Although somewhat far fetched, Coast Guard’s storyline can be rather captivating and adds a refreshing layer to the game. However, it gives the impression that it doesn’t really know what it wants to be, without the depth to a full ship simluator and with some lacking gameplay during the investigations.

If you can muster a dedicated group to play FORCED then, chances are, you’ll have a good time of it. Although the core gameplay isn’t robust enough for most tastes, there’s fun to be had in co-ordinating a team of powerful gladiators, cleaving through wave after wave of enemies. Lacking a progressive sense of dynamism, however, this fun factor soon deteriorates while never manifesting at all if you happen to be playing on your own.

Need For Speed feels like a plucky contender, that is close to greatness but tragically falters at number of key moments.

Fallout 4 is hugely ambitious and without a doubt one of the best games this year. It’s not without its flaws, but very few games made me care more about what I was picking up, how to use it, what choices I made, and even the communities I’d founded. By streamlining some mechanics, Bethesda has made room for other more complex ideas. If you can forgive a few technical imperfections, of which there aren’t as many as prior instalments, Fallout 4 exceeds all expectations.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is an action-packed tour-de-force that, while derivative at times, is a fantastic romp from beginning to end. This sequel learns some of the lessons of its predecessor by making the game more like a recognisable Tomb Raider game, while at the same time implementing some new features and impressive visual design. While not quite the globetrotting adventure some were hoping for, Rise of the Tomb Raider is well worth playing.

From the big marquee features to the small touches and hidden modes, Black Ops 3 features an awful lot of content, and every aspect of it is designed with cooperative play in mind. It can feel a bit disjointed in places, but it’s a broad and expansive game with plenty to enjoy, especially so when playing with friends.

Whether you want to pick up the main game on the cheap, grab the generous and expansive season pass of DLC or dabble with Bikes, it’s never been a better time to jump into Driveclub and get racing.

Just Dance 2016 is a one trick pony and if you have beers and friends, or children who need to be entertained, it’s a great way to spend a few hours. As a solo game it’s a bit dull and you do start to notice that the tracking of your dancing is dubious to say the least.

Regrettably, similarities to the original board game and exceptionally rare moments of fun can’t save Space Hulk’s voyage onto Vita. Although somewhat functional it’s nowhere near the level of quality fans will have been expecting, especially given how long the port has been in development. In short, it feels utterly passionless and rushed with no real consideration for those who might actually buy it.

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker is a fantastic handheld RPG with a deep combat system, characters that you care about, and a well-delivered story. Returning fans will also find plenty to enjoy here too, whether it’s the new difficulty settings, voice-acting, or the fresh story arc. As such, Devil Survivor 2 takes its place amongst the best the Nintendo 3DS has to offer.

It’s not the best Halo game I’ve ever played, but it is good, delivering most of the Halo essentials without compromise.

Niggling flaws aside, Vermintide is easily one of the most surprising games to launch this year. Although there’s a clear lack of originality, Fatshark has done a brilliant job in throwing together a patchwork of borrowed designs with its own previous work on games like War of the Roses. It’s got the makings of a sleeper hit and hopefully, with a few more refinements, can grow into the next multiplayer must-have.

Technically it is a well crafted game without any bugs in sight. The look SUTD Game Lab has gone for with it stands out well, and works in the context of the game’s setting. The soundwork is also very well done. The majority of puzzles are decent too, but it is the ones that take ages to get past, even though you know the solution, because of timing that remove a lot of goodwill for One Upon Light. There were points where fun wasn’t being had because of them. At the same time One Upon Light feels very mechanical.

It’s tougher to recommend BlazBlue: Chronophantasma Extend to those wishing to get more out of it than a solid fighting game experience. However, the two new characters that join the growing cast are great additions and the conversion to the next-gen consoles is almost completely successful. If you’re not intimidated by the competitive scene or if the massively convoluted plot doesn’t faze you; BlazBlue: Chronophantasma Extend is a good choice for scratching that pugilistic itch.

An in-depth and thoughtful RPG that offers console gamers an experience normally reserved for PC gamers. It’s pace and mechanics may take some getting used to and there are a few mild technical issues, but for those willing to put the time and effort in there are countless hours of questing and combat here that should enthral any RPG fan.

Jackbox Party Pack 2 still offers one of the best multiplayer experiences I’ve ever had on a console.

Wasteland 2 is an excellent game, but at the same time does nothing particularly new or ground-breaking within the RPG genre. It’s easy to see why PC gamers have become so enamoured with it, yet it’s hard to imagine Wasteland garnering the same appeal on consoles. Despite inXile’s valiant effort in bringing the game to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, it never feels quite at home.

Syndicate comes off as another Assassin’s Creed game with a handful of improvements. London is beautiful if a bit laborious to travel around, and the missions are repetitive, but this doesn’t make Syndicate bad by any stretch of the imagination. It’s still a good game, it just hasn’t made a significant step up over the previous instalment.

It may have the character, control and theme down to a tee, but the dungeon design is nowhere near as tight as those from the main franchise.

It has its weaknesses and flaws as a game, but this is a deeply impactful game that shouldn’t be missed.

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.

Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden does a serviceable job of bringing a number of the iconic characters to Nintendo’s diminutive handheld, and fans in particular will find plenty to enjoy here with a serviceable amount of content in a well-presented package. However, the base challenge is set too low, and while the grading system adds difficulty, followers of Arc System Works’ other game series may want to look elsewhere for a serious handheld fighter.

Guitar Hero Live is exactly what the franchise needed after its five-year hiatus, and I’d go as far to say it’s what the whole genre needed. Although naysayers will lament the lack of more instruments or complain about the non-permanence of extra songs, for many, Live will become the quintessential party game and is already set to be a permanent fixture in my sitting room.

Those looking for a spooky adventure for Halloween can certainly find one in Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water. Taking photos of ghosts while trying to keep dry is enthralling, while Mount Hikami’s forests and shrines are among some of the spookiest locales in the franchise.

By focusing on a smaller concentration of characters on-screen, it has a slightly more tactile, RPG feel. Combined with some inventive gameplay features and that charming Dragon Quest aesthetic, Heroes succeeds in creating its own identity. It may fall short of greatness yet serves as an ideal solution for those eagerly awaiting the series’ next mainline instalment.

While I didn’t really engage with the characters and narrative as much this time around, the action and sheer wealth of content more than made up for it.

Tales Of Zestiria is a highly enjoyable JRPG, with likeable characters, fun combat and an engaging plot, that’s only mildly let down by a few technical hiccups and a lack of grandeur to the locations. For Tales fans, Zestiria is certainly amongst the best entry’s in the franchise and one which deserves to finally enjoy success in the West.

Beyond Sol is a very good blend of RTS and action game rolled into a package that has a rather unique approach to games taking place in space.