The Escapists may look cute and lightweight, but it's a surprisingly deep sandbox RPG that punishes sloppiness and where players have a multitude of options in how they go about crafting their escape. Its learning curve is steep and hints are few and far between, but hey, that's life on the inside for you.
Watch Dogs is solidly entertaining and a lot of fun to play. And while it could've achieved true greatness if it had followed through on its most ambitious promises, it is still better than a lot of what's been released this year. The hype seems already to be benefiting the sales figures. Everything about Watch Dogs tells us that we are all susceptible in the digital age.
Whether you're a long-time Yakuza fan or just coming to this series, Judgment is well worth the investment. Boasting a cracking story, oodles of content and a fantastic fighting system, this spin-off can keep you glued for days… possibly months.
Metro Exodus is ambitious, engrossing and at times genuinely disturbing. Above all it tells a fantastic tale set in a world that all the game's superb aspects work hard to immerse the player in. While ‘the post-apocalyptic Russia' may not sound like an appealing destination, Metro Exodus is well worth the trip.
If you're prepared to take that possibility on board, Darkest Dungeon offers a challenging chasm to lose yourself in. It won't appeal to every type of player, but for those willing to face the prospect of crippling loss, insanity and nail-biting tension, Darkest Dungeon is certainly worth the time you'll sink into it.
Gearbox has fleshed out the overall character of the universe from the first Borderlands and come up with a winner
Cry 4 truly shines in the almost bacchanalian sense of freedom it bestows on the player as they traverse through its environment. In Kyrat you have the ability to go anywhere and do pretty much anything – much as Pagan Min would advocate. Here, the only pact you need keep is that with your conscience. God help you.