Final Fantasy 15 is the best single-player Final Fantasy in a decade. The new combat system is more action-oriented, but still surprisingly tactical, while the new focus on open-world exploration brings the game and its world to life. Crammed with character, choice and interest, it's an RPG where the good times keep on rolling down the road.
If you're looking for a theme park management game with a business perspective, Planet Coaster might leave you wanting. However, if you're coming from the creative angle it's hard to imagine a richer package.
The Ezio Collection nets you two classic Assassin’s Creeds and one that’s still one of the best ones – but the remastering doesn’t really do them justice. Would it have hurt to bring AC2 and Brotherhood up to the more lavish visual standard of Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, or bring the combat and controls in line?
Watch Dogs 2 is no great leap forward, but it sees the series headed in the right direction with more colour, more flair and a real sense of fun. The action’s solid and the mission design much less generic, while Ubisoft Montreal has given you a great set of tools and the freedom to use them as you will. If the original Watch Dogs was a mean-looking hound, all bark, no bite, the sequel’s a more playful pooch that’s all about having a good time – and it’s all the better for it.
For all the visual enhancements and lusher vegetation, this Special Edition can’t disguise the areas where Skyrim has dated. Other games have built on the foundations Bethesda laid. What was once jaw-dropping now seems merely remarkable. Yet get stuck into Skyrim and it’s still a magnificent saga, with one of gaming’s most compelling worlds and the kind of breadth and depth that subsequent RPGs have almost always failed to match. If you’ve had your fill of Skyrim then there’s not enough new stuff here to make a second trip essential, but if you’re looking to start or rekindle an addiction, fill your boots.
On the one hand, it’s a shame that a little more love and care hasn’t been expended on making Return to Arkham the definitive edition of these two classic games. On the other, both still look fantastic and both richly deserve their existing reputation as classics of the last console generation. In fact, both in serious contention for the title of best superhero game of all time. If you have a PS4 or Xbox One and didn’t play the originals, play these. Just be aware that, if you did, you’re not getting a substantially superior experience.
Mordheim is unapologetically hardcore, and if you're not the type to play the X-COM games in Iron Man mode then you might want to give it a miss.
Titanfall 2’s campaign is one of the best surprises of the autumn 2016 season; smart, superbly-paced and packed with action, it tramples over the likes of Halo 5 and Killzone: Shadow Fall, making this the new sci-fi shooter for CoD: Infinite Warfare to beat.
Brilliant in hour-long doses, Shadow Warrior 2 doesn't have the depth or variety in its core gameplay to hold your interest for hours at a time. The procedurally generated levels affect the flow and pacing of the missions, while all those ultra-violent battles become samey after a while.
While it doesn’t have the fun trapping gimmicks of Trap Team or the vehicles of Superchargers, Skylanders: Imaginators wins where it matters most: gameplay. The mix of combat, platforming, puzzle-solving and character progression has never been stronger than in the latest game, and the ability to create and upgrade your own Skylander actively plays into this, making it the most addictive Skylanders yet. As always you’ll inevitably end up splashing out on extra crystals and figures to make the most of the game, but this year it’s worth it. While we’d like a few more racing tracks this is arguably the best game in the series.
It won’t do much for those crying out for a proper Mario adventure on Wii U, but Paper Mario: Color Splash is a lively cocktail of Mario, RPG and papercraft puzzle-solving with funny dialogue and a surreal, self-aware sense of humour. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s a great game for those who get its lovable oddball vibe.
The PS4 version isn’t quite the definitive edition, but the smoother frame rate and more responsive gameplay makes a great Tomb Raider even greater. The new Blood Ties mode is an interesting adventure that gives us time to go deeper into Lara’s back story, while the Lara’s Nightmare mode is a fun, fast-paced action challenge. Throw in the other extras and the enhanced, co-op friendly Endurance mode and you have a package to make the wait worthwhile. Sometimes being the second-best adventure of the year is more than good enough.
Eternal Crusade is trying to do a lot and be a lot of things to Warhammer 40,000 fans. There's an obvious love of the universe and some real thinking behind the more melee-focused combat style of the game but, right now, it isn't really working. The gameplay needs more polish, better balancing and more finesse and the same goes for the presentation. If or when it gets that it could be a contender, particularly if you love the franchise, but until that happens you might want to stick to something else.
Dishonored 2 honours its brilliant predecessor and then goes on to surpass it, delivering one of the richest game worlds and some of the strongest levels you'll have encountered in any game for donkey's years.
This isn’t the smartest, most exciting or most imaginative 2D platformer you’ll find on the 3DS. In fact, Sega seems hell-bent on hobbling its chances with a selection of tedious or frustrating mini-games.
Love Destiny? Rise of Iron gives you more to love, with a strong, if short, campaign, new quest lines, challenges and gear to collect, a great new Strike, two entertaining remixes and a brand new Raid. The Plaguelands is a large and intriguing new region to explore, and the new crucible maps and modes mean there’s something for more competitive Guardians to chew on.
It's a beautiful extreme sports game, but oddly forgettable.
If you're a FIFA 17 fan, go ahead and buy it – you won't regret your purchase. Just be aware that, right now, EA's game can't match the standard of the new console footie king – PES 2017.
If you've already played and loved the three original titles plus their DLC then some mild visual upgrades and a handful of extras might not be enough to justify the purchase. If, however, you've never sunk into the haunting depths of Rapture, this is the time to sort it out.
The Tomorrow Children is weird, wonderful and oddly hollow, lacking neither the addictive hooks to keep you playing, nor the sense of community to bond you to your town. It's worth a look for its unique visuals and strange, slightly sinister atmosphere, but don't be surprised if your interest wanes after the first few hours.