Jonathan Lester
Tales From The Borderlands goes from strength to strength with another sensational episode. Catch A Ride brings revelations and gags aplenty, but more importantly it gives the characters quality time and room to grow without bogging down.
J-Stars Victory VS+ is a crossover for the ages and a delightfully mad brawler in its own right. A few shortcomings are overshadowed by the attention to detail, great cast, riotous combat and the big silly grin it will leave on your face.
Yoshi's Woolly World is Nintendo at their inventive best. Delightful and deceptively devious, this sensational platformer encourages you to explore, experiment and genuinely play with it at every turn.
Hatred delivers some fleeting sadistic satisfaction and a gorgeous art style, but quickly becomes a tedious chore. After all the controversy, it's disappointing that the finished product is mechanically flawed and otherwise completely forgettable.
Splatoon blows third-person shooting wide open with its wildly unique mechanics and uninhibited sense of fun. Approachable for newcomers and enjoyable for old hands, it's an impressive Wii U exclusive, though we'll have to take Nintendo's promises of free DLC and updates on trust.
You'll need three forgiving friends and a silly sense of humour to make the most of Magicka 2. It's an utterly sensational cooperative romp that refines the series' superb spellcasting into hilarious yet surprisingly tactical chaos.
House Of Wolves revitalises the Destiny experience. Prison Of Elders proves to be more than a match for a raid, while the new Crucible maps are a blast. The latest title update also brings several much-needed improvements to the way loot is handled.
In an attempt to prove the viability of the GamePad touchscreen as a primary input device, Nintendo accidentally created an inferior sequel to a decade-old DS puzzler. Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush squanders much of its potential and achingly beautiful visuals, functional but lacking in lasting fun.
Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a devastatingly unique strategy game with the pedigree to back it up. Fun and challenging, blending turn-based tactics with third-person shooting, there's nothing like it on the market.
A simulator with soul, Project CARS strips the bloat out of the racing genre to focus on what truly matters: the cars, handling, tracks and exhilaration of real driving. Sensational weather effects and impressive visuals make it well worth the wait.