Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions is thoroughly entertaining, but a combination of niggles and obscure design decisions drag it down. Despite that, it's still probably the best Spider-Man game on consoles and is well worth a look for that reason alone. Just don't expect to be blown away.

Alone or with a friend, life as an explorer for Kindred Aerospace is dangerous, but it's also a lot more enjoyable than it should be. Journey to the Savage Planet is good, clean, planet colonising fun.

Persona 5 Tactica is a wonderful take on isometric turn-based tactical games like XCOM, that is good enough to satiate Persona fans, and maybe even win over a few XCOM fans at the same time.

Carrion is an excellent power fantasy that casts you as the monstrous villain in your own horror film. The wonderfully gloopy animation and conception of Carrion’s meaty monster makes it enjoyable to play, especially when tearing through the unfortunate humans that stand in your way. But dull exploration, a lack of memorable environments and disparate gameplay ideas that never really come together, mean that Carrion never truly reaches its full potential.

What at first seems like a bizarre experiment actually turns out to be an accomplished and brilliantly entertaining multiplayer shooter. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare might not manage to hold your attention for more than a few hours, but while it does, you can't fail to have a blast.

While having to hunt monsters driven from their habitat by human intervention and a lack of food engenders a sense of Shadow of the Colossus-level guilt, there's no avoiding the sheer depth and consistent enjoyment that Wild Hearts has to offer.

After a slow start this game blossoms into a superb action-strategy title. It is not going to be for everyone though so you might want to check out the demo before committing yourself to a full purchase. The balance between combat and strategy is perfectly managed. Give it a chance (and take a few hours to get used to the controls) and this becomes a great way to spend some time.

Filled with plenty of sly nods and knowing winks, LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens is not only one of the funniest LEGO games we've played, it's also one of the best. If you love Star Wars and you love LEGO, you owe it to yourself to snaffle this up like a hungry rathtar.

Superbly fun single player with a largely forgettable multiplayer tagged on.

A fairly unique 3D roguelike, RAD is colourful, wilfully silly, devilishly difficult, and imbued with 1980s style. This is pure Double Fine, but will have limited appeal for some.

You might initially turn your nose up at Mass Effect: Andromeda, but stick with it and you'll be richly rewarded with a vast space opera that gets better and better. It has problems, but they pale into insignificance once you're swept up in the exploits of Mass Effect: Andromeda's Pathfinder.

Ubisoft Toronto has done a fine job in bringing a broken, near-future London to grim life in Watch Dogs: Legion, and playing as anyone you like has a certain appeal, but ultimately, it doesn't quite work as well as one might have hoped.

Hades in a half-shell, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate is a fine roguelike action game that comes alive in co-op, but can grow quite repetitive when played alone.

A fantastical magic shooter epic with a smattering of light RPG elements, Immortals of Aveum combines enjoyable FPS combat, traversal, and exploration to great effect, making for a memorable, often spellbinding experience.

Relic Entertainment has done a solid job on Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine, taking the studio's knowledge of the IP working on the Dawn of War series for PC, and putting it to good use. With some better thought out set-pieces and more variety in the gameplay and visuals, this could have achieved greatness. As it is though, Space Marine feels like the foundations for a barnstorming sequel, and goodness knows it deserves one, as there's massive potential here.

Still a fun movie game but one that is little more than an add on pack to what has come before. Surely it would make more sense to release new questions as DLC rather than releasing an unnecessary, and overpriced, new product that has very little in the way of extras. The online mode is a nice addition but is simply not enough to warrant a purchase.

On paper, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes sounds like an elaborate demo. In reality, it's a bigger game than it initially seems. Spend five hours with the game, and you'll be lucky if your completion is even nearing 25%. Play for eight or more, and you'll still be wringing juice out of Camp Omega. Be warned, at face value, this game is small, but there's much more to Ground Zeroes than meets Big Boss' one eye.

Lara undoubtedly is growing stronger with each incarnation on the 360 and we hope she can continue this trend and relive former glories. Crystal Dynamics have without a shadow of a doubt rescued the series but the game still has too many bugs and issues to be declared a must buy.

Jurassic World: Evolution might not be the deepest RTS out there in terms of options and mechanics, but as far as Jurassic Park experiences go, this is probably the best one that exists out there.

Clocking in at roughly 90 minutes, The Signal provides varied set piece battles across diverse settings that are well designed to maximize the tension Alan Wake is known for. Despite the retreading players must endure in the beginning and an abrupt conclusion, The Signal provides well-polished action worth picking up for anyone who's already completed the core game.

This year’s most beautiful game so far, Unravel doesn’t quite display the design prowess to match its wonderful visuals, but it’s nevertheless an enjoyable, charming experience.

A very competent, well-made survival horror adventure with clear BioShock inspirations, Close to the Sun is a smart and compelling game marred only by some ill-advised showing of naff monsters.

Quite possibly developer Frogwares’ most accomplished crack at the iconic detective yet, Sherlock Holmes Chapter One combines a compelling story, detailed world, and involving investigation mechanics to great effect.

‏Despite the beautifully produced 30 Years of WrestleMania mode, WWE 2K14 is lacking. It should feel like Hulk Hogan in his pomp, but it’s in danger of becoming like Mickey Rourke’s The Wrestler; ageing, injured and living off past glories.

'Anime Dark Souls' was its billing, but it’s not until Code Vein breaks free of the tried-and-tested formula that it shines brightly. With a difficulty balance that stretches from a leisurely stroll to hair-tearing madness, it’s hard to know who this game is for. Code Vein is fun, though. Really, really fun, and a great place to start for anyone keen to dip their toe into a more chilled and relaxed Souls-like title.

A horror game that delivers stripped down, no frills scares, Phasmophobia is unrelentingly creepy, the mundanity of its suburban residences, with its picket fences and immaculate front lawns, harbouring ghostly nastiness that's not to be taken lightly. Not for the faint-hearted.

Another Nazi-blasting triumph, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood is the perfect companion piece to The New Order, and proof positive that MachineGames knows exactly what it's doing with the series. The Old Blood is more of the same, which is certainly no bad thing.

A wondrous shiny, if slightly flawed, treasure that's deserving of your time, Strange Brigade is enormously entertaining when played solo, even better when you bring a troupe of fellow adventurers along for the ride. Strange Brigade is indeed rather strange, but it's also ripping good fun, best played with a nice cup of tea. Preferably Earl Grey.

Darwin’s Paradox is a stealthy Pixar cartoon, imbued with slapstick platforming.

While not a vast improvement over the original, the gameplay and story are still solid and provide plenty of fun moments. Sadly the dubious multiplayer has come along for the ride yet again and it just does not seem as fresh as the first game did.

While it's almost impossible not to have fun with Sonic Origins, it is easy to lament the missing features, neutered Sonic 3 soundtrack, and absence of the blue blur's outings on the Master System and Game Gear. Disappointing.

A fun, engaging arcade racer with thrills, spills, explosions and crashes aplenty, Need for Speed: Rivals is let down by the largely pointless AllDrive and a lack of race types. A mixed bag.

More like the survival horror Resident Evil should be and less the balls-to-the-wall actioner, Resident Evil: Revelations almost strikes the perfect balance between scares and playability. It's arguably the best Resident Evil game we've played since Resident Evil 4, and that's saying something.

An inviting and enjoyable dose of brutal co-op combat and platforming laced with British humour, King of Meat wants you to entertain a baying TV audience for glory, and in turn, it succeeds in entertaining you, too.

A sci-fi horror that gets better with perseverance, The Persistence is worth delving into, despite more than a few frustrations. Give it time, though, and you'll ultimately discover a rewarding roguelike experience.

A fine example of twin-stick shooter fun, Tesla vs. Lovecraft proves rather moreish, and even more enjoyable with friends. You could say, it's electrifying.

A thoroughly enjoyable first-person adventure brimming with mystery, intrigue and intricate, well-thought-out puzzles, Call of the Sea is a journey into the unknown that proves both rewarding and memorable.

While it lasts this game is a solid and entertaining shooter, but as a FEAR game you should be expecting a bit more than just that. A return to the horror roots and a few more innovative twists in the tale would push the series back into greatness, but as it is this is a by the numbers experience with just enough novel features to keep it interesting.

While the new additions to High on Life 2 make for a more enjoyable shooter experience than its predecessor, there’s a lack of technical finesse that holds it back. Overall, however, this is a leaner, meaner, and just all-round better game than the first one.

A lot better than some people would give it credit for and a pleasant change from all the driving simulations out there at the moment. The fun may well be too short lived for most though, with only the most dedicated achievement hunters putting in the required time to unlock everything. While it lasts though, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing can be a barrel of laughs – it's just not quite Mario Kart... damn.

Mortal Shell pays homage to FromSoftware's greats, offering its own unique gameplay wrinkles and an excellent combat system. With only three major dungeons and four weapons, this is a streamlined experience, and if you can push past the slightly frustrating opening hours then you'll find a wonderfully rewarding Souls-like that will keep you coming back for more.

This game could have easily pushed into the eighties had it not been for the awful and extremely frustrating save game issues that dog it right from the start to end. Nothing is more upsetting than losing hours upon hours of work to a simple design flaw and it almost puts you off starting again. Where the game really succeeds though is that, despite all that, you cannot help but want one more go.

A worthy continuation of the Worms franchise, a nice return to form after deviating to 3D for a few years. Worms W.M.D gets everything right from a mechanical standpoint, but we can't help but feel a few of the design choices were unnecessary. The big new additions are hit and miss, but in the middle of all the fluff there's a solid, very playable game - especially if you're into couch co-op/multiplayer.

For WWE fans past and present, WWE All Stars has plenty about it to enjoy, the only problem is the fact that the core combat is nowhere near as intuitive or slick as the actual presentation.

Star Wars Battlefront is undoubtedly the Star Wars experience that we all wanted, it’s just a shame that there’s a distinct lack of content. That said, playing Battlefront is as close to being in a Star Wars movie as you're ever likely to get.

Capcom has expertly breathed new life into a fantastic game, sanding down some of the rough edges, without compromising the spirit of the original. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is the perfect excuse to revisit Willamette Parkview Mall for some retail therapy. And indulge in some excessive zombie slaughter while you’re there.

Relatively short but still incredibly sweet, Far Cry New Dawn is yet another fine instalment in the series, and a genuinely excellent Far Cry 5 follow-up that works equally well as a standalone experience.

A good game for beginners in the strategy genre, but for a title from someone of Chris Taylor's background, you can't help but feel a little underwhelmed. Supreme Commander 2 should have been the game that really offered us a challenge, however, we never found it.

Another great instalment in the GRID series, GRID Autosport puts right all of the perceived things that were wrong with GRID 2. There's no more narrative stuff to get caught up in, no pretty front end menus to ogle; it's just you, the cars and the race track. If that sounds good to you, then GRID Autosport is your game. Go race.

One of the year's most enjoyable indie titles, Night in the Woods is what Kickstarter was made for. Affecting, warm and genuine, it's impossible not to fall in love with Night in the Woods.

As a vibrant and energetic revamp of a nine-year-old fighting game, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle R succeeds in breathing new life into something quite niche, with meaningful tweaks to its fighting system, new features, and more, giving it a well deserved second chance.

As difficult as it might be to go back and discover those games you once loved haven't dated as well as you might have hoped, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered is a wonderfully faithful and reverential collection of three classics, and nigh-on essential for new players and misty-eyed nostalgics alike.

A decent clutch of games, presented well enough, but with some duds in the mix, the Marvel MaXimum Collection is livened up by a couple of gems.

One part MotorStorm, one part Forza Horizon, The Crew Motorfest is a hugely accomplished open world racing game that brings across the best of The Crew 2, while sprinkling in a few neat ideas of its own. Also, the returning on-the-fly car, plane, and boat switching is enormously welcome.

It's not quite the epic space-faring journey we were expecting, but for the time being, we'll sit back and enjoy the ride.

A clear labour of love, The Little Acre is an endearing and enjoyable adventure game whose main crime is being an all too brief experience that fails to provide a satisfying ending. Overlook these quibbles, however, and you'll find it hard not to relish your stay in The Little Acre's magical world.

Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 does offer a considerable amount of fun, but it's the same fun you will have enjoyed for the past few years. There are some new ideas here and there, but nothing really earth shattering and it's safe to say that the game never really pushes past the previous incarnations. Fans will enjoy themselves, that's a given, but it's probably time for something fresh and innovative to spice things up.

A poor offline game tagged onto a very good online game.

For the type of game it is, it really does well. Very unique, very fun, very addicting. It most definitely is not for everyone, but fans will be ravenous and doubters will be many. That right there is my type of game.

Like a robot in disguise, Transformers: Devastation is a really good game that could have been potentially great. Sadly, there isn't more than meets the eye to Platinum's effort, but what is included is superb. It's just too bad there isn't a little bit more of it.

Promise Mascot Agency does a lot of things, and does most of them rather well. The result is an unusual genre mish-mash that takes a little while to get going, but once it does, is quite hard to put down.

Codemasters has delivered once again with DiRT Showdown. It's another superlative racer, even if it is a little one note. Unapologetically brash, bold and loud, DiRT Showdown is Codemasters' racing id unleashed. And it's freakin' great.

Except maybe Viva Pinata, this is the most enjoyable family game I've played thus far. I can't in good conscience give it a score to rival any of the fabulous shooters or RPGs on the console, but it is far removed from the dredges with Golden Compass or Jumper.

Where The Precinct succeeds is out in Averno, coaxing us into fine police work. Fallen Tree has found its niche.

It might not reach the dizzy heights of seminal Resident Evil, but Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is nonetheless a solid fleshy slab of survival horror that represents great value for money and a fun few hours of infected freak shooting.

Stuffed to the gills with content, it's a generous package, and one that even those considering a second trip will enjoy.

El Shaddai has its frustrations and annoyances making it something of an acquired taste, but if you can get a feel for the rhythm-based hack and slash gameplay, and if you find the game's eclectic and achingly beautiful art style as arresting as we did, then you'll be in for a divine treat that's unlike anything you've played before.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora’s true draw is Pandora itself, and while the gameplay can get a little repetitive and samey, there's enough here to keep you engrossed from start to finish. Come for the sights, stay for the sights.

Here I was thinking Codemasters couldn't possibly top F1 23, and then the studio goes ahead and drops this little beauty. EA Sports F1 24 is stuffed to the sidepods with content, but it's the impressive handling model that sets it apart – this is easily the most unadulterated fun I've had playing an F1 game. Dynamic Handling is a good thing, then.

The arcade style of the races is crisp and difficult, and if you find yourself bored by the plot, feel free to skip through it.

As far as Rock Band games go, Green Day doesn't have the creativity of The Beatles and it isn't doesn't have the same breadth as Rock Band 2. Aspects of its sloppy presentation are a big disappointment, but when the game gets it right (and it often does) it's as good as Rock Band has ever been.

Afterparty is a disappointing follow-up to Oxenfree, one held up from being an absolute car crash thanks to two wonderfully written protagonists and some crackling dialogue between the two. With lame mini-games, bugs galore, and a story that promises so much and delivers so little, Afterparty will be an Afterthought in no-time at all.

Sloclap has delivered nice, crunchy mechanics like it did with Absolver and Sifu, making Rematch an immediate, accessible, and above all enjoyable arcade-style football game. It’s Rocket League without the rocket cars. But whether you'll be playing it this time next year, I'm not entirely convinced.

For every step forward the latest LEGO game takes, it takes another step back. Disappointing, to say the least.

Mix together a comic book character with some God of War/Tomb Raider gameplay, then cook it with a high degree of passion and you'll have X-Men Origins: Wolverine. A violent, entertaining affair that looks as good as it plays and doesn't hold back for the squeamish.

NBA Jam just about deserves release as a proper boxed retail product, boasting a fairly hefty array of modes and other content. What's important is that it preserves the gameplay and spirit of the original games, giving it a nostalgic cachet that makes it almost irresistible, despite its frustrations.

Evolve is brilliant in the right circumstances and with the right people, but it’s hard to unreservedly recommend to everyone. Those with dedicated teams will get the most out of the game while those in matchmaking will find mixed results. Still, Turtle Rock deserves recognition for attempting - and almost nailing - such an ambitious project.

A relentlessly fun game, Prototype 2 is marred only by a barely decipherable story and a dull, unsympathetic character in Sgt. James Heller. Everything is geared towards showing you a good time though, and if you can switch off your brain, you'll enjoy everything Radical Entertainment's sequel has to offer.

The Outlast Trials is almost entirely devoid of fun as a solo experience. Add friends or other random players, however, and there's ample enjoyment to be had fighting through the unrelenting horror together. As long as you have the stomach for all that blood, guts, mutilation, death, and unsettling imagery, of course.

Despite competition from PGA Tour 2K23, EA Sports PGA Tour manages to set itself apart with polished presentation, tight mechanics, and impressive visuals. While a shortage of customisation options is disappointing, there's no arguing with the overall quality that EA's return to video game golf has to offer.

By attempting to topple the genre's leaders and offering nothing new or exciting, Medal of Honor unfortunately pales in comparison to the competition. The single-player is short, but rather than being short and sweet, it's a little soulless, while the multiplayer, which is plagued by some bizarre design choices, falls somewhere between Bad Company 2 and Modern Warfare 2, and in comparison to those two big hitters, it's clear it doesn't offer the same engaging and worthwhile experiences.

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is a striking adventure, marred only by ever so slightly niggling platform jumping and possibly a bit too much backtracking through locations you've already visited.

TopSpin 2K25 is a strong enough return for 2K's dormant Top Spin series, despite being a somewhat barebones offering, short on modes and bereft of fun extras like mini-games. On a fundamental level, however, this is a great game of tennis. Maybe we can expect more from TopSpin 2K26.

Tense, dramatic and unique, Rainbow Six: Siege feels and plays unlike any other shooter on the market. It’s not perfect but it can be great fun. We just wish there was more of it.

Still thoroughly good fun, Onimusha: Warlords is nonetheless showing its age, and unfortunately doesn't really hold up in 2019. For a fan like me, revisiting Capcom's samurai survival horror is genuinely welcome, but anyone experiencing it for the first time might come away perplexed.

With a genre that rarely sees any sort of risks or innovation, Resonance of Fate offers both in spades and comes through with high marks at every turn. The battle system could use a bit of a softening in the early chapters, as well as the game's overall difficulty, but once mastered it becomes a lot of fun.

What looks like a bright and breezy game turns out to be an incredibly stiff challenge that can occasionally be hugely rewarding. More often than not, however, The Escapists is about as pleasurable as a swift kick in the bollocks.

Its inevitable sections where you're beating a frantic escape are frustrating tests of trial and error, and, while developer The Chinese Room conjures some memorable sights and dreamlike weirdness, anyone expecting something on a par with the main story in Still Wakes the Deep will come away bitterly disappointed. Sadly, Still Wakes the Deep: Siren's Rest ends up feeling like an inconsequential two hours or so, failing to really add anything to Caz McLeary and co.'s surreal and superb journey. And those answers you’re looking for? Frustratingly, they never come. But, then, maybe that’s the point.

A brilliant prequel story that retains the high standards of the series to date, Batman: Arkham Origins is a superlative third instalment that perfectly embodies the spirit of DC's darkest and most enduring hero. The Dark Knight rises once again, and he kicks ass.

We'll be damned if this isn't another fine Call of Duty game. The solo campaign is excellent, multiplayer delivers on practically all fronts, and Zombies provides a neat co-op diversion. Call of Duty: Vanguard represents great value, and enough new stuff to warrant taking a look.

Def Jam Rapstar is the perfect rap game for any wannabe rap stars out there. With 40 tracks that span the entire rap genre, Def Jam Rapstar is only let down by a few technical issues and not having nearly enough iconic tracks for us to get our 'gangsta' on to.

A comforting anthology for diehards, with some disappointing omissions, sweetened by the inclusion of certain curios.

If you're hankering for more Borderlands, then The Pre-Sequel will most definitely scratch that itch. It doesn't really offer anything wildly new or innovative, and plays things safe for the most part, but there's no mistaking the sheer volume of fun on offer.

Every bit as infuriating, enjoyable and insanely gratifying as an action RPG of this type should be, The Surge is great fun, thanks in no small part to its unique limb-cutting loot system and some tight combat mechanics.

A consistently engaging and enjoyable MOBA-type experience with shooting, melee combat, magic and more, Gigantic is one of the better examples of free-to-play multiplayer shenanigans that we've played in some time. Despite its niggling flaws, Gigantic is still worthy of your attention.

Simplistic it may be, but there's an inherent charm to The Big Con that proves infectious. A sweet, coming-of-age yarn that happens to involve a lot of stealing and skullduggery, Mighty Yell's game is full of heart, soul, and '90s nostalgia.

But I'm not going to gripe about Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök being too short – it's nice to enjoy something as generously proportioned as this without growing weary of the grind, being able to finish the story without feeling like it's being stretched far too thin. Dawn of Ragnarök is exactly as long as it should be, resolving its narrative without dragging it out, albeit with a more than adequate smattering of side stuff and secrets to unearth. As retellings of sagas from Norse mythology go, Dawn of Ragnarök accomplishes a lot within the confines of a relatively compact and highly entertaining DLC.

Code Vein 2 definitely feels like a sideways step in many respects. However, much like the original, it’s still a hell of a lot of fun.