An elderly empty-nester whistles as she maintains her smallholding with calm and dignity in this slow-paced, meditative game
While the Wii U version is undoubtedly inferior to the PS4 and Xbox One offerings in terms of presentation, there's no denying that the Skylanders Imaginators offers a lot of value thanks to its character creation mode. While some might argue that this focus on virtual creatures goes against the tactile experience so beloved of toys to life players, it's an interesting new direction for a series which needed a change to maintain consumer interest. If you're a long-standing follower of Skylanders then you'll find a lot to like here.
Trails… is a superb example of classic JRPGs done right.
Like any good art That Dragon, Cancer redefines the boundaries of its genre. This is creativity unfettered, matched in weight only by the likes of The Last of Us.
Some interesting ideas, then, but they remain a set of novel detours rather than coming together as a coherent whole.
If you have a Minecraft fan in the house this could well be on their Christmas list.
Overall Minecraft Story Mode is a great start to a new series. Although the child-like visuals will put some Telltale fans off this is to miss the huge investment and achievement so far. If the series continues in this vein it's set to be warmly welcomed by both Minecraft fans and families.
This isn't just another update to the Skylanders series, it's the moment the game properly comes of age both from the perspective of top notch gameplay as well as offering families exactly what they want in terms of value. Also, those amiibo-Skylanders are fantastic.
Lego Dimensions combines 14 different pop culture franchises with smart Lego minifigures and the biggest Lego video game ever made. The result isn't cheap but offers a significant amount of fun and frivolity both on the screen and on the carpet.
As with any of these toy-video-game cross over products Lego Dimensions is not cheap. However, it's come in with super high production values, loads of content and tens of hours of game-play. In an already crowded it stands out from the crowd by taking the toys-to-life genre another step in the right direction.
Despite those load times, Disney Infinity 3.0 is a very strong addition to the franchise. The Star Wars content is handled well and the Toy Box additions will open game-making to a wider audience. While Disney could have rested on the knowledge that this year's brands would sell themselves, it's good to see that it's taken the game forward in substantial ways.
The original toys-to-life series is back with a new driving feature and some neat tweaks to the well-known formula
Overall, Skylanders Superchargers is a very impressive package. Totting up how much extra content you get makes it very good value. Add to that the full backward compatibility support for all the previous figures, new online and racing modes and high end production value and it's a very tempting package. Superchargers is the moment we really see Skylanders deliver on its potential. It's not the cheapest game to play with your family but it delivers a huge amount of value.
Disney Infinity 3.0 does much more than just rely on Star Wars to sell units, though. Enhancements to combat, toy-box tools and vehicle handling combine with the new space dog-fights, racing and more generous cross-over characters to deliver just what fans of the series have been asking for.
Alongside substantial improvement to the game there has been considerable effort to improve the value here with the lower price starter pack. Disney Infinity 3.0 will be hard to resist for fans of the film and families looking for this year's toy-to-life video-game investment.
An absolute treat for fans of Metroid
Put together, it is hugely successful, not only offering an accessible strategy adventure with charismatic heroes and a fistful of innovations but one that in doing so refreshes the somewhat tired turn-based genre.
On balance the Disney Infinity 2.0: Marvel Super Heroes The Avengers Starter Pack — to give it its full name — offers a lot of value on its own. Providing families understand that the additional toys are optional extras rather than necessities they should be able to resist over-spending at super market checkouts. The improved upgrades, enhanced Toy Box experience and Marvel franchise make this year's game an enticing proposition.
Skylanders Trap Team won't be the cheapest video game for families this year, but with the Starter Pack and some old figures, this compelling action adventure offers good value.
On balance this is another good outing for Skylanders, although not delivering as much ambition and creativity in the video-game as in the toys. Provided families can enjoy both physical and virtual elements of the game there is still much to celebrate here, and plenty of value.