A strong story coupled with well-written characters is brought down by cringeworthy romancing. Angels With Scaly Wings is a rather enjoyable yarn irrespective of your ability to woo dragons.

Having played numerous RPGs over many years, it’s tough to think of one that is as spellbinding and so moreish as this. A modern day marvel on the Nintendo Switch, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is simply stunning.

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

The weight of expectation could have proven too much, but inXile has delivered a remarkable narrative experience which deserves to be savoured.

A wry hacking adventure, marred by a few unfortunate design choices.

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.

Stars in Shadow is a surprisingly competent throwback to classic 4X games, but shines brightest when toying with new ideas.

It tries to ride the coattails of the previous title, but stands wobbly on its own two feet.

Whilst it's held back by irritating music and the lack of a stash, Pixel Heroes is still an enjoyable wee game.

Stunning and dramatic. You won't be able to look away as this story unfolds around you.

Enjoyable enough if you liked the first game, but niggling issues stop this sequel from surpassing the original.

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.

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

BOOR is a darkly beautiful game with plenty of interesting puzzles to keep you engaged, but the lack of narrative progression lets it down.

Poor art direction and music stop The Sun and Moon from being a great puzzle game.

A fun, colorful throwback to yesteryear whose quirky charm and addictive gameplay just about outweigh its issues.

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

Disappointing design choices makes Alwa’s Awakening difficult to recommend.

Despite a promising plot and an eerie atmosphere, Uncanny Valley fails to make the most out of its survival horror inspirations.

A fine-looking but hard-wearing shooter that has a lot of ideas but ultimately fails to rise to the occasion.

It’s a truly wonderful trick that Yakuza 0 plays, and rather than work out how it does it, just sit back and let this video gaming alchemy entertain you.

A game which offers a lot of depth for player choice, but poor execution makes all the effort feel pointless. Earth’s Dawn tries to make up for its lack of content with too much repetitive gameplay.

A flawed experiment, Steep is revolutionary in the most laid-back fashion and full of those charming Ubisoft follies.

When compared with its inspiration, LIMBO, it falls drastically which makes recommending it difficult - especially given its current, buggy, state.

While not as genre-bending as perhaps one might expect a video game portrayed as a interactive theatre show to be, Knee Deep does provide an entertaining, if rather silly, distraction while it lasts.

Overall, Imprint-X will satisfy that itch for anyone who craves a quirky puzzler. What it lacks in variety and moxie, it certainly makes up for with an impressive retro aesthetic and a soundtrack that deserves to be listened to outside the realms of your computer speakers. The story may be gratuitous, but skipping past it will soon reveal what the game is really all about.

A potentially beautiful game, crippled by an awful camera, archaic controls, and bizarre, frustrating gameplay.

Siegecraft Commander is an interesting attempt at creating something different and new and for that Blowfish Studios should be commended. It’s unfortunate that, in the end, they’ve created something which doesn’t quite hit the mark.

Short but oh-so-sweetly sick, Resident Evil 7 rewrites the series formula to nerve-shredding success, with PSVR integration only adding to the immersion.

While the gameplay is fun the whole experience is overly repetitive. Add in a confusing setting and a complete tonal shift from the anime and you get a game that does not live up to expectations.

Overall Don Bradman ‘17 is an improvement over its predecessor, especially visually. What’s holding it back, however, is the erratic AI fielding and uninspiring commentary. Still, it’s reassuring that despite being pretty much the only cricket game available, it hasn’t rested on its laurels.

A strong opener and weaker follow-up chapter, but the third season is certainly heading in the right direction, narratively at least.

A strong opener and weaker follow-up chapter, but the third season is certainly heading in the right direction, narratively at least.

HoPiKo has everything going for it including the ‘just one more go’ factor that is never a bad thing. Whilst we hope that mouse controls are improved, when played with a joypad it is a joy to play. The retro styling suits it down to the ground and extra content such as the hardcore mode gives it a high replayability. It’s a cheap and cheerful game and while if you play too much of it you may end up with an RSI, nailing that level was worth it, right?

A wonderfully animated but disappointingly short adventure, which nevertheless points to a promising future for its creators.

With its incredible level of customisation Planet Coaster is the pinnacle of theme park management games, however be warned that this depth comes with a vicious learning curve.

Darksiders: Warmastered Edition takes an already fantastic game, improving both the visuals and performance in the process all for a modest fee which many publishers should pay attention to.

This holiday season, if you want to forget about the world, join up with a few friends and fight monsters in an absolute bloodbath then look no further.

Whilst A New Frontier doesn’t do anything differently with the gameplay, the story has always been The Walking Dead’s strength and, in this area at least, season three may provide the reversal of fortune that Telltale need.

If you've never set foot in the world of Skyrim then now's the time to get your feet wet. Still one of the best RPGs to date and that's not just nostalgia talking.

It's still messy and there are problems, but Final Fantasy XV is appealing to most, fascinating and, most of all, the new approaches make a great recipe.

With Batman, Telltale took a huge gamble by reimagining established heroes and villains, and skewing the comic’s plot in a different direction. It could have been a tremendous success but, lacking the foundations of a story worthy of its characters, the end result is storied and often incohesive, even within individual chapters. Gotham deserved better.

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.

Jolly ranchers will appreciate the high levels of detail, while city slickers will fall asleep at their tractor's wheel.

The Dwarves had so much potential and even though the game looked great for a Kickstarter game, considering their lack of budget and the story it had to work with was a spectacular one, developers KingART just somehow managed to miss the mark.

As a 21st-century take on 90s platformers, Mekazoo is a winner. It doesn’t set out to tell a story, or dazzle you with power-ups. It trusts in its core mechanics, a handful of cute protagonists and some lovely visuals, and the end result feels like the gaming equivalent of a decent jazz band: it looks good, sounds great, and when all the components pull together you feel like you’re in the presence of something magical.

The lack of improvements in key areas are a worry but FHM3 is a solid if reserved update to the franchise.

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.

Simply put, Owlboy deserves all of the plaudits and awards it will inevitably receive. It may have been almost a decade in the making, but the effort and determination of this small studio oozes from every pixel. It’s not often that a 2D platform game can mesh together with such a wonderful story, but Owlboy hits a sweet spot which is no doubt down to sheer graft more than luck. Let’s hope that we don’t have to wait another ten years for its successor.

Playsport Games has created a game which is straightforward and simple which all the while belies a deep and complicated management simulation.

Dishonored 2 is a great sequel, one that refines the mechanics of the original whilst adding plenty of replay value. It's unfortunate the narrative is lacking but there's plenty to explore and discover in this title.

Guardian of Gotham is an improvement on the banal Episode 3 then, but is not without its share of technical and narrative faults. The caped one has an uphill battle ahead of him before the year is out.

Watch Dogs 2 is a superior game to its predecessor and a thoroughly entertaining romp in a season light on open world offerings.

If you’re desperate for some Warhammer strategy then this may do you, otherwise you’d be best to look elsewhere.

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

A bite-sized portion of melancholia topped with just enough sweetness to make the journey easier to swallow. It’s a cascade of metaphor, both obvious and subtle, that can wind you unexpectedly even as you delight in its beauty.

It’s a phenomenal multiplayer experience coupled with a surprisingly varied and downright exciting campaign. Respawn have improved on the original’s excellent multiplayer aspects, moved across to multiple formats and nailed the single-player experience, as a result Titanfall 2 is an absolute must buy.

Perhaps the most polished and enjoyable release of any in the series, only let down by a baffling AI and some hopefully resolvable niggling issues.

Despite feeling new and familiar, and at times plodding and rushed in turn, Obsidian are proudly wearing the mantle left by Black Isle and have crafted another enjoyable story for fans of isometric CRPGs.

It's more great Dark Souls content, but this expansion offers few unique aspects to the tried and true formula. An additional PVP matchmaking system is a nice touch, but it could do with a bit more polish.

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.

There’s always a man. There’s always a city. There’s always a lighthouse. And there’s always a reason to revisit one of the finest trilogies in the modern gaming.

Even now, Modern Warfare is pushing boundaries, just in newer ways. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered sets a standard that shames other so-called ‘remastered’ titles.

The game is fun and highly addictive. The rather steep difficulty curve in story mode, coupled with the high number of hidden item recipes and blueprints mean it will take some time before you're able to utilise the free build mode to its fullest. That being said, given the adorable and gorgeous graphics, the large and varied landscapes, and the beautiful soundtrack of remastered songs from the series, it's time you won't begrudge spending.

Within hours you will have experienced all it has to offer, and even that will have been rather dull and uneventful. With such competition in the current PC climate, Industry Manager: Future Technologies will no doubt struggle to find a home which is a shame since there is clearly some talent to the team behind it, the issue is they seem to lack direction. In the end it all feels like an experience with its single purpose driven so hard into it that it has no concept of the entertainment a game should bring.

XCOM 2 is a tour de force of the tactical turn-based shooter genre. The game can be relentless and its AI unyielding, but this just makes you want to go back in for more!

With a fantastic single-player segment this year's Battlefield feels like a very complete package. The multiplayer adds some impressive new modes and features but at its core its the same old Battlefield experience.

You will get out of WWE 2K17 exactly what you put into it - be it a quick go for exciting ring action or an in-depth wrestling simulator which you can sink many hours into.

A low point for the series, both in gameplay and narrative cohesion.

Not just one of the greatest Croft games of all time but also one of the best adventure games of all time.

A colourful, often hilarious RPG-lite adventure, crippled by a tedious and frustrating combat system.

A hauntingly immersive experience which may not be as exciting as the average game but four years on it's still a beautiful piece of art. If you haven't played it before now is the time to pick it up.

Disappointing in the most devastating of ways; starting fantastically with gorgeous, well-written, superbly voiced cutscenes, all set in a really interesting time for modern America, sadly though by the time you’ve sunk tens of hours into it the only thing raising a smile is the soundtrack. At best Mafia III is very much a big missed opportunity.

A polished and at times enjoyable stealth adventure, let down by uninspired level design and basic AI.

PES 2017 is without a doubt the best on-the-pitch football you will play, and perhaps the best in recent memory.

The Journey makes the purchase worthwhile and the rest of the content will keep you playing for months. FIFA 17 delivers as per usual.

The game is great but it’s the same game it was a year ago, and has the same mechanics it had two years ago. The second game proper was due now and it has not arrived. This is filler. Quality filler, but filler nonetheless.

Gears of War 4 is the real deal - gorgeous to look at, smooth to play and packed full of content.

A weird and wonderful game that although short, leaves one hell of a mark.

Although it means well, and has bags of character, My Night Job just doesn't have the depth to keep the player hooked and its gameplay becomes repetitive very quickly.

With no challenge beyond wrestling with the horrible controls, Unbox is a failed appeal to nostalgia that captures none of the warmth or playability of the games it admires.

Bewildering at first, but with time you can discover a surprising amount of depth and originality. Sadly this PS4 version is rather unnecessary with poorly optimised controls and no mod support.

An accomplished racer that takes the game beyond the track, F1 2016 takes pole position as Codemasters most enjoyable take on the series to date.

A classic survival-action-horror that redefined the franchise and scared the hell out of us.

Tadpole Treble is clearly a passion project by the developers BitFinity and this shines through in every aspect. It’s rare that you come across a game with educational undertones that doesn’t instantly come across as one. Moreover one so wonderfully presented as this.

A step back for the series, but still an enjoyable couple of hours despite the flaws.

A potentially great game that is completely let down by its balancing and lacklustre enemy encounters.

One man’s labour of love that pays homage to the greats of the past with only a few teething errors.

Refinement brings excitement, for newcomers and pros alike. Madden NFL 17 has the stride and the force - it's just a few minor quibbles that stop it becoming legendary.

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

When racing you versus the track Assetto Corsa is hands down the best available simulator. Venture beyond this, however, and there's disappointment to be had at every turn.

Do My Best Games have created an incredibly immersive, varied and compelling game, it is tense and always leaves you wondering what is beyond the next door. Its simple gameplay is enhanced by the compelling story and leaves you always wanting to find out more from its inhabitants.

Feels like it wanted to be a genre epic but had to settle for merely ‘alright’.

Some nice mechanics here but flawed in almost all aspects.

A sleek, shiny FPS puzzler that overcomes the limitations of its gameplay with some accessible conundrums and an interesting tale.

Sword Coast Legends is a decent game with a compelling story and some rather excellent voice active. It's brought down heavily, however, by excruciatingly long load screens and the chance of hitting a game-ending bug.

A perfect example of learning by playing - Hyper Light Drifter offers a unique experience of exploration and discovery in a beautiful world with a well paced challenge, even if you still have no idea what’s going on by the end.

Still one of the best multiplayer experiences.