While it does not usurp the Pokémon franchise in any way, shape, or form, Yo-Kai Watch is a viable alternative for those who can get past some of the inconsistent design choices.

OlliOlli is a great game, with a brilliant trick system which is clearly well thought out and has had a lot of development time...It’s just ultimately let down by how it feels on the system it’s made for, and the fact that there’s no sense of challenge against your friends, which is arguably the draw of an arcade-y high score challenge game such as this.

There is an incredible core set of mechanics and gameplay at the heart of Cross Tag Battle. It is fun as hell to play, and addictive and rewarding to try and master. Unfortunately, the package that this gameplay ships in is embarrassingly sparse, especially by Arcsys standards.

Lemnis Gate is intoxicating. Lemnis Gate is excruciating. Lemnis Gate is both these things. It's also a unique, compelling, strategic shooter, but one that might be too far ahead of its time.

Though there are issues with Killzone HD, it should be remembered that this is an HD port of a last gen title, not a complete remake, so some bugs should be expected. For fans of the Killzone franchise, or FPS fans on a tight budget, this is well worth playing.

For small groups of gamers that play together often, Ghost Recon Wildlands seems like a no-brainer and some of the most fun I’ve had in a video game this year. For any lone wolves out there, however, it offers a less appealing all-round package. Ubisoft has pieced together yet another sprawling sandpit to explore yet nothing stands out as truly inventive or remarkable and moving between provinces felt like I was checking items off a shopping list instead of spearheading the American the drug war. At a time where open world games are starting to push boundaries and transform the genre, Ghost Recon is almost at danger of being left behind.

Deliver Us Mars is another engaging science fiction tale with something to say about our modern world. This message is wrapped in a more personal story this time around, that’s bolder in how it tells it, and mixes it well with broader action and puzzling, so it’s just a shame that the game can’t match that ambition with some technical weaknesses even on the latest consoles.

The Conspiracy might not appeal to fans but to a Prison Break virgin, it is surprisingly good. Yes, there are flaws and it won’t win any awards but it should definitely at least be rented. Even just for the simple trophies.

A brief fumble in the darkness of space, Heavenly Bodies is designed to beguile you with floaty, physics based puzzles. It will scramble your brains as you perform the most straightforward of tasks, at times testing your sanity and (if playing in co-op) the strength of any relationship.

The game works best in how it empowers you to toggle between idle exploration and obsessive score chasing whenever it suits you. However, as time drags on, if that drive to make headway begins to wane, there’s little else to keep players hooked. Then, of course, there’s the ridiculous online-only policy that is bound to frustrate, adding a completely expendable layer to the year’s best winter sports game.

Typoman’s appeal boils down to whether or not you’re willing to invest in shorter games that are content light, yet have genuinely interesting ideas that are beyond what’s come before. By using words as an aesthetic and gameplay device, it writes its own reasons for why it is unique. My only wishes were that the platforming was tighter and that it had a few more levels. Typoman is over far too quickly for my liking, but this is high praise for what it did in its short time.

Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown's one goal was to update this old-school and finely aged fighter for a modern platform. In that, it excels. This is a classic fighting game that holds up to this day. Despite that, though, it's a shame that so many single player offerings had to be cut in order to achieve this vision. Virtua Fighter 5 Ultimate Showdown is a perfect competitive fighter for the modern world, but for someone looking to mess around with it offline, your options are disappointingly limited compared to previous versions of the game.

Capturing the essence of classic animated films, Forgotton Anne is a gorgeous game to look at and tells a whimsical tale of forgotten things come to life. As lovely as the style is, it also affects the substance of the game, with the low frame rate animations leading to awkward feeling platforming and some puzzles that are rough around the edges. If you can look past the flaws, there’s still a rather lovely and charming tale here to explore.

Wave Break is Tony Hawks Pro Skater on water, and yes, it's as wild, wacky and occasionally wonderful as that sounds. It boasts the same combo-driven, objective-led action that skateboarding fans have come to know and love, and if you’ve grown up with Mr Hawks’ games there’s every chance you’ll enjoy Wave Break, as long as you can forgive some of its rough edges.

I have really enjoyed Shadowverse, and I will no doubt keep this on my Switch as my go-to game when I’m stuck on the Tube. The problem is that if anyone looks over my shoulder to see what I’m playing, they’re probably going to make a snap judgement about me and what I’m into.

Othercide on Switch remains an evocative and impressive tactical gothic-horror game, though the move to Nintendo’s hardware has dulled the game’s headline visuals, taking some of the atmosphere away from the tactics themselves.

Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island offers a heartfelt and companionable experience that puts the focus on friendship, memory and community. It’s a charming adventure, and a perfect island-based break from the cold winter and its charmless blockbusters.

Storyteller is a delightfully different indie puzzler, and its accessible tale-telling is well worth settling down with for a few hours.

If you'd have told me before I played Shing! that I would like a control scheme that see's you launch combo attacks with an analogue stick, I would have karate chopped your kidney in anger. Ultimately, you would have been right. It's a control scheme that innovates, is accessible and offers a degree of combo flexibility not seen in more traditional beat 'em ups. In a stellar year for nostalgic side-scrolling beat 'em ups, Shing! is a new IP that absolutely demands your attention.

Luigi's Mansion 2 HD is a handsome remaster of a great 3DS game, but it now lives in the shadow of its sequel. It's still a fun time, though, and a great chance for newer Luigi's Mansion 3 fans to get some more ghostbusting action in.

Lego Horizon Adventures definitely gets a lot right, but it also lacks the creative flair of its forebears. Fundamentally, it nails the style and tone of Lego, but seems to forget what it’s actually used for.

Oddworld: Soulstorm clearly comes from a very passionate, dedicated group of developers. Although it is very rough in places, there are parts of it that really do stick out as excellent examples of both gameplay and storytelling. With more refinement this could have been a shining example of what ground-up remakes could be, but it just falls a little short of the high standards set elsewhere. It’s still charming and funny, just like the Mudokens you’re trying to save, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating.

The game certainly provides value for money, given how long it can last. As I said SideQuest has created a game that ticks all the right boxes when it comes to the technical and execution side of things, but the story pacing isn’t good, and something I hope the studio got right for Rainbow Skies.

One of the stand-out moments is Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody, where you play the piano with your guitar and the 4 characters on stage stand like the video to the song. Sadly moments like this are too far and few between for it to be a great game.

The Good Life is another flawed yet fascinating gem from Swery65. It's a weird world full of unforgettable characters, and even when the gameplay grows a bit tiring or repetitive, it's worth all the photo quests and fetch missions in the world to see that next bonkers twist in the story.

It's wonderful to have the classic Famicom Detective Club games remade with modern artwork and with full Western localisations, but the flow of these visual novel detective stories is distinctly lacking and infuriatingly obtuse at times. Still, we can hope this is a sign that Nintendo is considering a truly modern revival of the Detective Club series in future.

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.

WRC 5 is a new beginning for the series, and when viewed in that light, Kylotonn’s efforts come out quite well. There’s several issues, both big and small that detract from the game as a whole, but underneath it all there’s a rallying game that’s just a good bit of fun. When it’s just you and your co-pilot racing through a forest, barely making it through a series of tight twists and turns, that’s really what matter.