Full speed wall running and bombastic action make this very difficult and very attractive platformer an exciting challenge to conquer.

With this introduction to the world of hacking Ubisoft have created a behemoth of an IP, one that promises much. Like its predecessor though, we’ll have to wait for the tighter and more focussed second iteration, removing what didn’t work and improving that which did, to realise that full potential.

While sometimes skirting a bit close to the line between inspiration and clone, Rogue Heroes has a lot to love. If you have a few friends to take dungeon crawling with you, you will laugh together, you will loot together, and you will have to work as a team to succeed. My boys and I got a lot of enjoyment from playing Rogue Heroes, and I think most other players will do too.

Despite the extremely ropey visuals and general low production values, State of Decay is a compelling alternative to the linear, plot-driven zombie tales that roam the current gaming landscape.

It’s the Tropico you know and love - but with a new developer, it should have had more than that.

The bugs still remain but Syndicate is saved by a wonderfully vivid London, despite everything else feeling dated.

With its disposable plot and bizarre genre choice, John Wick: Hex is not for all fans of the high octane movie franchise but turn-based strategy fans will certainly get a lot out of this experience.

Still one of the best multiplayer experiences.

Not only does it manage to convey a lot of information in a way that's fun, but from the voice-controlled main menu to the mini games that get the child to learn through doing, this is one of the few pieces of commercial software that really clicks with the often-obtrusive Kinect and makes it seem worthwhile.

Out Of Time doesn’t make the same impact that Chrysalis did, but it is just as good in every respect.

Arguably the best entry in a franchise which shows no signs of withering.

All told though, once you get past the initial baptism of fire Charlie Murder still has lots to recommend it. With the addition of two further playthroughs of increasing difficulty available once you complete it, there’s plenty of longevity in the game. Whether you’ll want to do it solo is another matter though. Grab some friends and turn the dial up to eleven - it will make for a far better experience.

Filled with twists and turns, the penultimate episode delivers one explosive finale and, with only one instalment left to tie up Clementine’s story, it still feels like anything could happen.

Like its predecessor, Grid 2 offers a pleasing mix of driving sim and arcade racer and is accessible to seasoned veterans and tarmac newbies alike. It’s an evolution which doesn’t take many risks, instead opting to refine and polish the original game to a glistening sheen, but doesn’t do it to the game’s detriment.

Death Squared doesn't do anything particularly new but its execution is wonderful. More to the point, with the right group of friends, it's a downright hilarious way to spend an evening.

If you’re a fan of JRPGs and have a Nintendo 3DS this is a game you’ll want to play.

While better on PC, the PS4 release brings this remarkable game to a new crowd.

8-bit inspired open world crafting and exploration idle game that will surely capture the hearts of both fans and non-fans of the genre.

As a package, Dead Rising 3 is probably the most fully-fledged first-party title for the Xbox One.

With only one episode left to go, Escape Plan Bravo offers a well-deserved but still enjoyable break in the action.

Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 is very much what its name implies, an evolution. Konami have taken off the gloves and issued a very strong challenge to EA; whether or not this will translate to actual sales is yet to be seen as this battle will be fought over the coming year.

Per Aspera is a one-of-a-kind entry in the genre. It engages the mind and soul in a way management simulators never achieve. This is a must-have for fans of the genre and fans of quality hard sci-fi.

The third version of Hyrule Warriors is certainly the best version. The tweaks made to this version help it to be more enjoyable than the original and with all the DLC included, this is an incredible amount of content to work through. Worth playing if you love it, need a good co-op game, or haven't played it, but it won't win over any new fans.

A quietly compelling return to Oregon, which substitutes sci-fi gimmickry for an earnest look at growing up.

An unforgettable experience, Rapture deserves to be played by anyone with a fondness for stories.

Interesting, unique, but ultimately unfulfilling.

Not dead on arrival, The Following is a meaty chunk of gaming fun.

The addition of new anomalies, leviathans, and gates to new systems Distant Stars does a great job of continuing the ongoing expansion of Stellaris. The game is an immensely enjoyable experience and the new features serve to give even more variety in each match.

While not doing much that point and click games have not done before, Irony Curtain does what it does very well. Its very funny, extremely pretty and tells a good story. You cannot ask for much more than that really.

If the story draws you in then the choose-your-own-adventure gameplay won’t matter but those tired of Telltale’s approach won’t find anything revolutionary.

An astounding achievement. Hello Games deserve credit for creating one of the best games of this console generation - even if it did take a couple of years longer than planned.

Audica is certainly unique, and provides a good change of pace alongside a more robust title like Beat Saber, but it isn't yet the industry innovator that it could be. It has a high skill floor and an even higher skill ceiling, but maintains the universal reward when you put the time in and improve. [Ear; Access Score = 70]

Far Cry Primal is far from perfect but thanks to its historical setting it is a breath of fresh air for the franchise.

Street Fighter V is a wonderful game that’s not ready yet for launch. That’s not to say it doesn’t work - and work well - at what it does (most of the time). The problem is there’s not really enough of it, all working all the time, to warrant a release now.

Despite a few flaws, it’s easy to recommend Expeditions: Conquistador for a number of reasons - the storyline, the strategic battles, the exploration and levelling. As an example of any one genre it’s hard to pin down, as it (generally) succeeds in trying lots of things and combining them into a fun and challenging experience. The result is a rewarding and nuanced game with few peers.

A rough gem that is not only a great game in its own right but also acts as the perfect hype generator for Fallout 4.

It’s probably the best RTS available on consoles right now, and a great example of an expert port.

With improved performance and the addition of co-op gameplay functionality, Lego City Undercover is elevated to the status of one of the better, more fun modern day Lego titles.

The appeal of the series has always been in its graphics and Crysis 3 still stands tall as one of the best looking console games of this generation. As many first person shooters shrivel up in the shadow of Call of Duty, Crysis 3’s tactical gameplay and the introduction of the predator bow help it stand apart from the usual suspects of the genre. However, seen as a series that pushed graphics and gameplay to the limits, the third installment’s lack of innovation is perhaps its only weakness.

Blasphemous takes a few well trodden genres and mashes them into something that is fun, rewarding and downright beautiful. Its story, themes and macabre nature will not suit everyone but I could not get enough of it. Its difficulty is near-perfect, not too hard but enough of a challenge to please most players. Metroidvania fans, Souls-like fans and gamers who want a challenge will revel in this games gorgeously crafted world. Its a brilliantly crafted experience that needs to be played.

We’ve seen several games this year past e.g. Fez, Spec Ops: The Line, which can truly be said to have advanced the medium, and I wholeheartedly include Thomas Was Alone in that group.

A brave attempt at cross medium entertainment, let down by leaning more one way than the other.

A great introduction to newcomers and a nostalgic trip for veterans, World of Final Fantasy is a beautiful game, whose hilarious characters and deep story more than make up for short and sometimes sloppy world design.

Take control of Death, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse on an epic journey to far-reaching realms to absolve his brother War’s crimes. Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is chocked full with every story DLC including The Abyssal Forge, The Demon Lord Belial, and Argul’s Tomb. The broadest in scope amongst the Darksider franchise with added mechanics like a looting system and skill tree not found in the other titles. Darksiders II is a game worth coming back to or trying out for the first time on the Switch.

This all adds up to a mixed bag of a conclusion. The quality of the action, the design of the maps and the addition of novelties for Daud is top-notch and deserves credit. Arkane themselves earn great respect for supporting the title with narrative-based DLC ensuring fans are sated. But in so doing they perhaps dilute what’s gone before.

Arms is Nintendo at its very best. It keeps things simple enough to be fun for the casual player but nuanced enough to satisfy hardcore fighters.

11-11: Memories Retold is an unabashed artistic masterpiece; its few technical problems barely detract from a fantastic game.

Chronicles of Mystara will appeal to D&D enthusiasts, beat-‘em-up fans, and anyone feeling misty-eyed about the disappearance of arcades from our towns.

A fresh take on the Mega Man X formula, 20XX delivers great run-and-gun platforming in a modern context.

An aesthetically charming adventure with an important message, if you can tolerate the occasionally mundane game play.

Sanctum 2 is a jack of some trades, and while it doesn't master them it makes them a lot of fun.

Fantastic looking brawler made by a team that understands the source material and the fans.

Renegade Kid’s throwback to yesteryear in both style and gameplay make for a rather difficult, but ultimately rewarding game that perfectly captures the tone of pulp sci-fi.

Despite an increase in action, Game of Thrones continues to disappoint with a sidenote storyline.

It’s not going to surpass Rock Band as the de facto music party game, neither is it going to save Kinect. But, as a potential swansong to Microsoft’s neglected camera, Fantasia: Music Evolved is more than worthy.

Thrilling and polished, Infinite Warfare is a generously loaded game but one that does nothing new against its rivals.

Soul Sacrifice can stand on its own feet proudly, but it’s the potential of the birth of a franchise that should get gamers everywhere smiling into their Mountain Dew. With a few tweaks and additions Keiji Inafune’s baby could well come back to rule the roost – until then, dive in and experience it but try not to lose your soul to the game...

A Crooked Mile continues the Fabletown tale in fine form, elevating it above the weaker second chapter and putting it on a par with the first.

Dragon’s Crown is, without a doubt, the most ambitious, most accomplished brawler of this generation. Fans of the genre have something here that will keep them busy far into the next generation, with the game providing hundreds of hours of content for those willing to put the time in.

When the engrossing gameplay is combined with the beautiful visuals and satisfying soundtrack, you get a game that delivers in every single way.

A beautifully realised and often harrowing cyberpunk tale let down by repetition and gameplay which is both simple and frustrating in equal measure.

If the thought of a long-range shot passing through the eye-socket of a Nazi appeals well, then, give it a shot.

A cleverly plotted puzzle game wrapped in the cloak of a murder-mystery. It may be brief, but The Sexy Brutale will certainly deliver an unforgettable evening.

Jump back in time to the 16-bit era with these Disney classic games originally found on the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Not a collection for everyone, but for those gripped by this pure nostalgia. These titles haven’t necessarily aged well, but there are enough added features to mitigate some unfair difficulty with; save features, a rewind button, extra difficulty settings, and the ability to watch a game playthrough and jump in at any point. Also with a lot of bonus content with multiple versions of each game, interviews with the creators and a plethora of original art that grounds you in the context to help you appreciate the games more.

The best compliment I can give Strider is that it is a game that will succeed on its own merits and not by comparison to the original.

With its great art and challenging scenarios, it was a joy to play Little Big Workshop. Although I hope they introduce a sandbox mode with your own criteria set, it took nothing away from the enjoyment I had the original story line. A must have if you are into you management sims.

If you missed it the first time around, Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is well worth picking up.

Despite its flawed boss design, Remnant: From the Ashes has enough to make a case for it being an action RPG in its own right with solid progression systems, good combat and its own take on the Souls formula.

Multiplayer is well catered for, and while as previously stated a generous amount of learning time to get familiar with the factions is highly recommended, there’s plenty of fun to be had for old RTS veterans and newcomers alike. One sticking point is the current small number of maps available; thankfully a well-featured map editor has been included at launch for fans to create and submit their own.

Veterans of the point-and-click genre may find many of Broken Sword’s puzzles straightforward but if you haven’t already picked it up it’s a game worthy of anyone’s collection.

Like a well-brewed cup of tea, the wait has finally paid off. We are finally getting the resolutions that this well-paced episodic deserves.

Northgard certainly is not a bad game by any means, though I felt myself wanting it to be more of a game. Whether simplified for console release or not, I found myself craving more depth throughout my time in this Norse world.

While Shadow Legends does not quite scratch that VR fantasy RPG itch I have had for a while. What it does is immersive, fun and well worth your time. The combat is great with a lot of weapons to experiment with and each battle is enjoyable. The tracking is good and the VR implementation is great. What are you waiting for? Get out there and slay some of the undead.

Tiger Woods 14 continues the EA Sports trend of iterating a winning formula, presenting a solid package which people will flock to buy, just like last year and the year before that. EA have made the right move by downplaying the Tiger part of Tigers Woods 14 but sadly we still see an awful lot of DLC and very little in the way of pushing the franchise forward to new heights. If you are a fan of the franchise then you know what you are getting with a new version and if you are a newbie then this is as good a place as any to start.

This is a great adventure series which has chosen to focus on the narrative side of things and is all the better for it. This third chapter is the best so far.

Well presented and thumpingly over-the-top, Dawn Of War III combines elements from its two predecessors to mostly great effect. With a few more maps and modes, this could be a solid competitive title.

Overcooked Special Edition on the Nintendo Switch is a fantastic slice of old school local player co-operative fun held back by the lack of a workable single-player mode and dogged by a series of annoying but not game-breaking performance issues. Packaged with both pieces of paid DLC for free, if you are a Nintendo Switch owner who will routinely have the opportunity to play with family or friends then even with the stated issues you’re in for an absolute hoot.

A polished puzzler, built on a great mechanic that is utilised in impressive and enjoyable ways.

Offering up a huge selection of characters and content, Warriors Orochi 4 isn't bringing a lot of new ideas, but it is dishing out a very refined and welcoming minor evolution to the tried and tested Warriors formula.

The World Ends With You: Final Remix isn't just a long title. It is one of the best DS games reborn on a modern console. The music, the visuals, and the gameplay are all incredible, and having this cult classic come back to life is a blessing. This is an incredibly stylish RPG that demands your attention.

Moving out provides a lot of laughs and whilst being widly fun and has a great style, it isn't anything groundbreaking.

Star Renegades is a chaotically beautiful title that doesn't pull any punches with difficulty, yet keeps you coming back for more.

When The Past Was Around is a beautiful game by Mojiken about love, loss, and life. Through art and music we discover the love story of Eda and Owl, putting pieces together scene by scene by solving puzzles. It's a short, sweet game clearly made with a lot care, and a soundtrack that will be stuck in your head for days.

New Super Luigi U offers a far greater challenge than any of the previous entries in the New Super Mario Bros. series but little else new beyond the altered physics.

Revealing itself through multiple playthroughs, Do Not Feed the Monkeys gets wilder every time, and has a ridiculous number of outcomes waiting to be discovered. Expect to spend hours glued to the screen, as you're driven by a compulsion to see these stories through to their many hilarious or devastating conclusions.

All in all the Disney Afternoon Collection is a great deal; six great games for a very reasonable price, and three different game modes. The rewind feature is also great and solves a lot of problems that comes with old-school platforming games and instant death pits. They’re great fun and the best bit: you don’t even have to get up to change the cartridge if you want to switch games.

With great gameplay and a funky aesthetic, Tropico 5 manages to turn its dubious subject matter into something enjoyable. It's a pity that it doesn't quite sit comfortably on the PlayStation 4, but it's an engrossing experience nonetheless.

While just falling short of being towards the top of my favourite JRPG's, Bravely Default does a lot right. Its job systems and battle system are great fun and the sleep mode sailing game always gives you something fun to return to. The characters and voice acting, in parts, leave a bit to be desired and some of the environments are a bit fuzzy. On the whole you get a lot of game for your money, its an enjoyable, challenging experience and worth your time.

While it may not have a single mechanic that changes the way you feel about the game, such as Braid’s time manipulation or Fez’s 2D/3D dimensionality, it gets the basics of a logical puzzle platformer down perfectly, succeeding on many levels.

New Super Lucky's Tale is a delight to play, and I strongly encourage young and old alike to give it a try. Just make sure you are patient with loading screens...

Highly polished and visually stunning, Three can't come fast enough...

If you go into it knowing what you have today and that in the future something might - or might not change - then you’ll be left with an enjoyable and long-lasting experience. If you expect the future that might be now - if you have bought into Bungie and Activision’s chatter as being the day one solution, well, with that your joy will be muted.

WWE 2K19 is an incredibly comprehensive sandbox, offering the chance to run the show as you see fit and recreate just about anything you might have seen on TV, but long time fans of the franchise might well be disappointed by an unchanged combat system and a story mode held back by monetization tactics.

A fun and charming action RPG with robust gameplay and some great battles. It's just a shame that there are very few surprises.

Some flawed puzzles don't stop this beautiful, adorable platformer from being well worth your time.

Carrion is very entertaining and extremely unique. Making humans whimper in fear never gets old and killing them is even more fun. I wish some of the areas were more distinguishable from each other but that's a very small issue really. If you want to play something a bit different then you won't go far wrong with this one.

DOOM Eternal: The Ancient Gods - Part One offers a meaty expansion that doesn’t dramatically differ from the base game, and despite a crushing difficulty and dodgy platforming sections, it's an essential purchase for those clamouring for their next DOOM fix.

Röki is a beautiful tale of love, loss and friendship, taking the player on an emotional journey through a fairytale forest inspired by Scandinavian folklore. If you enjoy challenging puzzles, engaging narratives and collectible-hunting, this is the game for you - but do be warned that the ending may leave you feeling a little underwhelmed.