songs and freestyle solos rock.

This takes a lot of the best elements from classic adventures while only hanging on to a few of the weaker ones.

With a modern take on side-scrolling beat-'em-up graphics and a fun set of gameplay ideas, this remake of the classic '80s brawler will take you down a fun nostalgia trip.

Industries brings more depth to an already deep game. Cities Skylines is becoming the de-facto strategy game and we love it.

A fun and thrilling classic beat 'em up that is best enjoyed with others, though a frustrating single player experience and some network issues can interrupt your good time.

Vermintide is a triumphant co-op experience at its best, held back from greatness due to minor technical flaws.

Nintendo's trademark charm runs through the core of Yoshi's Crafted World and as a result it shines brightly. Perfectly quaint visuals abound as much as interesting level designs and puzzles that test a player's ability to use Yoshi's abilities to their fullest.

A fantastic exercise in story telling and character driven gaming which could start a new wave of 'short' style gaming. A must play and high bar for other stories to hit for years to come.

Overkill Software have nearly perfected this wonderful recipe and they are definitely on track to creating something exceptional.

The only thing that marred this fun VR romp, in my opinion, is the length of the game. I would have liked a few more levels to explore and more animals to find. What is there though is well made, beautiful and fun to play. At the end of the day, that is what is important, I had a great time playing it and so did my family.

What we have here is a fun story with enjoyable game mechanics and a true feeling of it being your story, with actual impactful choices lending a level of replayability unseen to date in similar games.

Ultimately, LittleBigPlanet 3 is a pretty decent effort which lamentably hamstrings itself. It’s charming, aesthetically pleasing, and a lot of fun when it works – but various bugs and glitches, long load times, and a lacklustre story mode really drag it down.

A refreshing new entry in the Pokémon series that serves as an entry point for new players, and offers up some interesting new challenges for veterans. Don't sleep on this just because it is different.

It's rarely I can say this but for me The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners had dragged the VR platform forward. With its perfect VR implementation, its brilliant control scheme and its visceral combat, it a pure joy to play. A nasty, gruesome edge of the seat joy but a joy nonetheless. Brilliant.

For Honor brings us a surprisingly deep and downright fun co-op / multiplayer fighter held back from greatness by an incoherent, mundane single-player campaign and the use of peer to peer networking for online matches.

PHOGS! is a fantastic puzzle-platformer for all ages, combining well-designed mechanics with a bright, enchanting aesthetic. Playable alone or with a friend locally or online, there are plenty of levels to keep you busy, and plenty of collectables to seek out and invest your hard-earned bones in. Though at times the lack of camera controls and collision glitches can lead to some unfortunate demises, the experience is one well worth investing in and is not to be missed.

Wrapped in the grainy trappings of detail-perfect environments, Creative Assembly have done devout fans proud, managing to create a game that fits the right tone.

Its colourful presentation and various nods to other fantasy realms is a rather entertaining, if not limited, method of giving these usually pretty one-dimensional games a bit of much needed character. However, the control scheme is incredibly frustrating, particularly trying to aim the ballista with precision and accuracy and could turn the tides of war just enough to turn a few armchair generals off the game completely.

The Banner Saga can be unforgiving at times but it is worth all the effort.

Ultimately what RedLynx has done here is create Trials for the current generation, and brought it to more folks than ever before given the cross-platform availability.

Relive epic battles from every Yu-Gi-Oh! series to date, build and customize your own decks, and challenge yourself online. Full of content with over 9000 cards to collect, all without microtransactions. A definite must buy for Yu-Gi-Oh! fans and a great choice for those new to the franchise. Get out there and Duel!

It’s a great example of the kind of game that works perfectly on the move, but just couldn’t be achieved on a mobile platform.

Full of fun and a joy to get lost in, Cat Quest is only a few whiskers short of being the purrfect game.

For all of its innovative bonuses however, Battlefield 4 on Xbox 360 is beginning to show signs of age. It can be applauded for great water physics and being able to handle the frame rate of a constantly dynamic environment rather well in both single and multiplayer. However, the character models and maps are definitely looking rather blocky and dated, even at 1080p.

Resident Evil 3 is a worthy successor to the Resident Evil 2 remake in every respect. A perfect reimagining and one of the best entries in the Resident Evil franchise.

With Driveclub Bikes Evolution Studios have been able to surprise us all with no previous inkling we’d get to ride on two wheels, but when we did, we’ve been able to do so properly and from the start. That in itself is an improvement on the original game.

Madden NFL 20 might just be the series' best outing to date. Between a less-oppressive Ultimate Team Mode, an excellent player career mode, and more exciting on-the-pitch plays it offers a whole lot of excellent content. Minor tweaks aside, Franchise mode could do with some love next year, but it isn't enough to dull these Friday Night Lights (sorry).

Faster, smoother, and bursting at the seams with content, Berseria delivers a much needed kick to the series.

While Star Wars: Squadrons cannot touch the depth or importance of X-Wing vs TIE Fighter, this is easily the best Star Wars space sim since that game-changing classic, and the best Star Wars game of the Disney era.

A huge step in the right direction but is a tough on newcomers who may be put off by its complexity.

Wizard of Legend is a sharp, satisfying and challenging action roguelike title with more than enough variety, difficulty and excellent execution to justify a purchase.

If you want a game that feels like the pad is an extension of your person, where every turn, every race feels like an out of body experience where one false move means glorious vehicular madness. This games for you. If you want a party game where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the scale of Paradise City in all its interconnected trials and tribulations. This games for you.

Safe to say though that as commendable an effort as People Can Fly have made here it is getting a bit stale. We are at the stage now where we are seeing tweaks and iterations as opposed to must have fundamental changes and it will be interesting to see where the franchise goes from here.

Halo Wars 2 offers fans of the franchise a whole new swathe of lore and is a damn fine real time strategy to boot - all playable from the comfort of your sofa.

Whether you're a seasoned Warhammer vet with figure-paint on your fingernails, or just taking your first steps into classic turn-based fantasy, you won't be disappointed. Besides, it's always a pleasure to slay a bunch of creeps for a brand-spanking new +6 axe.

Paper Beast blew me away. It was not what I was expecting at all and it challenged me, not too much but just enough to get my brain working. Its beautiful, it sounds amazing and its a game like no other on PlayStation VR. If you want to play something a bit different, just go and buy it. It will not be everyone's cup of tea but I can see a lot of people really enjoying it. I did.

Not only a curiosity with it's Mega Drive release, Tanglewood is also a solid and challenging platformer in its own right.

FIFA 2020 is a return to form for EA's blockbuster sports series. It still needs to improve in a few areas - Career mode, in particular - but new additions such as VOLTA and House Rules FUT are title-winning prospects.

A fantastic addition to the base game with great detail in both the story and the visuals. If you are a lover or fan of the game already, this expansion is definitely for you.

But, I digress – the framework is there for an excellent game. However, just as they did back on original release, the driving mechanics of Rorona Plus leave you unable to appreciate these systems fully, your journey around Arland never really feels epic enough, and apart from a couple of overpowered bosses towards the end the combat is too limited.

F1 fans may lap it up, but for non-aficionados the series remains as niche as ever. For something a little more accessible from their driving stable, GRID 2 may be a better alternative.

Rise and Fall is a strong addition to the base game and helps it reach higher in the ranks of a Civ game. The new features change the way each game plays out and give some needed variety to each match in a way that is genuinely interesting and immensely satisfying.

A solid return to its roots, Call of Duty WWII reminds us what made us all fall in love Call of Duty in the first place. It ticks all the boxes which is both a blessing and a curse. Good fun and worth your time but offers nothing exceptional.

The the gameplay is amazing, it is an absolute blast to play, but it felt like Shadow Warrior 2 could have been so much more.

Golf Story is full of character and charm. There's heaps of humour as well as things to do - and the golf isn't half bad either.

Definitely a deep and enjoyable strategy game, from the way you kit your mechs out to the way you approach each fight, everything is up to you. The battles can feel a little slow paced at times and the game still has a few bugs that can cause crashes as well. An enjoyable game but one that still needs a few more patches to stop the issues.

Age may have formed a few cracks in its legendary skin, and perhaps the over reliance on randomness from the Dungeons and Dragons’ ruleset seems rather archaic, but within this slumbering ancient beast lies a mighty heart waiting to be awakened once more.

Indivisible is a gorgeous game that beautifully blends genres to create an engaging, exciting experience. This is a pleasantly refreshing take on a much reproduced gaming formula.

Stellaris is a game that begs you to explore but with erratic sector AI and trait conflicting win conditions it is a confusing and at times unexciting game to play.

With a set of characters who never take themselves too seriously, or anything for that matter, and a combat system that makes Fenyx a joy to control, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a whole lot of fun.This debut outing from this IP from Ubisoft's Quebec studio has its flaws, but ultimately I want to keep playing it.

Battletech: Flashpoint adds some much needed mission variety alongside meaningful conversation choices outside the battlefield, but the limited number of new mechs and single new biome aren't going to justify the price for all but the most dedicated Battletech fans.

Borderlands 3 is a safe step forward for the franchise, but rough optimization, a leaning toward old jokes and a pair of underwhelming antagonists take some of the shine from this otherwise thoroughly enjoyable and beautifully rendered sequel.

Budget Cuts looks great, plays amazingly, is well designed and a lot of fun. Barring too much time spent in load screens, I loved every second of it. It gives you the various tools you need to succeed but leaves you free to explore and work your way through the game how you wish. If you have a PSVR headset then give it a go, its a brilliant game.

It would be hard not to recommend Teleglitch: Die More Edition because of the completeness of both its vision and its conceit. However, I would preface this recommendation with a warning that this is not for the faint of heart or those prone to rage quits. You will be rewarded for your time spent here, what you have is a masochistic delayed gratification but truth be told, isn’t that the best kind?

Fans of JRPGs will find enough to satiate their Tales craving and others would be wise to take a look into the world as well.

A wonderfully charming platformer than has more character in the first five minutes than some manage in their entirety. The inclusion of local co-op means you can make your way through the story with a friend and share the weirdness together.

Whilst it takes a longer than normal to get used to the controls and can sometimes feel sluggish, In Other Waters is a beautifully designed and wonderfully written exploration game.

It’s charming and easy to fall in love with - dependant on your familiarity with storytelling in games away from the blockbuster excesses. However, picking it up expecting deep gameplay and equally involved experiences would be potentially too hasty.

If you've never played either of these titles before and a fan of the genre they're a worthy addition to your library. Otherwise there's little added to warrant a re-purchase.

Part Time UFO is simple, it's cute and it's a huge dose of fun. This port of the 2018 mobile game comes with numerous additions for Nintendo Switch, and might just be the best co-op title on the console for some time.

I am addicted, my sons are addicted and we have to share a Switch. Frankly, its hell. Once Forager gets its long claws into you, you're in trouble. Its so moreish, its a lot of fun and there is always something to be doing, some new items to find or build. Just go and buy this game now its great fun. Its definitely one of my favorite games of the year so far.

As is befitting, Stealth Inc.: A Clone in the Dark snuck up on gamers and took everyone by surprise. With so many inspirations there’s bound to be something that most will relate to, be it a belittlingly wry attitude, spatial logic puzzles or simply Sam Fisher’s goggles (minus a lens). Try it, buy it and you’ll experience a charming puzzler that hides everything but its devious charm.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn plays it safe, never straying far from the MMO formula.

Finishing a trilogy was always going to need bigger explosions and greater stakes – unfortunately this has come at the sacrifice of true horror.

Whilst there's not a lot added here, what there is makes Cities: Skylines an even more complete city building simulation.

MOTHERGUNSHIP gives you everything you expect from a FPS Bullet hell. Which is to say that there are a lot of bullets, both to dodge and to fire. It is a frenetic and chaotic shooter with a great crafting system that makes the whole thing feel like LEGO had an angry baby with Doom.

The Missing – J.J. MacField and the Island of Memories combined it's puzzle-platformer gameplay and narrative in a way that truly makes use of the medium and highlight's it's best potential. Difficult subject matter and a leaning toward the surreal drive a story that touches upon aspects of humanity that are rarely explored in games.

Green Planet provides an end game and sense of conclusion to Surviving Mars, offering up enough challenge and new content to keep those already interested on the hook and perhaps even provoke some fence sitters to reach into their pockets and pay up for a ticket to a potential future.

Die-hard fans of Control are certain to enjoy their time with The Foundation but anyone who found the core gameplay experience frustrating, either mechanically or technically, will find very little incentive to return.

The Wonderful 101 is an incredibly enjoyable game, despite the initially daunting control system. The nonsensical story, funny characters and intense action all come together to create an excellent romp. While the controls do hiccup on occasion and some later sections do drag on a little it still remains a uniquely enjoyable action title, and one of the strongest exclusives currently available for the Wii U.

Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen still looks and feels just as good as it did way back in 2012 and I love it just as much now as I did then. It's a solid RPG that offers you that little bit extra and you will easily get hundreds of hours out of it if you're willing to put it the graft, which you can do a hell of a lot easier now you can take it on the go.

Spectacular visuals, weighty gunplay and a great single player campaign that is complemented perfectly by what we have seen of the multiplayer all combine to provide the triple-A title that the gaming commentariat have been clamouring for.