The assumption seems to be that most players won't have the desire or the stamina to play a full round - though in light of the limited number of courses, it may simply be a way to minimise repetition. Either way, EA Tiburon has produced a game hardly befitting a player of McIlroy's talents. The so-called "next generation of golf" looks uncomfortably similar to the last, and there's substantially less of it. Only the quality of the underlying game saves this from the ignominy of an Avoid sticker.
By turns breathless, brilliant and fist-chewingly demanding, Velocity 2X might allow its tempo to drop too often, but it approaches excellence often enough to recommend - you might just fall in love.
A fascinating and absorbing headspace in which to spend a few hours.
Comfortably the best of Disney's toy-to-life outings so far, Infinity 3.0 is not without its flaws.
Lacking fluidity and dynamism, football's reigning king has lost its crown.
An injection of speed and creativity results in the best Skylanders game to date.
Challenging but immaculately calibrated controls power an exciting and enormously rewarding sci-fi roguelike.
The Mario Tennis you know and love, only substantially less of it than usual. Still fun, but such slim pickings leave a sour taste.
Too gentle and sweet to warrant the online bile, this board game spin-off is nevertheless a very limited and repetitive stopgap.
It seems destined to be undervalued, but this is a pleasant surprise - a fine fighter that's just about essential for Pokemon fans.
A handsome and brutal strategy sequel that benefits from a range of intelligent improvements
An accomplished follow-up to Triple Deluxe that is energetic and tactile enough to compensate for a handful of rehashed ideas.
A warmly affectionate remake of a browser classic, with enough new pieces to justify its existence.
Not as unique as you’d perhaps expect given the premise, but still a very stylish, characterful and funny adventure.
This savage brawler has its moments, but swiftly moves from brutal to boring.
Despite the much-needed visual overhaul, if you spent 100+ hours with the PlayStation original there’s maybe not quite enough in this 3DS update to tempt you back. But if Dragon Quest VII doesn’t always justify the significant length of its journey, anyone looking for some good story content to last them well into the winter months will find a portable RPG that dwarfs most of its console counterparts.
With smarter AI opposition and an altogether smoother online experience, PES 2017 is close to the complete package. FIFA’s new story mode might be the most headline-grabbing feature of either game this year, but it’s clear Konami is in no mood to relinquish its title as king of the virtual pitch.
For all that FIFA promises something for every football fan, from the casual observer to the full-kit fanatic, I still find myself wishing that EA Sports would spend a little more time focusing on the basics. You could probably create the perfect football game by letting Konami handle everything on the pitch, with EA Sports responsible for everything off it. But FIFA plays well enough that the gains elsewhere – in terms of licensing, authenticity, and big-match atmosphere – more than compensate for those shortcomings. For my money, PES is still ahead where it counts most, but The Journey gives FIFA something unique and rewarding. If you can afford it, this year it might just be worth getting both.
Still a magical creative toolkit with an outstanding interface
A promising, assured start, and a welcome return to form for Telltale.