Ryse is stupid, beautiful, stupid, visceral, stupid and much more fun than we ever gave it credit for. A surprisingly solid launch title let down by a limited stock of enemies to fight, not its controversial yet ultimately entertaining swordplay.
Runers' deep character creation and excellent spellcrafting makes its sub-par shooting gameplay feel fresh and exciting... at least for long enough to get your money's worth. Approach in bite-sized chunks, and be sure to try the demo.
Spartan Assault proves that Halo can power a solid and entertaining twin-stick shooter. Though short stages and annoying mobile holdovers can spoil the fun, we have our fingers crossed for more - so long as future games remember that what works on a mobile device sometimes isn't fit for the living room.
Creating your own crazy remixes makes Disney Fantasia worth considering for Kinect-owning audiophiles, but its core semaphore-based gameplay feels more like glumly directing traffic than gleefully performing magic.
Call Of Duty: Ghosts is a surprisingly tough sell on current-gen consoles, and wastes the opportunity to push the franchise forward in any meaningful way. Though still a solidly-built shooter that offers the kitchen sink, the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions lack players and features compared to both the next-gen editions, PC and even - most damningly of all - Black Ops II.
Worms Battlegrounds is a no-frills port of Worms Clan Wars, fun and flawed in all the same respects. It's still fantastic in local hotswap multiplayer -- Worms always is -- but lacks any improvements or new content despite releasing a year later on new-gen hardware.
Fabulous figurines and expanded creation tools make Disney Infinity 2.0 a sensational if inconsistent toybox. We'll probably have to wait until 3.0 for the playsets and core gameplay mechanics it deserves, but a little imagination can go a long way here.
Styx: Master Of Shadows is a proper old-school sneak'em up that harks back to the tough and rewarding heyday of the stealth genre, but the production values don't come close to matching the ambition. Thanks to its budget price, enormous sandbox levels and fun stealth mechanics, I can still recommend this shonky yet endearing little game to patient fans of sneaking, stabbing and pressing F9 every few seconds.
The Crew's magnificent automotive American playground and high-octane multiplayer road trips are sensational, but the tragedy is that Ubisoft and Ivory Tower didn't know when to stop.
Citizens Of Earth is more than just an Earthbound homage. Zany humour finds wonder and wackiness in the mundane, while the recruitment system lets you build a versatile army that changes the way you explore and battle in a JRPG.
Evolve is a handsome, smart and hectic eat 'em up that's surprisingly difficult to recommend. What could have been an underground smash as a budget download has been spread thin to justify a AAA price, leading to grave concerns about its glacial progression, value, longevity and DLC strategy. Though still utterly fantastic under optimal conditions, Evolve asks far too much for an inconsistently enjoyable experience.
A stellar soundtrack and fascinating story rescue an otherwise disappointing sequel. In an effort to be bigger than the original, Hotline Miami 2 bloats its arcade gameplay into an grinder that punishes risk-taking and frequently feels irritating or unfair, not satisfyingly tough.
Titan Souls is a brutal and breathtakingly elegant boss battle bonanza, but it's difficult to find a satisfying rhythm thanks to a host of inconsiderate design decisions. What starts out as wholesomely frustrating can quickly become infuriating and even surprisingly repetitive.
Omega Quintet boasts a unique idol premise, enjoyable exploration, quirky characters and a sensational combat system. Sadly the unlikeable protagonist, disappointing visuals and other issues make the PS4's first exclusive JRPG more difficult to recommend than it ought to be.
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart is a surprisingly competent strategy RPG with solid mechanics, great stylised visuals, plenty of content and well-observed videogame parody humour. Not to mention an extraordinary amount of risqué fanservice for those who love Hyperdimension Neptunia. Though pacing issues and other concerns hold it back from being truly great, what's here is still very impressive and well worth considering for fans of the genre or franchise -- and essential if you're a fan of both.
Compile Heart have yet to create a truly superior JRPG, but Fairy Fencer F feels like a huge step in the right direction. Lazy level design and primitive visuals bring down the package, but the quirky dialogue, interesting overarching storyline, unique gameplay systems and superb combat make for a worthwhile romp for genre fans.
Max: The Curse Of Brotherhood is a handsome and surprisingly sharp platform puzzler. Though stronger characters, storyline and controls could have made it truly special, it's still well worth exploring if you're looking for something fresh to play on your Xbox One.
Having set the stage, future episodes now need to give us more in terms of puzzles, real detective work and big decisions to make... while translating the cast's deepening respect or hatred for Bigby into pivotal game-changing moments.
Blackguards 2 delivers more brutal hex-based strategy and environmental puzzling while refining the original formula in several smart ways. The more open yet focused campaign, propped up by a fantastic central character who's as evil as you want her to be, makes for a satisfying if punishing experience.
Zoo Tycoon overcomes a weak first impression with effortless charm and hidden depths: a colourful blend of management and playful fun that puts its animals first and foremost. A surprisingly capable launch title for more relaxed players, animal lovers, youngsters or just the young at heart. Granted, that's a cheesy cliché, but it holds true here.