A streamlined and multi-planet take on Ubisoft's familiar open-world action, paired with an original-trilogy-era Star Wars tale that follows an up-and-coming scoundrel rather than a Jedi or Imperial, sounds like a recipe for an absolutely incredible game. Outlaws, though, is uneven. Some of the settings, exploration, heists and adventures are everything a franchise fan could want in a sandbox scum and villainy game. Unfortunately, a lot of rough edges and a severe lack of storytelling depth holds Outlaws back from its true potential.

This flashy package makes great use of Nintendo's classic catalogue to spark nostalgia, break the games down for a new audience and make the joys of speedrunning accessible. But once you've given your best effort in the 150 or so challenges there's not a lot to do, besides local couch competitions and checking in for the weekly trials.

With strong inspiration from cinematic horror classics like The Thing, The Poseidon Adventure and Alien, this stunning but gruesome tale makes the most of its industrial location, Scottish cast and 1970s setting. The chilling atmosphere can be dampened in places by the heavily scripted, linear structure, and it feels like story beats could have hit harder. But the emotional core and frequent thrills make it well worth a dip.

Warriors fans know what they're in for. It's an entertaining power fantasy with lots of bad guys and explosions, heaps of different characters to learn and all sorts of diversions on the side to power up your teams and weapons. But for all Age of Calamity's painstaking adaptation, it lacks almost everything I loved about Breath of the Wild. It's a skin deep approximation with the aesthetic and characters the only thing intact, mostly concerned with turning the existing areas into linear bombastic shooting galleries and sword fights. All that would be fine if the story or themes were meaningfully expanded here, but they aren't.

Though the replacement of authored characters with procedurally generated avatars has mixed results, Watch Dogs Legion is unique among GTA-style open world crime games as a result. The city is vast and beautiful, your options for vigilante havoc very broad and the potential for it all to explode into a memorably janky anecdote generally sky high.

Attempting to provide both satisfying big-budget narrative adventures and an online squad-based loot-grinding platform, Marvel's Avengers is an extremely impressive effort that falls short on long-term incentives (at least so far), but nails the campaign.

The core flying and shooting experience here is very well done and should satisfy existing PSVR owners looking for something fresh. But from the meh upgrades and strange unlockable suit designs (it's a first person game?) to the rote storyline and repetition, everything outside of the advanced arcadey shooting gallery sections is a bit of a letdown.

Unique touches like the IR games and two-player competitions give this Brain Training a fresh edge, despite how similar it is to the 2006 original. But in 2020 there's nothing here — aside from those two aspects — that couldn't be done on smartphones, and that's probably where Nintendo should have put it.

With intensely interesting lore and characters, an awe-inspiring aesthetic and one of the most mind-crushingly dull gameplay loops I've ever experienced in a high-budget video game, Hideo Kojima's supernatural epic is pretentious and profound, filled with tedium and terrifying wonder.

Raw and emotional, though let down by some annoying or wonky design issues, Sea of Solitude is a worthwhile and beautiful journey through loneliness and regret.

Rather than focus on what it does well, Days Gone does everything. Despite some great tech and compelling core ideas, especially when it comes to its battles against massive enemy hordes, a dull and repetitive open world structure makes Days Gone a chore.

My Time at Portia is a slow game, to the point that digging around in the mines or waiting for bronze plates to smelt can be mind-numbing. But in a way its builds are kind of like knitting; repetitive and slow but visibly building towards a satisfying, tangible product. Plus, there's enough surprise in the living world, the creepy mines and dungeons and the wide fields to keep things from getting too stale for too long.

Back in the Groove might satisfy series fans that just want some new toys to play with, but the sluggish speed and obtuse design of the dated original remains.

Even at its best Crackdown 3 feels like a big chest of explosive, physics-driven toys to play with in a playground that's left wanting.

Playing Travis Strikes Again is an experience I'm glad I had, even if I wouldn't recommend it as a fun game. As a biting reflection of the ridiculousness of hardcore video game fans it's less successful than previous games, and its smaller scale makes the still-repetitive fighting even more dull. But the weirdness remains, and the Kafkaesque story of the Death Drive console paired with Suda51's signature takes on Japanese and American culture — plus the frequently enjoyable mish-mash of retro aesthetics — makes for a satisfyingly eccentric game unlike many others.

Though I'm glad it exists purely from a historical interest point of view, these aren't the best X games or the best early-to-mid-2000s action games, and the commendable packaging and cleaning up here can't change that.

For all its intriguing story beats, stylish techno-'60s aesthetic and well-presented characters, We Happy Few can't hide its origins as a run-of-the-mill survival game.

While the game is well put together I have to question whether this franchise is a good fit. With only two films' worth of content to work with it's clear TT had to really stretch to get this much stuff out of The Incredibles, and that lack of depth doesn't do any favours for the obviously ageing Lego format that's been largely unchanged for more than a decade.

Detroit wants so badly to be an interactive Hollywood blockbuster, but its amazing visuals and cinematic presentation can't make up for some really lame writing, weird performances and an overall lack of grace. But in spite of that, it can be a fun interactive B-movie.

A tabletop-style survival sandbox that you can take on alone or with friends, State of Decay 2 packs in enough scavenging fun to make the occasional malfunctioning weapon or levitating enemy easy enough to endure.

Though it looks stunning and is an impressive achievement in open world multiplayer gaming, a lack of variety and completely frustrating single-player mode keeps Sea of Thieves from staying afloat.

As beautiful as some moments in Fe are, and as vast and disorienting the forest seems, beneath it all is a very linear and basic game with ordinary platforming and a competent but forgettable story. Worst of all, it just doesn't seem like it has a whole lot to say. It gives all the signals of a game with an emotional story and a powerful message, but in the end it just doesn't communicate one.

Aiming squarely at gamers' nostalgia for mid-90s roleplaying games and hitting nothing but a vast white void, Lost Sphear is a fun game bogged down by a muddle of throwbacks and a cacophony of unoriginal, competing ideas.

This is another fun, fleeting, exceptionally good-looking Call of Duty game, but its World War II theme doesn't add much besides bringing some of its mechanics back down to Earth.

There's no escaping the awful loot boxes and ham-fisted progression system here. The much-anticipated single-player mode has its moments but it's not as strong as expected, leaving the online play to serve as the core of the experience. Though there are some smart tweaks and changes that could have potentially improved the game over Battlefront 2015, funnelling all your upgrades and levelling through random boxes massively misses the mark. The production values are sky high and in the moment it can be amazing, but Battlefront II's economy keeps me from wanting to jump back in.

At its core Shadow of War is a tremendous amount of fun, but its good mechanical parts are under constant threat of suffocation from its gormless framework. The player's own story of an endless struggle against (and alongside) powerful orcs is enthralling, but the game's actual narrative is a boring trudge. The loop of killing powerful enemies for new loot is a great motivator, and building your army piece by piece to take strongholds seems like a perfect fit for this game, until you hit a wall and are faced with its app-style payed-for incentives.

For all ESO's recent improvements in general and the smart, nostalgic design of Morrowind in particular, I can't overcome the sense that the world is just less fun and impressive removed from the single-player focus of the main Elder Scrolls games. This is an MMO caught between two very different RPG styles, with the world and its quests begging for solo exploration and heroism but without the depth or focus to back it up.

Prey is a mixed bag. Its setting is derivative but pretty, with its emergent storytelling often making for an eerie and atmospheric good time. But shallow enemies punish the player for their curiosity early on and only become annoying bullet sponges later. That, combined with an ultimate failure of the narrative to follow through on the psychological promises of the excellent opening, make for an experience that is, above everything else, conflicted.

Just about everything in Ultra Street Fighter II that isn't 25 years old is divisive at best, and at worst seems outright lazy. None of these features take anything away from the excellence of the core game though. The portability of the Switch and its instant two-player chops means not only can you defeat M. Bison on the train, but you can bring out the machine to settle a grudge match with a friend absolutely anywhere, at any time.

Creative Assembly has deftly crafted an excellent RTS that sits somewhere between the worlds of consoles and PC, but it's clear that both worlds have to stretch a little to accommodate.

This sequel repeats just about every mistake the original made, but in spite of that I fell in love with its sprawling world, goofy characters and thrilling aerial acrobatics all over again.

To say that I had fun playing Beholder isn't really accurate. The game world is characterised by oppression, decisions with no good choices, objectives that just aren't obtainable without taking huge risks, and the ever-present need for creating detailed, precise paperwork. It's exhausting and sad. But if the goal of the game's developer was to provide a depressingly captivating moral accountability simulator where hardly anybody ever wins, it's a massive success.

One of the most enjoyable romps through Gotham in years.

The relaxed, largely goal-free nature of the game has the potential to wear thin, but personally I found the controls fun enough, the environments and music beautiful enough, the various animals smile-inducing enough that even after the three hours it took to reach the end I was happy to dive back in, ready to search for more clues and uncover what it was all about.

It's stylish and entertaining to watch, but this boy just ain't got no rhythm.

Even amateur sports lovers will find it hard to fall for this slice of lightweight tennis action.

The biggest annoyance is an erratic camera, which never reliably displays the best view of the action and requires constant adjustment.

The biggest annoyance is an erratic camera, which never reliably displays the best view of the action and requires constant adjustment.

Spectacular sequences include bombing foes as an eagle and battling in the midst of a buffalo stampede. Some tasks feel like players are being asked to jump through arbitrary hoops, but it is the occasionally wayward camera that will cause the most grumbles.

It's great that fielding is interactive but you'll become frustrated with how often the wicketkeeper drops simple catches because your timing is marginally off.

Patient players looking for a unique experience ultimately will be rewarded by this atmospheric and ambitious shooter.

It feels much more suited to a low-priced download such as Xbox Live Arcade's "Marble Blast Ultra" rather than a $79 [AU] release.

Bizarre glitches tend to mar the experience at times, such as all the architecture vanishing in a blur or suddenly finding yourself stuck on the corner of an object for no obvious reason. Some missions also tend to have the odd bottleneck where you find yourself getting killed remarkably easily.

Not what you might expect from Disney, Spectrobes is initially refreshing but quickly becomes dull.

Fortunately, if you are an F1 purist, you will discover a comprehensive and challenging simulation that offers long-term appeal.

Patient players, prepared to persevere will be happy with Blur, but those expecting the same level of intuitiveness and accessibility as other Wii or SSX games are likely to be very frustrated.

A few dozen mediocre party games let up to four friends compete in unimaginative tasks such as paddling boats or shooting balloons but add little depth to the package.

Deliberately lacking ambition, this is an encore that will please patient fans, but also reminds us why the point-and-click adventure is now an endangered species.

Battlestations: Midway has the potential to blossom as a multiplayer game, primarily online. With everyone free to jump between units, it can become chaotic, but that's half the fun.

Battlestations: Midway has the potential to blossom as a multiplayer game, primarily online. With everyone free to jump between units, it can become chaotic, but that's half the fun.

Having to wait until the game lets you solve a riddle even though you have grasped the solution long ago is particularly galling. Players too often feel like passengers on a scripted ride, rather than individual auteurs directing their own unique experience.

Good graphics and intelligent level design help to make this a worthy enough companion to Arthur's elaborate adventures on the big screen.

Good graphics and intelligent level design help to make this a worthy enough companion to Arthur's elaborate adventures on the big screen.

It's a gas tank full of frustration that could leave you fuming, but Full Auto 2's explosive graphics help to keep it on track.

Frantic battles with thieving rodents conclude each level but soon become repetitive and don't add much to the package. Nor do the small collection of simple multi-player mini-games, which include food gobbling contests and a shooting gallery.

Online competition is sorely missed.

It's pitched at a younger audience than the usual Tony Hawk games, so the frantic, no-frills racing may only be fun for casual gamers.

A quirky, colourful and catchy music game that is great fun while it lasts.

A psychedelic puzzle-shooter with serious old-school appeal. It'll be lapped up by the cool crowd but it's a little too basic for its own good.

Discerning gamers will find that this third excursion to the frontline is enjoyable but a little unpolished. It is, however, the best-looking 360 game to date.

There are more trick-based challenges than ever, but aside from the new slow-motion control, Tony Hawk is skating through the same old territory.

There are more trick-based challenges than ever, but aside from the new slow-motion control, Tony Hawk is skating through the same old territory.

There are more trick-based challenges than ever, but aside from the new slow-motion control, Tony Hawk is skating through the same old territory.

If you wore out your copy of the bewitching original you may need to question whether new songs are enough to get you playing the same game again.

Building farms, mines and warehouses, converting resources into goods, blazing trading routes and watching your settlements grow into prosperous cities is very satisfying.

The new hands-on capture system is not enough to make this an essential Pokemon adventure.

Far from perfect but Dark Messiah has entertaining fantasy action. Dispatching foes in imaginative ways is the highlight.

Some locations are dreary trudges through dull space-station corridors, but others show more imagination, such as giant pinball tables and underwater in Atlantis.

Some locations are dreary trudges through dull space-station corridors, but others show more imagination, such as giant pinball tables and underwater in Atlantis.

Some locations are dreary trudges through dull space-station corridors, but others show more imagination, such as giant pinball tables and underwater in Atlantis.

A minor improvement over the original, with just as many silly sci-fi shenanigans.

The arcade-style fist fights can get a little repetitive but DC Comic fans should get a thrill out of teaming up their favourite characters.

The Xbox 360 version Icon tested features 12 beautifully recreated courses, astonishingly realistic player animation and convincing crowds that even react when you hit a wayward drive in their direction.

The arcade-style fist fights can get a little repetitive but DC Comic fans should get a thrill out of teaming up their favourite characters.

A minor improvement over the original, with just as many silly sci-fi shenanigans.

Aussie expertise has produced the best Spyro game in many years, but the action gets repetitive and some old fans might be dismayed by the emphasis on combat.

Like a bizarre mixture of WWE Smackdown and Benny Hill, God Hand is one of the quirkiest, silliest and funniest games to come along in some time.

Aussie expertise has produced the best Spyro game in many years, but the action gets repetitive and some old fans might be dismayed by the emphasis on combat.

Aussie expertise has produced the best Spyro game in many years, but the action gets repetitive and some old fans might be dismayed by the emphasis on combat.

Like the film, Scarface is brutal and often ridiculously over-the-top. It uses the GTA template effectively but may feel too familiar for Vice City veterans.

Like the film, Scarface is brutal and often ridiculously over-the-top. It uses the GTA template effectively but may feel too familiar for Vice City veterans.

Like the film, Scarface is brutal and often ridiculously over-the-top. It uses the GTA template effectively but may feel too familiar for Vice City veterans.

Overall, this is a pleasant surprise best suited to gaming newcomers and fans of the show.

With such clumsy controls, the limited intelligence of both friends and foes, and a lack of mission variety, most players would have a lot more fun with "GTA Liberty City Stories."

Convincing physics have been brought into play to improve the feel of passing, crossing and shooting - a feature that brings FIFA more in line with the current simulation champ, "Pro Evolution Soccer."

Convincing physics have been brought into play to improve the feel of passing, crossing and shooting - a feature that brings FIFA more in line with the current simulation champ, "Pro Evolution Soccer."

Convincing physics have been brought into play to improve the feel of passing, crossing and shooting - a feature that brings FIFA more in line with the current simulation champ, "Pro Evolution Soccer."

Sloppy vehicle handling, some bugs in the design of the missions and the endless travel means it doesn't hit the same high notes as GTA and others, but the mindless action is still good dumb fun.

Sloppy vehicle handling, some bugs in the design of the missions and the endless travel means it doesn't hit the same high notes as GTA and others, but the mindless action is still good dumb fun.

Sloppy vehicle handling, some bugs in the design of the missions and the endless travel means it doesn't hit the same high notes as GTA and others, but the mindless action is still good dumb fun.

Sloppy vehicle handling, some bugs in the design of the missions and the endless travel means it doesn't hit the same high notes as GTA and others, but the mindless action is still good dumb fun.

Using the Nintendo wi-fi connection service, users can then send their designs to friends to solve, bolstering the game's long-term appeal.

It's a solid poker package, but with plenty of low-cost competitors on the market, Tournament of Champions struggles to offer enough new features to warrant its price tag.

While ploughing through the dungeons becomes repetitive, following your character's evolution and steady growth in skills becomes addictive.

While ploughing through the dungeons becomes repetitive, following your character's evolution and steady growth in skills becomes addictive.

The action can be hard to follow, but fans will appreciate the realism.

The action can be hard to follow, but fans will appreciate the realism.

The action can be hard to follow, but fans will appreciate the realism.