Sunset Overdrive is one of this year’s finest games, chock full with refreshing humour, a vibrant sandbox and some of the most fun gameplay mechanics we’ve experienced in some time. It’s a hit, so do yourself a favour and go out and pick up this son of a bitch.

A wonderful throwback to the 90s shooter, Shadow Warrior is a fine remake that doesn't purport to offer anything more than a rip-roaring blast through hordes of demons. Shadow Warrior is bloody, wilfully daft and rather brilliant.

a pleasant surprise and one that I’ll happily rope family and friends into playing. There are a few niggles, but the gameplay is immensely satisfying and the tracking spot on.

The on-court action has been refined and MyCareer is arguably better than ever, making NBA 2K15 another fine basketball game. It's just a shame that the online facet of the game is so poor. Despite this, NBA 2K15 is still well worth checking out.

The few new ideas are welcome but not enough to differentiate it from its predecessors.

A throwback to survival horror's heyday, The Evil Within's story is daft and convoluted, featuring a mad scientist who might as well be Krieger from Archer. Frustrating and entertaining in equal measure, The Evil Within falls short of offering any proper scares.

Like the hardware it's running on, the F1 series is showing its age and seems to be running out of ideas. Fingers crossed that 2015's next-gen edition is the upgrade it needs to be.

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.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a stellar follow up to Arc System Works’ 2012 offering.

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

A tough, terrifying and ultimate thrilling game that’s defiantly old-school in its approach. The result is one of the best survival horror games in recent memory.

It's not bad, but it's not great either.

Forza Horizon 2 is another impressive racer from Playground Games. That said, while the original Horizon nailed the single-player and lacked on the multiplayer front, Horizon 2 is the polar opposite to that.

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is simply the finest Tolkien game we've played in quite some time.

While not as an impressive leap forward as FIFA 14 on next-generation consoles, FIFA 15 is still a solid package. The gameplay might have taken a sideways or even slightly backwards step, but at the moment, this is the closest to the beautiful game we have in terms of presentation and delivery. For now.

Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes takes the first game, bolsters the Toy Box, crams in a bunch of new stuff and introduces some of Marvel Comics' finest characters into the fray. Any self-respecting Marvel fan is going to get a kick out of it, and the figures are fantastic, but repetition and slightly shoddy mechanics make the game a bit of a chore.

Compared to previous efforts, NHL 15 falls incredibly short on new-gen platforms.

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.

Long time players will easily get sucked back in to grinding for legendary loot, but the rest may well be mystified by the obsession. Still this is undoubtedly the version to get if you haven’t been sucked in before now and all the bells and whistles add to the overall appeal.

Metro Redux offers two flawed but enjoyable games with a substantial visual upgrade and a number of thoughtful additions.

Enemy Front is a disappointing shooter that has a few good ideas but can’t implement them well enough to make it stand out from a very large crowd.

A fresh start for MMA fighting games on consoles, EA Sports UFC is a solid second crack at the sport for EA that still has acres of room for improvement.

It’s an occasionally annoying but often enjoyable game.

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.

Brilliant. Ubisoft Montpellier has created one of this year’s most memorable games. A story of adventure and tragedy played out against the backdrop of World War I, Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a game everyone should play.

Throwaway macabre fun, Murdered: Soul Suspect will likely keep you hooked until its only partially predictable conclusion. The game does a decent job of throwing up red herrings, before delivering its ending, but the journey to get there is a largely uninspired and inconsistent slog.

Despite a few puzzling design decisions and an almost glacial start to the campaign, Watch Dogs is worthy of your time. There’s no doubt about that.

If you like Worms, you'll still love Worms Battlegrounds. Deathmatch and Forts modes are still fun when played with friends, but single-player feels like an interminable grind. Here's what you need to know, in a nutshell: it's a Worms game. Pure and simple.

MachineGames has done the series the due service it deserves, delivering a thrilling and immensely entertaining Nazi smashing shooter that demands to be played and savoured.

A retro-style shooter that's both funny and fun, Super Time Force's temporal twists and turns are what make it well worth playing. It's unlikely you'll have played anything with the same kind of unfettered energy either. It's time you gave it a go.

Essentially picking up where the last game left off, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 does little to push the series forward, instead choosing to play it safe and reheat the same gameplay structure. That said, there's still a fair bit to enjoy here, especially if you missed out on the first Amazing Spider-Man.

Ubisoft Montreal has conjured a fairy tale world that you'll enjoy spending time in, a text-based RPG adventure with its own line in rhyming. Child of Light is a glorious game, short and yet sweet, memorable, gorgeous; an incredible feat. And for the small price you'll be paying, Child of Light is definitely more than worth playing.

As relentlessly bastard-hard as ever, Trials Fusion coaxes you in with its easy and medium events, before kicking you square in the balls with its later hard and extreme tracks. It's still utterly brilliant, but takes no prisoners. In conclusion: Trials Fusion – good but hard. Just like the other games. Buy it.

LEGO The Hobbit is still a game full of things to see and do, but the problem is that you have the nagging feeling you have seen and done them all before.

Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut isn't a bad game, it's just not a particularly great one. If you're screaming out for a space combat game in the Colony Wars mould, however, this will certainly fit the bill. Just don't expect to be playing Strike Suit Zero: Director's Cut for a particularly long time after you've beaten the missions the first time around.

The motion sensing works, with a few exceptions, and the events are wrapped up in some beautiful presentation. Microsoft finally has a decent excuse for Xbox One’s all-seeing eye.

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.

A grand sequel and one that adds to the impressive nature of the first game immensely.

Nobody can argue with Titanfall’s minute-to-minute gameplay. It’s a wonderful blend of verticality and brilliantly frenetic combat, and is sure to be the new standard of awesome when it comes to competitive multiplayer shooters. What you can argue with is the package as a whole, which could be described as a little light and lacking in some places.

Obsidian with Matt and Trey have created a little bit of magic here. Shame about the censorship issues in Europe and Australia, so if it’s possible, you’d be advised to import it. Otherwise, it’s an excellent South Park extravaganza.

A disappointing end to a promising tale, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 is a turgid and inconsistent sequel that fails to live up to its forebear.

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.

A fun LEGO game, but not among the best that the series has to offer, which is a real shame as the story going on around the average levels is top notch and probably one of the best. If you’ve seen the The LEGO Movie though then you can probably give The LEGO Movie Videogame a miss without too many regrets.

Despite its slow and dreary start, Thief builds to deliver an experience that most stealth fans will lap up. However, most Thief fans will mourn the loss of the reboot’s freedom and choice. That said, Thief is ultimately a game that delivers epic highs and mediocre lows, and for the highs alone, I have no issues recommending it to anyone.

A decent revisit of a fondly remembered classic, Strider gives its ageing source material a modern twist to solid effect. Beware though; if you’ve no patience for tough, pattern-filled, old-school boss fights, you may want to look elsewhere.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII is a disappointing conclusion to what should have been a barnstorming final chapter in the Final Fantasy XIII saga. Strong combat that's severely undermined, a feeble narrative and a veritable litany of hit and miss moments all conspire to make Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII an agonising missed opportunity.

A gorgeous, joy-filled, characterful platformer. Aside from a few minor niggles, Rayman Legends deserves a place alongside the very best examples of the genre. It looks ever-so slightly prettier on Xbox One, but that's about it. Nonetheless, Rayman Legends is still highly recommended.

A great opportunity to revisit the origins of a leading Xbox series, Fable Anniversary is an enjoyable trip down memory lane. Brought up to date with new visuals, extra content and a brilliant achievement list, its charms just about overpower its ageing, decade-old gameplay. A must for fans.

Boasting a strong female heroine in Aveline, Assassin's Creed: Liberation is worth the asking price, but only just. The fragmented story was excusable on PS Vita, but on Xbox 360 and PS3, Assassin's Creed: Liberation's myriad cracks and flaws are glaring. Aveline may be a thinly-drawn character, but she's one that's deserving of so much more than this.

For what it is, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood is a charming, yet rather restrictive 2D, puzzle-platformer. Despite its limited scope, lack of replayability and depth, there’s some fun to be had here, if only for a while.

A solid port of its mobile and PC counterparts, Halo: Spartan Assault is an enjoyable twin-stick shooter that provides little in the way of real longevity or value for money. Still, if you've nothing else left to play on Xbox One, you could do a lot worse.

Peggle 2 is a gloriously addictive sequel that'll slap a great big smile on your face and keep it there.

Better than Fighters Uncaged, but that wasn’t too hard. Fighter Within works, and that’s the only positive thing to say about it.

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.

With satisfying combat, breathtaking visuals, a decent campaign and a surprisingly entertaining multiplayer mode, it may not break new ground in terms of gameplay, and it offers little in the way of variety, but what it does, it does well.

Drivatar is a brilliant innovation, but where's the weather, night racing and improved damage model? Turn 10 has a lot of room to improve with the next Forza Motorsport game. For now, Forza Motorsport 5 will do.

Adventure Time Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW! is a smooth poser at best, but not one that lives up to the awesomeness of the show or the characters. It doesn’t even stand up well against the game it is clearly apeing, Gauntlet, and can’t hold a candle to current dungeon crawlers like Diablo III that do far more to hold your interest.

Zoo Tycoon’s biggest crime is its lack of ambition.

It’s neither revolutionary, nor a next-gen leap, but Powerstar Golf is a cheery, entertaining experience regardless. We’ll be coming back to this for weeks.

LocoCycle is unhinged madness, and impossible not to like.

As a modern fighting game, it manages to hold its own against more seasoned stablemates, thanks to its accessibility and hidden depths.

Limited core gameplay, broken systems, poor controls, a terribly told story and underwhelming visuals make Crimson Dragon Xbox One’s worst launch game by far.

Easily Microsoft’s best launch title and the very definition of a killer-app.

Essential for fans and newcomers alike, XCOM: Enemy Within’s additions meaningfully alter your experience of the game, forcing players to take new approaches to an already loved title. Firaxis has done it again.

Limited only by story levels that grow tired towards the end, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes is nevertheless a wonderfully witty, fun romp with a huge cast of characters and an impressively large and varied open-world hub. TT Games has done it again.

A series in serious danger of outstaying its welcome, Call of Duty is once again a victim of its own success, unable to change the winning formula too much. And yet, Infinity Ward has still managed to craft a first-person shooter that is exciting, engaging and unreservedly fun.

‏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.

A solid but ultimately uninspired instalment in the series, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is comprised of ideas that are starting to wear thin.

While Battlefield 4’s next-gen outing offers something new and exciting in terms of multiplayer – 64-players – and in visuals – it looks fantastic and runs at 60 frames per second – the current gen version is more of the same, with no real evolution aside from a few instances of "levolution." A great game if you’re sticking around on current-gen for the foreseeable future, but worth waiting for if the next-gen of consoles is on your horizon.

Skylanders Swap Force is at its core a fun filled kids game with a penchant for clever in-game marketing. It would be nice to be able to experience 100% of the game right out of the box, but where is the money in that? Instead you will probably get a thoroughly enjoyable 60-70% of the game and if you decide to call it a day at that point you will have still had plenty of fun.

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.

It's pole position once again for Codemasters' F1, despite a lack of any real, meaningful changes over F1 2012 beyond the addition of F1 Classics. F1 2013 is still a superb racer, but we're expecting big things for next year.

There’s no doubting that FIFA 14 is an improvement over last year’s version, but that improvement is very slight and those who aren’t ardent FIFA fans would probably never notice the differences. Having already played the next-gen version – with the new Ignite engine – I’d have to say you’re probably best off waiting. That one at least feels and looks like a different game, this one does not. Still, FIFA 14 is as great as ever.

Daiblo III is a pretty poor RPG but probably the best loot driven dungeon crawler on your console. So if you aren’t too fussed about the rushed story and are prepared to lose countless hours to find THAT legendary item and get your DPS just so, then Diablo III is probably for you. Everyone else will play the game once and wonder what the fuss was all about.

Memorable missions, barnstorming heists, amusing side objectives and an almost impossibly immersive world to explore, make for the best Grand Theft Auto since Vice City and San Andreas.

Don’t be fooled by the funny YouTube vids, Farming Simulator 2013 is less fun than mad cow disease.

EA Canada has smashed the puck right into the back of the net once again with NHL 14, providing masses of content, unparalleled gameplay and the usual superb presentation you expect from an EA Sports game. It's perhaps not as big a leap forward over NHL 13 as you'd hope, but regardless, NHL 14 is a winner once again.

Killer is Dead is a hodge-podge of ideas that never forms a cohesive whole. Take away the controversial elements (as they merely feel tacked on for the sake of it anyway) and you are left with a disappointing experience that doesn’t live up to the talents of the people involved. Give this one a wide berth.

A disappointing entry in the Lost Planet series that occasionally shows flashes of potential, but ultimately ends up being marred by numerous problems, Lost Planet 3 manages to eke out a mildly compelling story and a solid multiplayer mode. More akin to the first game, Lost Planet 3 will nonetheless leave you cold.

A gorgeous, joy-filled, characterful platformer. Aside from a few minor niggles, Rayman Legends deserves a place alongside the very best examples of the genre. Highly recommended.

The Bureau: XCOM Declassified aims at combining Mass Effect’s combat with the trappings of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, but it fails to live up to either. The action is capable of offering some thrills, but The Bureau is a poorly put together game with a list of problems that prevent it from rising above mediocre. Disappointing.

Ubisoft has outdone itself with this one, producing a game that serves up quality and quantity in spades. Splinter Cell: Blacklist can be a demanding and sometimes harsh game, but it only serves in strengthening your resolve to do better, and explore different approaches and avenues to achieve perfect stealth. Whether you're a Ghost, Panther or Assault player, Splinter Cell: Blacklist has something to offer, regardless.

Saints Row IV's world might be a virtual simulation, but there's nothing fake about the level of fun on offer here. The only downside is a nagging sense of diminishing returns, and a very real sense that the next Saints Row game should probably look at going back to its roots.

Cheap, poorly designed and worst of all, crushingly boring, Tour de France 2013 is about as classy as some cut out and keep Bradley Wiggins mutton chops and half as fun.

The short nature of the game, and the flimsy co-op and multiplayer offerings, mean that even as a budget title, Painkiller H&D never feels like value for money.

Not quite up to the standards of High Moon's Transformers: War For Cybertron, Deadpool is nevertheless a decent use of the Marvel license. That said, there's just something about the whole product that feels a little dated, and the lack of content doesn't help matters either.

New IPs at this stage of the console cycle are fairly rare, especially those with ingenuity and creativity in abundance, as well as a little innovation to boot. That right there is Remember Me, a memorable experience with a strong female lead, an epic score, a hugely creative world and some deceptively deep mechanics. Here’s hoping we see Nilin and co. again sometime soon as she’s not someone we’re going to forget in a hurry.

An incredibly strong sequel. It may lack the initial 'wow factor' of the first game, but the handling is right on the money, the visuals are gorgeous and the hook provided by the story's WSR MacGuffin draws you right into the thick of the action, making for a more gratifying overall experience.

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.

Metro: Last Light should have been fantastic. Instead, 4A Games has delivered a broader, less interesting, less cohesive title that borrows from elsewhere when it should have built upon its own unique qualities. There’s still plenty to love, but it’s a wasted opportunity.

Dead Island: Riptide takes all of the worst elements of that title, removes some of the better ones and adds a few features that are average at best to create something that is wholly underwhelming. Here’s hoping this series is allowed to rest in peace.

Star Trek is buggy, glitchy and a pain in the ass to play. Set phasers to “no fun” for this one.

Picking up perfectly where Mortal Kombat left off, Injustice: Gods Among Us cements NetherRealm's reputation as a purveyor of fighting games with real heft and substance. A heroic effort that'll put a smile upon the face of all but the most demanding DC fighting fan.

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct is terrible. It’s a waste of a licence and should be the poster child for a rushed, shameless cash grab. That is all you need to know.

The first couple of Army of Two games were fun diversions that never took themselves too seriously while delivering solid co-op action. The Devil's Cartel delivers a drab, uninspired shooter where co-op feels like the secondary objective to rushing an average game out the door. Visceral can and has done much better, so the shoddy nature of Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel leaves you wondering why it was made at all.

Defiance may have you wasting away the hours, but this is not going to be the game to draw in new fans to the genre.

Legends of the Masters dips into the sport's past, drawing on the power of its players and its history for one of the PGA Tour's best new features in recent years. Much of the rest of the additions, however, have little or no impact. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14 is decent, but do we really need another EA golf game?