The first episode of Mr. Robot is a solid yet slow start to a promising episodic adventure. It successfully translates the tension and intrigue of the show into a text-based experience that excels at times, despite its questionable pacing.

A Total War Saga: Troy is a superb entry to Creative Assembly's strategy series, with both combat and diplomacy proving incredibly addictive. However, there have been a few tweaks to the Total War blueprint in order to accommodate the Bronze Age setting. Hardcore Total War fans may be dismayed by the lack of unit variety, but newcomers may well relish the simplified approach. The new economy system also adds a new depth to diplomacy and strategy, making non-combat play significantly more enjoyable no matter your Total War experience level. And with a smattering of Greek mythology, Troy feels one of the most distinctive entries to the series yet.

With eclectic writing and characters in addition to things to do and places to explore, Shenmue 1 & 2 are brilliant. Very few older titles of that generation still hold up so immensely well today. A stone-cold classic.

The game finds a well-suited home on the portable Switch, although it still has all the trappings of a mobile title. There are control issues old and new, and more could definitely have been done to make the ending feel substantial, but for a few sweet hours The Room will hold your attention with its well-crafted, enigmatic boxes.

It isn’t the best adventure game released in recent years, but it’s charming, fun and a worthy update of a four-year-old title that you might have overlooked.

Yes the experience is short, but it’s also excellent value for money at just £15. If you’ve been a fan of the Arkham series, you simply have to buy this game.

We’re used to cliffhanger endings, but Above The Law doesn’t end on a particularly good one – it fizzles out with a whimper. However, as far as mid-season episodes go it’s enjoyable overall, setting the tone for the final two episodes to come. There may be no surprises in the story here, but the personal conflicts more than make up for it; I’m excited to see how much more heartbreak they bring. Let’s just hope the next episode gets here before we all decompose.

‘Broken Toys’ does a great job of setting up what will hopefully be a thoroughly gripping finale. There are plenty of callbacks that diehard fans of the series will relish, but the emotional beats keep everything grounded. Minor visual quirks can sometimes take you out of the experience, but they’re not enough to derail your overall enjoyment of the episode.

With its gleefully mischievous cast and a few new mechanical tricks, Lego DC Super-Villains is a refreshing twist on the trusted Lego game formula. It’s a shame that long-running glitches that have plagued the series for years still rear their ugly head, but subtle improvements across the board make them tolerable, in large part because there’s so much else to like. A love letter to fans of the comics and the earlier Lego DC games alike, this makes it clear it’s good to be bad.

Crammed with gorgeous worlds, thrilling combat, and engaging mysteries, plus an arching plot that doesn’t speak down to its audience, Starlink is toys-to-life, all grown up.

It isn’t exactly new or original, but Masters of Anima deserves to be a sleeper hit. It’s a fun, polished fantasy riff on Pikmin, with the sort of visual style that made the Torchlight games so charming. Well-paced, thrilling and full of heart, this little gem comes warmly recommended.

I feel like an accessory to the crime by awarding Need for Speed: Heat such a high score, given the blatant theft of Forza Horizon’s entire schtick. But, at the end of the day it works and the few additions that Heat does bring to the formula help it stand apart. Need for Speed: Heat is a return to form for the series, and a great foundation to rebuild the tattered franchise on.

If you’re willing to accept a game which is slightly rough around the edges, and will remind you of Portal at every turn without actually being Portal, then The Turing Test could be for you. There’s a lot here to like: a philosophical dialogue about ethics, transhumanism and the singularity, in conjunction with occasionally brilliant design.

Phoenix point is a little rough around the edges, but if you manage to look past its bugs you'll be treated to one of the most nuanced and entertaining turn-based strategy games to arrive in quite some time.

Melody of Memory is a loving homage to the legacy of Kingdom Hearts, aiming to honour almost two decades of absurd excellence whilst also forging a new path forward. If any franchise is going to make a rhythm game an integral part of its overall plot, it's Kingdom Hearts, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Saints Row The Third Remastered is a decent upgrade of an open-world classic, although doesn't soften all of its rough edges to properly take advantage of modern platforms.

Varied character unlock methods will serve up some 16-bit nostalgia to parents, while teaching kids to think outside the pillow fort. Sleep Tight is an inoffensive strategy shooter who’s shortcomings might just elude a more inexperienced audience.

Whether you take the “Bro” elements for what they are, which is to say a daft gimmick to add an extra layer to a fun, challenging, carefully crafted love letter to the 80s, is up to you, but nothing about Broforce is serious bar the difficulty and dedication to the bit. If you’re the type to roll their eyes at a bad pun while others around you snigger, you might still enjoy the shooting, but this is a full on mickey-take on the Team America generation that will be like nails on a chalkboard to some.

Journey to the Savage Planet offers an atypical open-world feedback loop with some small bits of clever detail but there’s not much else going for it. The writing is tired while the combat is uninspired, with pea shooter guns and a variety of frustrating enemies. Despite this, there’s still no sense of difficulty or tantalising mystery to distance it from its peers or keep you exploring beyond the short narrative – and the addition of co-op feels pointless.

Phantom Doctrine is a disappointment. However, it has bundles of ambition, a lot of smart ideas and a clear and real love for the spy genre it hamfistedly mimics. I’ve no doubt it will find a cult following, but for people expecting a turn-based tactics game along the lines of titans like XCOM 2 and Jagged Alliance 2, this isn’t it...But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop playing it. It’s deeply flawed – but like a proud and misguided parent, I keep wanting the best for the game and can’t leave it alone.

Princess Peach: Showtime! is a great option for young children who want a casual collectathon to sink their baby teeth into without fear of any difficulty spikes halting their progress. The variety of stages and abilities also helps to keep the experience fresh, while simultaneously never becoming so complicated to prove intimidating or confusing. That said, a lot of the inventive mechanics do feel undeveloped, lacking the required time to be fully explored. The low difficulty ceiling, even with collecting every single collectible, will likely put off older gamers – especially with the likes of Kirby and the Forgotten Land and Yoshi’s Crafted World doing a greater job of pleasing multiple audiences.

Capable movement mechanics can't save this game from its endless grind, and lack of variety. Wings of Freedom has its had its feathers clipped, and never manages to get off the ground.

Fire Emblem Warriors is superb. It successfully translates the beloved RPG series without sacrificing any elements for which I have adored the series. With countless characters, a robust upgrade system and plenty of modes on offer, you’ll sink hours into this stylish hack ‘n’ slasher without even knowing it.

Sonic Colors Ultimate is a faithful remake of the 2010 game that you’ll probably enjoy if you’re either a dedicated Sonic fan or a child that doesn’t mind the easy difficulty and childish dialogue. Otherwise, there’s not much to love here, with floaty gameplay and an unengaging story.

The Swords of Ditto is an enjoyable RPG held back by its procedural world that hinders the potential creativity of dungeons and exploration.

Minecraft Dungeons is a solid dungeon crawler that will work wonders with younger audiences taking their first step into the genre, although will leave experienced players wanting something more significant. A brief campaign and underdeveloped hub world prevent it from achieving greatness, yet I can’t help but be impressed by the foundation Mojang Studios has built here.

A unique, bizarre and funny VR experience that’s well worth playing, but not quite so well worth buying. It’s one of the most obnoxious and wilfully offensive games you’ll ever play, but it’s also short and insubstantial, leaving you wondering ‘is that really it?’. Get a mate with PSVR to cough up, have a quick go and you’re laughing, but you might want to think twice before splashing out yourself.

Episode 4 of Batman’s Telltale series continues to tell a good story, but the lack of progression and pay-off does hamper it quite significantly.