Unquestionably the best-looking Formula One game ever, with incredibly convincing car handling – and you don't have to be Lewis Hamilton to play
While there are some new aspects, such as a game-world that is more substantial than its predecessors, the third instalment is reassuringly familiar fun
Impressive graphics and an innovative story mode make for faultless gameplay in the latest instalment of this series, but its hyper-sexualised characters feel out of touch
Aardman's painterly primer illuminates the war with sensitivity and poignancy while putting story at the frontline
Assassination missions that reward subterfuge – such as wearing a giant flamingo suit or loosening a racing driver's wheel – make this a surprisingly creative sequel
This year's official Formula One game is the closest yet to the real racing driver experience. You'll even need to brush up on your TV interview technique
This technical tour de force throws you into realistic second world war battles – shame it felt only 70-80% finished at launch
The traditional PES v Fifa rivalry is back – and Konami has produced its best football simulation since the glory days of PlayStation 2
A coherent single-player campaign and excellent online options bring this Xbox stalwart right back into the battle
Whether by accident, design or an emotive response to criticism of Far Cry 4, Ubisoft, via Primal, has given the franchise a huge new shot of vitality and freshness.
If you like games that are so big you can immerse yourselves in them for months, The Master Chief Collection offers excellent value. It's an absolute monolith of a package, beautifully presented for the 21st century.
[I]t's a great game – exactly what we expect from Nintendo. But in a way, that's also its problem: anyone with a Wii U would be a fool not to buy it, but so few people have committed to the Wii U, and in order to rectify that, Nintendo needs to woo the unconverted with all-new gaming experiences. And the gaming experience that Tropical Freeze provides may be rich, enjoyable, challenging and frequently hilarious, but it isn't anything conspicuously new.
Hyrule Warriors ought not to work – it smacks of Nintendo's desperation to get any sort of game out for its overlooked machine – but it will certainly delight the faithful fans, and manages to remain utterly true to the world of Zelda while offering really fresh-feeling gameplay. It's far from perfect, and won't win any awards, but has the attributes required to gain cult status in the years to come. If you have a Wii U, it's a must-buy.
There's no doubt that Killzone: Shadow Fall is far and away the best PlayStation 4 launch title. It feels fresh and innovative throughout – after playing it, we checked out Call of Duty: Ghosts on the PS4, which felt one-dimensional and strangely old-fashioned – looks stunning and through its beautifully fettled multiplayer side, offers infinite replay value. It towers above previous versions of Killzone in terms of quality and taking a much more interesting approach. All of which makes it the one must-buy exclusive in the PS4's launch line-up.
However, despite its nods to the oldest first-person shooter of all, it does feel thoroughly honed and reasonably modern. It isn't the future of first-person shooters, but it does rank among the best single-player examples.
The upshot is that The Evil Within will give survival horror purists a rare contemporary pleasure fix. But be warned: if you prize smooth, silky action above all else, it will drive you insane.
What you do get, though, is a zombie scenario which is entirely plausible and believable and that, in itself, takes Dying Light to a higher plane, reaching toward the role-playing depth of State of Decay and the sheer nastiness of DayZ. Factor in the giant sandbox of a huge city, and the end result is a scarily immersive experience.
Arc System Works aren't exactly pushing themselves out of their comfort zone, but this is another polished and highly enjoyable 2D fighter that is not nearly as insular as you'd think.
The slickest, smoothest and most technologically advanced not-FIFA game ever made, that makes an encouragingly positive start to a new era of football video games.
A significant improvement on the original and undoubtedly the best 2D Soulslike game so far, with a macabre and imaginative style all of its own.