Considering the extremely fast response times needed for a fighting game, it's amazing how smoothly the online mode plays. It's just as responsive as it would be if you were playing with a pal sitting next to you, which is an astounding achievement.

A bare-bones but substantial package, this celebration of the first decade or so of the storied franchise will be extremely welcome for old-school fans, and makes an excellent starting point for new players.

The half-baked narrative, annoying characters and tonal inconsistencies are disappointing, but they don't ruin the fun. For the most part this is a collection of the best elements of Far Cry's past, complete with compound bows, parachutes, fire and hilariously deadly animals (look out for the bush turkey!), with a few quality of life tweaks for good measure.

Capcom may be a little late to its own creation's birthday party, but this is an extremely impressive collection which has been put together with a great deal of care.

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

The hellish enemies may be fearsome, but the one true villain here is the stubborn game camera that tends to pan away from whatever it is you want to look at. Apart from that one flaw, this is an absorbing tale.

Considering the extremely fast response times needed for a fighting game, it's amazing how smoothly the online mode plays. It's just as responsive as it would be if you were playing with a pal sitting next to you, which is an astounding achievement.

A complete makeover is overdue, but Pokemon remains as engrossing as ever.

For all its bells and whistles, Perfect Dark Zero is a solid yet unremarkable comeback.

As an adaptation of the Assassin's Creed RPG style to a breezier, more open and more playful world, Immortals Fenyx Rising is a total success. It might come off second best to Breath of the Wild, and its chatty and light-hearted take on subject matter traditionally treated in games as dark and bloody might not be to everyone's taste, but the treatment of greek myth's gods and monsters here makes for a delightful experience in its own right.

There are sufficient missions but little choice of objectives, ensuring the action starts to feel prematurely repetitive.

A complete makeover is overdue, but Pokemon remains as engrossing as ever.

Fall Guys is an exhilarating online competition you can enjoy in bite-sized chunks; a distillation of the joy and accomplishment present in other battle royale games without the violence or high skill requirement. There are some fumbles, but it has the potential to grow.

The branching track system is brilliantly designed to challenge and thrill in equal measure. Giddy car handling enables skilled drivers to power-slide gracefully around corners at ridiculous speed.

Single-player is fun, but the game truly shines with four people in the mix. It's a little easier, but there's still about 20 hours of co-operative campaigning to be had.

A calm but challenging puzzle adventure filled with minimalist charm and surprisingly loveable quadrilateral characters, Boxboy! + Boxgirl! is filled to the brim with laid-back problem-solving goodness whether you're playing alone or with a friend. A brilliant Switch debut for Nintendo's most understated mascot.

The most striking aspect of the game is the stunning graphics, with a true 3D environment and controllable camera. Not only is everything extremely detailed but the environments are fully destructible, with pristine villages soon becoming smoking piles of rubble after particularly fierce battles.

Following up a landmark cinematic tale of trauma, mental affliction and grief, without repeating itself or undermining the central character's growth, Senua’s Saga is a stunning, well-paced adventure that pushes the boundaries of human theatrical performance in games while also spinning a riveting tale of power and sacrifice.

It is a charming romp through dazzling jungle environments via glistening ice chambers, volcanic caverns and aquatic wonderlands. But sadly, many players will complete Jungle Beat in just a few hours.

Winning solo tournaments can be frustrating due to difficulty spikes, but treats to unlock include additional characters, gimmick courts and amusing mini-games to help hone your skills.

The prequel story may not be revelatory, but in moment-to-moment strategic gunplay Gears Tactics is a delight. Both as an extension of the franchise to a totally new format and as a bloody and aggressive take on turn-based strategy, it's a successful experiment that should satisfy anyone who enjoys both chess and chainsaw bayonets.

The PS2 version is a little less realistic than the Xbox and lacks the latter's first-person view. It also suffers from a lot of graphic pop up, while the Xbox's graphics are much more detailed. But the Xbox pays a price for these lush visuals with an iffy frame rate.

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

Trine 4 is an excellent refinement of a unique and worthwhile game with smarter controls, more satisfying multiplayer, heaps of great puzzles and a more magical look and sound than ever. It's still not perfect, but Trine has come a long way in 10 years and there really is nothing else like it.

Fast-paced, epic and accessible, Microsoft's hack'n'slash sequel will entertain role-playing novices but disappoint veterans looking for more depth and innovation.

Unfortunately the core combat that makes up the majority of the game soon feels more like chore combat.

Armchair generals will find little innovation in this hasty sequel to last year's sadly overlooked World War II strategy game, but Phase Two is another absorbing challenge.

Floating island environments are intricate and beautiful but paper-thin characters and an evil empire revenge yarn are disappointingly dull.

With new monsters, a vibrant and more immersive world, seamless connectivity with other players near or far and a heap of quality of life tweaks, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are a clear generational leap.

With a total of 164 secret-filled courses, a bunch of extra modes including the ever-addictive challenges and a small number of smart tweaks and additions, this is an incredible amount of platforming goodness in a single package. It's both the deepest and most accessible 2D Mario action you can get, as well as an endlessly enjoyable party game you can bust out with friends, and Switch is the perfect place for it.

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.

With new monsters, a vibrant and more immersive world, seamless connectivity with other players near or far and a heap of quality of life tweaks, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are a clear generational leap.

The best new addition is a magnetic grappling device that allows Lara to move faraway items and swing across chasms. Puzzles are beautifully integrated into the environment and frustration rare.

Obsidian has created something exceptionally special with Avowed. A smaller-scale Skyrim-like set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, it's an entirely accessible first-person RPG that ditches a lot of obnoxious fluff and doubles down on what makes big role-playing games great. The writing and storytelling is phenomenal, the crunchy combat lets you make a sick build whether you're into swords, axes, guns or spells, and the problems your character faces feel unexpectedly touching and relevant. It's a perfect entry into this genre for new players and the RPG-curious, but top-tier comfort food for us old-heads.

While so many retro revivals either just give the original game a coat of paint or completely remake it from the ground up, this is a return that feels like a perfect middle ground. On the one hand it does allow for some of the less good parts of the classic design to shine through (especially in the original game), but on the other hand the commitment to accuracy works to preserve a series that remains incredibly influential and often overlooked. Combined with smart touch-ups and a beautiful modern presentation, this is a blast for old Crash pros and newcomers alike.

Battling 15 online riders is absolutely thrilling, but beginners will need plenty of practice, as most will find it difficult just staying on the track.

While Mega Man 11 absolutely sticks with the same familiar fundamentals and plays just like the games of old, it also represents the biggest modernisation attempt the series has seen in decades, with a fresh style and new mechanics. There's room for improvement, but bringing this icon of the '80s back in such a convincing fashion is quite an achievement.

While this is an arcade racer, skill still plays a big role. Shifting the rider's weight, proper use of the clutch and preloading the suspension are necessary for clearing jumps and effective cornering.

Just when you become well-entrenched in the world of Eberron, the single-player campaign comes to an abrupt end. The only way to continue the fun is to get online and master the multiplayer side to the game, which is something that might not appeal to every adventurer out there.

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.

With new monsters, a vibrant and more immersive world, seamless connectivity with other players near or far and a heap of quality of life tweaks, Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield are a clear generational leap.

A couple of minor complaints mar this otherwise exceptional role player. Control issues, with the mouse stuttering and movement sticking, can be a little frustrating, while the game world doesn't feel quite as epic as we'd like.

The various combatants are well-balanced and there is a huge variety of vehicles and aircraft to pilot, including X-wings, TIE fighters, speeder bikes and hulking AT-STs.

Without a doubt, the best tennis game you can get your hands on at the moment. If only it came with a set of sweat bands.

A fast-paced and accessible combat game, far superior when enjoyed online with players working together during epic, frenetic battles.

EA Sports' latest offering doesn't really bring a whole lot of new elements to the table, certainly nothing as ground-breaking as the new catching mechanics that Madden 16 brought. The game is smoother, and with a few minor positive tweaks, and overall is still a fun, solid football sim. But the continuation of the story mode Longshot, which was a big deal in 18, is a huge let down here.

Excited though I am for next year's fully-fledged Gen 7 Pokemon games, which will surely return wild battles and bring a slew of new monsters, Let's Go is a worthwhile adventure in its own right, and in fact I hope the main games benefit from some of innovations in this simpler but more modern experience. The original genius at the core of Pokemon — replacing the spreadsheets and stat charts of the standard RPG with cute creatures you nurture and grow — still shines through here, it's just in a form that anyone will be comfortable playing in 2018.

But despite a wide assortment of challenges and overly generous rewards, the brief campaign is a shallow appetiser to the magnificent multiplayer action.

The addition of smart and relentless police pursuers has reinvigorated this popular driving series.

The sprawling and surprising world is absolutely the star of the show in Origami King. Whether you're sailing the high seas or working your way through a Shogun-themed amusement park, the sight gags and quips don't let up, the story has genuine heart and the crafted world is just so endlessly darling. That it's so frequently slowed or interrupted by the half-hearted battles is a real shame, but it can't stop the irrepressible charm and humour of the game at large.

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.

The learning curve is steep but mulling over the rules becomes part of the addictive charm.

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.

This ambitious game spans half a million years of human history and is so vast it could take months to explore all it has to offer.

This is the most family-friendly 360 launch title, offering an entertaining fantasy adventure with plenty of secrets and varied powers.

Empire at War hits all the right notes if you're a Star Wars fan, but be prepared to grind out your victories.

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

Eye-opening entertainment that's like stepping inside an explosive sci-fi film.

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

Unfortunately, the game is plagued by a cumbersome camera system that takes an age to rotate around your character. But the gorgeous look of the game and the intriguing storyline should be enough for most gamers to overlook these problems.

Activities such as poker tournaments, capturing felons, gold mining, animal herding and hunting provide variety but their appeal is short-lived.

While this is an arcade racer, skill still plays a big role. Shifting the rider's weight, proper use of the clutch and preloading the suspension are necessary for clearing jumps and effective cornering.

Funny and inventive, free from challenge or punishments and with just enough content and collection to keep you engaged, Epic Yarn is one of the prettiest and finest stress-free platformers around. The 3DS version makes some sacrifices, but it's just as heart-warming.

Combined with the familiar and accessible action, the unexpected and delightful handmade stages in Yoshi's Crafted World not only give a new context for many old favourite Mario enemies and Nintendo ideas, they inspire a spark of childish creativity and wonder as well.

Controls are incredibly precise, although real Street Fighter diehards might want to ditch the joypad and invest in an arcade controller, such as NubyTech's Street Fighter Arcade Stick or an X-Arcade.

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.

The creatures themselves remain the coolest and most interesting part of the Pokemon games, so it’s always wonderful to explore their natural habitats purely for observation rather than for poaching and battles. New Pokemon Snap is an extended and ever-changing expedition through an enchanting world, with limited interactivity but plenty of opportunity for surprise and delight.

Owners of an Xbox 360 have a right to feel a little miffed that their version isn't identical to the PS2 but Pro Evo 6 is still top of the table.

Excited though I am for next year's fully-fledged Gen 7 Pokemon games, which will surely return wild battles and bring a slew of new monsters, Let's Go is a worthwhile adventure in its own right, and in fact I hope the main games benefit from some of innovations in this simpler but more modern experience. The original genius at the core of Pokemon — replacing the spreadsheets and stat charts of the standard RPG with cute creatures you nurture and grow — still shines through here, it's just in a form that anyone will be comfortable playing in 2018.

This slow-paced strategy game is just as successful on console as it is on PC - in fact it's hobbit forming.

These pinball tables are well-designed, the ball action realistic with familiar Metroid elements smartly integrated.

Little strategy is required for each stage, with abundant health packs and aggressive opponents of little intelligence. But there are many strategies and the use of cover is vital.

Despite a flimsy storyline that's riddled with cavernous gaps in logic, Prey's rollercoaster ride of gun-toting action delivers the punch of a blockbuster movie.

Much of the game's undeniable thrill stems from the giddy car handling, which enables players to slide gracefully around corners at ridiculous speed.

Tight controls, inventive action scenes and solid artificial intelligence all combine to make the single-player mode an excellent experience.

Some will feel it’s asking a bit much to charge close to full price for this one. The core of the game is functionally identical to the Xbox 360 version, which is playable on Xbox One, and other similar games have been upgraded to 4K on that platform totally free. But taken on its own merits it's hard to argue against the amount and quality of the content. Paradise remains one of the most successful blends of action and driving ever, and the included add-on packs provide hours of tire-spinning, chassis-destroying fun.

Though the game only takes a few hours to play through, the multiple layers of story — which each unlock additional meaning in the others once uncovered — make for a groundbreaking narrative system unlike anything else. But more impressive is the emotional impact of the stories themselves, not just the tale of a crisis aboard a space station and the perils of corporate-controlled AI, but the intertwining stories of six people's lives, loves and losses.

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.

Volta is a great, nostalgic innovation for the series that alone is enough to justify jumping back into FIFA, even if it comes off as a pleasant afterthought given the continued focus on Ultimate Team. Other offline modes like Pro Clubs and Career continue to be ignored.

Owners of the latest tycoon title can expect a wealth of fresh features from this timely expansion pack.

With simple yet inventive time manipulation puzzles and charming, evocative art, The Gardens Between is a short and sweet meditation on youthful memories and friendships. By abstracting the personal, relatable story of neighbours Arina and Frendt into a procession of colourful, nostalgia-inducing scenes to unpick, it delivers plenty to reflect on even if it will only take you a few hours.

Mechstermination Force has a cutesy look but an unmistakably retro feel, and will speak to those who like to throw themselves at a challenge again and again until they understand it well enough to complete it blindfolded. The difficulty is balanced by some brilliant designs and an overall charming package that's much friendlier than the robots it houses.

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.

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.

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.

Tight controls, inventive action scenes and solid artificial intelligence all combine to make the single-player mode an excellent experience.

The potty humour will not be to everyone's taste but many films are hilariously lampooned.

If you can get past the dated graphics and sound in many of the games, you may discover that the gameplay is still as dastardly as ever.

From the constant challenge of bartering with your money and blood to maximise your loadout, to the awesome feeling of getting deep into the temple fully stocked with weapons and relics that complement each other to create a perfect playstyle, this is a seriously compelling roguelite. If you’re willing to make the initial sacrifice of time and energy to come to grips with the setup.

The slow pace may not be to everyone's taste but this game is a must for horror buffs.

The game can be maddeningly frustrating, requiring precision and steely nerves, but also hugely addictive.

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."

Gripping and gritty, but will leave you wanting more.

Amusing multiplayer mini-games such as basketball, soccer and ice hockey are enjoyable diversions.

This Lego retelling of the prequels is both a loving tribute and an amusing parody.

Gripping and gritty, but will leave you wanting more.

It's hard not to fall in love with Ridge Racer all over again now that it's looking so good. Online play will compel you to race on past the use-by date too.

Squadrons' gameplay core is finely tuned, and its spectacle layer nails the Star Wars illusion. Perhaps in a few months I'll long for a meatier suite of modes and maps, but, in the heat of battle, Rebel and Imperial pilots haven't had an experience this engaging since the Nintendo GameCube era.