This is an XCOM refresh – resetting the rules of the game you once knew, and encouraging you to play it in ways you’d never tried to. In my mind I’ve merely dabbled with these changes, and still have so many ideas I’d like to try. I’ve played it for 27 hours.

Some games just feel like they are a perfect fit for a device, and Rayman Fiesta Run is an example that proves the point. Lowering the barrier of entry to simple touch based controls, this is casual gaming done right: inclusive, immediate, and great fun.

Outside of multiplayer, the campaign is a po-faced, nonsensical rehash of greatest hits long past. Extinction (Left 4 Dead meets Zombies) is a lot of fun, and Squads feels like a well-marketed shell for Black Ops' Combat Training mode...Multiplayer is still the star then, but it's diminishing with every return, its addictiveness tempered by over-familiarity.

Dual Destinies won’t convince skeptics, as it’s still more visual novel than game and about as linear as it gets. But after a couple of disappointing spin-offs, it’s the closest the series has come to the greatness of the original trilogy.

A well-rounded spectacle that serves up something for most wrestling fans.

It may not pack the same shock and awe as its next-gen cousin (the visual concessions made during multiplayer and occasional bug smack of an engine cracking under pressure), but the top-drawer gameplay makes Battlefield 4 a deeply enjoyable title regardless of platform. As one of the best multiplayer games available on 360 and PS3, DICE’s shooter offers a delightfully destructive send-off to the current-generation.

There's only so many times, however, that you can tolerate the poorly-defined stealth and terrible AI.

FM 2014 allows you to do more in less time, but it doesn't mean you won't spend as many hours as you do every year playing the game. Whether you're desperately trying to avoid relegation or win that all-important cup final, this year's entry will once again keep you invested for a long time.

The true beauty of GTA Online is its endlessness. There are bigger worlds, but none as dense and rich with possibility and hilarity. This is a game that will give and give, and that makes its technical hardships mere distant blips on its radar.

Batman: Arkham Origins is a wonderful version of somebody else's game. While a return to the Arkham series is welcome – and if you take only one thing away from this review, it should be that Origins is a worthy entry – there's no denying that Warner Bros. Montreal has taken Rocksteady's tremendous template and crafted a similar experience.

If you want a short return to Pandora and don’t mind a bit of irritation while you’re there, this is the DLC for you. Everyone else should be wary that this is cheap in more ways than one.

Swap Force is a brilliant, imaginative game for kids of all ages. That shouldn’t be such an anomaly, but outside Nintendo no one is making games for a younger audience that are as polished, as thoughtful and as substantial as this. It’s a genuine delight.

Again, it’s a shame, because there’s good here, but it’s often buried beneath a quagmire of frustration...So, yes, this is a better game than its more powerful counterpart, but Lost World on the 3DS, despite a few excellent asides, remains a largely average, occasionally frustrating outing for Sonic. Again.

It’s a shame, because there are parts that are genuinely excellent, like one level where Sonic is a giant snowball; awkward controls, a clump of dreadful levels (including insta-death grind-rail nonsense) and some horrendous, unfunny boss encounters, though, make you wish he’d genuinely get lost.

Danger fuelled TWD right from the start, but episode 1 of Wolf feels much more like a TV show pilot – setting up all the pieces it needs to tell a compelling neo-noir story. An initial lack of emotional connection left me feeling disappointed, but when given the time to shine, it does. Episode 2 can’t come soon enough.

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.

Although it is never outlandishly difficult, it balances and becomes much more compelling as the challenge ramps up.

X&Y are familiar on the surface, but nothing about each game is untouched in Game Freak’s amazing Pokémon revolution.

If you’re a tactics nut like me, Card Hunter is wonderful stuff. Deep, smart, and lovingly crafted - this is proof that free-to-play can work even without costumes and hats.

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.

With similarities to the likes of ICO, Shadow of The Colossus and last year's Journey, it's another exceptional entry in Sony's arthouse-inspired run of games that it consistently does so well.

F1 2013 is the franchise’s most complete, versatile and thoughtful iteration yet. Fans of the sport will lap up what is an extremely rewarding product. For everyone else, Codemasters’ lone residency atop the podium ensures the upgrade over last year’s game is minimal, especially if you don’t know the difference between Gerhard Berger and the Nurburgring’s fast-food stand.

In short, see the films, play the old games, but ignore this entirely. Even the most hardened Riddick fan will just find it needlessly upsetting.

This is pure throwback FPS fun, an updated take on the '97 3D Realms original. As such, the objectives are barely removed from that of the archetypal Doom: kill everything, find the key and get to the door.

14 is very good. It feels different, and while it may not necessarily be superior, it easily matches its predecessor's quality.

Infinity Blade 3 has a dark side; a noticeable lack of variety and an inconsistent difficulty. It’s worth the price for genre and series fans, but tread carefully if you’re a newbie.

Crucially, though, that intangible PES magic remains and expands with the potential of the new engine; matches take on their own personalities (helped by new player emotions – perform well and your play will visibly improve during the game) and you’ll discuss great goals for years, especially now that shooting and heading are weightier, more natural feeling. Even Master League is better.

This isn't 2004 anymore, however, and refinements have been made. The touchpad helps a lot, obviously. The constant faffing about through your item inventory is all but dispelled, as a quick flick of your Wii U Gamepad sees you equip something else in a flash.

Unless you play it for yourself, it's near impossible to grasp how big GTA 5 is. It's not just the world. It's the gargantuan story, the sheer amount of missions and the variety introduced with them, the activities to take part in, or the secrets waiting to be unveiled. It's a highlight of the generation.

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.

After an hour of 'easy' exploration, you welcome back the real survival horror of Amnesia.

Puppeteer is Sony's best pure platformer on the PS3, delivering the kind of tight mechanics and pin-point controls usually only found in games starring plumbers or apes.

The fact Mercenary has such strong on-paper ideas only makes its lack of ambition even more disappointing. It’s a smart, fun shooter, with the exact structure needed to slim triple-A FPS down to pick-up-and-play portability, but it never comes through and capitalises on its potential.

The constant acquisition of powerful and exotic items is the driving force behind the game’s appeal and its challenges and rewards are many.

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.

Rome 2 is a technical behemoth, but at the moment, it’s the little details that are holding it back. Still a great game, but not the masterpiece I was hoping for.

Entertaining in places, Killer is Dead will only appeal to players who enjoyed Suda51’s previous titles, particularly Lollipop Chainsaw. If you’re not convinced by now, this will do nothing to alter that mindset, unless objectifying women is your thing.

Spark has made its best game to date, but fails on so many levels the end result is still only a notch above a complete washout. Enemies are dull, weapons are lacklustre (the shotgun is one of the worst I've ever used and the melee attack is appalling), the mech isn't fun, and the multiplayer is blighted by similar issues that real-life foes can't fix.

Stand-out moments ensure it never feels average, and the quantity of stuff to do puts Origins to shame.

Flashback was never an arcade game, so I have no idea why this is featured. It's a shame that such a revered classic has received such a soulless re-imagining, especially considering the people involved. It's never awful, but its lack of personality is almost worse than being all-out dire.

Although not perfect, The Bureau is a brilliant squad shooter with an intriguing story and brains.

Hellishly addictive. The sense of fun is palpable throughout, the characters are mostly pretty likeable, and surprisingly the plot’s fairly absorbing. It helps that it’s been pretty sharply written too, full of excellently corny jokes and one liners.

It nails the alienating sensation of feeling lost in a place that should be your home, and perfectly emulates the mild fear that comes with exploring a big dark house - especially when it appears that something might be wrong. If you think that great narrative is its own reward, you'll love Gone Home.

A good time-waster, then, but the appeal will probably fizzle out after a couple of hours.

Purists may struggle with Blacklist simply due to how it toys with stealth. Given that it's still the game's core, and that its suite of modes, especially online, are damn entertaining, though, mean it's a solid finale to this generation's Splinter Cell.

Even a heinous final boss encounter can’t dampen the mood. Saints Row 4 is a comedy gem; built by creators that are clearly on our side, and totally in love with what they do. It’s pretty easy to love them back.

All of Dishonored's famed hallmarks are there: a beautiful world, intriguing political game-playing, and highly replayable levels. Sadly, chief failings are also on show - high levels of trial and error, overpowered abilities, and the feeling that your first run-through is sure to be nothing more than a glorified trial.

Nostalgia does play a huge part in why this is somewhat successful - if you were part of that era, the memories that’ll come flooding back make it almost worth the purchase alone.

Mostly you’ll be firing bullets into people's heads, running around like a moron and then repeating and it feels like a grind a long time before it needs to. You'll need to grind too, as the later enemies can only be killed with specific, unlockable guns. It’s free, but for a game about water zombies, it’s dry.

I’ll happily trade 10 minutes of frustration for those brilliant instances where everything just slots into place.

Rymdkapsel is an addictive, hypnotic waste of time.

Your prize for completing each of the 36 levels may initially seem underwhelming as you are awarded up to three stars depending on your rice-juggling skills, but really, the true satisfaction comes from watching Baby Nom Nom’s face light up at the sheer amount of rice he/she has scored for his/her next meal.

Narco Terror is a surprisingly enjoyable old-school arcade romp; it offers some of the greatest fun I've had on XBLA this year; and is one of the silliest games you'll ever play. But once the high wears off, you'll be left craving for a dose of something a little more substantial.

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.

Cloudberry Kingdom isn't the prettiest thing you'll ever see (three people asked me if it was a flash game) and while it may not kick your ass as hard as other titles like it, it's still laughably tough in places . With a ridiculous, and thoroughly entertaining, multiplayer suite to finish it all off, it's a pleasant addition to any digital library, albeit a slightly overpriced one.

You’ll need knowledge, skill, and a smidge of spider-sense. Friends to learn with are a must, and don’t be deceived by the lack of a pricetag: Dota 2 will cost you hundreds of hours.

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.

A good start.

Like the best puzzle games, it has a compulsive quality that makes you feel like a genius whenever you work it out.

If you're willing to learn its touch inputs and put up with the frustration of in-game transactions - it often leaves you in a situation where things would be much easier and fun if you parted with cash - Spartan Assault is a solid way to feed any Halo pangs you may have, no matter where you are.

Perhaps only a tighter control scheme could improve Pikmin 3 (although you can switch to Wiimote for more precision) as the infrequent boss battles can prove trickier than they need to, especially when your army is under duress. Nevertheless, this is a sumptuous, intelligent, witty and oddly cruel piece of work from a company that has no equal.

Is it new? Not really. Does it run, look and control like a drunk forklift truck ? Yes. Will it make you question your sanity due to its repetitive nature? Undoubtedly. But is it fun? Yes.

After the slight disappointment of the latest Paper Mario entry which did abandon many of the ideals that had made it such a pleasure in the first place, it's a relief to see the same hasn't happened here. If anything, the pieces that make this unique are stronger than ever. If more can be made of these procedures that are now part and parcel of the idea in the future to stop familiarity from setting in, Mario & Luigi could have more life in it still.

The Fall is at times rewarding but, unfortunately, often frustrating. It’s certainly ambitious and a step towards progression in mobile gaming, intending to deliver a comprehensive blockbusting experience. Ultimately, it falls short of the mark.

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

It's testament to Telltale Games' storytelling qualities that each of the DLC's five mini-episodes could be fully developed during Season Two. While the depth and severity of the original series is missing, this quintet of sub-plots is well worth picking up for 400 MSP.

Apart from that the new maps are fine, although the whole package is overpriced, coming in yet again at an extortionate 1200 points.

Those who dare stay with it for a substantial chunk of time will also be pleased that as you climb your way up the ladder, things do knuckle down a tad.

Colin McRae Rally has limited appeal for those who aren’t nostalgic hardcore racers or rally aficionados.

It would have been nice to see more additions, perhaps a few new areas and some different bosses (all the boss fights are the same as in the parent title, which is disappointing), and an extra 50 seconds per level might not have hurt to have a dawdle for secret areas and star coins. Despite these caveats, it proves just how smart and ahead of the pack Nintendo are with level design and gameplay.

Deadpool is a great character wrapped in a standard (and short) action experience. It can be fun in quick bursts, but the lack of a real challenge until the very end means it tires quickly.

Given it's not the most technologically-taxing title in existence means the transition has been made flawlessly; if you want to experience Dennaton Games' debut how it was intended, there's nothing for you to be overly worried about. If anything, especially on the Vita, you'll be pleased with how much sharper it all looks.

As disgusting as it is of me to say, if you're reading this and have a family to play this with then sure, you'll probably enjoy it more than most. With that said, having kids doesn't make you a moron, and even you shall eventually tire of what's here. There's just not very much depth.

It’s a beautiful, gritty and spectacular strategy game, and while it doesn’t do much particularly new, it doesn’t have to.

State Of Decay is an amazing videogame, albeit one hiding beneath one of the ugliest, creakiest engines we’ve seen in some time. It’s a complex, inaccessible beast, but one of the most rewarding and compelling open-world games in years. This is The Walking Dead: The Simulator. And it’s every bit as good as that sounds.

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.

Ultimately, I defy anyone not to be moved when it comes to its conclusion and the huge questions it asks of both the player and the characters themselves – any game that achieves such a goal deserves high-praise. The Last of Us succeeds in the same way as the best movies do, challenging you more than you'll ever expect, demanding that you think and discuss it weeks after it resolves. The fact I had the urge to pick it up again almost instantly is just added acclaim it has more than earned.

Endless runners rarely offer up too much variety, but there is something oddly appealing about Into The Dead. Let's keep it simple: if you like zombies, buy it. Yeah.

It’s maybe not as thrilling as the first time you goof about with the animals in an Animal Crossing, a bit like how you never forget your first Katamari, and if you remained unconvinced before you’re not going to change your mind now, but New Leaf is still more fun, more engaging, and will last you longer than pretty much everything that’ll come out this year.

What makes Gunpoint so good, is how it makes the player feel like a genius. Each solution feels like your own. The game hands you a Swiss Army Knife made out of other, smaller Swiss Army knives and lets you loose in the shed, with ALL the wood.

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.

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

Insomniac’s initial plan has devolved into a conglomerative representation of the military-shooter market’s complete saturation, a blueprint of a lack of imagination. Although fun with friends, the developer’s first step away from PS3 exclusivity is just one more time around the world of this generation’s most habitual design choices.

It’s maybe playing things a bit safe, but GRID 2 is ultimately a likable, fun, challenging game with hours worth of content.

It's the sheer shine Retro has applied here that makes it so appealing. Be it the level where the Kongs are silhouetted as they run towards their goal or the duo trying to carefully make their way between an oncoming tidal wave, it's all so appealing to look at.

No-one seems to have quite figured out how to do these correctly, but Gunslinger's combo of using the sticks to position the draw hand and focus your target – as well as waiting for the right time to shoot – is pretty good. Much like the game as a whole then.

A great port of a good game that has a few problems, the result being something well worth picking up if you’re looking for some decent home console Resi action, or just something to get rid of the lingering taste of Resident Evil 6. Although this re-release is somewhat surprising, it is far from unpleasant.

Its world, story and survival gameplay create a unique first-person shooter, and Last Light is a worthy successor to the original game, even if it carries similar problems. In a pre-apocalypse world, Last Light's roughness would perhaps not be so forgiven, but it feels somewhat suitable here.

Certainly one of the better puzzle games of recent times, I doubt Mario And Donkey Kong will rise to the sort of prominence which inspires expletive-fuelled internet arguments. It will, however, bestow a warm, funny feeling onto those who decide this may be worth a crack.

It’s all well-presented, looks nice and most importantly, is a lot of fun to play. It’s a proficient interpretation of Persona’s world with Arc System’s beat em up smarts.

There's a good experience to be had but it's hard to shake the fact that this is a bit of a niche title.

It’s a good thing the fundamental gameplay is addictive, because the missions are tedious.

It's slightly disappointing, but I found myself returning to Blood Dragon after I'd finished it. The compulsive appeal of the parent game carries over, and it's nice to play a sci-fi shooter that's not trying to tell a so-called 'epic' story. Here you shoot people, a lot, and for most of its short running time that's good fun.

It is so immensely tiresome, so poor and such a cash-in.

In short bursts it’s a lot easier to get on with too, as prolonged play leaves it feeling very tedious. It’s atmospheric, although oddly nowhere near to the extent of the first game, and there’s no place as unique as that game’s holiday resort.

A very impressive new slice of Dishonored. With Daud's story left on a cliffhanger, we hope Arkane keeps up this form with the next installment.

It's slightly lightweight, sure, but Injustice will slap a grin on your face for a few days and then entice you back with the promise of idiotic multiplayer battles.

It’s nice that the developers get to play around a little through these map packs and let off some steam, and as they stand, these maps and the Mob of the Dead mode are engaging deviations from the jingoism and machismo, but is it not also a shame that developers are reduced to using map packs to go a bit hog wild, rather than hedging their bets on something new?