A one-trick pony of a multiplayer fighter, Gang Beasts is sometimes hilariously messy but often just a mess.
The series' dwindling popularity has proved a tough nut to crack for its publisher in recent years; COD: WWII proves that maybe a Sledgehammer really is the right tool for the job.
Not just for the masochists, Cuphead is a demanding but supremely rewarding modern 2D shooter that looks and sounds fantastic.
A timely overhaul that should take a great game to new heights - though it's not quite on peak form this year.
An entertaining but slightly unbalanced remake whose biggest draw is a regular distraction from one of the series' best stories.
It's like, how much more Nidhogg could this be? And the answer is none. None more Nidhogg.
Slight in form, but deep and consistently satisfying. Nex Machina is a gem of a shooter.
Just deserts.
An accessible and captivatingly strange new breed of versus fighting game, Arms is another Nintendo knockout for Switch.
Far from the quick-and-dirty update it might have been, Shadows of Valentia is no Awakening, but an enlightening and worthwhile history lesson.
Three years on: still a classic, and with its biggest weakness fixed. If you own a Switch it's a no-brainer – especially if it's your first time.
A fascinating setting and fizzing gunplay make for a lean, thoughtful exploration-led shooter.
Bruising, bonkers and frequently brilliant, Yakuza 0 is Sega's cult favourite at its very best.
A promising, assured start, and a welcome return to form for Telltale.
Still a magical creative toolkit with an outstanding interface
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.
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.
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.
This savage brawler has its moments, but swiftly moves from brutal to boring.
Not as unique as you’d perhaps expect given the premise, but still a very stylish, characterful and funny adventure.