After being left disappointed many a time by previous local multiplayer games the PlayStation 4 has had to offer, Helldivers is a breath of fresh air providing short bursts of explosive action that’s both strategic and enjoyable.

There are some troubling flaws with the camera, and the construction tools, though potent, are not as immediately accessible as they should be.

The Deer God can be a very absorbing experience. I found myself just running along the landscape exploring the world, and testing my powers on the creatures around me. It’s not a tough game to master and it isn’t long either once you have the basics in hand.

Either way with its back to basics approach to narrative, and its deeply satisfying gunplay, early signs are that Resident Evil: Revelations 2 will be a worthy addition to the series.

It fails to do anything that really pushes the series forward, borrowing heavily from previous games while adding a few extra bells and whistles.

A game that I urge you to experience. It’s not perfect, but in a way that fits entirely with its own outlook, and its effectiveness as a story is both thought-provoking and surprising. Pre-conceptions aside, it is certainly an intriguing and unique title that explores elements of philosophy and life often left untouched by gaming.

Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late is a welcome addition to the fighting genre, and whilst there are a few rough edges, and a barmy plot, its welcoming but deep mechanics, enjoyable characters and solid performance should see it gain as many fans on this side of the world as it did in the East.

It isn’t a fun puzzle game, and feels like a missed opportunity.

For the stalwart fan, it’s possible that Last Round contains just enough additions and upgrades to make a purchase necessary, especially when you consider its budget pricing, but for the less committed it may not be enough. Meanwhile, for those yet to play Dead or Alive 5, Last Round is the most complete and attractive version of an enjoyable, albeit ostentatious, fighter despite a few minor issues.

A dull grind from the get go.

The Order: 1886 features a wonderfully crafted and realistic alternate history setting with the greatest visuals and production values so far on the PS4. While the first half or so of the story really works, it’s let down by the final few hours, which abandon things shouting out to be explored in favour of introducing forced plot points which do the world and the main cast a disservice.

An enjoyable and engaging entry in the series, and in the combat flight-sim genre. For returning players however there is very little new content here to warrant a purchase, unless you’re absolutely desperate to pilot a Samus Aran airplane in a fictional war.

One of the best point and click adventure titles to be released, and stands as an example of what the genre has to offer. I would easily place it in the company of revered adventure titles like Grim Fandango or Tales Of Monkey Island, perhaps even surpassing them as it takes what made those titles great and expands upon them.

The story takes a weird turn in the third act which made it seem less like LocoRoco and more like Rise of the Planet of the Apes, making the game a somewhat strange and interesting experience despite the incredibly frustrating levels and annoying control issues.

This episode is about as close to being filler as it gets for Telltale – sure, a couple of the plot threads are enjoyable, and one of the new characters is quite interesting – but these moments are few compared to the abundance of boring references and pointless tasks to be done.

Admittedly, it can be hit and miss when paired up with AI players through matchmaking, but as with so many games, it can be pure gold when played with friends.

All in all, it’s an essential entry for both new and returning hunters, and another vital exclusive for Nintendo’s 3DS.

If you enjoy crafting and planning, while potentially starting a riot, then The Escapists could be the game you’re looking for.

Although a sound game, Dying Light just falls short of greatness.

This remake changes that title – for the better, from a technical view – but that’s likely to mess with fans’ nostalgic tendencies and will confuse returning players at points. But, for anyone playing Majora’s Mask for the first time, this is an extremely refined reworking of a game which would likely feel archaic and broken if released again in its original state.

The visuals paint a solid, and often beautiful world, and despite the occasional misstep in the dialogue or execution Dontnod have the beginnings of a worthy and memorable entry in the adventure game genre.

A puzzling game, in every sense of the word. In that manner there are puzzles, each of which must be surmounted before you can progress, but equally its lack of any true storytelling, beyond that which you create yourself, or indeed any hand-holding to point you in the right direction almost cause too much confusion.

The simple fact is that despite turning the game off every ten minutes and vowing never to play it again, I kept coming back to Baboon! It is annoyingly addictive, and I mean that in every sense, it will annoy the hell out of you.

It’s a game that makes you laugh out loud, and Manny is a great lead character.

If you’ve played the original Resident Evil inside out, or the Gamecube remake, you know exactly what you’re getting with Capcom’s shiny re-release. It’s a polished update that never strays far from the template, proving just as faithful as it is hardcore.

Considering its budget price, Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD Remix is a steal. Clocking in at well over sixty hours, the collection oozes with quality and that classic Disney charm, all bundled up in a gorgeous high definition package.

Hell as a location feels a bit bland, and without the other Saints to bounce off Kinzie and Gat aren’t that interesting or funny. Combine that with the lack of in-game music and customisation options and this entry is a step backwards for the series.

A game of small joys, lovingly compiled by master games makers. Smaller in scope than many of the titles in the Mario universe, the focus with which it has been constructed has meant it retains a purity sorely lacking in many modern games.

By combining this new content with the old, Gamefreak have created their most accessible remake yet.

The opportunity to re-explore Hoenn is a thrilling one, and there’s more than enough new content and tweaks to the old to justify the return trip.

Issues with the sound design aside, Lumino City is truly wonderful. The writing sparkles, puzzles are well put together and fun while requiring you to work for the solution just the right amount, and the visuals really do feel special.

It’s one of their best offerings, and a refreshing new direction for both a game series that had begun to go stale and a gameplay formula which had started to feel repetitive.

Not a bad game, it’s just not a great one. The singleplayer game brings nothing new to the franchise, and in some ways even feels like a step backwards from Guardian Of Light. As a multiplayer game it takes on a different and welcome dimension, though for every great moment, you can expect equal frustration.

If you happen to be a fan of both Adventure Time and Zelda then you’re unlikely to find another game that combines the world of Ooo and the gameplay of Hyrule in such an enjoyable way.

The in game world is absolutely huge and it’s filled with a great deal of content – it looks brilliant at times too. Although the handling takes some time getting used to it does feel natural as the game begins to open up. Despite that, the driver AI can be infuriating at times, as with the traffic placement which I refuse to believe is a coincidence. The online doesn’t feel well integrated either and the story is uninspiring.

The premiere episode in Telltale’s Game of Thrones series does a lot of things right. Certainly, it manages to capture the political overtones as well as the high fantasy setting of the series it is based on, and it does them justice, bringing in new characters and plots not adapted from the book series. That’s an achievement in itself, and while it doesn’t stray too much from Telltale’s formula, it adapts an excellent property to something which we’ve seen hit the mark time and time again.

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions is a fantastic return for the series that brought the twin-stick shooter to modern consoles. Damningly hard, visually and aurally distinctive, there are few games that can match it for both immersion and addictiveness.

To put it simply Escape Dead Island is a cash grab using the Dead Island name, before the franchise completely moves to the new consoles with Dead Island 2. There’s nothing really satisfying about Escape Dead Island, even if you are a huge fan of zombies or Dead Island.

It provides enough entertainment and while it won’t be considered a classic it scratches the itch when you want to play something for a couple of minutes.

Unity is an impressive technical achievement despite its issues, and it is certainly a significant step forward for the series as a whole. The difficulty of combat encourages use of the overhauled stealth system, perhaps signalling a shift towards a real focus on stealthy gameplay in the series, which is certainly exciting.

The story isn’t always fantastic, but when it hits the mark (read: when Pagan Min shows up), it can be absolutely wonderful. In this game, there’s tons to do, and you’ll really enjoy doing all of it, particularly if you’re riding an elephant as you go.

Nuna & Fox’s story is wonderfully told through the native tongue of the Iñupiat, accompanied by artwork inspired by the tribe’s drawings and etchings, and brought to life by the beautiful designed of the environments and characters.

The story might not explore all of the potential, but briefly shines a light on what the new possibilities might be for those making their own levels. The wide array of new tools, the removal of limitations and addition of new characters and power-ups will all serve to empower the community to reach new heights.

Although there’s a niche that will no doubt revel in the game’s eccentricity, those who cringe at otaku culture will find very little value here.

It’s probably the worst game I’ve ever played. It’s fails in so many departments, and like In Space We Brawl, pales in comparison to other local multiplayer games currently out on the PlayStation 4.

Although there’s a niche that will no doubt revel in the game’s eccentricity, those who cringe at otaku culture will find very little value here. Even looking past its more tasteless tendencies, the game’s combat is average and its design is repetitive. Still, it’s a complete write-off by any means, in part thanks to its vibrant depiction of Akihabara and the surprise inclusion of English voiceover.

BlazeRush is a fun time-sink that really comes into its own when you have human competition.

Nostalgia for those early games makes any new entry in the genre a difficult proposition and while Toybox Turbos could improve in some areas, it’s as good as we’ve had in many years. If there’s still an audience for four player local multiplayer – and I suspect there really is – then this is a great game for those loud and excitable afternoon or post-pub play sessions.

Though it makes a sound first impression it’s ultimately held back by a forced narrative and gameplay segments that fall by the wayside.

Chariot is one of the better platformers I’ve played of late. Played on your own, it is a good and challenging affair, but working in a pair pushes it up a few notches.

Minutes does exactly what it says on the tin and it does it beautifully, which is quite a feat considering developer Red Phantom Games is actually just one person, Richard Ogden. An essential title for on-the-go gaming on PS Vita, and a damn fine puzzler on PS4.

At the heart of Advanced Warfare is the exoskeleton and all of the possibilities it opens up, transforming the way that you get around amidst the futuristic setting. Yet it delivers on many more levels too, from a compelling story and cast of characters to the graphics and the vast array of options for multiplayer character and loadout customisation.

Overall Race The Sun is a fantastic endless runner style game, a genre which I’m usually not a fan of. It’s incredibly addictive and really taps in to that ‘one more go’ mentality.

As a tried and tested mobile game with over 11 million downloads Tiny Troopers: Joint Ops is perfectly suited to short bursts of military action on the PS Vita. With nearly eight hours of content for such a small price it will keep you entertained for many a bus journey to work.

If you’re looking for a game that has punishing fights, but is a bit easier than Souls then this is it. However the story and lore just aren’t that interesting, despite a good premise and Harkyn doesn’t have much personality. There’s also quite few bugs that really need addressing, like clipping through the environment and objects, or the enemies that just stop moving completely, yet can still deal damage, or suddenly develop the ability to fly.

MXGP provides a wonderful racing experience. The unpredictable physics, terrain deformation and challenging opposition (whether it be online players or AI set to hard) combine to make a gritty racing game, which you can have plenty of fun with thanks to the sheer about of content.

Just Dance 2015 is a polished and enjoyable product, and whilst it’s potentially still behind the Dance Central series in a few key areas, including the way it monitors player actions, it makes up for this with its trademark styling, a strong collection of songs and intuitive online features.

Though it still carries the same old Musou blueprint, and so there’s little to draw in those who dislike its particular brand of hack n’ slash action, there are enough changes to attract any self-respecting fan of the series.

Overall, NBA 2K15 has come on leaps and bounds from the previous year’s game, really fleshing out all the game modes.

Defense Grid 2 is an enjoyable return to Hidden Path’s dystopian future, though whilst the sequel features a number of improvements some key features of the original, in particular the engaging story, have been lost along the way.

With a more intuitive – not to mention, convenient – core gimmick, Skylanders’ fourth instalment is a solid outing for the series, dispelling fears that the Activision power seller is succumbing to fatigue. For fans, it’s yet another all-round improvement, but Trap Team also serves as a perfect entry point for newcomers.

For those who aren’t too hot on their strategy role playing games, however, Natural Doctrine is a risk, yet one still worth taking if you’re looking for something testing and out-of-the-norm.

Despite borrowing a lot of well-worn themes from other games and movies (Hello, creepy shop mannequins from Silent Hill), The Evil Within feels fresh and exciting. It’s easy to recommend to fans of the original Dead Space and the earlier Resident Evil games.

Overall PIX The Cat is incredibly fun and addictive.

Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is amongst the finest open-world games of recent years, with gratifying and brutal combat, a genuinely gripping story and excellent car handling for this type of game. Despite some technical issues, which perhaps should have been addressed for a ‘definitive edition’, the game remains as playable as it was two years ago.

Shadow of Mordor is without doubt the best Middle-earth game available on consoles.

As you finish the Tour and start to take on more and more challenges, Driveclub starts to show its true colours. It may be difficult for some to adapt to in an age where racers sprawl across open worlds featuring hundreds of cars and tons of tracks, but this is a game with a very singular focus.

That idea of never being comfortable with how the game is unravelling is something that feels quite unique and it’s extremely well imagined here. Plenty of survival horror games have you feeling vulnerable as you essentially fulfil the role of a hero but things are different here. In Alien: Isolation you’re not the hero, you’re the prey.

Visually, Sherlock Holmes is brilliant, from the detailed crime scenes to the realistic facial animations. The clunky gameplay, frustrating mini-games and inconsistent voice performances do detract from the overall experience though.

Castlestorm: Definitive Edition is exactly that – a remastered edition of an enjoyable game. Bar some issues with the controls the game offers an enjoyable mix of tower defense, RTS and action all wrapped up in a fun exterior. There’s probably little here to convince owners of the original game to double-dip, but for newcomers there’s a huge amount of content which should keep you coming back for some time.

Overall, 2.0 may not have the impact of the original but it’s still one of the best “toys to life” gaming experiences on the market.

Destiny is far from a perfect game, with flaws quite clearly apparent in the storytelling and the repetitive formula, but it’s also a game that can quite easily keep you coming back for more time and again, especially if you play with friends.

In a series that is synonymous with incremental improvements, FIFA 15 manages to feel like more of an evolutionary leap.

Revolution has failed to take a step away from the shadow of UNS3, and will have to remain all that it looks to be: a filler while we wait for the final main-story instalment.

Although returning fans will get more out of Danganronpa 2, bar the occasional reference, there are no barriers obstructing those yet to play the series. Still, Goodbye Despair isn’t a game for everyone, especially those who crave action and non-stop thrills.

Overall Murasaki Baby is a bit of originality sprinkled with easy to medium puzzles, a short story you have to put together and enough content for a few hours of play.

Run Like Hell! offers a good amount of content here for players – the main Story Mode took around 2 hours to get through and of course the Arcade and Online modes will go on for as long as you want to play them. I wouldn’t recommend this title to everyone, but if you’re looking for a smaller game to play in short bursts or if you’re a fan of the runner genre, then this is probably worth checking out.

Madden 15 is easily the most complete release in the series so far, with all of the improvements tying together to create an enjoyable and enthralling game of American Football.

Tales of Xillia 2 is a very good game, but it is definitely not better than the original.

Velocity 2X delivers another dose of pitch perfect shoot ‘em up gameplay, but refuses the rest on the laurels of its predecessor. Taking Kai out of her Quarp Jet opens up whole other avenues for the gameplay that only gets better and better as you progress, with every other part of the game lavished with further polish and refinement.

A solid story, an interesting cast of characters, and two games that make you panic in a good way. It’s worth the price of entry.

Whether you’re new to inFamous or not, First Light is definitely worth looking into. The only reason you won’t enjoy this is if you didn’t get on with Second Son at all, and although there are some improvements, there’s not enough difference here to convince those who dislike inFamous.

The mixture of side scrolling stealth with the cover-based 3D shooting is quite an ingenious one, but simple enough that when combined with the randomly generated levels, you can hop into the game for a few minutes and, ignoring a few flaws, find yourself staying for an hour.

Games like Disgaea 4 are what the Vita was built for.

A fantastic release of an already great game. There may just about be enough here for veterans of the original release and its expansion to return to the world of Sanctuary, but for those who’ve yet to experience it the PS4 edition is a truly excellent dungeon-crawling RPG, and the definitive console release, capable of providing hours and hours of gameplay.

In its current state the game should have been a £1.99 PlayStation Mobile title, not a £7.99 PlayStation 4 game. The title is coming to PS Vita this week and will be cross-buy but not cross save, and is certainly more suited to short bursts of gaming on a bus.

Though Risen 3 has its moments, there is simply too much to overlook, even if you’re patient enough to make it five or six hours into the game. Role-playing die hards may be able to wring a few morsels of enjoyment from Titan Lords though others, including casual fans of the genres, will find it almost unplayable.

Table Top Racing combines gameplay elements previously seen in the likes of Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing to create a well-balanced racer that becomes increasingly hectic as you bump up the difficulty. There’s a great deal of content to be had too considering the low entry price.

I suspect that it will be a game which polarises opinions among Vita gamers but I loved almost every aspect of it and I’m very happy that the Vita remains such a strong platform for imaginative experiences like Metrico.

Although fans will appreciate Deep Silver bringing the series back from the dead, some will no doubt find themselves alienated by the amount of omissions and alterations found in Sacred 3. With that said, it’s still a competent game, even if a little too shallow for fans of the genre.

The unique cloning abilities of the mysterious Swapper device pave the way for some challenging puzzle designs and a gripping story, that sci-fi fans will no doubt love. However, you can’t help but feel that it’s all over far too soon.

It looks good, the humour remains persistent, and overall the collection is enjoyable. I’d recommend the trilogy if you want to get into the series, if you love the series or if you’re a fan of platforming titles.

GRID Autosport is certainly much more in line with what fans of the first game wanted to see in GRID 2, but it manages to arrive on the scene just a year later.

MouseCraft is a game that manages to take inspiration from two classic titles and create something fun.

Being fairly new to racing on two wheels, I wasn’t sure how I would take to MotoGP, but found that it quite quickly grew on me as I became more familiar with the handling and physics of the incredibly powerful bikes, by way of the career mode and the wide selection of bikes and classes to work through. However, it’s let down by certain graphical limitations and a general lack of polish to the presentation.

Compared to recent attempts to try and revive the on-rails genre, Blue Estate probably comes out on top. The DualShock 4 serves as a perfect replacement for PlayStation Move and, when paired with intuitive mechanics and stylised visuals, makes for a solid downloadable title.

Compared to vanilla Dynasty Warriors and its Samurai counterpart, KOEI’s Gundam offshoot is falling behind. Where the other two have made a number of progressive changes through the years, Reborn does little to distance itself from the stigma attached to the franchise.

Those who are after more than just another run-and-gun game will do well here, and the inclusion of two player co-op is the icing on the cake. Unfortunately the game is dragged down slightly by the number of glitches, which somewhat ruin the immersion.