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.

Predictably enjoyable, Just Cause 3 is as big and ballsy as its forebear, but doesn't push the envelope quite enough. Yet, if it's action and explosions you seek, then look no further. Just Cause 3 is still the most fun you can have with a gun, a grapple and infinite parachutes. Boom.

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.

Despite its vast scope, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt tells a personal, intimate and touching story, filled with characters you’ll love and hate, and stuffed with monsters to slay. I completed the main storyline in around 50 hours and - yes I know this is a cliche - I’ve barely scratched the surface. The Witcher 3 is an astounding achievement.

A slightly disappointing return for EA's racing franchise, Need for Speed doesn't do anything to push things forward. You'd think that a hiatus might have given Ghost Games time to inject a little extra vigour into Need for Speed, but the overall result is falls woefully short of expectations. Still, the racing part remains good, clean fun, which is what really matters.

Fallout 4 might not be as technically advanced as, say The Witcher 3, but it’s a game full of charm and substance, which makes up for an aging Creation Engine. Fallout 4 boasts an incredible world full of intrigue, mystery and suspense, backed by a whole host of weird and wonderful characters. It’s a world you’re going to want to go back to, time and time again.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is a strong sequel to 2013's reboot, building upon the potential of its predecessor while adding to the sense of wonder and exploration-based aspects more in keeping with Ms. Croft's roots. Of course, more tombs and puzzles to solve would always be welcome, but Rise is nonetheless a fantastic blend of entertaining combat encounters, traversal and open-world exploration, and arguably a cut above the previous game in gameplay terms, if not necessarily in story terms.

Another year, another Call of Duty, Black Ops 3 is nonetheless a generous package that hits all of the right marks. Campaign is decent enough and Zombies is good fun, but it's the multiplayer that will keep you hooked.

WWE 2K16 is a better game than last 2K15, largely thanks to the expansive range of options and features that have been reinstated. The 2K Showcase is fantastic, but the core gameplay hasn't changed enough to warrant a hearty recommendation.

Halo 5: Guardians is an exciting Halo package, marred only by some questionable design decisions, like microtransactions and some shoddy friendly-AI in the campaign. It’s not a classic Halo, but 343 is moving in a good direction with the franchise.

The Jackbox Party Pack 2 is pretty much essential if you have family or friends to entertain. It's one of very few games in which everyone can join in, providing hours of fun and laughter. One to dig out for social gatherings then.

Something of a return to form for the series, Assassin's Creed Syndicate is the perfect marriage of time, place and characters with an entertaining story and fun gameplay to match. London has never seemed so appealing.

Guitar Hero Live is maybe a change too far for the Guitar Hero revival. It’s two facets, Guitar Hero Live and Guitar Hero TV, are wonderfully crafted and superbly engaging, but the fun factor seems to have been zapped from it somewhat. Maybe it’s a little too serious, maybe it’s hard to accept change, but that spark that we felt when we played Guitar Hero II for the first time… it’s just not there.

A decent rally title, WRC 5 has its issues, but none of them are game-breaking. The online mode might be severely lacking, but the single-player experience is fully-formed, with Career Mode, Quick Rally and Quick Stage modes offering plenty of solo enjoyment. If you're after a good rally racer, look no further.

Don't be fooled by its simplistic, retro visual stylings. Crimsonland is enormous fun, and the perfect game to dip in and out of on occasion.

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.

A game in which Batman rubs shoulders with the Stay Puft marshmallow man, where Gandalf solves puzzles at Aperture Sciences and Wyldstyle punches orcs, LEGO Dimensions is a smile-inducing mash-up that revels in everything that makes LEGO such a joy.

Not exactly a massive Air Jordan-style leap over NBA 2K15, this year's game is nonetheless a substantial enough evolution to warrant a closer look.

A marked improvement over last year, but the absence of pace is sorely missed. FIFA 16 is not as good on the pitch as PES this year – again – but it’s a great football game regardless, with unrivalled off the pitch options.

PES 2016 is undoubtedly a great football game, as good as it’s been in years. Sure, it’s better on the pitch than PES 2015, but it’s let down somewhat by some cavalier keepers who couldn’t catch a cold.

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse is a solid little point-and-click adventure that's let down by its clunky controls and its sometimes nonsensical puzzles.

Simply a better game than Forza 5 and with a lot more content to boot, Forza Motorsport 6 is an endlessly playable racer that deserves a spot in your Xbox One collection.

Tilting Point's game is a great indie platformer that's a bit on the short side, but for $7, it's a steal. Challenging and enjoyable while it lasts, Leo's Fortune is well worth a punt. It's the best game starring a furry green testicle with a moustache that you're ever likely to play.

Mad Max is a solid, if slightly unremarkable open-world game that does a good job in replicating the atmosphere and tone of the movies, and the character's essence, but fails to provide any real excitement beyond its vehicle-based combat.

A few new gameplay mechanics and the Fantasy Draft mode might not seem like enough to make you part with your cash, but the subtle changes are enough to make every game feel like a new challenge.

An improvement over the previous Infinity games, Disney Infinity 3.0 is the most definitive installment in the series to date, putting Disney Originals, Marvel and Star Wars under one roof. Factor in the power and possibilities presented by the Toy Box, and Disney Infinity 3.0 would be almost impossible to resist if a little more attention had been lavished upon the core gameplay.

Gears of War: Ultimate Edition is the Gears of War that fans didn’t ask for, but it’s the one they got, and it’s actually pretty great, as it happens. The campaign seems to have taken a backseat to the multiplayer in terms of improvements, but it’s worth buying for the multiplayer alone, so there’s that. It’ll tide you over till Gears of War 4 at least, but that’s about it.

An uncompromising, visionary conclusion to Rocksteady's Arkham trilogy, Batman: Arkham Knight is the world's greatest detective in the world's greatest superhero game.