Kingdom Hearts III is overflowing with heart, and mostly unconcerned with the head; as such, it’s in dire want of wickedness.

A fitness game that actually works, Ring Fit Adventure is colourful, fun, and offers a comprehensive workout.

Pioneers of Pagona is a robust, in-depth city-builder that almost passes as a full-fledged, complete game and will only get better during Early Access. [Early Access Provisional Score = 80]

A slow start and and a shifting tone give way to a strong central relationship and some tough choices. The road ahead intrigues.

FIFA 14 iOS isn't a great game. Save your time with EA's football franchise for on home consoles, the way it's meant to be played.

Detroit: Become Human wants to move you. It wants to elicit an emotional response through its story. The thing is, it really doesn't. The flowchart is a nice inclusion and adds some variance, but when the narrative is as cringey and ham-fisted as it is you won't want to play through it multiple times.

The good news is that, as ever, Street Fighter 5 is the leader of the pack, even all these years later. If the servers can offer a solid online playground, too, then we should all be very happy.

So, let's sum up: lag so frustrating you want to gouge your eyes out with a spoon, tiresome deliberate disconnections that make a mockery of the ranking system, and a d-pad designed to make you jump around the screen like some deranged monkey on speed. Not particularly positive.

The Walking Dead: The Final Season is off to a cracking start, thanks to the dynamic relationship between Clem and AJ and some of the strongest dialogue in the series to date.

Total War Pharaoh is a fun game, but one that lacks ambition. It squanders its potential with meagre gameplay, story, soundtrack, and performance, and fails to add anything of note to the Total War series, or leave an impression of its identity.

What we have here is a developer that is happy to nudge us with knowing jokes, but who doesn’t dare to frighten us. We might call it a Craven effort. As for the ending, there isn’t one—just a montage of postscripts, detailing the fates of the various characters. Only, we already know their fates, having been at least partially responsible for them. As the credits rolled, the sweetness of the humour had grown stale, and I felt distinctly unsated, though hardly hungry for more. I hate to say it, but Supermassive has made a Butterpop.

The fourth episode brings a welcome jolt of movement and energy, with an urgent pace and the introduction of a new, intriguing character. Some of the branching choices still feel shallow.

After the slump of the second episode, the drama picks up its pace and the central relationship is tested in some interesting ways.

If only House of Ashes were possessed with something malevolent enough to actually scare us; sadly, it commits a litany of sins, none of them original.

Apparently existing only to serve as a strawman for future arguments against the whole genre, Elder Scrolls Online is a game of exposed weaknesses and failed potential. If you’re hankering for Scrolls, I recommend modded Skyrim. If you’re after an MMO, I recommend any other.

Madden 25 is the latest game in a series that appears to have either run out of ideas or simply has no interest in coming up with new ones. Small new additions do little to inspire excitement and a major overhaul feels desperately needed, and is the least that fans deserve.

Remember Me is nothing more than an entirely forgettable tour de farce of archaic game design. Its horrific dialogue, sickening camera and regressive combat are major blips in a title that poses one major question: was this game worth releasing? ‘Dontnod’ is arguably the right answer.

For all its promises of representing a change from the usual (supposed) shoot-bang zeitgeist, Beyond is just as nonsensical as any Call of Duty. It's a thriller without any intrigue, a character study bereft of character, and a game short of actual gameplay.

Below’s moody gloom and atmosphere is spoiled by mechanics that really cramp its central quest.

Man of Medan's story and characters fail to reach the heights of Supermassive's homage to the slasher flick, Until Dawn. The Dark Pictures Anthology isn't off to the greatest of starts.

ooka-Laylee would fit right into the late 90s with its vague puzzles, wakka-wakka voices, and confusing levels. Time has moved on since the N64, and while there are a handful of bright spots, this sadly isn't the catalyst for a 3D platformer revival.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance has some nice ideas and pretty countryside, but is ultimately still buggy, broken and, perhaps worst of all, boring.

A lot of care and attention has gone into recreating the Mega Drive original's stages for a new generation, and the structure has been changed akin to Super Mario 64's hub world. But the platforming and control mechanics on offer here wouldn't cut it in any era.

Football Manager Classic is anything but. It’s simply made me want to go back and play the PC version rather than sit around bored for what feels like ages waiting for a single Vita match to end. A great simulation might still be running behind the scenes, but the Vita doesn’t present it in a way that you’ll want to experience.

Ultimately, this was an ambitious game for the DS, and it's reaching just slightly too far.

It's an experience that only lives up to its name in one way; it makes you want to get in and out as quickly as possible.

This is a frustrating game, not just because it can be occasionally unfair but because these guys clearly have an idea how to promote fear. Running around playing kiss chase with a trans-dimensional being doesn't really cut it.

Buggier than the virulant masses that besiege you, frustrating and, story-wise, uninspiring, this isn't worth anyone's time or money.

Between a dire campaign, samey multiplayer, and a pervading sense of stagnation, Call of Duty Black Ops 7 is a disappointment and serves as, perhaps, the worst Call of Duty title in years. Save yourself some money and play Battlefield 6 or Arc Raiders instead.

Never a challenge, never that exciting, and never really that good, Yoshi's New Island is the first blip on the 3DS' radar for some time.

Tekken Hybrid is an interesting experiment in marketing, but it's also an overpriced, vestigial product released in a digital age, and its confusing trinity of titles simply cannot justify its existence as anything more than a shallow, gluttonous attempt at cashing-in on the series' most devout fans.

Credit must go to Bloober Team for setting a different course for its sequel; it's just a shame that it didn't bring the chills and scares that littered the last outing.

It's hard to hate a game that doesn't do anything particularly badly, but Wii Music also fails to do anything especially well.

Sadly, Red Steel is nothing more than a rushed launch title that will inevitably end up in bargain bins across the globe, and that's unfortunate. Why? Because Red Steel has a ton of potential.

Considering the game combines the talents of both Mistwalker and tri-Crescendo - two incredibly experienced studios when it comes to JRPGs - Awakened Shadow can only be considered a major disappointment.

Given that the game fundamentally relies on fast reactions and impeccable timing, The Shadow and The Flame is a nightmare to try and enjoy because it's the equivalent of driving a forklift truck after downing a packet of medication despite the 'Warning: Causes Drowsiness' precaution.

Call of Cthulhu's atmosphere, especially early on, is delicious, but it's let down by wayward pacing and plot and some muddy graphics.

As well as being unresponsive and technically broken, it's simply not as much fun as its non-HD sibling.

With the core gameplay being dull, the mini-games uninspired and the presentation severely lacking, this is a game that only the most die-hard Nintendo fans will find any worth in.

But by attempting to generate its cash by making progression a slow grind, by repeating the same boring levels over and over again until you a) delete the whole thing, b) use real money, or c) die, Glu Games has made sure you'll likely choose the former and latter before you open your wallet.

While We Happy Few's story contains some genuinely wonderful twists and turns once it gets going, it's dragged down by frustrating survival systems, shoddy combat, and an empty world.

Worth a punt - especially as it's initially free. Just be prepared, for once you've used your power-ups, the game's momentum will grind to a halt. Unless you're willing to cough up the dough. And the game's not worth it.

Another Wii game that seems content with offering little more than a series of half-baked mini-games, with the lure of motion controls seemingly being enough to draw in users. But when those controls are clunky and only work half of the time, the game as a whole falls down.

The problem with the new Saints Row is not just that the characters are boring, or that the combat is by-the-numbers and benumbed by unempowering perks, but that the brief snatches of fun—the wingsuit deployed from a high rise, the hand-brake turn through a curtain of tyre smoke—are nothing new, and are done better in other games.

It won't please fans of the series, nor will it appeal to the casual iDevice audience. The game can be fun and entertaining but there are far too many hoops to jump through to get there.

Upgrading the various cars on offer with money earned through races or in-app purchases (which aren't needed) is something you’ll want to do early on to make handling more bearable. The price-to-content ratio is excellent, but that means nothing considering you’ll get bored long before you reach the end of the road.

A maddening example of a game that was ruined by a lack of focus in its design stages - had it been released with a wider scope it may have made a great RPG, or had it been a little faster paced and involving it may have made a mediocre RTS.

If you want to work up a sweat pretending to be a superhero, you're probably better off dressing up and running around the local park saving endangered squirrels. Ubisoft's Kinect game means well, and will certainly appeal to younger gamers, but its execution is sadly what we've come to expect from Kinect titles - a bit too messy.

If you're looking to dabble in a bit of retro gaming I'd advise looking at the far more entertaining "Capcom Classics Collection," which includes superior games and has been created with far more care.

Now I'm off to dust off my most recent copy of Tetris and play a real arcade puzzle game for a while.

Fight Crab shares a lot of similarities with the glorious gladiatorial battles of Ancient Rome, which were what made primary school history lessons actually fun. Though, like the sporting spectacle, it might not be everyone's cup of tea.

Buy this, and the only shooting you'll be doing is to yourself: in the foot.

At least in terms of being faithful to the source material, it retains a similar level of simplicity, except that in 2006 that just isn't enough.

More serious are the numerous bugs: players are often forced out of shadow form for no reason, making the platforming and puzzle-solving a chore, and Dawn frequently gets stuck on boxes, in walls, almost anything. Infuriating, and so common as to be inexcusable.

A wholly loathsome experience drowns out the potentially impressive water physics; Dark Energy Digital should focus on turning their water into a piece of middleware. Maybe then we could finally see something good come out of this mess.

Worst of all, for an endless runner there’s no sense of momentum – your avatar keeps a constant pace throughout and it lacks a sense of urgency.

Time Crisis: Razing Storm does a splendid job of being a bit of throwaway fluff you might be able to pick up on the cheap a couple of months from now, but anyone expecting something more than yet another tired throwback will be sorely disappointed.

Incredibly, this is an in-house attempt and a £40 launch window title. If Steel Diver is an example of how the Big N is planning to treat first-party 3DS games in the months to come, the future is bleak indeed.

One of the dullest and most repetitive games I've played in recent memory. It feels more like a chore then a game, and the lack of attention to many aspects of its design pale in comparison to its greatest omission... it's simply no fun to play.

A mess of a game in all senses of the term. Its gameplay is at least one generation behind the competition, its presentation is like a collection of every graphical effect thrown into a mixing pot and poured onto the screen and the online implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

Splinter Cell Essentials is an example of a game that simply isn't suited to the control limitations of the PSP. If you can get past the camera issues (which is a big ask), you're still going to have a less than brilliant experience due to the dumb AI.

So far, ELEX is an extremely mixed bag, both in the sense of its content and its quality.

If you enjoy all the exploration and stats building that the series is known for, then trust me, you're not going to find what you're after here. Similarly, if you're NOT a fan of the Final Fantasy series, then you don't want to touch this one either, not unless your idea of great gameplay is random button hammering broken up by really badly-acted cut-scenes.

Shrek the Third's main problem is its complete lack of spark.

Shrek the Third's main problem is its complete lack of spark.

It's fun for all of 20 minutes, and then you'll either be ready to delete it forever or will have moved on to a better fighting game. Either way, don't bother. You'll have more fun watching the brilliant-but-awful TV show and then playing something - anything - else.

All in all Who's Watching Who? is another disappointing video game entry for Scooby and the gang, but this fact is unlikely to affect sales to the kids that lap up anything with Scooby's face on it.

Most of the games are dull.

Comparing it to the real Mega Man X, I'm not sure what's more frustrating: how much it gets wrong, or how much it gets right before falling short. Nevertheless, I'd still recommend this over Capcom's own interpretation of Mega Man X on iOS. It was at least good enough that I wanted to stick with it through the end, warts and all.

We're all for multiplayer sports games that follow the Track and Field mould, but Vancouver 2010 offers none of the classic game's gratifying gameplay. Stick to watching this year's Winter Olympics on the TV.

As far as summer movie licensed video games go, Transformers is sadly one of the worst we've seen this year. While the movie stands, the video game most definitely falls.

Problems with the reload system and a general lack of excitement or surprise mean this is a shooter almost as lifeless as the zombies you're shooting.

A sloppy co-operative mode adds little to the overall experience, and a laughably restrictive customisation mode is the final nail in the coffin for this dreadful game.

Bound By Flame is an embarrassment on all fronts.

Shrek the Third's main problem is its complete lack of spark.

I just find the whole thing to be a terrible gameplay experience with the exception of the dancing.

The wait goes on for a quality Devil May Cry, God of War or Ninja Gaiden clone on Wii. Only consider picking this up if anime bikini-clad zombie killers turn you on, or you don't have the internet in your bedroom.

It also tries and throws microtransactions in your face, but these should be ignored at all costs. Much like Duke Nukem: Manhattan Project itself.

How and why the company continues to churn out such rubbish is a mystery, and even the biggest Sonic fans must be starting to lose their patience.

As far as summer movie licensed video games go, Transformers is sadly one of the worst we've seen this year. While the movie stands, the video game most definitely falls.

A game genre so heavily built around playing with friends it was always going to struggle on the PSP, and poor visuals and presentation don't help International Athletics one bit.

Despite the whopping size of your new stately mansions, Hearthfire feels cold and empty.

The whole package is similar to ready salted crisps: Sure, they'll fill you up and won't leave a disgusting taste in your mouth, but for the same price you can get some salt and vinegar flavour, or perhaps cheese and onion.

Go and see the film, dress up like your favourite superhero and, hell, cry like a baby if you ever see Chris Evans in the street. If you happen to run into anyone from Gameloft, however, maybe give them a piece of your mind instead. Or ask for your moola back.

As a bizarre curio of video game history, Duke Nukem Forever's appeal cannot be denied, and there is some entertainment derived from overlooking the end product of one of history's most troubled productions. The main thing we can learn looking backwards, however, is that no game should be like this going forward.

We're all for multiplayer sports games that follow the Track and Field mould, but Vancouver 2010 offers none of the classic game's gratifying gameplay. Stick to watching this year's Winter Olympics on the TV.

As shallow and enjoyable as a shot of tepid rain water, and payment is a must if you insist on trudging through.

On the one hand it's a bold attempt at creating a real action adventure game using your body as a controller, but on the other it's an awkward, ugly mess that doesn't use its horror setting nearly as well as it should.

It all handles as you'd expect – although it has a tendency to be finickety and difficult when trying to manoeuvre precisely - and being in the Lego mould tries to give as much leeway as possible (in this instance you can 'lose' and have to start a level again, mind). However, it's all so boring.

It's really hard to understand how anyone thought such a meagre selection of mini-games and a lacking single-player component warranted such a high price tag.

As far as summer movie licensed video games go, Transformers is sadly one of the worst we've seen this year. While the movie stands, the video game most definitely falls.

RICO has a cracking central idea, but it's strained by awkward mission design, shaky performance, and a whippy aim that often misses the mark.

Despite such audiovisual wizardry, all the technical sheen the PlayStation3 can muster can't mask a dud game, and as a result Lair is little more than verisimilitude.

If you want scripting and performance, go see the movie, and unless you are a Marvel devotee, you'd be wise to steer well clear of this friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.

Non-games are definitely the 'in' thing at the moment, but Dead or Alive Xtreme 2 has gone so far into obscure territory that very few people will find much to enjoy, and that includes the bounciness.

With its dodgy narrative, interchangeable characters and distressing lack of variation, PlayStation Move Heroes does little more than sully the name of otherwise respectable characters.

Fallout 76 is an ambitious game that’s burned by it. The online features hamper what could have been a great Fallout game.

One of the dullest and most repetitive games I've played in recent memory. It feels more like a chore then a game, and the lack of attention to many aspects of its design pale in comparison to its greatest omission... it's simply no fun to play.