It's a game that's far better than most of the tat on the shelves just now, and certainly deserving of your attention and we reckon that a sequel could be stunning.

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.

Baja is about as middle of the road as remasters get. While it’s great to see Nordic paying attention to its stable of dormant THQ properties, exhuming an average racing game from 2008 seems a tad misguided. Baja hasn’t aged particularly well, but it’s far from bad and there’s still some fun to be had taking to the track. You just have to question why this remaster even exists.

de Blob is a welcome remaster and will hopefully lead to those who avoided the Wii version enjoying a fun and vibrant platformer. The sequel was released as a multiplatform title, so it’s possible that some may be looking backwards to the series’ origins. The game itself still holds up in comparison to its sequel, though it doesn’t have the enjoyable 2D sections. If you’re after a splash of colour to illuminate the dark winter nights, de Blob is a good place to go.

The Videokid is one of those arcade titles that can easily eat away at your time if you let. The simplistic but addictive gameplay means you’ll want to keep going back until you’ve beaten the course. Combine it with the colourful voxel art and the humour that permeates the game and you have a verified fun experience on your hands. The Videokid isn’t just an homage to Paperboy, it’s a successor.

To put it simply, Sniper Elite V2 feels older than it actually is.

Golden Force is an excellent side-scrolling action platformer with some of the best boss fights I’ve seen for quite some time. With brilliant combat and combo mechanics and four varied islands to explore, Golden Force will surprise just as much as it entertains.

Smelter's opening cutscene got me very pumped for what was to follow, but what did follow left me despondent. I’d been set up and felt ready for an awesome 16-bit experience that, thanks to its promised smelting of genres, would feel genuinely fresh. The game that followed wasn’t fresh, it was past its sell by date and starting to smell like feet.

A formerly excellent game brought down significantly by a poor remaster with barely any upgrades to sell it to a new audience, at a price that’s a little too high for what the game is. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance still has a great, classic DnD story and setting, with an excellent musical score, but the experience is marred by technical issues that range from disappearing sound effects and frame rate drops to frequent crashes.

Pikmin Bloom is a fine AR experience, but sadly it’s just not a good game. With the volume (and intensity) of bugs, the lack of things to actually do and a poor economy, Bloom's player base feels likely to wither without significant change. However, the game does already have a core group of players who absolutely love it, so watch this space. With enough bug fixes and quality of life improvement, Pikmin Bloom may well blossom into something worth playing.

No Place For Bravery has some real strong points and I really enjoyed the story in particular, but they're counterbalanced by weaker elements within the combat that meant I wasn't really excited by the whole package. It's a decent effort that will kill a few hours, but not much more than that.

Despite three years in Early Access, it's hard to recommend Graven at launch. From odd design choices to bugs and progression issues, the unfortunate conclusion is that Graven is a real missed opportunity.

Commandos: Origins is probably very good; an interesting historical setting, charming visuals, and deep and varied strategic options. You won’t notice any of that if playing on console however, you’ll be too busy wrestling with the terrible controls to be having much fun. That, and the buggy visuals, make this one to be missed unless you're on PC.

There are various secrets and written pieces of lore scattered throughout the game and I found probably around 75% of these in my playthrough of just under 6 hours. The replayability mostly comes from the different endings that are hinted at by the achievement list and I do want to revisit Moroi to find out whether these hidden endings provide more answers.

Hypercharge: Unboxed delivers on its promise of plastic-bashing toy warfare. However, for more mature gamers and fans of the genre, it doesn’t go deep enough, playing it safe with serviceable albeit rather basic gameplay.

Shadow Labyrinth has a really great premise, but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. The progression is too slow to keep things fresh and interesting, the story is lacklustre, and the gameplay just doesn't meet the expectations you would have for what is supposed to be a big new turning point for Pac-Man.

With some unpleasant difficulty spikes and staid visuals, TMNT: Tactical Takedown won’t be for everyone. But for those willing to overlook its idiosyncrasies, Tactical Takedown offers a compelling, yet brief, strategic challenge.

I think it is good that classic franchises are getting a new lease of life, but Rushing Beat X: Return of Brawl Brothers could have been a better return for the series. When combat works it can be really satisfying, but with enemies wandering aimlessly on and off screen, and depth perception and hitboxes being off, there is improvement needed. There is, at least, a good variety of characters to play around with through the story, lending itself to allow players to try different approaches, but the best character is locked out until after you complete story mode. Rushing Beat X: Return of Brawl Brothers is a short, solid brawler, but there are better sides-scrolling beat 'em ups out there.

F1 2015 doesn’t have many of the features and game modes that we’ve seen over the years, and this feels disappointing given delays during development, but it gives a solid basis for future growth. With lush visuals, tight car handling, good racing and a sprinkling of fresh ideas, this is exactly the fresh start that Codemasters needed.

There is something comforting about Jet Kave Adventure. It doesn't take any risks or fly off on any wild tangents, it is just a solid, well-made side scrolling platformer. Mastering each level will be a challenge, but younger players will still enjoy the story and zipping around on the jet pack. Jolly good fun!

UEFA 2012 is what many of us have been asking for since DLC became a major part of console gaming. Unfortunately, the desire to deliver it as an expansion, rather than a unique product has meant that corners have been cut. While that has made the end product less expensive than in previous instances, it still appears quite costly when measured against other items on the relevant stores.

Downward Spiral: Horus Station is a unique take on zero gravity that feels fairly true to what it would be like. The trouble is this makes for a dull experience when not in VR. [Non-VR Review]

Orwell’s Animal Farm relays the content of the book well, but stops short of drawing from any new depths, as choices are limited and the plot takes second place to a dry management sim.

It might be possible in the coming months to find a realistic racing game that is more fun, there will certainly be more approachable racers before the end of the year. If you want unapologetic realism and inclusive simulation then Supercar Challenge is the only game you should be considering.

The game is an homage to the 16-bit era, and is a reminder of everything I love about gaming. Unfortunately, repetition does sneak in, and the boss battles are a little disappointing, but if you are a fan of the genre you really should check it out.

Genesis Alpha One mixes the spirits of FTL and No Man’s Sky into a solid space simulator cocktail. Your success is dependent on your approach, with playing it safe all but guaranteeing you reach a Genesis, but a little recklessness can lead to ship invasions and desperate measure. Its unpredictable nature means you’re always on the lookout for danger and celebrate every little victory. Genesis Alpha One is recommended if you’re looking for a new challenge among the stars.

Synduality Echo of Ada is the ultimate extraction experience - sanding off rough edges and putting a shine on the most exciting elements of the genre. Bundled together with cool mechs, customizable characters, and tight combat just makes this sweet experience even sweeter.

Whilst the controls ruin the combat in The Baconing, this isn't actually all there is to the game.