John Robertson
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare achieves that delicate balance of providing something fresh, without diminishing the game's historical appeal.
No, it's not the best Call of Duty ever made, but the sheer volume of content on display largely makes up for its weaknesses in specific areas. A worthwhile story would have added enormous value to the overall package, but its absence doesn't undermine what is another solid release.
There are still problems when it comes to balancing realism with spectacle, but Madden NFL 16 manages to get the mix mostly right. Certainly, when compared to previous releases, there's a far greater sense that what you're playing tallies with what you see on Sundays.
It might be conventional as far as visuals and monsters go, but its overall appeal rests in its provision of a living world that can be sculpted and altered in ways both subtle and explicit. So long as you're prepared to put the required time in, Dragon Age: Inquisition has plenty to give.
When it comes down to it, it's the communication and that sense of shared success that makes Triforce Heroes such a joyous and satisfying release.
Is it as good as playing with friends fighting around a TV? No, but it is Smash Bros as we've come to know and love and, at least until the Wii U version arrives, that's more than good enough. hardcore and causal players rejoice.
Its failures prevent Far Cry 5 from being a classic, but its successes mean it has plenty to keep you embroiled in its reactive world.
A good combat system and gorgeous visuals are significantly let down by an underwhelming and perfunctory narrative that can make progression a real chore. Whilst there are elements that work in isolation, Bravely Second doesn't manage to tie them together in a way that matches the quality of the original.
Madden 15 a step forward, then, yet still a year behind schedule. There's a good game here, but there's still work to do to bring it up to the level of many of its sports game peers.
While UFC 2 certainly looks the part, it doesn't feel it. Strikes are razor sharp, kicks are satisfyingly heavy, and each and every fighter is beautifully sculpted and recreated, but each and every element is too robotic and rigid to recreate the dynamism and unpredictability that draws me to real UFC fights. Those fights are often won by finding those spaces between the lines that your opponent hasn't thought to cover, but those spaces simply don't exist here. As a fighting game it's worth your time if you're seeking something other than the usual options, but as a recreation of the UFC it falters before the final bell.
Grid Autosport is often too ambitious for its own good, resulting in a diverse but inconsistent racer.
Type-0 can often be a daring departure for the Final Fantasy series, but its uneven narrative and learning curve hold it back.
LittleBigPlanet 3's whimsical world has plenty of good ideas that struggle to form a cohesive whole.
Undoubtedly, there's enormous potential for a UFC series that will in the future become a staple part of the EA Sports family. A few tweaks are needed, but things are on the right track.
The latest in Turn 10's driving series is terrific on the track but outdated off it.
At this point, unless you're an Assassin's Creed diehard, this offering is difficult to recommend in the face of the competition.
Sunset Overdrive is not lacking in enjoyable moments and ideas, but the overall package doesn't manage to live up to the billing publisher Microsoft has thrust upon it. This is not a revolution as far as open-world games go, it's more of a compendium of recognizable elements that have been twisted just enough to make them seem new and different for the uninitiated.
Compared to previous efforts, NHL 15 falls incredibly short on new-gen platforms. Missing a swathe of modes, you can't help but feel that the franchise's debut on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 is something of a puck up. Disappointing.
Ultimately, FIFA 18 on Switch is a story of what could have been. Watered-down game modes give the whole experience a feeling of it being a work-in-progress rather than the complete package offered in the PS4 and Xbox One version. If you only want a quick FIFA fix in single-player or local play, the Switch version delivers. But it's such a diluted, Sunday League experience it's impossible to recommend if you're already playing on home consoles.
A confused spectacle that fails to promote the idea of a motorcycle game.