A laudable attempt to make a video game that is both entertaining and educational, but despite the interest it builds up for its subject matter the weak gameplay is hard to ignore.
A very promising start to what is mechanically just another Telltale adventure, but where the comedy and characterisation feels very different to their more recent games.
LittleBigPlanet is once again its own worst enemy, as it fails to make the best use of its own fun new characters. Although the creation tools are the most accessible they've ever been.
Not the bold new reinvention that Assassin's Creed needed but instead a rushed, patently unfinished mess whose improvements are minor and failings more obvious than ever.
As bizarre a mix of genres, art style, and subject matter as you could ever hope to see, especially on the PC. But it all works and absolutely deserves this second shake of the die.
A no expense spared celebration of the most enduring shooter series of all time, with everything a Halo fan could wish for and more than enough to entertain everyone else.
An impenetrable start for non-fans, but there's enough potential here to hope that subsequent episodes make this a dream everyone can share in.
As blatant a clone as has ever been seen, but although it does nothing better than Dark Souls it does do some things almost as well – and is certainly more accessible.
For a game obsessed with OTT violence and knob gags this is a surprisingly charming and likeable shooter, if an unavoidably shallow and repetitive one.
The most powerful game creation tool ever released for a console, but it's less accessible than it could be and the endless microtransactions leave a predictably sour taste.
Moving beyond a mere homage to Dungeon Master this is one of the best dungeon crawlers of recent years, even if the puzzle balance still isn't quite right.
A fantastic little action puzzlers that is one of the best surprises of the year, and a welcome escape from would-be epics and over-hyped blockbusters.
In terms of pure gameplay this is perhaps the best serious detective game so far, but the issues with the script and characters remain more than a one pipe problem.
Still not quite essential, but the best of the three downloads and an effective final chapter for the most successfully difficult video game of the modern era.
One of the best story driven games of the year, and one of the prettiest, although you do sometimes wonder if it's focusing on the most interesting aspect of its plot.
It's a little too zealous in its old school approach, but this is still a great computer role-playing game and a welcome, if unofficial, part of the Fallout family.
The most shamefully obvious clone of recent years, but although this copies most of Lemmings' tricks it falls short in terms of both personality and addictiveness.
A fantastically bold idea that Double Fine exploit to its fullest, in one of the most original puzzle adventures of the year – and the most educational.
A genuine improvement on the original and so stuffed with content that you'll need several new Final Fantasy games before another sequel is necessary.
Relatively generous in size and scope, but being Second Son in miniature only helps to highlight what a hollow spectacle the game is.